Every kid dreams of running away with the circus one day. Every little girl loves playing dress up. For Amber, these two things are very much a part of her adult life. Except she also owns a home, and is the mommy to several cats and a dog. As a sign language interpretor and a performer with the Cincinnati Circus Company, she definitely walks the line between youthful fun and responsible adulthood. And she does it like a boss.

In addition to performing with the circus, Amber attends conventions and works other events. Her life dictates that she have lots of fun dresses, so I thought she would be such a fun feature for this week’s My Closet.

First is her little black dress. This particular photo was taken at a casino night she worked for the Cincinnati Circus Company. The company offers casino nights for clients and they are often popular during the winter when people want to have parties indoors. Amber said this is one of several cocktail dresses that she often wears to work a casino night gig. She found this and several others at thrift stores. That way she said she doesn’t care if she gets it a tad dirty as she helps load out the circus equipmemt at the end of the night. I love the neckline on this one and how she pairs it with those sharp black heels! Like the lovely blue flapper ensemble, this one includes a lovely hair piece. I’m digging it for sure!

This here is my favorite character (aside from Olaf) from Frozen. I just love this Anna dress! She wears this on circus gigs and the kids love it. Plus, Anna is the better one anyway. Like Amber, she has personality and a little sass.

This next piece has a fantastic story. In the past, Amber worked for several years at the Old West Festival. She commissioned the skirt part at the Costume Gallery in Newport, Ky. The rest she built herself. She chose the color scheme because it makes her stand out in a large crowd. She has also worn it to the annual Steampunk Symposium held in Cincinnati every May. Steampunk is an artistic and counter-cultural movement about the era of steam and all things in it. This dress for sure is very fitting!

Next we have the dress with the best story. Amber found this elegant gown on sale at Dillards for only $10. This was back in high school when a girl needed dresses for all those dances. Also back then, we wore full-length dresses. High school girls these days seem to only wear shorter dresses to dances. What’s with that?

Anyway, so she found this dress for an amazing price and wore it to several dances including her senior ball on a cruise boat. Now from time to time she performs at spy-themed parties and wears this dress. She feels like it gives off a very “Jessica Rabbit” vibe. She also loves the backless look. I’m just amazed that she still fits into one of her high school dresses!

Speaking of elegance, this one just looks radiant on her. She said that this blue dress is her go-to for a nice evening out. If the night out includes dancing (which it almost always should, right?), it has a nice and flowy feel to it. I personally think that the blue really stands out in this one. Well done!

You may be wondering what Amber’s every day dresses look like. The one she wears most often for more casual things is this white one. The cotton material makes it very comfy to wear. Plus the fact that it’s more simple allows her to dress it up with accessories.

I just cannot get enough of Amber’s dresses. I’ll end by leaving a few more of her favorites here.

First of all, I’m sorry for the pun. That was just … there are no excuses. Anyway I often find myself at Target. That place is a sinkhole, whether it’s shoes, housewares, storage bins and other random things. I’ve actually found some of my favorite dresses at Target. So the other day, I decided to take a look around. First, we’ll start with my favorite.

This is a nice, bohemian dress. It would be perfect with a pair of boots and a scarf. Ladies, do you have a good pair of boots? There are many good options out there and if you search, you can find a good deal. It’s worth it to continue wearing your favorite dresses through the cold weather.

For our Q&A this week, we chatted with Faith. I met Faith four years ago when working at a nonprofit. She was working as a preschool teacher in our daycare center. Four years later she runs two small businesses, and performs stand up comedy. It was so neat to chat with her about these life changes and just her life in general. Her two businesses are CincyClean and Cincy Spray Tan. You can also learn more about her comedy by visting her Facebook fan page.
Faith Mueller
Age: 28
Location: Cincinnati

Describe to me where you are in life right now?

I just finished up the first year of doing stand up comedy and running my own business. So a year ago I was just getting my feet wet and I was kind of in this unknown place. But now I feel like I really know what I’m doing with my company. I’m still learning all the time, but I feel more confident. And then stand up comedy, well people do stand up comedy for years and years before they’re actually noticed or good at it, but I’m feeling more confident in that as well.

