Student Teacher Style Essentials

This (school) year was my first of two in the Teacher Education program at the University of Ottawa. Part of the requirement was an eight week evaluated placement at a school. Despite my teachable subject being English, I was placed in a subject area class for none other than...math, grades 6, 7, and 8, as well as one class of language arts. 

During my placement, I quickly learned the unspoken rules of dressing the part of a student teacher (namely, no jeans), and today I offer some of my favourite pieces. Keep in mind that all schools are different; some portray a more casual vibe, while others tend to have a higher standard for teacher attire. As a student teacher, it is important to look nice, but not out of place. Also keep in mind that I did my placement in the winter months, so most of these essentials are tailored to that season. My next placement will be in the fall, so we will see if my essentials change with the season!

Dress Pants

Left to right: Eclipse, American Eagle, Dynamite, Noisy may

Instead of jeans, I was introduced to the world of dress pants. Aside from the wide leg / boot cut pairs, I was also able to find skinny pants that fit well but did not look like leggings. The ones on the far right are in fact jeans, but they are black and so soft that they feel like pants, so they are an exception to the no jeans unspoken rule. If you are allowed to wear jeans or if your school is more casual, I would suggest skinny or boot cut fits in dark washes. 

Dressy Tops

Clockwise from top left: Target, Zara, Dynamite, Dynamite, Smart Set (middle one)

Unfortunately, I could not find links to any of these specific tops, as they are all at least a year old (except for the one from Zara, which is not online, but it might still be in stores). Instead of traditional button down blouses, I found myself wearing more printed tops, first for comfort, and second for interest. They are easier to move around in and still look dressy and professional. Try to choose tops with interesting patterns, colours, and necklines (I love the zipper detail on bottom two). 

Sweaters and Cardigans

Clockwise from top left: Eddie Bauer, Tommy Hilfiger, Forever 21, Eddie Bauer

(similar styles here)

All Lord & Taylor except top right, American Eagle (similar)

Since it is now spring, most stores have gotten rid of their stock of cable knit sweaters and wool cardigans, but once it hits fall and winter, they will be back in stock (I know for a fact that Eddie Bauer has new wool sweaters every winter)! As I mentioned before, my placement was during the winter months, and it was COLD in the classroom, so I had to layer up as much as I could. That meant wool or chunky cable knit sweaters and cashmere / wool cardigans. To relieve some of the itch from the wool, I would sometimes wear a thin long sleeved shirt underneath. These essentials, especially the Lord & Taylor cardigans, are quite pricey, but they are worth it!

(Comfortable!) Shoes

Left to right: Payless (similar), Payless, Naturalizer (similar)

Comfortable shoes are a must for teaching, as you are on your feet pretty much all day. My footwear choices were definitely not the best during my placement, as the black flats in the middle were not very comfortable at all, even with insoles. I will continue my search for comfortable shoes in the fall! I had to change into shoes at my placement school, but if yours allows you to keep your boots on in the winter, definitely invest in a good pair!

Jewellery

Left to right: Accessorize (similar), Forever 21

Left to right: Ardene (similar), Ardene (similar), Forever 21

For accessories, I loved wearing statement or long necklaces instead of bracelets, as they were less in the way when showing something underneath the projection screen, or pointing at something on student work. These necklaces work especially well with the chunky sweaters from above.

These are all my student teacher essentials! Let me know what other essentials you have for student teaching / internships / placements!

Outfits for Work & Interviews: Dressy

When school ended and I continued the task of finding a summer job, I went to multiple interviews for a variety of different places (everything from summer camps to government positions). Even though I was overdressed for most of them, I still recommend dressing up to make a good first impression. Whether you're looking for your next job or in a position that requires a professional look, here are some ideas for dressing for success.

Blouse: Tommy Hilfiger (at Hudson's Bay)
Tank top: Garage
Pants: American Eagle
Necklace: Ardene

My go-to dressy look always starts with a good button-down shirt. I love rolling up the sleeves so I can move around, take notes, or type on the computer better. It's hard to see in the picture, but the pants are navy blue, skinny, and cuffed at the bottom. These pants are soft, comfortable, and a great alternative to basic dress pants.

