Away From Blue | Aussie Mum Style, Away From The Blue Jeans Rut: 30 Wears

Showing posts with label 30 Wears. Show all posts

Friday, 2 August 2019

30 Ways To Wear: Chambray Maxi Skirt

A new month, a new 30 ways to wear post! It's been a while since I featured a maxi skirt, and I am actually surprised that it's taken me so long to hit 30 wears with this chambray one!

Each month I go through my archives in the blog to find things I've worn 30 times or more to meet the 30 wear challenge, and compile all the times I've worn something into a helpful guide like this showing you how I've remixed things.

30 Ways To Wear: Chambray Maxi Skirt

30 ways to wear a chambray maxi skirt AwayFromTheBlue blog pinable image

The first 30 wears post I ever did was with a maxi skirt, but the last time I featured one was almost a year and a half ago, definitely overdue a ways to wear post with a maxi skirt for this series! This chambray maxi skirt is a stunner too! A sale purchase over 3 years ago, it's something I found through another blogger and fell in love with. I had to wait until it went on sale to get this, as I had to budget in the fact that I'd need to have it taken up, being petite. It's from the Noisy May range for tall people so there was quite a lot to cut off! 😂

Cost Per Wear

Cost per wear is a little tricky to calculate as I can't remember how much the alterations were! The skirt alone was just $24.49 and I've worn it 31 times since then, so it's under the $1 per wear that seems to be the goal most people aim for. If you add alterations as well though I would still have more wears to get that $1 a wear figure, but I know this skirt will be worn a lot more in future.

As someone who loves denim and maxi skirts, a chambray maxi skirt was an obvious choice and I really enjoy wearing this!

30 Ways To Wear Chambray Maxi Skirt: Video Style

Chambray Skirt With a Bright Top

4 ways to wear a chambray maxi skirt with bright tops | away from the blue

The beautiful blue chambray skirt is a perfect pairing with bold block-colour tops! I love a good bright coral or pink tee or tank, or a longer sleeved teal henley for cooler weather. This is such a fun skirt to wear other colours with as blue goes with most of my wardrobe!

Chambray Maxi Skirt With Yellow

3 outfit ideas with yellow and chambray maxi skirt | away from blue

Calling out this colour option for you separately from the brights section above, as I love wearing this chambray skirt with yellow! Blue and yellow is a favourite and cheerful colour combination I love to wear, and enjoy pairing different amounts of yellow with this blue skirt - a little bit like a yellow bag, or a larger amount of yellow like a mustard cardigan or tee.

Maxi Skirt In Monochrome Outfit

monochrome maxi skirt outfit ideas 3 ways to wear | awayfromtheblue

The colour combinations above are fun to try, but you can also go the easy route and wear a monochromatic outfit with a maxi skirt. this blue chambray skirt is a great pairing for a blue tank, tee or blouse, and as you can see I'm wearing it with 3 different shades of blue here. You don't have to match the shades of the skirt and top exactly to create a monochromatic outfit!

Maxi Skirt And Graphic Tee

how to wear graphic tees and chambray maxi skirt | awayfromblue

A graphic tee looks great with denim - and not just denim shorts and jeans! You can mix it up a little and pair a graphic tee with a chambray maxi skirt for a different look. This is such a nice combination for a hot day, and creates a slightly different outfit from the ones above where I've worn the skirt with bolder block-colour tees.

Chambray Skirt and Stripes

striped top and chambray maxi skirt 4 outfit ideas | away from the blue

Just like the graphic tee set of outfits above, stripes and denim is another classic go-to outfit for me. there's something so simple about denim and stripes! I like pairing striped tees and tanks with this skirt. As it's a plain block-colour skirt, you don't have to worry about print-clashing when you pick a striped top to wear with it.

Chambray Maxi Skirt and Layers

layering ideas with a chambray denim maxi skirt outfit different seasons | awayfromtheblue

Chambray isn't just a summer fabric for me, I like to get wear out of this maxi skirt year round. that means adding layers when it gets a little cooler. It could be as simple as adding a kimono over your maxi skirt, or extra layers on a winter day like a cardigan and scarf. A leather jacket works well with a maxi skirt in winter too, particularly paired with ankle boots to keep you cosy!

