Professional Fairy Attire: Polished Metal.

I felt like being monochromatic and relatively casual on this day. This top (cap sleeve tee) is from The Limited, and I have it in several colors. Basic tops are so important, and I build all kinds of outfits around these with jackets, cardigans, and necklaces. They're soft knit, and the banding around the neck makes them look a bit nicer than most tees. I got these cute little crops at The Limited a couple of years ago. I was teaching and slowly building my wardrobe, and these seemed like a good way to bear the Carolina heat while looking professional. Heels dress them up.

And these heels are perfect! I saw them on Zappos but bought them super cheap(ly?) on Amazon. They're Madden Girl, Steve Madden's younger and less expensive line. I'd been searching almost two and a half years for gray heels. They're surprisingly rare, especially in round toe and low heel. The bows make them interesting. These are probably the most comfortable heels I own. I wish I had them in the black and burgundy versions too!

My mom put this necklace in my Christmas stocking. Stocking stuffers don't get much better. Most of my favorite necklaces are from Loft's crazy sales. I love the thin silver chain on this one. Instead of having several chains that tangle, this one has layered segments. It can still tangle but not as much, and I don't get so confused about how to layer the strands. The little shimmery gray bows, pearls, and silver flower charms are darling. The one pale blue porcelain rose is my favorite charm.

Josh and I recently put our vision insurance to good use and got new glasses. We'd had ours for four years (frames and lenses!). I got my squarish, tortoise shell-ish ones in a rush, reluctant to admit that I needed glasses at all. My recent headaches, however, reminded me that I do need them, and that I need to wear them most of the time instead of just at work and while I'm driving. So I wanted some fun glasses. I knew I wanted an interesting color, wide temples, and some embellishment. These were perfect, and the woman who helped me was delighted that I was "brave enough" to try them. I love the shiny black, the slightly rounded shape and wink to the cat-eye style, and the silver and rhinestone squares on each side. I barely take my glasses off now, and I feel prettier. They seem like me. My mom complimented them a few times (I'm not sure if any praise is more exciting to me than my mother's, especially regarding anything beauty or fashion-related since she is, well, lovely and stylin') and even wanted to try them on. They're like jewelry I wear every day, and they have other benefits such as giving everything sharp edges and making the world seem more three-dimensional.

Eyeglasses: Catherine Deneuve

Top: The Limited
Crops: The Limited

Heels: Madden Girl

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft

Sweet Saturday.

On Friday night, I found out that a man who was a family friend and whom I admired since I was twelve, a brilliant though troubled and flawed man, had died. I was sitting on a white blanket with multicolored snowflakes on it, with my journal, books, and pens around me. Josh had said I was adorable with my treasures spread out like that, ready to stay up late and have fun after an exhausting 56-hour week.

I cried that night and again in the morning when I had that awful moment of remembering. But I did pick up my pen again that night, and in the morning, I asked Josh to open the blinds. The sun poured in, casting the rippling reflection of the pond over my white wicker wardrobe. I layered on pajamas, and we went all went out to the balcony. I sat in the reclining chair and held Oliver while I had peanut butter fudge cookies (a Girl Scout knock-off) and Dr. Pepper. Josh sat at the mosiac-tiled bistro table with his vegetarian sausage, Diet Sundrop, and pink-frosted Pop-Tart. We stayed out there until my skin felt the prickle of impending sunburn.

I felt active, seeking life. We took quick showers. I put on my black swimsuit with white polka dots, my pink seahorse flips, and my pink terrycloth cover dress. I put a Tigger swim diaper on Oliver. We walked to the heated indoor pool.

This was only Oliver's second swim (the first was months ago when we first moved into our apartment), and we weren't sure what to expect. He took to the water immediately, smiling, pedaling, and splashing. One of us would hold him, and the other would swim alongside. Oliver would watch the swimmer's legs and kick. We kept swimming for almost an hour, Josh and I taking turns with the camera.

Oliver had trouble with teething later, but Josh picked up Panera. We started at the round black table in our dining space, but then, I looked through the sliding door and said, "Let's eat outside." So we brought out Oliver's bouncer and toys and ate at the bistro table, watching the geese. When Oliver was ready for bed, we all lay down as I nursed him, my arms around Oliver and Josh's arms around both of us, Oliver nestling close. We slept for a couple of hours before Josh took Oliver to his room and crib. And like John Green's Pudge in Looking for Alaska, "we realized over and over again that we were still alive" (241).

Profressional Fairy Attire: Teal Label Champagne.

This was a good outfit for a Monday. My boss said, "You look fresh today." I felt sophisticated but a little magical, which is how I like to feel when I go to work: appropriate but myself. This outfit also felt like spring with a memory of winter. The skirt is a hand-me-down from my mother, one of the first pieces in my work wardrobe. The blue, light cardigan with gold thread seems like something a fairy would make.