What was that like a year ago? How did it feel to be in that place of like “I don’t know what’s going on!”?

It actually felt really exciting and good because up until that point, my life was a little bit more predictable. It felt good to have challenges and to fail a little bit, and just become a stronger person because of it.

So before you were a teacher and then you decided to start your own business. What made you want to do that?

Starting a business was something I had always thought about and my husband always said, “you would be really good at running your own business. You should run your own business.” It was always in the back of my mind, but I never knew exactly what that would look like or what business specifically there would be a need for in the market. I think I wanted to start with not something that’s new but something that could be done in a new way, which is using technology to make a business better.

Why specifically cleaning? That’s obviously something that’s been around forever.

I think I wanted to start with something that’s more service-oriented and product-oriented. I think I’ve always known a lot of people who have cleaned … people in my family, friends of mine, so I knew what that entailed and I knew there were a lot of cleaners looking for work. So I connect very quality cleaning to clients and those who need it.

I know part of it is that you want organic and environmentally-friendly products. Is that still a part of it?

That is really important to us, and that’s important to us because that’s important to people right now. There’s been a big shift lately. It used to be that just a certain group of people were worried about what chemicals they were using in their home and putting into their body, but now everyone is pretty aware. We provide environmentally-friendly cleaning for no extra cost. Some people do like you to use a lot of bleach in their home or those types of products, but we leave that up to the client.

Stand up comedy is the other one. What made you want to do that?

I’ve always loved comedy. I come from a big family and I come from a family who loves to joke, loves to watch comedy and loves to argue over who’s the funniest. So it was just a way I’ve always interacted with people who I’m close to. I became obsessed with watching stand up comedy and then I started writing my own jokes. I just wanted to try it.

So where was your first time performing stand up?

I went to the Thompson House in Newport. They have open mic comedy every Monday. It is not a friendly room but it is a fantastic place to do comedy. You get real feedback.

So what were you feeling in that first experience getting up on stage?

I felt nervous but I knew if I didn’t like it or didn’t feel good about it, I could choose to never do it again. I didn’t bring any friends or family with me. I went by myself. I didn’t want to be patronized. I wanted to see if it was something I could be good at. Something that I would enjoy.

Yeah so what was the reaction?

People’s reactions were really positive and encouraging. I was surprised by that. Jay Armstrong is the comic who runs that open mic and he came up to me when I finished and said “that was really your first time? You did pretty good!” That just made me feel good. It was just a small interaction, but it stuck with me. People did laugh, but I wasn’t amazing. I did mess up my jokes and I did stutter, but I still felt good.

So that gave you enough umph for you to go “I’m going to keep doing this!”?

Yes. It was enough encouragement for me to keep going. If you try something and you’re so good at it, where do you go from there? The point of trying new things is to build skills and experience.

What’s this past year been like? You do comedy all the time now!

Yeah I do it a couple times a week. I’ve been doing bar shows. I’ve gotten to do Funny Bone and Go Bananas. I was a finalist in the Funniest Person in Cincinnati. That was really exciting. I felt really good about that.

That’s very cool! What are you hoping to do with comedy?

I’d really like to see if I’m at the point where I could put clips online and maybe even get some work.

Yeah get people to pay you?

Possibly. That’s hopeful. And that might not happen right away, but it’s definitely a goal of mine.

So you may get this question a lot, but what’s it like being a female in the comedy world?

I think people almost need you to be better. It’s a little bit more pressure. I think it makes you stand out, so people are more likely to listen to what you have to say in the first place when you’re on stage. But you have about 30 seconds before they like you or decide they’re going to write you off. Women are pretty judgemental of each other and men kind of have it in their mind that women aren’t funny. I don’t think it’s my responsibility to prove that all women are funny or women are funny, it’s really just on me to prove that I’m funny.

That’s all so interesting. I have heard it brought up that women are jealous of each other and maybe that’s why women don’t always get the best reception. Why do you think that is?

