What I Wore on Day 2!

My model, Macy, is perfectly & proportionately donning what I wore on my second day of school.

I wanted to wear a skirt because I know that this warm weather is waning! 

I call this bag my "Mary Poppin's Bag." Not only does it look like one, but it carries all of my books, computer, papers, etc. just like the original. At least it always seems like I'm pulling things out of it. 

I added my new boyfriend blazer. The air conditioning is always blasting in my classroom, but it helps keep it ventilated as 115 teenage girls swirl in and out.

I love, love, love this blazer so much. It is the perfect transition piece for Fall because it keeps me warm enough on the cooler days. It also adds a tailored & professional look to any outfit and makes me look like I am worth listening to!

So far, no horror stories or anything crazy has happened in my class. The 6th grader who threw up was in Science class.

Fashionably Yours,

What I'm Wearing...Back to School

Whew! I survived! 

It was the first day back to school today for me and over 200 shrieking teenage girls.

Doing this as a second year teacher makes it seem like this is a totally different job! Last year, I felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest and my eyes out of my head by the end of the day. This year, however, was much more like putting on your favorite pair of sneakers - a good, comfortable fit.

I knew I had to make a good, professional impression. I chose my outfit and all of the details carefully.

A classic black trouser is a MUST in a professional woman's wardrobe. However, to avoid falling into the same pattern of using the black pant as a "fallback" option takes some careful consideration. Vary your outfit choices throughout the week to include skirts, dresses, and other colored pants.

Outfit details:

Top - Target; Black pant - Macy*s; Necklace - thrifted; Ring - gifted from Mexico

P.S. My students won't leave this bathroom pass behind! AND they'll look fashionable while carrying it down the hall! 

Fashionably Yours,

Look Great and Cook Good Food, Too!

Here's a look at the fashion photo shoot that Chef Gabe Giella and I did! Check out his blog HERE.

Find Gina Josephine Aggie Consultants on Facebook to see ALL the pictures!

On Gabe: Shirt - Hollister, Shorts - Italy

On Gina: Dress - H&M, Belt - ?, Necklace - Thrifted in Houston, TX, Ring: Forever 21, Shoes - Target

Love,

Friend Friday Fall Edition

Hello and welcome to another installment of Friend Friday! This has been such a great way for all of us bloggers to communicate on current issues in the blogosphere. Katy Rose, moderator of ModlyChic, sends us pertinent questions to what's going on in the fashion world each week. We all link up and answer them on Friday! If you are a blogger and are interested in joining, you can check it out here.

Let's talk about Fall! Is it already that time of year? Yes, it is. The clothing stores have already begun to put our their Fall Line - 2 weeks ago...! School has already started for most of us and whether we are students, teachers, moms, or professionals, we need to be ready.

Fall is my FAVORITE time of year! I am very anxious for it to begin...AND just as long as you don't go out in public like this guy, you'll be fine!

1. What new fashion trend are you looking forward to sporting this fall?

I've actually already written a full post on this question right HERE.

However, for me personally, the boyfriend blazer! In fact, I'm wearing it right now at Back to School Night - and I've worn it almost every day since I got it a week and a half ago.

2. Which item in your closet is most likely to be your go-to transition piece?

Umm - see the answer to #1!

3. What item from last year are you looking forward to reinventing this fall? 

My fashion scarves. I own about 15 various scarves and I want to bring them back as head wraps this year. I know that seems like more of a "summery" thing, but I think they will actually work for weekend wear. 

4. What is your favorite part about this time of the year?

Everything! The colors, the smell in the air, the temperature, the chill of the outside and the warmth from the indoors, the smell of a fire, apple cider, the sky as the sun sets, pumpkins, scarecrows, football, the sound of crunching leaves under your feet...I could go on...aaahh just everything!

5. Will you be attending any fashion events this fall?

So far on the list is the Midwest Fashion Bloggers Meet-Up in September. I am very excited about this event. It will give all of us a chance to network.

As for other Fall Fashion events - just the trip to my local shopping mall!

I'm finishing up the full week of teacher inservice. It will be great to have this weekend to get ready for the first full day of school on Monday! What am I going to wear?? I'll need to figure that out this weekend...

Love,

I've Have Gone...

I'm exhausted! And the students haven't even come back yet! Just the teachers.

I am trying to learn how to balance blogging and my full time job - and an early bedtime. 

It was so easier to blog when I had the summer off!

Thursday night is Back to School Night - but hopefully, I'll be able to work on a post in the afternoon. 

