Lace Up Western Booties

The weekend is finally here! All week I have been sick the flu, and I am just now starting to get better. Although this week has been a tough one, I am thankful to work for such a wonderful family! When you feel appreciated and respected, you wake up every day ready and excited to spend time with those great kiddos. As my fellow nannies, educators, and childcare providers know, even when you're sick, you go to work. Consistency is important for any job, but especially when you work with children. I have never been one for calling out, however, it seems I have the weekend off from Express. I will be taking full advantage of this rare occurrence by staying in bed!  

 

I am so excited to share with you, my new Liv Lace Up Western Booties from Minnetonka! I have always loved Minnetonka, and the quality shoes the brand produces. I find that they make incredibly comfortable shoes, that are perfect for every day use. For for anyone who is on their feet for most of the day, this is an important quality for a shoe to have. 

Another quality that I like about Minnetonka's shoes is that they last. These booties are made of genuine suede that moves with me when I walk.  Unlike some Minnetonka boots/booties, these have a flexible rubber sole that is perfect for daily activity.

Not only are these suede booties comfortable, they are adorable! After being sick all week, I wanted to be comfortable today. These booties had me feeling just that, while still being on trend this season. The moment I saw these, I fell in love and knew I had to have them. These Western styled booties have enough fringe to add flare to any boho chic look. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Minnetonka Western Bootie: DSW. Leggings: Express. Poncho: Purchased in Barcelona, Spain. Link to similar poncho here. Long-sleeved Fitted Tee: Old Navy.

I hope you all enjoy your weekend and stay healthy! 

Thank you for reading!

Staple Item: Striped Tee

I had a few extra days off from nannying this week (and some extra hours at Express...thanks, Black Friday). I was able to spend some quality time with my family, my boyfriend, and the pup! It was great to take a breather. However, tomorrow it's back to work, and I couldn't be happier to see the boys I nanny!

This Sunday I had some errands to run in the morning, a lunch date, and a closing shift at Express. I wanted to dress for comfort, yet still presentable. I chose a basic stripe tee with my faded, medium-wash jeans. I dressed this casual outfit up by adding a colorful scarf and pumps. As you may already know, when shopping for shoes I prefer to buy leather or suede. Being a New England girl, I need a shoe that can last through all the various weather we experience! My motto is: Why buy a cheap shoe if you will just need to buy it again next season? Recently I have also loved the pointed-toe and straps; and these green leather pumps have it all! They add just the right amount of sophistication to an outfit, with a pump low enough to be casual. 

A striped tee is 100 times better than a plain white tee! A white shirt is fundamental and can be seen in most people's closets. However, wearing a simple white tee can become some what of an annoyance, especially while working with children. The smallest stain or tear can be seen; making you look less pulled together. 

Here's a secret for all you practical fashionistas out there. Replace that white tee with a striped one! It is just as versatile, neutral, and timeless as a white tee, but with other perks! Let's face it, as great as a white tee can be, it can become meh. A striped tee can give a nice touch of patterning to an outfit. And all those stains from playing with children (all my fellow nannies know mistakes will happen)? Hidden! This is why it will always be filed under one of my favorite wardrobe essentials. 

Since a striped tee is the perfect "neutral" of the print world. It goes nicely with many other patterns, denim, khaki, and leather. The possibilities of what to wear with this amazing wardrobe staple are endless, but here are some of my favorites to pair it with:

-Leopard print (also a neutral pattern)

-Floral print

-Plaid

-Denim shirt/jacket

-Knit poncho

OUTFIT DETAILS: Nautical Stripe Oversized Top: Forever 21. T-Strap Pumps: Nine West. THESE PUMPS ARE CURRENTLY $40 OFF! Jeans: Express. Leather Belt: Express. This belt is currently only sold in select stores. A link to Express' black belts is located here. My scarf use to belong to my late Grandmother. Links for floral scarves are here, here, here, and here.

I hope you all have a great start to the week! As always, thank you for reading.

Thanksgiving 2015

My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, has come and gone.  There is something so refreshing and heartwarming about slowing down and spending time with family and friends.  This Thanksgiving I had my heart set on wearing my new suede flats from Nine West. These flats are not only comfortable and stylish, but they are also the perfect color for this holiday.

