6 Cold Weather Outfits to Copy

Y'all, it has been cold here in the southern part of the country! While I'm glad to have plenty of opportunities to wear my sweaters, I can't remember the last time I had to layer a sweater. It's been so cold that our dress code at school has been relaxed, and we've been able to wear jeans the last week. I have not worn a skirt or dress since the start of the year, and that's saying something.

This is a smaller outfit roundup because the last two weeks have not been full weeks due to severe weather and MLK Day.

Sizing Info: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 135 lbs. I typically wear size 6 or s/m in clothes and size 7 in shoes.

Sweater (similar, similar) / Pants / Boots

I'm not sure how I feel about this outfit. I like it, but it's giving like a 1920s newsboy vibe. I think it's the pants and boots to be honest. I truly love these boots. They're the second pair by this brand that I've owned and the quality is really good. My other pair doesn't have a single scratch on them; they're over a year old, and I'm not exactly easy on my shoes. I did manage to put a pretty big scuff in the top of this pair, sadly, by somehow kicking the corner of the refrigerator door, but I've camouflaged it.

My pants are basically sweatpants that are office approved. Mine are from last year, but they're still available online. My sweater is several years old, and I've not seen anything with similar sleeves.

Tunic / Leggings / Boots

I bought this shirt with the hopes that it would be long enough to work as a dress, but it's definitely not. It's also pretty shapeless, but I didn't feel like adding a belt. These are my favorite leggings. They're nice and thick so no worries about seeing through them. They do only come in one size, so they're a bit long, but I almost always tuck them into boots so it's not a big deal for me.

Sweater / Pants (petite) / Boots

I feel like this sweater is getting more wear than my others, but it's just so dang comfortable. I think I've only shown it with green bottoms, but I know I've worn it with regular jeans, black jeans, and leggings. These are a pair of my favorite Democracy "Ab"solution pants. Unfortunately, this color is sold out in regular sizes (there are other colors, though), but it is still available in petite sizes.

Sweater (similar) / Jeans / Boots

This was a cold day. I know you can't see it, but I've got a camisole underneath this sweater for an extra layer of warmth. My sweater is old, but there are a ton of fair isle sweaters out there. Just search blue fair isle sweaters.

My jeans are new, but sadly this wash sold out very quickly. There are three other washes available. I've got the dark wash and the black, too. This style fits my body so well.

My boots are Chelsea boots with a block heel. They're the same brand as the other brown boots in this post. They're great quality and very comfortable.

Shirt / Vest (similar) / Pants (similar) / Boots (similar)

This outfit was cuter in person than it photographed. My shirt is satin and fits loose. It is absolutely zero protection from the cold. I felt like I kept my jacket on most of the day because my arms were freezing.

My vest is old, but I found a really similar one to link to that comes in a ton of colors. My jeans are old, too, but Liverpool has several very similar styles in the same color. My boots are so old that I don't remember where I got them and the brand is no longer readable. I linked to a similar pair that I think is really cute.

Sweater (similar) / Turtleneck (similar) / Jeans / Boots (similar)

The only thing new in this outfit is the jeans, and I'm still not sure if I like them. I wanted to give the baggy jeans trend a try since it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, but I'm just not sure if it's for me. I don't hate the way they look, but they feel so weird. It was like I was wearing boy jeans! I also have no idea how to style them. I honestly felt a little lost in them - like, where are my curves?!

Anyway, I decided to go with this tried-and-true green leopard-print sweater. I had to go back and put something under it, though, because it was no match for the wind that day. I decided to do an extra bit of styling and layered a black turtleneck, which is a bit hard to see in the picture. Then I half-tucked the sweater and added a belt.

I could not decide on shoes so I went with my black Chelsea boots. They're not terrible, but I don't love them either.

What to Wear for Valentine's Day

The day of love will soon be upon us! So the time to start planning your outfit is now. Valentine's Day is on a Wednesday this year, which means most of us will be spending our day working. Maybe you'll have a nice night out with your significant other after or do something with your girlfriends. However you plan to celebrate, my inspiration for this year's Valentine's outfit ideas was all about that day-to-night transition. Or, you know, something that's work appropriate but also cute enough for a date.

I decided to break this year's post into categories: tops; dresses, skirts, and pants; and shoes and accessories. You'll find a range of Valentine-appropriate color combos focusing mostly on hues of pink, red, and purple.

Bonus - everything on this list is school appropriate! You know I don't miss a good opportunity to dress up.

