Rainy Day Style: Ruffle Camis and Skinny Jeans With Purple Balenciaga Work Bag

While it's still summer here in Brisbane, a few weeks back we were hit with some very un-seasonal weather. A sudden cold snap lead to the coldest February day in over 100 years! While most of my winter things are boxed away over summer, I managed to find pieces to make my cami tops more appropriate for the cold weather. I've been wanting to wear them more, before summer ends.

What I wore:

Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Cami: Jeanswest Audrey tonal print tank
Jeans: Jeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I didn't include this cardigan in the box of winter knits I pack away for summer, as I keep it out to wear in the office now and then. I was so glad I kept this as it was perfect for a chilly day. With the grey cardigan, grey skinny jeans and metallic silver flats and the neutral printed cami it all looked a bit boring, so the purple accessories were the perfect way to add a little bit of colour. It met the purple style challenge theme perfectly too!

I didn't expect to be pulling out my jeans so soon into the year, but I wasn't too upset at having a chance to wear these grey skinnies. They are the most recent addition to my denim collection after I got given them last year and a pair I'm sure will get a lot more wear over winter.

It was nice how easily this outfit came together. There was a break in the rain in the morning too, so we managed to get out and have our morning walk before having a quiet Saturday at home watching the rain fall outside.


Last worn: grey cardigan, printed cami, grey skinny jeans, metallic ballet flats, Balenciaga work bag.

Other ways to wear: grey cardigan and maxi dress, printed cami and red jeans, grey skinny jeans for flying with toddlers, metallic ballet flats and blue dress, Balenciaga work bag and fit and flare dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed cami hiding second trimester bump, metallic ballet flats in third trimester.

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Ever Wondered How Many Jeans I have? :

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Cami: Atmos&Here 'Isla' ruffle cami in floral print
Jeans: Jeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

A little bit of double denim. Again, I had the style challenge theme to dress to. This time the theme was 'indigo'. I'd planned a lovely navy dress to wear, but the weather made me change that pretty quickly to the denim jacket. With the black skinny jeans, it's an easy way to do double denim, and it kept me warm enough on a cold and rainy day. As did all the running around I had to do - after a week where things seemed to go from bad to worse, Friday was me trying to keep things together and get everything done to get to the weekend.

I'd picked this cami to wear as I've been trying to wear my camis more recently, and this one is one of my least worn. It's a cropped style, but being petite it's normal length on me. While I like this cami in the photos, I didn't feel very comfortable wearing it. The cropped length becomes more apparent when you've got your hands full with a wriggly toddler, and I found myself tugging the top back down a few times. While the ruffles are beautiful and the colours mean it goes with so much, it was just too fussy to wear. The back is cropped shorter than the front too and I found myself wishing I'd worn a normal length top many times when bending down to the boys, even though my jeans are mid-rise.

Looking at it, I'm thinking I should keep it, it's so pretty! But I know it's so annoying to wear it's not worth keeping around just for me to realise in a few months it hasn't been worn, to wear it again and feel the same frustrations. I have plenty other camis I enjoy wearing more, so this one is leaving my wardrobe. 5 wears in 3 years is pretty bad cost per wear, but it's time to let it go!


Last worn: denim jacket, botanic print cami, Jeanswest prima skinny jeans, black ballet flats, Balenciaga work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: denim jacket worn 30 ways, botanic print cami and stripes, Jeanswest prima jeans in winter, black ballet flats and pencil skirt, Balenciaga work bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, botanic print cami in first trimester, black ballet flats and maternity wrap dress.

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Printed Camis Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Camis can easily be layered up for cooler weather! They are the perfect summer option with denim shorts, so they work just as well with jeans, with an extra layer like a jacket or cardigan to keep you cosy if it's cold.



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30 Wears: Pink Maxi Dress From Mothers En Vogue (Maternity/Nursing Dress)

Happy New Year!

