It's officially autumn now in Australia, but I'm calling this post 'swing dresses for summer' as I wore these dresses in the summer heat just a few weeks ago to work from home. The mustard dress and the navy dress both look great with my blue Balenciaga day bag too.
I'm a fan of splurging on accessories and saving on clothes - as you can see from both of these bargain dresses, which are less than 2% of the cost of the bag as they are both under $30!
With the statement bell sleeves, this dress isn't a practical choice for being around the boys all day, with all the spills you have to clean up and food you have to prepare! It did feel a little over-dressed to work from home, but hubby and I had an appointment in the evening so I took advantage of the babysitting offered by the grandparents had the chance to dress up a little.
This was one of those days where it started out so promisingly. I won't go into it, but I was so upset after the appointment and it just added more stress to an already stressful week. I was glad when the day was over, even though the week didn't improve after that.
At least I felt good in this outfit - the mustard yellow of this dress is such a lovely shade and the blue Balenciaga day bag looks great against it. This was also the first photo I took with my new tripod! I upgraded the tripod I was using for blog photos to something a little lighter and more portable than the one I'd borrowed from my Dad.
Another easy swing dress for another work from home day! Also had to take baby boy to a specialist appointment in the afternoon. Luckily I had my mum helping to entertain the eldest while we were in the appointment. As I'd been carrying my Balenciaga day bag a lot, I kept it on this day too. I like the two blues together, the navy blue of the dress looks so nice with the tempete (blue/grey) colour of the bag.
As rain was forecast, I went with the closed in shoes just in case. It didn't rain and turned out to be another hot and humid day. Did majorly storm that evening though. Luckily, this long sleeve dress is quite light. It's viscose, so despite the long sleeves and length, it was wonderfully cool to wear.
Swing dresses are perfect for a hot day. The loose, relaxed shape helps counteract the hot sticky feeling you get when the humidity is high, and the swing hem can catch the breeze quite nicely and help keep you cool. Linking up with Lizzie In Lace, Fabulous Friday, Style Wise.
Continuing the 30 wears challenge is one of my goals for this year, but at the same time I want to make sure I'm wearing as much of my wardrobe as possible. It's a balancing act between rewearing pieces that are close to the 30 wears number, and not neglecting the other pieces in my wardrobe that aren't. I'd noticed I hadn't worn any of my camis at all this summer, so it was time to pull them out again! Camis look great work to the office with some textured pencil skirts and a blazer.
Id' planned this outfit in advance the weekend before. Usually I plan my outfits the evening before, to help me get ready faster in the mornings. I was feeling a bit stressed on Sunday night though before a big Monday so decided to play in my wardrobe a bit to relax, and pulled this together. I've worn orange and blue together before, but this is the first time I've paired this blue lace pencil skirt with peach. I really liked this combination of colours.
Wasn't entirely sure that the cami untucked looked as good as I thought though - I preferred it without the blazer. The spaghetti straps on the cami mean a coverup was required at work, but I didn't check the blazer addition before I left the house. I think tucking in the cami would have looked better. Otherwise, I really liked this outfit. Perfect for a hot day as I took the jacket off whenever I was outside and had it to keep me warm in the aircon at my desk.
Another day in the office, another opportunity to wear a cami and textured pencil skirt. After not being too sure about the untucked top above, I tucked the cami into the skirt this time, and I preferred this look.
I continue to be impressed by how well this mesh layer skirt is holding up, coming up to having it 6 years now. It has only been worn 13 times in that period though. It's not the first time I've paired it with this white ruffle cami, I love the combination so it makes sense I'd repeat it. This time, instead of the grey cardigan I wore it with the black blazer.
Kept the blue Balenciaga bag with this, I like blue and pink together and I thought that the necklace tied it in nicely. There was a style challenge on Instagram too and I thought the colour of the day was blue, but I was a day early and it was supposed to be green. I enjoyed the blue accessories anyway.
A cami is one of those pieces that you can wear for work or weekend! If your office dress code means spaghetti straps aren't an option, you can go for one with thicker straps, or cover up with a blazer. Adding a blazer to anything is my favourite way to make it ready for a business casual office.
When we arrived home from Sydney, it was cold and wet, not the kind of days I feel most motivated for outfit wise. There was also the added 'frump factor'. Maybe because we stayed in the centre of the city, maybe because we frequently walked past restaurants and people celebrating, but everyone in Sydney just looked so put-together and glamorous. I came away from the trip feeling a bit frumpy and very mumsy after having a toddler strapped to me in the carrieralmost every day.
