Orange Sherbet Blazer

 

While there are a few brands that I always gravitate to, I am open minded when it comes to trying new things. Never would I have thought that Walmart was a good place to buy cute and trendy pieces, but when an ad popped up for this orange and pink check blazer (Google or whoever controls the algorithm apparently knows me well!) I was excited to check it out. When the blazer arrived, I was definitely impressed with the quality and fit for the price. Best of all, I love the pastel orange and pink colors that remind me of a big bowl of orange sherbet from someplace like the now gone Howard Johnson's restaurant. (There's a Mad Men Allusion in there if you are familiar with the show.) I thought the blazer would look good with a smaller check shirt in orange for a "check on check" look!

 

Speaking of trying new things, I have been living in skinny jeans for years now. (I know, I know...they're so over!) I don't think I will ever abandon skinny jeans because I think they can look very polished and classic, but I did want to try a more flared pair of jeans for something different and more on trend. I bought two pair of such jeans from Target, because I wasn't sure I wanted to invest a lot of money in a trend that I might not be crazy about in a couple years. Like the blazer, I was very happy with this particular pair of flare jeans that I got from Target, and think that the light color is the perfect complement to the pastels in the blazer.

 

Blazer: Walmart here

Shirt: J. Crew Factory here

Jeans: Target here

Shoes: c/o Hush Puppies here

Bag: Chanel similar light pink quilted bag

 

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Back to Basics

 

It's hard to believe it, but summer vacation is officially over for me and so it's back to school! It's also back to basics, as I'm looking for basic pieces that can transition my summer wardrobe into a work wardrobe that's appropriate for teaching. The photos of me in this green and pink floral top are actually from spring, but I'm just getting around to posting them now! The shirt, which is under $10, is still available! In fact, it's available in several different color combinations, including a yellow and purple version that I just purchased! Because it's such an affordable top, having it in multiple colors is a no-brainer! I hope to pair it with some more dressy pants and possibly a blazer once the weather here gets cooler.

 

Unlike this top, one thing that is definitely not a basic that I would not wear everyday are these suede bow sandals! Don't get me wrong—I adore them, but they are actually very high and, for whatever reason, are a bit difficult to walk in. At work, flats are my preferred choice of footwear; however, I love being able to wear fun heels on the weekend or after school when I can.

 

Top: SheIn here

Jeans: J. Crew Factory similar high rise jeans here

Shoes: J. Crew similar bow sandals here

Bag: Mansur Gavriel similar pink bag here

Belt: Brooks Brothers similar light pink belt here

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Rainbow Tie Top

 

A lot of the looks I feature on my blog tend to be on the more dressy side with a lot of skirts and dresses. Today I decided to feature a look that is more casual, yet still colorful! This striped tie-front shirt from Old Navy is a good example of the type of thing I like to wear when just running errands or getting a quick lunch out. I love how the top is both colorful, casual and super cute; it's the perfect thing to wear in the summer with jeans! If you love this rainbow stripe fabric, Old Navy also makes it in a dress, skirt and sleeveless top. While there are so many cute options from which to choose, I love the adorable detail of the tie in the front of this top!

 

While I am wearing this top as a dressed down look, I did opt for some purple pumps with kitten heels. I love wearing these types of shoes with skirts and dresses but also jeans when I want to look a little bit more polished. This look would also work with sneakers or sandals, but I guess I still wanted to be just a little "fancy"!

 

Top: Old Navy here

Jeans: Old Navy similar boyfriend jeans here

Shoes: J. Crew similar lavender shoes here

Bag: Zara similar round straw bag here

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It's Hip to Be Square!

 

I'm trying to share with you the last of my sale J. Crew purchases from the last month before moving on to some content that is more appropriate for fall. (Of course, this is also going to be contingent on the weather here!) Last month, I really took full advantage of the fantastic sale J. Crew had on summer items, such as this colorful square neck top. The good news is that most of my sale finds from the previous month are still available on the store's website at great prices! One thing that I like about this particular top is the square shape of the neck that makes the top different from most of the tops I already have in my closet. A few weeks ago, I also wore this brightly colored square neck top, so I am sensing a pattern with all of the squares going on in my wardrobe!