The 30 wears series will continue in 2018, as I had so much fun doing it last year. Each month I'll show you 30 ways I've worn one of the pieces from my wardrobe in an effort to wear more of what I already own, and enjoy what I have instead of constantly buying more.

Kicking off this year's posts with a favourite, my 'Havana' pink maternity/nursing maxi dress from Mothers en Vogue. I'm surprised it's taken me so long to hit 30 wears with this piece, if you've been a regular reader you'll know I wear it often. Through 2 pregnancies and afterwards it always makes me feel great. It's one of the pieces heavily featured in my pregnancy style book too! One of those maternity pieces I'm keeping in my wardrobe, even though my pregnancy days are behind me.

#30 Wears: Pink Mothers En Vogue Empire Waist Maxi Dress

It's tricky to calculate cost per wear on this dress as I received it courtesy of Zibibo back in February 2014. It's nearly 3 years old. 'Courtesy of 'means I didn't have to pay anything for it, although as I said when I got it, it made me rethink my normal budget for a maternity piece as it was certainly worth the $129.90 retail price. 30 wears in almost 3 years means wearing it about once a month on average, which is impressive for such a statement piece and given how many dresses I have already.

All dresses that come into my wardrobe are judged against this dress. If they don't make me feel as good as this dress does, they don't stay! To have a piece that works for pregnancy and breastfeeding, for casual through to more formal events, is such a lifesaver when you're having the 'don't know what to wear' panic before an event.

Pink Dress and Gold Belt

This gold belt is a very common accessory! The gold glitter belt works perfectly with the bright pink of my maxi dress, and you'll see it pop up many times in the photos below. Belted over a baby belly, or even just belted over my left over mum-tum, a belt is a frequent go-to with this dress.

PInk Dress Unbelted

The best thing about a maxi dress is that it's an instant outfit. While I do like belting this maxi dress, sometimes you just want the simplicity of a maxi dress and not worrying about accessorising or belting it. As the empire waist on this maxi dress is elasticated, the belt is more for show than function anyway.

Scarf as a Belt

When I do want to belt this pink maxi dress but I want something other than the go-to gold belt option above, I try to mix things up a little with this Louis Vuitton bandeau scarf worn as a belt. I love how the colours in the scarf compliment the pink dress, it's got pinks and purples and orange in the print.

Pink Dress and ColourFul Bags

A bright pink maxi dress sounds pretty in your face, and when I ordered this I considered the grey one instead as I wasn't sure I could pull off so much pink. Every time I wear it though I'm so grateful I went with the colourful option. It's just so cheerful with all that colour. You don't need to stick with neutral accessories when wearing a bright dress. I like pairing the bright pink dress with colourful bags! Blue, purple or yellow, a colourful bag works nicely. As you can see I particularly love the pink and purple colour combination.

Pink Dress and Denim Jacket

I like this combo a lot, as you can see by my wearing it 4 times! The outfit with the printed snood is easily my favourite of all of these ones though. It was the first time I wore this dress without a baby bump, and I found it perfect for those early postpartum days. In spring or autumn a denim jacket is a great layer with a maxi dress, and you can add a printed scarf to keep you cosy if it's really cold.

Pink Dress and Layers

It's not just denim jackets that make good layers with maxi dresses! I like to wear cardigans with my maxi dresses, and for something different, a kimono. You can even try belting the layer over the top of the dress too, as I've done in two of the photos above.

Pink Dress in Pregnancy

This Mothers En Vogue dress is a combo breastfeeding and pregnancy one, and it does both those things so well. With a nice bit of stretch, it easily covered a growing baby bump, even right through to the final days of pregnancy. It was nice to have something pretty I could pull on and feel good about in, no matter the size of the growing belly!

Pink Dress and Special Events

Pregnant or not, this beautiful dress has become my default for special events. Christmas day, birthday parties, date nights. I think everyone needs that one staple piece in their wardrobe they can pull on for an event that makes them feel special. For me, this pink dress is it. I love how it turned out to be the last thing I photographed for the blog before giving birth to baby boy, it's such a cherished piece and that makes it even more so.