Chiffon Blouse - I love this style of blouse. It can be dressy or casual, so appropriate for all kinds of occasions. I really love this dusky purple, but it also comes in two shades of pink and red that are also pretty.

Sheer Striped Sleeve Blouse - I've had my eye on this blouse for awhile. I love the details on the sleeves! It also comes in hot pink.

Light Pink Floral Print Blouse - This blouse is currently sitting in my Amazon shopping cart. It comes in several other shades of pink, red, and purple.

Long-Sleeve Satin Shirt or Short-Sleeve Satin Shirt - These shirts are essentially the same other than sleeve length. I have the long-sleeve in black. It's an easy way to add a bit of elegance to an otherwise basic outfit.

Long-Sleeve Heart Shirt - This is just a casual long-sleeve shirt that has a tiny little heart embroidered on the upper left . It comes in three colors total.

Hot Pink Heart Sweater - Nothing says Valentine's Day like hot pink and hearts.

Heart Print Sweater - Or you could go with a more subtle heart print.

Heart Sweater - This sweater looks so cozy!

Heart Cardigan - This cardigan gives me a retro vibe.

Heart Print Long-Sleeve T-Shirt - If you're looking for something more casual, check out these printed long-sleeve shirts. There are ten versions to choose from, but I really like this one with the touch of leopard print.

Love Graphic Tee - These short-sleeve love graphic tees are a good option for warmer climates.

Casual Pink Striped Dress - This would be perfect for teachers. Just saying.

Heart Print Peter Pan Collar Dress - This dress is so cute and comes in three other colors.

Sleeveless Floral Print Dress - I actually own this dress, and it is perfect for Valentine's Day.

Long-Sleeve Floral Print Dress - I like this one a lot, too.

Slip Skirt - Y'all know slip skirts are my jam. This one has got a Queen of Hearts vibe that I love.

Tulle Heart Skirt - If there was ever a reason to wear tulle, Valentine's Day is definitely it.

Red Bow-Knot Pants - You can't go wrong with red pants, and these ones with the bows have so much personality. They also come in fuchsia, hot pink, and satin wine.

Pink Slingbacks - I'm not a big fan of slingbacks, but they're super trendy right now, and these pink cap-toes would be a nice finishing touch.

Low-Heeled Sandals - These are always a good choice. There are several other Valentine's-appropriate colors to choose from.

D'Orsay Flats - I much prefer these to the slingbacks, but I think they have a similar vibe.

Pink Bow Flats - I love embellished flats, and these ones with the bows are adorable. They come in several other shades of pink, red, and purple.

Socks - There are tons of Valentine's-themed socks out there. I like these because they sparkle!

Heart Earrings - How cute are these chandelier-style earrings?

What I Read December 2023

It's the last reading roundup for 2023! At first glance, December was a lean month for reading. Only four entries for this post, although three of the four are series so multiple books are involved. I DNF'ed a lot of books in December. I've also got quite a few that I started and will go back to later to finish, but this post is all about the books I did read, so let's get to it!

This Place of Wonder

Author: Barbara O'Neal

We'll start with my final One Woman Book Club pick of 2023. This book was amazing. It's the first I've read by this author but not the only book by her on my TBR list. "This Place of Wonder" was a good choice to end the year with. It was a beautiful story about how endings can pave the way for new beginnings.

Augustus Beauvais was a famous chef. He and Meadow built not one but two empires as well as a family, but their 20-year marriage did not survive Augustus's wandering attentions. Their split led to Augustus's first child, Maya, cutting ties with him altogether, resulting in a stronger relationship between August and Rory, Meadow's daughter and Augustus's stepdaughter. Despite no longer being married, Augustus and Meadow continue to work together and even rekindle their romance in the midst of a family crisis, despite Augustus now being involved with the much-younger Norah. When Augustus dies, seemingly unexpectedly, it throws all four women in a tailspin as they struggle to find their ways forward.

Anchor for the Changed series

Author: Aisling Cousins

This was a really quick series to read. It's certainly not the best thing I've ever read, but the idea behind the story was interesting even if the execution wasn't the cleanest, especially in the conclusion, which felt too easy for the conflict.

Ember and her twin brother were stolen at birth by a human organization trying to recreate magic in the non-magic population. At the time when their powers manifested, Ember's brother was rescued, leaving her at the mercy of her captors. Eventually, she, too, is rescued and learns that she is what's called an Anchor, a rare manifestation that gives her and her bond group access to almost unlimited power. But the quickly realize that the organization that experimented on her as a child aren't the only monsters out there.

