This weekend I stopped by T.J.Maxx to scout of the new spring trends. When my friends at T.J.Maxx found out, they sent me a little giftcard to help with the hunt. What I loved most was the mix of spring brights and soft neutrals, which you can wear separately or mix and match.

In the handbag department there was an entire aisle dedicated to pink, from blush to flamingo. Over in women's clothing, I noticed a ton of spring break essentials like boho coverups and swimsuits. I'm not heading to any beachy resort anytime soon, so I moseyed on down to the misses section (okay, juniors) where I felt more in my element with essential distressed denim, updated basics and mom-iform must-haves like denim jackets.

In footwear, my heart skipped a beat when I spotted some tan patent loafers under $40, and some dusty pink sneakers under $20! Also loving the block heel trend which you can wear with shorts or dresses, and the nude sandal trend for that leg-lengthening effect.

And let's not forget accessories: T.J.Maxx has some super on-trend tassel earrings (seeing these all over Instagram), the latest sunglasses (which are either retro or futuristic) and even athleisure finds like sporty baseball caps in crushed velvet. I'm still building my spring wardrobe checklist so this was just a recon mission...as I hone in on what I really need and want I'll be heading back.

Check out all my photos below (I try not to photograph anything over $40 with the exception of some handbags, I think the scalloped pink one was $79.99) What's catching your eye for spring? Anything specific you want me to hunt down? Let me know in the comments!

Yesterday I did an informal poll on my Instagram Stories asking fans to choose my next shopping destination and got a ton of requests for LOFT! I feel like it's been ages since my last trip to LOFT so I was excited to go see what was new. For spring, LOFT is definitely all about bold shoulders, bright yellow, and pretty floral prints.

Standout pieces include this meadow dress (ruffles and stripes, what more could you want), this striped bell sleeve top (go bold or go home), and a yellow lily print blouse (which I couldn't find online but you can see a photo of it if you scroll down. There's also this scarf in the same print.)

I know a lot people feel they can't pull off the color yellow but I'm obsessed. Research shows that wearing yellow makes you feel happier, and you can't argue with science! Not convinced? Just check out this lace top and this lace skirt (both now 40% off), or these shorts. So good.

I will admit I'm not an expert LOFT shopper, so I'd love to know your tips and tricks for getting good deals. I loved this utility jacket ($108) and this vine ruffle shirtdress ($89.50 - looks nursing-friendly, regular-bra-friendly, and perfect for Easter/spring celebrations) but I'd have to wait for a sale before I buy.

Overall spring is looking really bright at LOFT. Let me know what you're loving/buying in the comments.

H&M recently remodeled their store at my nearest mall and it is a thing of beauty. For spring, they're showcasing lots of bomber jackets, high-rise and cropped denim (like this pair), and chunky block heels (like this pair). The palette was mostly muted tones - blush, olive and gray stood out to me.

I expected to see more yellow, one of the season's top colors, but only found the sunny hue on a few handbags and scarves...which come to think of it is the perfect way to add a pop of color to your wardrobe.

H&M always has you covered with the latest basics, like denim jackets, leather jackets, sporty hoodies, blazers, lightweight cargo jackets (love this one), and day-to-night blouses. My favorite pieces were the leopard print ones, like this sweater and this coat.

If these in-store pics inspire you to do a little shopping, you can save up 30% off and get free shipping right now at hm.com.

In yesterday's post I shared the perfect parka I picked up this past weekend at JCPenney, and today I'm sharing photos of the new spring styles I spotted in store! While I've read recent reports that JCPenney is closing up to 140 stores, I'm happy to report that their spring fashion game is seriously strong and worth checking out.

My favorite pick has to be this peplum hem top ($19.99 ) which looks so good in any of the five available prints - stripes or florals, you can't go wrong! I'd style the top with white jeans and cognac accessories (like this).

This bomber jacket also looks lovely and grown-up (some bombers are too trendy for me I guess!) and a steal at just $39.99.

These Gucci-inspired rose embroidered jeans are also on-point for spring, and just $29.99. The detailing looks really good in real life as you'll see in my photo below. There's also a flirty off-the-shoulder rose embroidered chambray dress for just $34.99.

Finally, this lace blouse by Worthington (shown above) looks absolutely gorgeous in real life - it's definitely a showstopper for your Instagram feed, but also totally wearable in real life. Both the blush pink and white are great options for spring and at just $24.99, you might be tempted to get both!

So, those are just a few of the things I'm loving at JCPenney this spring - check out my photos below to see everything I thought was noteworthy!

Yesterday I went to Forever 21 to return this oversized denim jacket I had purchased online. It looked so cool on the model, but on me it looked like something my school bus driver might have worn in the '80s. Trends, amiright.

While we're on the subject of returns, you may not have known that Forever 21 recently updated their return policy! The new return policy offers customers a full refund to their original form of payment within 30 days from the date of purchase. If I'm not mistaken, previously you had 21 days and would receive store credit.

So back to the story at hand: I was able to return my online purchase and I picked out a new denim jacket (here) that's still oversized - which is the look right now - but a bit shorter and better for my frame. I also scooped up a leopard coat for $12.99 plus an extra 30% off. Thank you Daily Style Finds for making me suddenly crave more leopard!

Ok, so here's what to look for this spring: As I touched on briefly in this post, sweet & sporty looks are huge - think pastel hoodies, sweatpants, crop tops, bodysuits, and denim.

Bomber jackets are still huge as are fit and flare skirts but now they're being styled with a modern rockabilly vibe (thank you 3.1 Phillip Lim for that).

I also saw lots of peasant tops and floral prints for that boho life, as well as camo print jackets (I own and love this one) and patchwork denim for that squad life.

If you make a trip to Forever 21, I recommend checking out the accessories and lightweight jackets for spring, as well as these must-have mules...yellow is my favorite! They come in 5 great colors and for just $24.90, these need to be in your closet.

Check out more pics below and let me know what you're loving in the comments!