Maxi Skirt and Knit

Another winter outfit idea is to wear a cosy knitted jumper with a maxi skirt! It's such a simple outfit to wear and so incredibly comfortable. I love being warm and cosy in winter so I've worn a jumper with this maxi skirt a few times. You may need to add some extra layers like scarves, ankle boots and leather jackets if it's very cold, or even a pair of leggings under your skirt!

Chambray Maxi Skirt and Summer Tanks

4 summer tank outfit ideas with chambray maxi skirt | away from blue

Saving the simplest outfit for last - for a hot summer day, just pick this light chambray maxi skirt and add a plain or colourful tank. Simple fuss-free summer dressing for the heat! The lighter fabric of this maxi skirt means it billows around nicely as you walk, creating a cool breeze on the hot days. A great summer outfit choice!

Where To Buy A Chambray Maxi Skirt Under $50:

Wednesday, 3 July 2019

30 Ways To Wear: Purple Balenciaga Work Bag

Returning to the 30 wears series! I skipped it last month as I wasn't organised enough to plan it in advance with our Europe trip! In this usually monthly series, I pick a piece from my wardrobe I've worn over 30 times and go back through my blog archives to show you some of the ways I've worn it. There are a lot of different clothing choices and colour choices when you're wearing a purple bag.

30 Ways To Wear Purple Balenciaga Work Bag

Cost Per Wear

I bought this bag at the end of my 6 month no shop challenge (that turned into an 7 months noshop in the end). While it was a bag from my bestie's wardrobe she no longer wanted, and so massively reduced off the retail price, it's still a Balenciaga so was a big splurge at $1,200. After 37 wears I'm still nowhere near the $1 a wear figure most people aim for. But as this bag is something I expect to be treasuring and loving for decades to come I'm sure I'll be reducing the cost per wear down nearer that figure over time!

30 Ways To Wear Purple Balenciaga Work Bag: Video Style

Balenciaga Purple Work Bag With Black and White

outfit ideas with purple balenciaga work bag : black and white style ideas | awayfromblue

The simplest of all the ways to wear a bright bag - pick a neutral outfit and then use the bright bag as a pop of colour. I love how much the purple Balenciaga work bag stands out against black and white, it's such a fun way to accessorise.

Balenciaga Work Bag With Pencil Skirts

5 ways to wear a purple Balenciaga work bag in the office | awayfromtheblue

My work bag goes to work with me a lot! The big oversized Balenciaga work bag is perfect if you need to carry a lot of things to the office, and as you can see in these pics it works so well with a pencil skirt. Just add a blazer for extra formality if you're worried a big purple bag is a big too casual for your workplace.

Purple Balenciaga Work Bag with Blue

4 outfit ideas blue and purple combination with balenciaga work bag | awayfromtheblue

There are a lot of different colour combinations you can try with a purple bag! I like wearing blue and purple together, so it's nice to wear a blue outfit and add a touch of colour with the purple bag. From deep navy to lighter and brighter blues, this raising purple Balenciaga work bag is great with so many different shades.

Balenciaga Work Bag With More Purple

5 ways to wear a purple balenciaga work bag with other purple pieces in your outfit | away from blue

If you have followed along with my blog for a while, you will know I like a little bit of matchy-matchy! If I'm wearing a bold bag like this purple Balenciaga bag, I like to match it with a little bit of purple in my outfit. From the print of a dress, a big blanket scarf, a purple cami or tee, or even a subtle match with a purple necklace, it's a good way to make your outfit look more cohesive. And as you can see, the shades don't need to match exactly!

Purple Balenciaga Work Bag with Pink

3 different ways to wear pink and purple with Balenciaga purple work bag | away from the blue blog

Another colour combo I love is purple and pink! These three outfits showcase beautifully how the purple Balenciaga work bag goes so nicely with pink - no matter the shade! I really like it with the pastel pink pencil skirt, but the hot pink necklace and pink printed tank are great combinations too.

Balenciaga Work Bag with Pink and Blue

colourful outfit ideas with Balenciaga raisin work bag pink purple and blue | awayfromblue

These outfits put the points above together! While it's nice to add two colours to an outfit, I've grouped my favourite colour combos above to create pink, blue and purple outfits of 3 colours. Again with different shades and different levels of colour - with the big blush blazer and blue printed dress, to more subtle with the pink fern print on the black dress and cobalt scarf and purple bag. Nice and colourful - even in the middle of winter!