I slipped back into a simple outfit formula for work that I've relied on many times in the past - colourful pants and ankle boots. Minimal thinking required, perfect when feeling uninspired. If you follow me on instagram you'll know I stuck with my pants rut for a few days until the weather warmed up and I pulled out one of my favourite dresses to change things up a bit!
I've contemplated letting these jeans go a few times, as when it comes to colourful jeans I'll usually go for my red or purple pair and these are a bit neglected. But they manage to be jeans that don't look like traditional denim and so work nicely for the office in the middle of the week. Not that blue jeans aren't worn during the week in my office, just that I try to keep them to casual Friday. A habit I had back when I worked 5 days a week.
I did wonder if cuffing these and adding the ankle boots made them look more like the jeans that they are, but it was cold and wet and since I don't have rainboots, ankle boots were the best way to go. I was grateful for these as I walked around in the rain. The brown Balenciaga day bag matches the Chelsea ankle boots quite nicely too I thought.
The star print shirt is a thrifted favourite - it has a nice relaxed fit so it's really comfortable (and I've worn it casually before) but the buttons make it formal enough for work. I find printed shirts great work to weekend pieces!
As you can see, in my rushed and frazzled state this morning I even forgot my usual final swipe of lippie before walking out the door. I spent a bit of time deliberating what necklace to wear, before deciding just to go with a scarf instead as it was easier. This colourful one stood out so I threw it on and quickly took photos before heading to work. Ended up keeping it on in the office to combat the office air conditioning which managed to be even colder than outside!
Picked the burgundy pants for a bit of colour to try and give my mood a boost, and the black henley shirt and ankle boots go with everything.
Just like the outfit above, I've worn these burgundy pants casually too. They are my favourite for work outfits though. I've unsuccessfully tried a few times to get these in other colours, but I've rarely found non-denim pants at Jeanswest since I bought these years ago.
In a rush or an outfit rut and feeling the cold? Colourful pants and a black shirt is a quick and easy office outfit to keep you warm on a rainy day. Add ankle boots, a trench and even a scarf if it's really chilly.
In October we took the boys on their first flight down to Sydney for a few days. I'm sharing what we did and things to see in Sydney if you're travelling with toddlers. If you want to skip that, I've included my regular outfits too.
Toddler T is 3, and Baby Boy is 19 months. Both are good walkers. We took a travel stroller and I had my Ergobaby carrier. The stroller was great for carrying the baby bag, layers to wear and food and snacks for the boys but we didn't think Sydney was very stroller friendly. Sydney had daylight savings time but it was only an hour different from Brisbane so we stuck to Brisbane time as normal.
I was looking forward to this day the most! I didn't have a lot of space as we packed light, mostly taking extra clothes for the boys. I still prioritised so while I wore the same Converse every day, I had room for a change of bag and instead of my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere I swapped out to this magenta Balenciaga day bag for our morning at the aquarium and spending the afternoon with my bestie. She has a magenta Balenciaga bag too so I had to wear this for the occasion!
Did wish I'd packed another jacket, as it was an overcast and colder day and this purple cardigan was the warmest piece I'd packed.
We landed in Sydney in the afternoon, and it was off to where we were staying for nap time. I will not be sharing the name of the place we stayed as it was the worst place I have ever stayed and if there had been other options available I would have demanded a refund and moved out.
After failed nap time for Toddler T, I took him with me on my bloggy date with Rachel from a Nesting Nomad. It was great to catch up with her again, after meeting her in Brisbane a while back. I followed Google Maps but failed to realise the route resulted in walking up a very long hill to get to the meeting point. Only slightly late. Sorry again Rachel!
We walked through Hyde Park to let Toddler T run around a bit, then met up with Hubby and Baby Boy once he'd woken up. We went for a walk around Paddy's markets and through Chinatown before going to Darling Harbour.
Tip: Darling Harbour playground is perfect for toddlers.
The boys had the chance to run around and play to expend some energy after sitting still on the flight. Lots of lovely restaurants nearby for dinner options too, although we went back to where we were staying and ordered takeout!
Day Two
A cold and dull day, it was supposed to rain so we headed to the aquarium as we suspected we might. We hadn't bought our tickets in advance, not wanting to tie ourselves down to anything much with two toddlers.
Tip: Buy your aquarium ticket in advance. The line to purchase was extremely slow.
