1 SHIRT // 12 WAYS

I recently snagged this tiered button-front top from Walmart. I love the simplicity of a good chambray shirt and the versatility it allows for creating lots of different looks all year long. After having several people reach out to me about this top via Instagram I decided to share with you 12 of the different ways I would style this fun shirt. Friends, the possibilities with this blouse are ENDLESS. I had fun digging through my closet and finding pieces new and old to pair with it. I hope that this post inspires you to put your own unique Teacher Style spin on a chambray shirt. 

Look 1

This is such a comfortable and effortless look to showcase our tiered chambray shirt! I would easily wear this for a day in the classroom and switch up my shoes or accessories for dinner out with friends or to run errands after work. I can also switch out my sandals and summer-y tassel earrings to put a different twist on this look when the seasons change. 

Look 2

Would you believe me if I told you I layered our tiered chambray shirt over a dress and then put a cardigan over it? Well I did! You could replicate this look by following the same recipe, or you could play with a patterned pencil skirt to get a similar effect. 

Look 3

At my school, we have Hat Day every Friday and I know I'll be rocking this look when the year is in full swing. I have been LOVING the ascot/scarf trend lately. Chambray reads as a neutral color and I love the versatility it provides me to play with different pops of color and pattern. I feel like this specific color pallet gives me a look that is perfect for end of summer and all throughout fall. 

Look 4

Nothing says "Back to School" quite like freshly sharpened pencils, right?!  This look is fun and fresh for the classroom. I achieved it with some of my favorite wardrobe staples -- a black pencil skirt and patterned pointed toe flats. This look is a great "first impression" outfit that I would wear for Meet the Teacher night or an important meeting.

Look 5

Feeling boho-fab with this pretty kimono, messy half bun, and dainty accessories. It's professional with the dark black pants, but still very comfortable. I could picture myself sitting criss-cross applesauce in my classroom working with kids or participating in a staff meeting while rocking this look.

Look 6

I stan a power blazer. I had fun playing with different trends to create this chic business professional look that I would wear for parent teacher conferences or other important meetings. I didn't know if this shirt would look okay with this blazer... but I decided to just try it out and it worked! Moral of the story -- don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and pair something together that you're not sure about. Worse case scenario it looks weird... just don't wear it. Best case scenario... you're looking at it! 

Look 7

So I probably wouldn't wear ripped jeans to school... BUT I love the edge and dimension that they added to this look, and it gives you a fun example of how I might style it for weekend-wear. For this look I took it up another notch (literally) by wearing my highest wedges and buttoning my shirt up one more button. By wearing the ultra-blingy statement necklace I draw attention up to my face.

Look 8

Trying to go longer between hair washes? Me too! I love this headband that makes my top-knot look a little more interesting. This look is perfect for those days when you want to keep hitting the snooze button, but also want to look pulled together. 

Look 9

Speaking of going longer between hair washes, I love a low messy bun too! With this simple geode necklace and staple cream cardi I'm feeling comfy and ready to teach the kids. 

Look 10

Just like the math formulas I share with my students to help them have success, I'm sharing an outfit formula that will give you fun and fabulous looks all year long. Chambray shirt + colored pant + patterned shoe + your favorite earrings = an outfit that will give you all the confidence. I could wear my hot pink, maroon, or blush pants and give totally different vibes (depending on the time of year or my mood) while still feeling just as confident! 

Look 11

One of my favorite style tips is to play with textures (not just patterns!). I paired these fringe cloth earrings with a fun sweater and smooth boots to add depth and dimension to this look. Perfect for fall? I think so. 

Look 12

With this last look I definitely pushed myself out of my normal style wheel-house and I'm so glad that I did!! Feeling sassy and stylish. I would encourage you to dabble outside of your fashion comfort zone every now and then too. You never know when a little risk might turn into one of your favorite outfits!

Bonus look for ya'lls enjoyment, using my formula from Look 10!

