Printed Dresses and Mango Yellow Balenciaga Envelope Clutch

Adding a big pop of colour to my printed dresses for Easter weekend back at the start of April, with my mango yellow Balenciaga envelope clutch.

What I wore:

Earrings: gold pendant chandelier earrings
Necklace: thrifted yellow beaded statement pendant long necklace
Dress: Jaase Celine autumn leaves mini dress
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

Wore this for an early Easter lunch and egg hunt with my family down the coast. I wanted to be comfortable, so flat sandals and this amazing Jaase printed dress were perfect. I thought that the yellow necklace and mango Balenciaga envelope clutch, along with the statement gold earrings, made this a little more formal for Easter lunch. But still comfortable and practical for a day full of eating and egg hunting and playing in the back yard! We actually all ended up staying for dinner as well, we had so much fun! It was a really good day.


Last worn: Jaase autumn leaves print dress, yellow pendant necklace, gold chandelier earrings, rose gold sandals, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: Jaase autumn leaves print dress and boots, rose gold sandals and shorts, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga mango envelope clutch in third trimester.

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Converting Balenciaga Envelope Clutch Into A Shoulder Bag:

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What I wore:

Earrings: Colette silver filigree leaf diamante statement earrings
Necklace: Tiffany & Co pink double heart tag pendant necklace 
Dress: Kmart red flora printed wrap dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

Wore this to church on Easter Sunday. Unlike our family egg hunt, I wasn't going to be able to leave my clutch sitting as we ran round searching the garden for eggs. So I decided to take this little chain strap I bought on ebay last year to use with my MbMJ clutch, to turn this Balenciaga envelope clutch into a shoulder bag. It was pretty good for a quick hack, as you can see in the video. Even if the chain strap isn't centred in the bag I found it worked well enough for the morning and afternoon at church. And most importantly, it let me be hands free for the egg hunt with the kids, ha!

Although the Balenciaga envelope clutch has rose gold hardware, with the silver chain strap I felt silver accessories would be best so went with these statement silver leaf earrings and little silver Tiffany necklace.


Last worn: Kmart flora coral wrap dress, Tiffany necklace, silver leaf earrings, studded sandals, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch (above).

Other ways to wear: Kmart flora coral wrap dress at Christmas, studded sandals worn 30 ways, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga mango envelope clutch in third trimester.

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Fuchsia Kmart Dresses and Balenciaga Bags

Two pretty pink dresses! I love this bright bold fuchsia pink Kmart uses in their dresses, it's such a fun colour to wear. For extra bold outfits, I added some bright accessories too.

What I wore:

Earrings: Colette Joanne teal and gold multi drop disk earrings
Necklace: personalised gold children's names charm necklace
Dress: Kmart short sleeve tiered jersey dress in Fuchsia
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH
Bracelets: the usual plus vintage silver charm bracelet and Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

Wore this to celebrate Easter with the family. I'm a bit behind with blogging outfits! We headed down the coast for an Easter lunch and a high speed egg hunt. The kids get faster every year, and they had been asking about when the next Easter egg hunt would be since January! They were very excited and pleased with their haul.

My parents had also been doing a bit of spring cleaning, finally opening up some boxes that hadn't been touched since we moved into that house almost 20 years ago! After lunch we started looking through some. It was an incredible time capsule, lots of fun memories and we all ended up going home with a few boxes of things! Tamagotchi (which my kids are loving playing with!), Furby, things from primary school, Gameboy games, it was a treasure trove!

While this fuchsia tiered midi dress is bold enough on it's own I wanted to add a little more colour to it - this mango Balenciaga envelope clutch is such a cheerful colour and I was pleased by how much I liked the two together when I tried it! I wore my Balenciaga sandals too, although they don't match the pink of the dress the mini rose gold hardware matches the hardware on the envelope clutch nicely.

Last worn: dangly earrings, fuchsia pink tiered midi dress, gold charm necklace, Balenciaga sandals, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: fuchsia pink tiered midi dress and pink bag, Balenciaga sandals and shorts, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga sandals in second trimester, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch in third trimester.

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Favourite Balenciaga Bag In My Handbag Collection:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart blue multi-colour beaded necklace
Dress: thrifted Kmart short sleeve godet skirt linen blend dress in fuchsia
Shoes: Purple high top Converse look-a-likes
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga First bag in 2006 Blue India

Why I wore it:

Another Kmart fuchsia dress that I love - this one was a very lucky opshop find, just $1! I added some colourful accessories to this dress too, with the blue wooden beaded necklace and turquoise Balenciaga First bag. Blue and pink are so good together, in any combination of shades. For something a little different I added a third colour in with these purple high top sneakers as well that I scored after my sister did a wardrobe clear out a while back.

