Marc By Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby Pretty Nylon Diaper Bag : Review and Contents

First up, Shopbop are having a handbag sale! Get 20% off classic bags with code 'INTHEBAG'.

Shop the classic bags on sale at Shopbop.

The sale ends on 20th August so you have to be quick! A handbag sale is a perfect way to start a post about a handbag.


I've been using my Marc by Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby bag every day for over 14 months now, so felt it was due a review post. I thought I'd do what I used to do in the early days of my blog and share some more videos from my youtube channel.

When we started shopping for baby things, we checked out baby bags in every baby store, but hubby and I weren't too impressed with the options. They looked too small, too girly or both. We had always joked that I'd get a designer baby bag, so after a few weeks of unsuccessful baby bag hunting in person, I went to Shopbop! They have a great selection of baby bags.

Shop more baby bags at Shopbop

I read every review and did further research on ones that looked promising. A big part of that research was looking for youtube handbag videos, which is often my first stop before buying any bag. I like to know it can hold everything I need before I buy.


Of course I settled on the Marc by Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby bag, which is available in grey or black at Shopbop. I let hubby pick the colour, and then as soon as I had a coupon code, I bought it.

As I like to know what fits inside a handbag, I did a 'what's inside my bag for a newborn' video after using it for a few months to help others considering the purchase.

Now that baby T is a toddler, what I carry around every day has changed. I also bought some cute travel pouches that I use to organise the bag a little bit more, so everything has place and it is easier to find. I recently did an updated video showing what is inside the baby bag right now.

If you are looking to organise your own baby bag, or even your regular handbag, Shopbop also has some very cute pouches you can use. If you prefer decorating the outside of your bag, they have that covered as well!


Overall, I love the Marc By Marc Jacobs Eliza-A-Baby bag I bought last year. I'd highly recommend it. After constant use, you'd expect a few irritations to develop. In saying that, the only problem I have with this bag is that it holds so much, it's easy to over stuff it and make it too heavy to carry when you're holding a toddler too. Of course it's a positive as well as it means I can throw my things in there on days I don't want to carry my own bag!

Pros and Cons of the Eliz-A-Baby bag:

Positives:

• It's HUGE and holds a lot (I chose the 'pretty' version of the bag over the 'preppy' version because it had the softer sides and looked easier to keep adding things to)
• There are different ways to wear it (handles and a cross-body strap) so it's easy to wear while holding a toddler
• It's easy to clean
• The handles haven't stretched out with use
• The bag is so light, being made of nylon
• The material has held up really well with no scuffs or scratches

Negatives:

• It's easy to just keep adding things to the bag and make it too heavy to carry effortlessly.
• If you don't buy it on sale, it can be a lot more expensive than other bags on the market.

This post was created in partnership with Shopbop. Occasionally, Away From The Blue blog may receive vendor or brand sponsorships for mentioning their products or services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

June Dress Week: Corporate Style - Polka Dots and Floral Print - Monthly Purchases

Sharing my June purchases and the final two outfits for the June Dress Week Style challenge, two work outfits. I enjoyed playing along with Kiki during this challenge, but I do think it was extremely challenging for me wearing so many dresses in winter. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone though, which is a nice benefit from a style challenge.

June Purchases:

• thrifted blue Mossman knit jumper (already worn here)
• Zalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt 
• Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (worn below)
• Jeanswest Sadie silk printed shift dress
• Target Dannii Minogue Petites printed faux wrap dress (not in video as it was in the wash sorry!)
• RMK Chester black ankle boots (already worn here)
• Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
• Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
• Rebecca Minkoff mini quilted affair bag in fire engine red

With all of these purchases this month it's easy to see why I've decided to do a #noBuyJuly15 challenge! I definitely don't need to be adding any more to my wardrobe. I still have completely unworn items from my May purchases, as well as things I bought and have only worn once! I didn't hit my goals of wearing things twice in a month after buying them...because of this I returned all of the tops from my Jeanswest order. I think I need a bit of space to wear and use what I own instead of buying more in July and compounding the problem.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Dress: Atmos&Here Polly navy polka dot shirt dress
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt (same in navy or in black)
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'shirt dresses or wrap dresses' so I wanted to wear my newest shirt dress purchase. Wearing a dress as a top isn't a new thing for me (I've done it here and here before) but I actually really hated it this time! I don't know if it was the lack of a belt or just the mix of the materials with the dress, tights and skirt. It didn't stay in place and I kept tugging at it all day. The jersey pencil skirt wasn't very forgiving when the dress bunched up underneath it either.