The aquarium was worth the wait though, the boys loved it. Despite it being perfect indoors weather and a weekend, there was plenty of space for the boys to run around from exhibit to exhibit as it wasn't too crowded. There were roving staff members in a few rooms presenting and talking about things to see, as well as lots of helpful educational information near each tank. Made it easy to explain to the boys what they were seeing, even though they were a little young to read for themselves.
Tip: Take toddlers to the bathroom before you enter. The bathrooms are at the end of the aquarium which is not what you want to discover halfway round.
After the aquarium, we attempted to head over the Pyrmont bridge to get to the shopping centre for lunch. I have fond memories of walking along the bridge on holiday as a kid, back when the monorail was still there! So difficult to do with a stroller though. We'd walked past the lift a few times before we found it, and then getting the lift down into the shopping centre on the other side of the harbour involved getting out on the top floor, walking through the shopping centre, getting another lift down then walking back to go to where we wanted to eat for lunch. On our way back we just walked around the harbour in the cold rather than attempt the silly lift system again.
As the boys napped, my bestie arrived and I snuck out leaving hubby and the boys to rest as we went to the Lindt Cafe for some chocolate and a catch up. It might have just been the company, but it was easily one of my favourite meals in Sydney, as we shared the 'dome of decadence' between 3 of us.
Tip: Lindt Cafe might be a little too chocolate filled to be a good option with a toddler, but they do takeaway!
After an amazing afternoon catching up, it was dinner time and we just headed to the nearest McDonalds for a fuss-free meal, perfect for toddlers!
Day Three
The day Toddler T was looking forward to most - a trip to the zoo and a ride on a Sydney Ferry!
After a slight detour into the Rocks, we eventually made our way to Circular Quay and had the chance to take photos with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Tip: The Rocks is NOT stroller friendly, don't even try it. Or you'll end up stuck looking down on the harbour realising the only way down is a very long flight of stairs with a stroller. Thanks again Google Maps!
I expected some excitement from the toddlers about the landmarks we'd been pointing out in books for weeks, but it was of course all about the boats! There was a big cruise liner docked while we were there which was exciting to see.
After buying our tickets we hopped on the ferry to go to Taronga Zoo. It's a short trip, just enough time for the toddlers to enjoy being on a boat and you to point out and take photos of all the landmarks before you arrive at the zoo.
Tip: You don't need to travel round all of Circular Quay to get landmark photos with toddlers - just hop on the Manly ferry and take photos from the boat!
When we arrived at the zoo, as we had bought our tickets in advance we were able to take the gondola up over the animals to the very top, with amazing views of the harbour. Of course it was the animals you fly over that the boys enjoyed more than the view! Tip: buy your zoo ticket in advance, even if just at the ferry terminal. It gives you the ability to take a gondola up to the top of the hill and work your way down.
Starting at the top of the zoo made getting around with the stroller very easy, no need to push up any hills. While we didn't see all the animals (we skipped the aquatic section after the aquarium the day before, and the line for the tiger experience was too long for a toddler's attention span) the boys had a great time running around and getting up close with the animals we did see.
We had lunch at 'The Fish Stop' which does have non-seafood options, and was less busy than the central 'Food Market' although it does have less choices. It was so easy to get food and then sit in one of the many picnic areas right next to it, with incredible views of the Sydney city and the harbour.
Tip: Grab a bite to eat at 'The Fish Stop' or bring a picnic and sit back on the lawns for an amazing view out over the harbour!
While the monkeys were the favourite animal of the day (and it was incredible watching one of them mesmerised by my teething necklace!) there were so many to choose from. There was a lovely playground in the farm animal section. Although it was geared towards older kids the boys really enjoyed playing there for a break from animal-watching.
The walk back to the ferry was a really nice downhill stretch, and while you do have to go through a gift shop as you exit the big shark tank and presentation that was on around the sharks meant the boys were nicely distracted as we left, souvenir free. If only that had been the case at the aquarium, ha!
Once we got back to Sydney, we headed to Helm Bar for dinner. I'd looked up a few places online for food and Helm bar was highly recommended, but seemed like a noisy party bar every time we passed it before. Having no luck finding anywhere else open on a Sunday night in our price range, we went there as it was listed as wheelchair accessible. While there's no easy way to get a stroller up the stairs to the bar, there is a lovely beer garden you can sit in and order food and drinks. It was perfect for families.
Food was so well priced, especially for Sydney, and the boys loved their kids meal. I'm still sad we tried it on the last night so I couldn't go back for another schnitzel burger - definitely will be next time I'm in Sydney!