Purple Balenciaga Work Bag With Prints

4 ways to wear a purple Balenciaga work bag with printed outfits | away from the blue

A plain, block colour bag is an easy outfit option with a print. You don't need to worry about the prints clashing, you can pick a bold bright bag to compliment any print you're wearing (although as you can see I'm partial to wearing it with a blue print!).

Where to Buy the Balenciaga Work Bag:

Friday, 26 April 2019

30 Ways To Wear: Zara Navy Printed Shift Dress

I'm thrilled I've hit 30 wears with this dress so I can finally dedicate a post to it! An impulse buy from Zara during a trip to Sydney, before we had a Zara here in Brisbane. This dress is something I love wearing.

30 Ways To Wear: Navy Shift Dress

30 ways to wear #30wears challenge: Navy Zara printed tunic shift dress

Cost Per Wear

I can't calculate cost per wear with this dress sadly as I forget how much it cost. I did buy it back in September 2012! It's taken me around 6 and a half years to hit 30 wears with it, despite really wanting to hit 30 wears back in 2018, as it's not the best length for days with toddlers. If you're running around and bending over and picking things and children up the tunic style can feel a little short. Of course there are some ways I can work around that, that I've shown below.

Another factor affecting the cost per wear calculation is that I actually managed to tear this dress a few years ago. I had to have it repaired, so that cost would factor in as well. I can't remember how much that cost though either! 😂

30 Ways To Wear A Navy Shift Dress: Video Style

Navy Shift Dress With A Pop Of Colour

4 ways to wear a navy printed tunic dress with a pop of colour | awayfromblue

I'm all for adding a little extra colour to an outfit with accessories. And this navy dress is the perfect neutral piece to really let the bright accessories pop! A necklace, bag or jacket, all look great with the neutral navy backdrop. I like red with the navy, but green works well too.

Belting a Printed Shift Dress

3 outfit ideas with a printed shift dress belted | away from the blue

This is probably one of the simplest ways to change up a dress, just add a belt! It's a nice way to make an old favourite feel a little fresher, just by adding another accessory.

Tunic Dress Worn As A Top

5 ways to wear a navy printed shift dress as a top work and casual | away from blue

As mentioned above, this tunic length can feel a little short some days. The longer sleeves and modest neckline mean this top is great for the office, just too short to meet the dress code guidelines. Adding a pencil skirt over the top solves that problem and instantly creates a professional outfit from a casual dress. It works well for stay at home mum days by tucking the tunic into some shorts too!

Navy Printed Shift Dress With More Blue

3 ways to wear a navy printed shift dress with blue accessories monochromatic style | awayfromblue

It's no secret blue is my favourite colour - I love wearing every shade of it! A neutral navy shift dress is a great excuse for me to add more blue to my outfit - even if the shades don't match, the blue on blue colour combination is one I really enjoy wearing. Denim jackets, or blue bags, anything goes!

Shift Dress With Ankle Boots

outfit ideas navy shift dress and ankle boots awayfromtheblue

A dress and ankle boots is a great way to extend the life of your summer dresses into spring and Autumn - it's a classic combo and one that works so well with a shift dress like this.

Printed Tunic Dress With Converse

navy printed tunic dress and converse worn 3 ways | away from the blue

Of course if boots aren't your thing, a dress and Converse works well too! They are a really practical choice for mum life and like the boots above it's a combination I wear in spring and autumn quite a bit.

Shift Dress In Winter

how to layer up a summer shift dress for winter 4 outfit ideas | awayfromtheblue

You can extend the life of your favourite summer dresses by wearing them in winter too! With a cosy pair of tights or leggings underneath, and a few more winter layers. This is a great option for running around with the kids too, you aren't as worried about the tunic length if you have a pair of leggings underneath.

Printed Shift Dress In Pregnancy

This dress was the best in all trimesters! It was simple and fuss free and as you can see the print is great at hiding a baby bump for the early second trimester. It was nice and light to wear when pregnant in heatwaves. Although it did get a little short in the third trimester with the bump pulling it up, nothing a pair of leggings couldn't fix!

Where To Buy Navy Printed Shift Dresses Under $50:

Friday, 29 March 2019

30 Ways To Wear A Blue Lace Pencil Skirt: #30wears

I've been looking forward to doing this 30 wears post for a while, this textured blue lace pencil skirt is a firm favourite!