I honestly think that’s the way we’ve evolved to be. I know it’s sad and I think it’s something you can be aware of and make better, but I think women have evolved to compete with each other. It might be something from the way that were bred (laughs) or protecting your children or getting resources for your children. I don’t know. I think women have evolved to compete with one another and not as much with men. Now women are realizing “oh, we could have been competing with men the entire time!” (laughs)

Yeah so what’s that like? I mean you probably feel like you’re competing with men all the time in comedy.

I don’t feel threatened by men. I just naturally don’t. I’m kind of dominant and a little aggressive. I don’t feel threatened by men, in comedy or in anything else.

That’s good! So what would you describe your comedic style as?

I think I’m still figuring that out a little bit. I think I’m kind of a mid to late 20 something-year-old woman who’s figuring things out and seeing humor in her experiences. I tend to be a little dry and a little dark (laughs).

Do you think people are expecting you to be dry and dark?

No. I don’t think they expect me to be funny in the first place, but they don’t expect me to be dark or dirty. I look pretty wholesome.

Well cool! So you have another business too. You also started Cincy Spray Tan just a few months ago?

That’s a new venture with a good friend just like CincyClean was a venture with a good friend. I’ve been getting spray tans for years. I think that tanning isn’t something that you need to do, but if you’re going for that look, it’s so much safer to get a spray tan than go out in the sun or go to a tanning bed. That’s part of why I’m so passionate about it. It’s like wearing make up all over your body. It gives you a little confidence boost. The concept of mobile spray tan I thought was a good business idea because we’re not opening up a brick and mortar. Were going to people’s homes and giving them spray tans. Its good for them because it’s a lot more comfortable to get a spray tan in your own home and it’s good for us because it gives me a flexible schedule where I don’t have to be in a shop all day or pay someone to be in a shop all day. With CincyClean, a majority of our business comes from online traffic. We want Cincy Spray Tan to be the same. People are on their phones and they’re on their computers constantly, so I think that this is the future of business. There are businesses that haven’t really been done that way yet.

Okay well I guess we can go here next. What was your childhood like?

That’s a fun question!

I know. Let’s just jump on over there!

I had a really good childhood. I come from a big family. I’m the middle child of five children. My mom stayed home and homeschooled with us. I homeschooled until high school. So my childhood was different. People have a lot of stereotypes about homeschooling. I think for my parents, homeschooling was about letting your children have some freedom to be themselves and about the majority of your love and influence coming from your family. My parents had a lot to give us. I’m close to my siblings still. I talk to most of them every day. I’m close to my parents as well. I had a very good childhood. We didn’t have a lot of money but my parents gave me so much. They instilled me with so much principle and values, and so much love.

So you have four siblings?

Yeah I’m one of five and I’m in the middle. I have middle child syndrome and I think that’s where doing stand up comedy really comes from. I’ve always been interested in theatre and music, and I did more of that when I was younger. Now it’s stand up comedy.

Yeah and wasn’t your dad like a pastor too?

Both of my parents are ordained ministers.

What was that like growing up?

It’s not always what people think. People think of evangelical Christians being strict or putting down a lot of rules. We had a lot of rules, but I think that who you are as a person isn’t really defined by your religion or by the church you choose to go to. If your values are to love other people, that’s going to show no matter what you believe.

Yeah because I remember you saying that you grew up in a religious household but you’re not so much now.

I’m not religious. I’m not religious. I wouldn’t consider myself an atheist, probably more agnostic or even pagan (laughs).

But you’re still close to your parents. How do they feel about that?

I think that in our society, there’s this idea that if you don’t agree with someone, you hate them or you don’t like them, and that’s just simply not true. You can completely disagree with someone and love them for who they are and accept them.

So they just accept you for who you are?

They would prefer I be more like them just like someday I’ll prefer for my children to be just like me, but they are still able to listen to me and accept what I think with kindness. They’ll still talk to be about what they believe and what’s important to them and they should be able to do that and I should be able to do that too because we’re adults. Your relationship with your parents and siblings shifts when you get older and it should.

So it’s still a very good relationship?

It is and I’m not against what they believe. I think that biblical principles are things you can apply to your life and your values without being a born-again Christian.

So what was it like going to high school after being homeschooled?

I’ve always been naturally pretty social. I was weird, but I think I would have been weird even if I had gone to elementary school (laughs).

What high school was it?

