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

Showing posts with label 30 Wears. Show all posts

Monday, 1 October 2018

30 Ways To Wear: Balenciaga Part Time Bag In Black #30wears

This black Balenciaga part time bag will always be a classic to me. Even with the giant silver hardware being discontinued and replaced with smaller, lighter hardware, I think the bag is timeless. It's easily been worn over 100 times, over 70 on the blog. It's definitely due to be celebrated with a post showing 30 different ways to wear it.

Note: No haul video or post as I managed to complete #noSpenderSeptember with no fashion purchases for the month!

30 Ways To Wear: Balenciaga Black Part Time Bag

30 ways to wear Balenciaga Part Time Bag in black #30wears | awayfromblue blog

Cost Per Wear

Once again, another item I find tricky to calculate cost per wear of. I know how much I paid for it all the way back in December 2010, as I still have the emails from the London Balenciaga boutique. It's all in pounds though, and almost 8 years later I don't remember what it converted to! It was over 1,000 pounds at the time, so I have a lot more wears left to go to hit the magical '$1 per wear' figure most people seem to aim for when calculating cost per wear. I fully expect to have this bag for a lifetime though so I might hit that 1,000 wears one day!

I know expensive bags aren't for everyone. Some people splurge more on clothes, or shoes, or holidays, or cars, or jewelry, and some people are just saving up so they have some money to splurge! But hopefully this post still gives you some outfit ideas for how you could wear a similar black bag of your own.

30 Ways To Wear A Balenciaga Part Time Bag: Video Style

Balenciaga Part Time Bag and Dresses

5 ways to wear Balenciaga part time bag with dresses | awayfromtheblue

You can really see the versatility of the part time bag in these 5 outfits! It's a very large, slouchy bag so not the usual piece you think of when wearing a dress (I usually go for smaller bags) but it works so well with so many dresses. You can see it in a mix of seasons, and a mix of dress styles, looking fab with each one.

Part Time Bag and Jeans

4 outfit ideas balenciaga part time bag with skinny jeans denim style | awayfromblue

Skinny jeans are my go-to style, and while I have worn this bag with other kinds of denim, my favourite 4 were these outfits with my trusty skinny jeans. There's something about the slouchy Balenciaga leather paired with denim that I just love, and so this part time bag is frequently worn with jeans.

Balenciaga Black Part Time Bag and Monochrome Outfits

how to wear Balenciaga part time bag with monochrome outfits | away from blue

You might know from reading my blog that I am a big an of bright handbags! I love a pop of colour with a handbag against a monochrome outfit, but with this black part time bag you can use it to let other parts of your outfit shine. From the bold and colourful scarves in the first and third outfit, or just letting the cheerful print be the statement part of the outfit with the dress in the middle there. It's good to have a neutral black bag to tie in with a monochrome back or grey outfit.

Balenciaga Bag and Printed Pieces

4 ways to wear Balenciaga part time bag with prints casual and corporate outfits | away from the blue

This bag is such an easy piece to grab when you're wearing something printed. You don't have to worry about matching it to colours in the print, or that it won't go with the print. A black bag just goes with whatever you have on and you don't need to worry about coordinating it with printed pieces in your outfit.

Part Time Bag and Print Mixing

part time bag and pattern mixing outfit ideas for balenciaga part time bag | awayfromblue

Of course with a neutral black bag, you can go all out with your outfit, mixing different colours and prints together. While my favourite thing to do is to add a printed scarf to an outfit for a bit of mixing, you can achieve this by wearing two different printed items of clothing together too like in the first outfit.

Balenciaga Part Time In Summer

black balenciaga part time bag in summer 3 outfit ideas | awayfromtheblue

You will see me wearing all of my bags year-round on this blog! I don't keep things set aside for different seasons, preferring to wear and enjoy the handbags all year. That means a big black bag works perfectly in summer for me. I don't think you have to stick to lighter coloured handbags just because it's summer.

Black Part Time Bag in Winter

Black balenciaga part time bag in winter | awayfromtheblue

Of course, despite working year round, a black bag is undeniably a winter staple. It works with any kind of layers you put together, being a classic neutral shade. With all of the darker layers that tend to get worn around winter, a black bag is a great piece to have in your wardrobe.

