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Fashion Lessons from Children: Lesson 2

Feb13

Lesson number two is almost the opposite of the first, but equally important.
Don’t be afraid to go monochromatic with your favourite colour

Monochromatic

H M cardigan
$6.29 - hm.com

Forever 21
forever21.com

Kitten heel shoes
modcloth.com

Metal jewelry
modcloth.com

Valentino leather belt
net-a-porter.com

NARS Cosmetics matte nailpolish
$47 - johnlewis.com

I love pink so that was the colour I chose for this outfit.  To keep it from looking like a fluffy pink cloud, I added brown leather boots and a belt,  chunky gold jewelery, and a neutral nail.  The effect of different shades of the same colour together can evoke images of sunsets or the ocean and can be very pretty if done the right way.
I did see this go horrible wrong the other day while walking around on campus.  A woman was wearing pink EVERYTHING, including her backpack with a  dangling Hello Kitty.  That is a perfect example of not growing with these rules but simply dressing like a grade 1 girl.

What I Have Learned About Fashion…From Children

Dec30

I have learned a lot from the kids I work with over the years, but I never had thought that fashion sense would be one of them.  Kids are dirty and sticky and their not-always-fashion-forward parents are responsible for dressing them.  despite all of this, I realized that they have completely figured out some things without any help at all. So here is the first lesson:

Don’t be afraid to mix prints

Leopard print leggings with a floral cardigan, striped socks and a pokadot shirt? Yes.  An 8-year-old would also throw on a backpack covered in birds and heart embossed baseball cap, but as an adult, I would stick to mixing just a few different prints.

~ The infamous Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl mixing florals and looking very chic doing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

50384089551013250_LIzgktYn~ This is an easier way to combine prints, a dress and a jacket. So cute!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mixing patterns
mixing patterns by Fashiontoteach featuring a striped jacket

Wrap top
anthropologie.com

Striped jacket
modcloth.com

Elastic waist skirt
modcloth.com

Poetic Licence Hot To Trot
irregularchoice.com

I like the idea of mixing patterns in black and white if you are still a little hesitant about trying to mix patterns.  After that, you can throw in a little colour with a blazer or heels.
What do you think about mixing patterns? How many is too many?

Fashion Inspiration: Emma Pillsbury

Nov5

You don’t see too much of the teachers on Glee, but I’m sure glad that guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury is one of them!  Although her bright monochromatic outfits may be a little over-the-top for everyday wear, I am sill in love with her cardigan and floral print combos and her adorable retro brooches and sweater clips.  Almost all of Emma’s clothing in the past season have been from Kate Spade, which is great, except that we can’t get the brand in Canada (or at least not in Edmonton).  Even if it was available to me, I couldn’t afford it anyway.

So here is my frugal version of an Emma Pillsbury outfit and Also a few items I have seen in stores lately that would be prefect, but that I have too much self-restraint to buy.

Emma Pilsbury Fashion
Emma Pilsbury Fashion byFashiontoteach featuring a yellow skirt

Cardigan
jacob.ca  ~ This is on Sale for $18.74 right now!

Yellow skirt
$36 - lavishalice.com

Modern Vintage Study Hall
shopruche.com
I also love this tulip-pink pencil skirt from Jacob.  It’s on sale for $29.99 right now and will surely be making an appearance in my new winter wardrobe.

Restocking your Wardrobe for Autumn

Oct8

It’s that time again: not autumn yet, but the stores seem to think so.  I love fall fashion with colours inspired by nature, chunky knits and boots, but IT IS STILL WARM OUT!  I have had to make do with making a list of things I will need to update my wardrobe this fall without actually going shopping yet.  This is good for two reasons:

1. I have time to really think about what I want and what I need.  I NEED new boots because I bought cheap boots two years ago and now they are leaking.  I WANT every second dress I set eyes on (I already have about 30, I will never need a new dress). This *should* keep me from going overboard and help me stick to my budget.

2. It would kill me a little bit to buy a sweater or scarf or pair of boots when it’s still 20 degrees out.  I love summer and I’m not about to let it go early, even if it means not getting first dibs on the new fall trends.

So here are a few things I decided that I need this Fall.

things I need for Fall

Sheer shirt
modcloth.com

H M peplum top
$39 - hm.com

H m jacket
$47 - hm.com

Miz Mooz stacked heel
infinityshoes.com

Matt Nat leather shoulder bag
asos.com

  • The sheer lace top has been on my list since spring, I recently saw this unique piece on Modcloth and decided I would not let it pass me by this time!
  • I do not have many nice tops, so I need to add a few to wear with skirts and pants.  I quite like the peplum trend this fall
  • I wear my navy blazer quite often and I think I would use another, lighter neutral coloured blazer quite often.
  • I only own 3 pairs of pants that fit me, and one pair is ugly.  I need to buy pants.
  • I made the mistake of “saving money” by buying cheap boots the last couple years and now they leak.  I need to make a bigger investment into some comfortable, neutral boots.
  • I need a new school bag that can fit all of my books and lunch and change of shoes, etc… I can’t carry a backpack when I’m dressed well and feel good about it.  I definitely cannot wear a backpack when I am teaching high school during my practicum!

