#30Wears: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina Studded Sandals

I'm amazed we are in March already! Baby boy's birthday is this month and it really doesn't feel like he's almost a toddler. A new month means a new 30 wears, this time sharing 30 ways I've worn my Rebecca Minkoff studded gladiator sandals. I explain more about 30 wears here and why I'm doing it.

#30 Wears: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina Studded Sandals

I bought these studded gladiator sandals in October after having my eye on them for a while. Amy Ann wore them so well on her blog! I originally wanted the gold pair, but waited for the Shopbop sale and these blush ones were the only ones left in my size. I'm glad I ended up with this pair, the neutral colour goes with absolutely everything. 30 wears in 5 months is pretty good too, considering I mostly live in my Havaianas over our hot and humid Queensland summers.

Wearing Studded Gladiator Sandals and Dresses

A simple dress and sandals combination is ideal for warm weather. I haven't been able to wear these sandals with all the dresses in my wardrobe yet as they aren't all breastfeeding friendly, but I'm eager to wear them with more dresses soon. The sandal straps are ankle height so they work perfectly with knee-length, midi or maxi length dresses.

The only problem with pairing them with maxi dresses is that you don't always get to see the sandals under the long hem, but it's a combination I adore anyway. The neutral pale blush shade means you can wear them with brightly coloured or printed maxi dresses, and I've enjoyed wearing them that way. Three of the dress outfits above are my favourite on this page.

Wearing Gladiator Sandals and Maxi Skirts

Just like when I wear these sandals with maxi dresses, it can be hard to see them peeking out from under the hem. As they go with everything though, I'm happily wearing them under maxi skirts. Wearing them with my chambray maxi skirt is an outfit staple for me, as you can see from the pics!

Studded Gladiator Sandals and Printed Skirts

This is another reason I'm glad I got the neutral blush colour - I can pair them with any colour print and they work well. Stripes go with everything, but they also look good with my knee length pleated printed skirt.

Studded Gladiator Sandals and Printed Shorts

Just like the printed skirts above, the sandals work equally well with printed shorts. Sandals and printed shorts look a little less casual than my usual Havaianas, so this is a nice combination to feel a little more pulled-together. Again I don't have to worry about what colours I'm wearing with them and can stick with the pallette in the print of the shorts, or be more adventurous and try pink and yellow too.

Studded Gladiator Sandals and Printed Kimonos

You can see I love my Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and my Somedays Lovin' kimono just as much as my sandals! I tend to reach for these sandals more often when I'm wearing colourful printed kimonos as they don't compete with the print or clash with any of the colours.

Studded Gladiator Sandals and Denim Shorts

Just like my chambray maxi skirt above, I think the studded gladiator sandals work so nicely with denim. Perfect with denim shorts on a hot day, and the neutral blush means I can play with prints or colour or both in the rest of my outfit.

I like these studded sandals so much I've even considered buying another pair in a different colour, once my #6MonthsWithoutShopping challenge is over of course. The only downside to these sandals is that they have a lot of buckles to do up, which isn't ideal when you're already running late trying to get yourself and two little boys dressed and out the door on time!

They are extremely comfortable though, even from the first wear, and are available in so many different colours. Really easy to care for too - as they are leather I've treated them like all the other leather things I buy and have given them a quick waterproofing spray just to be safe.


There are a few places to buy the Rebecca Minkoff Georgina sandals, and they are on sale at most of them!

You can see all of the outfits I've worn my Rebecca Minkoff Georgina sandals with in my blog archives, or click the image below to see all 30 different ways to wear them side by side.

I hope you enjoyed this 30 wears post - feel free to share or pin!


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Wardrobe Inventory | 6 Months Without Shopping Update 2

Another month over, another month of my #6MonthsWithoutShopping challenge completed!

Just like last month, I managed to avoid the sales and stores most of the time. The continuing heatwaves meant playdates at home in the aircon and so there was no shopping temptations from meeting up in Westfield. Unsubscribing from emails from online stores has helped keep temptation at bay as well.

The biggest help in avoiding shopping has been the boys though! Their naps have gone from sometimes lining up to never lining up so it's extremely difficult to waste time online 'just browsing' shopping sites. That has been the major factor to make this month another easy month for avoiding shopping. I feel it's made me a bad blogger too as it's so hard to read other blogs but baby routines change so much, it's only temporary.