I went to a baptist school that doesn’t even exist anymore. Central Baptist Academy. The good thing about them sending me there after being homeschooled was that compared to a baptist high school, my parents would seem really relaxed and free-spirited (laughs). I went to a very strict high school.

How was it strict?

Oh my gosh. We had a very strict dress code. We actually had uniforms. Girls had to wear skirts to their knees. We had to pray before every class, we went to chapel every Thursday. It was very strict. I did get in trouble a little bit my first year there. It was an adjustment period.

What sorts of things did you get in trouble for?

I got in trouble for swearing. Got a Saturday school. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. I got in trouble for talking in class, I got in trouble for not asking to do things. I just wasn’t used to it and that’s okay. The good thing about my parents is they didn’t take my side over the teacher’s side or my principals side, even though the school was strict. They said “we’ve chosen to send you here so we have to follow the rules now. Do what you’re supposed to do.” I think that’s a really valuable lesson.

What’s being a woman mean to you?

I think that being a woman means to me is you have to be your own person. At the end of the day, you’re only going to look yourself in the mirror. It’s just going to be you and yourself. Our society tries to tell women what they should be like, and that’s on both sides of the spectrum. What should a woman be like? You have to be yourself and you have to love yourself, and be your own biggest advocate. That’s important.

What are you most passionate about?

I’d say my relationships with other people and making sure they know that I care about them.

Who are your most important relationships right now?

My husband is my most important relationship. We’ve been together since I was a teenager. We have a very special relationship. He’s my biggest supporter. When you really love someone, you just want them to be happy. He just supports me in everything that I do and I try to do the same for him.

How did you know you wanted to spend your life with him?

I’ve never respected anyone my age as much as I respect him. I know that sounds weird and I think he’s said the same thing. We genuinely enjoy being together, not because we’re the same but because we respect each other. There’s nothing boring about him to me. He’s interesting and he’s fun.

What has had the greatest impact on you?

I’d say my parents had the greatest impact. They just loved their children unconditionally and love other people. My mom homeschooled us, always volunteered in the church and worked with people with special needs. She’s just a giver. I think I’ve always admired that and it stuck with me.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

I remember when I was 12 and I was at a pool party. I was changing in my friend’s room and I didn’t lock the door. A boy I liked walked in on me. It was embarrassing but it also just felt so vulnerable. And when you’re 12 and 13, your embarrassing moment never just stops right there. When you’re an adult and something embarrassing happens, people are usually pretty kind and just let it stop. But I mean it was just weeks of people asking him what I looked like naked (laughs).

What do you think our world needs more of?

I think that people need to realize that their life and their feelings are their own responsibility. It’s important to just be responsible for yourself. To be there for those who need it. I generally have this idea that everything that happens to me is my fault. It’s not good, but that’s how I feel.

How do you feel when you put on a dress?

I love wearing dresses. I feel pretty, I feel womanly. But it also just feels right to put on a dress. It feels good.

Anything else you wanna add?

No I appreciate you interviewing me. When you said “do you want to wear dresses and talk about yourself?” I said “well of course I do!”

This week for My Closet, we travel to Charleston, South Carolina and take a peek in the closet of my best friend Kayleigh. Kayleigh is a 26-year-old middle school Spanish teacher who moved down to Charleston several years ago. She is also in a four year graduate program for Speech Pathology. This girl stays busy for sure. However like any classic extrovert, she loves getting together with friends at the beach or for drinks at the bar. Any good extrovert needs a closet of fun dresses. So let’s dive in and take a look!

First, every girl needs a “little black dress.” This is Kayleigh’s. Her grandma used to own a bridal dress shop. That must have been fun growing up! From time to time, Kayleigh would model dresses for her shop. This was taken at her friend’s wedding. She likes to pair it with a good pair of gold shoes. Pictured next to her is her boyfriend Brian. He also took many of these photos (thanks Brian!)

Next we will look at this wonderful orange dress. When noting Kayleigh’s style, I think of how a Southern beach town influences it. For an evening out, Kayleigh often opts for a comfortable pair of sandals over high heels and a sun dress over something you’d wear to the “club.” The great thing about a sundress and sandals are that they work for so many things … a day at the beach, a coffee date, shopping, a BBQ, etc. Also that adorable little dog is named Dunie. He’s a Carolina Dingo that she adopted several years back.