Of course the list of things I WANT goes on and on.  I will have to see how my job situation is in the fall before I make any hasty decisions.  Although I already have my heart set on some locally made trinkets on sale at the annual Fringe Festival here in Edmonton.  But after that I’ll be good…maybe.

Spring Vacation

May27

Hello Ladies!

 

I have been in Vancouver taking a little vacation, visiting old friends and definitely having a good time!

Scarf ~ H&M, old.

Sweater ~ Salgado Fenwick (I love these girls!)

Shirt ~ RW&Co, fall sale 2011.

Cropped burgundy pants ~ Zara, fall 2011.

Shoes ~ Sears, sale $19.99.

I’m taking some spring classes and working at my after-school care job full-time so things are a little hectic.  I am also collaborating with an exciting new blog that I will be writing some beauty posts for.  So many wonderful things happening just in time for summer!

It’s Finally Spring!

Apr23

It finally feels like spring here in Edmonton! Almost around 20 degrees, I took out my bicycle for the first time the other day and I don’t have an overwhelming urge to slap girls with bare legs. (If there is snow on the ground, take the extra 30 seconds to put on a pair of tights, you look stupid). 

So here is a nice, bright and colourful outfit to suit the beautiful weather!  Hopefully this is one of my last posts wearing tights, but unfortunately, it’s still pretty cool inside my school and even cooler inside my classroom.  It was a definite shock when I left at 4 today and it was about 5 degrees warmer outside than it was inside!

Dress, Old Navy, $20. similar here

Tights and shoes, Joe Fresh.

Cardigan, Jacob, similar here.

Belt, Zara, came with pants.

Mad About “Day of Pink”

Apr11

Last Wednesday was the Day of Pink, an International Day against Bullying, Discrimination, Homophobia and Transphobia in schools and communities. I think this is an amazing cause. I grew up in a very accepting environment, at home and at school. I went to a wonderful arts school where bullying someone because of their sexual orientation wasn’t really an issue. I want this to be the reality for every student because school is supposed to be a place where you can feel safe and accepted and free to learn and share.

I just made a “Pretty in Pink” post recently so I had to scrounge up something new. I have plenty of shirts but on;y one pink dress and it is a little too flowery and poofy to wear to school and still pass as over 18 in a position of authority. So I raided J.’s closet and found this lovely retro jem. I think it’s very “Joan Harris” from Mad Men, another of my fashion inspirations. Enjoy.

Dress~ Vintage, J.’s closet

Cardigan~ Gift

Belt~ Joe Fresh

Locket~ Gift

Tights~ Gap

Shoes~ Hush Puppy designer edition, Town Shoes

Cat~ Edmonton Humane Society

Scarf Belt

Apr11

I put together a great light-coloured spring outfit today and I just didn’t have the right belt to pull it together. They were all too dark or thin but I needed something because this skirt is kind of old and a little too big for me. I had almost given up and was ready to do a last-minute 8am change when I remembered this post from Academichic. These ladies were the queens of belting things, I’m really sad they are no longer updating their site.

So I gave it a go, it turned out alright but you can still tell that the skirt is a little big. That plus the fact that it’s over 5 years old and designed to sit lower on the hips didn’t make for the most flattering silhouette. But hey, I tried. You win some, you lose some.

Blazer ~ Aritzia, $125, here. Blouse, $29 (sale) and scarf, $18, RW&Co. Skirt, ancient, American Eagle. Tights, Gap. Shoes, $25 (sale), Sears

I really like the idea of using a scarf as a belt and any other alternative uses for accessories. I will definitely be trying this again, maybe finishing with a bow instead of tucking the ends like I did here. That sounds more girly and me anyway.

Fashion Inspiration: Blair Waldorf

Apr6

For the past 5 years I have had a guilty pleasure: Gossip Girl.  The scandal, the hot men, the crazy story lines, but above all, the clothes!  My very favourite character (like many others) is Bliar Waldorf.  She’s rich, she’s beautiful, she gets what she wants, and she looks fabulous doing it.

Here is my first pick from my favourite Blair looks from over the years: Classic school girl with brights in primary colours

I really like the classic navy and white with pops of yellow, red, blue and green (yes, I know green isn’t technically a primary colour).

Blair also always has big totes in a wide array of colours. Myself, I have one purse that I use all the time and have had to resort to a backpack (ugh) to carry all my books around.

I also love Blair’s capes!  I don’t own any capes (yet) but I do have a bright green spring jacket that captures the Blair essence.  Although Blair is almost always in sky-high stilettos, she also had some cute preppy flats.  I like the oxfords because they are comfortable and fashionable, a good combination for teaching all day.

I am nowhere near a multi-millionaire like my fictional TV heroine so I have to make do with what I’ve got.  This outfit probably cost me $45 in total.  The cardigan is from my room mate’s closet and the skirt is from a clothing swap, so both were free!  The shoes are from Spring and the tights are Joe Fresh, both at least one year old.  The shirt is from Forever 21 and on sale was about $10, also over a year ago.

white oxfords, similar here

navy and red Gap skirt, similar look here or here

ruffle front blouse, similar here

navy tights, Joe Fresh

(they have the very best opaque tights and they are only $6!)

green cardigan similar here

belt, vintage, similar here