9/19/10: Old Man Shoes

Sunday was a shopping day. A gift card from my birthday was burning a hole in my pocket, so I hit the mall in total comfort.

Necklace: Gift from Mom

Tee: One Step Up via Sears, forever ago

Belt: O'neill via Clothing Swap

Jeans: Calvin Klein Jeans via Costco, $19.99 in July 2010

Shoes: BC Footwear via now-defunct Polka Dot Shoes

I confess. I resisted on the "skinny jeans" trend for the longest time. Then I bought a pair. Then I bought another, and another. They look great on almost everyone. Note the almost. Even with just a tee and sneakers, I feel taller, thinner, and more confident in a pair of skinny jeans. Sometimes there is good in the fashion trends.

My other favorite part of this outfit is the "old man sneakers." I bought these at a now-defunct locally owned shoe store in my hometown. Like most shoes by BC Footwear, they comfortably mold to your feet. As you may be able to tell by the picture, however, they've reached the end of their lifespan. It's going to be sad to see them go.

9/18/10: Oktoberfest

Yesterday I made the short trip to North America's largest Oktoberfest celebration. To be honest, it was too many people. The food and beer, while decent, simply didn't compare to real German food and beer. But alas, it was a good time with some of my cohortians. (Yes, we have made that word up. It's much easier than saying "with some members of my cohort.")

Tank: Old Navy, "two for $15" always
Skirt: Larry Levine, stolen from Mom
Bracelet: via World Market, gift
Sneakers: "Lori" by XAPPEAL via Rack Room Shoes, $14.99 ($7.50 if you consider the BOGO 1/2 off promotion) in July 2010

I've discussed before how I feel like I'm running out of time on sneakers and skirts. However, for a day like yesterday, it was the perfect solution. I needed shoes I could walk in all day. I also needed to stay cool. Except for one unfortunate incident involving some sort of grate in the sidewalk, I was ridiculously comfortable. I even matched the mysterious man dressed as some sort of German dog.

9/17/10: Getting Oriented

Friday was orientation day and thankfully, I feel much oriented. I now know what to expect from both the classes I am taking and the class I am teaching.

Though my department is incredibly casual, I wanted to dress up just a little. And when I say just a little, I really mean just a little. I could undoubtedly get away with wearing flip-flops and jeans, but what fun is that? To make it even better, Friday morning felt like the first day of fall. It was apparently a trick, as it was back in the mid-80s today, but the crisp weather certainly put me in the back to school mode.

Necklace: Gift from Mom
Burgandy tee: Old Navy
Green shirt: Old Navy
Slacks: Gap
Shoes: Aldo
Purse: ?? via friend's clothing sale

I absolutely love these slacks. Indeed, I have them in both black and the light grey/blue pictured. They are lightweight, comfortable, and cool, while still being a step up from jeans. The other fantastic thing about this outfit is the purse. It doesn't look especially large, but I easily fit inside a full size notebook, a two-pocket folder, my agenda, wallet, camera, makeup, keys, and a novel. Now that is what I call a perfect purse.

9/16/10: Lazy

Tee: Self Esteem via Goody's, forever ago
Khakis: Gap, forever ago
Shoes: BC Footwear via now-defunct Polka Dot Shoes

And the September Shoe Challenge continues. Not much to say on this outfit. It was a lazy day. I needed to throw on some clothes to run errands. This is what I grabbed. I like the subtle shine of the sneakers. I like the subtle shine of the shirt too, though I think this shirt will become a purse very soon.

9/15/10: Neon Green

Today's plans revolved around getting internet hooked up so I could have a reliable connection and walking to the farmer's market for some fresh produce. It is about 0.8 mile walk each way and today was surprisingly hot for September up here. Shorts and a tank top was the only way to go, and these "stolen" shoes are quite comfortable. Like yesterday, they aren't the epitome of style, but they work quite well for trekking around time. Note to self: dig through the back of the closet more.

Tank: Old Navy, "two for $15"
Shorts: Calvin Klein via outlet
Sneakers: Rocket Dog, stolen from ex

9/14/10: Simple

Today's agenda consisted of trekking back and forth across my new campus as I attempted to get IDs, paperwork, forms, and myself in order. It was quite warm for a September day in the Midwest, so I knew I needed to keep it cool, comfortable, and simple. (I also needed to look decent for my student ID card picture.)

Necklace: handmade, gift
Tank: Old Navy, something like "two for $15"
Pants: Calvin Klein via outlet
Shoes: Simple Shoes via Dillard's, spring 2008

In keeping with the September Shoe Challenge, I dug these sneakers out of the back of my closet. While they are no great fashion statement, they are incredibly comfortable and incredibly earth-friendly. I bought them before a 6-week trip to Europe, because I knew I would need something comfortable and neutral. I wore them all through Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Then I forgot about them.

If you haven't heard of Simple Shoes, you should look them up. Their shoes are made out of recycled materials such as car tires, carpet padding, plastics, and paper, as well as renewable and environmental-friendly materials like organic cotton and hemp. Most are also vegan friendly. Aside for an occasional rubbery squeak as I step, they are as good or better than most shoes on the market.

For today's grand expedition, I paired them with my favorite lightweight linen pants and a tank top, and accessorized with a pretty polymer clay butterfly necklace. I have no idea who gave me this lovely necklace, so if any of you readers recognize it, please let me know. I got several compliments on it, and I'd love to thank whoever gifted it to me.

9/13/10: Tie Me Up

Not only did I cross two things off of today's to-do-list (mail etsy items and important things to parents), but I actually went out and was social. Don't believe me? Look.

Anyways, I was super proud of today's outfit, because I made the skirt. Yes, that skirt is all made out of ties. Want to learn how to make a similar one? Check out this or this. I however, chose to finish mine with a zipper and a waistband. Otherwise, those tutorials explain the process well.

Tee: Forever 21, stolen from ex
Skirt: Homemade by me
Shoes: "Women's Ranford Sandal" by Privo, from $37.26 on Amazon
Bracelet: via Quarter Moon Imports, gift

The skirt didn't come out perfectly, but it was a good learning experience, and I love the burgundy-based color scheme. Paired with a simple tee and comfortable sandals, it was perfect for a warm fall evening out with friends.