WIW: Work and starting school

While I have been working in January it is a bit of a strange month with boys on vacation (holiday), lots of public holidays, and in our case - a heat wave!! Working consisted of a Quality Audit (we passed) and my current task is to plan for an office revamp.

And this week my younger son started high school.

Here are some pics

1) What they torture NZ high school students with. Woolen drill shorts, cotton drill shirt and what we call roman sandals (I wore them - a NZ tradition) But an A + for the excited 13 year old (he is at a school with 2500 boys - and no girls). But the Principal/Headmaster is a woman and incredibly well respected.

2-3) Worn for his first day of high school and then working from home. It was a really really hot day. I have shown the dress before but not with this cuff or these sandals. I loved this (A)

4-5) Working from the office. Old pieces - worn a new way. Only felt like a C+ to me and won't repeat. I am very finicky about white pants on me and proportions and contrast. I would have preferred this with black sandals (too high for work).

I am trying to have a small shopping break - no purchases in January. I have ordered a charity running tee today, and plan to update my lingerie drawer after a sort out this week, prompted by Angie's boobs post. I have a small what to buy/what not to buy list started but do not feel in any rush. February is usually our hottest month. I am trying to wear all my summer pieces including the less worn items. I have done that with everything now bar my "dressy" capsule - which I would love to wear but don't have any parties!!

Your feedback is welcome.

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8 years ago

Anonymous

You always have awesome hair & teal looks amazing on you. Your Son looks super spiffy and I want to steal your silver shoes!

rachylou

Veteran

I love that teal dress!

I can’t believe we’re still doing woollens! My dad was in those in the 40s! Lol!

Sal

Thanks jlpp - the silver shoes have been very well worn !! For me they are all year shoes (not so much in summer or the depths of winter) but a really easy piece to wear.

Thanks Rachy - pretty sure this uniform has not really changed since the 1950s. In the winter they wear woolen jerseys (sweater) too (and knee high socks, and black leather lace ups).

JAileen

You look great in both outfits. I love the dress on you.

I never wore a uniform to school, but my son did for a couple years. At his school you could wear anything as long as it was in the right color scheme, and the shirt had a collar. I bought a bunch of Lands End things, including polo shirts. He promptly went through the knees of all the pants. Shorts would have been wonderful. After he started at our neighborhood school I kept him wearing all those polo shirts. Why not, they still fit. The other kids started asking him why he wore the same shirt every day. He wasn’t - he had five white polo shirts! I was forced to buy him graphic tees with Ninja Turtles, etc. so he felt like he fit in with the other kids.

Both outfits are great.
The teal dress is super on you!
Your son’s outfit looks very traditional. Really interesting to hear about the wool shorts and the Roman sandals. We don’t have anything like those here!

columbine(erin)

The teal dress is lovely on you, and I thought the other outfit worked as well. I never hear the term, Roman sandals before. They look similar to saltwater sandals that I grew up wearing, though.

Thanks Columbine, I think they could be similar to the Californian Saltwater Sandals - they have been worn as school uniform here for so many years.....

Thanks Smittie - we are extra cruel here:)

JAileen - funny - I can just imagine. Most high schools here have a uniform and maybe half the primary/elementary schools. They range from formal (Blazer, shirt, tie, etc) to more casual depending on the type of school. It does keep peer pressure etc at bay!!

Jaime

(website)

The thought of a high school of 2500 boys is boggling my mind. Your son looks like the perfect poster boy though!
I love the dress on you. Gorgeous cut and color.
I like the white pants outfit also especially how the white soles mirror the white trim on the top.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Woohooo. Undies shop. You are my kindred lingerie sister, Sal.

I love the KILLER teal dress. Hair looks gorgeous, and my hat off to you for looking soooo smashing in high heat without a/c.

Try the white pants with a low contrast tunic? You might prefer that.

DS looks fab in his school uniform. All kids should wear school uniforms!

Your son looks ready to take on his new school. You look wonderful.

Brooklyn

Love that teal dress on you! A+ for sure. I really like the black and white outfit too but you have to feel it.

At school we wore jaycee (not sure about spelling?) sandals in summer and desert boots in winter. I remember thinking that the desert boots looked awful with my skirt, but now of course I quite appreciate that look!

The Cat

Love your teal dress--the colour as well as the style--and it looks gorgeous on you.

Hi Sal!! Your son looks adorable. Probably not what he was going for though, right?

You look fabulous in your blue dress. And your white jean outfit is to die for. I am definitely thinking I need metallic kicks.

Cardiff girl

Teal dress is fab ,great colour and shape on you.school uniforms are a joy aren’t they ?I still can’t wear things in the colour that my school uniform used to be and I didn’t particularly dislike school.

Sorry, I never did a very good job of managing this thread!!

Cardiff Girl - Yes I am a bit dodgy on rusty orange for this very reason.

Sterling - haha he is kind of adorable and I love metallic shoes - I find them super easy to wear (silver and pewter more so than gold)

Thanks The Cat - I love the colour too, not such an easy one to find at the moment.

Brooklyn - thank you!! I think I may pass the top on - it is a bit shapeless and I never feel terrific in it. With white pants I need to feel confident in my top. And funny about your desert boots.

Thanks Joy - he has had a really great start to high school and is happy to be there.

Angie - thanks!! I do have a longer blush tunic I quite like with the pants - I think it was partly this top which is going in the donate pile - it is not a great shape and I have others that are better.

Shevia - thank you. I like the pants and silver shoes - the small amount of white and brown on them makes them so easy to wear. I know that amount of boys is staggering - the smells:)

My Brother in Law (who lives in the US) told me that single sex schools were archaic - and school uniform. And I can understand that point of view - especially iwhen gender is not always binary. And school uniform (and haircut) rules could be seen as quashing individuality. My perspective is that uniforms remove decisions, reduce costs, look smart and appropriate, and reduce differences (labels for example). There are ways uniforms are adapted for cultural needs here; for example hijabs in school colours are worn, leggings are allowed, and at some schools uniform is unisex.

There you go. Glad you're going to restyle the white jeans.

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