Monday, June 30, 2014

Remix Rewear Restyle: Flashback

Now that I've officially joined the blogging world, I'm really looking forward to the writing aspect of it.  After all, I am a middle school English teacher.  And notice, I teach middle school, (I also took a break from the world of secondary education and taught third grade for twelve years) so PLEASE do not critique my grammar.  I am being open and honest with my writing here and I don't want to have to get all nit-picky about the mechanics.  That being said, I love to tell stories.  Just ask my students.  There are just so many things we can learn through stories.  Even the storyteller can discover some new things, too.

My friend, Caitlin, who blogs over at Greater Than Rubies, hosts a weekly link-up called Remix Rewear Restyle.  It encourages women to be creative and remix their closets with a different challenge each week.  I used to participate in RRR via Instagram when Caitlin first started it that way, but now she does a link up and I so I haven't been participating until now with this blog. 

This week's challenge is "Flashback."  The challenge is to "take inspiration from an old picture of yourself and show your new spin on a similar piece."  I really had to dig through my old photos to find something I could use for today's challenge.  When I was young, we didn't have all this fancy schmancy digitally enhanced technology like we have today.  Here's my inspiration photo:


Ah yes...flashback to those wonderful days of middle school.  (My students would get a kick out of this picture.)  Here's my story:  I was born and raised in Hawaii on the island of Maui and in the 7th grade I was in the band. I played the clarinet, and we went on a band trip that year to the island of Kauai. I believe this photo was taken at the Fern Grotto.  T-shirts and athletic shorts were apparently in style back then, as were white tennis shoes. Oh how I loved my white Keds tennis shoes! With or without laces. With or without socks. White, black, colored socks that matched your shirt and scrunchie - you name it, we did it all. 

During my recent comfy momma style quest, I was in search of comfy shoes that were still chic enough to be worn with different pieces and for different occasions.  Athletic shoes while albeit very comfy, are not so much stylish when paired with dresses and jeans.  However, Converse shoes are another story. 


I don't know why it took me so long to realize that the perfect comfy momma style althletic shoe is the classic white tennis shoe!  I paired mine here with khaki shorts and a gingham shirt for a little stroll to the park with my family. 


It dawned on me that this outfit would be a festive, yet subtle 4th of July look.  Instead of sporting head to toe red, white, and blue, you have some blue and white in the gingham and a red stripe on the white Converse.  These happen to be  the Converse One Star from Target, so mine really are American as they have the stars on them, too! 


Do you have a favorite style flashback story to share?  I'd love to hear it.

6 comments:

  1. Great look Iris! I loved Keds back in the day. :) Now I have a pair of white Sperry Topsiders (bought on sale, of course) and some black Converse. Love them both! I like you subtle nod to the 4th. :)

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    1. Thanks Selah! I was considering a pair of Sperrys for awhile but haven't found any I really like yet. Like you, I already have black Converse...I can't believe I didn't think to get a white pair earlier!

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  2. I like your spin on this inspiration pic with the white sneakers and shorts. Cute! The modern version is very cute and classy!

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  3. Love this outfit, Iris! Makes me want more gingham!

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    1. Thank you, Autumn! This shirt has been fun to remix. And I've seen a bunch of inspiration all over Pinterest!

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