Printed Dresses, Gold Sandals and Chloe Paddington Bag: Summer Style

You know I love my outfit formulas! Printed dresses are a great piece to include in an outfit formula as they make each outfit look different. I'm wearing two cute printed dresses below, with green necklaces, rose gold sandals and a Chloe Paddington bag, and because I changed up the dress each time they look completely different.

What I wore:

Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Dress: All About Eve striped black tee dress
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

This dress is one that I got from my sister (video explanation here) and I'm surprised she wanted to give it away as I associate it with her so much! One of my favourite photos of her and my eldest son together she was wearing this dress. Of course I am extremely grateful to get it!

A striped tee dress has been on my want list for a while, but I figured I'd start shopping when the boys are bigger and there's less bending over and picking the kids up! I found the length on this really nice though. Hubby and I had a rare few hours to ourselves to do some boring bank stuff while the inlaws watched the kids, so it was the perfect opportunity to break out this tee dress. I actually really liked the length and could see myself wearing this around the boys. The slightly dipped hem in the back helps with that!

The style challenge for the day was 'pure gold' so I layered up the gold pendant necklace, rose gold sandals and gold padlock Chloe Paddington bag together. I really liked all of the gold with the black and white stripes.


Last worn: gold pendant necklace, rose gold sandals, Chloe Paddington bag. First time I've worn the striped tee dress as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: rose gold sandals and maxi dress, Chloe Paddington bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: Chloe Paddington bag in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Chloe Paddington

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What I wore:

Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Again, another printed dress with a green and gold necklace, and the same rose gold sandals and Chloe Paddington bag. Despite being the same outfit formula as I wore above, I love how this looks completely different with the navy dress!

This dress isn't much shorter than the one above, but really feels it (especially as the hems are curved and split before they join in the middle. It's strictly a kid free dress, unless I wear it as a top, which I've done a few times in the past.

I wore the dress like this a couple days before Christmas, to get some last minute stocking filler things I hadn't been able to buy before when I had the kids with me, and to make a start on the Christmas food shopping to minimise what I needed to buy the weekend before Christmas. It was a productive few hours, and this dress was a nice light layer for the hot summer day.


Last worn: navy shift dress, green statement necklace, rose gold sandals (above), Chloe Paddington (above).

Other ways to wear: navy shift dress under a pencil skirt, rose gold sandals and maxi dress, Chloe Paddington and burgundy pants.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy shift dress in third trimester, Chloe Paddington in first trimester.

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Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A simple printed dress is a staple for a hot summer day. They are so easy to style too. Add some metallic accessories and a fun bag and you're set for the day. You can even repeat the same or similar accessories the next day with another dress for a completely different outfit despite following the same formula and wearing some of the same pieces.



Linking up with Friday Faves, Lizzie In Lace, Sunday Reflections, Shoe & Tell, On Mondays We Link Up, PinkSole and I was featured over at Nancy's linkup!

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30 Ways To Wear: Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag & 2018 Shopping Review & 2019 Budget

A new 30 ways to wear post, as well as a review of what I bought last year and my fashion budget for 2019!


I love handbags, and I have a lot of them! But I frequently sell some to have funds towards something else I want more. This Chloe Marcie hobo bag was a bag I loved, but rationalised I didn't wear as much as my Balenciaga day hobo bag, so I decided to let it go. I did hit 30 wears before I sold it, so I've dug through the blog archives for some older photos of my wearing it. I wonder if I'll cringe as much looking back at outfit pics now in a few years as much as I am looking back on these pics now? 😂

30 Ways To Wear: Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Nut

Like many of my bags that I've now sold, I find this tricky to calculate cost per wear on! I bought it at a Reebonz offline sale, after wanting it for a while. I got a really good deal on it, so much so that I managed to sell it for almost what I paid for it. So you could calculate cost per wear based on the price I paid, or take that price minus the amount I got when I sold it and calculate it on around the $100 difference. I'm never sure what to do in these cases.

Inability to calculate cost per wear aside, I'm happy with the use I got from this bag. It held up really well, still looking like new when it eventually left my wardrobe, and I was pleased to look back at these old pics and see that I had hit 30 wears with it. I do sometimes regret selling it, but I know it wouldn't have gotten much more wear if it stayed in my wardrobe longer!

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Summer

The handle drop on this bag is quite large, especially as the leather of the bag sags down a bit when the bag is full. It makes it an easy bag to throw over your shoulder in summer as it doesn't feel too tight or irritating to wear. The neutral colour works with all kinds of summer brights too!