This Thanksgiving was much warmer than last year's (I'm pretty sure we already had snow)! With the sixty degree weather, I wore a light sweater with a silk scarf.  My flats made the orange accenting in the scarf pop, and tied my outfit together. I wore mid-wash jeans to match the blue hues in my patterned scarf.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Scarf: Thrift Store find. Similar Styled Scarves: H&M Patterned Scarf and H&M Patterned Silk Scarf. Sweater: Express. This sweater is from last winter. Similar sweaters here and here. Jeans: Express. Suede Flats: Nine West.
RIGHT NOW THESE STORES ARE HAVING BLACK FRIDAY SALES!!!!!

I hope that you all had a safe and happy holiday! As always, thanks for reading.

Faux Fur Vest

There is something so wonderful about a nice vest! When it comes to New England weather, it can be cold one minute, warm the next. For this reason, vests are a great choice for outerwear during the fall season.  Pair it with a cozy sweater (like I did below) and you are all set for the ever changing fall weather! 

  

I have always been a sucker for vests, but lately I have been particularly drawn to faux fur vests.  They add a nice pop of texture to an outfit, and can go with almost anything.  Recently I have been on the look out (and still am) for a nice black faux fur vest.  However, on my hunt, I have found a beige faux fur vest that caught my eye.  

 

I spotted this vest and absolutely fell in love with how unique it was. Unlike others I have seen, this one has a substantial amount of faux fur in the front. The material collects in the front, and causes it to beautifully fold open.  This gives the vest a nice detailing.  

My favorite part about this vest is that it is reversible! Versatility in an item is always a plus when shopping.  One side of this vest is beige faux fur, while the other is dark gray cotton. The cotton is comfortable, but the faux fur is unbelievably soft when worn on the inside! The combination of the two makes a thick, cozy vest that is warm and perfect to snuggle up in. Which, as us New Englanders know, is always something to consider when making a fashion purchase. This vest is a little out of my comfort zone, but the way it felt made me go for this purchase.  And I am so glad that I did!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Faux Fur Vest: Target.  This vest also comes in Plus Size.  Over-sized Cable Knit Sweater: Express.  Mine is from last season.  I have links to a similar Express sweater here and here.  Low Rise Dark Wash Denim: Express.  Gray Suede Booties: White Mountain.  However, I purchased mine from DSW at a great price!  Necklace: Nigeria. Satchel: Fossil.  This was last year's color, and is unavailable at this time. This satchel comes in various other colors, located in the Fossil link (seen above).

Thanks for reading!

A Classic Look

Here we are, once again, at the end of another weekend.  This weekend I decided to take advantage of the great weather, and went for a few long runs with my German Shepherd!  It was very relaxing.  I hope you all had some down time as well.  

As I am sure many of you have noticed, the holiday season is approaching us.  In my mind, there are two types of girls.  Those who have been counting down the days to Christmas since August, and those who have a firm belief that there should be no talk of Santa until Black Friday.  I am one of the latter.  However, though I may not like it, throughout stores you can find red accent walls and Christmas decorations sprinkled here and there.  But I want to take a pause from all that.  Mainly because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and also because I am not ready to let fall leave me!

My outfit for work today was a classic look.  I wore a denim shirt with black jeans, and accessorized it with warm fall colors.  In my opinion, a denim shirt is a staple item that every girl should have in her wardrobe.  It is a casual shirt that can be worn in many ways.  Whether you wear it unbuttoned over a tee or dress, or buttoned on its own, this shirt is a great "go to" item.  One of my favorite looks is a denim shirt and black jeans.  I enjoy how clean cut this minimal outfit looks.  It is great for a casual look that will still keep you looking trendy!  What's not to love?!

This particular ensemble goes great with almost any pair of shoes and accessories!  Today, I chose to wear my burgundy strappy flat.  It livened up my outfit by adding a rich fall color.  I rolled up my jeans to emphasize the straps and extenuate my shoes. 

When choosing a print to complement an outfit, leopard print goes with everything.  I personally think it is a great choice when accessorizing an outfit!  The brown shading in this infinite scarf complimented the burgundy flats nicely!  This combination made my outfit more cohesive.