I like the idea behind this outfit and all the pieces, but not how it all worked together. If I was to try this again I'd wear a different skirt, add a belt and pull the dress down. I think part of the problem was that I tried to let the dress drape a little over the top of the skirt to disguise that I didn't add a belt. See how Kiki had a better outfit for the challenge here.


Last worn: metallic jacket, roses skull scarf, polka dot shirt dress, grey marle pencil skirt, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: metallic blazer with a sequin tank, skull scarf with spring dresses, polka dot shirt dress with Converse, grey marle pencil skirt with Converse in spring, ankle strap heels and bare legs, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with printed pieces for work.

---

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs print scarf in croc-print
Cardigan: Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (new purchase)
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress
Tank: Jeanswest Jenni basic singlet in Royal Lilac purple
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

This was what I wore for the 'Floral Friday' challenge. I did think of wearing this wrap dress for the previous day's challenge, but as it was one of the few floral print dresses I own I wanted to save it for this day instead. I've worn it a few times in the blog, during pregnancy and post-baby too. I've never worn it layered up quite so much, even pre blog I kept it as mainly a warm-weather dress. Was good to try something different and wear it in winter. See how Kiki wore the floral Friday theme on her blog.

I really liked this outfit to wear, but I think the photo shows how rushed I was that morning - everything was kind of thrown on and I didn't even have time to try straighten anything out before I took the photo. Taking daily outfit photos will never be more than something I quickly do before I go out each day, I'm not trying to and never will be perfectly posed and styled. I figured a rushed photo was better than nothing, as I was doing the style challenge I felt I had to get a picture. Still pretty pleased I managed get ready and take photos and get to work on time though, I was really running late that morning.

Leaving My Wardrobe: Asos Aggie Black Ankle Boots

This is the last wearing of these ankle boots too. The heel just limits the amount of time I can wear them, and I've already bought a pair of flat ones to replace these as shown in the video. They were comfortable and did well in my wardrobe, I just need things that are a little more suited to life with baby. From the first wear to now, I've worn them 36 times. Not bad for a sale buy 3 years ago!

Last worn: trench coat, croc print scarf, purple tank, floral wrap dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the cardigan as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: black trench coat with a different printed wrap dress, printed scarf with striped maxi skirt in third trimester, purple tank with a pencil skirt in summer, floral wrap dress in summer with a baby bump, ankle boots in spring with a floral dress.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Styled Up, Budgeting Bloggers, Bless Your Heart, Mix It Mondays, Manic Monday, Daily Express, On Trend Tuesday, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Reasons To Dress, Wardrobe Wednesday, The Wednesday Pants, What I Wore today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Bright Tops and Different Denim - Skinny Jeans and Flares and May Purchases

A wrap-up of my May purchases and the second outfits with a couple of my April purchases, so some purchase reviews as well. I enjoy doing these. Wearing things twice in a month makes me think seriously about ways I can wear them before I buy, and reviewing how successful or unsuccessful I was at buying something I want to reach for in my wardrobe again and again is really giving me things to think about when I'm shopping.
I hope you're enjoying following along with my progress too! I recently did an interview with JORD watches where I talked about my goals and my shopping habits a little more. As well as gushing about baby T....

First up, May's purchases!

I planned to just get the handbag, but there were a few other things I couldn't resist! The 'fill a bag for $2' sale at the local op-shop (thrift store) means I have lots of new wardrobe additions!

• Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy
• Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry
• Thrifted H&M purple floral shirt
• Thrifted valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee
• Thrifted black Jeanswest maxi dress
• Thrifted JayJays teal paisley print maxi dress

And now, what I've been wearing.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers

Earrings: silver bird charm earrings (competition prize)
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace layered with Dogeared 3 Wishes stardust bead necklace and Nibbly Bits Abacus necklace in pop
Shirt: Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry (new purchase)
Jeans: Jeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
Shoes: Asos 'five star' leather sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle and silver tree charm bracelet (competition prize)
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

I'm so pleased to have this shirt at last! It's a new purchase and I have been looking forward to wearing it. A few months ago I tried it on in-store, and although it was 25% off, I decided to leave it and wait for a 40% off sale. Of course when the next 40% off sale rolled around, the top was sold out in my size online and in the couple of Jeanswest stores I checked. I was extremely pleased to see the last one in my size on the sale rack in the Brisbane city store when I went in to return something from an online order and decided to have a browse. I knew I had to have it! We were out for most of the day - lunch with my family and then dinner with DH's family, and this shirt was perfect. I just added a cardigan when we went out for dinner in the evening.
The rest of my outfit was coordinated with my sister for the 'dynamic duo' style challenge from the Fox in Flats style dare, with the black pants and Balenciaga bag.

