With this snow storm that has just hit Cincinnati over the weekend, I find myself craving spring more than ever! To help keep myself from going insane with spring fever, I’ve decided to channel some of my longing into  a set that I can imagine myself wearing on a warm spring day; possibly while on a picnic with friends or for a walk in the park. What do you think? What outfit can you not wait to take out of your (imaginary or real) closet this spring?

Items in this set:
Brunch Date Dress : Adore Vintage Clothing Store, Vintage Dresses,…, $38
Green Ribbed Top Cardigan, 9 GBP
Oxfords, $100
East Weekend Across Body Bag, Chocolate, 65 GBP
Gilded Goldfinch Necklace, $18

My life has been essentially put on hold for the past two days as a result of the “white death” that has visited Cincinnati. I don’t mind at all. Personally, I think it’s quite nice. I am taking it as a sort of vacation from reality. My cat Atlas (pictured above) & myself have been busy cleaning & organizing the apartment. Alright, mostly I’ve been doing the cleaning. Atlas has been supervising the situation closely though. Yesterday I did all my laundry & have been attempting to clean out my closet & organize it in some manner. I was kind of stumped because I couldn’t figure out how to go about organizing. Should I organize by color? Type? I had no idea! I decided upon organizing by type (sweaters, button-ups, cardigans) & then by color as much as possible. This is what it ended up looking like after I was done:

What I have come to realize about my wardrobe after cleaning/organizing my closet:

1. I wear A LOT of stripes & cardigans. I need to stop buying these items.
2. I need more pants/trousers for work. I haven’t bought any proper pants for a long, long time.
3. I need more shoes. I also need to get rid of some of my shoes that I’ve been holding onto for too long.
4. I have a lot of different pieces that don’t work together. As you can see above, a lot of my closet is comprised of colors, stripes, & patterns. It makes it difficult to figure out what to wear.
5. I need to start simplifying things & working on building up my professional wardrobe by adding pieces that will work together & be versatile.

Looking for some more closet inspiration? Below are some links to some excellent sources for maintaining & organizing your wardrobe:

• The 80/20 Rule…Sartorialized from AmandaLee.org: “Pare down. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit your body, your lifestyle, or the climate where you live. Get rid of duplicates. Get rid of anything you haven’t worn in over a year, no matter how sentimental it might be or how much you want to fit into it again.”
• Build Your Wardrobe: Let’s Start at the Very Beginning from What I Wore: The perfect advice on what essential items to buy when you are attempting to begin building your wardrobe. This post is practical & offers a breakdown that newbies like myself can really appreciate.
• Do it Yourself Closet Organization Video: This video, although seemingly simplistic, really helps break down the steps necessary into organizing a closet. Watch it.
• How to Organize your Closet from Real Simple: Three easy steps, including creating a “grab & go” section of the clothing that you wear the most often. Smart. Why didn’t I think of that?

Hopefully now when I go shopping, I know what to buy & what not to buy. What about yourself? What do you find yourself being drawn to as far as clothing is concerned?

Here are a few gems that caught my eye this year:

This messenger bag by Moop. Except I want it in gray. I just think this picture shows it off the best.

Plank Woodgrain Ring. There’s also an owl one that I like, but I am trying to avoid buying anymore owl-related items for the time being before I begin developing a reputation.

This lovely cardigan from Anthropologie. Love the slouchy pockets!

A pair of gray Toms! I’ve been wanting some for a while now.

Do you detect a color palette preference of mine? I am just a gray kind of girl, I suppose. I hope that doesn’t say anything about my personality! Now, it’s your turn. What do you want for Christmas this year? Let’s keep it strictly materialistic. None of that “world peace” mumbo-jumbo. (I kid. But, seriously.)

Teacher Outfits by Chriztine featuring J Crew

There were so many amazing contributions to my Teacher Outfit contest! It was extremely difficult for me to choose just one winner. But, since I don’t have enough Polaroid film to go around, it had to be done. SO, I chose Christine’s set ( shown above) because I thought they were absolutely teacher-appropriate and showed a wide range of options. Also, I think that they all are just my style & I could easily see myself wearing each one of them in the classroom. Plus, I absolutely need that navy blue blazer on the right. So, congratulations Christine! And, thank you all for participating. I am including some of my favorites in this post because they were just too good not to share.

Teacher by kate rose featuring Paul Smith shoes

emily abigail by alyson210 featuring Marni accessories

Emily Abigail Teacher Outfit by janiep featuring CHANEL earrings

For Emily Abigail by queenmelike featuring Dorothy Perkins

*Note: Do not try to post a photograph of your set in the comments as it will not show up. Please just post a direct link to the set you’ve created.

So, I’m not even gonna front– I am a flats girl through & through; however, as I am approaching the end of my college career & will soon be entering the “real world”, I feel as though it’s slightly inappropriate that I don’t own one single pair of sensible heels!

Add to that the fact that I’m going to be a high school teacher & need to find some way of separating myself from the rest of my students (I get mistaken for a student all the time), I feel it is time to begin my hunt for the perfect pair of sensible, comfortable heels! This is what I’ve found thus far (Oh, & I know all the heels are really low…baby steps, as they say!):

[1. Neutralizer by Jadore: $67.09; 2.Gabriella Rocha Ginger: $65.00]

[3. Seychelles Carry On: $84.00; 4. Leather Architectural Heel from U.O.: $78.00]

What do you think? Do you know of any other comfy, sensible heels that you can show me?

Finding these could not have come at a better time! Just this morning I looked out my window & saw that it was drizzling. This left me in a bit of a conundrum as I don’t have many sensible shoes (I am the queen of flats) & I felt as though my rain boots were a bit of an overkill in all their clunkiness. So, when I discovered Shuella, I felt as though all my rainy day woes might finally be behind me. This is an umbrella for your shoes! They slip over top of your shoes & then fold back into a neat little pouch when you reach your destination. I think they look pretty cute & at only $49.95 a pair they aren’t completely out of my price range (for once)!

What do you think? Are they stylish enough to be seen walking down the street in? I guess I’m still slightly on the fence. But, I’m considering buying a pair in green.

{via: DailyCandy}

I’m loving these awesome customized shoes by Luke Best that he created for an exhibit show. They were designed to resemble school gym floors. So clever, no? Also, check out the rest of Luke’s artwork. It’s quite amazing.

Today, I am wearing an outfit created entirely from pieces that were purchased while on vacation in Charleston, South Carolina! I love to shop in new places. I think buying something lovely for yourself while on vacation is the perfect way to commemorate your trip. Every time you wear it, you can look back fondly on all the places you’ve seen & been; or perhaps those are just excuses for me to spend my money on things that I normally wouldn’t back home.

Dress: Bought from a little street shop in Charleston aptly & rather ridiculously named “Celebrity Style”. Hey, he gave me a good deal.
Shoes: Urban Outfitters in Charleston (a birthday present from my sister).
Necklace: Worthwhile — a wonderful boutique on King Street in downtown Charleson that I stumbled into. It’s made out of wood. I instantly fell in love with it

P.S. Please feel free to ignore the bored/anguished expression on my face. Not sure what that’s all about! I am rather chipper today, actually.

I have been scouring the internet for the perfect pair of brown sandals all day. My old pair that I bought at Target almost two years ago are quite literally falling apart at the seams. It’s been quite time-consuming, but I think that I have found my four favorites. The good news is that they are all reasonably priced. The bad news is that now I want them all!

{Links to the above sandals:}
1. Blowfish Maraposa Sandal: $42.00
2. Merrell Valetta Sandal: $74.95
3. Woven Toehold Sandal: $38.00
4. Leather Mayra Sandal: $68.00