When Narcissism* Improves Pedgagogy

The course I'm teaching is a proper seminar: reading, discussion, and individual projects. And on the discussion end my students are seriously bringing it to the classroom! We have our desks in a circle--something they requested--and when definitive ideas are generated I do tend to write them on the chalkboard in categories. Great! The problem is that there is another class immediately after mine so I never have enough time to take down notes on what we've discussed and defined.

1. Pewter Trench - Ann Taylor Loft
Dress - Moth/Anthro (Ebayed)
Boots - Ann Taylor Loft
Scarf - World Market
Bag - Accessorize (remixed)

And then, as a good Thinker, I had a eureka moment: Because I didn't think I would have time in the morning to take outfit photos I had brought my camera to campus with me--I could, therefore, photograph the chalkboard instead of scribbling down three illegible sentences:
(Yes, we were talking about Taming of the Shrew. No, I am not teaching Shakespeare.) I've decided that I will continue to carry my camera with me on teaching days and, perhaps, you'll get to see a different background than my living/dining room area.
And now, a word about body type and fit: I love this sweater dress (and I might even wear it to a wedding in a barn on Sunday), it looks great against my skin and I can wear a lot of gold eyeshadow with it, but I should have bought in a small instead of a medium. I am very much a medium, except in sweater dresses and tights because of my height. I've thought about getting the dress wet to shrink it a bit, but the last time I did that I killed a beautiful sweater. It shrinks a tiny bit every time I get it dry-cleaned which is motivational to get things dry-cleaned at a more adult rate than I would prefer (which would be 1 time a year). Also, my boots: the shaft is a little shorter than mid-calf, but if you have short legs they will be mid-calf on you. For a full boot, I look for a regular mid-calf on the longer side, because a full boot is out of the question. But the current object of my covetousness are these very SFE-appropriate mid-calf Simone Cuff Fryes:
I need to replace a pair of brown boots and was thinking of going gray/pewter instead. What do you think of the interchangeability of neutrals? Also, I've talked a bit about certain pieces (sweater dresses and boots) and sizing on my body type--what items do you find that you have to size up/down or avoid altogether? And, finally, those who already own Fryes--are they worth the price?

*Post-script on Narcissism*: A good friend of mine who has been present for half of my self-photo shoots says that observing the process of taking all of the photos (posing, deleting, posing, deleting) makes me look like a strange narcissist.