Balenciaga Part Time Bag in Pregnancy

A frequent feature in these posts, pregnancy outfits! I like including them in these wrap-ups as it shows you why I invest in my handbags. Clothes quickly stop fitting in pregnancy, somes shoes follow suit, but handbags and accessories always work and I'm glad I get to have these photos with my baby bumps to look back on.

Where To Buy The Balenciaga Part Time Bag:

Monday, 3 September 2018

30 Ways to Wear A Tie Dye Maxi Dress (#30wears Challenge)

If you look at all the 30 wears posts I've done so far you'll see a lot of maxis! I love my maxi skirts and dresses, and I definitely think you can still wear them if you're petite like me. I've already shared 30 ways to wear a pink maxi dress before, now it's another much-loved maxi dress, this beautiful jersey tie dye one from Jeanswest.

30 Ways To Wear: Grey Jersey Tie Dye Maxi Dress

30 ways to wear a grey jersey tie dye maxi dress #30wears challenge | away from the blue blog

Cost Per Wear

Unfortunately, this is another one of those pieces I can't calculate cost per wear on, as it was a present! With 30 wears and lots of life left in it though, I'm definitely getting value from it, so it was a great gift from my mum. I first wore it back in 2012, for Christmas day. Almost 6 years, 2 pregnancies and 30 wears later, it's still a firm favourite in my wardrobe.

30 Ways To Wear a Tie Dye Maxi Dress: Video Style

Jersey Maxi Dress Worn Knotted

petite hack for wearing a maxi dress knotting the hem worn 3 ways | awayfromblue

A go-to petite hack, if a maxi is too long, just knot it. You can secure over the knot with a hair tie to keep it in place too! As I've never had this dress shortened, wearing the elastic lower down where it should sit makes the dress too long, so tying a quick knot in it is an easy solution. It's a good way to make a maxi dress seem more casual, and it also works if you're at the beach and need to keep the hem out of the way as you walk on wet sand!

Grey Tie Dye Maxi Dress Worn With Yellow

grey and yellow: 4 outfit ideas for accessorising a grey tie dye maxi dress | awayfromtheblue

Part of the reason behind me wearing this maxi dress so often is that it's a beautiful neutral grey colour. The tie dye print isn't too bold, so I love to pair it with bright accessories. I like grey and yellow together, and when I was organising the photos for this post I realised it was a definite trend with this dress. Yellow bag, yellow necklace (or even both!) this grey dress works so well with yellow accessories.

Tie Dye Maxi Dress and Statement Necklaces

accessorizing a maxi dress with statement necklaces outfit ideas | awayfromblue

The beautiful of a maxi dress is that it's an instant, easy outfit, You don't need to accessorise or try too hard with it, you can just throw it on and go. If you do want to change it up a little though, a statement necklace is a great choice. I love bold and beaded ones like the first and third outfits, or you can just layer them up like in the other two outfits.

Jersey Maxi Dress In Summer

ways to wear a tie dye maxi dress in summer | awayfromtheblue

Taking full advantage of the 'throw on and go' benefits of a maxi dress that I mentioned above! I love a maxi dress for summer, you have an instantly pulled together looking outfit you don't need to spend any time planning. The jersey material of this dress is perfect - not too thick, not too thin, so it's a perfect choice on a hot day.

Tie Dye Maxi Dress and Light Layers

layering a tie dye maxi dress 5 outfit ideas with light layers | awayfromtheblue

Of course I wear my tie dye maxi dress outside of summer too! For spring or autum, or even just a cooler day, it's easy to add a light layer on top. Something like a cardigan, kimono, denim jacket, or even just a cosy scarf helps keep the chill off.

Jersey Maxi Dress Layered Under A Tee

layering a maxi dress with a tee 3 outfit ideas for spring | awayfromblue

Admittedly, layering a tee over a maxi dress is a fairly new combination for me. It's something I've seen other bloggers doing and decided to really embrace this past year, I love it! If you want to change up the look of a maxi dress you wear frequently, just pull on a tee and turn it into an instant skirt.