 

Blue Ivy Prep series (books 1-2)

Author: Heather Long

I started this series but decided not to finish it. This isn't my first time reading Heather Long, and I find that she tends to draw out stories for longer than I want to be invested in them. That's not saying you shouldn't give them a shot. They're just really long.

Anyway, KC is a famous rock star who wants a taste of normal. So she convinces her bandmates to take a break from touring and enroll in high school. Obviously, they can't just go to any old high school so they enroll in an exclusive prep school, but it's not all fun times.

The Twisted Kingdom series

Author: Frost Kay

This series should look familiar. It made my list of 10 best books and series from 2023. This is a series of reimagined fairy tales that are much different than anything I've read before.

The first three books are a reimagining of Snow White, except there is no Snow White. Instead, the female lead takes on the role of the huntsman. Tempest is the first-ever female hound and catches the eye of the evil king. In an effort to hold him off, she accepts a mission to dismantle the Dark Court that she believes has been poisoning the kingdom, but what she finds there leads her to change her mission to take down the monarchy. In the next three books, the main character shifts from Tempest, although she's present in each. "The Beast" is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Jack and the Beanstalk mixed in. "The Hood" is a reimagining of Robin Hood with a female leader of the merry men, and "The Wolf" is a mix of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella.

Winter Outfit Ideas for Teachers

It's been awhile since I did an outfit roundup post, but to be fair, I have been off for almost three weeks. These outfits are all from before or during Christmas break, so not all of them are outfits I wore to school, but they are all outfits I would wear to teach in. Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to share some teacher-appropriate winter outfits now that we're entering the coldest time of the year for my neck of the woods.

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 135 lbs. I usually wear size 6 or s/m in clothes and 7 in shoes.

Sweater (similar) / Skirt / Boots (similar)

This outfit might look familiar, especially if you follow me on Instagram. I also shared it in a post about dressing cold when it's not really cold. Still, this is such a fun winter outfit and I think a fresh take on leopard print since it's not the typical color scheme.

The skirt is the only new piece in this outfit. It's a couple of months old but still available in most sizes online. This is a straighter style than I typically go for. The waist is elastic but I don't find it to be all that stretchy because the skirt itself doesn't have any stretch, so if you've got wider hips you may want to consider sizing up. I'm wearing size small.

I decided to keep the rest of the outfit simple with a fitted crew-neck black sweater that I half-tucked and bit of 90's-style grunge with my favorite combat boots. The only thing I think I would do differently for colder days is add tights.

Dress (similar) / Sweater (similar) / Shoes (similar)

This is one of my favorite dresses. I think it has a very fall feel to it, but I don't really love all the dark colors of winter, so this feels nice and brightly appropriate. The only thing in my outfit that's new is the belt and it came with a skirt so I can't link to it by itself. My dress is sleeveless and has a very small mock neck. It came with a tie sash, but I still can't tie one of those and it look nice, so I either ditch them entirely or opt for a belt instead.

I waffled back and forth between this yellow cardigan and a burgundy one, which would have matched my shoes, but in the end I wanted the overall outfit to feel very bright, so I went with the yellow. For colder months than this, I would probably go with the darker color.

T-shirt / Shirt (similar) / Jeans / Shoes (similar)

This is my go-to comfy-casual teacher uniform. What's great about these jeans is that they don't really look like jeans. They're also incredibly soft and stretchy. They're pricey, but I think they've been worth it for how much I wear them.

Do people still layer graphic tees under button-ups? This is one of my favorite tees, but right now it's not available in white. I linked to it anyway so you can see the other color options, and who knows? They might bring the white back.

Shirt / Skirt / Shoes

How many leopard print skirts are too many leopard print skirts? Asking for...well, me. As you can see, this skirt is a completely different style from the previous one. It's a more traditional color combination, for one, but it's more flowy and made of a more delicate material. It feels fancier than my other skirts, and I always try to dress it down for school.

Sweater (similar) / Skirt / Boots (similar)

This is the last leopard-print outfit for this post, I promise! This skirt has a lighter background, which I love, and the pattern feels more elevated to me because the spots are more defined. It is clingier so I decided to pair it with a more oversized sweater. I won't lie, I mostly left it untucked at school because it was just comfortable and I was moving around a lot, but half tucking it is the more styled version. I saw a video this morning of a fake-tuck that I think would work amazingly with this, so I'll try it next time.

