Friday, May 29, 2015

Tiffany McClure Series: Day 4



Here we are! The end of the series and the end of the school week. Happy Friday! I try to live in the moment, but I'll be honest, I'm just waiting for Tuesday which is the students' last day. These days are fun though. Yesterday was our middle school talent show and some of these are seriously talented! We have a few little dancers from modern to break-dance, and many fabulous singers.

As I said, this is the last outfit in the series, and I hope I saved the best for last. This outfit is probably my favorite of them all because I have nothing else like it. This is my one and only midi dress! My red lipstick and heels made me feel glamorous, which is not typically a word I'd use to describe my makeup and clothing style.

I'd like to take a moment and say a HUGE thank you to the amazing Tiffany McClure. She is a gifted photography and a joy to shoot with. Thank you for taking these photos and for being a sweet friend.
Please visit her website here and let her know what you think of this series!

[ Dress / Bag / Shoes / Lipstick in "Marigold" ]

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Tiffany McClure Series: Day 3

I am the epitome of teacher burnout right now. I'm wrapping up grading literary analysis essays for my English 1 Honors class, and it's a steady up and down of "Oh good! They actually learned something!" and "oh man! This kid's writing has gotten worse!" mixed in with "well...glad they half understand MLA format." Suffice it to say, I already have a list of things I'll change for next year's curriculum. That's one of the things I love about teaching. We get a fresh start every year to adapt and improve what we do.

These pictures are from a week and a half ago, before burnout had fully set in. Look at how happy and alive I am! *sigh* I miss that. But I know that in a week it will be summer and I will smile once more. *cue dramatic, soaring music*.

This outfit was a blast to shoot with Tiffany. She found this cool spot with a fountain and pretty rows of trees lining a sidewalk. Dan and I have trouble shooting in the direct sunlight during the day, so it was a learning experience to see how Tiffany adjusted and placed me in the light. You're probably already guessing this, but this outfit is mainly from Loft. I actually had a girl try on this entire outfit because she wanted me to give her some outfit ideas while she was shopping. She ended up passing on the outfit because it was too "crazy" for her. No offense taken. If you're like me and Hans from Frozen (you love crazy) and you'd like to shop the outfit, use the links below. The shorts are sold out online, but I've linked a pair that is the same cut. The necklace is from American Eagle many years ago, the wedges are from Payless, and the clutch is something I thrifted.

[top / shorts]

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Tiffany McClure Series: Day 2

I like to think of myself as tough, but I'm a sucker for all things floral and feminine. It drives my husband a little bit crazy when I let that slip into my decorating, so I'm working on keeping it to clothing. This skirt is a great example. It's a soft linen with pleats and pockets, and of course an adorable pink print. My initial instinct was to pair it with a chambray top, and I probably will at some point, but then I remembered this white and china blue top from Francesca's and figured why not. A denim jacket only made sense, and my seed bead tasseled bracelet.

As you can tell from the title, this is a continuation of the shoot I did with Tiffany McClure. This was definitely one of the hottest outfits (temperature-wise) we shot. What you hopefully can't tell from the photos is that I was so sweaty my hair kept sticking to my forehead and neck. When we finished, all I wanted to do was jump into an ice cold swimming pool! Working with Tiffany kept it fun though. I LOVE shooting with Dan, but there's something about shooting with another girl that creates a very upbeat, happy energy. Maybe it's the fact that she tends to look at the camera after shots and say, "gorgeous!" Who wouldn't love that? Positive reinforcement, my friends. It's a powerful thing.

If you like what you see, comment below, and then hop over to Tiffany's website and blog to tell her!

[ Top: similar / Skirt: Loft / Bracelet: similar / Denim Jacket: Old Navy ]

Monday, May 25, 2015

Tiffany McClure Series: Day 1

Happy Memorial Day everyone! I hope you are with your family, friends, or a really good book if that's what you prefer. For me, today is a good day to take a nice deep breath before plunging into my second to last week at school.
While you're at a BBQ or just chillin' poolside, you're probably looking for something good to read. Don't worry, I've got you covered!

Today is officially Day 1 of my Tiffany McClure photography session reveal! But before we talk about the photos, let's talk about the woman herself. It's back-story time!

I met Tiffany at church a few years ago. She was dating Jon; I was dating Dan. The first time I met her, she told me that she had just started being a photographer full-time because that was her passion. Being the comfort-seeking, scaredy-cat that I am when it comes to taking job risks, I thought that was really cool! We didn't see too much of each other for awhile after that, just a few hellos and goodbyes at church, but we kept in touch with each other lives via Facebook. Months passed and Dan and I became engaged. We took a friend's recommendation and hired a photographer for our engagement session. He was so talented and easy to work with that we agreed to hire him for our wedding. At one of our first meetings, he mentioned that he would like to bring in a second photographer to capture more of the girly moments of the wedding (getting our hair down, dresses photos, all the bridesmaids, etc.) and that he liked working with Tiffany McClure! We know her, yes please! And just like that, our lives overlapped once more.