This next dress is the one she says she wears the least. It’s a nice white and green sun dress. One year we went to the derby and she wore it. I suppose it’s hard to wear white all the time as supposedly, according to convention, you only have a few months in the summer to wear the color. Gotta love that back! I love dresses with unique features. I can also see where a backless dress would be harder to find wears and uses for.

Our dresses are more than just pieces of fabric sewn into cute looks. Our dresses have memories attached to them. When we put them on, stories can come rushing back. This is the dress (pictured above … chick in the middle) with the best story. This photo was taken almost four years ago at my Christmas party. She had just broken up with a truly awful guy, and was just having a good time. What girl wouldn’t want to celebrate her newfound freedom? After the party died down, we headed to some bars. At the first spot, we recognized a guy we went to high school with. While Kayleigh had already ordered a beer, she needed an excuse to go to the bar and talk to him. I did my best friend duty of drinking her beer so she could order a new one. They struck up a conversation. We ran into him at the next bar, they danced and have been hanging out ever since. They’ve now been dating for three years.

We love accessories
at A World of Dresses. I asked Kayleigh to share her favorite accessories with me. She said her trick is to buy a few pieces she can get a lot of wears out of. She said that her best style advice is to just be yourself more than anything. In the land of the south, Lily Pulitzer and Vineyard Vines are the big brands. On a teacher’s salary, she has found her ways to afford Lily.

Well that’s a wrap. Do you follow us on Instagram or Facebook? If not, you should. I’ll be posting more photos from Kayleigh’s closet throughout the week. Thanks Kayleigh for letting us peek in your closet!

Today was a very exciting day. I began a new job at a non-profit in Cincinnati. If you follow me on Instagram (and you totally should! It’s my favorite), you knew a tad about my first day of work outfit. I’ve posted several photos here. I was accidentally patriotic with a navy and white polkadotted dress. The neckline is red, so I paired my favorite red heels with the ensemble.

As I drove to work, I reflected on the fact that I have opted against wearing this dress twice in the past several weeks. I had found this on sale too, so you’d think I’d be jumping at every chance I could to wear it. The first time I rejected it, I was getting ready for a Friday night out and felt that this dress was maybe too 1950’s housewife for an evening of dancing. The second time was even more recent: the interview for this job I now have. The polkadots were just too bold. The shoes were too red. When in doubt, I stick to whats safe. The color of the dress I interviewed in was gray.

I then thought back to the Spring when I had a job interview for a position I really, really wanted. It was sort of a dream job, so I wanted every little bit to be perfect. I met a good friend for drinks on a Tuesday a few weeks before the interview.  My nerves were looming and ever present. I was thinking of every interview question imaginable so that I’d be prepared. At some point our conversation switched from questions to my attire. One thing was clear … a bright red blazer was a bad idea.

When we left, she told me to text her pictures of what I wanted to wear. Either later that eveing or the next day, she helped me decide upon a professional outfit with little pops of color. A bright red blazer is exactly as it sounds … bright, red and potentially off-putting for an interview. I then thought back to a second round interview I had a year and a half prior. It was down to myself and one other candidate for a development position. The other candidate got it. I wore the red blazer. While that was not the deciding factor, subtle things can matter more than we think.

So as I thought through this stream of consciousness on my way to work, I came away with several take aways:

1.  When in doubt, softer colors are always better.
2. Your friends can be such a resource. When in doubt, ask your trusted allies.
3. Our clothing says more than we think. Great forethought is always necessary for things that matter.
4. It does not end at the interview. When you do interview, take a look around the office and note the dress code. That’s what I did. I noticed the attire was more professional. The women wore heels, dresses and skirts. It’s always better to be over dressed at first than under dressed.

What office dress tips do you have?

Last Sunday morning, I met up with an old coworker who quite possibly loves dresses as much as I do. I’m not sure if I have ever seen her wear anything else. Jill and I used to work together at Dater Montessori. Currently she is in her second year teaching in a first, second and third grade classroom. We met in Washington Park and talked about everything from meeting her husband in astronomy class to her travels to Israel to her Lebanese heritage. It was so good to catch up.