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Pink Maternity Maxi Dresses Under $50:

Some of these are nursing ones too!

Non-maternity Pink Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and the chance to see the baby bumps across two pregnancies. This dress really has been worn to so many things, and accommodated all of the pregnancy and breastfeeding related body changes so well 😂 Want more outfit inspiration? Browse through all the times I've worn this MEV dress on the blog.

2017: A year of 30 wears posts

• 30 ways to wear a black maxi skirt
• 30 ways to wear red Balenciaga velo bag
• 30 ways to wear gladiator sandals
• 30 different ways to wear striped maxi skirt
• 30 different ways to wear skinny jeans
• 30 ways to wear a grey Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag
• 30 ways to wear a printed leather jacket
• 30 ways to wear black ankle boots in multiple seasons
• 30 ways to wear mustard yellow Rebecca Minkoff bag
• 30 ways to wear a classic denim jacket
• 30 ways to wear white and navy stripe maxi skirt
• 30 ways to wear a floral kimono

Linking up with On Mondays We Link Up, Turning Heads, Trend Spin, The Style File, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Style on the Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Fun Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Passion for Fashion, Modest Monday.

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Tailoring Thrifted Pieces: Is It Worth It? Opshop Finds and Denim Jackets

While I'm not a massive opshopper (thrift shopper for my American readers!) I do like browsing when I can and occasionally getting a bargain. Back in October, my local store had a 'fill a bag for $2' sale. I took the rare opportunity to leave the boys home with hubby and have some time to myself to browse. I didn't try anything on, just filling my bag with things that looked good and I guesstimated would work.

I've shared before that I sometimes wonder if it's worth buying less than perfect pieces at the opshop with the idea of spending more to get them tailored to fit. But with two of the thrifted pieces I'm wearing below I decided to go ahead and spend more on getting them tailored. They worked out at 67 cents each so even with the average $14 tailoring price for both they were still bargains.

What I wore:

 

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Wilma teething necklace in pale daffodil
Tank: Jeanswest brown marle singlet
Skirt: Thrifted tribal print maxi skirt (new purchase)
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This beautiful tribal print skirt used to be a strapless dress. It looked nicely made, but you could see where the fabric had been pulled from someone constantly adjusting it. I couldn't get past the gorgeous print and colours, it looked lovingly handmade too so I added it to my bag, reasoning I could wear it as a maxi skirt. When I got it home and tested this theory out, I realised it was going to need a bit of elastic sewn in to keep it in place as a skirt. Luckily my tailor was happy to do that for me. While it's not quite maxi skirt length, and is more an ankle grazing length on me, I adore it. I've never seen anything like this in the stores and being cotton it's sure to get a lot of wear over summer.

It's made me think about getting my red maxi skirt fixed up - it's a bit too long (#petiteprobs!) but I usually just get around that by wearing it higher on my waist.

Wore this out for an errand filled day with the boys, trying to cram everything in before a predicted storm was due to arrive. Thankfully it passed right by us. I did a little detour in the morning and stopped by the Jeanswest sale again, and picked up another little something which you'll have already seen in my November purchase post.


Last worn: denim jacket, brown marle tank, gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan. First time I've worn the skirt as it was a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi dress, brown marle tank and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and hidden baby bump, brown tank in third trimester, gold Havaianas and maternity bermuda shorts.

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Denim Jackets Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee:  thrifted mix apparel black space dye tee
Shorts: Thrifted pastel pink cotton shorts
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

Both the tee and the shorts I picked up at the same $2 sale! The super soft tee was perfect as it was, so no alterations were needed there. I got it to replace my black tee which I accidentally destroyed by sticking it in the wrong wash cycle one too many times!

When I saw these shorts I was drawn to the colour and felt positive when I saw the size label was my normal size. I threw them in the bag. After having my colours 'done' pastels were one of the things suggested to keep away from my face, so I thought these shorts would be a nice way to add some pastels to my summer outfits.

