A quick spring outfit idea

Hi! So sorry to have disappeared for so long. When I set up this new website over winter break, I felt sure that I would have no problem keeping it up while working on grad school and teaching, but I forgot about the importance of things like sleeping and folding laundry, and sleeping. :) But I'm back...at least for this one post. We'll see if I can get on here a bit more often now that the grad school semester is winding down and the end of the year is coming. Either way, I am so excited about spring arriving. I patiently waited until after Easter to break out my sandals and bright colors, but once April 2nd came, no cold weather could keep me from busting out the sandals...so my feet might have been a bit cold this week, but my heart was happy. 

This week was spirit week, so most of my outfits were themed, but I decided on Friday that I just wanted to wear something spring-y.

I found this cute shirt on J Crew Factory's website when they were having one of those sales that are tricky for non-math types. It was one of those with 50% off plus 10% plus I had a $10 off coupon...so many steps to get a cheap shirt.

​But I think it was worth it. I paired it with this cardigan and jeans because it's still a bit chilly here, but I'm thinking I can also wear this shirt with jean shorts or khaki shorts over the summer. I might even tuck it into jean skirt and throw on some wedges. We'll see. Either way, the material is light and breeze and the colors are so cheery.  Here are a few more images of the outfit.

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Along with this cute shirt, I'm wearing a pair of jeans that I love, one of my favorite cardigans and some comfy sandals. So, it was a happy day at school for me. The jeans are these Lucky Brand jeans. If you read this blog often, you've probably read more than one entry noting that I didn't really have any jeans that I was particularly fond of. I asked my stylish and clever sister where she got her jeans, and she mentioned Lucky. I thought back to when I was in junior high and got my jeans from The Buckle and all I wanted in the world was a pair of Lucky jeans with the wallet imprint on the back pocket--anyone else remember this trend?!? But when I looked on the website, I realized that a)their jeans that are on sale are affordable and b)I really liked the washes of their jeans. I will say that I'm not sure they make their jeans with body types like mine in mind, so even the mid rise isn't quite as high as I would like it to be. But overall, I find them comfy, cute and useful. I still like these from The Gap best, but since I can't wear the same pair of jeans every day, these are a nice option for when my favorites are in the laundry pile.

The cardigan is one of those things I bought on a whim last year, and then when it came in the mail, I danced around the room hugging it because it was so perfect...okay...not really, but I do love it. It's really lightweight and perfect for spring/summer when the AC is blowing full-force, but you don't want to wear a coat in May. Banana Republic still has them for sale, just not in navy.

​If you're looking for a basic sweater that can be a grab-while-you-run-out-the-door staple, this is it. I don't know about other teachers, but I always have a navy cardigan, a black cardigan, and a beige cardigan in my closet so that I can have an extra layer for any outfit. Here are a few other basic cardigans that might work if you (unlike me) need to add some to your wardrobe:
​1st: A super-soft Banana Republic option
2nd: A basic (in a good way) Banana option
​3rd: As always, a reliable J. Crew Factory option

The shoes are a pair of Birkenstocks I got from Zappos. I will be honest and say that the ankle crossover design did leave a bit of a blister, but I'm not sure if this is the usual thing that happens when you wear a new pair of shoes or a design problem. I'll let you know. Even with this small problem, I still like these. And I think they'll work well with skirts, jeans, dresses and shorts all summer long. We'll see! Here's a closer look. 

Okay--I'm off to tackle my to-do list. Here's hoping I find my way on here more often!