Name: Jill Anspach
Age: 27
Location: Cincinnati

So you are a Montessori elementary school teacher. Why did you choose your profession?

I really wasn’t planning on being a Montessori teacher. I was going to be an English professor, and then I found out that there really weren’t any jobs in that. So then I was going to be a high school English teacher, but I did my student teaching at an all boys Catholic high school and hated it. I somehow then took a Montessori class and just stuck with it.

What drew you to Montessori specifically?

I took a random class. I had no idea what Montessori was about at all. I just heard that it was something that Xavier did that the other universities didn’t, so I just took a class on Montessori philosopy. I just really liked it and I kept taking classes.

What specifically about Montessori do you like the best?

I like that it makes children want to be more independent. It forces them to think for themselves and move around more, and not just do what an adult tells them to do.

What’s the best part of your job? What do you enjoy most?

I think interacting with the kids. It’s like we get to go on a different adventure every day together and learn new things. Just seeing them learn and learning with them is fun.

What do you find is most important to instill in your students?

I want them to be able to think for themselves, whether it’s in a social situation where they make a choice thats best for them and not just because they’re under peer pressure or in a classroom where they have to learn to work through a difficult problem. I want them to be able to think and not just do what other people tell them to do.

What does being a woman mean to you?

It’s kind of a hard question. I don’t think I necessarily diferentiate women and men in that they have to have certain roles. I think part of being a woman is acknowledging that there are things that men don’t have to go through that we do in society and life, and acknowledging that things will be tougher. You just have to work through it and acknowledge that.

How do you feel when you put on a dress?

So for school, I like dresses that have fun prints or patterns that have to do with what I’m teaching so I feel like Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus. Then I have my party dresses that I just feel pretty in. So it depends on the dress. I have my power dresses where I feel like I could do anything and then I have my I’m just pretty dresses, and then I have my “look, I’m so smart” dresses.

What are you most passionate about?

I’m probably most passionate about teaching and about learning in general, whether it’s teaching kids how to learn or just learning new things myself. I like to travel and just experience new things.

Where have you traveled recently?

We just got back from Israel this summer and we were in Paris over the winter.

How was Israel?

Israel was wonderful. It’s probably my favorite place that I’ve visited.

What sparked your interest in Israel?

Neither of us had been to the Middle East. My family is originally from Lebanon, but Lebanon really is not a safe country to visit right now. So this was a nice option.

So yeah, your family is from Lebanon?! Are you fully Lebanese?

No. My dad’s dad is from Lebanon, and then I’m a mut. So I’m German, Hungarian, Cherokee, Irish and lebanese.

Are you in touch with any of your ethnicities?

When my grandpa was alive, he was very into his Lebanese roots. So there are things, like the food that I eat. I’ll try to make Middle Eastern food like he would because it brings me closer to thinking about my grandfather and my heritage. And then it was really exciting just to be in the Middle East and feel like oh, these people look like me.

Was Israel everything you thought it was? What things surprised you?

It surprised me how cosmopolitan Tel Aviv was because we went to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Jerusalem was very religious and you had to cover up a lot in Jerusalem. Because I’m married, you cover your hair and then just like wearing sweaters when it was 90 degrees outside because youre not supposed to show your arms and things like that. But then in Tel Aviv, it’s like a Mediterranean resort and beachy type place. It was completely different.

So then do you incorporate your travels into your classroom?

I do. We do postcards where I write them post cards from where I’ve been and then we talk about the places like that. And then this year I’m getting a map, like a planosphere map, and we’ll mark off all the places we’ve gotten post cards from and discuss how they’re different and similar.

What impact do you want to make on the world?

The impact that I make in the world I’d like to create through making strong, independent people through the students that I teach. I feel like my impact will be in helping mold them into who they will be when they’re older and creating a group of kids who care about the world around them and the people in it.

Yeah, you get them for three years, which is crazy. Is that something that drew you to Montessori as well, that you got each kid for three years as opposed to one?

