Monday 26 February 2018

Basic Tanks To Take You From Work To Weekend With Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere

If you're trying to build a wardrobe that takes you from SAHM duties to a business casual workplace like I am, you need some basics. When I bought these two tanks I knew they would be pieces I'd be able to get a lot of wear from. They are really basic, a little gathering on the back but otherwise just plain and colourful tanks. Simple tops like this are good to wear to the office as well as the other days I'm a SAHM with the boys.


basic tanks to take you from work to weekend | away from the blue personal style blog

What I wore:

casual tank in the office jersey blazer lace pencil skirt with Louis Vuitton speedy bag | away from blue

blue lace pencil skirt and brown louis vuitton damier emebe speedy bandouliere 30 | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram casual tank for business corporate office lace pencil skirt and blazer
JacketZara cream jersey blazer
NecklaceEye Candy LA 'Sasha' statement necklace
TankJeanswest Maya gather back tank in mid turquoise
SkirtAsos blue textured lace pencil skirt
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

An simple, staple office outfit. Closed in shoes, a bag big enough to carry everything needed for a day at work, blazer and a simple basic tank. Even if the heatwave in Brisbane meant that the blazer was quickly taken off after these pictures and only worn in the office air conditioning! It has been such a hot end to summer.

While I love my printed dresses for work, a variation of this outfit is often worn as I love my pencil skirts. A pencil skirt and blazer can have a casual tank underneath if you're in a business casual workplace like I am, or a dressier blouse or button up shirt for more formal environments.

With a basic top and classic plain blazer, you can add more interest to your office outfit with a fun statement necklace or printed pencil skirt. I love the textured lace on this one.


Last worn: jersey blazer, blue tank, lace pencil skirt, gold mouse flats, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wearjersey blazer and printed dress, blue tank and printed shorts, lace pencil skirt in winter, gold mouse flats and wrap dress, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere for travel.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream blazer in second trimester, lace pencil skirt in third trimester, gold mouse flats in second trimester, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere in second trimester.





What I wore:

navy floral cocoon kimono bermuda denim shorts, mustard tank and speedy bandouliere | awayfromblue

Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue instagram floral cocoon kimono with mustard tank and bermuda denim shorts, speedy bandouliere SAHM style
JacketCotton On 'Gemma' cocoon kimono in Laos blossom navy print
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
TankJeanswest Maya gather back tank in chartreuse
ShortsJeanswest Trinity Bermuda denim shorts
Shoesslim gold Havaianas
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Another super-hot day, at the height of the heatwave. We were spending the morning in aircon so I added the kimono to keep me cosy, and also because I'd been wanting to try the navy floral with the mustard tank. I really like this outfit and felt great in this. I'll probably try this kimono and tank together again soon, I loved the colour combo.

I ended up taking the kimono off in the afternoon though as we ran around on a couple of errands. Even the brief moments between the air conditioned car and building made it too warm for any kind of layer!

Carried my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere bag again, I needed something fairly indestructible, and this is perfect as it's waterproof and easy to clean.

Since I was spending the day with the boys, I swaped the pretty but not kid friendly statement necklace I wore to the office with this much more kid friendly silicone teething necklace. Easily washable too, just like the Louis Vuitton handbag.


Last worn: floral cocoon kimono, mustard tank, bermuda denim shorts, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere (above).

Other ways to wearfloral cocoon kimono and flared jeans, mustard tank and printed shorts, bermuda denim shorts and button up shirt, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere and colourful jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: floral kimono in third trimester, speedy bandouliere in second trimester.



Basic Tanks for Work and Weekend Under $50:






How You Can Wear It:


Basics are the best building blocks to have in your wardrobe, especially if you want pieces you can get more wear from. These tanks, while different colours, are the same simple cut and are so easy to dress up or down. With a few tweaks like swapping the fun kimono for a more formal blazer, and the casual denim shorts for a pencil skirt, it's easy to make a casual outfit perfect for the office. If you're on a budget, investing in a few pieces like this makes it easier to get more value from your purchases as you can wear them for different events. You don't have to spend big, both of these tanks were under $20!


Linking up with Turning Heads, Trend Spin, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Style on the Daily.





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Friday 23 February 2018

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:

groutfit: grey outfit rainy day style with purple accessories balenciaga work bag | awayfromblue

groutfit: grey outfit with purple balenciaga work bag smooshy raisin g21 silver hardware

awayfromblue instagram grey cardi skinny jeans printed cami with purple teething necklace balenciaga work bag
Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
CamiJeanswest Audrey tonal print tank
JeansJeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
BagBalenciaga 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 weargrey 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 pregnancyprinted cami hiding second trimester bump, metallic ballet flats in third trimester.


Ever Wondered How Many Jeans I have? :






What I wore:

floral ruffle cami on rainy day double denim with purple Balenciaga work bag | away from blue

double denim with Balenciaga raisin purple work bag G21 silver hardware | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram double denim jacket skinny jeans floral ruffle cami purple balenciaga work bag
Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
NecklaceNibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
CamiAtmos&Here 'Isla' ruffle cami in floral print
JeansJeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
ShoesWalnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
BagBalenciaga 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.

