Hot for Teacher, Vol.2: Bows on Boots

This particular photo looks just like a winter afternoon to me. {And it was!} The change in season is begining; the temps are warming + the sun is getting hotter. Therefore, this seemed like an apropos Hot for Teacher outfit post because I think this was likely the last time I will have worn this outfit this season. Ah, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Till next winter then...Outfit:
Sweater + Tights: Target

Skirt: Theory {Marshall's circa 2008}

Boots: The Mod

Off to the college today for one last class before Spring Break! Huzzah!

While I don't have anything planned that any of my students are likely to find all that exciting I am thrilled to do a whole lot of everything + nothing. And I'll admit that I am REALLY looking foward to catching up on some overdue posts on ye old blog here. So many things happening right now {which has kept me from having mych time to write about them} and some fun new purchases for both body + nest.

Happy Wednesday!

xo.

A Red Coat

The Monks has been sick the better part of this week...and as we are usually a pretty healthy lot, well, this whole "one man down" thing is really cramping our style! Ah, my poor little emo- Sagitarius is just a mush! So with many a broken playdate + commitment this week thus far, I have pryed myself away from the couch + grading papers to present a post on...

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A MOST fantabulous red coat; my outer-ware purchase for the winter season. I absolutely adore the color red, however in the past, I had always been more likely to choose darker or more neutral colors. I was pretty proud of myself for choosing the red over the navy here.

Coat: The Mod or Lord & Taylor

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The only bummer about this coat was that the buttons were pretty poorly sewn on. After having 2 fall off, I ended up reinforcing all of the sitching myself. Otherwise, I'd have to say this coat did me right this season. Even if I was only wearing it with a t -shirt + jeans, I always managed to stand out in the crowd {not that it is all that hard to do in my case, but still!}. I'm hoping that because this coat has such a tailored design, that it will outlive some of the other ruffled coats that seemed to be everywhere this season + be a great addition to my winter wardrobe next year. I'm thinking yes, for sure. And with that, I am off to park myself on the couch with said Sick-y Monks for yet another Harry Potter viewing...

xo.

Hot for Teacher...{LMAO!}

Ok, so now I am dating myself...but I couldn't resist! Well, actually I am dating my husband since he was the one who spoke the Van Halen line Hot for Teacher last week when I was getting ready to go over to the college to teach a class. While I seriously doubt any of my students are thinking the same {God, let's hope not! They're more likely to be thinking, "why can't these psych exams be easier?!"}...I'm mighty glad to have a Mister who thinks so + is MORE than happy to tell me! Ironically, the burst of {albeit shortlived} warmth we enjoyed the weekend before last got me to thinking that I'll be due for some wardrobe changes soon. Sadly though, I realized had not taken as many photos of some of my favorite outfits from this past season as I would have liked. You see, between dropping a good amount of baby weight over the last months + actually having a reason {rationalization} to buy more dressed up clothing for work...well, I've found myself with a better {+ slightly more adventurous} wordrobe than I've indulged in owning in some time!
Mauve Tshirt: Ed Hardy {before that other guy took over and put his name on everything}

Jacket: Marshall's

Sweater Skirt: Target {circa 2008}
Tights + Boots: Anthropologie

It is quite a paradox, but between having grown up attending catholic school {uniforms} + the amount of tattoo work I have now as an adult, I tend to be a rather conservative {i.e.: boring} dresser. I love clothing with neat, tailored lines, especially in solid colors of browns, greens, navy and ofcourse, black. This past winter season, I've tried to change things up a bit by adding more color, some funky pieces, and even some prints {like these fun tights...thanks for the inspiration Nickey!} to my wardrobe. As the seasons change and the clothing I wear doesn't cover as much of my tattoo work, I'll probably back off on the prints {I don't want my outfits to clash with...well, myself!} However, I'm pretty excited to have taken a chance on expanding my wardrobe....and I really loved this outfit!

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What daring pieces have you added to your wardrobe over the last season? More outfits to come!

xo.

Listen to your Heart

I just realized that it has been a while since I posted on any fitness type business...even though, away from the land of blog, I've still been going strong, fitting in some exercise whenever I can. A bunch of the mamas in my little town recently joined this gym in town which was offering one of those 30 Challenge things {where you join the gym for a reduced rate for 30 days + try to meet your fitness goals/ loose the most weight in that time in hopes of winning prize $}. Hearing them talk about the various classes they are trying, I was reminded of when I myself taught Spinning Classes when I was in college. They were intense, but I learned alot about fitness...including this little tid bit having to do with monitoring your heart rate.

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You see, many people either end up working out way harder than they need to, or opt to skip out on exercise because they think they can't get in a hard enough work out to make it worth their time. If either of these scenarios remind you of yourself, I suggest asking Santa for one of these heart rate monitors. You wear the strap {under your clothes} around your rib cage and wear the watch at your wrist. There is a relatively simple chart that will tell you how high your heart rate should be, based on your age, to be within your maximum calorie burning zone {which is only about 65% of your max heart rate!} What great news, right! When everyone will be getting ready to sweat off those holiday cookies...you'll be maximizing your efforts wiht this little prize! Just wanted to share one of my favorite little gadgets wiht some of my faourite peeps.

Happy Sunday + Shopping!
xo.

My Big Boobs

First, let me apologize if the title of this post has offended anyone's delicate sensibilities. But the truth still remains, I have big boobs. No, really people, BIG. But similar to finding the perfect outfits to conceal my tattoos when neccessary, over the years I have also become a conosur of bras that keep my bits + bobs where I want them . You know why, because when not under lock + key, my boobs DO make me look fat. I swear everytime I was pregnant, people knew immediately because my boobs would swell + even in normal clothing, I would look like I was wearing a corset style push up bra. By my due date, when I was sitting, I could practically rest my chin on my cleavage...

Go ahead + laugh, it really is rather funny. But you know, it wasn't funny being a kid with boobs. And it wasn't so fun when I was dying to wear a certain kind of bathing suit, that looked SMOKIN', by the way...all except for the non adjustable straps that had my boobs sagging somewhere around rib cage level. True, there have been many an outfit that I have bypassed because it just wouldn't be flattering while doning the strapless bra that would be required.

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However, after many a trail and error, I had found the perfect bra! The Bali Minimizer #3364. It held you in in all the right places, without giving you pointy Madonna- cone- boobs. Some of you might be snickering at me, thinking, "yeah right, this gal doesn't know what big boobs are". You are not the first to have been decieved, my friends! We are talking 32D over here...the bra was just THAT GOOD.And sadly, you might also be thinking, "She just used the past tense in that last statment?..." Yes my friends, I did. Bali has discontinued my bra + I am horrified! I have negelcted buying new ones for a while and now am kicking myself, for had I known, I would have bought up whatever I could find! Alas, before I would begin my quest for my new perfect bra, I decided it was necessary to write an email to Bali, telling them how they RUINED MY LIFE! No, just kidding. But I did tell them that they should bring the Bra #3364 back + that while I was scouring the internet for the bra, I came accross many ladies who were feeling my pain over #3364. And wouldn't you know, I got a response! Surely an automated response via email, but a response all the same.

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You know, it felt good to be moved by something that is close to my heart {no punn intended} and to take the time make these feelings known. So often, it can be easy to think, "Oh, well, I'm just one person, what differnce can I make?" But the truth is that we can make differences, by writing letters and supporting products we agree with by buying them + not giving money to those products which we do not agree with. But most of all, even if they never bring back bra #3364, I feel like I atleast tried to do something. So while I won't be burning any of my bras, I certainly feel empowered + will continue to write and believe that everyone opinions should be regarded as worthy contributions.