Tie Dye Maxi Dress In Winter

3 ways to wear tie dye maxi dress layered in winter leather jackets scarves | awayfromblue

Without snow in winter, maxi dresses can be worn year round in Brisbane. When it gets really chilly, I add a leather jacket on top, a big but colourful scarf and some boots underneath. If it's even colder where you are, you could layer tights or leggings underneath too. I like to get wear from my wardrobe most of the time, and layering a summer maxi dress to wear in winter is a good way to achieve that.

Jersey Tie Dye Maxi Dress In Pregnancy

5 outfit ideas non maternity maxi dress in pregnancy | awayfromtheblue

As I mentioned above, I've had two pregnancies in the time I've had this maxi dress. While it's not a maternity dress, the stretchy jersey and elastic that sits above a baby bump made this an easy option for pregnancy wear. Especially on a hot day! It's fun being able to look back on a dress I've worn while pregnant with both my boys that I'm still able to wear it now.

Tie Dye Maxi Dresses Under $50:

Friday, 3 August 2018

30 Ways To Wear: Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody Bag (#30wears)

This month's 30 ways to wear is another handbag, my Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag. As well as showing you 30 ways to wear the Love bag, I've added some FAQ at the end around the 30 wears challenge.

You can see last month's 30 ways to wear a blazer here or the previous handbag edition with 30 ways to wear a Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote.

30 Ways To Wear: Rebecca Minkoff Quilted Love Cross Body Bag in Grey

Cost Per Wear

This is one of the handbags I have difficulty calculating cost per wear of - as it was a gift from my mum! I've had it for 3 and a half years now, and I've worn it over 60 times since then, so it's pretty good cost per wear considering I didn't spend anything on it! The love crossbody bag is on the Rebecca Minkoff site for $148 US / $212 AU (reduced from US $295) so I'm pretty happy with over 60 wears so far. Especially as I am planning to continue wearing it for many more years.

30 Ways To Wear Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag In Video Form:

Love Bag With Studded Guitar Strap

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag ways to wear with studded Guitar Strap | away from the blue blog

I thought this guitar strap would be a nice addition to my bags, but had no idea how much I'd love wearing it with the Love bag! It's quickly become my favourite way to wear this bag, I love the embellishment of the strap to add a little more interest to a neutral, classically shaped bag. You can see a full review on the guitar strap here.

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag Worn Cross Body

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag outfit ideas worn cross body | awayfromblue

I do like occasionally wearing the chain strap at its fullest length and wearing it cross body as it was designed to be worn. This is a really good option for kid wrangling as it lets you be completely hands-free and you don't have to worry about the bag falling off your shoulder. I do wear the strap doubled over most of the time though to work with my petite frame, as you'll see from the rest of my outfit photos below!

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag With Denim

Quilted Love Bag 4 ways to wear with skinny jeans | awayfromtheblue

This bag works so nicely with denim! Not just your standard blue either, I've worn it with printed jeans as well as metallic ones. It's a good way to dress up denim a little more.

Love Bag with Maxi Dresses

Rebecca Minkoff quilted grey Love bag outfit ideas maxi dresses | away from the blue blog

Maxi dresses are a wardrobe staple for me, and this Love bag is something I frequently wear with them. When you have a big bold printed dress, a classic neutral bag like the Love crossbody is an easy accessory.

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag With Dresses

Quilted cross body grey Love Bag Ways to Wear with dresses | awayfromtheblue blog

It's not just maxi dresses that this bag works with! I like pairing it with all kinds of dresses - and as you can see from the middle one it still works with a simple summer dress even in winter, with the right layers of course.

Love Bag With Skirts

Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag: ways to wear with skirts | awayfromtheblue

Just as the love bag works with dresses, it works well with skirts too. I like the feminine quilting detail paired with skirts, and I love all three of these outfits although they are so different.