Had a fun weekend playdate planned with some friends, although the kids were a little upset when one of their friends couldn't come along as he had virus symptoms. He had a negative test but as he wasn't feeling great and coughing he stayed home while we promised to organise another playdate in future. It was nice the playdate could continue with the other boys though, they had a fun time bouncing around on the trampoline, playing laser tag in the back yard and of course building amazing Lego creations. We'd been worried about it raining so that's why I hosted at my house, but it ended up being a really nice day and such a warm morning.


Last worn: Kmart linen blend dress, blue wooden bead necklace, purple high tops, Balenciaga first bag.

Other ways to wear: Kmart linen blend dress and kimono, purple high tops and stripes, Balenciaga first bag and culottes.

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How You Can Wear It:

Fuchsia is a fun bold colour to wear, but it doesn't mean you have to pair it with neutral accessories! Try complimentary or contrasting shoes or bags to create an even more colourful outfit.

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Weekday Wear Link Up: Printed Maxi Dresses, Denim Jackets and Balenciaga Bags

For today's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm sharing how I made these spaghetti strap maxi dresses more suitable for autumn days when I wore them recently (or not so recently as one I wore to celebrate Easter Sunday with the family last month!).

What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Kmart blue multi-colour beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Sophia high-low maxi dress
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star coast blue
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch c/o JORD
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This mandala print high-low maxi dress is so very pretty! With the fabric, print and little ruffle on the hem, it's quite dressy. Tried to make it a little more casual for this outing to the beach with my mum and the boys one day during the school holidays. 

It was a chilly morning too and I wasn't sure how windy it would be near the sea. I shouldn't have worried though, ended up taking this jacket off for most of the day as I sat in the sun watching the kids play.

The Converse were another attempt, like the denim jacket, to dress this outfit down a little and I really liked the combination! The blue went so well with the purple mandala print on the dress. So did the magenta Balenciaga day bag that was overdue another wear.


Last worn: denim jacket, wooden bead necklace, mandala print ruffle hem maxi dress, blue Converse, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket worn 30 ways, mandala print ruffle hem maxi dress for Christmas day, blue Converse and striped shorts, Balenciaga magenta day bag and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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Favourite Bag In My Balenciaga Collection:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Earrings: Piper glass beaded chandelier earring in cream and gold
Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Dress: Kmart Tropicana sleeveless tiered maxi dress
Shoes: Atmos&Here tan Lola leather ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a colder and wetter Easter Sunday than expected! I had planned to wear this maxi dress, I wore it last year when we had Easter in lockdown so I was determined to wear it again to have a proper Easter celebration with the family. Even if the rain meant I needed a few more layers! As well as the denim jacket I added ankle boots too, to keep my feet cosy and dry.

Tried to dress this up a little more with the fun beaded statement earrings and the mango Balenciaga envelope clutch. We were only heading over to my parents so a clutch really wasn't needed as I didn't need to carry much, but it did fit my wallet, car keys and phone nicely! 

It was so good having a big traditional Easter again, especially as we'd spent 3 days that week in lockdown and I was worried about them extending it! Thankfully it ended early instead of being extended.


Last worn: denim jacket, beaded statement earrings, diamond necklace, floral print maxi dress, tan ankle boots, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and jeans, floral print maxi dress worn 30 ways, tan ankle boots and swing dress, Balenciaga mango envelope clutch with pink.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga mango envelope clutch in third trimester.

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How You Can Wear It:

A maxi dress is so easy to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion. A denim jacket, Converse and a big hobo bag can dress it down for the day time, but accessories like an envelope clutch and statement earrings can dress it up for a formal occasion too.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #120

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

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Floral Swing Dresses With Mustard Bags and Ankle Boots

With the warmer spring like weather near the end of winter, I took the opportunity to wear some of my pretty floral dresses. Florals? For spring? ... Groundbreaking. 😂

I did layer them up just a little with ankle boots and denim jackets for the colder winter mornings and evenings too, as it was August (the end of winter in Brisbane) when I wore these.

