my sweet old etcetera: fashion rut i haz it

My absolute favorite season is Fall, not just because my birthday is in October, but because I love how the weather finally becomes more bearable, the hot and humid long days suddenly giving way to crisp and cool early evenings. And of course, I love Fall for the fashion -- the coats, the boots, the scarves. I love layering, and Fall is the perfect season to show off some pretty layers.

As a teacher, I feel like I've sort of fallen into a fashion rut. I have even taken to wearing the requisite polo shirts with my school insignia, just like the kids. As flattering as it is to be confused by the security guards for being one of the students, I think this year I want to kick my wardrobe up a notch. I might even wear something that shows my legs (gasp!), something I've never, ever done as a high school teacher. (I'm like a much less fashionable version of Katharine Hepburn, always in pants, never in dresses or skirts.)

I wanted to clean out my closet this week of items I no longer wear (and maybe some of those polos), but I pulled a back muscle and can only stare at my messy closet in frustration. To distract myself while I wait for my back to heal, I've been browsing some online stores and getting ideas of what I'd like to add to my wardrobe this Fall. Here are some of my inspirations: