Tommy Hilfiger Library Dress OOTD

I had to have the Tommy Hilfiger Library dress when I first saw it and feel no regrets about the purchase. As I said in my review, I do wish the books weren't branded but unless you are up close, it is hard to tell. I wore this to campus for meetings and teaching and felt both comfortable and stylish. 

Details:
Tommy Hilfiger Library Shirtdress
Spanx Tights
Cece cashmere boyfriend cardigan
MBMJ mouse flats

On Career Paths and Changes

Chris just defended his dissertation and I couldn't be more proud. My own dissertation defense was in August and this sequence of events has made me reminisce a great deal about what led me to graduate study and ultimately into the classroom to learn and eventually teach.

During my final semester of undergrad, I was a little lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do or be or become. I had applied and was accepted to a graduate program in a professional field but didn't feel completely sure about that path. Because of the way I selected my schedule of classes for my final term, I had many upper division writing courses with professors I thought were pretty fantastic. And one day, while chatting with one about one of my papers, they asked me, "Have you thought about graduate school?" A week or so later, another one posed the same question. And then not long after that, I heard it from a third professor who taught me during the previous term. Prior to then, I never seriously considered getting a PhD. But I did tell the truth: that I aspired to one day teach in the college classroom. I always assumed it would be in a temporary capacity. I didn't think I could get a PhD. Or to put it more accurately, I didn't think that I was smart enough.

But I learned during my time as a graduate student that being smart is just one piece of the puzzle. And I was in fact kind of smart. I loved learning. I valued school. And I was eager to keep studying. Upon graduating with my bachelors degree, I deferred acceptance to the professional program, worked for a year in nonprofit administrative support, studied, took the GRE, applied to grad school in my current field, and surprisingly, amazingly, and serendipitously was accepted into my top (and only) choice. I knew so little about graduate school in the humanities that I actually only applied to one place. I figured that if it was meant to be, then one would be enough. 

As a teacher's daughter one of my favorite games was to play school. I loved the stationery and pencils and desks and grade books. I'd carefully select my favorite framed family photo from the dining room to sit on my classroom desk (which was just the seat of the big cushy chair in the playroom). I'd gather writing utensils to go into a cup as my makeshift pencil holder. I'd scribble into the lesson plan book my mom brought home for me from an overstock of old supplies her school was about to toss. And I'd play teacher. I continue to have a deep reverence for teachers and an abiding love for school. So it is no surprise that I wound up on a path that involved as much schooling as one can possibly undertake with an endpoint that keeps me in school indefinitely, albeit on the other side of things. I am so grateful for the educators who led me away from where I was headed and onto this path.

****
Whether you’re seeking further success in your current role or a new opportunity, Kaplan University can help you prepare for the exciting possibilities ahead.*
As an accredited university built on more than 75 years of experience,† Kaplan University offers a wide range of career-focused programs designed to develop the skills and knowledge leading employers seek. Our focus: to offer you the most direct educational path to achieve your goals.

Are you ready for a change? Learn more at kaplanuniversity.edu

* Kaplan University cannot guarantee employment or career advancement.

† Kaplan University is regionally accredited. Please visit http://www.kaplanuniversity.edu/about/accreditation-licensing.aspx# for additional information about institutional and programmatic accreditation.

An "I kept the Petalblush Sweater Dress" OOTD

After reading the hilarious Jenni of Gnome Lover's review (here), I couldn't help but think "muppet tragedy" when I looked at the Petalblush Sweater Dress hanging from my closet door during my decision period. But then I was running late to work one day and saw a quick and easy solution to the usual "what do I wear?" dilemma, and on it went! I am glad cause I think it is a pretty great dress, despite the muppet trim (which sheds, by the way... annoyingly!). 

As you can imagine from the above description, I wore it to campus for teaching. It yielded many compliments from students and staff making me even more certain of my decision. It might wind up being my outfit for Christmas Eve dinner (my Italian family observes the Feast of the Seven Fishes which is something we look forward to all year!). Thanks for reading!

Outfit Details:
Petalblush Sweater dress from Anthroplogie (fit reviewed here)
Spanx tights
Dumond (very low) heels

What I wore to Chris's dissertation defense

Photo from my campus, as I repeated the ensemble for work

Leading up to it, I wasn't sure if Chris was going to include family among the attendants at his dissertation defense. The protocol in his school and field are such that most often only the committee and doctoral candidate are there. But that week, he decided to break with the norm and include some loved ones (with the blessing of his committee). His mom and stepfather attended as well as Emilia and me. My parents and siblings wanted to attend also but the short notice (and pre-Thanksgiving timing) meant that it was too difficult to arrange work schedules.

My mother-in-law and I took turns wrangling Emilia and got to see him present his work. I'll never forget the moment when she pointed up to Chris who was explaining a PowerPoint slide and exclaimed, "DADA!!" The whole room stifled giggles but it was still my cue to take her into his office to play while he finished. We went to Legume Bistro (which was also the site of our engagement dinner) to celebrate afterwards. It was a wonderful day that I will never forget! Emilia will not have her own memories but we will help her with photos and stories. In just a year, she's attended two defenses!

