Rules of Engagement

Two posts in one week!!! Who's awesome????

Living for the Weekend

My weekends as of late have been the awesomest and I am here for them..

Sophistirachet: An Ode

Here's an excerpt of an online article that I found and thought it was hilarious!

In The Fashionista's Closet: Where's Juanette? Like Waldo But Different

ONE guess as to where I went this weekend.
Was it A.) A teacher conference where I wore a sweater with an apple and a worm coming out of it. B.) A weekend of ratchetness and wickedom with an unnamed source?

or C.) Houston?

You're right! B and C! I made my way to H-town where Reiko and I crammed a semi-concert, a wedding, a birthday gathering, brunch and a little bit of shopping all into one weekend!

My wedding look.
The chain necklaces that I am wearing? Two belts that I doubled!

I am happy to report that I was on my best behavior. *Insert halo ring here*

As well as my "best behavior" can be at least....

Do you remember THIS skirt? Well I had it shortened and they did a phenomenal job.

I enjoy it shorter so much better!

Shoes: Guess

For the birthday gathering I switched shoes, these have a higher heel but are surprisingly more comfortable.

I had some other pics that I won't show because I was literally dancing while getting my pics taken.

Is that a disorder? Because I think that me and Reiko's hubby can get a check!
But he sings too so that's just crazy....

Shirt: I wanted a fitted shirt so I snagged this from the kid's dept. Thrifted

Skirt: Thrifted by Reiko

Clutch: Rummage sale

Shoes: Jessica Simpson Waleo

Big shoutout to my ace Sonya for seeing this outfit vision in her head! 

Next stop: Texas Style Council this weekend! 

Are you going??? 

In The Fashionista's Closet: The Color of Gratitude

So....school has started. And I am exhausted. I feel as though I've been in a fight. AND I lost. 

(I know that's hard to believe but bear with me.)

But I am so grateful.

This past week I have made sure to take a moment out of my day and say a prayer of gratitude for all that I have gone through to get me here.

 

I have had to learn (and use) patience, endurance, and rely on strength I didn't know I had over this past year and a half. To be still and listen to that voice in my head. And to be grateful....

Even in the midst of things.
 

Dress: Thrifted and gifted by Reiko

Earrings: Forever 21

Shoes: Guess

I want to thank everyone who has been there for me, encouraged me and been a listening ear when I have needed it.

And in other news:

I had to go over some parts of the student handbook with my students and in the electronic devices section it said no pagers were allowed. I read it and had to explain what pagers were to the kids and one of them said they saw one on a movie that they watched, lol. Then someone asked, "Well how did you know people's phone numbers?" I laughed really hard at having to explain that yes there was a time when people actually MEMORIZED phone numbers and people didn't have cell phones. They were stunned...

In The Fashionista's Closet: Sprite

Top: Zara
Belt: Thrifted
Bag: Vintage
Skirt: Arden B
Shoes: Guess

In The Fashionista's Closet: Risky Business

This dress looks innocent enough, right? I've had it since January but finally brought it out  on a warm Sunday morning to go to church.

I didn't look at the weather report and today was a windy day here in Dallas. And the ruffles on the dress are not sewn to each other so I was afraid of exposing myself while walking from the parking lot into church. 

But thankfully the shuttle was there to transport me to the front of the church and I didn't have to walk. I didn't want to chance it and rode the shuttle back to my car as well.

Right after church I stopped at the little corner store in the neighborhood to buy me some old school Now & Laters. (Now Laters is actually what I say.)

As I was walking into the store, the wind blew my dress up.

Not just a little bit either. It was like a tornado, every ruffle was going every which way and of course I screamed and was trying to hold the ruffles down down but by then everyone in and around the store was looking at me.

Dress: Vintage
Sash belt: Gap
Bracelets: Assorted
Clutch: Cannot remember (I think Aldo)
Shoes: Guess

I thank God for Spanx...

I loved loved my hair today, full and fluffy! Product Review hair post coming soon....

