Happy Memorial Day!

For Tina, who loves a good casual post:

Easy and a little bit fifties. A perfect outfit for hanging laundry on the clothesline, no?

Shirt: TJMaxx
Shorts: GAP outlet
Sandals: Chinese Laundry via TJMaxx
Scarf: hand-me-down

mixed greens

I found this super comfortable jersey dress at TJMaxx last week on a marathon shopping trip with my mom and sister. I am pretty much in love with it. I wore it under my cap and gown with black heels, and I teachered it up yesterday with a button-down.

However, I'm worried that with the puffed-sleeve blouse and the scarf-sash, the whole thing comes off a bit too kindergarten playdate. What do you all think?

Dress: Spense via TJMaxx

Blouse: TJMaxx

Scarf: hand-me-down

Flats: Rocket Dogs

Ring: gift from mom

summer teachin'

I'm really starting to like my summer session students - 4 guys from China and one from Korea. In my experience teaching ESL, men from East Asia are often the most reticent to participate in class. A lot to do with the Asian conception of education, I think. But these dudes are quite lively, even funny. Hooray for students who surprise you. :)

The weather finally came down out of the stratosphere today, so I took advantage of the opportunity to wear a long-sleeved button-down.

A dress with pockets - can't beat that! And I'm in love with this necklace my sister beqeathed to me.

Dress: j.crew outlet

Shirt: TJMaxx

Shoes: Payless

Necklace: hand-me-down
Earrings: thrifted

Proudest outfit ever

This is what I wore for teaching in the 90+ degree weather. A simple tee and flowy skirt, jazzed up with a braidy 'do and some gold accessories.

Shirt: Costco
Skirt: TJMaxx
Belt: thrifted
Sandals: Nine West outlet
Earrings: gift

I was happy with it - I felt pretty and I was very comfortable - but this is not my proudest outfit.

This is:


I GRADUATED!! I'm a MASTER now!

It's been a long road and a lot of work, and last Saturday morning I put on a (what I might otherwise consider dopey) cap and gown with a great sense of accomplishment. It's not flattering - kind of shapeless sack, actually - but it made me feel just as confident as my most put-together work ensemble.

This was mostly due to my sweet-ass hood:

Being a master is awesome.

Thanks everyone for bearing with me during my absence, and thank you to my mom and sis for whisking me away for wonderful graduation travels!

Camera woes

Sorry for the long silence - I've been traveling with my family for the past week, very unfortunately sans pictures as my camera's battery has been dead the whole time. Long story short, a new charger is on its way and I will be blogging again shortly!

In the meantime, please imagine the squeal of excitement I let out when I saw my picture on Academichic!! I enjoyed the challenge, and I loved reading other people's posts on what they love about their bodies. Hooray for being body-positive!

Dress your best, day 3/4

The weather did not cooperate yesterday, so I featured my triceps...under a sweater and a coat. Oh well.

Today, I am featuring my calves. I've always done leg-intensive sports (ice skating, running, dancing, more running) so I've always been grateful for my legs and the hard work they do.

My legs are strong and healthy. They carry me across the ice, up hills, and across dance floors with style and aplomb. As I've been training for a 10K these past few weeks, I've been especially glad to feel my legs powering me through the miles.

Plus, they look hot in knee-length skirts.

So legs, I salute you (and knees, please hang in there!).



Tank top: Costco
Cardigan: kersch essentials, also Costco
Skirt: Levi's
Belt: hand-me-down
Sandals: Nine West
Earrings: JCPenny's
Ring: Burlington

PS

Chelsea, the blogger behind bright side dweller, wrote a great description of the benefits of "dressing your best". I couldn't have said it better. Check it out here.

dress your best day 2

For the second day of "Dress Your Best" week, I'm featuring my collarbones. I have to say that no matter what I'm feeling about the rest of my body, I always think my neck and the top of my chest are graceful and pretty. I usually feel my best in v-neck tops or boatneck tops like this one.

I stole this belt-over-jersey-skirt look from, who else, Academichic. It was soft and cozy, perfect for a day of reading and working on my final paper.

This is my attempt to take an arty picture of my collarbones...

Magically appearing kitty!

Haha, it looks like I could eat him in one bite.*

Top: street vendor in Bangkok

Skirt: j.crew outlet

Belt: TJMaxx

Shoes: Payless
Earring (worn as necklace): Burlington

Ring: gift from mom

*I didn't, I promise.

Dress your best!

Today I turned in the last big paper of the year (sadly I had to ask for an extension for the two page book review. But after that I will be DONE!).

So this is what I wore for what should have been my last day as a master's student:

Appropriately grad student-y, no?

It is also the first day of Academichic's "Dress Your Best" week, in which we dress to accentuate the parts of our bodies we like. Side note: I am SO SO SO excited that this blog is mentioned on Academichic, even if it's only as part of a long list. You guys know how I feel about Academichic. Eee!

To begin "Dress Your Best", we are supposed to make a list of five things we like about our bodies. Here's mine:

1. My eyes. One's a little greener than the other, which I get from my grandmother.

2. My collarbones/upper back. I just think clavicles are pretty.

3. My triceps. They've always been well-defined - softball? Skating? Yoga? Who knows?

4. My calves. That's definitely from running.

5. My feet. I have cute feet.

Today I wore shades of blue/green and purple, to bring out the green in my eyes.

What are your top five? I'd love to know! :)

Cardigan: gift from mom
Blouse: TJMaxx
Scarf: street vendor on Cape Cod
Jeans: BR outlet
Flats: Rocket Dogs
Earrings: Burlington

last day of class!

Today was my last ever class as a master's student. I can hardly believe it. It feels so strange to be cut free (well...almost free. Two more papers due Monday and THEN I'll be free!).

Here's what I wore for my last ever presentation as a master's student.


I've seen the button down + floaty white skirt look on other fashion bloggers and decided to give it a shot. I was happy with the result.

Dude. LAST CLASS. This calls for a cocktail.

Shirt: hand-me-down

Belt: Target

Skirt: TJMaxx

Shoes: Payless

Earrings: Fred Meyer's

Almost there!

Hi everyone! In the past week, I have:

-had a major freak-out about my lit review and then finished it anyway;

-turned in one draft of my completed master's paper to my advisor and another to my second reader;

-gotten comments and revised accordingly;

-had a couple epiphanies about the nature of research;

-thought A LOT about going on to a PhD program...

-started training for a 10k race in June!

Now that the master's paper is under control, I am feeling a lot more relaxed about school. When I turn in my last seminar paper next MondayI'll be completely done with my master's program. How crazy is that?

While I've been doing all of the above, the weather has finally gotten warm around here - it's been in the 70's the past few days and muggy, with constant dire threats of impending thunderstorms...those might be coming true as I'm typing this.

And the outfit:

I was going for a sort of white-tunic-with-gold-accessories-Greek-thing-ish? Maybe? I was definitely comfortable in the heat (yay for floaty wrap skirt weather!) but felt appropriate for tutoring and a meeting with my advisor. So that's a win.

I had help with the pictures again today. That's him in the corner by the door.

Hope you all are enjoying the spring!

Shirt: CKJeans via Costco

Camisole: ancient

Belt: thrifted

Skirt: street vendor in Thailand

Sandals: Nine West outlet