Outfit details:
Anthropologie Tibur Cardigan
J. Crew Factory Retro Ponte Dress 
Ferragamo My Joy flats
Kors watch; David Yurman necklace; Amber pendant necklace (gift from Chris)

On Emilia: Isabella Garreton dress, First Impressions sweater, Stride Rite maryjanes, Gymboree tights

On Chris: Shipley and Halmos suit, Rag and Bone shirt, Vintage tie (gift from me)

A Day in the Life of an Educator

My days instructing on campus are long but fulfilling. Although I work full time as a professor, I do not go into my physical office every weekday. Technology yields ample opportunities to stay connected to the office and my campus remotely. I am lucky to have a condensed teaching load, which means I can avoid my commute by working from home on days when I don't teach and do not have meetings. The only trade-off is that on those "teaching days," I teach back to back to back. This can be quite exhausting because I invest and expel a great deal of energy to try to ensure my lectures are dynamic and engaging as well as informative.

On the days when I teach, I wake up and answer emails while I drink my coffee (and lets be honest, baby wrangle!). I begin to get ready but often cannot finish until my sister comes to take care of Emilia. I grab the lunch I likely packed the night prior and my big reusable water bottle, along with my teaching bag full of course materials, papers that have been or need to be graded, and my work laptop if I brought it home and head to work. My commute is long but I try to maximize the time by listening to NPR. I find it relaxing but more importantly, it allows me to keep tabs on current events and find inspiration for examples that might better illustrate concepts in lectures.

When I arrive on campus, I drop off everything in my office, go to the main office to check my mailbox, get some coffee, and grab any additional supplies I might need. I try to arrive at least a half hour before I hold my office hours so that I have time to settle in to things. I input grades, I answer voice mails, and I hold my office hours with students I teach and/or advise.

If no one comes to office hours, I use the time to grade, fine tune my lectures, design assignments, etc. I might have some of my lunch during this time too.

When it is time to teach, I grab my materials and head to the classroom to set up. If my classes don't run over time, I have fifteen minutes in between, to run to the rest room, refill my water, or have a few more bites of my lunch in my office. The time I spend teaching is hectic but because of the condensed arrangement, it really flies by. Before I know it, I head back to my office to wrap up for the day. I finish and input any grades from presentations or assignments that day, pack up materials to be graded, and head back home. More NPR or music if I am feeling too drained to think anymore.

I feel really lucky to work in education and come from a family of teachers. So even when the days are draining and long, they're usually at least philosophically pretty great.

***
Whether you’re seeking further success in your current role or a new opportunity, Kaplan University can help you prepare for the exciting possibilities ahead.*
As an accredited university built on more than 75 years of experience,† Kaplan University offers a wide range of career-focused programs designed to develop the skills and knowledge leading employers seek. Our focus: to offer you the most direct educational path to achieve your goals.

Are you ready for a change? Learn more at kaplanuniversity.edu

* Kaplan University cannot guarantee employment or career advancement.

† Kaplan University is regionally accredited. Please visit http://www.kaplanuniversity.edu/about/accreditation-licensing.aspx# for additional information about institutional and programmatic accreditation.

Some seriously belated (mostly) repeat OOTDs

You can tell by the foliage in the first two photos that these are fairly old ootds. Things have been crazy with Emilia's first birthday, her party, Chris's dissertation defense, Thanksgiving, and the end of semester crunch at work. I am so happy to report that Chris's dissertation defense was a great success. I'll update with a bit more on it soon. Same with Emilia's party!

But I have been busy because of all of the above, not to mention holiday planning, shopping, and decorating... So I have fallen behind on blogging. As much as I continue to love documenting my consumer wants, thoughts, and buys (as well as outfits), out of necessity blogging becomes a lower priority than my real life obligations. I didn't even get to write my gratitude post for Thanksgiving 2013, which is one of my favorite opportunities to reflect on and consider my blessings. Although Thanksgiving has come and gone, I still plan to put together these thoughts. They will just be late. And for those of you who continue to read this less-frequently-updated, unglamorous (especailly compared to the slick professional bloggers!), somewhat haphazard space, I want to say that I am truly, deeply grateful!

Details on outfit 1-- wore to campus for a day of meetings:
Old Navy striped terry dress, Spanx tights, MBMJ metallic mouse flats

Details on outfit 2-- wore for teaching (which upon further inspection might have been a little too casual)
Orly Kiely for Uniqlo dress, Orla Kiely bag, Spanx tights, MBMJ flats

Details on outfit 3-- Was dying to wear one of my favorite dresses again. Fits a bit more snugly but I'll take it! Wore for teaching and meetings
See by Chloé dress, Spanx tights, Ferragamo My Joy flats

Details on outfit 4-- Ditto outfit 3 as this is another favorite dress that fits a bit differently. Wore for teaching
Marc by Marc Jacobs dress, Spanx tights, MBMJ flats

Some of my working mom readers might notice that none of the above are especially breastfeeding/pumping-friendly. Now that Emilia is 1 and eating more solids, I haven't needed to pump at work unless I am there for an especially long day, in which case I keep a slip and cardigan to throw on for pumping. Even though my office door locks, I am not the only key holder and I am paranoid...haha. But we are continuing to breastfeed at least for now and I pump before I leave and as soon as I return home on those days when I manage to avoid it at work.