Erika S. outfits

Grown-ass Woman

I have finally reached adulthood, people.  I bought a house here in Denver – last May.  This is not news to people who know me (I can’t ever stop talking about it), but it is news to the blog.  Yup, B and I are now officially adults with adult type responsibilities such as mowing the lawn and making mortgage payments.  This also means that my conscience gets a whirl every day – B and I are gentrifiers.  Seriously, we are – Slate Magazine confirms it.  This means that I am one of those people who drive out economic and cultural diversity from “up and coming” neighborhoods because it’s the new hip area to move into.  And boy is it hip.  There are about 6 awesome micro-breweries within walking distance, and we regularly hear gun shots in the night.  Recognizing that I am a gentrifier puts me in a tizzy, since my hometown is experiencing all kinds of turmoil with gentrification and the homogenizing of culture.  Hell, even B and I have been priced out of SF considering we could never afford to buy in the city.  So I try my best to remember this article on how not to be a gentrifier.  

Now that I am an adult with adult responsibilities, I felt the need to dress like a child today.  This is a new top from Anthropologie (super sale, as always) with a very child-like collar.  I dig it, Alexa Chung style.  The lipstick, by the way, is a cheap find from Wet n’ Wild (Plumegenue, by the Fergie collection) and I highly recommend it.

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top: anthroplogie – belt: gap – jeans: uniqlo – boots: franco sarto via nordstrom rack – watch: fossil

Erika S. outfits

Peek a Boo

Summer is winding down and we’re just starting to get some autumn like weather here in Denver.  I figured the time was right to take out this summer dress I picked up at Madewell (on super sale as always) while in New York.  It’s a bit risque for work, with cut outs on the sides.  So I kept my cardigan on all day while at school to cover up all the torso bits.  I even kept it on through the “I’m now sweating profusely because all of a sudden my admin/evaluator just walked in to hang out” moments of the day.  Bonus: the dress has huge pockets!

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glasses: warby parker – cardigan: uniqlo – dress: madewell – shoes: saltwater sandals

Erika S. fun stuffs

Family from Oz

My “in-laws” are in town from Oz!  I always look forward to their visits – it means I have an excuse to cook for more than 2, and we get to go out and do cool things.  Peter is a massive vintage car buff, specifically vintage Bentleys like his 1927 Bentley Le Mans.  Last weekend, we went to Aspen for the end of the Colorado Grand Vintage Car Rally, where we saw heaps of one of a kind vintage cars.  Mum on the other hand, is a gardening buff and has been laboring away in our garden every day helping us making it beautiful.  Cars and gardening have been the topic of conversation this past week, and I’ve been jealous of B and his work-from-home job.kimono6

This past Wednesday, we splurged and went to Beatrice and Woodsley for dinner.  I love this place.  The food is always amazing and the decor makes me feel like I’m having dinner in an Anthropologie store.  Side Note: the cocktails are fantastic, I recommend the “Worm’s Wild Ride”.

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B can’t stay off his phone!  :-/kimono8

Since I knew we were going out to a nice dinner, I decided to dress up a bit for school that day with my Forever 21 finds from last spring.  This dress is a bit of a potato sack dress without a belt, but it’s really perfect for school.  It’s sleeveless, so you won’t get pit stains from running all around the classroom during a lab.  It actually reaches my knees, so I won’t feel like I’m wearing something too risqué in front of hormonal teenage boys and girls.  The fabric is soft, drapey and machine washable, so it’s no big deal if you end up on the floor cleaning up spilled juice from some teenager drinking and eating in lab on the sly.  The dress was pricey for Forever 21, coming in at $25, but it has paid off so far in its versatility.  I’m thinking about picking up this one and this one to add to the work wardrobe.  Excuse the wrinkles, I just can’t be bothered with ironing and I don’t have a full sized closet so the bottoms of all my dresses get super wrinkled.

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cardigan and dress: f21 – belt: jcrew – shoes: sweedish hasbeens – watch: fossil

Erika S. fun stuffs

Ms. Rossin

This is Rossin, the 10th grade American Lit teacher and all around amazing woman.  She is the epitome of a teacher with a life: she sings, plays the ukelele, helps organize and put on the Arise Music Festival, she writes, raises kids, travels and does just about everything else.  Women like Rossin inspire me to do more and to do better both inside and outside the classroom.  Rosin also keeps it real.  She is the one to say all the things we are secretly too afraid to say out loud during staff meetings, such as “are we going to be compensated for this extra work?”  and “we really should be focusing on retaining teachers at this school and valuing the talent that we do have.”  This year she has a physical representation of a verbal filter – this necklace by  High Chi, with a Frank Loyd Wright design.
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Rossin also is able to form super productive and strong bonds with students in her class.  The other day, I took an informal poll in my class to see which of my students also had Rossin.  Students were enthusiastic about it and chimed in with comments such as:  “Rossin is damn cool, man.”  “Damn, I wish I had her, she seems hecka cool.” and “I really like Rossin and her class.”  It’s always heart warming to hear that students are enjoying their other classes (even if they like it more than mine =D)  Last year, whenever I’d take my shoes off and walk around barefoot at the end of the day, students would call me Rossin, the hippie teacher.