I was disappointed to get them home and realise that they were either labeled incorrectly or a different sizing standard, as they were much too big. After debating if I could belt them, I decided to go ask my tailor if she could do anything. And she could! I felt pretty good about giving these shorts a new life, slightly tapered off by then seeing very similar shorts on sale for less than half the cost of the alterations.

The way I see it though, I supported a charity buying them in the first place (even though it was just $2...), and supported a local business with the alterations. So I don't feel too bad that there are similar styles available cheaper. $14.67 is a pretty good price for a cute pair of shorts!

Wore these out to playgroup, where the boys had chocolate chip cookies and of course my shorts were smeared in chocolate. Hopefully these light shorts will fare better next time I wear them!


Last worn: denim jacket (above), black marle tee, black Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag. First time I've worn the pastel pink shorts as they are recently back from the tailor.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and printed maxi skirt, black marle tee and olive shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and floral maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in third trimester, Love bag and maxi dress in third trimester.

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How You Can Wear It:

It can be tricky to find your size when op shopping. While there are ways around things being slightly too big like belting or wearing skirts higher on your waist, you can always alter something to make it fit. If you're not crafty or are a bad sewer like I am, finding a local tailor is a good idea. They can give you ideas and advice on ways to change garments and make them work for you. Something to try when you love something so much you don't want to leave the store without it. (Tia is my local tailor who I recommend if you're in the Brisbane bayside and this post was not sponsored, she doesn't even know I'm writing it).


Do you buy things knowing they will need alterations, or do you leave them on the opshop rack and hunt for other treasures that fit?


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Printed Dresses and Ankle Boots for Spring with Neon Pink Mini MAC Bag

Even though we had a pretty mild winter, it's always exciting to start wearing dresses with bare legs again. When it's the start of spring and still a little cooler, ankle boots are an essential.

My neon pink Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag is a cute and colourful accessory, but I don't just reserve it for spring, it works brilliantly year-round.

What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs pearl, howlite and hematite beaded bracelets
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff neon pink mini MAC

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was pretty in pink, which made the pink accessories an obvious choice. I love how the neon pink mini MAC looks with the little black dress too. It's funny, I was in Kmart the other day and saw that they have this same style dress in pink now. I still think this black dress will work nicely in spring and summer, but if you want something a little brighter for spring definitely check it out!

Wearing the denim jacket with the dress is one of the outfit combinations I thought of when I first bought this dress. I have so many outfit ideas still, definitely a good buy.

I just wore this to work from home and do the daycare drop off and pick up, but I added the teething necklace anyway. While I wasn't around the boys during the day, I love the colours of this necklace with the mini MAC bag, and the colour it adds to the black dress.


Last worn: denim jacket, black tiered dress, black ankle boots, neon pink mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket worn 30 ways, black tiered dress worn two ways, black ankle boots in the office, neon pink mini MAC and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and hidden first trimester bump, ankle boots and pregnancy announcement.

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Ankle Boots Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual plus House of Harlow sunburst wrap bracelet in cobalt
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff neon pink mini MAC

Why I wore it:

A warmer spring day so the extra layer of a denim jacket needed above wasn't necessary. Still good to have ankle boots on though, and the long sleeves of this dress came in handy. I felt this dress was due another wear. One of my favourite pieces a few years back, it's been neglected recently as it was boxed away during pregnancy and breastfeeding. With the thick fabric and longer sleeves, there might not be many more opportunities to wear it again this year so I took the chance while I could. This time I wore it is still one of my favourite outfits ever.

Was a busy morning, errands, groceries and taking toddler T for a haircut before going out for lunch followed by dinner at the inlaws in the evening. I ended up using my Ergo baby carrier in the backwards position so that I could back carry Baby Boy and still wear my bag easily without it slipping off my shoulder. I'm thrilled to have a new way to babywear after learning at the ABA mum's group recently.