Shirt (similar, similar, similar) / Pants (similar) / Boots

This is a really simple outfit that I've worn several times, but looking at this outfit now, I'm not loving the proportions. I think my shirt is too oversized for the flared bottoms of the pants. I haven't really played around with styling these pants, which I'm not realizing I need to do. *heads to Pinterest*

Shirt (similar) / Skirt / Shoes (similar)

I might have a future as a safari director. I had to have khaki bottoms for a function, and since I refuse to wear khaki pants it had to be a skirt. I don't hate this skirt, though. I love the tortoiseshell buttons, the high waist, and even the included belt. I struggle with styling khaki, though. How do you do this without creating an outfit that just feels brown?

Dress / Boots (similar)

I think I wore this on Thanksgiving, actually. The dress is pretty thin, to be honest, but it could easily be layered. My boots are several years old, but ShoeDazzle has a pair that's almost exactly the same.

Sweater (similar) / Skirt / Boots (similar)

This is pretty much the same outfit as the green leopard-print skirt but with a dusky blue floral skirt instead.

Dress (similar) / Tights / Boots (similar)

Dresses really are my go-to outfit of choice. The only decision I have to make is what shoes to wear. Sometimes I add another layer or accessories, but this dress really doesn't' need anything extra. I linked to the exact dress, but this specific color isn't available anymore, so I linked to a similar dress that is closer in color.

Sweater / Skirt (similar) / Boots (similar)

I love this skirt. It's definitely got spring vibes, but when have I ever let that stop me? Especially when I found this fuzzy hot pink sweater that Cher from Clueless would absolutely die for. This is still available and in other colors, too. It's such a comfortable sweater, y'all. It's the eyelash style on the outside, but it's not itchy or anything on the inside. It's nice and smooth. If you don't see your size online, check your local store. Mine still had a bunch of these in stock.

Sweater / Pants (similar) / Boots (similar)

There's just something about an all-neutral outfit that does it for me. This style of boot is certainly not trendy these days but they're classic and never really out of style. I like how they provide an anchor for this outfit without being overly bulky. It feels like a nice balance for the tunic sweater.

Sweater (similar) / Jeans / Boots

I don't remember when I wore this other than it was during the break. I do remember taking specific steps to style it like cuffing my jeans, half tucking the sweater, and adding a belt. My sweater is several years old and no longer available, but I found a really close match.

My boots are new. They were a Christmas gift, but I linked to the exact ones. I love these boots. Unfortunately, I kicked something and have a really deep gouge right on the top of the left one now that I'm trying to figure out how to fix.

Sweater (similar, similar) / Jeans / Boots

Another outfit with my new boots! This sweater is no longer available, but I found two similar options that I might actually like better than this one. I wanted to wear it over leggings, but it wasn't quite long enough for me to be comfortable wearing it out in public, so I swapped to skinny black jeans. The brown combat boots help pull out the earth tones of the sweater and balance them with the darkness of the jeans.

Boots

And here's a closer look at the boots.

My Goals for 2024

The start of a new year is always a good time to reflect on not only what worked for you in the previous year but, perhaps more importantly, the things that didn't work.  Unfortunately, my goals for last year didn't really pan out. I wanted to start back using a blog schedule, try a new recipe every month, and start back doing yoga twice a week. I did okay with everything the first half of the year...then I started TAPP.

I feel like I'm blaming everything on my teacher certification program (TAPP), but  it really is the reason for so many things having been put on the back burner. Unless you've been through TAPP or are currently going through it, you just won't understand the amount of extra it's added to my life. That said, we have finally moved into the most important portion of the course - the part that will determine if I pass or fail, as it were. While the enormity of that is pretty daunting, it's actually freeing up quite a bit of time for me. Everything leading up to this point has been homework, stuff I had to do at home, usually on a weekend. This is stuff that I'll be doing at school for the most part, and with the exception of a few of the requirements, it's stuff I'm already doing.

All that to say I'm feeling a bit more confident in my ability to be successful with my goals for this year.

My biggest goal for 2024 is to get the blog back on track. I don't want to treat it like a job because it isn't one, not really, but it is something that I really enjoy doing. I already mentioned that I tried to implement a blog schedule last week, but it honestly got a bit overwhelming, especially once I started TAPP. So this year, instead of trying to pre-schedule specific topic-based posts, I'm going to focus on quality. So for 2024, my goal is to write one meaningful blog post a week. Part of that goal is narrowing my focus down to the things that are most important to me in this season in my life, so expect to see more book and reading-related posts, teacher-related posts, and budget-friendly finds of all kinds.

