teachers – Teachers Have Lives Too!

04/17/201904/17/2019 Erika S. basics, outfits

Don’t Call It a Comeback

I heard the old school LL Cool J’s song “Mama Said Knock You Out” the other night and it inspired me to pick up my blog again.

Don’t call it a comeback
I’ve been here for years
I’m rocking my peers
Puttin’ suckers in fear

I initially stopped blogging for a couple reasons – I fell into a style rut, I started working out regularly straight after school (time when I’d usually spend blogging), and I felt like I had run out of things to say. I found that I wanted to spend more time outside and unglued from the computer, and I’m generally an introvert. I like to observe more than I like to speak, which I know seems counter intuitive considering my chosen profession.

It’s been over a year since my last post, but I’ve been here this whole time, still teaching, and still putting clothes on my body every morning. I still fall into ruts where I wear the same thing or similar things over and over, but I’ve also had weeks were I’ve been super inspired by a look or an aesthetic that I see on someone else or on the interwebs. Sometimes I look back at my old posts and cringe a bit at how I used to style myself, and other times I get super reflective about how my style has changed over the years. If there is one cool thing about having a fashion blog, it’s the record keeping I have of what I’ve worn over the past 6 years.

I’m still getting regular comments from kids about my sartorial choices, which always makes me miss blogging a bit. Recently, I’ve been fielding an abnormal number of questions from kids about my fashion choices. They range from “where do you go shopping miss” to “Hey miss, nice fit” to “what the ___ are you wearing miss”. The most memorable comment this past year has been when I wore an Iron Maiden shirt to school at the start of the school year, and a student asked me if I knew the name of the album that was on my shirt. I didn’t, and the kid roasted me a bit for being a poseur. This kid is now one of my favorite humans.

So I’m back! Here is what I wore on Monday. I’m sticking to more and more basic items lately. I figure the less color there is, the easier it is to look put together but still effortless (I hate how overused that word is, but I can’t seem to think of a less cliche way to describe my sentiment). The printed boots and earrings make me feel like I have a bit more oompf to an otherwise plain outfit.

That being said, to me the star of this outfit is the blue shirt/coat/dress thing I picked up last December from COS. I liken it to a french chore coat, and I like it because it gives me a bit of a Bill Cunningham vibe without having the real thing. B says it looks weird, but I love it anyway and that’s what counts right? Chore coats are trending pretty hard right now, everybody from J. Crew to Huckberry (really cool men’s versions!) are carrying one now, and I can’t blame them. I kind of want a real one in addition to this long wannabe one. I’ve been eyeing ones from Urban Outfitters, Everlane and Stussy (I love the bone white color) and Topo Designs but really I am holding out to get one from Carhartt WIP. I love the 4 front pockets and you really can’t go wrong with the durability of the real thing (work clothes that is) even if you’re just getting it for the fashion. I can’t wait to check out the store in NYC when I go this summer.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

earrings: unbranded, but picked up from a small shop in nashville over spring break – jacket: cos – tshirt: jockey via costco – belt: gap from more than 10 years ago – jeans: uniqlo – boots: madewell

12/19/201212/19/2012 Erika S. seriousness, teaching

I had been searching for some words for the Sandy Hook tragedy for some time. Monday rolled around and I still had no words about it, I had gone the entire weekend avoiding reading anything on the news. At our grade team meeting that morning, Sara (English) asked how were were going to address it with our crews (homerooms). I replied that I wasn’t. By the time I walked out of the meeting and on to my first class of the day, I felt empty and unable to empathize with other teachers who were touched and struck to their core by the events in Connecticut. I told myself that maybe I should stop avoiding it and just read up on it and allow myself to process the emotions, as a human being and as a teacher. I went home that night and read about how a teacher tried to shield her students from bullets, how another teacher hid her students in a cabinet and told the shooter they were in the library. I read about how the first responders to the commotion in the hallway – the principal and vice principal – were the first ones down. I read all about it and started choking up.

As I read, I pictured myself frantically shoving my students – 15 year olds – into the closets in the back to my classroom to hide them. I thought about how I keep the door to my classroom locked all the time and how that would probably be a good thing. There is no doubt in my mind that I will do my best to protect my students – even the ones that call me names.

Today is Wednesday, and until today, I still had no words for the horrific actions of one man with access to ridiculous guns. But now I do – part of what I love (and sometimes hate) about my job is how emotionally invested I am in my students. So faced with a similar situation, I would also try my best to shield them.

This blog post by a fellow teacher helps fill out the rest of my words relating to the recent media coverage of teachers like me, both before and after Sandy Hook.

lisamyers.org

Please see the follow-up to this letter at http://lisamyers.org/2012/12/31/a-follow-up-to-dear-america-from-a-teacher/.

Dear America,

It feels strange to hear your voice praising teachers for their selflessness, dedication, and love for their students. We’re listening to what you’re saying, but we must admit that we are listening with tilted head and quizzical eye. Why? Because we’ve become accustomed to hearing a very different voice from you.

For the past few years, you’ve been certain that most of society’s problems stem from our schools, more specifically the teachers in those schools. We are lazy and useless, we are only in it for the money, we only teach for the vacation time, we don’t possess the intelligence to teach anyone much of anything, our demands for a respectable wage are selfish, we don’t teach students respect, we are leeches sucking the blood from State coffers, we don’t even work a full day like everyone else, and…

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12/28/201112/27/2011 Erika S. outfits, parties

Tree Trimmers

A few weeks ago, I went to a tree trimming party at my gorgeous friend Aimee’s house. Aimee teaches at the same high school as me (right above me actually on the infamous 3rd floor!) as do (or did) all the other lovely ladies. We had a blast of course, and managed to keep the teacher talk to a minimum.

Aimee has fab taste and decorates her tree with a bird theme. I stole one of those birds and made myself a new fascinator. But then maybe pirate look was better?

We are all teachers, and we all have super interesting things to say. some of the things said that night would probably scandalize a good percentage of americans. especially when said teachers play scandalous games. Cards Against Humanity. I highly recommend it. B bought the set off of kickstarter.com a while ago and it’s been the go to game for every party. It helps us old fogey teachers stay on top of all the popular disgusting things out there.

My friends are just a sampling of how dedicated and talented teachers can be. They work long hours and invest themselves physically, and even more so, emotionally in their classrooms. They are all amazing educators who strive to make a difference every day. Day to day we are faced with daunting, discouraging, bureaucratic and social problems that are too immense to tackle by ourselves. We combat these soul crushing adversities through support, hugs, and a bit of alcohol. =) My ex-parter-in-bio-teaching Ann calls it trauma bonding and I’ve yet to hear a better descriptor.

bottom row: nicole (ELD formerly known as ESL), Alexis (SpED), Anne (English) top row: me (Bio/health/Physiology), Aimee (ELD/English), Jen (English). Missing from the photo was Ann, aka Zhaoweezy (bio/physiology). ❤

The boys are not teachers, but they are teacher lovers. I know this because they love us. They are the ones who clean up the emotional messes we bring home with us. They are also the ones who bask in our glow when we have success. They give us encouragement, affirmations, and they tell us constantly that they are proud of us and our work. Everyone needs that kind of support regardless of what the day job is, and I’m thankful that we have these dudes to help fill that role (among other roles).

On to some pictures of what we wore! fashion helps make us happy. There is no better time than a holiday party to bust out the new dresses!

earrings made by me – cardigan and necklace: f21 (not-so-secret-santa gift from Alexis) – dress, lipstick and belt: j.crew – over the knee socks: urban outfitters – booties: nine west