With this monthly series, I pick a piece from my wardrobe I've worn over 30 times and go back through my blog archives to show you some of the ways I've worn it. Inspired by the #30wears challenge!

30 Ways To Wear: ASOS Blue Contrast Lace Pencil Skirt

30 ways to wear a blue lace pencil skirt #30wears | awayfromtheblue blog

There are a few reasons why I've been looking forward to doing this post. This is a pencil skirt that is a frequent reader favourite whenever it pops up on the blog, it was an impulse sale buy that really has worked for my wardrobe, and something I've hit much more than 30 wears on. A few of those wears were way back at the start of my blog so I wanted to wait until I could use a little more recent pics and less of the early days headless shots for this compilation post!

I bought this skirt after falling in love with it in a photo online - I think it may have been a photo of Wendy's but I'm not sure after all these years. I was sad to see it was sold out, and thrilled when it was in stock in my size and on sale a little later. I hurriedly bought it back in January 2012. The elastic waist means it still fits now just as it did pre-babies and during my pregnancies!

Cost Per Wear

Luckily I have the old email confirmation of my ASOS order to know that I paid $35.49 for this skirt 7 years ago! After wearing it more than 37 times, it's down to less than a dollar per wear, that magic figure that seems to be the goal for most people. Pretty good CPW for such a statement piece! Surprisingly, I don't have any of the other things I bought from that ASOS order still in my wardrobe, including a plain black pencil skirt I purchased at the same time. Apart from one small snag to the lace, this skirt still looks as good as new.

30 Ways To Wear A Blue Lace Pencil Skirt: Video Style

Blue Pencil Skirt With Grey

3 ways to wear a blue lace textured pencil skirt with grey tees | awayfromblue

This is a theme that will pop up a lot more often as you scroll through the photos in this post - I really like pairing blue and grey together, so I do that frequently with this navy lace skirt. I particularly like that darker charcoal grey tee with it!

Lace Pencil Skirt Belted

3 ways to belt a blue lace pencil skirt outfit ideas | away from the blue

Remember a few years ago when everyone belted everything?! I think it worked really nicely with this pencil skirt, I should probably try it again soon! I think belting this high waisted skirt really helped visually lengthen my petite frame.

Blue Pencil Skirt With Brights

bright pieces with a navy lace pencil skirt ways to wear | awayfromtheblue

From a bright handbag, bright scarf or just a bold brightly coloured tank, I love the way this blue lace skirt compliments other bright pieces in my outfit.

Lace Pencil Skirt With A Blazer

lace pencil skirt with 3 ways in the office with blazers | away from blue

This blue lace pencil skirt is a work staple, and of course a blazer is an office essential too. The cream jersey blazer is frequently paired with this lace skirt as it matches the beige base background the lace is overlaid on.

Blue Pencil Skirt In Monochromatic Outfit

5 monochormatic outfit ideas with a blue textured lace pencil skirt | awayfromtheblue

When you're not sure what to wear with something, pick another piece in a similar colour! While the lace on this pencil skirt is navy, it works so well with different shades of blue. And with blue being my favourite colour, monochromatic blue outfits make me happy!

Blue Lace Pencil Skirt With Purple

4 ways to wear purple with a lace pencil skirt | awayfromblue

Blue and purple is one of those colour combinations I frequently wear. I like how the colours work together. You can try a lot of purple like a purple tank, or a little bit of purple with an accessory like a purple scarf or bag.

Lace Pencil Skirt and Winter Layers

4 ways to layer a blue textured pencil skirt for winter with scarves jackets tights | awayfromblue

This blue lace pencil skirt is a great spring / summer piece, but it works nicely layered up for winter too, the blue lace really stands out with black layers or tights. It's definitely something I wear more in warmer weather, but being a thick material it's not too cold to wear in the cooler months.

Blue Pencil Skirt With White Tops

4 ways to wear a navy textured lace pencil skirt simple outfit ideas with white tops | awayfromtheblue

Like most mums, white isn't my go-to colour! I do like wearing it when I'm in the office though as it is a little easier to keep white clothes clean when I only have my clumsiness to worry about and not two adorable little toddlers that could leave stains! When I first got this skirt, white was a frequent go-to with it, before I tried more of the colour combinations you've seen above. Nothing wrong with having a classic go-to option for wearing a statement piece.