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag With Shorts

Rebecca Minkoff Love bag ways to wear with shorts in summer | away from the blue blog

You can see from the previous ways I've worn this bag, but the neutral grey is really a good all-round colour that works in any season. I do really like wearing the quilted love bag with shorts in summer though, it works with all the different kinds of shorts I have in my wardrobe.

Love Bag With Prints

Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag outfit ideas with prints | away from blue 30 wears blog post

Because it's a neutral grey, I like to wear this Love bag with prints. From something as simple as a printed dress, to a print mixing outfit or something like bright red pants and a printed tank, it's a good neutral accessory to add that won't clash with a print.

Where To Buy The Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag:

Looking For More Outfit Inspiration?

I hope you enjoyed this wrap up post with some of the ways I've worn this cute charcoal grey Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag. For more ways to wear it, check out my blog archives and see all 60+ outfits: more ways to wear Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Frequently Asked Questions About 30 Wears:

What Is 30 Wears?

It's a challenge I decided to start doing monthly after watching 'The True Cost' documentary on Netflix. One of the points raised to reduce the environmental impact of fashion was to commit to buying everything you wear at least 30 times.
Seems simple, until you do the maths. It's wearing it around 3 times a month for a year if it's something you can wear year round, or 5 times a month for a year if it's something seasonal you can only wear for 6 months of the year. Of course the longer you own things, the more time you have to hit 30 wears over the years.

How Do You Come Up With 30 Ways To Wear Things?

I don't think up 30 ways to wear things I buy! I just look in my blog archives for things I've worn more than 30 times and compile these posts. As I've been taking a photo of my outfits each day for most of the past 6 years, I've got plenty of past outfits to look back on, and I can see the different ways I've worn things over time.

Linking up with Lizzie In Lace, Weekend Linkup, Friday Faves, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Modest Monday.

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Monday, 2 July 2018

30 Ways To Wear: A Cream Jersey Blazer #30wears

For this month's 30 ways to wear post, sharing a piece that it seems to have taken a while for me to reach 30 wears on, this cream jersey blazer from Zara. Last month it was a purple cardigan, so I hope you don't mind me picking another piece of outerwear this month! The winter weather in Brisbane has me thinking of layers!

30 Ways To Wear: Cream Jersey Blazer

30 ways to wear zara cream jersey blazer #30wears | away from the blue blog

I bought this jacket second hand back in 2015, so I've had it 3 years. An average of 10 wears a year isn't bad, especially considering for a year and a half in there I was on maternity leave and wasn't reaching for my blazers. An ebay find, it was $30.50 if you include the overpriced shipping the seller charged me. At 30 wears, it's just over a dollar a wear.

I bought this because I had the same blazer in black and was thrilled to find another colour of it. Whether you call it a jersey blazer or a knit blazer, it's so soft and comfortable to wear. As I tried it with more outfits in my wardrobe, I've realised that this cream / beige / oatmeal colour isn't ideal for me. I definitely haven't loved every outfit I've made with it. My sister likes it though, so I'm passing it onto her.

Jersey Blazer and Lace Pencil Skirt

5 outfit idas with blue lace pencil skirt and jersey blazer for the office | awayfromblue

This is definitely my most worn piece with this blazer. This blue lace pencil skirt is such a fun piece to wear to the office, and always gets a lot of compliments. The base material is a nude colour that's similar to the cream jersey of the blazer, so it's an easy pairing. It lets me add more colours to the rest of my outfit too, with bright accessories.

Beige Blazer and Burgundy Pants

wearing a cream knit blazer with burgundy pants | away from the blue

When I put these posts together I look back at all the ways I've worn things and try group them into sensible categories. It was obvious these burgundy pants would be a category of their own, I do love wearing this blazer with them! I like the neutral cream with the burgundy, a nice colour pairing.

Cream Blazer and Monochrome Outfits

4 outfit ideas: monochrome prints with neutral oatmeal knit blazer | awayfromtheblue

While the blue and burgundy above look great with this blazer, they aren't the only colour combinations I like to try. Being a beautiful neutral that goes with pretty much everything, I like to add this blazer as a layer to a monochrome or monochromatic outfit. From an orange dress, navy top and skirt or a peach two piece set, this blazer works wonderfully.

