Oct 21, Monday Flannel

Another Monday, another flannel! This time it’s my grey flannel from Uniqlo. Boy do I love this shirt! It’s soft, cozy & warm. And, since it’s from Uniqlo, it’s super affordable. Mine is old, but they have some cute ones this season, check them out here. In my opinion, a flannel shirt is the perfect choice for a crisp fall day.

At first I thought I would try the flannel with grey jeans and grey Converse, but then I decided that’s a little too much grey, so I switched to dark wash jeans. These jeans are from Lucky, and I cropped them myself. They have the perfect amount of stretch to make them super comfy. For my feet, the slip on pointy toe booties from Target are a little more stylish than the sneakers. Tucking the shirt, rolling the sleeves and adding this big statement belt complete the look.

Have a great Monday! I’m off to sub in middle school again. Yikes! What was I thinking?! If you are a middle school teacher- I applaud you! All teachers are amazing, but middle school is a whole other story!

Sept 24, Growth Mindset

I’m not even going to talk about today’s outfit, party because I think it’s just an ok outfit (these early school mornings are killing me), and also the changes are pretty self explanatory.

Instead I want to tell you about something I learned about myself last night. 

I was out to dinner with friends and I shared that I have been trying some new vegetarian recipes for my family, and how my daughter has been reluctant to try my amazing concoctions. However, rather than force her to eat it, in our family we have what I call a ‘no thank you bite’ meaning you must take a bite and try it and then you can say ‘no thank you’. I always thought this was a great way of getting my kids to at least try new things. 

However, after I shared this story, my clever friend Stacey said, “why wouldn’t you call that a discovery bite? When you call it a ‘no thank you bite’ you are already setting the stage to saying no….” 

Wow! How had I never thought of that? She is totally right, and that is the perfect example of a growth mindset.

Have you ever heard this phrase? I honestly hadn’t until I started back teaching 3 years ago. Now, I hear it daily. Growth mindset is the idea that instead of saying to yourself ‘I can’t do that’, you say ‘I can’t do that- yet’! Meaning there is always a possibility that you may grow or learn something new! Cool, huh?

So, now I will say to my family, “would you like to discover Ginger miso salad?! Smokey cauliflower tacos? Chickpea faro stew… ?” and I’m hoping their response will be, “I’ve never had that- yet… but I’d love to try! “ Do you see where I’m going here? By simply changing the way I phrase my suggestion to try something new- I hope I can teach my kids to explore- and grow! 

I don’t know why I had to share that, except for the fact that it really made me reflect on how I present things to my children (and students) and maybe even possibly myself. Am I saying no to things because I haven’t mastered them? Am I afraid to try something new? Do I have a growth mindset? Thanks to Stacey, I will now approach my life in a more open minded and exploratory way! We are never too old to learn! 

(jeans- Gap, flannel- American Eagle, boots- Nordstrom)

Sept 10, Fall Y’all

It’s Fall, Y’all! We have been having the weirdest weather the last few days. Normally September is still warm and sunny for us in the PNW, but lately it’s felt a lot more like fall. We’ve had crazy rain, wind and overall dreary weather. Perfect for breaking out my flannel shirt!

In the before photo I paired this cute windowpane flannel shirt from Old Navy (old) with grey jeans and grey orthopedic shoes. I think this look is just blah. It’s too boring and predictable. To change it up a bit, I have chosen my distressed skinny jeans and slip on tennis shoes from Dr. Scholl’s. I like how the color of the shoes matches the shirt, and how the blue distressed denim gives a super casual, relaxed vibe to the outfit. Rolling the sleeves and loosely tucking the shirt add to the casual look.

March 9th, Black and White Flannel

A cute outfit for the weekend is a casual flannel and some ripped jeans.

The problem in the before look is the ripped jeans are not flattering at all. The buttoned up flannel looks dull this way, and the heavy black boots add weight to the outfit.

In the after version, the skinny jeans are more flattering, and to improve the boxy look of the flannel- I tucked it in and rolled the sleeves. Similar to this outfit here. I also replaced the dark boots with these cute black slip on loafers. These are a great spring shoe- and so comfy!

As for my ripped jeans I did not make them myself (as I did here)- they are 7 for Mankind, and I love them. They have a lot of elastic in them, so they are stretchy and comfy… and I got them at Nordstrom Rack (my favorite store!)

Jeans- Nordstrom

Flannel- Old Navy

Have a great weekend!

Feb 8, Snowmageddon

As I mentioned earlier in the week, we had a snowstorm and got about 9 inches- causing all sorts of messes.  For those of you who’ve never been to Seattle, its VERY hilly and people do not have any idea how to drive in the snow.

Unfortunately, the weather experts are predicting an even bigger storm to hit this afternoon. They are calling it Snowmageddon! UGH!

