My CTO: Comfy Teaching Outfit

So, I just found this draft in my archives, and I thought I had scheduled it to publish last week on Thursday (9/15/11), but apparently not.  I'm going to be honest; I'm too lazy to fix it to make it more timely, so I'm publishing it as-is. 

Do you ever have a day where you just want to be comfy?  It's starting to get chilly here, and that initial autumnal drop in temperature makes me want to curl up in a ball.  Plus, I'm going to a Blink-182 concert (yes, sometimes I have the musical tastes of a 15 year old boy), and today at school, I just wanted to be comfortable.  This outfit tends to be my go-to early fall/spring Comfy Teaching Outfit.

Glasses: Prada

Sweater: Ralph Lauren (from the outlet about 5 years ago)

Dress: Converse for Target

Cami: N.Y. & Company

Shoes: Converse All-Star Chuck Taylors

When I first wear this outfit every year, the kiddos go crazy for a couple of reasons.  "Miss T.!  You got glasses?" is always the first thing I hear.  Nope, children, I'm blind as a bat and wear contacts, because my glasses are Cokebottle-thick.

Don't mind the rat's nest on top of my head.  Rainy days tend to make me look like I've stuck my fingers in a toaster.  I included this picture for two reasons: 1.  You get a better glimpse of the glasses, and 2.  You can totally see the contrast between my classroom (above) and my fiance's classroom (in all of my OOTD pictures, including the first one in this post). 

Okay, so anyway, the second thing I hear when I wear this outfit is, "Miss T.!  YOU WEAR CHUCKS?!"  I love telling my kids that I wore my Chucks to my high school graduation with my cap and gown.  I was class president, so I was the first person in line to march onto the stage, and my Chucks were on display for everyone to see.  This story normally gets me some street cred with the ninth and tenth graders.  And really, that's all I can hope for in my life, right?  ;)

The Chucks are not only an instant conversation piece, but MAN, are they ever comfortable.  If my feet need a day of rest, I slip these puppies on with this dress, khakis, or cafe capris and I'm instantly calmer and ready to tackle the day. 

What's your CTO?  Those of you that aren't teachers, what do you wear on days that make you want to curl up and go to sleep?

It's a Beautiful (OOT) Day!

Last night, my fiancé and I went to see U2 in concert at Heinz Field.  Before we left, I struggled with what to wear.  I really wanted to wear a dress, but I so rarely get to channel my inner rocker girl vibe, so I went with something a little edgier instead.  Here's what I wore (no Polyvore for this one because hardly any of the outfit is available anymore):

Sunglasses: Michael Kors

Tank: J.Crew Perfect fit tank

Vest: NY&Co.

Jeans: NY&Co.

Shoes: Candies for Kohls

Necklace and earrings: handmade from a local farmers' market

Here's a close-up of the earrings:

Like I stated above, I got the earrings and necklace at a local farmers' market.  I definitely wasn't expecting to find jewelry there, and I got the set for $10!  I love the earrings because they're like little wind chimes in my ears, and they kind of give off a boho vibe. 

Fashion question:  Have you ever found something fashionable when you weren't even looking?

Ok, on to the concert.  U2 was on my concert bucket list, and my fiancé and I share a love for their music.  The stage setup was ridonkulous.  It took the crew four days to set up what the local media referred to as "The Claw":

U2 took the stage around 10 after 9, and they played until almost midnight.  It was a great show.  For me, the highlight was Bono singing a verse of Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah," which the band used to segway into "Where the Streets Have No Name."  The show could've ended there and I would've been happy.  But, the played for another 40 minutes!

Are any of you U2 fans?  Have you had a chance to check them out on their 360 tour?