Beige Blazer and Printed Pieces

3 ways to wear neutral blazer with printed pieces | awayfromblue

Sometimes you just want to wear a fun printed piece without thinking too hard. That's when neutral pieces like this jersey blazer are perfect, as you know the cream shade won't clash with any printed pieces. While it's nice in the office with printed skirts, it works well with the fun statement leopard print jeans for SAHM style too.

Neutral Jersey Blazer and Print Mixing Outfits

ways to wear print mixing outfits with neutral jersey blazer | away from the blue

As I mentioned with the printed pieces above, this neutral blazer is a great companion to prints. Being a basic neutral colour and style, it allows you to be a little more adventurous with your outfit and try some print mixing too! In these three outfits, I kept it simple and cosy by using a printed scarf as a topper for the outfit and as another print.

Jersey Blazer In The Office - With Printed Dresses

5 ways to wear printed dresses with neutral cream jersey blazer for the office | away from blue

As you've seen in the previous outfits, this blazer gets pulled on over a lot of prints! For the office, it's a quick and simple addition to a printed dress. Being a jersey material, it's comfortable enough to wear all day at your desk when the aircon is running a little cold, and it helps tone down any print to make it look more professional.

Jersey Blazer In The Office - With Pencil Skirts

3 ways to wear a jersey blazer with pencil skirts for business casual office | away from blue

Pencil skirts are a staple workwear option for me, so of course this blazer has been worn with a few of them. Just like the outfits above, I've picked this blazer to wear on top of these outfits as they feature printed pieces, and it's such a good neutral. The blazer also works to make a casual sleeveless summer tank more office appropriate.

Blazer And Jeans

4 ways to wear a jersey blazer with jeans - SAHM Style | away from the blue

A blazer isn't just for the office though! The final way to wear this soft jersey blazer is with jeans. It helps to make you feel a little more pulled together than say a cardigan, but is still just as comfortable (and a little warmer as it's lined). The neutral colour works with any colour of jeans, and while I've mostly worn it with skinny jeans it looks great with a pair of flares too!

Similar Jersey Blazers Under $50:

30 Ways To Wear A Cream Blazer In Video Form:

Friday, 1 June 2018

30 Ways To Wear A Purple Cardigan: #30wears Outfit Challenge

This 30 wears post has been a while coming, after I hit 30 wears on this cardigan in spring last year. It just didn't feel right to post about it over summer though. Now the weather is cooler and it's officially winter here in Brisbane, I'm happy to share some of the 30 ways I've worn this cardigan in the past. I even managed to find some of the ways I'd worn it before I had the blog so I could share that with you for something different.

30 Ways To Wear: Purple Cardigan

30 ways to wear a purple cardigan | Away From The Blue Blog pinnable pic

The past few times I've done a 30 wears post I've managed to calculate the cost per wear. Unfortunately, I bought this cardigan so long ago, I can't remember what I paid for it. I've only photographed my outfits consistently every day since I started this blog in 2012 so I'm not sure exactly how many times I've worn this. There have been over 33 times I've photographed it and I'm pleased with that. The earliest pic I could find was winter 2011, so it's at least 7 years old and still going strong.

How To Wear a Purple Cardigan Video:

Belting A Cardigan

3 ways to wear a cardigan belted | away from the blue

One of my early blog pics there in the middle! It's fun seeing how things have changed. I used to have to balance my camera on the BBQ and use the self timer, so often it wasn't aligned properly. I much prefer the other pics, taken with my camera remote and tripod.
No matter what the photos look like, I love each of these outfit ideas though. I really like the way this cardigan looks belted. It's something a bit different, and good in the middle of winter as it keeps you warm as the cardigan stays closed in place. It makes the draped pieces sit really flatteringly too and almost creates a peplum effect as you can see in the last photo.

Colourful Cardigan and Matching Bag

3 outift ideas purple cardigan and matching magenta Balenciaga day bag

Each season, Balenciaga come out with new colours for their bags. I always take a liking to the pinks, but the 2005 magenta is my favourite pink. As you can see in the photos above, my current magenta Balenciaga Day bag isn't the only magenta bag I've had, the old selfie in the middle is back when I had the same colour in the city style too.