Where To Buy Lace Pencil Skirts Under $50:

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

30 Ways To Wear: Balenciaga Day Bag In Truffle Brown

The end of another month, and a new 30 ways to wear post! This month I'm featuring another bag, my Balenciaga truffle brown day bag.

With this monthly series, I pick a piece from my wardrobe I've worn over 30 times and go back through my blog archives to show you some of the ways I've worn it.

30 Ways To Wear Balenciaga Truffle Brown Day Bag

Cost Per Wear

I bought this bag back in August 2015 from Designer Archives consignment store in Brisbane, so of course I've worn it more than 30 times in the 3 and a half years I've had it. Still looks just as good as the day I bought it too!
This was a complete impulse buy, I'd taken some other handbags in to consign and seen this bag and just had to get it - it's the same as the day bag my bestie has, so it reminds me of her! I paid $900 for it so it works out at $25 per wear so far. Not as low as some items of clothing I've calculated cost per wear on but pretty good for such an expensive bag! It's not been worn as much as my other Balenciaga day bags, but it is one of the most recently purchased ones.

30 Ways To Wear Balenciaga Day Bag: Video Style

Balenciaga Brown Day Bag With Colourful Outfit

Unsurprisingly, this neutral brown bag works great with colourful outfits! From a colourblocking blue and green outfit to a more subtle burst of colour like a pink blazer or cobalt jacket, this brown bag is such a good neutral to add to any colourful outfit. It's a good go-to bag when I'm not sure what colour would work!

Balenciaga Day Bag With Flares

5 outfit ideas balenciaga autumne brown day bag worn with flared jeans | awayfromblue

While I do love my skinny jeans, I do have a single solitary pair of flared jeans. And I bought this bag around the time I aggravated my old knee injury in a bus accident. The flared jeans were the only ones I could fit my compression bandage underneath, so they and the bag were frequently worn. This bag does look great with other styles of jeans, but I wanted to call out how well the slouchy hobo style works with flared jeans and make it it's own category.

Balenciaga Brown Day Bag With Green

4 ways to wear Balenciaga brown day bags with green outfits different shades | away from the blue

I was surprised to see when I looked back on the pictures that this brown bag has been worn so much with green! An olive tank, emerald green pants or even olive pants, this brown bag compliments the shades of green so nicely. I'm trying to get outside my comfort zone and wear green more often, so I'm mainly wearing it with neutrals. A no-fuss neutral bag like this is heavily relied on to go with anything green in my outfit.

Balenciaga Day Bag With Matching Boots

5 ways to wear matching handbag to ankle boots outfit with balenciaga truffle brown day bag | awayfromtheblue

The old 'match your shoes to your bag' fashion rule is one that is rarely followed now, and one I certainly don't wear a lot. Partly because my handbag collection is a lot more colourful than my shoe collection! While not a perfect match, the truffle brown Balenciaga day bag is such a similar shade to these Chelsea boots that I can't resist a little matchy-matchy by pairing them together.

Balenciaga Brown Day Bag In The Office

3 outfit ideas Balenciaga day bag in the office | away from the blue blog

A slouchy hobo style bag might not be your first choice for office wear, but a big bag like this is just what I need to take everything into the office. It's comfortable even when full and a neutral shade means it stands out less than a similar style in a brighter colour, making it a good casual bag to try in a formal office environment. It helps that my office is a business casual one too so it fits in nicely with my dress code.

Balenciaga Day Bag In Pregnancy

3 ways to wear Balenciaga autumne brown day bag in pregnancy second trimester | awayfromblue

If you've seen this 30 wears series before, you'll know I can never resist including my baby bump pics in the wrap up! When I had a little girls weekend away in Melbourne during my second trimester, I picked this bag to bring with me. The neutral colour worked with all of my outfits and it held everything I needed (scarf and water bottle) to tackle the varying Melbourne temperatures. Plus these pregnancy photos illustrate so well that if you invest in accessories you can wear them no matter what changes your body has!

