What to wear for Staff Training/PD (in winter)

South Australian teachers go back to tackle Term 3 on Monday. Traditionally, many schools will begin Day 1 with a PD (professional development) or staff training day. Yep – one more day for the parents to wrangle their children!

Many teachers are confronted by what is appropriate to wear to these events. It’s a day where professional/formal or corporate attire is not required, but still … your line manager, principal and management team will be present!

This blog will give you some appropriate ideas (and a whole weekend to shop for them!)

Things to consider:

• It is winter in SA at the moment so being appropriately covered is not an issue – but a little reminder to keep the short skirts and low cut tops for the weekend when this weather warms up!
• Thongs are a no go … and so might be fashionable sneakers (depending on your work place).
• Statement jewellery is a great way to ‘personalise’ an outfit and totally appropriate for PD days.
• Choose comfortable clothing – you will probably be sitting for meetings – think jeans (no rips), culottes – not tights, tights are not pants in the work place, or floaty dresses that you can ‘winterise’.

Three potential outfits:

1. Jeans and a blazer (so on trend right now).

Fitted jeans, without rips, a long tee and a blazer are the perfect PD attire.

A blazer is never a waste of money because it can be worn both casually and formally. If you want to appear super fashionable then shop a checked blazer (bargains available at both Target and Kmart) – pull up the sleeves to counteract the slightly square and boxy finish.

Top picks:

~ Target ~

~ Forever New ~

~ Portmans ~

~ The Iconic ~

~ The Iconic ~

2. Jeans or coluttes and a chunky knit. 

Still ‘dressy’ enough to be appropriate, but absolutely comfortable.

Five of my favourite knit options below:

~ Seed (25% off) ~

~ Zara Australia ~

 

~ Sportsgirl ~

~ Cotton On ~

~ French Connection ~

3. A long floaty dress with a chunky knit for warmth.

This bohemian look will keep you both comfortable and warm even through the most boring meeting.

Check out my style sisters @champagnesilvousplait_ or @sooziesstyle on Insta to see how to work this look.

Then, as previously mentioned, top your look off with some statement earrings or a statement necklace. Add boots – flat or heeled, mules are a ok for PD days (but maybe not for work days, especially if you are in a Science, Tech or PE faculty) or ballet flats and you are absolutely staff training appropriate!

Happy Planning and welcome back to Term 3!

“Teaching is love in its purest form …”

 

How to Pack for a Winter Getaway …

A little intrastate holiday is just what every teacher and busy mum (and person, in general) needs during the school holidays. A chance to get away from the mundane: the washing, the cooking, the food shopping! But amongst the bike for the child, the port a cot, the dog … there is little room for all my fashion needs! Half a suitcase the husband says, HALF A SUITCASE! Can I at least chuck my shoes and make up bag in a reusable Coles bag, please???

So what to pack for 5 nights away, in half a suit case (side note: I am going to the beach during winter and my outfits will reflect the activities we will be doing):

• Two pairs of great jeans – if you can only take one, choose black, because they can easily be dressed up or down. Then a comfy pair – a ripped knee design perhaps? (because long time followers already know how my husband feels about this particular clothing design!)
• A comfy pair of droppies (all the rage this season – they come in stripes and spots, block colour and bold!) and they are the perfect – taking the dog for a walk, spontaneous sand castle building competition, having a nap on the couch – piece of clothing!

I’m squishing in a pair of tights because we will be doing lots of walking and bike riding – but if you aren’t planning on these things, the droppies will serve you well!

• A black and a white long sleeve tee or a slogan tee (oh so hot right now!!!)
• A warm jumper and a knit – can be worn by themselves with jeans, or layered if it is super cold! I will choose colour in my jumpers because my jeans and tees are very monochrome.
• A puffa jacket or vest – I will wear mine in the car, so no need to squish it in the 1/2 a suitcase!!!
• A tunic dress – I will wear mine over jeans and under a knit for a ‘winterised’ look … but with boots it could be a dressier option should you need one.
• You’ll need a handbag (I still take a backpack nappy bag everywhere so can save some space there!)
• If you’ve got room to squish and you are staying somewhere cold (winter beach break for me!) then try and stuff in a beanie, gloves and a scarf.
• A few pieces of statement jewellery (we all know my need for a statement pair of earrings!)

