New school year, new wardrobe – Legends haul!

When you work in schools, the beginning of a new school year is the perfect excuse to give your wardrobe a makeover. That is especially true for me this year, since I am starting in a new district!

We have only had a few days with the kids so far, but I already love my new district and my new schools so much. Of course it is always a challenging job, and I know I am stepping into some difficult situations. But I already can tell there is so much more support and so many more resources than in my previous district, so that will make such a difference. I also know that I have a lot of meetings coming up already, and I’m a little stressed out about learning new paperwork and processes and needing to learn it quick. Having new outfits gives me more confidence and makes me excited to go to work so that I can try out my new clothes and accessories! So yesterday, my friend Amanda and I went shopping at the Legends.

For anyone not familiar with the Kansas City area, the Legends is one of my favorite places to shop. It’s an outdoor outlet mall, meaning that you can get seriously the best discounts, and they have all the big brands. Specifically, we went to Banana Republic, Buckle, and Loft Outlet (plus Wilsons Leather but I had to stop myself from buying anything there since I don’t need it for work. Amanda did get a nice leather jacket for $50 though). I had been to Buckle before just to buy jeans, but other than that we only went to stores that neither of us had ever been to, and we were super impressed. Every single thing that I bought was on sale, and most items had an additional sale on top of that. So I actually ended up saving about as much as I spent, which always helps me to feel a little less guilty about spending so much money! The only issue with buying everything on sale is that I wasn’t always able to find links on their websites. But I will post similar items if I can find some, and the exact items may still be available in-store.

The first store we went to was Banana Republic. I have looked at their website before but had never actually been to the store or bought anything. I didn’t realize how great it would be for work clothes! I bought so many items and honestly could have bought the entire store. I got a couple of basics, like this pink and white striped shirt. I love the sort of ruched/ruffle detail, and I love that it’s only on the side and back of the shirt. It’s so unique and cute. I did size down one size to an XS with this shirt just so it would be a little more fitted. This shirt was originally $36.99 but I got it for $22.19.

Another basic I got was this pink cami. The button detail on the front is so classy and cute! Another fun thing about almost all of the items I bought is that they can be worn at work, but also everyday. A lot of them can also be dressed up or dressed down. This cami was originally $44.99, I got it for $26.99. They also have a ton of great cami options in different styles and colors. I will definitely go there to stock up on camis in the future because I’ve struggled to find good ones for years. I couldn’t find this exact one on the website and a lot of their cutest styles are sold out, but here is a simple black cami that seems similar without the buttons.

One more basic that I got was this white shell tank top. I like the texture/design, so it’s not just a basic white tank. Generally I will wear this with a cardigan, but it could be cute by itself with a fun necklace and maybe some colorful jeans. I actually really liked the pink pants I had on with it, but they were too small and didn’t like them enough to go find a bigger pair. This is normally $49.99 but I got it for $29.99. Again, I think it’s sold out now because I couldn’t find it online. Here is a suede shell top instead.

Typically when I go shopping for work outfits, I always end up buying a bunch of sweaters and cardigans. I am a girl who is always cold, so those items are definitely a necessity! But this time I really wanted to branch out a bit and didn’t allow myself to buy many cardigans or sweaters. But I did buy a couple. This one is still unique for me because I don’t have any long cardigans. It’s super soft and comfy too. I actually love the look with a cami and jean shorts! This cardigan is normally $59.99 but I got it for $29.99. Here is a similar style long cardigan, just seems a little chunkier than this one and a slightly lighter color.

Like I said, I wanted to get some items that were a little outside my comfort zone, or at least not my typical style that I wear to work. So I got a couple of dresses. I can see myself wearing these dresses to weddings, date night, or girls night out. This first one is super different for me. I normally don’t wear the color red, but I thought this was fun and colorful. Plus it’s comfy and the faux wrap style is super flattering. Normally this dress is $54.99 but it was on sale for $27.49. Here is a shift dress that’s a similar color and print.

When I say I went outside of my comfort zone, this dress is what I’m talking about. I have been into leopard print lately (if you couldn’t tell by the phone case!), but this dress is definitely a bit much compared to what I normally wear! I think it is so fashionable though. Also have been hesitant about midi length dresses that have been in style lately, but it has a bit of a slit that makes it really cute. I also like the waist is elastic, so it doesn’t look like I’m wearing a bag. I didn’t take a picture of the back, but it is a crossback style, so that’s a nice detail too. Normally this dress would have been $79.99, but I got it for $39.99. Here is a similar style leopard print dress.

The next store we went to was Buckle. I only got a couple of items there that I didn’t take any pictures of, but one was just a basic green tank top that’s lacy and has a little glitter in it, and I got some earrings. The earrings were the only thing I bought the whole day that were not on sale, but they were only $12 and they are made by a lady in St. Joseph, Missouri! I have been wanting to buy some of these leather earrings for a while and they will go with everything. Nothing too exciting but I only spent $25 total for the two items.

Next, we went to Loft Outlet. On top of everything I bought being on sale, when we were checking out we were able to donate $1 to St. Jude’s to get an additional 10% off our order. The first item I got was another one that is slightly different from what I’ve ever owned. It is a blazer, but really the material is soft and it feels more like a fancy cardigan. I like that I can wear this if I have a big meeting or something that I want to look a little more put-together for. The bottom of it is a slight ruffle, and again I love that look. Normally this would be $69.99 but I got it for $47.24 with the extra 10% discount.

So I did actually buy one sweater! But it’s so cute. I got an XS just because they didn’t have any small and a medium would have been too big on me. It fits great, but the sleeves are a little tight so I will probably always have them rolled up. The material is definitely a little nicer than just your typical sweater though. This would normally be $59.99, I got it for $32.39. Here is a sweater that seems almost the same but it is even more affordable.

The last item I got is another basic tank. Obviously I love pink lately, and I always love a floral print. I like the wide neckline of this shirt too. The back bow detail adds a nice chic touch as well. This is normally $19.99 but I got it for $17.99.

There was one item that I didn’t buy because I wasn’t 100% sold on it. It was a really cute sweater vest thing, I just don’t think I can always wear pink because of my skin tone. Sometimes pinks don’t look great with my pink/red-toned skin but other than that I loved this item. Again, I actually really liked the look with a cami and jean shorts.

And then I had to stop myself because my wallet was crying! But seriously, so many good finds right now at the Legends. And as always, so many good deals. Once again, for some reason did not end up buying any new pants though! I have two pairs of black slacks that I wear to work every day, plus a gray pair and a patterned pair that I wear like twice a year. I always talk myself out of buying pants because they’re not as fun as shirts and cardigans. Oh well, I guess it’s just an excuse to go back and do more shopping! If you end up trying any of these items or got some outfit inspo, be sure to let me know. If you are also starting a new school year, I hope it’s a good one!