OUTFIT DETAILS:  Denim shirt: Express.  Similar light wash here.  Black jeans: Express.  Leopard Infinite Scarf: Express.  Similar scarves here.  (However, this infinite scarf seems to come back in stock every winter.)  Watch: Fossil.  Similar rose-tone watch here.  Strappy flats: Forever 21.  Similar flats here, here, and here.

Thanks for reading!

3 Simple Steps to Layering an Outfit

Happy Hump Day!  I hope you all had a great  start to your week!  Tonight I will be be sharing a simple "how to" for laying an outfit.  Throughout the week I have heard such comments as "nice weather we're having" and "what a beautiful November week".  It's true!  This week has been gorgeous and I have made sure that the boys and I take advantage of the nice weather by going to the park as much as possible.

With this great weather, I have also heard many people mention how they do not know how to dress for it.  In New England, during the fall, it is cold in the the mornings, hot during the days, and freezing once the sun sets.  Which, thanks to Day Light Savings, is much earlier now.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, the weather plays a big part in what a nanny does during the day.  Every morning I check the weather, and try to be outside as much as possible.  As a nanny, my work days begin at 8 AM and end at 6 PM.  I need to be ready for any temperature.  Layers always help.

At Express, they encourage the team to wear three layers.  I try to follow this rule at my nannying job as well.  If you are not used to layering an outfit, don't worry!  Here are three simple steps that will help.

1.  Choose a base.

It is easier to form an outfit if you start with a simple base.  This can be a romper or dress in a solid color or simple pattern.  Your base can also be a simple t-shirt and jeans.  Once you have that core item, you can work from there.

For the fall time, I tend to wear light tees and cotton dresses as my base item.  This is a good idea for when you're running in between sporting events, swim classes, parks, and errands at the house.  That lighter layer is important for when you are feeling warm.  If you only wear warm layers, you wont be able to enjoy the 60 and 70 degree weather that the fall days have to offer.  

Here I chose dark wash jeans with a black basic tee, as the base to my outfit.  Here are a few other pieces that I love, and would use as a base for an outfit.  

Gray Plush Jersey T-Shirt Dress from EXPRESS 

Metallic Snakeskin Jacquard Sweater Dress from EXPRESS

Mock Neck Sweater Dress from EXPRESS

2. Add an accent piece.

This is where the outfit starts to get fun!  You may have loved your base item, but this is when you make the outfit pop!  An accent item can be a sweater, a vest, a cardigan, a scarf, and many other things.  This item is going to have a different, maybe bolder, color or pattern than your base item.

My accent item was my red, plaid flannel.  The red brightened my outfit.  However, there were darker tones that kept my outfit looking pulled together.  If you are wearing a flannel or collared shirt underneath a sweater, make sure to make the collar neat and cuff the sleeves.  Here are various accent items that I love.

Fuzzy Textured Cover-Up from EXPRESS

'Autumn' Plaid Scarf from NORDSTROM

Factory Fair Isle Sweater from J. CREW FACTORY OUTLET

Crêpe Jacket from H&M

3. Accessorize.

The final step in layering an outfit is accessorizing.  This is my favorite step to layering an outfit!  I have always loved jewelry.  However, when accessorizing a look it does not always have to mean jewelry.  You can add a watch, a belt, or a pretty headband as well or instead.  It is all based on your likes and dislikes.  I tend to wear less earrings and more necklaces and belts to complete my look.

Here I wore one of my Nigerian necklaces as a statement piece.  I also wore a bright brown, leather belt to break up the darkness of my black top and dark wash jeans.  Here are a few of my favorite accessories.

Tulipa Ring from LIA SOPHIA OUTLET

Cadilassi Necklace from ALDO

Taupe Knot Headwrap from ALDO

When layering an outfit, it is important to keep your sense of style in mind.  This will help make a cohesive look that will better portray who you are as an individual and as a fashionista!  I hope this helped! 

My look...

Flannel: Chaps.  Similar flannel: Here.  Jeans: Express.  V-Neck Jersey Top: H&M.  Moccasins: Minnetonka

Thanks for stopping by, Cute Teachings!