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (and Pedicures)

I met Elissa from Dress With Courage at the Aveda Salon for our complimentary pedicures from the Park Lane Blogger Event and even though we had to wait over an hour(!) for them to even begin on my pedicure we had a fun time of girl talk.

 Main reasons why Elissa is one cool chick:

She's sassy (you can totally tell that by her red spiky hair, tattoos and she wears sequins almost daily.)

She's definitely a cool mom (see #1.)

She loves thrift stores. (Nuff said.)

She's from Brooklyn (also home of Jay-Z.)

She likes Jay-Z (Need I say more?)

  

 We talked online dating (she thinks I should), favorite thrift/vintage stores, and blogs we love. The only thing missing? Tasty adult beverages!

The unmentionables (it's been waaaaaayyyy too long)

Outfit details: fedora (Target men's dept.), earrings (Aldo Accessories), men's Bill Blass white shirt (rummage sale), assorted bangles (assorted places) cargo pants (JC Penney gifted from Reiko), red peep toes and bag *seen below* (Guess and Kooba)

We weren't done until after 10 pm(!) so if you're going to Aveda, you may want to call ahead and see if there is a wait or book earlier in the day and hopefully you'll be lucky enough to work with Tosha, she was the best!

In the Fashionista's Closet: Shiny Happy People

Not an out of the ballpark outfit, I was rushing to get to church on time this morning (I failed, I was late and had to walk what felt like a million miles.)

Dark denim shirt: Zara

White skirt: Vintage

Clutch: DSW

Shoes: Guess (Able to get these via giftcard from Christmas. Thank you sister!

  I needed a better outfit to debut my shiny, awesome silver platforms but better luck next time.

Maybe they'll bring me luck, I heart them so!  

In The Fashionista's Closet: Dollar Dollar Bill Yall

I got this striped cotton dress at a thrift store for a dollar. ONE dollar. I'll let you digest that.....

It looked like a cute but shapeless shift dress in the store but I envisioned it with a belt 

and a popped collar and thought it would be great for summer and 'tweener' weather like now.

Sweater: Zara

Suede peep toes: Guess

I hope the dress looks as good as I think it does to only cost a dollar. Don't you hate it when someone tells you that something was cheap and it looks cheap? "These shoes only cost $2.50!" and you're thinking, "Yeah, that sounds about right....."

Happy Friday!!!

In The Fashionista's Closet: Flower Girl

 My friend bought me this dress after I tried it on and didn't want to pay the eight dollars that it cost (low cost thrifting has really spoiled me!) Coincidentally my friend Sonya has this exact dress that she bought from a thrift store also! *Great minds!*

 

The dress came with an attached belt but I wanted to break up the pattern so I added my own belt. 

Dress: Thrifted (Tag says 'JG Hook')

Belt: Can't remember where I got it

Orange platform sandals: Guess

I did notice that I wore a dress every day of my training and I thought about wearing pants just to show everyone that it wasn't for religious reasons, (I was asked that question before!) It's simply because dresses are so 1. easy 2. cooler than pants or jeans 3. did I mention easy?

I finished my training and I am now what you would call a "Highly Qualified" teaching candidate (I'm not bragging, those are their words, not mine!) I am extremely excited about my new career field and I look forward to finding a fabulous school to teach at. So in honor of my accomplishment, here is my video of the day:

Cheers!

Pencil Me In

When basic black just won't do, spice it up by adding a pencil skirt in a funky print, unexpected details or bold color.


Just Cavalli print pencil sjirt $399 @ Zappos Couture


High waist scribble pencil skirt $69.50 @ Express


Moschino Cheap & Chic polka dot pencil skirt $655 @ Net-a-porter


Tulip pencil skirt $39 (on sale!) @ Newport News


Cotton rose paisley print skirt $88 @ White House Black Market


Michael Kors Malibu dot skirt $950 @ Bergdorf Goodman


Twill pencil skirt $24.50 @ Alloy


Dulce sequin skirt $450 @ J. Crew


High waist denim pencil skirt $39.50 (on sale!) @ Victoria's Secret


Trinity long pencil skirt $118 @ Guess by Marciano