I feel like this next goal is something that I've already gotten better at, but I still want to write it down for myself. I want to do a better job of leaving school at school. I spent years working at home, so it's been hard breaking the habit. I won't lie when I say that I often prefer to plan in my home office. It's a space that is wholly mine and where I am most comfortable. I also like my desktop computer much better than a laptop, which is what I have for school. So I'm pretty confident in saying that I'll never fully break the habit of planning at home. However, I can do a better job of not bringing home work to grade. So that is my goal. This year, I will do as much grading as possible at school and only bring home grading when there's no other option.

Yoga is another goal from last year that I'm bringing back for 2024. I'm actually not changing the goal any from last year -- yoga twice a week. I need a way to hold myself accountable, but I don't really know how to do that. If you have any ideas, please share!

I have two more goals for 2024. One is to print out photos from the last several years and put them into photo albums or scrapbooks. That used to be a really big and fulfilling hobby of mine, and I'd like to have physical evidence of the life I've led with my family. The other is to take more videos. I take a ton of pictures, but I rarely take videos. At the end of this year, I want to be able to put together a video highlight reel.

What are your goals for 2024?

2024 One Woman Book Club

Last year I started my own personal book club. The goal was to tackle some of the titles that have been taking up space on my TBR list. Out of the twelve books I picked, I read ten. I started my October pick but wasn't in the right headspace for what I had chosen so far ahead of time, and I didn't even crack the November book for the same reason. I haven't removed either book from my TBR list, but you won't see them make a re-appearance on this year's list either. Of the ten books I did read from last year's list, I enjoyed all but one.

I decided to continue my One Woman Book Club this year and spent several days perusing my TBR list to create this year's calendar. It's strictly fiction since I don't really enjoy non-fiction books. On it you'll find mystery, romance, historical fiction, and a bit of fantasy. I hope you'll join me on my reading journey!

Check out the 2023 One Woman Book Club List Here

12 Months of Reading with Mommy the Journalist

Best of 2023: 10 Most Popular Blog Posts

Happy New Year! Man, 2023 went by in a flash, especially the last half. Looking back on the year, I can say that I survived my first year of teaching and am half-way to being fully certified. I did not accomplish any of the goals I set last January, but we're not going to focus on that.

My teacher certification course started in July, and from that point forward everything in my life has kind of been revolving around it. The course itself only meets in person once a month, but there is so much homework. Because of this added pile of responsibility, I had to cut back in other places, and the main place that suffered was the blog. 2023 saw a total of 70 blog posts, which is about half of what I posted in 2022.

Thank you guys so much for sticking with me through this whirlwind of a year...especially the last six months or so.

Page views were definitely up, as were the number of post comments. Granted, a lot of that is due to one post, which I did not anticipate blowing up the way that it did, but I'm not complaining. Also up this year is my email subscription list, which you can join here.

Okay, let's take a look at the top ten posts you guys responded to the most.

10. What I Read June 2023 - This was, I think, my biggest reading roundup for 2023 with 16 books, but looking back at the actual post, I labeled quite a few of the books as flops and decided not to continue on with the series. That said, one of the books from that month's reading made my best books of 2023 list.

9. Monday Motivation - This was actually my first post of 2023. It was nothing special - just a weekly update about what was going on in my life at the time and an inspirational quote.

8. My 22 Favorite Purchases of The Year - The title says it all for this post. It was a round-up of my smartest purchases for 2022...and other than the planner, I still use everything on this list!

7. 10 Casual Winter-to-Spring Outfit Ideas - I'm surprised that this is the only clothing-related post to make this year's most popular posts list, but if only one was going to make the cut, this is a good one.

6. If I had a Book Club: 12 Months of Reading with Mommy the Journalist - I feel like I've been talking about my One Woman Book Club a lot the last few days, but you guys liked it last year, too, it seems.

5. Weekly Wisdom (Formerly Monday Motivation) - In February I decided to shift my Monday Motivation posts to Sunday and renamed them. This was the first such post. All I can figure is that you guys liked the inspirational quote I chose to go along with it, because otherwise it really wasn't anything all that special.

4. An Honest Review of Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara - I tried that viral TikTok mascara and shared my thoughts. Ultimately, the mascara wasn't for me, but it's got tons of 5-star ratings on Amazon.

3. Monday Motivation - The number of views this post has truly astounds me. It feels very exaggerated for what the post actually is. I think it's another case of y'all really liking the inspirational quote.

2. What I Read January 2023 - January of last year was full of good books for me, and two of the entries from that month made my best books of the year post.

1. An Honest Review of Lume Deodorant - This post single-handedly drove traffic for the blog for most of the year and is officially sitting in the number three position on my most-viewed posts for the blog's entire history. Wow!