Second time I've worn the black skinny jeans, so my purchase review:

I really like these! Just as much as the blue pair I have. I got these in the Jeanswest 40% off sale, and another pair of the regular skinnies. I wanted to replace my old black skinny jeans as I wasn't thrilled with the fit, so I donated them. I've been trying to be more critical and get rid of those jeans I have that just aren't right for me to reduce the size of my denim collection. Since that left me with no black denim in my wardrobe, I ordered two pairs to make my mind up between them.
I did think that it wouldn't make sense to have both a black and a blue pair of the prima denim jeans, both with the same zip detail...but these are the perfect length for me and the other black jeans I ordered I would have had to have taken up for my petite frame. So I decided to keep these instead of the plain ones, and I'm glad I did. I really like the prima denim range!


Last worn: Ray-ban Wayfarers, skinny jeans, leather sandals, Balenciaga part time bag. First time I've worn the top as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: skinny jeans with pinstripe button down, leather sandals with denim shorts, Balenciaga part time with neutral outfits (and a baby bump!).

---

What I wore:

Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel

Top: French Connection black paisley printed empire top (with thrifted Cotton On yellow tank underneath)
Jeans: Jeanswest 'spoylt' flared jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine

Why I wore it:

This was a nice casual outfit for working from home and doing the day care drop off/pick up. I rediscovered this top when pregnant. Although I don't wear it much now, I used to wear it a lot. It never really looks great in pictures but I like wearing it so it is staying in my wardrobe.

The style challenge for the day was '70's situation' so like last time the 70's was a theme, I wore my flared jeans. Unlike the last time I wore these jeans, I enjoyed wearing them. Although the hem was really long worn with Converse and I did worry I'd trip up when holding baby T! I've taken the flares to the tailor now, I wear flats unless I'm in the office and so it doesn't make sense to keep these long enough to wear with heels, they will never get worn unless I shorten them.

It's the second time I've worn this top, so my purchase review:
I admit I was struggling to find a way to wear this tank twice within a month of buying it. It wouldn't have been so difficult if I had bought it earlier in the year when it was warmer. I bought it just as the weather started to cool, so layering it under tops is pretty much the only way I'll be able to wear it for the next few months of autumn and winter.
In saying that though, I'm glad I bought it, the yellow colour is so cheerful! I just hope it doesn't meet the same fate as all my other bright tanks that don't really get worn often. Perhaps buying something I already have a lot of wasn't a good idea, even if it is a really nice colour. I need to think a little harder about what I buy and be sure I really will wear it, not just think I'll wear it.


Last worn: paisley print empire waist top, yellow tank, flared jeans, Converse Chucks, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: printed empire waist top with skinny jeans, flared jeans with heels, mini MAC with a maxi dress.

Linking up with Fab Favourites, Casual Friday, Passion for Fashion, Budgeting Bloggers, Shoe and Tell today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Corporate Style: Rebecca Minkoff Medium MAB Tote in Moon Navy For The Office

The first wearing of my latest handbag purchase, the medium Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote!

If you follow me on youtube, you would have already see my reveal video, complete with interruptions from baby T. He can be really adorable, but also slightly distracting when I'm trying to film! He much prefers being in front of the camera than playing quietly with all his toys behind it ;)

What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow sunburst necklace in silver and grey

Knit: thrifted Valleygirl blue knit jumper
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Lumen' heel in patent leather
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

It's been over a year and a half since I last wore this pencil skirt! I wore it with a navy bag then too. While it does have an elastic waist, it wasn't quite as forgiving as I needed during pregnancy, so it has been a while between wears. I still see pencil skirts as office items and haven't had much luck trying to wear them casually. I'm happy for this to stay a work-only piece, and to keep it in my wardrobe.