Tiffany brings a certain energy with her, and somehow, having her first baby didn't take any of that energy out of her (in relation to photography at least haha). I felt it at the wedding and again for these photos! Tiffany just brings out smiles with her happy, sweet, but knows-what-she's-doing photography style. So when she contacted me via Instagram that she would like to do a photography session to share on both of our blogs, I didn't even have to think about it. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we had a blast taking these. :)

And now let's talk outfit. What you're seeing here is a blend of comfortable and classic. The top is one of Loft's Slouchy Linen Tee's, and I promise you need at least one in your life. It's soft and comfy like a tee, but hangs and moves like a blouse. The jeans are from JCPenney's last year. I decided to dress up this simple ensemble by adding my Charles David Pact Pumps and one of my favorite Kate Spade bags.
This look is perfect for shopping, grabbing lunch with a friend, or sightseeing in a new city. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, these shoes are surprisingly comfortable.

Well friends, I hope you've enjoyed your pool-side reading! Please take the time to check out Tiffany's website and blog!

[Top: Loft / Necklace: Loft / Jeans: Similar / Shoes: Charles David / Sunglasses: Wayfarer's ]

Friday, May 22, 2015

White on White

You know those trends that you see online and think, "come on, no one is actually going to wear that"? White on white was one of those trends for me. Here's why.
1) white gets dirty
2) I'm already married
3) white gets dirty
So when I bought this abbreviated top from Loft (didn't see that one coming, right?) I was surprised when I put it on with my white denim skirt and liked it! The denim skirt naturally sits a little high on me, which is perfect for a shorter top. I questioned my instincts for awhile. Was I really about to wear this? I decided to go with it, but to mix in some color. The zippered pouch is from Target from at least a year ago, but it has a tassel which is totally in this season, so it was ahead of its time. The necklace was then a simple choice because it has the same blues and greens. Man accessories are easy.
Dan and I both thought of this colorful wall for the shoot, so it was meant to be. To me, these pictures look like my top and skirt are part of a drawing that isn't colored in yet. Fun!
So as we are all aware, this weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. I'm not sure if I want to take this post to a happy place or sad place, so I'll just do both. You can pick what you want to read!

Happy: I'm chaperoning a field trip tomorrow for a program we run at our school. I'm so excited to spend time with my teacher friends and get to know some of the great younger students I'll have in my Honor's class next year.

Sad: This weekend, Sunday to be exact, is the 9 year anniversary of my Dad's death. No matter how long ago it is, the pain is fresh every single year.

So whether this weekend is just a three-day weekend for you, or if you have someone you've lost who you honor on Memorial Day, I hope you have a good weekend full of the peace that only God can give.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

So Natural

This was one of those outfits that the second I put it on, I wondered how I'd never worn it before. Red skirt and chambray? That's like peanut butter and jelly. Like coffee and...well, anything! It just makes sense. Then, with the basics out of the way, I decided I might as well pop on a red lipstick and my favorite sandals. I know I wear these sandals a lot, but that's because they're comfy, not super high, and they go with everything.

It's good to have an outfit that feels natural and comfy, because this week has been emotionally tough. Last night I had to say goodbye to my adorable nieces, nephew, and sister-in-law. Their family is moving, and although I know it's an exciting time for the family, I'm going to miss those kids and the friendship I have with my sibling-in-laws.

Happy almost-Friday, my friends.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Black and White

I can't believe it's already Wednesday! This week has been a little crazy. As I've mentioned, I'm currently working two jobs, and something you don't know yet is that Dan is beginning a new career. So basically we are both running around all day, stressed like crazy, and not getting our normal stuff done. My preferred "normal" is to get home from work, do some sort of cleaning so that it doesn't get away from me, make dinner, get photos for the day, and then watch TV with Dan (which is currently all seasons of Friends). Lately it's been more like get home from work, make whatever food I can find in our house, run out the door again, get home and crawl into bed. Luckily I had yesterday off from Loft so I was able to do the dishes. Then Dan got home from work and swept the floors -- he's the best -- so life is feeling right again. Isn't it funny how the smallest chores can make everything seem better? Just having empty sinks and clean floors elevates my mood right away. Then, after dinner, we ran out to get these photos.

This Loft skirt is the same one I have in that lovely bright yellow color. They are both my favorite skirts right now! They're bright, happy, and versatile. When I styled this skirt, I was in the mood for elegant simplicity, so I kept the accessories to a minimum. For the first time ever, I had Dan shoot in total manual mode. Before we were playing around with AV mode where aperture is the key focus. I've been researching photography, so I set the camera and Dan adjusted it based on what he was seeing in our photos. Then, when we got home, I downloaded Lightroom so that I can get more professional with my editing. If there's something you see in my photos that I can work on and you have some constructive criticism, I welcome it! I'm not a model or a photographer (my passion is writing and clothing) so I definitely don't take offense when people suggest how I can improve my photos.

Have a great day and remember, it's kind of almost Friday!

Shopping My Closet