Two years ago I did a wardrobe inventory. I wanted to do one last year but never seemed to find the time. I'd like to make it an annual thing. In 2015, I had 101 accessories and 266 items of clothing.

Since then I have had many more declutter sessions, a wardrobe detox with a personal stylist and another pregnancy. I was interested to see how the count would have changed this year. The totals below doesn't include things like pieces I only wear for layering, pyjamas and loungewear.

2017 Closet Totals

Accessories:

30 scarves

29 bags

• 3 tote bags (Mulberry Bayswater, Louis Vuitton Neverfull, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote)
• 1 travel bag (Louis Vuitton Keepall)
• 4 hobo bags (Balenciaga day bags in Truffle, Magenta and Tempete. Sarah Conners python bag.)
• 7 shoulder bags (Rebecca Minkoff MAM, Marc Jacobs Fran. Balenciaga sorbet city, black part time. Mimco Button Bag, Chloe Paddington, Guess)
• 11 cross body bags (Avalina leather. Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote, saddle bag, micro Regan, striped mini MAC, aqua mini MAC, metallic mini MAC, neon pink mini MAC, quilted Love. Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere, Mulberry metallic Lily)
• 1 vintage Chanel bag
• 2 clutches (Chloe paddington clutch, Balenciaga envelope clutch)

24 pairs of shoes

• 8 pairs flats
• 1 pair of wedges
• 3 pairs of heels
• 2 pairs of Converse
• 3 sandals 
• 2 pairs of thongs (flip flops)
• 5 pairs of boots

Clothes:

97 tops, including

• 15 fitted tanks
• 21 other tanks
• 24 nongrey tees
• 7 grey tees
• 9 long sleeve tops
• 6 shirts
• 5 camis

6 jumpers

8 cardigans

20 jackets, including

• 3 blazers
• 7 kimonos
• 3 leather jackets
• 2 trench coats

16 pairs of jeans

• 1 set of flares
• 2 printed jeans
• 13 skinny jeans

4 pairs of shorts

19 skirts

• 8 maxi skirts
• 1 a line skirt
• 10 pencil skirts

41 dresses, including

• 3 wrap dresses
• 11 maxi dresses
• 17 office dresses

Final totals:

83 accessories
211 items of clothing
294 pieces

My wardrobe had 367 items in 2015 so 294 is a step in the right direction! I do try to share my wardrobe edits on the blog when I've given something its last wear and it is leaving my wardrobe. Sometimes I never give pieces a final wear and I don't like them when I try them on or I remember I didn't like them last time I wore them and so I donate or sell them.

It's wonderful that I've managed to reduce the number of bags and scarves but I'm surprised I've increased the number of shoes I own! I'm disappointed I have so many dresses, after I got rid of a few at the end of the Frocktober challenge. It's good to see I've halved the number of grey tees though.

How Many Outfits?

Since I'm attempting the #30Wears challenge this year I thought it would be interesting to calculate how many outfits I'd have in my wardrobe if I tried to get 30 wears from everything. Keeping it simple as maths isn't my strong point, just looking at tops and dresses and not outfit combinations:

30 wears from 41 dresses is 1,230 outfits. Almost 3 and a half years of outfits. 
30 wears from 97 tops is 2,910 outfits. Almost 8 years of outfits.


And I frequently think I have nothing to wear, wow...😮

If I was to just focus on getting 30 wears out of everything I currently own, I wouldn't need to buy any new clothes for around 11 years. Somehow 6 months without shopping seems like a very short time. You can be sure I'll be looking back at these numbers when I'm tempted to buy something, to help me stick to my no-shopping challenge for the next 4 months.



I really liked looking at how my wardrobe has changed in 2 years and if you enjoyed seeing it too I'll attempt another inventory next year. If you've done a similar count please leave a link to your post in the comments, I'd love to read it.


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Silicone Teething Necklaces and Printed Dresses

The most frequent comment on the blog or Instagram is around my accessories. Lots of love for my handbags, but at the moment the most commented on thing is whatever necklace I'm wearing.

While Baby Boy is so small, I'm doing the same thing I did with his older brother and putting aside all my regular necklaces and just wearing baby-friendly pieces. I have a little collection of teething necklaces I rotate through.

What's a teething necklace?

They are called teething or silicone necklaces as they are made out of nontoxic food safe silicone and designed for babies to chew. I've bought necklaces from Nibbly Bits (who I highly recommend) and received some from Ruby Olive in a subscription box. I'm wearing one from each brand with some printed dresses below.