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my wardrobe and came away with a few different ideas of how to style this (or any) chambray shirt to show your Teacher Style. Which look was your favorite? Which look will you take and tweak to make work for you? Please share in the comments below or let me know on Instagram. 

A FEW TRICKS, SO YOU CAN TEACH

Hello Gourd-geous! You and I both know that October is crazy and busy and random and fun and full of sugar. Personally, October is one of my favorite months of the year. Fall candles, layered outfits, changing foliage -- I love it all! Professionally, October is one of the most stressful months of the year. I've read many articles talking about how October is "the month of teacher burn-out." I don't care how long you've been teaching, October seems to leave every teacher I know feeling a little frantic and frazzled. The Halloween season is upon us, conferences are looming overhead, the "honeymoon" period is over, meetings and extra events are piling up... BUT you can do it. I'm sharing a few tricks with you today so that you can focus on teaching and enjoying this month with your students!

Trick #1 - Take a breath.
Take time this month to do something that gives you oxygen in your personal life. Pausing on all of the crazy will help you to find your center and re-energize for all of those things vying for your attention. 

Trick #2 - Be mindful of what you put in your body.

I'm not your doctor, so I'm not going to tell you what you can/can't eat... but I am going to share a little bit of what I've learned about my own body lately. I WANT ALL OF THE SUGAR. Especially when I'm stressed. Everywhere I turn in October I can find some sort of sweet treat that I could justify deserving because I work so darn hard. Sometimes I do give in to the temptation and at least take a bite. But I've noticed just how much sugar and carbs really cloud my thinking and make me tired/lethargic. I don't know if your body works anything like mine does, but I know that I need to be fueling it with healthy foods this time of year so that I don't get sick and I can be on top of my game mentally. 

Trick #3 - Mix in some seasonal activities.

You don't have to spend money or do too much work to increase engagement in your classroom. There are lots of neat seasonal lesson plans and activities on the internet that you could utilize, or you could take a lesson you have already planned and put a little seasonal spin on it. For example, we're teaching long division right now in 5th Grade. To increase engagement, our team is having students create their own Halloween/Harvest themed division word problems embedding our recently learned vocabulary. This has made a pretty dull topic come to life as students are crafting sentences utilizing words like "partition" and "iterate" and then sprinkling it with footballs, and candy corn, and pumpkin pie!  Using the change in seasons to your advantage can be a great (and easy) way to engage the learners in your room.

Trick #4 - Give your students (and yourself) a break.

Set an achievable management goal with your students. (Examples- Quiet on the way to/from the lunch room all week, Received compliments from all Specials teachers for good behavior, Cleaned up the room each day in less than 4 minutes, etc.) When students reach that goal to your standard for a certain amount of days, reward them! In my room I have a marble jar. Students work together as a whole class to earn marbles for positive behaviors they display as a unit. When they fill the jar up, they earn a reward of their choosing. We start this on the first day of school and my students typically earn their first "marble party" in October each year. I let them decide what they want their reward to be... a popular choice is a movie party. This gives them a break to be social and relax and it gives me a break to work on grades or my other to-do's. The most important thing about this break is that it is EARNED. My students are watching a movie for part of the day, but they can articulate exactly why and what they can do to earn it again. 

Trick #5 - Go with the dance. 

Sometimes you just can't fight the crazy that is October. Roll with the punches as much as you can. When unexpected things pop up or go wrong, your reaction matters. Sometimes our reaction to stressful things is they only time our students get to see an adult respond positively to the negative situations life throws their way. (Thanks Rushton Hurley!) Go with the dance of life and try to take the time to make those things teachable moments. 

Trick #6 - Remember you're not alone.

I have seen even the most masterful educators frazzled in the midst of peak "burn-out season." Reach out to someone when you're feeling stressed. Maybe you need to talk with a friend you trust in your school, a teacher you've connected with over social media, or perhaps someone who is completely outside of the education realm.  Find someone who can understand how real the struggle is, allow you to vent, and then help you get over it. 

