K: It's that time of year again! In just one week, I will have a classroom full of 12th graders and school will be back in session. For many of you, I know that this doesn't fully affect your schedules; but even if you aren't going "back to school" in the true sense, this time of year brings upon change for everyone. Traffic increases and it seems as if those in the working world become a little more serious and "back to business" as we wave goodbye to the long days of summer. Is it just me? Or does "back to school" bring about the feeling of fall and change?
If you're agreeing, that's why we've put together this two-week series on the blog. This is your back to school hub and what we really mean by that is a time for you to reset your goals, get back in the swing of work, and create a fresh start for fall. For me, it's back to the classroom and we'll be sharing more on that later, along with some pictures of my room. We've got you covered with everything from work wear fashion and inspiration, all the way to healthy lunch ideas. If you'd like to know the schedule for our posts, you can subscribe here.
B: Once school season starts, traffic grows to monstrous proportions overnight. I plan for this occurrence every school season by leaving earlier in the mornings, and managing to arrive at work around the same time I do every other day of the year. Numerous others at the office however, arrive much later each day, much to my appease. I am able to accomplish a significant amount in just a short period of time before others arrive because there are no distractions. Those same individuals usually leave before me in the day due to their children having some activity after school, which is fine by me because the office is once again quiet and I can accomplish things uninterrupted. Moral of the story: school season has its drawbacks, but also benefits of its own.
K: To start us out with our back to school series, we wanted to share a real life example of what we wear to work. A pet peeve of mine is when a blogger shows a cute outfit, claiming it to be "work friendly", when in fact, her top is too low, she's wearing outrageous shoes, and the hemline of her skirt is far too short for any work environment. Keeping that in mind, when I put this outfit together, I felt so confident that it was "real", that I'm probably going to be wearing it in my first week back. The pants are comfortable, the heels don't hurt, my hair is out of my face, and I love the fun pop of color that the outfit has. Overall, this is such a typical work outfit for me, even down to my "teacher tote" that I really do carry with me every day to school.
On a separate note, Brandon and I thought it would be fun to do our first ever Facebook Live! We're going to be talking more about work outfits and our own careers. If you have any questions about my teaching career or Brandon's role as a geologist, this is where we will answer them! Be sure and like us on Facebook hereif you aren't already. The Facebook Live will be tonight at 7:15 CST. Can't wait to see you all there!
B: Working in a causal-dress based office has been a slight challenge for me. In my working past, I have worn suits all day long, and have also worn flame-retardant coveralls doused in oil-based mud all day long. I was comfortable in both, and at the time, the dress code fit me perfectly. On the first day of my current career, my employer and mentor told me that "I could wear whatever I wanted." I certainly do just that. I range between jeans with cowboy boots, rainbow colored khakis with boat shoes, and skinny slacks with oxfords and a plethora of shirt colors, patterns, and designs. Do I wear this clothing variety to fit within the office look, or wear them to stand out? No, and no. Rather, I wear what I do because it makes me feel comfortable, confident, and true to myself. Through my journeys, I have realized and found it important to wear what you want for the reasons you want. Stand out in your performance, work drive, or personable skills, not by the color of your pants, or label on your shirt. But by all means, dress to your hearts desire and push the boundaries of your style, just keep in mind to stay within reasons of appropriate attire no matter your location of work, or out and about in public.
K: We want to take a quick second to remind you about the Back to School Challenge that we're currently doing and today marks Day One! You can read all about it here, but overall, we wanted to find a way to give back and support schools in San Antonio. For the next two weeks, anything that Brandon and I make in commission or through a sale on the blog, we'll give back 25% of that in school supplies. For example, if you like my pants and decide to buy them, we'll donate 25% of that sale to a San Antonio school in need of school supplies for their little ones. We're also encouraging that you take a few materials and supplies to your neighborhood school, even if you don't live in San Antonio. The need for supplies is huge and this need is all around America. For me, it's a subject especially close to my heart and even if you go out and spend ten dollars at Wal Mart, you're making a huge difference for a child.