With the touch of pink in this purple cardigan, and the touch of purple in the pink bag, the cardigan and bags are a nice combination. They aren't a perfect match, but the shade is close enough together that I like the almost matchy-matchyness.

Purple Cardigan With Blue Tops

It's not just similar colours I like wearing this purple cardigan with. Blue and purple is a combination I frequently wear, so I really like navy tops with this cardigan.
Of course that last outfit there is my favourite, it was Baby T's first outing after we got home from the hospital. Even though I'm exhausted, my postpartum tum is on display, and we were going to a clinic for breastfeeding help, it was still a comfortable outfit and my favourite photo of the post!

Purple Cardigan With Pink

Another frequently worn colour combination of mine is pink and purple. With the bright purple colour of this cardigan, it's easy to introduce just a little touch of colour through a small bag like this neon pink mini MAC I'm wearing in the last two photos. If you're feeling bolder or particularly colourful, you could wear it with a pink top too, like I've done with the ombre tank in the first outfit.

Purple Cardigan With Purple Accessories

4 outfit ideas to wear purple cardigan with purple bag | away from the blue

You'll know from reading my blog (or looking at some of the outfits I've already shared!) that I like my colourful handbags. They are fun accessories with an outfit. And while the deep plum purple of these Rebecca Minkoff bags in the outfits above doesn't match the pinky-purple shade of the cardigan, I think they compliment each other quite nicely!
Even if your accessories aren't a perfect match to a colourful cardigan, it's good to give the combination a try - as you can see I loved the little purple MAB tote bag with this cardigan so much I've worn it quite a few times!

Colourful Cardigan With Neutral Outfits

3 ways to add a purple cardigan to neutral outfits | awayfromtheblue

If you're completely stumped about what to wear with a colourful cardigan, throw it on over a neutral outfit. It can be something as simple as a grey tee like in the first picture, or a monochrome black outfit like the last photo. It also works well with cream and neutrals as you can see in the middle there. I'm also employing my previous tip above of wearing a purple bag with the cardigan in these last two photos, but you could easily stick with a neutral brown like the Chloe paddington bag in the first outfit.

Colourful Cardigan and Printed Tops

Purple cardigan with printed tanks 3 outfit ideas | awayfromblue

The fun thing with a bright, single colour cardigan like this purple one is that it's so easy to wear with printed pieces in your outfit. The lack of print on it means it will go with anything. Stripes is my favourite combo, as you can see here! But a plain cardigan will go with any print you want to wear.

Draped Cardigan and Maxi Skirts

3 ways to wear a purple cardigan with maxi skirts | away from blue

With a loose, drapey waterfall cardigan you'd usually follow the 'one fitted, one flowy' rule to balance your outfit. But I like the casual outfit created with a long maxi skirt and this long cardigan. It's a nice way to wear a maxi skirt outside of summer! And as you can see from the last picture, a cardigan is the perfect piece to wear when babywearing, soft for baby to cuddle up to when he's in the carrier.

Purple Cardigan and Dresses

4 ways to wear a purple cardigan with dresses | away from the blue

The last way that you can wear a purple cardigan is with dresses! I smiled when I put this picture together as it shows off some of the other things I'd mentioned above! A purple cardigan with purple accessories, a neutral black dress, with blue, and with prints. Just like it does with with maxi skirts, a cosy and colourful cardigan is a nice way to make a spring or summer dress work into autumn, especially when paired with ankle boots!

I really like the beautiful purple shade of this cardigan, and I find it so easy to wear. One of those purchases that's proved it's worth in my wardrobe. I have had to spend a little more than what I originally paid on it after I accidentally snagged it and got a hole in it. Thankfully my tailor repaired it very affordably, and this cardigan will continue to be worn and loved in my wardrobe for a long time still.

Hopefully these outfit ideas gave you some ways to wear a purple cardigan, or even just a colourful cardigan, that you own. If you don't have one, it is very versatile as you can see from the outfits above, so I've included some similar pieces below you can shop.