I really like it because I know the kids. This year is my second year and coming back, I already knew my second and third graders. I knew what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to best support them. And by the end of a three year cycle, like when they go through first, second and third and they leave me, like I know these kids. They’ve been with me for three years. I feel like its a better bond that helps them learn better because they trust me and I trust them.

What’s your ideal day like?

I try to go on a run every morning with my dogs. So I’d wake up, go on a run, come home, take a shower, have coffee, probably go to yoga and then have brunch somewhere. Probably some place in OTR with my husband. Then maybe in the afternoon do some gardening and reading. Just have a relaxing day because I feel like so many of my days are very go go go where I’m going from one place to another to another, never having time to stop.

How many hours a week would you say you spend on your teaching job, both in the classroom and out of the classroom?

I normally get to school between 7:30-8 and stay until about 5 or 5:30. Then I stop and take an hour to go to yoga. Then when I come home at about 7 or 7:30 I’m doing school work until about 10 when I go to bed, so however long that is (laughs).

Wow. That is crazy. Do you sometimes wish that you could just get it all done by 5 and then you could just come home?

That would be nice but I can’t logistically see how I could do that. Like I just see this as how my job is and I know some teachers can do it, but I haven’t figured it out yet.

Who are the most important relationships in your life?

My husband probably would be the main one. He has helped me through my first year of teaching, which is tough being a first year teacher. He also supports me by helping out with things like making dinner when I get home late or doing laundry or just being there to listen to me when I’ve had a rough day. Then probably also the people I work with at school have always been really helpful to me through listening and helping me plan for things.

How long have you been married?

Four years. It’ll be five years in May.

Congratulations! So how did you meet?

We met at UC where I went to undergrad. We met in an astronomy class.

That’s cool. Were you like paired up for a project together?

We had astronomy lab together and then we had an astronomy class right after it. We were astronomy lab partners.

How did you guys go from being lab partners to something more?

We were just friends and then we weren’t just friends anymore. We were something more than that. I can’t think of a time when we were like “wanna be my boyfriend?”

But did you just always kind of like him?

We had a poli sci class before we took astronomy together, and I didn’t like him because he was very much a know it all. But him being a know it all was kind of helpful in our astronomy class and he wasn’t such a know it all either. I guess he kind of grew on me.

What has been your biggest life lesson?

If you don’t do something right, you can always change it. Just not to give up. I thought I was going to be a professor and that didn’t work out and then a high school teacher didn’t work out, so I finally ended up in Montessori.

What has had the greatest impact on you?

Probably just my family and my husband. They were always there for me. Going through college and figuring out what I wanted to do, I was never worried because I always knew I had a support system.

What was your proudest moment?

Getting through my first year of teaching and sticking with something. Just doing it and feeling proud that I made it through.

Did you have any moments where you were just like I don’t know about this?

I think especially at the beginning of my first year, it felt very overwhelming to be a public school teacher because you have so many extra responsibilities that are put on you that they don’t really talk about when you’re doing your teaching program. But I had a bunch of people at school who were very helpful and I never felt abandoned by any of them.

What do you think is the biggest difference between public Montessori and private Montessori?

Public Montessori has a lot more data and testing involved than private Montessori and not just for the kids but for me too. It’s not necessarily bad it’s just a lot more difficult. Also public Montessori takes all kinds of kids where private Montessori takes just a certain part of the population, so I feel like that is a real strength of public Montessori. We get a very diverse group of kids.

What were your childhood dreams?

I wanted to be a famous writer or a veterinarian.

What in our world needs to change the most?

I think how people treat other people and the mindset that we kind of “other” others. When we see people that are different than us, we sometimes are afraid of them or are angry about them, or don’t see them as other people. I feel like most of the problems with violence in our country come from not excepting other people.

Happy Thursday! Today is the birth of a new weekly series called “my closet.” Each week, I’m going to take a closer look at one woman’s personal style, with a focus on dresses of course. Our clothing says so much about us each day. It tells the story of who we are and what we are about. Even if we think we don’t care much about style, that too comes across in what we wear. Personal style is all about self expression. Personal style fascinates me.

