Professorial

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: nothing says professorial like elbow pads. And even though my class is now over and I won’t be teaching until at least the fall (and only then if I can get a class that starts after 4 pm so I can sort out the scheduling with my actual full-time job), I still scooped this Zara top with glee and will be hanging on to it in the hopes that I will soon be teaching again.

  top: Zara / jeans: Urban Outfitters / boots: Steve Madden / necklace: ModCloth / watch: my helpmeet’s / purse: Michael Kors

I Buy My Beer Steins and Pantsuits Used

I wore this on a thrifting spree across town with the always awesome Sandy from The Pretty Secrets in which we hit up a few different Goodwill and Value Village locations. I got some amazing things which will be appearing in future posts (including an amazing teal pantsuit that’s just aching to have a 70s theme party thrown in its honour and a beer stein that commemorates, in a glorious relief, the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Betsy Ross sewing the American flag - it's a drunken history nerd's perfect find!).

  leggings: ASOS / boots: Aldo / blouse: ASOS / blazer: F21

Sponsored Post: SWAG Jewellers

I’m a pretty ridiculously huge fan of accessories, especially jewelry. I don’t think I’ve left the house in years without, at a minimum, sporting earrings, some rings, and a bracelet or two … and maybe a necklace. Which is why I’m excited to tell you about UK retailer SWAG, a family run business with 40 years’ experience of providing a selection of beautiful jewellery pieces, including rings, necklaces and pre-owned watches from luxury brands such as Rolex and Cartier. I don’t think words can adequately describe how much I’d like to have a Cartier watch (which might actually be accessible for this budget-conscious gal because it’s pre-owned).

The range of products available runs from high-end pieces featuring gemstones to more affordable (but still elegant and sparkly) pieces such as cubic zirconia earrings in the £40 range. In addition to rings, bracelets, watches, and earrings (among others), SWAG also stocks a wonderful array of pendants that are all swoon-worthy. Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

Thomas Sabo Sweet Diamond Anchor pendant 

Gold Heart stud earrings 

The Wiggly Solid Silver cuff 

  Skagen Studio Ceramic watch

Love Was in the Air...and the Smell of Food

My helpmeet and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary in March (these photos somehow languished in a folder and went unpublished until now) and, while we went out for a romantic dinner on the actual day of in February, we also wanted to go out for a more proper celebration a little bit later when work had settled down for both of us and we had a bit more free time.

So we went out on the town for cocktails, dinner, desert, and a bottle of wine. It was like a mini eating and drinking tour of Edmonton and we had an amazing time! Anyways, this is what I wore for our gourmet celebration.

  dress: ModCloth / blazer: BB Dakota / boots: ASOS / purse: Dela Chic / bracelets: Aldo / watch: Swatch

Studs n' Such

Remember a while back when I said that I was mad for studs? Yeah, I wasn’t messing around.

I also broke one of my cardinal rules in this look – leggings are not pants. But I think pairing then with a loose fitting blouse and a long blazer rendered it not totally inappropriate. I’m a bit shell-shocked when it comes to leggings as pants I’m afraid. Living in London and riding the Tube through Leicester Square and having all manner of foreign asses coupled with nothing but ill-fitting leggings and heels and an equally ill-fitting top will do that to you.

  leggings: ASOS / purse: Zara / blazer: Zara / boots: Steve Madden / blouse: Aritzia / necklace: Monserat de Lucca via Shopbop

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Executed Today

This is what I wore to a recent fundraiser for the U of A campus food bank. I wish I’d had time to be a bit dressier but I was in the office until 2 pm and then teaching and holding office hours until 5 and the event started at 5:30 so I had zero time to run home and change. Oh well, it did just fine. 

For anyone interested, yesterday I put on my historian hat and guest posted over at Executed Today on the 1631 execution of the Earl of Castlehaven for rape and sodomy. It's saucy reading, if you're so inclined.

  boots: ASOS / pants: ASOS / clutch: ASOS / jacket: H&M / blazer: F21 / necklace: the Bay / bracelets: Aldo

Review: The Snugg iPad Case

I use my iPad constantly. Like all the time. Especially at work. I haul it around everywhere with me, Mondays to Fridays, and never walk into a work meeting without it. So, when I was approached by a company called Snugg to review their iPad 4 Case Cover and Flip Stand, I jumped at the chance.

I chose the Red PU Leather case but there were a ton of other colours so it was a tough choice. When the case arrived I was thrilled with it. It's durable and yet chic and the flip stand worked perfectly to prop up my iPad and made typing notes and answering emails in meetings a breeze. In fact, I think I need to invest in a few more colours (the brilliant azure blue has really caught my eye) so I can switch things up during the week and accessorize my iPad to match my sartorial choices and mood on a given day.

I honestly can't think of any criticisms to make of the product. So, if you're in the market for a iPad case (and they also make cases for a range of other Apple and Android products, like iPad Minis and iPhones) then I strongly recommend Snugg. You can purchase their line of products through Amazon for added convenience.

Fiasco

So, remember when I was telling you about my luggage disaster in New Orleans (I arrived for two job interviews and my luggage did not so I tore out of the hotel the night before my interviews and bought all new stuff only to return to the hotel to find my luggage there and spent the next day returning purchases in between interviews and catching up with all my historian pals)?

Well, I decided that, after all the aggravation of the luggage fiasco, that I would keep the dress I bought because I had earned it at that point. And it’s quickly become my go-to work frock.

  dress: Banana Republic / blazer: BB Dakota / boots: Kohl’s / necklace: ModCloth / purse: Urban Outfitters / watch: Kenneth Cole / bracelets: Aldo

Cardigan-Style

I’m really getting into over-sized cardigans lately – they’re perfect for transitional weather between winter and spring. I picked up this one at Value Village on a recent cross-city thrifting trip, in the course of which I also scored an amazing beer stein that features the signing of the Declaration of Independence depicted on it. Yeah, it was a pretty epic day.

Also, don't worry; it's not still snowy here. But these photos are less than 2 weeks old so it was very recently still quite wintery in my neck of the woods...

  sweater: thrifted, Value Village / leggings: ASOS / boots: ASOS / purse: Urban Outfitters / necklace: Monserat de Lucca via Shopbop

Reunited

You know how sometimes you push items to the back of your closet and then sort of forget that they’re there for extended periods of time only to rediscover them and feel like you’re shopping your own closet? Well, that’s what happened with this leopard top that I’ve had kicking around since 2006 (seriously, this was one of my first purchases when I moved to Connecticut). I’m very happy that we’ve been reunited.

  

 shirt: Forever 21 / pants: RW Winter and Co / boots: Steve Madden / blazer: BB Dakota / purse: Zara