Blouse: Tommy Hilfiger
Pants: Eclipse
Necklace: Ardene

You can sense a theme here...I do like Tommy Hilfiger shirts. Another great place for basic blouses is H&M- they're only $20! The other theme here is the statement necklaces- I liked wearing them in the winter with sweaters, but they're great to dress up a blouse in the summer. Paired with that I have some basic black dress pants.

T-shirt: Target
Cardigan: Justice
Pants: Smart Set
Necklace: gift

I got creative with this last outfit- I thought it would be good in the event of an interview for a creative place, or an intern in a magazine. And yes, the cardigan is from a store for teen girls (that I worked at for two years). I also like how bright these pants are for summer.

What are your favourite work outfits?

September Outfits

I have a few different outfits to show you all from the past few weeks that I've been back at school. The weather has been all over the place- one day it was 25 and the next it was 15! I accommodated appropriately (except for the one day the temperature went down during the day...like really?) Anyways, here they are! :)

Shirt & Shorts both American Eagle

I wore this outfit on the first day of classes. I had an intimidating fourth year seminar, so I wanted to look classy, but at the same time, it was so warm out! I didn't accessorize; I only added some pretty brown-ish gold sandals to complete the look. 

Blouse: Eclipse

Camisole: Target

Cardigan: American Eagle

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelets (if you can see them): handmade

And I'm back to wearing my favourite floral prints, of course :) I love this blouse because it is nice and flowing without drowning me in shapeless fabric (like chiffon tends to do)- the tie at the bottom helps with that. I finished off the look with some pink flats. 

Tunic: Dynamite

Camisole: Urban Behaviour

Leggings: Garage

Bangles: gift

In my attempt to try more prints and colours other than pink and blue, I bought this tunic as part of my back to school shopping. It didn't come with the belt, so I just took a ribbon from one of my blouses and added it on to define my waist. I didn't wear the bangles to school because that would be a bit uncomfortable while taking notes, but they would be nice for a day-to-night transition. I wore pink flats again, and a burgundy coloured jacket because it was freezing by the end of the day!

Shirt: Target

Cardigan: American Eagle

Jeans: American Eagle

Bracelet: gift

I've been meaning to try leopard print for a while, so you can imagine how excited I was when I found this top on the sale rack at Target ($6)! I paired it with some wide leg jeans this time to further vary things (since I'm always in skinny jeans), and some formal black shoes. 

T-shirt: Garage

Cardigan: special order from my school, but it's from American Apparel

Jeans: American Eagle

Scarf: Aeropostale

What do I love about fall fashion? Scarves. I have a drawer full of scarves just waiting to dress up a plain t-shirt and complete my outfit while keeping me warm. I remember seeing this scarf online at Aeropostale last fall, but I could not find it in store; then one day...it was there!!! :) That wasn't a very exciting story but you get the idea. I love scarves. 

Blouse: Bluenotes

Blazer: Eclipse

Pants: Eclipse

Scarf: gift

Necklace: gift

If you can believe it, last week I already had a presentation for one of my classes! I had to give a news report in French, and it was pretty nerve-wracking! This outfit was my attempt at colour-blocking- I love royal blue and mint together! And these pants are so comfortable- they're like knit jeggings; different from leggings in that they do have some structure, pockets, and buttons, but they're so soft that it does feel like wearing leggings. 

So that's it for now! What do you like about fall fashion?

Back to School Outfits and Glitter Nails

Okay, so forget what I said in my last post. I may have taken a little break from the fashion world during the month of August (seriously, I lived in shorts and t-shirts...nothing too exciting about that). Now that it's time to hit the books once more, I thought I would share three easy outfits for class, plus some fun nails.

T-shirt: Smart Set

Blazer: Eddie Bauer

Pants: Smart Set

I wore this outfit to go run errands one day last week. It was cool out, but I still wanted to look summery, so I opted for these bright blue pants. I topped this fun graphic tee with a casual blazer for a simple, but still put together look. I didn't wear any accessories here, but a stack of fun bracelets or bangles paired with your favourite summer sneakers (mine are black and white floral Keds) would finish off the look. 

