This year, like last year, I decided to donate two bags, filled with essentials, for a woman in need at Christmas time.
What's In My Bags
I filled two bags this year, picking up these very gently used near new bags at the opshop through the year, knowing I'd donate them to the Share the Dignity #ItsInTheBag campaign. They both met the criteria of being a gently used handbag suitable for gifting, and they met my own personal rule of being big enough for everything I wanted to include.
Just like in previous years, I filled the bags with the essentials and then I added a few more things.
The Essentials:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Body wash
Deodorant
Pads
Tampons
I added some extras to my bags as well, to make the recipient smile.
The Optional Extras:
Hairbrush
Facial cleanser
Facial wipes
Tissues
Hand sanitiser
Face masks
Lip balm
If I've inspired you to donate, you can put your own bag together. The bag doesn't have to be new, just in good condition to gift to someone! You can view the Share The Dignity website to get a shopping list for building a bag and find out some things you can't include.
You can drop off your bags at any Bunnings across Australia, from 14th to 30th November. That's starting this weekend! Share The Dignity volunteers collect the bags and pass them on to local charities to distribute to women in need.
More It's In The Bag Donations:
If you want more ideas, you can view the previous bags I've donated here:
In what is continuing to be a pattern for me this year, once again I added more things to my wardrobe this month, despite doing so back in September as well!
Unlike September's purchases, all of the additions to my wardrobe this month were preloved pieces, and some I didn't even have to pay for!
wardrobe clear out Kmart Anko black cotton tiered spaghetti strap maxi dress
Why I Bought It:
I had a couple of bags of items to donate to the opshop and some time to browse so I walked out with a bunch of books for myself and the kids, and a very lucky 2 pairs of shoes and a dress! I really like the Kmart button down detail dress. It is such a nice colour and while I don't remember seeing it in store, being a Kmart piece I've seen it pop up at the opshops a few times, never in my size. I got lucky this time, it fits so well! It's really nice to wear for work.
I always look out for Converse at the opshop and could not believe my luck when I spotted these pastel blue high tops for just $12! While it has been a very warm spring so far in Brisbane I have been able to wear these more than I thought - they pair just as nicely with dresses as my low tops I wear all the time. The leather sandals were another bargain - just $3! They are also super comfortable to wear, which you'd expect for a sandal that retails for over $150!
While I didn't buy the last two dress additions to my wardrobe I wanted to call them out. My sister had been the beneficiary of two giant bags of clothes that started with a friend of a friend doing a wardrobe clear-out, who then took what she wanted from the bag and added some more and passed it on, until my sister went through the bags, took what she wanted and passed onto me. I ended up keeping 2 dresses for myself and even got some nice shirts for the kids and clothes for hubby - it was a real mix bag of everything in there! In the end, I'm not sure who exactly I got these items from as they passed through so many people before getting to me, but I'm thankful for them! I added a couple of pieces from my wardrobe as well before passing the bags on to the next lucky recipient.
How I've Worn It:
I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month I buy it, and I managed to meet or exceed that in October with both the pieces I bought at the opshop and the pieces I got from the wardrobe clear-out.
wardrobe clear out Kmart Anko black cotton tiered spaghetti strap maxi dress - 2 wears
Already everything's at a pretty good cost per wear, with everything being worn at least twice. $0 cost per wear for the dresses I got from the wardrobe clear-out, and down to just 50 cents for the Kmart floral button detail maxi dress.
It will take me a little longer to get the shoes down to such low costs per wear, but as you can see I've been wearing them a lot since I thrifted them and I'm sure to continue to get a lot of wear from them, especially the sandals, over summer. 3 dresses is a lot to add to my wardrobe at once, but I have been reaching for dresses so much recently that I was easily able to wear each of these twice in the month, and I know they will get a lot of wear in the future as well.
At 34 wears so far from this beautiful ochre orange Tree of Life maxi skirt that I scored at the opshop for just $4 at the start of 2020, it was overdue a ways to wear post! It's been a fun addition to my wardrobe since I bought it, and is a piece I keep reaching for.
30 Ways To Wear: Ochre Orange Maxi Skirt
I got really lucky scoring this ochre orange Tree of Life Maxi Skirt for just $4 at the opshop 5 years ago. It was a 50% off sale day, normally $8, but either way, it was a complete bargain. The soft rayon material is great in the hot Brisbane weather. I'm really thankful to whoever donated this skirt, as it has become a real go-to in my wardrobe. The ochre orange colour works well with neutrals like black, white and grey, but also pairs so nicely with brighter colours like res, blues and yellows.
Cost Per Wear
As this skirt was only $4 and I've worn it 24 times, this maxi skirt is down to 24 cents a wear. Definitely a bargain. It's still got a lot of life left and is something I always enjoy wearing, so it will certainly stick around in my wardrobe to be worn even more.
Here are just 30 of my favourite times I've worn this beautiful maxi skirt:
Orange Maxi Skirt With White
White is one of the neutrals that look really good with this orange maxi skirt! White tees are something most people have in their wardrobes, and as you can see in the first and last outfits, any style of white tee works well with a maxi skirt. The white denim jacket in the middle too is a great topper, especially on slightly cooler days.
Orange Maxi Skirt Layered For Winter Weather
It's not just warmer weather that has me reaching for this maxi skirt! It works well with cosy knits and winter layers, and if it's super cold I can even wear leggings under it. I have a lot of blue knits and scarves I wear in winter, and I like the bright colour of this orange maxi skirt with those blues. As you can see in that last outfit though, darker coloured knits like this burgundy one work just as well.
Grey Tops With Orange Maxi Skirt
Another great neutral to wear this orange skirt with is grey! I tend to prefer darker greys with this skirt, however as you can see in the middle oufits there, lighter grey works well too. Both those outfits on the end include yellow accessories, I like the pop of yellow from a bag worn against the orange maxi skirt.
Orange Maxi Skirt and Stripes
Much like the white tee in the first set of outfits above, a striped tee is another wardrobe staple of many people, and one that also works well with an orange maxi skirt. The solid, block colour of this skirt means any prints work well, but I do have a fondness for pairing this skirt with striped tops.
Black Top Worn With Orange Maxi Skirt
Orange and black can feel a bit too Halloween-ish sometimes, so I find when I'm wearing black with this maxi skirt I like to stick to a print like stripes, or add a contrasting colour like these yellow necklaces to make the outfit less Halloween like. I think it works well.
Layering an Orange Maxi Skirt With Denim Jackets
For spring and autumn days when it's just a little cooler, I like to layer this maxi skirt with denim jackets. Any tee works underneath, and the denim jacket helps keep me a bit warmer, something you need on a cooler day as this maxi skirt is a light rayon fabric.
Orange Maxi Skirt Worn With Red
While I have shown a lot of neutrals with this maxi skirt so far, I also like trying different colours with this skirt, as you can see with so many outfits above involving blue or an even brighter pairing with yellow. Red and orange is something I tentatively tried one day with this skirt and loved so much I keep coming back to! I like all shades of red with this ochre orange maxi skirt, but deeper burgundy tones are certainly my favourite. It creates such an autumnal toned outfit and always gets compliments.
Orange Maxi Skirt With Printed Tops
While I do most commonly reach for striped pieces to wear with this block colour maxi skirt, other prints look good too! From animal print, to polka dots, more abstract prints, or even just a graphic print tee, I've never found a printed top I didn't like wearing with this skirt yet.