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag With Winter Layers

Being a neutral brown, this 'nut' shade is perfect for adding to winter outfits. I've picked similarly coloured scarves to wear with the bag in each of these layered outfits, but you can see it would work well without any matching as it looks great with black winter layers!

Chloe Marcie Hobo In The Office

Printed dresses or pencil skirts, I found this Chloe Marcie bag worked so well for the office. Again making the most of the neutral shade I could wear it with brightly coloured or printed pieces, or just let it compliment a neutral outfit. It's a rather structured hobo shape so doesn't feel too casual for work.

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag With Jeans

As you can see in these photos, before I gave up my blue jeans I used to wear them a lot! The Chloe Marcie bag just works so well with denim, it's an easy choice when wearing jeans. I wore it a lot with skirts and dresses as you've seen in the earlier photos, but it was still a go-to with jeans too. Really versatile bag.

Chloe Marcie Hobo With Printed Outfits

Because this 'nut' shade is a nice neutral colour, it made the bag my default neutral piece to wear with prints. Something like a printed dress, or just a little print like a skirt or top, the hobo bag works nicely with all different prints and colours.

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Pregnancy

Despite only having this bag during my pregnancy with my eldest boy, it was worn enough times for me to be able to include it as a category here in my wrap up. You know I love looking back at my bump pics when doing these posts! I wore the bag a few times in the second and third trimester as you can see. It isn't a heavy bag so was nice to wear during pregnancy, the braided strap is really comfortable on the shoulder.

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What's In My Bag: Chloe Marcie Medium Hobo Bag In Nut

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Where To Buy:

This hobo style of Marcie has been discontinued, but there are still some places you can buy second hand! All the bags above come with authenticity guarantees even though they are preloved.

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More Posts in The #30 Wears Handbag Series:

If you're looking for more outfit inspiration with this bag, you can see all 30+ ways I've worn it in my blog archives. I've included some links to other handbag related 30 wears posts below too. You can find the full post series by clicking here.

• 30 ways to wear red Balenciaga velo bag
• 30 ways to wear a grey Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag
• 30 ways to wear mustard yellow Rebecca Minkoff bag
• 30 ways to wear a red Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag
• 30 ways to wear Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote
• 30 ways to wear Rebecca Minkoff Love bag
• 30 ways to wear Balenciaga black Part Time bag
• 30 ways to wear Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote in plum purple

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2018 Spend And Goals For 2019

My last shopping haul for the year!

My Total Spend in 2018

I totalled it up, I bought 30 fashion items (clothing and accessories) in 2018. In 2017 I spent $1,696.53, my goal in 2018 was to spend less than that. I achieved that as I spent $1,014.44 if you include gift cards, which works out to $84.54 a month. If you don't include gift card spend, I only spent $664.44. I'm really pleased with the figures and that I met my goal!

How Do I Do It?

I'm a fashion blogger with a love for expensive things (handbags 😂) without a big budget and slight shopaholic tendencies! I did a 6 months without shopping in 2017 which I ended up stretching out to 7 months, and really made me evaluate what I was buying and why.

I also continued to work on this 30 wears challenge! Every month I have to find something in my wardrobe I've worn 30 times or more to make these posts. This makes me focus more on ways I can rewear things I already own and makes me less likely to turn to a store for inspiration when looking or something to wear. Looking through my blog archives for ways I've worn things before often gives me ideas of things to try from past outfits!

My Goals For 2019

Same as last year, my goal for this year will be to spend less than I did last year. To make things easy on myself, I'll include the gift card spend. So 2019 will be the year of spending less (again), rewearing more, and hoping I don't go over my $1,014.44 budget! Wish me luck!


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Chloe Paddington & Wearing Loose Printed Tanks To The Office With Pencil Skirts

The Chloe Paddington was my first ever designer handbag purchase. It might not be worn often (the heavy padlock really isn't kid friendly) but I do still love it. Of course I loved both times I wore it below. Not sure if it was the cooler weather after our heatwaves, or getting my first bag splurge out again to enjoy, but I was so happy in both of these outfits. Printed tank and black pencil skirts, such simple office style.

What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Elissa leaf print tank
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

This tank was a gift from my mum and it was such a good one, it's looked great with everything I've worn it with so far. See two more ways to wear it here.

I debated a little in the morning which necklace I should wear with the top. The leaf print has so many different colours, it's easy to pick a colour out of the print and wear a matching accessory. In the end I went with blue, of course.