The Fox in Flats style dare challenge for the day was 'blue baby' so I took the chance to wear everything blue and came up with this monochrome outfit. I kinda wished I had a pair of blue shoes to go with it...but that might have been a bit too much blue anyway!

It's the second time I've worn this thrifted blue jumper, and I'm reviewing everything I buy after wearing it twice (reasons why here). My purchase review:

I like this knit! I need to try and expand my collection of jumpers (which is predominantly grey!) to include some other colours, and so I knew this top would be perfect when I spotted it in the local op-shop. It's a blue marle so it even has little bits of grey running through it. It's a good lightweight piece too, not too heavy which is perfect for Queensland autumn and winter. One of those pieces I can wear casually or to the office. Really pleased I bought this, it's a keeper!


Last worn: blue jumper, navy jacquard pencil skirt, nude heels. First time I've worn the bag as it's a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: blue knit in a casual maxi skirt outfit, blue pencil skirt with purple tee for the office, nude heels with skinny jeans, similar navy tote with the same pencil skirt.

---

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
Scarf: Seed Heritage Paisley print snood (on sale!)
Top: Jeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt
Skirt: Cotton On 'Mica' mesh spot skirt in dusty pink
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was foxy flats, so just like I did last time this was a style challenge, I wore my gold Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse flats. They are definitely the cutest pair of shoes I own!

I've slowly been trying to wear my way through all of my pencil skirts now I'm back in the office again after my maternity leave. This one is pretty and I definitely don't want it to leave my wardrobe, but I do tend to wear it with black a lot. I had a different top in mind that I wanted to wear this skirt with (a floral cami), but it was such a cold day and I had wanted to go bare-legged, I decided a long sleeve top was the most practical.

Also the first wearing of my trench coat for the year - hasn't been worn since last winter. With the scarf as well it kept me really cosy, even if it was a little tricky to see what I was wearing under the coat and scarf! In the past I've tried to take pictures without all the layers for winter, but it does take a bit more time to take photos that way so I stopped doing it. Hopefully you can still manage to see what I wear under my coats as I start to layer up for the cooler weather!

As it's the second wear of my new Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote also, another purchase review:
I tend to prefer unstructured, softer bags over structured bags, but I can't deny that structured totes (like my bayswater or neverfull) are perfect for the office. After selling a lot on ebay, I decided to treat myself to a new handbag for work. I sold three bags so that justified buying another one ;) I had been looking at a few and then I got the email that there was a 70% off Rebecca Minkoff sale....so I knew I had to try the MAB tote!
It's much bigger than I expected it to be - looks quite large on me, because it doesn't slouch down. It's perfect for work though. Although not a style I'd usually go for, and something pretty limited in that I'd only want to wear it to work, I'm glad I bought it. I'll need to do a full review of it on my youtube channel once I've worn it some more.


Last worn: trench coat, Paisley print snood, black top (in the third trimester), polka dot pencil skirt, metallic mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: trench coat and skinny jeans, Paisley print scarf with a striped dress, black top with a lace pencil skirt, print mixing with polka dot pencil skirt, mouse flats with printed skinny jeans, navy tote with a red dress for the office.

Linking up with WIW, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Style Me Weekly, Get Your Pretty On, Thursday Fashion Files, Happiness at Midlife, Look What I Got, What I Wore to Work, Sincerely Jenna Marie, Fun Fashion Friday, Feature Friday today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

March Update and What I Learnt From a Wardrobe Detox

Thought I'd break with the standard outfit posts template to share my March wardrobe update. I made some purchases this month, and I got rid of a lot of things from my wardrobe. I even listed some on ebay! Also had my first session with a personal stylist, so I wanted to share what that was like with you all.

What I bought in March:

Emerson red skinny jeans (already worn here)
Jeanswest Bindi skinny 7/8 jeans in indigo luxe

Jeanswest 'Sierra' embellished black maxi dress (already worn here)
Jeanswest Elise longline emroidered shirt coconut blue
Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 Sleeve dusky pink blazer
Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Not bad considering the last time I bought clothes for myself was in December! You can tell I had a few Jeanswest gift cards to spend ;)

March was the month I returned to the office after maternity leave. As I did so, I got all of my old office clothes out of the 'for after baby' box they had been hiding in and - honestly - started to get quite frustrated that I didn't really have any space for those things in my wardrobe. The slow and steady wardrobe clear-out process got a bit more focused and ruthless over the month. There are so many considerations and emotions around going back to work, and tackling my wardrobe at such a time was probably not the best idea in hindsight. I was just getting more frustrated trying to turn my wardrobe into something that would work for my new lifestyle. So I called in the professionals! One of my instagram friends (@sophisticatedmumma) recommended a personal stylist who lived near me (@istyl). I've been thinking about having someone help me with my wardrobe for a while, and facing a big lifestyle change with returning to work after maternity leave seemed like an ideal time to get an expert!

