Thursday, March 12, 2026
What have you been wearing lately?
I have been struggling with my spring shoes. Until this year I “needed” “teacher shoes”. They had to be comfortable enough to stand on hard cement floors for 8 plus hours. I also wanted them to be stylish and cute. Talk about hard!
Now, I am figuring out my retired wardrobe. I have been struggling with the shoes to wear in the transitional time between winter and summer. It seems (and is) way too early to wear open toe but I needed shoes to wear with jeans and blouses. Also, I think the students did rub off on me because they didn’t like people “showing their dogs” and now I do think about that and feel like there is too much “showing of the dogs” when another shoe would look better.
I’ve also shared my love of a gold shoe. It’s just a great neutral. I am going to look for a gold flip flop, too.
I swooned over the Aerosoles gold kitten heel pump for at least a month and then I snagged them for only $33 (regularly $99) in a BOGO half off DSW deal. I am wearing them in the above photo!
Want to know what the other pair was? A Sperry topsider! I am not sure if I will keep them and therefore upon returning to DSW I might lose the BOGO half off deal.
Here they are as a try-on. They didn’t look right with this pair of jeans.
I also ordered a light gold Mary Jane from Dr. Scholl’s brand.
I am wanting to wear jeans with blouses and an occasional graphic tee with cardigan or button up situation in this transitional time.
I found my color palette from having my colors done in the 80s. I also attended a boutique opening that has their clothing arranged by your season with a space for having your colors done. Isn’t that cool? It’s very expensive to have your colors done these days – $300ish!
I also decided I was still going to wear what I wanted to wear regardless of my palette. I do think it’s interesting, though.
I also placed a big ol’ Old Navy order with my Old Navy cash that I got from a purchase back in January, I think. It started with a recommendation for a simple navy blouse (that is part of my color palette as a summer) and I found some other blouses for less than consignment prices. I will return anything that looks or feels cheap or isn’t the right fit. But with the amount I spent I got free shipping and I can just take it to my local store. I am having lots of luck with Old Navy and Target in 2026. I would like to live contentedly with my wardrobe for a while after this haul. Here’s the thing. I hate that I like fast fashion. I do very much care about quality and the washability and the feel of the fabric. I just can’t stomach paying Anthro, Madewell, or any higher end store prices. I try to find things that have that look, though.
Here is most of the haul…
I already had this blouse in white so when I saw this pinstripe I knew my size and I knew I love this style.
Same style in blue floral:
But, the whole order started from wanting this simple navy blouse. I ordered it in white, too. The white will need a cami under it and that could get hot.
I’ve been needing a chambray shirt replacement and I am really happy with the weight of this one. I plan to wear it open mostly, I think.
I got 6 blouses and one final sale skort that is a little big for $78.
When I got dressed on Saturday it was rainy and I put on my jeans and my fish sweater. Get it? Rain – fish?
I wore my new gold Mary Janes to go to Kroger with Mason:
When we went out to dinner I changed into the gold Aerosoles kitten heel pumps:
Friday, I tried the scarf with striped shirt look with my new scarf tie method I learned on Instagram. I’ve never liked this striped shirt and it’s going to get donated. I would like to get a replacement stripe. I think it’s the fabric that is too thick. It just doesn’t hang right or feel comfortable.
My favorite outfit was this with a plain white tee, my Target crochet sweater, my new scarf tie and my cream pumps that I am going to switch out for the gold pumps. I feel like this could be a go-to spring outfit.
I started following some summer accounts on IG. They even give you nail colors! It’s funny to me that these are some of my regular nail colors.
This is my current color:
I’ve been cleaning things out and it’s been so fun to see old photos. This is us visiting my sister at Ohio State. We were probably 24 and Kate was 21. Kate, me, Heather, and our good friend Julia. We had so much fun on this visit and decided we wanted to go back to college at OSU.
I put this on to play Mah Jong:
Then, decided the mary janes were probably better for day time.
Let’s talk about the jeans again. I think these are a dupe for the Anthro Collette jean. These are really, really good. I think I need them in white.
I do have a legitimate question. What pants are we wearing besides jeans? I have some printed pants and some gauzy pants. What else is there?