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dress/top – steven allen via buffalo exchange – jeans: levis – shoes: frye

Erika S. outfits, teaching

Back to School Night

We had back to school night the second week of school and I’m only now getting around to posting about it.  I’ve always struggled with BTS nights.  I always end the night feeling like I put my foot in my mouth a couple times.  Meeting parents for the first time always shakes my confidence a bit.  I’m a bit socially awkward around adults anyway, so meeting a bunch all at once is hard.  I always feel like I’m under scrutiny and that I’m being sized up.  Of course, this all stems from my own insecurities – I can hardly blame parents for wanting the best teachers for their kids.  I also shot myself in the foot this year by not taking the extra time needed to prepare a “Hi, I’m your kid’s Bio teacher this year, here’s some info about my background!” type presentation.  If I had, I probably would have had a more successful night.

Anyways, I chose to wear heels for BTS night this year.  It was a 13 hour day, and my feet were 100% comfortable as I walked my tired body and mind to my car at 8pm.  Midi skirts just always look better with some extra leg length.

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glasses: warby parker – top: uniqlo – belt: jcrew – skirt: anthropologie – shoes: sweedish hasbeens for h&m

Erika S. outfits

Buttoned Up

4 years ago, I had a student named Aaron in my Anatomy/Physiology class that had mad swag.  His wardrobe didn’t change all that often, but man, that kid had (probably still has) some serious style.  He always looked mature, fly, and chic all at the same time.  It took me all year, but I finally put my finger on why he had such swag: He always buttoned his shirts up to the top button.  It looked great, in a slightly nerdy, chic kind of way.  After that year, I started doing the same.  I button it all the way up.  I borrowed some of his swag, and I still like the look, 4 years later.

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glasses: warby parker – top: h&m (super old) – jeans: f21 – belt – gap – shoes: swedish hasbeens

Erika S. outfits

Varsity

I went shopping over the weekend and treated myself to some much needed retail therapy.  It’s been a while (for me at least) since I’ve updated my wardrobe.  B shops maybe once a year, but I’m not that disciplined.  So I went and made the rounds at the local mall and picked up a few things.  First up, this t-shirt which I now call my varsity shirt.  I never played sports in high school, unless you count sailing in the Sea Scouts.  I did try girl’s soccer a couple times, but I was just pathetically bad at it.

Funny story, I ended up matching a little bit with a kid in my class today.  She had on the same shirt, but in maroon.  I pointed it out and she just half-smiled at me.  I guess she didn’t think it was as cool to match as I thought.  Lolz.  It happens.  varsity3

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top: f21 – skirt: jcrew – shoes: worishofer – necklace: my mom’s

On the beauty side, I picked up a new lip tint from Sephora.  It’a a Korean brand called Chosungah 22 and it’s pretty awesome.  The stain lasts a while, even with my habit of constantly licking my lips.  I like it more than Benetint and the Face Shop brand tint.  The gloss half though is gloopy and sticky – I’m not a fan.

Erika S. outfits

The First Days: Rachael

This is Rachael.  She teaches Chemistry and Anatomy/Physiology.  This year is Rachael’s first year teaching, though she was a teaching resident (year long student teaching) at my school last year.  By now, she’s got the “teacher look” down pretty well and she has taken charge!

This was Rachael’s first day of school outfit, and it was pretty perfect for her.  There is no mistaking Rachael for a student this year!

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Erika S. outfits

The Second First Day

I wore just about this same outfit just about a year ago.  It’s a pretty reliable go to outfit – pencil skirts solve all sorts of morning wardrobe emergencies.  On Tuesday morning, I wasted about 10 minutes in the morning staring at my closet with a blank head.  I was stuck in one of those “I have nothing to wear!” panics.  I did not have those 10 minutes to waste.  If I’m not in the building at least 30 minutes before first period starts, the whole day will feel off.

About these sandals:  I’ve had them for about 5 years now.  I have a black pair and a tan pair, so they go with everything imaginable.  I wear the crap out of them every summer and they’ve been with me every time I travel.  It’s almost time to retire them, but they’re still holding up.  Maybe next sumer I’ll switch it up a bit and try out something else.  If you don’t already own a pair of Saltwater Sandals, I highly recommend you check them out.  The best summer sandal ever.

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Day two

top: madewell – skirt: jcrew – shoes: saltwater sandals