Day Four
This was our travel day, we didn't do much other than pack up, prepare another lunchbox full of snacks for the plane trip home, and make our way to the airport.
Top Tips for Travelling With Toddlers
Have transport options
The toddlers can walk, and we had the stroller and Ergo Baby carrier for babywearing so there were options when the boys didn't want to walk any more.
Be flexible
We had a general list of the sights we wanted to see but didn't buy any tickets in advance so that our days could change if necessary, and we weren't feeling rushed as we didn't try to do too much each day. One activity or outing is fine, and just wing it for the rest of the day.
Pack snacks
This works for the plane flight too, but when you're in a new place you might not know how far away the next kid-friendly place to eat is, so having snacks with you for the toddlers and yourself comes in helpful.
Take lots of photos
The only regret I had in Sydney was that I didn't take a lot of photos (a few hundred over the 4 days instead of my usual couple of hundred I take a day when something exciting is going on!).
Would we do it again?
Not until the boys are bigger and the stroller isn't needed - it was a real pain trying to fit the stroller in places - even though we packed a small umbrella travel stroller instead of our usual big one. Sydney definitely felt a lot more cramped and less stroller friendly than Brisbane.
Unlike the outfit above, I actually found it too warm to wear the cardigan on this day and wished I hadn't brought it! We took the boys to see the Harbour Bridge and Opera House at last (our third day in Sydney...) and hopped on the Manly Ferry over to Taronga Zoo.
The benefit of wearing the Ergo Baby carrier in the back carry position (you can just see Baby Boy's little foot peeking out in the pic!) is that it's easy to wear a cross body bag, and my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere was perfect for keeping my camera close by for walking around the zoo.
Like everyone, my wardrobe has fluctuated over the years. In the past 10 or so years I've gone from being a uni student to working full time, changing careers, having two beautiful babies, over 2 years of maternity leave and now a part time working mum of two toddlers.
While it's been fun unboxing my office clothes after maternity leave, it's eye opening to see that I'm wearing the last of the office dresses now, over 3 months since I started back at work.
It's an interesting place to be at wardrobe-wise. Having more office wear than I need but not really wanting to let any of it go. It's not that I don't use office wear, just that I have much more than a part time worker needs. Not entirely sure if I should downsize more or just enjoy having lots of choice for workwear! Despite not being worn often, I love both of these sheath dresses.
This dress is it, the final as yet unworn office dress, 3 months after returning to work. It's a beautiful dress and always gets compliments, perfect for the office and light enough for summer but not so light that it can't work for spring layered with a jersey blazer. The only reason it was the last office dress I had left to wear is that I prefer to wear it without tights. Now that spring has arrived it's the ideal weather for it.
I wasn't sure if the bright yellow necklace would be too much with the orange print on the dress, but I really liked the bold combination. With all of the colour going on in my outfit, I picked a neutral cream blazer and a brown Balenciaga bag with camel flats, they look so nice together and were perfect to pair with the print and colour.
Another printed sheath dress, sticking with the same cream jersey blazer I wore above and the same Balenciaga day bag. As the blue necklace matched the blue print of the dress, I added a little more interest to my outfit with the gold mouse flats. I love these shoes so much, they are so cute but so wearable to the office too, a nice way to add a little personality to a corporate outfit.
I've already worn this dress once since my return to work from maternity leave, but it was good to wear it again as it will always be one of my favourites! When I had my wardrobe detox session this was one of those 'hmmm' pieces in my wardrobe that the personal stylist stopped for a moment to consider - so of course I explained that I really wanted it to stay, and it moved into the 'keep' pile! It's actually one of the dresses I bought when starting out with my current company about 8 and a half years ago, it's definitely got staying power in my wardrobe! I've worn it 15 times since I started blogging, and many more times before then, one of those pieces I think I've already hit 30 wears on although sadly don't have a photo of every wear.
It's worked for two pregnancies too - it's quite roomy, although with the zip up the back I've never worn it past the second trimester!
Printed sheath dresses are quick and easy office outfits. With a printed statement dress you don't have to try to had with accessories as the dress makes a bold enough statement on its own. If you're unsure what to wear them with, stick with neutral accessories like tan bags and shoes that go with everything. A blazer helps add to the professional look and keeps you warm in the office aircon.
I've already had a blast spending my saved gift cards there, stocked up on shorts!
Couldn't resist this embroidered pair, a printed pair and this distressed pair to replace my other black ones. All 40% off means I still have 2 gift cards left to spend!