What have you been wearing lately?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
The gold pumps are swoon-worthy! I had a gold pair of flip flops once that were nice, for flip flops, and I loved wearing them with everything. I love my white jeans in that style you have! I have a picture to post tomorrow. I probably need to get rid of some old jeans. I have some linen pants I like for summer. I really like your t-shirt/Target sweater jeans combo. I am a sucker for striped shirts/dressed. I always gravitate towards these. Hope you have a great morning friend!
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They are actually really comfy, too. Thank you! Yes, I need the gold flip flops. I had them before, too. Thank you! I want to see your picture! You too!
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I enjoyed a couple of days of lighter weight clothing and even a pair of mary janes but it’s going to snow today so it’s back to thick sweaters, boots, and a coat for me.
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Wonderful! But, yes – winter is coming back for us, too. So sad!
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I like your darker color jeans. I tend to wear business casual type clothes when I sub and days when I’m at home it’s leggings or anything elastic waist for bottoms and then a well worn sweatshirt on top. I rarely wear jeans for running errands but many/most of my errands are to Aldi or Walmart (and our Aldi is right next to the biggest gym in town; 75% of Aldi customers come straight from the gym so they’re in active wear. Me and my leggings fit right in!
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I think you said you are only “allowed” to wear jeans on Fridays if you sub? I do have nice black pants – consignment Chico’s new with tags!
I have been getting out of the am leggings and getting dressed even for small errands – just because I like to. I do see someone almost every day.
I had an emergency Kroger run for the stuff to bake my Amish bread yesterday and went in my dog walking clothes, though.
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I have some really flowy cotton pants that came from a boutique that my mom gave me last year…I know you remember them, one pair is khaki, the other is pink. I wear those a lot. I wear some thin linen pants that are gauzy in the spring before it gets too hot, and I wear some cropped pants in the Westbound brand that I still have from years ago that are classic fit in style. Once it gets to a certain temp, though? I live in dresses, short rompers, and shorts.
I love all your outfits! Those gold heels and Mary Janes are everything! I was looking at metallic sandals last week and put a few pairs on my wish list. I have always loved a metallic look in a shoe! I had a great pair of Steve Madden shoes back in the day that were these chunky/strappy sandals in a pretty bronze color. I literally wore them until they broke!
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I love those pants of yours. I have several printed pants still. I have some linen, too. I really just need to force myself to go through them and see what still looks current and try to still them, you know?
Thank you!
I really think gold works for so many outfits. I have always had a metallic sandal! They are great!
I am going to order a gold flip flop pretty soon.
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I love your gold shoes! I had a pair of Tory Burch gold flip-flops, loved them and had them for several years. Our lab puppy destroyed them and I don’t think they carry them any more. So, I’m looking. I might get a pair of gold Mary Janes. I like cropped pants in cotton or linen, light colors. I also love long, flowy cotton skirts. Your outfits look amazing!
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Oh no! I think I am going to buy the TKEEs brand. I looked at so many gold mary janes. I do need to see what linen I still have. I had white linen for many years that I finally let go last year. I only have one or two long skirts I think. I really should look closely at what I have! Thank you. I like getting dressed every day even just for an errand.
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I love your blue and white blouses. Perfect for spring. Your white cardigan fave outfit is great for spring and it looks elevated. The love scarf…so chic! My go to pants for school since I found them last spring/summer are the linen wide leg (& cropped ones have worked best for my height)…I think I have four pairs and I bet I wear two a week to school.
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Thank you! I am gravitating to blue for the first time in my life! Oh, yes! I have a pair of the cropped but I don’t think I got the correct size. I just saw those and need to try them on.
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What a successful Old Navy order! What color are your Amazon jeans? I don’t want too much distressing, especially on the back side:)
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Thank you! I ordered “Blue Tides”.
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YES to those pointy toe gold pumps- those are so my jam- they will go with so much! A denim jacket is always a good idea too- such a great investment!
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Thank you! Oh, girl. I can’t do a denim jacket as a retired teacher. It’s like a wooden ABC necklace to me. Teachers overdid them. Lol.
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I wear joggers in the winter a lot. I also have linen type pants for warmer weather.
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I am the least fashion-forward person you know. Lately I have been living in shorts and tee shirts during the week, scrubs on the weekends. But when I do wear pants they are always either jeans or a boot leg yoga type pant.
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