Do you chambray?

In the past two years or so, it seems like every blogger and fashion girl in the world has proclaimed her love for chambray shirts (think denim, but softer), pairing them with dark or distressed jeans for a “fashion” Canadian tuxedo, tucking them into sequined skirts or pants for a sparkly daytime look, or wearing them over leggings with a plaid puffer vest. They seem so versatile that I thought I HAD to have one.

But almost every time I tried to wear my dark chambray shirt, it seemed wrong. I don’t think it’s right for the office, I don’t really wear sequined skirts in the daytime, and I definitely don’t look fashion-forward when wearing head-to-toe blue denim. Then, this year, I found THIS shirt.

I love the heart, the shirt is super comfortable, and it’s long enough that I actually CAN wear it with leggings or tight/stretchy jeans without feeling awkward. The color is also light enough that I think I’ll be able to wear it under sweaters or with dark jeans — like I would a blue oxford shirt — without feeling like a throwback to 1992, or looking like I’m copying the Britney and Justin couples ensemble from 2001.

You may have noticed (based on the landscape and my extreme squintiness) that these photos were taken in Arizona — my mom and I went to Scottsdale for the weekend for a girls-only shopping trip. I brought my new bag (purchased at the Barney’s outlet), which I’m obsessed with, but I learned pretty quickly that if you’re wearing a cross-body strap with a button-down shirt, you should probably also be wearing a really cute bra. (I was, actually, but it’s still kind of embarassing)

Shirt: Madewell (on sale!), Jeans: Pilcro (old, but these and these are similar), Shoes: Coach (on sale), Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs (purchased at the Barney’s outlet), Earrings: Bauble Bar (sold out, but try these, these or these), Watch: Kate Spade (no longer available), Bracelets: Madewell, Tommy Bahama and Stella and Dot, Lipstick: Lancome “Wannabe“