Someone on Instagram contacted me to ask about my experiences with Chloe Paddington bags, and I was happy to chat a little about my first bag obsession. I'm not good with small talk, and meeting new people often leaves me at a loss for words, but if anyone talks handbags they will find it hard to shut me up, haha! After talking about the bag I couldn't resist getting it out again for a wear.

I did add a cardigan to this outfit to cover up in the cold office air con, but it wasn't needed for my commute, the weather was just right.


Last worn: leaf print tank, black pencil skirt with elastic panel, Marc by Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: leaf print tank and pink shorts, black pencil skirt in winter, Marc by Marc Jacobs ballet flats and shorts, Chloe Paddington bag and burgundy pants.

Perfect for pregnancy: pencil skirt and hidden second trimester bump, Chloe Paddy at a few weeks pregnant.

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Chloe Paddington Review and Contents:

(yes, it really is that heavy!)

Where To Buy a Chloe Paddington:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Tank: Emerson crochet lace bib print top
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the printed tank and black pencil skirt combination above, I wore it again for my next day in the office. Funnily, this tank was also a gift from my mum, back when I was pregnant. Didn't realise the coincidence in wearing the tanks so close to each other until I put this post together!


As it was a little cooler with some rain forecast, I added the blazer over the top and kept it on pretty much all day. It was a little tricky taking photos - while the rain held off until later in the day, my neighbour (who you can see in the back there) kept walking past as I was trying to take photos. I don't spend long taking photos, just setup the tripod, align the camera then shoot. Still she managed to walk past twice! It was so awkward. I find it weird taking blog photos in front of people, as I'd have no idea what to say if they asked. "I take photos for the internet" sounds normal to another style blogger, but is kinda crazy when you think of it!

The only issue with a Chloe Paddington is the weight - while it was fun carrying it, it was back in its dust bag after these two wears. Twice in a week is enough for me, I have frequent back pain with my diastasis recti so a heavy bag just adds to it unfortunately! I think I'll always love my Paddy though, even if I don't wear it as much as I used to.


Last worn: cream blazer, red crochet detail tank, black pencil skirt, ballet flats, Chloe Paddington (above).

Other ways to wear: cream blazer and sheath dress, red crochet detail tank and shorts, black pencil skirt worn over a dress, ballet flats and fit and flare dress, Chloe Paddington and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream blazer in first trimester, red crochet detail tank in third trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, ballet flats in third trimester, Chloe Paddy at a few weeks pregnant.

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Printed Tanks Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A black pencil skirt is an office staple, and it's so easy to pair with a printed piece like these fun printed tanks. Depending on the dress code for your office, you may need to cover up bare shoulders with a blazer. A cardigan is another option if the office aircon is particularly frosty and your dress code isn't as formal.

Linking up with Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Style On The Daily.

 

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Gift Guide For a Handbag Lover (At Any Budget!)

You know I love my handbags (and probably have a few too many!). If you are wondering what to buy for someone on your list who is equally handbag-obsessed, this is the gift guide for you! You don't always need to splurge on a bag to please a bag lover, there are lots of wallet-friendly buys to suit any taste or budget.


Prefer to skip the gift guide as you're only here for outfits? Check out my previous post, showing 30 ways to wear a floral kimono. This will be my last gift guide for the year, the blog will be back to normal posts on Monday.

Handbag Fan Stocking Fillers Under $50

There are so many cute little gifts you can get under $50. For someone who already has an enviable handbag collection, why not get them something to accessorise the bags they already have? There are so many nice bag charms around, or maybe a makeup bag or clutch to organise the contents of their bag. Books related to bags or their favourite designer are a lovely idea too! Some stores, like Shopbop, do gift cards so you can gift them $50 towards the bag of their choice.

Handbag Related Gift Ideas on a Budget: Under $100

If you're spending up to $100, you have a lot more options. You might not be able to get a bag off their Christmas wishlist, but you can get a few small leather goods from their favourite brand. Think card holders, wallets, and maybe even a clutch. Again, a gift card is a good option at this price point if you know they are saving for the bag of their dreams.

Handbag Lover Gift Ideas Under $500

There are a lot more bags available to buy when you have a bigger budget, and for under $500 you can get them the bag of their dreams from so many designers, and perhaps a clutch or small bag from the more expensive luxury brands. Sites like Yoox and The Outnet have off-season bags at reduced prices to fit your budget. Pre-loved and vintage is another good way to go, if you're buying from a reputable place like Fashionphile or Vestiaire Collective where authenticity is guaranteed.

