I’m happy to report that I’ve made it through the first week of school relatively unscathed…
THE STORY
…The first few weeks back always give me a serious ass kicking and this year is no exception. I. am. exhausted. That’s not to say it wasn’t a good week though because few things in life are better for the soul than spending my days with my kids.
The funny thing about teaching probably more so than other lines of work is that while the basic parameters of the job stay the same, the actual job itself is never ever the same from year to year. There are always new students, new topics to teach, new schedules to follow, new rules and new coworkers. This year I even moved to a new much larger classroom so literally everything is different. On a side note, if you’re interested, I gave a guided tour of my daily habitat on my Instagram Stories…you’ll now be able to find it under “The Life” highlights.
All of the change and newness just adds to my usual feeling that the first day of school is my New Year. Several years ago I wrote about that very topic; how the first of September somehow feels more like a time for fresh starts and new beginnings than January 1st does. I’m just so ready to do better; to be better. Perhaps it’s because I’m a teacher and therefore I still have the opportunity to experience the first day of school vibes and the freshness of it all every year, but honestly I think it’s more than that.
Even though fall signals us that Mother Nature is preparing to wrap things up and pack them all away in preparation for the dark cold months ahead, there still seems to be a sense of anticipation in the air. The “ber” months are brimming with holidays, festivities and fun activities…it just seems like there’s so much to look forward to. Halloween and carving pumpkins, good food and spending time with family at Thanksgiving and then all of the sparkly twinkle light goodness that comes with Christmas.
Being cold is one of my least favorite things, but still I even look forward to the first snow. The snows after it, not so much, but the first snow? After all of my years on the planet I still find something magical about the first real snow of the year. Especially if it happens in the evening when I’m all snuggled up at home…I’m truly like a little kid if I’m actually home when it arrives. I throw on my coat, run out to the backyard and I stand with my face to the sky soaking up the muted silence that only snow can bring while snowflakes melt on my face.
See what I mean? There’s just so much goodness at this time of the year to fill us with a sense of hope and change and wonder. Whereas in January what do we have to fill us with motivation, anticipation and the desire to do better? Three more long months of brutal cold and darkness by 5 p.m. that’s what. All that fills me with is a desire to burrow deeper into my blankets and snuggle with my dogs. So for me, I’m celebrating the new year right now…and when January 1st rolls around? Well, you’ll find me hiding out in my blanket fort waiting for the daylight to return…
THE OUTFIT
This olive green slip dress. Oh. My. God. When I saw it at Aerie while school shopping with my daughter I knew that it was destined to be mine…as were the red and burnt sienna versions. Tragically they did not have the burnt sienna in my size and it sold out almost instantaneously online…fear not, I’m still stalking it and I will find it somewhere eventually. The red dress is currently hanging on my bedroom door eagerly awaiting it’s inaugural wearing.
I can’t tell you what exactly it is about this particular slip dress that triggered my obsession. After all, I have plenty of slip dresses, but there’s just something about this one…maybe it’s the buttery soft slightly wrinkly satin…maybe it’s the delicately frayed hem…maybe it’s the adjustable straps. Whatever it is, I have big plans for about a zillion ways to style it, but for the first day of school I went with my long floral kimono and my much loved red western ankle booties. Olive green just sort of begs to be paired with red don’t you think? The floatiness of the dress paired with the floatiness of the kimono just had me feeling all sorts of ethereal, if one can feel ethereal I suppose.
I’m sharing a whole batch of fab slip dresses below, but if you can get your hands on this one, do it…it comes in sizes XXS thru XXL, but it seems to be selling out super fast…apparently I’m not alone in my undying love for this dress…
THE TIP
Buy yourself this slip dress. ‘Nuff said. Seriously though, even if it’s not this slip dress, find yourself that one special piece. That piece that makes you feel beautiful…fabulous…badass…and maybe just a little bit ethereal.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Dress: American Eagle; Kimono: Similar: Boots: Aldo (Similar)