T-shirt: Bang-On

Jean jacket: Aeropostale

Pants: Eclipse

I wore this outfit on a date last Friday (*giggles*), and it was really comfy, but still cute for bowling & ice cream. I got this shirt at a specialty store in the Byward Market, where there are hundreds of different photos and patterns to choose from to be printed on a t-shirt (or a tank top) while you wait. You can also bring in your own design or photo. I finally purchased a jean jacket earlier this summer (it was on my must-have list) that I am quite pleased with, as well as a pair of stretchy black pants that feel like leggings. 

T-shirt: Giant Tiger

Sweater: Justice

Jean capris: Garage (super old)

Necklace: Forever 21 (gift)

I wore this outfit to work the other night, and yes, that's where the sweater is from! I love this sweater because it kind of feels like a kimono in that the quarter length sleeves are loose and long and the front is open. Also, the crochet detailing? Super cute. This year I've had to replace some of my basic t-shirts, and I've found some really nice ones at both Target and Giant Tiger (my local Giant Tiger has a large fashion section).

Glitter Polish: "Teenage Dream" by OPI

Pink polish: Kiko Cosmetics

And here are my fun glitter nails! All I did was paint one coat of the light pink colour and then two coats of the glitter polish on top. I received the pink polish as a gift- Kiko is a popular makeup brand in Italy. 

What are you wearing for the first week back to school? Let me know!

Until my next post, stay stylish!

Spring Shopping Haul & Body Issues

I had a chance to go shopping this week! Well, it was mainly for New York, but these pieces will definitely work their way into my spring and summer wardrobe!

Tank tops: Garage Clothing

Skirt: Target

Bikini: Target

Dress: Eclipse

First of all, I know what you're thinking: that skirt is crazy!!! Yes, I agree. But it's actually really pretty, and there are so many colours in it that makes it very versatile! At the start of this year, I made some New Year's Resolutions, and one of them was to incorporate more patterns into my wardrobe, so I decided to take the risk and buy it. Looking at it yesterday with the rest of my clothes, it goes with a lot of things! You will definitely be seeing outfits with this skirt this summer!

To complement that, though, I did fall back on my usual lace-and-floral pattern with this dress. How many lace dresses do I have now? A lot :P But this one is adorable. I saw it on line and could not wait to try it on in store! I'm bringing both the dress and skirt to New York to be styled elegantly (hopefully!) for my evenings at the theatre! 

I don't have much to say about the tank tops, because, well, they're tank tops...and they were $5! Hello, deals!

Lastly, I did buy a bikini. And no, I don't suppose there's anything special about that either. Except for the fact that I've been wanting to buy one every summer for the past four years at least. So why did it take me that long you ask? I'll give you a simple answer: body issues.

Which isn't a very simple answer when you think about it. I, like millions of other women (and men) out there, have body issues. The truth is that I am very uncomfortable with the way I look. I have been for years, and it's what has been making me stick to one piece swimsuits for the past years (okay, that and the fact that I was on the swim team in high school, but that's besides the point). Now, I'm not saying that because I finally bought this swimsuit that all my body issues are over and done with, or that I now love my body. I don't. I'm just hoping that the fact that I was able to buy it without hating myself was a step towards eventually accepting the body I have and not going to extreme lengths to try and change it.
It goes without saying that being uncomfortable with your body is a problem in our society. I've seen it in the fashion magazines, TV ads and shows, and even at clothing stores- the negative influence subtly urging people to be a smaller size by promoting weight loss, perfect looking models, and not enough larger sizes. Urging even the people who may not need to lose weight to think twice about how they look.
I'm not saying it's all the media's fault for this, because they have been getting better with promoting acceptance and body peace. It may be the media, it may be a comment from someone you know or don't know, or it may be your own obsessive thoughts pointing out your flaws. What I am saying is that we need to stop hating ourselves for how we look, treat ourselves the way we would like to be treated (would you call your best friend fat? Then why say it to yourself?), and learn to accept ourselves the way we are.

Thanks for reading, as always :)

P.S. Go get that bikini, summer dress, shorts, whatever you've been putting off buying because of your insecurities. I promise you'll feel a little better about yourself afterwards. 