Much like the dress, this cobalt bracelet hasn't been worn a lot recently. Last time was when I was pregnant! I didn't overly accessorise while Baby Boy was little, but now that the boys are getting bigger it's nice to pick out some extra bracelets to wear. Although teething necklaces are still the safest and most practical neckwear option to wear around the toddlers!


Last worn: navy stripe tee dress, Chelsea leather ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff pink mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wear: navy stripe tee dress in winter, Chelsea leather ankle boots and burgundy pants, Rebecca Minkoff pink mini MAC and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: stripe dress and second trimester bump, Chelsea ankle boots and chambray in second trimester.

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Printed Dresses For Spring Under $50:

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How You can Wear It:

Dresses and ankle boots is such a simple and quick outfit idea for spring. It works just as well in autumn too, although as the weather cools you may need to add an extra layer like a denim jacket or even tights.


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Maxi Dresses in Spring and Steam Train Sunday

Maxi dresses are such an easy outfit - extremely comfortable, very little thought required, but they still look like you put some effort into what you're wearing.

After having lost my voice a few weeks back and feeling a bit under the weather, but with a busy weekend ahead, I pulled out more maxi dresses. I really wanted to stay in bed in my pyjamas, but this was the next best thing!

What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: black Jeanswest halterneck maxi dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs pearl, howlite and hematite beaded bracelets
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

After a tough day the day before which involved only being able to whisper despite having two energetic and mischievous toddlers, I contemplated cancelling our plans on Saturday. With a first birthday party and leaving party to attend though I knew I couldn't let the boys miss out. Knowing I wasn't contagious, it didn't feel right not letting the boys spend time with their friends. It was quite a sad farewell, one of my friends is moving away and our children have grown up together, her two girls are similar ages to my two boys.

I like maxi dresses and denim jackets together, especially for spring, so I repeated the outfit formula again. The colorful silicone teething necklace broke up the monochrome outfit a bit and was just enough of a pop with the black maxi dress and silver bag and ballet flats.


Last worn: denim jacket, black maxi dress, bow detail flats, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket worn 30 ways, black maxi dress and kimono, bow detail flats and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and third trimester bump, maxi dress in second trimester, mini MAC in third trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Metallic Mini MAC Bags:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: blue Coach twilly scarf
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

I was upset to be feeling unwell on this day as we had been looking forward to it for months! Toddler T loves trains but has never actually been on one. We decided to take him along to Steam Train Sunday as a surprise. I've included a little video below. The train does a loop around the city for about an hour, and he loved every bit of it!

We got there early to the station to watch the train come in and he was so excited, especially when we said he could go for a ride on it. It's definitely worth it if you're in Brisbane! You get to walk around the train carriage, between the carriages, and to talk to some of the staff who can tell you more about the train and the history. Fun way to spend a morning, and toddler T spent quite a few days afterwards telling everyone about his trip!





Again I wanted something easy, but also to get a little dressed up as it was a big family day out. This trusty pink maxi dress was a good solution. I tend to wear it pretty similarly every time now, so I tried something a little different with the blue Coach silk scarf as a belt instead of my usual Louis Vuitton bandeau. While I liked the colour combination of this, I did find this scarf slid around a lot more than my bandeau and I don't think I'll pair these pieces together again.

One thing to note with steam train Sunday is the soot. We were nearer the middle of the train and had the window open all the time. With trips out onto the walkway between the carriages as well, we did get a little sooty. Nothing a quick bath couldn't clear up afterwards though.


Last worn: grey cardigan, Coach silk scarf, Mothers En Vogue maxi dress, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wear: grey cardigan and skinny jeans, Coach silk scarf tied on a bag, Mothers En Vogue maxi dress for dinner with friends, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: maxi dress at 39 weeks, black ballet flats and maternity pencil skirt, mini MAC disguising an early second trimester bump.

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Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Maxi dresses are instant outfits. If it's a little cooler, add a simple layer like a denim jacket or a neutral cardigan. While it takes very little effort, a maxi dress looks pulled together enough for a party and casual enough for a trip on the train.