Why wear a teething necklace?

• Entertainment for baby - they are brightly coloured and perfectly positioned around your neck for playing with during feeds. Useful for both breast and bottle feeds.
• Perfect for teething - both my boys love gnawing on the bright beads to soothe their gums.
• Easy to clean - you can wash them in hot soapy water and as they stay on you they don't get as dirty as other toys that roll around on the floor with baby.
• Always nearby - it can be hard digging around in a baby bag to find a toy when you have a toddler and a baby to keep hold of!
• Safe - the ones I own have a quick release clasp so if baby gets tangled or tugs too strongly they unfasten for safety. They are also made from BPA free food-grade silicone.
• They look good! I like being able to wear an accessory that adds something to an outfit I'm wearing and is also useful for baby. Pretty and practical!

You get a lot of unsolicited advice in motherhood and I'm wary of recommending something as what works for one baby doesn't work for all, but when anyone asks about my necklaces I always rave about how good teething necklaces are! They are a nice touch to an outfit too.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: Atmos&Here Nigella collarless shirt dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I was in a rush this morning as usual so wanted an easy outfit - this simple printed shirt dress was perfect. It met a lot of style challenges on Instagram too. The polka dot dress is a red, black and white print but it 'reads' like a neutral piece so I thought the pink and purple teething necklace was lovely with it. Wore this for a lot of running around with swim lessons for Toddler T, a few errands and getting lunch.

This is definitely my favourite teething necklace - I really like the colours and it does seem to go with everything! I made a #30wears collages with it as I've worn it so much.

Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Atmos&Here shirt dress, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: shirt dress and winter layers, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere and jeans.

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Where to Buy Silicone Teething Necklaces:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Not what I wanted to wear, but still met a couple style challenge prompts on Instagram. Unlike the shirt dress above, this shift dress is not breastfeeding friendly! I was rushing to get ready as usual and I pulled on my button up shift dress that is breastfeeding friendly. Only to find I couldn't fasten it as somewhere between me taking it off, washing it and ironing it, one of the buttons had popped off.

I'd had my mind set on wearing a dress so I was rummaging through my wardrobe looking for something else to wear. With pregnancy and breastfeeding, it's been a year and a half since I last wore this one! It was nice to get it out again, it is one of my favourite dresses. Even if I was a little stressed about going grocery shopping and getting back before Baby Boy wanted a feed!

With the blue bag and navy shift dress the colourful teething necklace was a good addition to break up the blue a little. Plus it kept Baby Boy amused until I could get home and change into something more suited for feeding him.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), Zara shift dress, Havaianas (above), Balenciaga tempete Day bag.

Other ways to wear: Zara shift dress and leather jacket, Balenciaga tempete Day bag and blush blazer.


Hopefully you found this post helpful! So many people have asked that I thought this would be useful for someone. It's not sponsored. Just wanted to share the revelation I had when I first heard of teething necklaces - what a great idea!

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More Teething Necklaces:

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#30Wears: Balenciaga Red Velo Cross Body Bag

During my 6 months without shopping, I'm aiming to get 30 wears out of as many pieces in my wardrobe as possible. Every month I'll be sharing 30 ways to wear something, from my huge archive of over 5 years of daily outfit photos.

This month it is the Balenciaga coquelicot (poppy red) Velo bag.

30 Wears: Balenciaga Coquelicot Velo Bag

Sharing an accessory this time: the Balenciaga coquelicot Velo bag. I bought this in 2011 and it has been worn over 50 times. (More if you include the year I wore it pre-blog). It ages so well too, very little wear and tear after years of use. Just like the black maxi skirt I featured for last month's 30 wears, it was hard narrowing this post down to just 30 outfits. The velo fits so much inside it's a great bag for many different occasions.

10 Ways to Wear a Balenciaga Velo Bag with a Skirt

The Balenciaga Velo bag looks great with any kind of skirt. Pencil skirts for work, skater skirts or maxi skirts for casual Friday or the weekend. I like wearing it with black skirts as it really pops.

10 Ways to Wear a Red Balenciaga Velo Bag with Denim

While some people worry about denim transfer with Balenciaga bags, I water and stain proof all my bags before I use them and I've never had a problem with my jeans rubbing off onto the leather. I've worn the Balenciaga velo bag with skinny jeans and shorts, the poppy red colour is perfect with all kinds of denim. It doesn't just have to be your standard blue jeans, printed jeans and even red jeans work quite well.

