On Thursdays We Wear Burgundy

Yesterday I came to work to discover that my work BFF and I had accidentally dressed as twins. And then I went to the library during my planning period and discovered that there had clearly been a memo about wearing burgundy on Thursdays. At the end of the day, I looked in the mirror and thought, "This is such a teacher outfit, but I'm a teacher, so that works." 

I must say that I've gotten so used to having a bit of stretch in my pants, so any time I wear a pair of normal pants that are less forgiving, I find myself a bit uncomfortable. It just seems that without stretch the pants must fit perfectly, right from the beginning. Not only will they not stretch to accommodate that big meal I ate last night, but they also don't do well if I'm losing weight because they become bagging pretty quickly. You just kinda have to hit on the perfect size. This pair was one of those pairs you buy because you realize you have no pants and are tired of wearing skirts all the time. I really like the color, and I really like being able to wear neutrals without feeling frumpy, but I wouldn't wear these on a long day or if I was doing something that was really interactive. But for a typical Thursday, they are a fine option.  Loft doesn't have my pants for sale anymore, but I'm linking Gap's go-to pants. They have a ton of colors on sale, and I have a few pairs of these that I'm fond of. Just click on the picture. 

The cardigan was a $12 purchase from a flash sale, and I really love anything with stripes and any cardigan that has embellishments on it. I also love that this one is really lightweight and stretchy, so it goes easily over a long sleeve shirt, but it will also do well over a dress in the spring. I can't find anything similar, but I'm linking a few options at the bottom of this post. 

The tank top is one of my new favorites. Express has these in a bunch of colors, and it's just a bit looser than most tanks, so I don't feel quite as self conscious. 

The shoes are the same ones I linked the other day, but I'll link them again. Again, I'll admit that I now am a person that wears Dr. Scholl's shoes, but I'm okay with that because they've really upped their game, and the shoes are cute and super comfortable. I'm officially at the age when I just don't want to have a pained look on my face all day just so I can wear shoes that I thought were cute when I put them on at 7:45 that morning. I've also noticed that my back-up shoes that I keep under the desk rarely get worn these days because my feet are just generally happier.  

So here are a few of my Thursday dressing tips:
1. Know your wardrobe. If you love neutral tops/cardigans, make sure you have some skirts or pants that can add some color to your outfit. If you know that you buy every flow-y top you can find, make sure you're jeans/work pants are fitted enough to balance out the outfit.

2. Know yourself enough to know what you will and won't be up for. I've often been guilty of buying clothes in a bit of an optimistic mood, and then realizing that I'm not really willing to be that uncomfortable all day or it's never going to be a good time to wear pointy-toe heels to school. 

3. Know that it's okay to have outfits that are just so teacher-y and practical. If it makes you comfortable, looks put together, and works for what you'll be doing that day, then wear it. 

Okay--click below for links to the shoes and tank. I'm also including a few options for a similar cardigan and a few more cute Dr. Scholl's shoes (just to prove my point that they've really gotten better about making cute shoes). 

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