I still have to post the last segment of my experience with Chef Gabe Giella. We caught a couple of fashion offenders that are definitely noteworthy.

Please stay tuned!

Love,

Eat Your Heart Out Because Here's What We Ate!

I know you've had a hankering for this post - to see what Chef Gabe and I actually cooked. Well, it was out of this world fantastic and totally gluten and dairy free.

He's been cooking up a blog post of his own all about our adventures, too! So check out his BLOG over at Wordpress for all of the juicy details including recipes and more!

We picked vibrant veggies and a medley of fresh fruit to satiate our palettes. 

Menu

Gazpacho

Apple Cider Vinegar & Mustard Chicken

Mushrooms

Balsamic Potatoes & Green Beans

Banana Custard with Fresh Strawberries

Gabriel, nothing can conceal our large Italian schnazes no matter how hard we try!

We blended tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, parsley & garlic to make our gazpacho.

Ta da!

Drizzled with a bit of olive oil and seasoned with some salt. It was muy delicioso! 

Next step: Prepare the chicken!

Note - don't sacrifice your style in the kitchen. Spruce up your cooking experience with a fabulous apron. It adds a sense of class & fun to your kitchen!

That's right - Chef Gabe is so talented that he can even make a rubber chicken into this:

Now into the oven and voila!

Here's the best part - Dairy Free, Gluten Free Banana Custard made with simple ingredients:

Bananas, Corn Starch, Brown Sugar & Almond Milk

Our fabulous food deserved a fabulous table design. Our food had a lot of color and I wanted to keep our table decor fresh and clean and allow our food to show off. I chose the simply elegant white hydrangea and kept our color scheme to the cool blues and greens. 

Thanks for joining us. Gabe and I had a blast.

After dinner, we went for a walk downtown and caught some SERIOUS fashion offenders. You will not want to miss tomorrow's post.

Love,

Eat Your Heart Out! A Look at Fashion & (Gluten Free & Dairy Free) Food with Chef Gabe Giella

I have been privileged to know Gabe for many years now. In fact, our track record makes it appear as if I have been following him around the country! We always end up either at the same school (Franciscan University of Steubenville), in the same state (New Jersey), or in the same city (Chicago)! Even though he is relocating to Massachusetts, I am confident that we will one day cross paths again.

We have had quite a history and we're convinced we are long lost cousins. Our families are both from the same small town in Italy! We worked together in 2007 as Event Set Designers and our combined creativity launched us into further success.

2006

2007

2007

Gabriel is now a personal chef - and a stellar one at that. He writes his own blog where he collects his entertaining ramblings and musings about life and food. 

We combined forces this past weekend to bring you a deliciously stylized culinary experience!

Get ready. This is big.

Even a trip to the grocery store deserves your best style! Years ago, before the "Jersey Shore" craze, MTV aired a small series called, "True Life: I Have a Jersey Shore Time Share." This was the beginning of the "guidosphere" as we knew it & boy did they have some words of wisdom to share! One guido's advice is rather pertinent to this situation. Picture this being said in your most outlandish Jersey accent: "We didn't find love down here at the Jersey Shore. It's like my ma always said, I guess you gotta find it at the grocery store or Church or sumthin."

Moral of the story: EVEN GUIDOS know you gotta look good grocery shopping!

On Gabe: Shirt - Hollister, Shorts - Italy

On Gina: Dress - H&M, Belt - ?, Necklace - Thrifted in Houston, TX, Bag - H&M, Shoes - Target

I have a severe intolerance to gluten and dairy. Gabe's challenge was to make us a meal that was both G-free and D-free. 

We did all of our shopping at Whole Food's. Because of my severe dietary restrictions, Whole Food's is the best place to accommodate my diet with what I need!

Want to know what's inside those bags? Stop back on Tuesday to see this whole meal get put together. You won't want to miss it!

To find out more about Chef Gabriel Giella, click here. 

Before & After Hair!

School is starting & summer is coming to an end. It is time for an update, of course! I need something to start off the year fresh. My hair has been to hair hell & back, I can guarantee you that. I started dyeing it in middle school and it's been full speed ahead for the past 10 years or so. I am trying to grow my hair out, but desperately needed a trim. Much thanks to Edda at Salon Lamia in Evanston. She has earned the title of my new stylist!

I got a little trim and a lot of color! I love the warm red. Perfect for the upcoming Fall months.

Tell me how you are updating for Fall! Leave me some comment love.

Love,