Nigerian Necklaces

Now that the temperature in Boston is finally starting to drop, I want to mention my favorite accessories: my Nigerian necklaces. It can get a little hot wearing them during the summer, so I am excited for the cool air to come our way!  

I am very fortunate that my boyfriend comes from such an incredible family.  They have always been warm and welcoming towards me. His mother and father live in Nigeria and upon multiple different occasions they have gifted me these necklaces. They are absolutely gorgeous and I am in love with each and every one for different reasons!  They add a little special something to my outfits that make them different from everyone else's.

While I am working at Express I get many compliments on my necklaces. Customers frequently ask where I bought them.  And while I love having this 'strange' and 'different' flare to my outfits, I have researched where someone could purchase similar necklaces to mine.  I find all these necklaces beautiful and intriguing.

Multicolored African Necklace

Blue and White Agate Beaded Necklace Handcrafted in Ghana, 'Emefa'

African Green Agate Handcrafted Necklace with Ceramic, 'Life is Great'

Recycled bead necklace, 'Peach Allure'

Coconut shell and bull horn beaded necklace, 'Zebra'

While researching these pieces of jewelry I stumbled upon NOVICA.  It is a shopping website that is in association with National Geographic. They sell unique handmade products crafted by artisans from all around the world, through Fair Trade! I love this website and what it has to offered.  Hopefully you enjoy it as well!

I hope you all had a fabulous start to your week. Thanks for stopping by Cute Teachings!

Sunday at Express

Happy Sunday, everyone! I hope that you all had a fun weekend, and were able to relax today! It is important to take a breather from your busy life and enjoy some of your hobbies and interests. With this in mind, I made sure to have time to go on walks/runs with my German Shepherd and boyfriend this weekend. I had so much fun getting some fresh (almost fall) air and quality time. Hopefully you all were able to do what you enjoy, as well! Working two jobs makes my rest time so important and valuable but it is often scarce. Thankfully I love both my jobs and enjoy what I do. 

Today, I had a six hour shift at Express. It began at 9 AM and, with three cups of Nespresso, I was ready to go! I made sure to wear sandals in the earlier half of my shift because I would be doing mark downs. I spent the first three hours of my shift marking down clearance items that were on the floor and in the stock room. It was relaxing to have some "down time" to get work done, and converse with my fellow co-workers. That is one of the reasons why I enjoy working at Express, everyone is so nice! 

Later on in my shift, once I switched to selling, I changed into my lace-up leather boots. This made my outfit a little more dressy and pulled it together. I absolutely loved the extreme hi-lo tee that I wore today! It is unique and I always get compliments on it. In my opinion, the best part about this tee is that it flows behind you as you walk. It definitely leaves people staring. I decided to offset my basic black tee with crazy patterned leggings! They made my outfit fun on this misty day. It was the right amount of pop that I was looking to add.

My Black One Eleven Long Sleeve Extreme Hi-Lo Tee is from Express. My black and white patterned leggings were sold at H&M. Although they do not sell these exact pair anymore, they do have other Black & White Patterned Leggings. My sandals are made by Nine West but were purchased at Marshalls. My leather lace up boots were also purchased at Marshalls but are made by Boemos. My black tote was sold at Aldo, but is no longer available. I am a huge fan of their Handbags & Purses. I can always find something I like there! Finally, my necklace was passed down to me from my grandmother.

I hope that you all have a great start to the week tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by Cute Teachings!

Casual Saturday

This week has been a rough one with my grandfather passing. He was 92 years old when kidney failure and cancer took his life. He and I were extremely close. When I was a young girl, he would attend every sporting event and be the loudest fan, cheering on the sidelines. He was always amazing to me and my family. Being the oldest grandchild, I was very lucky to have him for twenty-six years. I will always remember him and the amazing times we had together. RIP Papa.

I have been busy and distracted this week with everything going on. Therefore, I wanted to dress casual for Express today. This morning was a little chilly in Boston so I decided to wear lite jogger pants and a denim, long-sleeve shirt. At Express, they love a layered outfit, dressed up with jewelry!

My tee, denim shirt, and jogger pants are all from Express. The wash of my shirt is not sold any more. However, Express sells a Light Wash Denim Boyfriend Shirt that is similar. My Garment Dyed Fitted V-Neck Tee is on sale for $9.99, at the moment. My casual jogger pant are no longer sold in stores. Express does have a dressier version of my pant. They are the Pleated Jersey Jogger Pant and they are absolutely amazing! I love the material! They are very versatile and can be worn for work, casual days, or nights out. 

I hope you all had a better week than I did, and continue to having a nice weekend! Thanks for stopping by Cute Teachings!

Hello, September!

There is no one out there more excited for fall than me! It is my all-time favorite season. Between the foliage, apple picking, pumpkin spice flavoring, back-to-school, and fashion...what's not to love? 