4 Ways to Wear a botanical print floral ruffle cami | away from the blue blog


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 weardenim 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 pregnancydenim jacket in second trimester, botanic print cami in first trimester, black ballet flats and maternity wrap dress.



Printed Camis Under $50:





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.



Linking up with Passion for Fashion, Style Wise, Fab Favourites, Shoe & Tell.



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Wednesday 21 February 2018

Louis Vuitton Neverfull, Grey Tees and Printed Maxi Skirts: SAHM Style

This summer has definitely been the summer of shorts, but I haven't completely forgotten my maxi skirts! The classic combo of a printed maxi skirt and grey tee makes an easy, comfortable outfit that's perfect for running around with the kids.

What I wore:

hospital style grey v neck tee navy stripe maxi skirt LV neverfull damier azur | awayfromblue

navy stripe maxi skirt and Louis Vuitton damier azur neverfull MM tote bag | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue Instagram grey tee navy stripe maxi skirt and Louis Vuitton damier azur MM tote
NecklaceNibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
BagLouis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

I was surprised to find I hadn't worn this tee and navy striped maxi skirt together before! I thought it was what I wore last time we went to hospital, but it was a different tee I wore then. This very similar outfit was worn again to the same hospital, but a day stay this time. I shared some pics on Twitter and my Instagram stories, as one of the boys had his first surgery.

There are a few times in adulthood I have a little panic to myself that "I'm not grown up enough for this", and having to comfort my child through an operation was one of those times. Thankfully, it was just a short day stay. The operation went well, and apart from being a little woozy afterwards, it was a smooth recovery.

I wasn't sure if I needed closed in shoes for the operating room, I forgot to ask with all the other questions I had, so I went with Converse just in case, even if I did take them off as soon as we got home. I picked comfortable clothes for all the sitting around waiting I was going to have to do, and my big Louis Vuitton neverfull to carry snacks and things to amuse me as I waited, with everything else in the baby bag. I've tried the neverfull as a baby bag before, as you can see in the video below, but I'm not a fan so it meant carrying two bags with me. Easy when I had the stroller to throw everything on.

It was a difficult day, made just a little easier by having a fuss-free outfit I was ready to face anything in. I'm just hoping to have no further days of hospital style!


Last worn: grey v-neck tee, navy stripe maxi skirt, Converse Chucks, Louis Vuitton neverfull tote.

Other ways to weargrey v-neck tee and skinny jeans, navy stripe maxi skirt and band tee, Converse Chucks and pencil skirt, Louis Vuitton neverfull tote and wrap dress.


Perfect for pregnancygrey v-neck tee in second trimester, Converse Chucks and maternity shorts, Louis Vuitton neverfull tote at 38 weeks pregnant.






What I wore:

slouchy summer style grey tee red boho print maxi skirt Louis Vuitton neverfull MM | away from blue

Louis Vuitton Damier Azur MM neverfull patina on shoulder | away from the blue blog

awayfromblue instagram grey tee red boho print maxi skirt lv neverfull damier azur tote
Necklace: silver heart long pendant necklace
TeeAtmos&Here grey v-neck tee with rolled sleeves (also in black)
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagLouis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

Onto happier days! I wore this the weekend before operation day. We'd planned a day out but after taking these photos and our morning walk, the rain showers started to we decided to stay home instead, after running a quick errand. In the end I think a quiet day was just what was needed as operation week was crazy.

Very similar outfit formula to the one above, with a more voluminous printed maxi skirt and a slouchier grey tee. This was a lovely outfit for a humid day, nice loose layers. The only thing I didn't like so much was that the hem of my skirt got wet quickly when the rain started. I really need to get this skirt properly tailored. I'm currently doing the well-known petite girl hack of wearing it higher on my waist and rolling the waistband to keep it in place. It's definitely proven it's a keeper in my wardrobe, so I need to get it tailored to be just the right length.

Again I was wearing my Louis Vuitton neverfull tote, although this time around it had a lot less stuffed into it. That's the beauty of the neverfull, it always looks good no matter if you carry a little or a lot.


Last worn: slouchy grey tee, Billabong red maxi skirt, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton neverfull (above).

Other ways to wearslouchy grey tee worn two ways, Billabong red maxi skirt and denim jacket, Louis Vuitton neverfull in the office.

Perfect for pregnancyslouchy grey tee for second trimester travel, Louis Vuitton neverfull and maternity jeans.



Printed Maxi Skirts Under $50:







How You Can Wear It:


With a printed maxi skirt (or any printed piece in your wardrobe) pairing it with a grey tee is an easy outfit formula to follow that's guaranteed to look good. If grey tees aren't your thing, you could substitute with a similar neutral like black or white. I'm just such a fan of grey v-neck tees, they are what I reach for most often when wearing prints.



Linking up with What I Wore, Style on the Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear, Flashback Fashion.



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