Splurge-Worthy Handbags Over $500

Admittedly this is out of the budget for most people, but if you're splurging on someone special (mum / sister / wife / girlfriend) you can't go wrong with a classic neutral bag from their favourite designer. If they've been dropping a lot of hints too you might know the exact style and colour you should get.



I hope this gift guide has given you some ideas for the handbag-lover on your list! It's not too late to order most of these and have them delivered in time for Christmas - no matter where you are in the world. If you're curious, this is the bag at the top of my wishlist! (Under $500 too!) Do you have anything handbag related on your Christmas list?


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Ruffle Dresses for the Office with Chloe Paddington Bag

If I like something I'll buy multiples of it. While I'm a bit more discerning now and I wait until something has proved its worth in my wardrobe before I buy another version of it, there are a handful of pieces in my wardrobe that I bought different prints of at the same time, like these dresses!

These ruffle dresses were purchased at the same time and both are must-haves in my wardrobe. While they are identical styles, just different prints, I find them both useful additions to my wardrobe. Neither of them are breastfeeding friendly so they have been packed away while I was on maternity leave. They are perfect for the office though and it's been good to get them out again. I decided to wear them with a little worn bag, my Chloe Paddington.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 sleeve dusky pink blazer
Necklace: Zanele 40 handmade rope necklace
Dress: Jeanswest ruffle neckline animal print dress
Shoes: Acne pistol boots in "skin"
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'spot my shoe style' so I decided to wear my favourite boots, my Acne Pistol ankle boots. Last time I wore these to the office I really enjoyed wearing them again. While they have a high heel they are so comfortable, and I had no issues wearing them last time on a quiet day in the office. This time round I ended up unexpectedly rushing around the office to and from meetings in these and by the end of the day I was wishing I'd picked flat shoes! My feet were comfortable, but my weak knee, used to wearing flats during pregnancy and on maternity leave, was a little sore as they are quite tall.

Knee problems aside, I loved everything else about this outfit. The pastel pink blazer works perfectly with the print on the dress, and it was fun carrying my Chloe paddington again. It was my first ever designer bag purchase, over 10 years ago!


Last worn: blush pink blazer, ruffle printed dress, Acne Pistol Boots, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: blush pink blazer and olive tank, ruffle printed dress and red accessories, Acne Pistol Boots and bodycon dress, Chloe Paddington bag with graphic tee and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: blush blazer and maternity pencil skirt in third trimester, printed dress hiding 4 month baby bump, pistol boots in third trimester, Chloe Paddington in first trimester.

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Ruffle Detail Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket
Necklace: Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace
Dress: Jeanswest deep pink ruffle neckline dress (updated version recently released)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

The colour of this dress is always so hard to capture! It's a really berry pink, looking hot pink and red in different lights. I thought the fun yellow statement necklace would look great with it, and the embellished blazer kind of has stripes on it for the 'team stripes' style challenge that day.


Surprised to look up and see that the last time I wore this dress was over 2 years ago though! No idea why it's been so long between wears.

I was wearing my trusty gold mouse flats instead of heels, which was definitely needed. As I shared on my Insta stories, daycare lost a lovey/comforter/snuggly whatever you want to call it. As we didn't have a backup, I had to rush around the city stores at lunch time trying desperately to find a replacement. Without any luck sadly! I was more than a little annoyed, especially as it's not the first time I've made this frantic shop!

Thankfully I liked my outfit, even if I did go home empty handed with no replacement cuddly toy. Daycare eventually found it again a couple days later. And we also now have a back up one!


Last worn: jacquard blazer, ruffle detail dress, gold mouse flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: jacquard blazer and maxi skirt, ruffle detail dress and purple bag, gold mouse flats and skinny jeans, Chloe Paddington bag and printed pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard blazer in second trimester, mouse flats and maternity wrap dress, Chloe Paddington in second trimester.

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Where To Buy a Chloe Paddington Bag:

While the Chloe Paddington is no longer in production, there are plenty of trusted places to get it second hand!

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How You Can Wear It:

Need a quick and easy outfit for work? Grab a pretty dress and add a blazer and your fave bag, simple and professional!
If you're buying multiples of clothes for work, dresses are a good option. Different prints and colours make it look like a whole new outfit, even if they are the same style of dress, like the two in this post.