What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart navy tassel earrings
Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Dress: Zaful floral print ruffle hem dress in ginger
Shoes: Acne pistol boots in "skin"
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

After a busy day, I quickly got changed into something a little more fun for drinks with some other Brisbane Instagrammers. I'll take any excuse to wear this pretty mustard floral swing dress, it works so well for ankle boots and was perfect for dinner and drinks by the river. I thought that the mustard Balenciaga envelope clutch would be a nice bit of matchy-matchy for it too, although I did regret that decision later in the night! I managed to get my deliciously greasy burger all over the delicate Balenciaga leather, and despite borrowing a baby wipe from an amused and confused dad we saw nearby, the grease didn't come off. I tried cleaning it when I got home later that night, and the day after, but it's going to permanently have a mark :(

Definitely will be a fun story to tell every time I use this clutch though. I am a little upset as the clutch was pristine and so well cared for, and so far out of my budget now, but no bag stays pristine forever!


Last worn: tassel earrings, denim jacket, navy and gold bead necklace, mustard floral dress, Acne Pistol boots, Balenciaga envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi skirt, mustard floral dress in summer, Acne Pistol boots and maxi dress, Balenciaga envelope clutch and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Acne Pistol boots in third trimester, Balenciaga envelope clutch in thrid trimester.

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Bags I'd Borrow From Other YouTubers:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Dress: Shein navy flower print flowy dress (c/o)
Shoes: Atmos&Here tan Lola leather ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

Another floral dress with an adorable mustard bag. Luckily, I managed to keep this mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag clean, even after the boys had a chocolate cookie at church and when I had our latest fluffy family member join me for photos! She is very interested in my photo taking, unlike our Shih Tzu Cooper who is over it after watching me snap pics for years 😂

While I haven't worn this navy floral swing dress with the denim biker jacket and tan ankle boots before, I have worn it with other denim jackets and ankle boots in my wardrobe and I really like this combination! The mustard bag was a fun pop of colour with the navy and this was an easy outfit for church.


Last worn: denim jacket (above), tassel necklace, navy floral dress, tan ankle boots, mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and stripes, navy floral dress and glitter shoes, tan ankle boots and skinny jeans, mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag worn 30 ways.

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Floral Swing Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A floral swing dress might be a bit predictable for spring, but it's such a cute outfit! On a colder day or night a denim jacket and ankle boots can help keep you warmer, and this works in autumn too. Adding a fun bright bag like these mustard yellow ones to your floral dress is a great idea to add even more spring-like colour.



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Layering Tees Over Maxi Dresses With Balenciaga Bags (Plus Updated Handbag Collection Video)

Layering a tee over a maxi dress is a nice way to add just a touch of warmth to your outfit, and to change up the look of a dress you wear frequently. I've been wearing my tees over maxi dresses a lot lately! I've also been wearing my Balenciaga bags often too, and for those who are interested I've shared an updated video of my collection below!

What I wore:

Earrings: A Little Bit of North blue mandala earrings (giveaway prize, close up photo)
Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Lovisa gold filigree heart pendant
Tee: Atmos & Here Avery marle tee in navy
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress (worn as skirt)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

Wouldn't change a single thing about this outfit - I loved it all! We went down the coast for a family birthday celebration. It was a warm day but I thought it might get cooler at night, as I picked my denim jacket to layer with. With the blue tee and grey tie dye maxi dress, I thought that this yellow Balenciaga envelope clutch would be a fun pop of colour.

The night didn't go quite how I expected. We were out in the morning and got back late, which meant nap time was late, which meant we were late for heading down the coast, so that we were badly affected by the traffic. I managed to find a rather roundabout route to avoid the traffic and get there in the end though, and even if we didn't get to spend a relaxing afternoon together as planned we did manage to get there in time to enjoy dinner, which was good.

The little gold touches though this outfit worked so nicely together I thought, with the gold mouse flats, heart necklace and bracelet complimenting the Balenciaga envelope clutch. Even if the clutch did stay in the baby bag for most of the night! Mum life 😅


Last worn: denim jacket, navy tee, tie dye maxi dress, gold mouse flats, Balenciaga envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and skinny jeans, navy tee and printed shorts, tie dye maxi dress and purple cardi, gold mouse flats and wrap dress, Balenciaga envelope clutch and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, tie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks, gold mouse flats in second trimester, Balenciaga envelope clutch in third trimester.

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My Complete Balenciaga Handbag Collection

Yes, I have a lot of Balenciaga bags!

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What I wore:

Earrings: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Dress: Kmart Tropicana sleeveless tiered maxi dress (worn as skirt)
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Another tee over a maxi dress, another Balenciaga bag! As you can see from the video above, I have a lot of Balenciaga bags in my wardrobe. I love this tempete Balenciaga day bag, such a unique colour.

Wore this for a blogger date with Rachel from A Nesting Nomad. Now living in Sydney, she was up in Brisbane for the weekend and we took the opportunity to catch up and go grab a yummy gluten free brownie together. After a bit of a tough week, I was looking forward to a couple of kid free hours, but unexpectedly had to take the boys along with me. I regretted the long dangly earrings with the boys grabbing and tugging at them often. They were quite boisterous too, but Rachel was a sweetheart about it! So very sweet!