I know that this season every one is loving on maroon, however, I cannot get enough of olive green! Maybe I am a little bias; my favorite color is green. This month I am craving some new green pieces for my closet! Here are just a couple items that I am crushing on...

Top left: Vest from Nordstrom. Top Right: Scarf from Express. Bottom Left: Moccasins from Minnetonka/Amazon. Bottom Right: Satchel from Coach. 

Top Left: Watch from Fossil. Top Right: Sweater from Express. Bottom Left: Dress from Express. Bottom Right: Booties from DSW.

Hopefully some of these pieces will make their way into my closet. However, I do have a beautiful olive green skirt from Express that I have been receiving many compliments on.

I absolutely love this outfit! Originally I was going to wear my faded-wash denim shirt, but the weather was just too beautiful that day. This olive green skirt is perfect for both nannying and working retail. It is long enough to be appropriate, but wraps at the side and moves with you. The wrap makes the skirt have a little something extra, and the material makes it casual enough to work with children. For my day at Express, I wore a crop top, however, for nannying I would wear a tight basic tee, tucked in. 

This skirt is also perfect for the transition from summer to fall! It looks great with a crop top and flats for a casual sunny day; or wedges for a fun night out. It will also look nice with booties and a light sweater for those breezy fall days. I loved this versatile skirt so much that I bought it in plum as well! 

My necklace is from Nigeria. My sunglasses are from Marshalls. My crop top is from Express. My skirt is from Express. It is not sold in olive green anymore but can be found in plum and black. My Lucky Brand shoes are from Marshalls. My tote is from Tory Burch. I have the smaller tote. The larger one is the only one available at this time. My headband is from So Good Jewelry. My watch is from Fossil. My denim shirt is from Express.

I hope you are as excited for fall as I am! As always, thanks for stopping by Cute Teachings!

Wish List Wednesday

Happy Hump Day! My week is going so well, and I hope your's is too! My boyfriend is still in Texas so my German Shepherd, Piper, and I have been spending the week at my parents' house. They have been so incredibly sweet to the both of us, and we are having the best visit! I cannot wait for my boyfriend to come home though! 

Although my boyfriend is on the top of my wish list, here are a couple other things that are as well...

I know that previously I have posted a Fossil Sydney Satchel that is this pattern, but I am just so obsessed! Since I purchased the Sydney Satchel in a different pattern I am really loving on this Sydney Shopper. I was able to see this purse in the store and it is an amazing size for nannying! You can fit all the toys, wet wipes, and other odds and ends that kids may need. Hopefully this pattern will finally make it's way into my closet!

I know, I am obsessed with Fossil! This Long Jade Pendant Necklace would look absolutely perfect with my necklace collection though. Furthermore, this would be a great fall accessory.  Maroon is in this season and can be found throughout many stores. I saw this piece in store and it gorgeous! One day this necklace will be resting around my neck.

I hope you guys have a great rest of the week! Thank you for stopping by Cute Teachings!

Home Sweet Home

Hello, Boston! I am back in town and loving our sunny, blue skies. I had the most wonderful time in Texas! I wish I could have stayed longer but I am happy to be home. I spent a lot of quality time with my boyfriend and his family. It was absolutely amazing! Now, it is time to get back to work. But first, here are some outfit details that I had during my vacation.

My Black & White Mesh Skirt Fit & Flare Dress is from Express.

I purchased my shoes from the DSW on Washington Street in Downtown Boston. However, when I looked online I found that DSW only sells Coach in stores, not online.

My bracelets come from a combination of various places. The first and third bangles are from Forever 21. They are not sold at the moment but I really enjoy their bangle selection. The second one from the top was made for me by my mother. And the last bangle was a gift given to me for being in my cousin's wedding. My ring was hand-made at a boardwalk in Florida.

My Basic Black Top is from H&M. My ripped jean shorts are from Express. They are not sold online at the moment but they are having a sale on their denim jeans right now. You can either find mine in stores or a similar pair online. I bought my Lucky Brand Emmie flats from Marshalls. My necklace and purse are from Nigeria.

My maxi dress is from Marshalls and was purchased last summer. My top two bracelets were given to me as a gift. I found my bottom bracelet from a yard sale in Maine. My Sydney Satchel is from Fossil but I purchased it from DSW.com.

My striped tee is from Express. My shorts are from Charlotte Russe. I bought both of these items a few summers ago and are not available at this time. My shoes are from Nine West but I bought them from Marshalls. 

My Ray-Bans are from Sunglass Hut. My necklace was hand-made by my mother. My Kimono is from JC Penney. 

My top two bracelets, the bottom bracelet, and my ring were gifts. I bought the large bracelet from Barcelona.  

During the Texas heat I chose to wear basic, diverse outfits and dress them up with some details. I was able to enjoy my time while feeling comfortable and looking cute. I love being home but cannot wait to see where my next trip will be! 

Thanks for stopping by, Cute Teachings!