Presentation Outfit

Hey everyone, so last week I had a presentation / debate for my psychology class, and here's what I wore :)

Other than that I think my fashion has been stalling, on account of the never-ending cold weather...

Top: Simons

Blazer: Eclipse

Pants: Dynamite

Bracelet: gift

Also, does anyone know how to upload videos to Blogger? It gives me an error message every time I try. And yes, I'm in the process of creating something new for this blog; if only it would work!

Outfits of the Week #2

This past week was a little bit warmer, so I can show you my all-time go-to outfit of skinny jeans, a basic t-shirt, and a cardigan. This coming week is going to be much colder though, so I'll be breaking out my warm sweaters and fleece-lined leggings once again.
I only have a few outfits (my best ones of the week, haha) because this post would be a lot longer if I had photos from every day.



T-shirt: Target
Cardigan: Urban Behaviour
Tank top: Urban Behaviour
Jeans: American Eagle
Necklace: Garage

This is as basic as my outfit gets. When I have no idea whatsoever what to wear, I can always revert back to the jeans-tee-cardigan uniform. I have way too many plain t-shirts and cardigans to count, so the options are endless!

I also added this really pretty jewelled necklace to complete the outfit. I've been into necklaces lately, short, long, gold, silver, you name it. I remember buying this necklace ages ago- it came with another strand that had a key on it, and I didn't like that so I used tiny pliers to remove it (random side note...).

Top: Eddie Bauer (recent!)
Tank top: Garage
Jeans: American Eagle
Bracelet: gift

My next outfit isn't much different; I just substituted the cardigan for a long sleeved top. I got this top for Christmas and I absolutely love it- it's a waffle knit, so it's warmer than a regular shirt.

 

I got a close-up of the lace detailing on the top because it's so pretty! I love lace, as you probably already know. I usually find that thermal tops can look a little pyjama-y, but the lace definitely moves this top out of that zone!

Top: Eclipse (recent!)
Tank Top: Urban Behaviour
Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger
Bracelet: Forever 21 (recent!)

This next outfit is a little bit different than what I would normally wear, but my New Year's Resolutions included wanting to wear more patterns, so that's where this top comes in! I also like to dress up more than usual when I go to teach flute. I'm not a big fan of stripes, but the diagonal ones on this top are much more flattering than plain horizontal.

I have to do a little rant about these jeans though. I thought they were pretty nice the first few times I wore them (I got them in the summer), but now I find them really baggy, but still hard to take off (skinny jeans problems right here...). And then I looked at the tag- they are 99% cotton. So my advice: always buy jeans with a bit of spandex- it makes a difference!

And once again, I had to make the outfit girly with pearls. I was surprised at the quality of this bracelet, considering it was $6.50- it came in a set with two others.

So those are some of the outfits I wore this week! I have so many more ideas for posts, so until my next one, stay stylish!

Boxing Day (Week) Deals!

I hope everyone has been having an enjoyable holiday so far! :) I certainly have. Last week I had the opportunity to do some post-holiday shopping to take advantage of Boxing Week sales. I was unable to go right on Boxing Day (I was working, and was the mall ever crowded!), but I went the day after with some of my friends.

Some of the stores did have a good sale going on that was just for Boxing Week, but I noticed most of the stores had the same sales as they did the week before.

I didn't get too much, but they were all things that I needed and I got really good deals!
Chunky sweater- Eclipse, $20
Coral sweater- Jacob, $20
Black dress pants- Dynamite, $30
Blue blouse- Bluenotes, $12
Striped top- Eclipse, $15
I didn't get any sales on the pants or the blouse, but as I said, I was looking for some dress pants and, well, I couldn't pass up a blouse for $12! I found that Jacob had the best sale going on- everything was 50% off the last ticketed price, even sale items. I am super excited to incorporate these pieces into my wardrobe (I actually wore the striped top for a family dinner the next day :P); I already have some outfit ideas!

For 2014 I want to post more outfits of clothes that are actually in my closet, not just sets from Polyvore (though I do love my virtual wardrobe there). Let me know what you think!

I am also in the process of revamping my makeup collection, so when that's done I will do a similar post, but for makeup.

Stay stylish! :)