I figured I might as well go first. Thanks to my good friend Cindy Stuntz for these amazing photos and for putting up with my like 10+ costume changes. Here we go … a closer look at the dresses in my closet.
Supposedly every woman should have a little black dress in her closet for formal occasions. I am a fan of this suggestion. I like it so much that sort of on accident, I have four. I just keep seeing ones I like! So I’ve included my favorite of the four in this post. This one here I bought at a cute little store called Apricot Lane. I was throwing a bachelorette party for a friend and the theme was “little black dress.” I just love the waistline and the detailing around the neckline. Cindy suggested I should act like Madonna here. I thought “why not?”

Moving on we come to one of my most worn dresses. This has a sweater material to it, so I wear it the most during cold weather with yoga pants and a pair of boots. I found it at Francesca’s. I think Francesca’s is one of my favorite places to buy dresses. I’m pictured here doing the “sorority girl” pose. Honestly, I never take photoshoots seriously. Every time I try to do a serious, model face I end up looking constipated. So there’s that. This one is no exception. Also, this is my mom’s classic “mad face

The other day, I decided to wander into Old Navy. I had about 20-30 minutes until my lunch date and felt Rookwood Commons calling my name. Now a quick stop in a few shops has ended with several new dresses, but I was good and bought nothing.

I’m always pleasantly surprised at Old Navy. I never expect the clothing to be super remarkable but still essential. I have found some great dresses, sweaters and pants there. Yet I cannot say any of my favorite dresses come from Old Navy. Basically, it always warrants a browse, even if I walk away empty handed.

After a quick browse, I start to sense a grunge chic theme this fall. There’s definitely a vintage feel to the dress patterns. To the right is one example. Most dresses are a spaghetti strap. They have these light denim button downs next to the dresses. The mannequin is wearing one over her dress, so it be in style, right? After all, the mannequin is always right. Pair that with a cute pair of short boots and some tights, and you have a trendy fall look. I’m a fan. I don’t think cold weather should ever dictate your decision to wear a dress. Thank you Old Navy for agreeing.

I am just in love with all the patterns. Patterns seem to be a big thing at Old Navy this fall in terms of dresses. One of my absolute favorites was a pattern of little blue birds (pictured left). I know you’re not supposed to wear white after Labor Day, but I might have to break that so-called rule for this little number. I just love the pattern!

I’m goin to leave you with one other fun Old Navy dress. If you’re looking for a grungier dress look this fall, look no further than Old Navy (pssssst check out that jean jacket!).

Dressember 2015 from Dressember on Vimeo.

The thing I’m most excited to do is use this blog as a platform to talk about larger issues and then do something about them! Dressember is the perfect way to do both. I participated in Dressember last December, and plan to do the same again this year. What is Dressember? Well, it occurs in the month of December and you commit to wearing a dress every day of the entire month to raise awareness and money to fight human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a global issue happening everywhere, including the United States. It is any situation where a person is forced to work in slavery. This happens in the form of sex slavery with girls as young as 11 and 12 years old. This also happens in situations of forced labor. International Justice Mission is a non-profit working all over the world to end human trafficking. They first rescue people out of trafficking situations. Then they provide the victims with after care support and therapy to help them transition back into society. Finally, their legal team goes after the perpetrators to hopefully serve them with justice. They hire all their case workers, therapists, attorneys, etc. in the countries they work in. Those people are most likely better prepared to navigate these situations than someone from outside their culture.

It’s definitely not a small problem or one that is easy. But I believe in the work of IJM and am glad they are there for people. All the fundraising efforts of Dressember go to IJM . Each particpant has their own fundraising page with a goal they choose. For example, starting out my goal was $300. However I reached that two weeks into December, so I decided to up my fundraising goal to $500. I was wearing the dresses anyway, so why not? By the end of the month I exceeded that and raised a total of $510. This was all from reaching out to family and friends, and sharing the campaign on social media. I say this to encourage everyone that they too can do this! You can participate as an individual or as a group. This year I’m hoping to take it up a notch and have a team with a few other ladies.

Registration for Dressember 2015 begins October 1st. I hope you will consider partipating. Visit www.dressember.org to learn more. Feel free to e-mail me at aworldofdresses@gmail.com if you have any questions.