 

 

Usually, I like to find a way to style pieces on my blog in an interesting way but here I just resorted to being a boring "square" and pairing this top with jeans. To be honest, my choice had a practical purpose as well. You see, I wore this outfit to a doctor's appointment and I figured it was best to go for comfort above all else in my styling! To be honest, I sort of threw it together at the last moment but, nevertheless, I think it turned out alright. Also, I think the pops of color in my orange sandals and bright yellow clutch help to make the outfit standout and be anything but boring!

 

 

Top: J. Crew here

Jeans: Old Navy similar jeans here

Clutch: J. Crew Factory

Shoes: Target similar orange sandals here

Sunglasses: Gucci here

 

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Rainbow on Rainbow

Lately, I have been dressing pretty casual due to the heat and also the fact that people are pretty much viewing me from the shoulders up on Zoom! This outfit is a great example of what I like to wear on a regular basis, which as you can see is casual but still colorful and fun. In fact, this is what I wore to go to Costco last week. The rainbow top I am wearing is from J. Crew Factory and it's on major sale right now! It also comes in a skirt and a dress, so you know I had to spring for all three given the amazing prices! The rainbow stripes of the fabric are also the perfect complement to my rainbow Michael Kors bag. In my opinion, you can never have too many rainbows!

On my way to Costco, I spotted this amazing wall of flowers, which I figured would make for a pretty background for my casual outfit. Oftentimes, I don't really have an idea of where I want to take photos, even if I am planning on taking some for a post, but sometimes that works out better than having a plan. While I am normally a planner when it comes to many things in life, it's nice to also let things happen organically.

Top: J. Crew Factory here, dress version here, and skirt version here
Jeans: Old Navy similar boyfriend jeans here
Shoes: Target similar here
Bag: Micheal Kors similar rainbow bag here

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Strolling Through the Funk Zone

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took a trip to Santa Barbara. It's been a while since we visited this beautiful and scenic part of California and it was good to be back! Santa Barbara offers a lot of fun and unique things to do while still being able to "social distance" and stay safe. One thing that we did during our trip was visit the Santa Barbara Zoo, hence this colorful safari print shirt that I am wearing in today's post! It was fun to see all of the animals, although, according to a recent article I read, apparently animals in zoos have been enjoying not having people around! After the zoo, we went to a part of town that was new to us called the "Funk Zone". The "Funk Zone", as its name implies, is a trendy part of the city with lots of wine and beer tastings, restaurants, and street art. Speaking of street art, how perfect is this tiger mural with my safari shirt? Stumbling across this mural was a happy accident, although, unfortunately, the really cool part of the mural was inaccessible due to a van being parked in front of it.

In addition to visiting the zoo and strolling through the "Funk Zone", we also went to a couple of wine tasting rooms. Most of the wine tasting rooms in Santa Barbara are now open and serving guests outside. (Many require reservations, however, so you really need to do your research first.) It was sure nice to sit outside and sip some local wines in the very temperate climate of Santa Barbara! We also went to an unassuming taco restaurant, which actually was one of Julia Child's favorite restaurants to visit when she was in the area. To be perfectly honest, the lines and wait at this place were very long and the food was a little overpriced, but at least I can say that I ate at a place that Julia Child loved!

Shirt: J. Crew here
Jeans: Old Navy similar boyfriend jeans here
Shoes: Kate Spade
Belt: J. Crew similar pink belt
Bag: J. Crew here
Hat: H&M similar hat here

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Cashmere Stripes

Cashmere sweaters are one of my weaknesses and, as you may already know, I am also pretty partial to anything colorful and striped. So when you combine these things together, it's hard for me to resist! This striped cashmere sweater that I just picked up from J. Crew checks all of these boxes, so it's a winner in my book. While I probably have too many sweaters, especially striped ones, this one was just too good to pass up. Plus, I feel that luxurious items like a good, classic cashmere sweater will never go out of style, so I imagine that I will be getting lots of use out of this piece for many years to come!

This cashmere sweater, as is the case with most cashmere, is super soft and comfy! It was the perfect thing to wear on a cooler day like the one we had last weekend. I decided to go for a more casual look by pairing my new sweater with some worn boyfriend jeans. For an added pop of color, I wore my pink satin bow flats and a colorful bag. While these might not be the ideal shoes for a game of hopscotch, they were just perfect for a casual lunch out and some shopping at my favorite local mall!

Sweater: J. Crew here
Jeans: Old Navy similar distressed boyfriend jeans here
Shoes: J. Crew here
Bag: Louis Vuitton similar style/color bag here

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