I did like this outfit, despite the earrings not being a very kid-friendly choice, as it was good to come up with another way to wear this beautiful summer dress and make it work for cooler weather.


Last worn: grey tee, floral maxi dress, Havaianas, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: grey tee and printed kimono, floral maxi dress in winter, Balenciaga tempete day bag and swing dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: grey tee in second trimester, Balenciaga tempete day bag in third trimester.

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Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

If you have a tee you love and a maxi dress you love, wear them together! If your tee is cropped it might sit perfectly over your dress, as you can see in the first outfit. If your tee is a little longer, you can knot it like the second outfit to have it sit at just the right point.




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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Outfits

Skipping a few outfits I still haven't shared from December to post my Christmas outfits before we get too far away from Christmas day! I've linked to a few of the Christmas day photos I shared too, in case you missed them on social media.

For Christmas Eve, we traditionally do crafts, make and decorate cookies, listen to Christmas songs, and just relax and enjoy spending time together while wearing our Christmas tees. Christmas day was a busy one, we had both sets of grandparents in Brisbane so we split the day between them both. Different activities means two different outfits.

What I wore:

Earrings: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Tee: festive glitter Santa tee
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Christmas bow bracelet (with bells!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey with Rebecca Minkoff Crystal Star Shoulder Guitar strap

Why I wore it:

As Christmas eve was on a Sunday, we took advantage of the special Christmas service at our local church in the morning, before heading down the coast in the afternoon to spend time with my family.

As you might have seen from my overshare on Insta stories, we all wore our Christmas tees, made and decorated cookies, did some craft, ate a lot of good food and watched Polar Express with the boys for the first time. They loved it!

I often wear this tee with shorts to beat the heat (even while pregnant!) but decided to be a little different this year and wear with a skirt instead. Thanks to everyone who voted on Instagram to help me pick, I went with this red skirt over the chambray one I was also considering. Red and green are perfect Christmas colours!


Last worn: santa glitter tee, red printed maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff love bag. First time I've shared the guitar strap on the blog.

Other ways to wear: santa glitter tee and denim shorts, red printed maxi skirt and leather jacket, Rebecca Minkoff love bag and gold jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: santa glitter tee in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag in third trimester.

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Shop The Post:

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What I wore:

Earrings: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Necklaces: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace layered with Tai gold alphabet necklaces, Silhoupette gold plated Shih Tzu necklace and gifted Lovisa gold filigree heart pendant

Dress: Gypsy 05 orange ombre maxi dress
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet, gifted Lovisa rose gold beaded bracelet stack
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH
Nails: OPI Breakfast at Tiffany Collection Five and Ten

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore for our family filled Christmas day. We started earlier than expected of course when the boys woke up, and spent the morning exchanging and unwrapping gifts. After playing with the new toys a little and dressing the boys in the new clothes Santa brought them, we headed out to Christmas lunch at the in-laws. Another Christmas tree, more Christmas presents and some yummy food and drink.

Instead of putting the boys down for a now much needed and overdue nap, we hopped into the car to drive to my parents and thankfully they slept a little then.

Another Christmas tree, more presents to be exchanged and so much good food, we a delicious Christmas dinner there. A storm hit in the evening so when it briefly stopped we headed home, perfect timing as once we were home again we got hit with a second storm.

With traveling, unwrapping presents, playing with toys and lots of food, I went with a classic maxi dress. It's my go to for Christmas day as we all like to get dressed up for it in my family. Hubby's family is much more casual, but a maxi dress is perfect for both places. With 36 degree heat too (97 fahrenheit) this light dress was all I could stand to wear.

Although it's been a while since I've bought a new dress for Christmas, I was happy to shop my wardrobe and pick out an existing maxi dress. My bestie gave me this one, and it never fails to get compliments. Added lots of gold and rose gold accessories to compliment the peach ombre maxi dress and colourful yellow Balenciaga envelope clutch.


Last worn: Gypsy 05 ombre maxi dress, gold Havaianas, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: Gypsy 05 ombre maxi dress and kimono, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch in third trimester.

How You can Wear It

Formal or casual, however you dress to celebrate Christmas, comfort is key. With all of the good food you want something non-restrictive, so an empire waist maxi dress or elasticated maxi skirt is a good idea. Perfect for when the aircon gets too cold as it covers your legs, but loose enough to catch the breeze and keep you cool when it's a hot and humid day. You can wear a maxi in winter too, although snow might make it a little harder!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas last week and you're having a great start to 2018!