If you are thinking about getting a personal stylist to come help you with your wardrobe, do it! If you're wondering, I always disclose my sponsored posts. This is not one of them. This is all my own words and I paid for the services with my own money. I didn't even mention that I was going to blog about it. The wardrobe detox was not as stressful as I expected, and was actually really fun. It helped that baby T and Cooper were on their best behaviour and that Maudie was happy working around baby and his needs through the day. She was a superstar.

What I learnt from my wardrobe detox:

• Babies never nap as long as you expect them too!
• You will be trying on lots of clothes so you want to dress appropriately (maybe matching undies) or set up a little hidden spot to change if you're feeling modest. Dancing around the room half naked asking for a little help struggling to pull off a pair of stubborn skinny jeans / needing to fix a zipper caught halfway up a dress might happen more than once.

• There are certain colours you can wear that can make you look incredible, and some that wash you out.

• If your wardrobe is full of colours that don't make you look your best, there are a few tricks you can employ to get around this. It isn't about buying a whole new wardrobe, but learning how to make what you have work for you.

• You'll never really comprehend how much stuff is in your wardrobe until you start going through it all.
• It is extremely frustrating realising just how many 'perfect for nursing' tops you had hidden in your wardrobe, after you've stopped breastfeeding.

• You will come up with the craziest justifications to explain oddities in your wardrobe. (Like why each and every one of your 14 grey tees is a complete essential and different from all the rest.) Thanks for humouring me Maudie!

• A wardrobe detox is very emotional. Saying goodbye to old pieces, and re-discovering old favourites. You might feel compelled to tell stories of when, where, and why you bought things. It's a trip down memory lane.

• Even you will be surprised with how stubborn you can be on keeping some pieces....and how happy you will be to toss others.

• If there are things you just have to have despite the expert opinion saying it doesn't work for you, you can get ideas of different ways to style the items to make them work a little better.

• Even an overflowing wardrobe can have 'gaps' in it.  It is really helpful to know what things you should look for next time you are shopping, and what you should avoid buying more of. (Like jeans!)

• Sorting things into piles of 'keep', 'tailor' and 'toss' is so much easier with an impartial third party helping.

• It's never about you. You look amazing. Your clothes might not be working to show off your best self. And that can be easily fixed.

• Hearing sincere and flattering compliments is always a good boost, especially after having a baby.
• Some things you might be considering getting rid of can stay and become stand out pieces in your wardrobe very quickly when you know how to wear them.
• Finding out why things make you look and feel good will help guide your shopping for the better.
• A few hours, a bin bag full of cast-offs and a little bit of wardrobe reorganisation can make such a positive difference.

If you're in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast I'd recommend Maudie as an awesome personal stylist. If a wardrobe detox isn't in your budget, try inviting a friend over and getting an honest opinion on some of the things you own. It's so helpful getting another view. I know some bloggers have check lists or flowcharts or things to help you do your own wardrobe detox too. Please feel free to link up any great advice you have or have come across in the comments.

As a result of my little spring-cleaning before my wardrobe session and a very productive couple of hours during it...there are a bunch of things that have left my wardrobe this month. I've included pictures of just some of them below, as they didn't all have a 'last wear' outside. You can find a few things on ebay. I'll be listing more as I find the time, and the rest will be donated to the Animal Welfare League shelter to end up in their op-shops.

Chinese New Year Outfits - Sass and Bide Denim with Red and Gold

Don't forget to enter my JORD wood watch giveaway!

As I'm behind on blogging outfits, here are two red and gold outfits I wore for Chinese New Year in February. I'm wearing denim in both, as we had some cooler rainy days as Cyclone Marcia hit the coast of Queensland. Wore one on New Year's day, and one for our delayed celebration on the weekend.