Yet, I still have to go to work today (have I mentioned I’m a substitute teacher?), so I must get dressed in my warmest clothes. I started with jeans, a flannel and my Uggs. Yes, those Uggs are ugly- but boy are they warm!

Problem is, the jeans on the left are a straight leg cut- and if you look closely, you can see how they bag and gather at the knees and ankles.  The loose fitting flannel, while incredibly warm, is not flattering and a little boxy..

So… to change it up a bit, I switched to a skinny jean. These are made by Good American, and they have a ton of stretch in them which makes them super comfortable. While there is a tiny bit of gathering around the knees, I still think the skinny cut is better.

I then added a cream knit sweater over the flannel shirt. This sweater is Vince, which I love, but is very expensive. I bought it at Nordstrom Rack, and it’s one of my favorites. I think it’s cute with the tails of the flannel peeking out. They add a bit of color and variety. I also stacked a few bracelets, just because I’m trying to be more stylish!

All in all, this is a super warm outfit for a VERY cold winter’s day.

Stay warm and safe friends!

Flannel- Uniqlo

Jeans- Good American

Sweater- Vince

 

 

Jan 28th, Comfy Flannel

Let me tell you about this flannel shirt!  I love it so much that I have to force myself to actually not wear it!  I got it at American Eagle when I was shopping for my daughter- but it caught my eye as something I could wear, so I bought it. It is so warm and soft. I love the colors and now it has become one of my weekend go to’s! But buttoned up and untucked it looks frumpy.

 

In my ‘after’ look I have layered the flannel over a black tank from the Gap, unbuttoned the shirt a few buttons, tucked the front in and added a belt.  Looking at the photos, I think I should add some necklaces as well.

On top of it all, I threw on my black down vest- which will help keep me warm in addition to adding interest and texture to my outfit. For my feet- I’m wearing my black Adidas- they just look a little more sporty and cuter than the old running shoes in the before pic.

One thing to note is this shirt is great because it hangs down really low in the back- covering my bum. (see photo below)

This is an easy, comfy but cute outfit perfect for running errands- or whatever you have planned today!

 

Jeans- Joes- Nordstrom Rack

Shirt- American Eagle

Tank- Gap

Vest- Nordstrom Rack

Shoes- Adidas Nordstrom Rack

 

Nov 13th, Can’t Seem to Get Over You

I’m not sure what it is about this stupid flannel shirt, but I really want to make it work. I’ve tried and had failure several times- but I’m stubborn and I swear I will find a way to make this shirt work… maybe?

Part of why I won’t give up is that I see other people wearing flannel and it always looks great on them, plus- it is so warm and comfy, I just hate to think I can’t find a way to make this look good.

So, here’s what I tried today. I layered the shirt under a vest- so that you don’t see too much flannel. The black quilted vest breaks up the pattern a bit.

Here’s what I did wrong- on the right I am also wearing a scarf- which you know I’m a fan of scarves, but this paired with the chunky vest is just too much! Also, I’m wearing faded ‘mom jeans’ that look a bit dated. Paired with my round toe boots- this just doesn’t look fashionable.

On the left I’ve tried to improve it by switching to darker, skinny jeans, cute ballet flats and then I added a pearl necklace- just to give it a more feminine look.

I am torn about this look though. I seem to be off this week… maybe I’m in a slump?! Time to go shopping! 🙂

I tried tucking the shirt in to make it a bit more polished but I need a belt!

Oct. 9th, Smells Like Teen Spirit

Layered under something makes this look a little more feminine and less lumberjack!

This just screams hoe down, which isn't what Im going for!

I’m not even a Nirvana fan, but I thought this title would be appropriate for my outfit today since I’m rocking the plaid flannel shirt. I tried this shirt once before, but ended up looking like a crazy lumberjack. I haven’t given up though- the plaid flannel shirt is a popular look and I’m determined to make it work! I decided to layer it under a casual dress, to change the look of the dress, and add some warmth. On the right is my first attempt. I tried it with this cute tiered/ ruffled black dress, but I think this looks a little like I’m heading to a western themed party.

On the left I have it under a different black cotton dress. This one has a cute gathered waist, a scoop neckline and sleeves.  I’ve got on black tights and my ever favorite black boots. I think it works- well, sort of! I like it, but I’m a little hesitant. As I say in my ‘about me’ I’m not a big risk taker, so this is a little out of my comfort zone! Please tell me what you think! Is this something you would wear? Should I give up on my flannel?

To me, the flannel shirt makes the dress very casual, perfect for a weekend look. I have it buttoned to high though! Loosen up a bit, huh?! I wonder if a necklace would help?

Flannel Shirt: Fred Meyer, Ruffle Dress: Nordstrom, Dress: Macy’s, Boots: Aerosole