10 More Ways to Wear a Balenciaga Velo Bag

The Balenciaga Velo works just as well with a casual outfit as it does an office outfit. Printed dresses or black skinny pants, it really is a versatile bag. While some people might worry the bag is too slouchy and casual for office wear, it holds so much it makes perfect sense to take to work. The bright red colour is a nice pick-me-up when you sit it on your desk too!

I love handbags, they are my favourite accessory and I have quite a lot. While Balenciaga is one of the more expensive bag brands I have I do think they are worth the money and worth saving up for. That's why I have so many! I've included a few preloved Balenciaga bags below that are a little more wallet friendly, as well as some other brands.

Similar red leather cross body bags:

If you're unsure if you should buy the Balenciaga velo or another Balenciaga style, this video answers that question for you and compares a few of the common Balenciaga moto line bags.





Want more outfit ideas with the red Balenciaga Velo bag? All 50+ wears of the Balenciaga Velo in my archives.

If you enjoyed this 30 wears post I'm always happy to hear your suggestions for what clothing item or accessory to feature next!


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#30Wears: Black Jersey Maxi Skirt and #6MonthsWithoutShopping

Introducing a new 30 Wears series on the blog and outlining my 6 months without shopping challenge.

Why 30 Wears?

This all came about after watching a documentary on netflix: 'The True Cost'. If you haven't seen it yet I recommend it. It's a really interesting look at fast fashion. While I watched the movie last year it got me thinking more about my shopping habits.

With #30wears, before you buy anything, you ask yourself "would I wear it 30 times?". I already have my "if I buy it I need to wear it twice that month" rule to ensure I wear new purchases immediately and that they will be versatile in my wardrobe. I browsed my blog archives and was surprised that even pieces I thought I'd worn frequently hadn't been worn 30 times. In 2017, I'm going to focus more on wearing and enjoying what I already own and try hit 30 wears on as much as I can. This new 30 Wears series will initially be a monthly series. I will review as I go and post more frequently if I make faster progress on my goals.

#6MonthsWithoutShopping Challenge

It's no secret that I have a lot of clothes. Probably more than average. To get anywhere near 30 wears for everything have to stop buying new things and just focus on wearing and enjoying what I already own. So I set myself the #6monthsWithoutShopping challenge.  The rules:

• No clothing or accessory purchases in the first 6 months of 2017.
• Gifts (or products provided through blog partnerships) will be allowed and disclosed.
• Attempt to achieve #30wears with as many clothing pieces as possible over the 6 months.
• Any clothing that's donated, sold or falls apart can't be replaced until the 6 months is over.
• Food, makeup, skincare, undies, kids clothes and gifts for others is allowed. The ban is only on clothes and accessories for myself.

I asked for and received a lot of gift cards for Christmas. At the end of the 6 months there will probably be a massive shopping trip celebrating the completion and using the gift cards, as I will not be spending them during the challenge. Hopefully I'll be shopping with an updated clothing wishlist and just buying what I need.

30 Wears: Black Jersey Maxi Skirt

Kicking off One Item, #30Wears is my beautiful Jeanswest black jersey maxi skirt. My sister bought this for me at the end of 2013, and I've worn it 39 times over the past 3 years. It works out to an average of at least once a month. It was actually difficult picking just 30 times I've worn this skirt to share, I really like it. I'ts starting to get quite worn now (not surprising given the number of wears) and so I picked up a replacement in the boxing day sales.

10 Ways to Wear a Black Maxi Skirt in Pregnancy

From the first trimester all the way through to 39 weeks, this comfortable elastic waist maxi skirt has seen me through two pregnancies. Elastic waist skirts are my favourite. So forgiving in the postpartum days too.

10 Ways to Wear a Black Maxi Skirt in Winter

I wear my maxi-skirts year round. Here are some outfit ideas for layering with a maxi skirt in winter weather. Scarves and leather jackets are perfect with a skirt.

10 More Ways to Wear Black  Maxi Skirt

Maxi skirts work year-round for so many different occasions, they are one of my must-have wardrobe items.

I've done No Buy July and No Spender September before, but never tried 6 months without shopping. Have you achieved it or considered it? Any advice?

If you enjoyed this 30 Wears post as well I'd love your suggestion for what clothing or accessory item to feature next!

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