Here's what I wore on Chinese New Year:

Tank: Atmos&Here 'Florida' tank in Aztec print
Jeans: Sass and Bide "Straight up" jeans
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga Coquelicot Velo


We didn't do anything special on the day of Chinese New Year as they were predicting the rains from Cyclone Marcia would be starting to hit Brisbane. I made sure I went out in the morning with baby T to stock up on plenty of essentials just in case our power or water got knocked out with the predicted flooding. I spent the afternoon at home with my mother in law when the rain started. Grateful that tradition says you can't do any sweeping on the first day of the new year - saved me a chore!

I didn't have anything new to wear to welcome in the new year, so I just went with red and gold instead. I haven't done much shopping for myself at all lately! I did have a new kimono, but decided to keep that for our celebration dinner on Saturday.

No outfit for Friday, as they had predicted the weather would be really bad that day. Hubby was told to work from home, and baby T and I stayed at home and had lots of snuggle time! A PJ day was welcomed, it was nice to rest for a bit. Good to enjoy the luxury of listening to the rain while staying cosy and dry inside too.


Last worn: Aztec print tank, Sass and Bide jeans, Havaianas, Balenciaga red velo.

---

Here's what I wore to celebrate Chinese New Year with my family:

Jacket: Choies red vintage pattern kimono
Top: Zalora basics ruffle hem tank in black (massively reduced in cobalt blue)
Jeans: Sass and Bide 'Three Words' metallic gold jeans
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Balenciaga Coquelicot Velo


On Saturday, ex-cyclone Marcia was still hanging around and bringing a lot of rain, but it was lighter in the evening so we went ahead with our planned Chinese New Year banquet. While some of the roads around us were flooded, it wasn't too hard to get to the in-laws. As it was cooler, I took the chance to layer up a little and wear my new kimono as my 'something new' for the new year. I ordered this from Choies before I wore the shirt that fell apart.

As only the kimono was new I wasn't quite sure what else I should wear with it, then I remembered something my friend Leigh had suggested a while back....so the outfit I'm wearing was a result of consulting Cooper for style advice! I put the silly video up on youtube if you want a bit of a giggle :)

Sheds a little light on the process I use for getting dressed when I sit in front of my wardrobe and think 'I have nothing to wear!'.


Last worn: black tank, metallic gold skinny jeans, ASOS ankle boots, Balenciaga velo (above). First time I've worn the kimono.

Linking up with Styled Up, Style To Inspire, Mix It Monday, More Pieces of Me, Daily Express, Real Mum Style, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, What I Wore today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : Youtube

Sass and Bide Jeans, Alexander McQueen Skull Scarves, Long Sleeve Tees

Happened to wear statement jeans twice in a row! Printed and metallic skinny jeans outfits below, as well as a summary of my August purchases. I liked analysing my July purchases, it influenced my shopping in August.


Here's what I wore to go shopping with DH and baby T:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Top: Atmos&Here grey Arizona zip tee (New purchase, on sale!)
Jeans: Sass and Bide 'The Archetype' feather print zippora skinnies
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats


Wore this to go out shopping with hubby and baby T. We wanted to pick up a few little toys for baby. He's getting bigger now and wanting to play more, so we stopped in at Target and picked up a little gym for him. It's so cute watching him batting away at the toys dangling down!

Wanted to wear this new long sleeve tee, one of my August purchases. The zipper detail at the hem is really nice, and it made me think of the zipper detail on the jeans, so it seemed right to pair them together. I tried to pose for the photo to get a shot of the zip at the bottom of the jeans, but I failed there! With all the gold zips, the cute metallic gold mouse flats seemed the best shoe choice to continue on the gold theme. And of course, a nice colourful scarf against the grey. Really casual, comfortable outfit.


Last worn: roses skull scarf, Sass and Bide zippora jeans, metallic mouse flats. First time I've worn the tee as it's a new purchase.

---

Here's what I wore to go out with DH:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Tee: Jeanswest 'Melanie' Stripe henley in black/coconut (on sale!)
Jeans: Sass and Bide 'Three Words' metallic gold jeans
Shoes: Acne pistol boots in "skin"


Another long sleeve top and statement jeans combo! I've been a little predictable with my outfit choices lately. I like how this is basically the same outfit combination as what I wore previously (above), but it looks different enough. Still wearing a skull scarf, prints, and statement jeans. My jeans have been getting a lot of wear lately, but I'm conscious that I don't want to end up in identical looking outfits every day. Trying to take the same basic idea and change a few things about it, so I can get dressed quickly and easily without a lot of thought, but still look like I have some variation in what I'm wearing.