These beautiful heels are braids of silky champagne ribbon. I'd been looking for a long time for neutral heels that were comfortable and unique. These have the perfect heel height, they're round toe, and they're a little twelve-dancing-princesses. Perfect.

A couple of Mother's Days ago, I gave my mom two necklaces and a pair of earrings from Loft. One necklace was this one in gold and rose. Later, I happened upon this silver and blue version on absurd sale. I was excited that she and I would have the same necklace, each in our own version: hers like the rose fairy and mine like the snow fairy.

Oh, and that blush, which is just right for my pale skin (and a little shimmery) is Too Faced Snow Bunny bronzer.

Skirt: Liz Claiborne

Tank Tops: Ann Taylor Loft and Target

Cardigan: Charlotte Russe

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft

Shoes: Jellypop

Professional Fairy Attire: Feeling Prettier (January).

This was when I really started to enjoy my clothes again and feel good about the way I looked. I made a pretty big mistake on this day, though: I wore a dress. I didn't think about this until I tried to pump at work. I haven't worn a dress to work since, and I probably won't until I stop nursing (which I hope will not be any time soon). Still, this dress is the first one I bought for work. I nearly croaked over spending $60 or $70 on a dress. I've worn it dozens of times, though, and not just to work.

I think I've posted an outfit with this cardigan before. These heels are the ones my mom gave me for Christmas before I began my first teaching job. I can see in this photo how much my stomach had flattened. Even now, it's not like it was before I got pregnant, though I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

My mom put this beautiful grey pearl cluster headband in my Christmas stocking last year. She found it at that magical shop, Versona. I felt pretty on this day, and I use this last photo for work.

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft

Cardigan: Old Navy

Tights: DKNY

Heels: Nine West

Headband: Versona

Professional Fairy Attire: Purple Pearls (January).

I wore this on the first day of my other classes. In this picture, I can see again how different I looked just a few months ago. I've already posted a photo of this layered purple pearl and cut bead necklace. I use this dark purple tank top constantly, either under a jacket or cardigan or as a layer under another shirt to fix sheer material or a low neck.

The jacket is one of my first pieces of professional clothing. For Christmas a few weeks after I got my first adjunct teaching job but before I started it, my mom gave me this jacket along with a few other necessities (black heels, a black silk short-sleeved shirt, and a purple cardigan). I wore it on my first day of teaching.

Around this time, I suddenly found that I could actually button my pants. No more BeBand! I had missed interesting patterns like this tiny white pinstripe on charcoal. 

My mom taught me that DKNY tights are best, especially the opaque black. She waits until they go on major sale. I've had these for over two years, and they haven't run.

The shoes are another Rack Room wonder. They're T-straps (Mary Jane's sassy sister). They're shiny. They're purple. They're amazing.

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft
Tank Top: Ann Taylor Loft
Jacket: Jones New York
Pants: Ann Taylor Loft
Tights: DKNY
Shoes: X Appeal (Rack Room)

Professional Fairy Attire: Winter Woodland (January).

I wore this chocolate suit on the first day of classes this semester. The set came with both pants and a skirt!

This green V-neck is one of my favorite shirts. It's soft, and I can wear it for work or play. I like to dress up on the first day of classes to set the tone with my students, and I'll dress formally every now and then to keep them on their toes. I find this is especially important since I am a woman and young. Some of my students are twice my age.

The scarf was a last minute purchase at Loft. I spotted it in the check-out line, and it was too pretty to ignore. It was one of the first times I bought something like that just because I found it beautiful (it wasn't necessary). I do that more often now. I didn't wear scarves nearly enough this winter.

 I adore these shoes. I saw them at Rack Room a couple of years ago. Mom was down the row, and I called to her and held up the shoes. "Are those green?!?" she squealed. I found these when I first fell in love with green. My love for round toe shoes and Mary Janes isn't new. These were perfect, and I wear them as often as I can.

Suit: Kasper
Scarf: Ann Taylor Loft
Tights: DKNY
Shoes: X Appeal (Rack Room)

Professional Fairy: Winter Plum (January).

This was one of my first outfits this semester. I should have gotten a close-up of the "luxe herringbone" pants; they have silver thread. My mom and I refer to these boots as the Star Trek Boots. She handed them down to me when I began teaching. This is the warm cardigan with rhinestone buttons. The wine purple long-sleeved tee is Merona. Merona tees are so soft.

I felt pretty good because my hair had grown long enough that I didn't have to wear a headband, and my body was returning to normal post-pregnancy.

Josh bought me this gorgeous coat two Christmases ago. It's plum wool, and I always feel warm and elegant (a difficult combination to reach) when I wear it. These cute, purple, convertible gloves (mittens to fingerless) are from Target, and they're wonderful. My hands get so cold that I sometimes start work still wearing those gloves.

Boots: Franco Sarto
Pants: Ann Taylor Loft

Top: Target
Cardigan: Old Navy

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft

Coat: Ann Taylor Loft

Gloves: Target