she said, "i'm going to school, and i can't be late."

Going back to school can be both exciting and daunting. I know I get anxious the night before classes begin, which usually means I get little sleep and have bags the size of Louis Vuitton luggage under my eyes the next morning. Luckily for me, this first week of classes I don't have to get up early for work, so I could sleep in as long as I wanted. But sleep wasn't my only issue! The weather was horrid all day, pouring buckets of rain and thundering. I had an outfit all planned, involving a white button down almost exactly like the one below, but we all know that looking like a wet t-shirt contest contestant isn't the appropriate first impression to make. I had to think fast. And ultimately choose the default outfit I have been sporting lately due to my obsession with my new Free People top.

So here is what I dreamed of wearing: This look is classic and makes a good impression, both on classmates and professors. You are dressed well but with a twist, the colored denim and shirt tied at the waist giving you a more on-trend look. And since syllabus week is the only one where I can ever seem to get away using a regular, small purse, I would have loved to take advantage of it! (The only upside of this weather is that it made me realize I do not own any nice bags in the tan/brown realm and remedied that immediately by purchasing the messenger bag in my 'must haves for school' post.) What this look would have screamed: I'm chic and ready to jump into some feminist theory! Or, you know, whatever class you happened to have that day. That was mine yesterday.

And now here is what I ended up wearing: The photos on this one aren't as great, and I could have simply posted the picture my mother insisted on taking of me while I was out the door (ugh!), but I'm afraid to know what I looked like in the anxious and frazzled state I was in. The baby doll tee screams 90s comeback, and I love that the shade is just slightly darker than mint in real life (it makes it early fall appropriate!). It also hides any and all stomach bloat that you may get after stress-eating spaghetti before class. I have been living in these jeans, or maybe you can call them jeggings, since they are skin tight but still the most comfortable pair of jeans I've ever put on my body. Old Navy never disappoints with their Rockstar design! I topped off the look with sneaker wedges from Aldo, which were perfect because if I stepped in any puddles, my delicate jeans weren't getting wet -- and of course I used my go-to backpack. And I can't forget, my giant bubble umbrella! It's a lifesaver. Not one bit of me got wet on the long walk from the parking lot to my class!

So even though the fashion of my day didn't go as planned, I still managed to have a good class and got through the dreaded first day. Now everyone cross your fingers that the weather clears up and I can wear my favorite white shirt tomorrow! After all, a new class means I can still make a successful first (fashion) impression.