The only thing I didn't like about this outfit was the way I'd rolled up the cuffs of the jeans to have them sit over the boots - it kept coming undone and driving me a little crazy!


Last worn: Ray Ban Wayfarers, Alexander McQueen skull scarf, Jeanswest stripe henley, metallic gold skinny jeans, Acne pistol boots.

My August Purchases:

In August I bought a few accessories to help organise the baby bag, and picked up some things in the Iconic sale. A lot of grey clothes! I've returned one dress already, after seriously considering it when it arrived. I'm sure I'll get lots of wear out of everything else I purchased.

Preston raglan stripe dress (returned)
Grey marle jersey pencil skirt
Arizona zip tee
Grey v-neck tee with rolled sleeves
Rebecca Minkoff 'Shopbop fund' Cory pouch
'Man things' travel pouch
'Guy stuff' travel pouch

Linking up with Wardrobe Wednesday, WIWW, Style Me Wednesday, Tres Chic Fashion, Spotlight Weekly, Summer Style, Sequins and Style, Fashion Item Friday, Fab Favourites today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : Youtube

Pregnancy Wardrobe Essentials - Wearing Non-Maternity Pieces in the Third Trimester

While I'm in the hospital with baby, I've set up a few scheduled posts. This is the last post in the "Pregnancy Wardrobe Essentials" series.

As soon as I can I will be back to posting my usual daily outfits. I'll be sharing bits and pieces on my instagram (@awayfromblue) about life with baby until I'm back to blogging.

Today I'm talking about my pregnancy wardrobe and the non-maternity pieces I used and wore through my third trimester.



My goal in pregnancy was to buy as few maternity pieces as possible. Some things that had worked for the second trimester (like wrap dresses, pencil skirts) no longer worked in the third trimester, or needed a few changes (like adding leggings to now shorter dresses). In the third trimester, I found the following non-maternity pieces in my wardrobe worked well, and I included an example of an outfit with each.

• Empire waist and loose fitting dresses
• Stretchy jersey dresses and leggings
• Maxi dresses
• Fitted stretchy singlets
• Fitted stretchy tees
• Oversized tees
• Maxi skirts with elastic waists

Although I wore the items above in conjunction with maternity clothing, being able to wear existing items in my wardrobe gave me a little more variety with pregnancy dressing, something that I really appreciated near the end of the pregnancy where I was starting to run out of options for things to wear!

I defaulted to maxi skirts and dresses a lot as they were the easiest and most comfortable option most days and I really embraced them in the third trimester.

You can see all of my third trimester outfits here.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : Youtube

Pregnancy Wardrobe Essentials - Wearing Non-Maternity Pieces in the Second Trimester

While I'm in the hospital with baby, I've set up a few scheduled posts.

As soon as I can I will be back to posting my usual daily outfits. I'll be sharing bits and pieces on my instagram (@awayfromblue) about life with baby until I'm back to blogging. Until then I hope you enjoy the little break and slight change of format.

Today I'm talking about my pregnancy wardrobe and the non-maternity pieces I used and wore through my second trimester.



My goal in pregnancy was to buy as few maternity pieces as possible. You can see the maternity pieces I wore through my pregnancy in the previous post. In the second trimester, I found the following non-maternity pieces in my wardrobe worked well, and I included a link to an example of an outfit with each.

• Maxi dresses - my favourite outfit
• Empire waist dresses - my favourite outfit
• Stretchy jersey dresses - my favourite outfit
• Wrap dresses - my favourite outfit
• Elastic waist pencil skirts - my favourite outfit
• Elastic waist maxi skirts - my favourite outfit
• Oversized/flowy tanks - my favourite outfit
• Fitted stretchy singlets - my favourite outfit
• Fitted stretchy tees - my favourite outfit
• Oversized tees - my favourite outfit
• Empire waist tops - my favourite outfit

Although I wore the items above in conjunction with maternity clothing where needed, being able to wear existing items in my wardrobe gave me a little more variety with pregnancy dressing. You can see all of my second trimester outfits here.

Shop similar pieces: