Spring Boho: Empire Waist Maxi Dresses and Kimonos

While I do wear my maxi dresses year round (even in winter) they definitely get more wear in the warmer weather. They are such a quick and easy option for a warm day. As it was a little cooler in the mornings when I wore these dresses, I added a kimono on top.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Jacket: Shein cream lace kimono (C/O)
Dress: Gypsy 05 orange ombre maxi dress
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale in red!)

Why I wore it:

Isn't this dress beautiful?! It's a hand-me down from my bestie and I'm completely in love. After getting it hemmed I was planning to wear it to a party a few months back. I ended up not going so it sat in my wardrobe waiting for the perfect occasion to debut it.

The style challenge for the day was 'just because' so it gave me the perfect excuse to get this out for a wear. Glad I did too, it's too pretty to be left unworn in my wardrobe! Even though I had a quiet and uneventful day with just a quick trip out, I really enjoyed wearing this.

I did wonder if the gold Havaianas and the silver bag were a bit of a strange combination, but the dress covered most of my feet so I wasn't too worried after putting it on.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, lace kimono, gold Havaianas, metallic silver mini MAC. First time I've worn the dress.

Other ways to wear: lace kimono and chambray, metallic silver mini MAC and flares.

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More Empire Waist Maxi Dresses Under $100:

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Jacket: New Look Petite print kimono
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Dress: black Jeanswest halterneck maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

I didn't know what to wear to meet the style challenge on this day, so gave it a miss and wore a maxi dress and kimono again as I'd liked it so much in the outfit above. Wore this to take baby boy for his weekly weigh.

Honestly, I was probably a little overdressed for a weigh in and chat with the child health nurse, but I was a little worried and stressed around the appointment so wearing a pretty dress and my favourite colour (blue) was more to help me feel better! Baby boy stopped gaining weight, so we are trying a few things including introducing some formula to try help him get back on track. We check in every week to see how things are progressing.

Just like the outfit above, I really liked wearing this. Although neither dress is a nursing piece they are both easy to feed in and so comfortable to wear.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), printed kimono, black maxi dress, Havaianas, metallic silver mini MAC bag (above).

Other ways to wear: printed kimono and a baby bump, black maxi dress and third trimester baby bump, metallic silver mini MAC bag and jeans.


Linking up with Passion for Fashion, Weekend Wear, Friday Faves, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Let It Shine, Shoe & Tell, Hello Monday.

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Handbags and Strollers: The Easy Hack for Any Brand! Baby Jogger, Bugaboo, Steelcraft etc

If you've read my blog for any amount of time you'll know that I love my handbags! Despite having a toddler, infant, dog, stroller and baby bag, I'm still using and and carrying my bags. After a few months of just using the baby bag when my eldest son was born, I figured out how easy it is to carry a handbag with a simple hack for any stroller!

Picking a stroller can be difficult. You might know you want one of the many baby strollers by baby jogger because a friend recommended them, or you might have seen a celeb with a Bugaboo or maybe you've come across a Steelcraft on sale. When trying to pick one you need to consider weight, ease of use, accessories, lifespan...there's a lot!

The Australian government has a stroller buying guide that's really helpful. Here's what helped us narrow down the options:

• Price - we started with a budget in mind
• Weight - there is everything from lightweight to heavier than a toddler strollers
• Ease of use - something foolproof to put up and down
• Size - we needed a stroller that would fit in the car boot
• Compatibility - we wanted a travel system so we looked for a stroller and travel capsule pack
• Safety - as the stroller came with a baby capsule we checked the government ratings to find a safe one
• Functionality - the ability to add another seat for a second baby and being able to change the direction the seat faced in were extra functions we liked.

I'm really happy with our Steelcraft Strider Compact stroller, but the one thing that I didn't think about when buying it was my handbags.

Having a baby doesn't mean you need to give up your handbags though. You know I have a lot of bags I wanted to use! I did think about how I'd juggle everything (baby, stroller, dog and baby bag) and figured I might just use my Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bags for a while as they slide nicely into the pockets on our baby bag.

I really needed an extra set of hands if I wanted to carry a bigger handbag with my things in it when we went out though. Throwing it into the base of the stroller was tricky get to when I was babywearing, and not all my handbags fit nicely into the baby bag or could be worn cross-body. When baby T was a few months old I found the solution to my problem.

All you need is a bag hook! It can be as simple as a carabiner or a specifically designed hook for your brand of stroller. Since I spent a few dollars on one it's made it easier to have my handbag with me when I'm out with the boys. When baby boy was born earlier this year, I kept on using and enjoying my handbags as I had that handy little hook!


It's the plastic clip you can see on the stroller handle in some of my pics. Such a simple solution, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who hadn't heard of it before. I get a few comments now and then from people wondering how I use more than just a baby bag with two boys. That little plastic hook on the stroller is my secret!

If you're a mum, how you carry your things? Only wear cross-body bags? Put what you need in the baby bag? Did you think about it when buying a stroller?

This post was created in partnership with Diapers.com. 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.

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Maxi Skirts, Denim Jacket and Navy Tops: Same But Different

Despite doing a style challenge on instagram, I haven't been too adventurous with my outfits lately, just enjoying wearing spring pieces like my kimonos or my denim jacket.

Most of the time when I group similar outfits together to post on the blog I've worn them a few days apart. In this case I ended up loving the combination of blue top, maxi skirt and denim jacket so much one day that I wore it again the very next day too.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tank: MEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'hair affair' which left me free to pick whatever I wanted to wear for a coffee date in the city with a friend. Went with a maxi skirt as I feel I've been wearing my jeans a lot lately!
This tank is perfect for a morning of babywearing as it's so easy to breastfeed baby boy in his carrier when wearing it. Wore this colourful teething necklace too as I think it works nicely against blue. Just like last time I went out for a meal, I found the teething necklace helpful to keep baby boy amused for a little while as we sat and chatted.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, denim jacket, breastfeeding tank, grey maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and double denim, breastfeeding tank and skinny jeans, grey maxi skirt worn postpartum, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC and maternity shorts.

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More maxi skirts under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Top: Atmos & Here Arlene wrap top in navy (similar that ships internationally)
Skirt: AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale in red!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge was 'mood booster'! I've spoken before about wearing bright accessories to boost my mood. Wearing my favourite colour (blue!) is another thing I use to boost my mood. I liked the outfit above so much I wanted to wear a navy top with that teething necklace again, and another maxi skirt. Although not a nursing piece, this wrap top is perfect for breastfeeding. Cheaper than buying a top marketed as a nursing top too ;) Example: $65 nursing wrap top, $38 'regular' wrap top.


Had a quiet morning, taking baby boy for another weekly weigh and then spent the day with my mum. She kindly babysat so I could use one of my Christmas massage vouchers, it was wonderfully relaxing and much needed!

This outfit was so similar to the one I wore the day before, but I really didn't mind as I enjoyed wearing them both so much.


Last worn: denim jacket (above), Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), wrap top, striped maxi skirt, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC bag (above).

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and printed dress, wrap top in the third trimester, striped maxi skirt and graphic tee, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC bag and chambray.



Linking up with Friday Faves, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Style Nudge, Let It Shine, Grace & Lace, Modest Monday, Hello Monday, Mix It Monday.

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