Outfit Details:

"Mushroom" Textured Sweater - Old Navy (same)

Trick or Teach Tee - Jane.com 

Distressed Jeans - Old Navy (same)

Cognac Ankle Booties - Target (same)

Earrings - Target 

Rings - H&M and Target 

Okay, Teacher friend I hope that trying out some of these Tricks helps you to enjoy the time you have to Teach the ghouls and boys in your class. 😉 You've got this! 

7 WAYS YOU CAN ROCK YOUR SCHOOL YEAR

Happy beginning of the year! I hope that things are off to a great start in your classroom. Today I'm sharing 7 ways you can rock your school year. These are things I believe any teacher can implement -- whether you've been teaching 5 years or 5 minutes!

1. Believe in YOU!
Confidence is one of the best things you can wear. It doesn't matter how long you've been teaching, the way you carry yourself is important. I find that doing a little "posture check" at times when I'm feeling frazzled and frantic is especially important. Taking the time to realign myself (inwardly & outwardly) while taking a few deep breaths helps me to exude the positive confident self that I am, and not the little stress ball I feel like sometimes. Also, don't feel like you have to apologize or make excuses for yourself. We are all always learning. Treat yourself and others with respect and you'll be on your way to rocking your year.

2. Make the most of your mornings.
I hate feeling rushed in the morning! I've found that the way I start my day usually sets the tone for the day. I love sleeping in, but making the most of my time in the mornings seems to get things going in a better direction. I like to wake up with plenty of time for me to get ready, make my bed, eat breakfast, and have my devotions before I leave for work. Maybe making the most of your mornings includes time for you to workout, watch the news, or go over your lesson plans again. Whatever it is that you need to do to feel ready for the day, backwards plan your time so that you can be present in these important tasks as you set your intentions for the day.

3. Dress to impress.
Confidence in one's demeanor is definitely an important way to make a good impression. What you wear is one facet of having that confident presentation. One of my first rules for dressing to impress is find cute outfits that make you feel good. This goes back to confidence, you want to know that you are rocking what you're wearing so you can be ready rock your school year. In addition to wearing cute outfits, choose pieces that flatter your figure and are ironed! Don't show up for work looking sloppy. You might think people won't notice, they will. Take the extra time to put the extra effort into your look. You are worth it!

4. Start your day off right.
I make the most of each transition time. I start off every day (and every new class period) by greeting incoming students with a handshake. I start this routine on the first day of school. Teaching youngsters how to give a proper handshake sets the tone for your expectations of them as learners as well. I don't welcome students into my class until they've shaken my hand, looked me in the eyes, and responded to my greeting in an appropriate way. Starting the day off with a handshake and a smile shows my students I mean business, but I'm warm too as I greet them with saying their name, a compliment, or another greeting. 

5. End your day in the right way, too.
At the very end of each day I say good-bye to my 5th Graders in a variety of ways. I tell them from the first day that they can say farewell by giving me a handshake, hug, or high-five. It's totally up to each student every day! Some students do a signature exit strategy, while others mix it up each day, and some even create special handshakes with me. No matter what, it's a perfect book end to the day as I personally remind each and every student how much I care about them. 

6. Find a good "thinking partner."
We don't have to do this job alone.  🙌🙌🙌 I believe that we are better when we work together. Maybe your thinking partner is someone on your team, perhaps someone down the hall, or a connection you've made on Social Media. No matter who it is, it's important to have someone to collaborate and brainstorm with. This person should be someone you feel totally comfortable being yourself around. Sometimes you have to reflect on your successes and failures out loud to really let them sink in and process how to get better results next time. Your thinking partner should be someone you can talk to about these things and you can trust their advice without any fear of judgement. 

7. Don't sweat the small stuff. 
"Every day is a fresh start." "Mistakes are proof you're trying." These are things we say to our students as we encourage growth mindset within them, right? It's time we say these things to ourselves. If there is something you're doing that is taking a lot of time/effort, I would encourage you to reflect and reevaluate. Is there anything in your class that you're doing that a student could do? Not everything has to be totally perfect, find ways you can give jobs to students, streamline your workload, or just cut out things that aren't necessary. It will be a better use of your precious time and energy! 

