Fall Wardrobe Update!

Last week, I brought my hubs some out-of-this-world burritos from Little Donkey (it's the lunch version of Bien Trucha). If you haven't been, you MUST GO. It's only open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am-3 pm, but OMG. The amount of food you get for your money is unreal (prepare to get 2 meals out of one burrito, and that's coming from a girl who LOVES TO EAT). Also, it's SOOOOOOOOOOOO good. Hands down, the best burrito I've ever had in my life. So, after I brought Mike lunch at his office, I went for some back-to-school shopping with coups in hand in downtown Nape. I will apologize in advance for these ridiculous dressing room selfies, but I had to fill you in on the adorable pieces Loft, Ann Taylor and J. Crew are boasting!

^^^He got the Poblano stuffed bureet, and I went for the pork and pineapple one. MMMMM!

Bell sleeves at Loft! OMG! This dress is toooo cute. Belle sleeves are so on trend right now (see what I did there? haha). It comes in a Merlot color, too, which is gorgeous for fall. This is an ideal length for work! The 4 fit me great (I would say this is a little bigger than normal if you're ordering online!). NEVER pay full price for Loft, though. There are constantly 50% off sales every week! Just sign up for emails to be on the insider scoop. Loft also honors your teacher discount! Ann Taylor, too!

I also tried on this bell-sleeved shirt for spirit Fridays (#jeans) at work (I love being a teacher!). This one was a little shorter than I would prefer. So only go for the navy if you're on the shorter side. For reference, I am 5'6, and the small was like a belly tee on me (shout out to my husband and all his midriff tees... hahaha! "I have a long torso" is what Mike always tells me. Love you, babe!).  This is much better option if you're over 5'2 I would say. Also, J. Crew has a 20% teacher discount! They, too, have great 30% off or more sales. So again, I repeat: DO NOT PAY FULL PRICE FOR ANYTHING! Like, ever. Haha!

I bought this blouse from Loft (below), something that I wouldn't have picked out myself, but I fell in love with. It is navy, so it will be perfect with skinny jeans on Fridays to rep my Wildcat pride. But isn't she lovely?!?!?! It's ADORABLE on. It runs BIG-- I went for a XS, and it fits really nicely. The gals at Loft had just received it, and they were steaming it and gushing over it. I'm like, "mind if I try that on!?!" with hearts in my eyes, haha.

I always know when something is REALLY cute because my sister will say she wants it, too- haha! and my friend, Jackie. Jackie and I tend to like the exact same pieces, and she had recently bought this wrap dress, and I didn't even know! Anna said she wanted it, so I knew I really hit the mark; my sister tells me the truth when she doesn't like my outfits. HA! But it's good because I need a true critic. And someone to laugh at me when I wear fully sequined cropped shirts (but it doesn't stop me!). Usually, I shy away from wrap dresses because I hate to be messing around with my top or fiddling with any part of my outfit during class, but this stayed put so well. I went with the 4 because it fit really nicely. I am usually a 4/6, so this was pretty true to size, but maybe size down if you're in between sizes. I also LOVE the other patterned version, too (wayyyy prettier in person). Mine was $49 when I purchased it last week!

Okay, so I think the outfit I was most obsessed with is the above pleated pleather skirt and floral top from J. Crew. I have been drooling over that pleated skirt (in black) since last year when J. Crew released their original version of it. I can't get over how cute it is! It probably wouldn't be a work skirt until the winter when I wear it with tights and booties, but how cute is that for a night out with your girls? Author's note: the skirt fit TTS. A 6 was great for me, and that is how I run in J.Crew bottoms (if you're going to be ordering online). It is currently sitting in my J.Crew online shopping cart. :-O

I put it on, swooned and swooned over it, but ended up returning it to its rightful rack until I could save up some more money or ask for it for Christmas. LOL. I will be watching it like a hawk. Side note: didn't realize that these went together (I just put the skirt on because I didn't have other bottoms in the dressing room), but I see on the website, J. Crew actually paired them together! I would have normally chosen the black skirt with this top, but still, I feel ultra cool to be on the same wave length as J. Crew!

Eeeee!!! 

My first day of school dress (above)! (With a sensible white cardigan, of course!). We begin September 6th with kiddos-- we had an uber long summer thanks to some beautiful renovations to our math and science wings.

This dress runs LARGE. I had to size down to a 2, and I promise you I haven't seen that size in my close since the late 90s. For whatever reason, it just fit very big on top. Going to wear it with my new black perforated Toms booties (just ordered these last Tuesday night from Von Maur-- they were at my door by Thursday morning, not even 48 hours later, with normal shipping). Free shipping for VM; do you know about their interest-free credit card? Free gift-wrap, too! Von Maur is arguably the best place to purchase gifts and have them sent!

 At every store I went into on Tuesday, at least two people stopped me about my gray Toms booties (above). They couldn't believe they were Toms, and everyone was calling other workers over to see them. That convinced me to pull the trigger on the second pair. I've had my gray ones for about 2 years, and though they're still in good condition, I wear them A LOT. I knew I needed an additional pair to take me through the fall. These will even look fabulous with black tights in the winter!

I saw this gorgeous shirt and a version of pink pants together in the J. Crew catalog. The J.Crew in Naperville unfortunately didn't have this shirt in the store, so I'll wait until I can try it on sometime (until then, it is sitting in my online shopping cart-- haha). Also, I found these Winnie pants from J. Crew Factory (currently on major sale) to get instead of the J. Crew ones they paired together. I LOVE the Winnie pant from Factory-- I have two colors already! They're meant to be tighter, so pair them with a flowier top.



Some of my other purchases/what I'm drooling over (below). Please note the ruffle front of that J. Crew jacket! I bought the gray mock-neck lace top; Krista introduced it to me in the cream, which I love! (But they were sold out!).

Tassels and scallops and blazers, oh my! ^^^ And that powder blue peplum below? To die for.

What are you coveting for fall?
xxoo
Mary
Author's note: being a fashion blogger is so dangerous. I just ordered the J. Crew scalloped skirt (it was 50% off!), the raspberry Winnie pants ($39) and the tassel earrings. #ShameSpiralofSpending