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30 Ways to Wear a Classic Denim Jacket: #30Wears Series

First up, #noSpenderSeptember was achieved - nothing spent on fashion purchases last month! I did attempt a shopping trip but a minor accident derailed my plans. So no new purchases to report.



10 months into my #30wears challenge, and I've still worn very few items of clothing 30 times. I was sure by now I'd have a few dresses, maybe some tops that I'd hit 30 wears on, especially after not shopping for 7 months, but it's been mostly accessories like bags and shoes.

If you look at the maths behind 30 wears (this post has an amazing breakdown of it) I'd have to wear something every other week for 14 months to hit 30 wears on it. And I don't wear things that often, unless we are talking accessories. I'm still keeping up with my challenge, but I think I'm going to have to start wearing some favourites more frequently to hit 30 wears. Pieces I think I've worn a lot seem to only be around 12-15 wears. It's definitely an eye-opening challenge for me, making me realise just how much I have in my wardrobe already and how little I've worn even my favourite pieces.


A denim jacket is a classic piece most people have in their wardrobe so it's no surprise I've hit more than 30 wears with it! As it's spring I thought now was a good time to feature 30 ways to wear a denim jacket.

#30Wears: Classic Blue Denim Jacket

This jacket is one of the old pieces in my wardrobe. I remember where I bought it and who I was with (my sister) but not when exactly I bought it. Something I've easily worn more than 30 times as I've had it at least 10 years, and I've only been blogging for almost 6 years.

Denim Jacket in a Double Denim Outfit

I find double denim tricky to wear. When I was younger I wore similar denim jackets and jeans together for a double denim look without thinking twice about it! Now though, I find it a little harder to pull off. Probably after that famous double denim moment. I even had a denim bag! Not as embellished as Britneys, but it was my favourite bag for a while.

The standard advice for an easy double denim look now is to wear different shades or washes together. I take that a step further and like to wear my denim jacket with completely different coloured jeans. I love my blue denim jacket with my red or purple skinny jeans. Black is another good colour too, for an easy double denim look without looking like you tried too hard.

Denim Jacket and Dresses

This is a go-to spring and autumn outfit for me. For those days where it's just a little cooler and you need an extra layer so you're warmer in the cold mornings or evenings, a denim jacket is perfect. It's nice having a plain layer like this to wear with printed dresses too - you don't have to worry about clashing prints or colours, as blue denim goes with everything!

Denim Jacket and Maxi Dresses

I felt this was worth calling out separately from the other dresses above. A denim jacket works with maxi dresses for many different reasons:

• a sleeveless summer maxi dress you want to add a warmer layer to to get more wear over spring and autumn,
• a spaghetti strap maxi dresses you want to cover up in a formal setting like church, a denim jacket is perfect.
• to make a more formal maxi dress look more casual.

When I need to make a maxi dress work for a cooler day, a denim jacket is my first go-to, and I can even add a scarf if it's really chilly. I like maxi dresses and leather jackets together, but a denim jacket is my favourite way to layer with a maxi dress.

Denim Jacket and Maxi Skirts

Just like above with the maxi dresses, I find a denim jacket works really nicely with maxi skirts. It's a good way to make your maxi skirts work for cooler weather, when you just need a little extra layer on a cool spring or autumn day. Although maxi skirts are perfect in warmer months and ideal for summer, you can easily layer them up a little to work for the rest of the year.

Denim Jacket in Pregnancy

As I usually wear my denim jacket unbuttoned, it still worked perfectly in pregnancy. Having it unbuttoned left plenty of room for a growing baby bump, and it was just the right layer for a pregnancy over autumn. It was nice to have some non-maternity pieces to wear during pregnancy to help me feel more like myself, and a denim jacket unbuttoned is a piece that works in all three trimesters. You can get more pregnancy outfit tips in my book, Stylish pregnancy on a Budget.

Denim Jackets Under $50:

Want more outfit ideas? Check out the 40+ ways to wear a denim jacket in the blog archives.


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