If you're interested in outfit details...

Houndstooth Dress: Old Navy

Black Tassel Earrings: Target

Apple Watch Band: Amazon

Gold Rings: Target

Black Heeled Sandals: Old Navy

Pencil Purse: Target

I hope these tips empower you to feel like you can rock this school year! Are you already doing some of these things? Any suggestions for others on how they could rock their school year? Sound off in the comments below!

GINGHAM & STRIPES FOREVER

Looking for some last minute outfit ideas for your July festivities? Don't worry, I've got you covered. For just $11.82 you too could have a cute top that is perfect for your next Summer BBQ, but could also turn into a work-appropriate fave. 

Look 1: Gingham Gal

OBSESSED with this top I just got from Walmart. It's so comfortable & cute. Because it's a bright color and bold print, I chose to style it with simple accessories. I layered two dainty necklaces, double cuffed a good dark wash jean, and tied in some brown faux leather with my comfy heeled sandals and Apple Watch band. For makeup I went with a simple every day look that won't melt away with the warm temperatures. 

The Look:

Gingham Peplum Top- Walmart

Apple Watch Band- Amazon

Jeans- Old Navy

Heeled Sandals- Old Navy

Look 2: Sweet Stripes

Seeing double? Walmart's Time&Tru collection really knocked it out of the park by offering this silhouette in 4 different adorable prints! This look is more festive & playful as I worked with patterns, texture, and make up. (Can't wait to show you how I plan to style this top once school is back in session by pairing it with different cardigans!)

The Look:

Striped Peplum Top- Walmart

Apple Watch Band- Amazon 

Lace Shorts- Forever 21

Brown Sandals- Old Navy

Which look is your fave? Will you treat yourself to one of these precious peplum tops for your next summer get together? Let me know in the comments below!

LOVE YOUR LAYERS

Autumn is here and I seriously could not be happier! 'Tis the season for homemade soup, crunching leaves, cozy candles, and fun fashion. Today I'm sharing one of my favorite layering looks for the season. Keep reading for some outfit inspiration to keep you feeling warm but looking cool all season long. 

Fall fashion really is my favorite... but I often struggle with finding the balance between being too hot or too cold, too bulky or too cute. Here's an outfit that I've deemed as "just right." It's comfortable, professional, and gives me the chance to show off my style as I play with different patterns and texture.

I really love this sweater from Target! It's very comfortable and has beautiful colors that will take me throughout fall and into winter. I put a long sleeve, collared, chambray shirt underneath to add structure and interest to the look. Since chambray is a neutral, I knew it would look good with this outfit (or really anything I wanted to layer it with), while making my eyes pop!

This pencil skirt is a staple that every female needs in her wardrobe! It is very comfortable, flexible material and IT HAS POCKETS!! Holler. I paired it with sheer, black tights and suede ankle booties. Mixing these different textures gives my outfit some dimension and flair. 

This look is great for teaching in, but I love it because I could wear  out and about as well. After teaching in it all day I reapplied lip gloss, brushed my hair, and was ready to meet a friend for coffee while looking and feeling great. 

This layered look is so comfortable and cute, but it's also a "template" of sorts that you can take and make your own! You could switch out your sweater color or pattern, play with a statement necklace or bold earrings, or try a patterned pencil skirt and you've got the same great layered look but with your own teacher style spin and flair. 

The Look:
Patterned Sweater- Target (same)
Collared Chambray Shirt- Target 
Pencil Skirt- Target (same)
Tights- Walmart
Black Ankle Booties- Walmart
Ring- H&M
Earrings- Forever 21

I hope that you're inspired to add some staple pieces into your wardrobe, play around with what you already have, and recreate this look. 

P.S. I'd love to see your take on this layered look! Follow me on Instagram (@my_teacher_style), share your photo using #myteacherstyle, and you could be featured. 
(On October 24th I will be choosing which photos(s) to feature on my Instagram account.)