Balenciaga Day Bag in Summer

how to wear a balenciaga autumn brown day bag in spring and summer outfit ideas | awayfromblue

I've worn a lot of layered and cold weather outfits above as this brown bag is a perfect choice in autumn and winter, but I wanted to include these pics too to show you that it works year-round. I'm not one of those people who thinks you need to restrict handbags to particular seasons, and a brown bag works in spring and summer as well as it does in autumn and winter

Where To Buy The Balenciaga Day Bag

You can also try pre-loved sites that guarantee authenticity like The Real Real, Vestiaire Collective and Fashionphile.

Friday, 1 February 2019

30 Ways To Wear Purple Skinny Jeans ~ #30wears Challenge

As I try to move away from blue jeans, I've embraced other colours of denim! This purple pair of skinny jeans is a firm favourite, and the first pair of colourful denim in my collection that I've hit 30 wears with.

30 Ways To Wear: Purple Skinny Jeans

Cost Per Wear

I bought these 'blackberry' purple jeans back in April 2013. I've only been tracking prices with items for the past couple of years, but luckily I wrote on the blog how much I paid for these - $30! At 30 wears, that works out to the '$1 per wear' that seems to be the goal when calculating cost per wear. I'm not bored of these jeans either, despite having them for 6 years, so they will be staying in my wardrobe a little longer!
30 wears over 6 years seems like quite a low amount, but these jeans don't have a lot of stretch so wearing them over my two pregnancies was definitely out of the question! 30 times over say 4 years when you discount the pregnancy and postpartum phases is a bit of a better figure.

30 Ways To Wear Purple Jeans: Video Style

Purple Jeans For A Matchy-Matchy Outfit

5 ways to wear purple jeans with other purple pieces in an outfit | away from blue

If you've been reading my blog a while you'll know I love a little bit of matchy-matchy in my outfits! Having a colourful pair of jeans is a great excuse to continue that colour int eh rest of your outfit - a purple kimono, bag, cardigan or scarf works nicely with the purple jeans. Even if the shades don't match exactly it's a simple way to complete an outfit.

Purple Jeans With Pink

Pink and purple is a go-to colour combination for me, so of course I've worn these purple skinny jeans with pink pieces! If there's a colour combo you love, try it with a pair of colourful jeans! You can do it in a small way with a pink scarf, or go bigger and pair a pink blazer with purple jeans.

Purple Skinny Jeans With Navy

5 different ways to wear navy with purple skinny jeans | awayfromblue

Blue and purple is another go-to colour combination. When I had my wardrobe detox a few years ago, the stylist was curious why I had so many purple pieces. Because they go so well with blue! A little navy like a printed tank, or a lot of navy like a navy tee or cardigan, any amount works well with purple jeans.

Purple Jeans With Turquoise

3 outfit ideas with turquoise and purple skinny jeans | awayfromtheblue

I could have called this out with the blue option above, but I wore these purple jeans with turquoise so many times it felt right to give it it's own category! I like the deeper purple paired with the bright turquoise, it really brightens up an outfit.

Purple Jeans With Neutrals

how to wear purple jeans 3 outfit ideas with neutrals | away from the blue

You've seen how well these jeans work with other colours, but of course they work perfectly with neutrals too. A bold colourful pair of jeans - or any bold piece in your wardrobe! - will so easily go with neutral pieces. Picking out a neutral piece to wear with something more colourful is a good go-to option when you're not sure what else to wear.

Purple Jeans With Prints

Just like the neutral top option above, a printed top is another fail-safe to wear with purple jeans. As you can see, I favour stripes a lot, but any print, or even a little print mixing, will work well with colourful jeans. Purple jeans make a simple outfit base you can add extra interest to with prints.

Purple Jeans In Winter

5 ways you can layer purple jeans for winter cosy SAHM style outfits | awayfromtheblue

While summer in Brisbane isn't the ideal jeans weather, I do wear them a lot in winter. These purple skinny jeans are such a fun way to add colour to a winter outfit, but still just as cosy and practical as normal jeans. You can see I'm using some of the outfit ideas above here too, with the navy, turquoise and printed pieces worn with these jeans.

Purple Jeans and Tee Outfits

changing jeans and a tee outfit with purple jeans instead of blue denim | awayfromblue

The forever classic outfit, jeans and a tee! Swapping our standard blue jeans for a fun colourful pair like these purple jeans adds a little extra interest to a jeans and tee outfit, while still being just as easy to wear as classic blue.