When You Think You're Going to Be Sick...But Then You Aren't...

Today was the weirdest start to the day I've had as a teacher--and that includes the day I busted my chin open and my assistant principal took me to the emergency room...okay....so that day was weirder, but it was still weird.

I've been feeling a bit queasy the last few nights, and I've been trying to figure out why. And I woke up this morning feeling less than stellar, but I figured it was just because I hadn't slept too well.

Then while I was working out, I was feeling like a tough cookie, so I pushed myself pretty hard. I got in the shower, and I thought, "I think I'm going to be sick." Then I thought, "What does one do if one feels sick mid-hairwashing in a public space?" Then I thought, "I don't know, so I better not get sick." Even as I was walking up the stairs to leave the gym, I thought, "Hmmm...What does one do if one gets sick while merging into traffic." It was a bit of a troublesome way to start the day. Turns out, according to my track coach friend (and common sense), if you decide to really push yourself, make sure to eat something first. All that to say, I've never been quite so happy to feel normal as I do today. Several times today, I've thought, "It feels so great to not feel sick!" Ah the joys of finding out you don't have a stomach flu, you're just dumb.

Lucky for me, I had decided last night that today would be a bit of a casual Thursday. As I said yesterday, I tend to be more comfortable wearing casual clothes the closer to the end of the year we get. If I'm willing to be completely honest, today's outfit started because I had a pair of shoes I hadn't worn and I wanted to give them a try. It ended up, which it often does, that I didn't wear those shoes, but I did decide to hit up the stretchy jeans today. I know I've said before that I don't have jeans I love. That was a lie. I should have said that I don't have any blue jeans that I like. These grey jeans are the things dreams are made of. I love them. I could wear them every day. I actually went back to Banana Republic to ask them if these came in any other colors. I'm sad to report that I was told no. I think they've even revamped their entire denim line, and I haven't found a new cut of theirs that really works for me. Maybe this summer when I have some time I'll try to hunt down some jeans recommendations. For now, I'm sad to say, you're on your own.
This is the only grey pair they have now, and it might be the ones I have, but I'm not sure...

The shirt is one that I actually am not sure is the best fit for me, but I love shirts with ruffles. When I bought this one, I was in love, but then I wore it a few times and thought that it didn't look as good as I hoped. And I've tried over the years to get better at knowing that just because I like a particular trend doesn't mean that it likes me. Sometimes I say, "Whatever! I do what I want!" and I wear things I like even if they don't make me look runway ready (which would be the case with this one). Other times I decide that I don't have to follow every trend, and I pass on things that don't work well for my body, my lifestyle or my personal modesty standards. I think either choice is respectable. I don't think women should feel like they can only wear things if they make them look "hot" by modern beauty standards, but I also feel like women shouldn't feel forced to follow trends that don't work for them. Basically, my approach to fashion is:

This particular shirt is one that I like because I feel like I can make it work-appropriate or make it super girly depending on what I wear with it. So much of what I own is meant for work, and I have a hard time justifying spending money on clothes that I plan to wear for a night out or for a Saturday of sightseeing, then I get annoyed when I don't have anything to wear for those occasions. If I find a piece that I think I can wear for multiple reasons, I get excited. 

A few notes about shirts like this one--I've had trouble in the past with shirts like this one because I wouldn't think about washing instructions until after I had worn it, and then I would find out that the cost of my shirt just went up dramatically because it's dry clean only, and I can't wear it more than once before I want to wash it. This one is washing machine safe, so I love it. 

These shirts do seem to seem to have static problems, so I have a little can of Static Guard in my desk so I don't spend the whole day with my shirt stuck to me, highlighting every part of my being.

I secretly love shirts like this one because they are as comfy as a t-shirt but make you look more dressed up. I also have some work to do to get my midsection (there's a euphemism) into shape, so I really like shirts that leave that part of my body a bit of a mystery. I'm just sayin'.

Here are a few similar options:
A simple black option

This one is adorable.


A navy option

The cardigan and shoes are things I've talked about before (shoes: a solid black shoe and cardigan: a bright cardigan good for a pop of color with any outfit). If you've been following along the last few weeks, you've probably figured out that I'm a HUGE fan of neutrals/basics with a pop of color. That's basically what's going on here. :) 

Last thought: jewelry. Both my necklace and earrings are from Banana Republic. I think the necklace is 3+ years old and the earrings might be from last year. Here are the closest things I could find:

I think I like this one better...

I kinda want this one too...

And here are a few earring choices:

A nice multi-purpose pair

I have these and love them.

And on a completely unrelated note, I found these while I was looking for the silver ones. I may have to buy myself a birthday present...

Okay--so for my tips for today, I have just a few:

1. Don't let someone in the fashion industry dictate what you wear. Make choices that work for your body, your work situation, and your belief system.

2. When possible, I like to buy pieces that have multiple purposes and if they also can cross over between seasons, that's even better.

Okay--so there are my thoughts. Hope that helps.