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Maxi Dresses in Winter (And How To Get Cheap Leather Jackets)

First, sharing the link to a recent article I was featured in about I how I use me-time for blogging. If you've ever wondered how I juggle blogging and two toddlers, it's a good read!

Just like Friday's post, today I'm wearing more summer pieces in winter. This time around it's my maxi dresses. I like to wear my maxi dresses and skirts year-round. Helped by Brisbane's snow-less winter and a few cosy layers.

What I wore:

Jacket: Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket

Dress:  Jeanswest Gigi printed maxi dress in shorter length (C/O)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH
Nail Polish: OPI Fire Escape Rendezvous

Why I wore it:

Wore this for my first girls night out in a very, very long time! A friend was celebrating her birthday at a rooftop bar so I went for a few hours to celebrate with her. It was nice getting all dressed up again - this dress has been rarely worn since I got it while pregnant as it's not breastfeeding friendly at all. It was my first choice for a night out, as it's so pretty and definitely under-worn!

I was going to wear ankle boots with this but there were a lot of dress code restrictions at the bar...so I wore flats to be on the safe side. Ankle boots would have been warmer though, especially when it rained a little. I really liked the black printed leather jacket with the printed maxi dress, the print on the jacket is subtle enough that it doesn't clash with the dress.

I bought this leather jacket 4 years ago, in the ASOS sale reduced from $385 to $150. It's just passed 30 wears. While it's winter now in Australia it's summer in the UK so if you're looking for a leather jacket massively reduced, check out the ASOS sale! You can get pieces like this awesome studded leather jacket reduced from $245 to $101, or this plain black one which is now $138.50 instead of $443.

I nearly wore my black vintage Chanel bag, but as I was completely kid-free for the evening I wanted to wear the least kid-friendly bag I own, which would be this handheld Balenciaga envelope clutch.  I'd usually get to enjoy my clutches over Christmas but as baby boy was in hospital I spent all the time by his bedside instead of going to the usual parties and events. It was nice to give this a wear again. It was crazy how few things I needed for the night out, and how light the clutch was to hold. Such a difference from the overstuffed baby bag I often have in addition to my handbags each day. I don't think the yellow really goes so well with the print on the dress, but it's such a pretty clutch I wanted to wear it as who knows when my next chance will be! 😂


Last worn: printed leather jacket, printed halterneck maxi dress, black ballet flats, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: printed leather jacket and jeans, printed halterneck maxi dress in spring, black ballet flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga mangue envelope clutch and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: maxi dress in second trimester, clutch in the third trimester.

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More Leather Jackets Under $150:

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What I wore:

Jacket:  Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle

Earrings: A Little Bit of North blue mandala earrings (giveaway prize, close up photo)
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Nails: OPI Russian Navy

Why I wore it:

More pink and purple! I've worn this dress and belt together so many times, it's a frequent go-to for me. I really like pink and purple together too, although it's the first time I've worn the cardigan and dress together.

This is what I wore for Toddler T's third birthday party - no shoes as I stayed home all day and sent hubby out for the last minute things that morning. Picked this dress to wear as I love wearing a maxi dress for a birthday party - easy and quick to throw on while setting up last minute things, and stylish and simple for spending the day running around with two toddlers. Even wore this a couple of months ago for Baby Boy's first birthday! Just crazy to realise Toddler T is 3 now!

I was pretty tired after staying up until 1.30am putting the finishing touches to Toddler T's train cake, but it was worth it in the end seeing his excitement! Next year I might just stick with a simple round cake though...


Last worn: purple cocoon cardigan, gold glitter belt, pink nursing maxi dress.

Other ways to wear: purple cocoon cardigan and graphic tee, gold glitter belt and Aztec print dress, pink nursing maxi dress and sequin scarf for another birthday party.

Perfect for pregnancy: cocoon cardigan in second trimester, same dress and gold belt over a baby bump, maxi dress at 39 weeks pregnant.

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More purple cardigans under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

You don't need to give up your maxi dresses when summer ends! Have a look at the winter layers you have in your wardrobe - a cosy cardigan or a leather jacket can be a simple addition to a dress and make it warm enough for a mild winter day. Leather jackets can be expensive, but if you buy at the end of season sales or take advantage of the opposite seasons when shopping internationally, you can find one that fits your budget.

If you have colder winter weather, wear ankle boots and even leggings underneath your dress, with a nice cosy blanket scarf too. When spring arrives you can continue to wear your dress with a light layer like a cardigan. You really can wear most dresses year-round!


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