Shoes

• Frankie 4 NATS in whatever colour you desire (side note: they’ve just come out in mint, ohh please … my heart can’t cope!)
• Plain black boots

And … put it all at the front door, for someone else to try and pack in the car!!!

Side note: my parents are coming down over the weekend so that they can babysit and the husband and I can have a date (bless their cotton socks!!!) so I’ve also squeezed a date night outfit in …

Why I love a ‘Style Challenge …’

#stylefilecardigan #stylefilevelvet #stylefileleopard #statementearrings

As the week comes to a close on my first ever blog post, I’d love to start by giving a massive shout out to my dear friend @kirstyiswriting and my little bro, Ben. Both helped me selflessly with the styling and direction of my blog. Thank you also to you all for reading it, for the kind comments, the great ideas and the general engagement – it really means a lot!!!

As this particular week comes to an end so does the @teamstylefile by Kimba Likes #winterstylefile challenge. I often take part in these (including a recent one by @citygirlcountyteacher and #DAREcember by @foxinflats) and delight in telling people, especially my students, what my ‘daily style prompt’ is.

Why do I love them? I don’t always stick to them for the entire month, but for someone who is constantly thinking about fashion, it’s a great tool for helping with styling direction and a reminder to seek out some of the gems I already own! I used to partake in these, long before I decided to become a #fashionblogger (there I go … using that term again!!)

Confession time – I am a hoarder. I always have been and always will be. My dad is a hoarder. My nana was a hoarder. (Side note: my mum is NOT a hoarder, I’ll leave you to imagine how my teenage years played out!) So – style challenges that require me to find one of the few pieces of leopard I own, to style velvet or dress ‘pretty tough’, have me digging into the depths of my wardrobe and, in the process, locating pieces I often haven’t seen in ages. I lay in bed the night before a prompt challenge, cataloguing my items through my ‘mind wardrobe’ – considering what clothing or accessories I have to match the style prompt for the following day. For all of you out there that see a Style Challenge and want to embrace it but don’t know how to begin – here was my fav Style Challenge this month … ‘pretty tough (#prettytough)’.

So I read ‘pretty’ and I thought lace, frill, glitter, bling – details … I knew that there were many pieces in my wardrobe to match this theme, but ‘tough’ … I consider that to be biker jackets, slogan tees (with band names?), heavy boots or super high stilettos, maybe some diamanté studs and none of these items are really in my wardrobe. After flicking and flicking through the mental catalogue that is my ‘mind wardrobe’, I landed on my favourite pair of ripped Zara jeans.

When I purchased these jeans (much to the dismay of my husband who thinks I am far too old for ripped jeans!) they had a dainty rip in the knee, but after a period of time, bending and stretching (#realmumlife) they now have gaping knee holes! But … they are so comfortable and I genuinely love wearing them. ‘Tough’ … surely the rips/holes made them ‘tough’. This was my item!!! Now onto the easy bit … ‘pretty’. I had just been gifted a beautiful, soft 100% cotton knit with a darling roll neck detail. That alone with my jeans wouldn’t fit the bill though. It needed more ‘pretty’ … bring in the shoes. Shoes can make or break an outfit! Shoes can also ‘age’ an outfit. I could have gone a gorgeous kitten heel, a ballet flat … but I wanted to bring gold into the mix. I knew I had the perfect pair of rose gold mules – they literally glistened in the sun *PRETTY*. A basic clutch with a line of sequins and my outfit was complete.

Tough = ripped jeans! Pretty = gorgeous detail on my knit, glistening rose gold and sequins!

Now I certainly do not have the time, every day, to put this much thought into presenting my #OOTD. However, I enjoy creating this inventory and having a Style Challenge to work with. So – my number one tip for ‘matching’ with a set Style Challenge prompt … choose one piece (my Zara ripped jeans) and then let the creativity flow!

Fashion is about expressing yourself and as this #winterstylechallenge comes to a close for this season, I eagerly await the next …