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Navy Tanks, Jeans and Kimonos

Wearing my favourite kimonos, trying a new outfit colour combination and an old favourite. And also sharing more about what happened when a bird flew into my house, as I mentioned in my Insta stories a few weeks ago.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Jacket: New Look Petite print kimono

Necklace: Zanele 40 handmade rope necklace
Tank: Kmart navy ribbed tank
Pants: Jeanswest 'Fiona' skinny leg pant in shiraz
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

This was set to be a busy day. My mother in law came over to watch the boys for a few hours. Before I hopped in the car, as I always do, I stopped for a minute to take photos. Like usual I left the house door open so the boys could watch me and know I was still nearby. Just as I'd taken my photos a flock of noisy miner birds flew overhead and I stood there amazed as one flew into the house through the open door.

Ran in to Toddler T excitedly telling me there had been a bird flying around the ceiling. Poor thing then flew into the window and fell....into Cooper's waiting jaws. Luckily he dropped the little guy on command, and I was able to wrap the injured bird up in a tee that was next to the window. Quickly put him in a cosy little box to rest, called the vet and was going to have just enough time to drop off the bird before racing to my appointment.

The little bird perked up on the way to the vets, was nice to hear him scrabbling around in the box. Was not so nice when I pulled up at the vets, turned off the ignition and he flew out of the box and around the car! After capturing him again and putting him in the box again (much harder this time with him flapping!) I took him into the vets. I'm fairly certain he has no wing damage from Cooper's teeth after he flew around the car, but the vet checked him over to confirm before releasing him. And I was only 5 minutes late for my first appointment of the day, phew!

Outfit wise I really liked the colour combination with the navy and burgundy and brown. I wasn't sure at first but decided to wear it anyway and try something different, and ended up loving this. It's been so long since I last carried this Chloe paddington bag too, brought it out after my bestie wore hers recently. Not a kid friendly bag with the heavy padlock, but nice for spending time without the boys.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, navy kimono, navy ribbed tank, burgundy pants, tan Chelsea ankle boots, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: navy kimono and denim shorts, navy ribbed tank and pink vest, burgundy pants in the office, tan Chelsea ankle boots and chambray dress, Chloe Paddington bag and printed pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed kimono and green maternity tank, burgundy pants and a belly band with an early bump, ankle boots and dress in second trimester, Chloe Paddington in Second Trimester.

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Printed Kimonos Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Jacket: Somedays Lovin' Yakuza print kimono

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tank: MEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo
Jeans: Jeanswest Super Skinny Jeans in Mid Indigo
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey (on sale, 20% off!)

Why I wore it:

This is an outfit pic that got lost on my computer- it's from April! As you can probably tell by the sandals. Definitely not sandal weather now, winter has arrived in Brisbane.

To break up the monochrome outfit I added the pink Balenciaga sandals and the printed kimono. I love this grey kimono, it's got so many different colours in the print that it works nicely with so much of my wardrobe.

Unlike the outfit combination, I knew this colour combination would work as I've worn the navy tank and floral kimono together before.

This pic had gone unnoticed on my computer for a while as when I was wearing this outfit I took a picture for a Jeanswest competition on Instagram. Sadly I didn't win, but I did have fun taking over 20 photos as the boys ran around in circles! This outfit picture was in a big block of those photos and I hadn't gone through them to realise I still had an unposted blog picture. Glad I could share it now, as I really liked this outfit.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), Somedays Lovin' kimono, navy breastfeeding tank, skinny jeans, Balenciaga studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB satchel.

Other ways to wear: Somedays Lovin' kimono and green top, navy breastfeeding tank and striped maxi skirt, skinny jeans and grey tee, Balenciaga studded sandals and chambray dress, 30 ways to wear Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB satchel.

Perfect for pregnancy: kimono and maternity shorts in third trimester, navy tank in third trimester, studded sandals in second trimester with maxi dress, MAM bag and maternity pencil skirts.

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More Neutral Navy Tanks Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A navy tank is a great neutral basic that can be worn many ways in your wardrobe. If your outfit is feeling a little plain or monochromatic, add a printed kimono for some more colour and interest. Picking a similarly coloured kimono like in the first picture is a good fail-safe idea if you're playing with colours elsewhere in your outfit.



Linking up with Passion For Fashion, Friday Favourites, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Ladies Who Link Up, Mummy Mondays, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Mondays, Modest Mondays, Hello Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, On Trend.

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Corporate Style: Chloe Paddington Bag and Wrap Dresses for The Second Trimester Baby Bump

Before I bought my first ever designer handbag, I'd spent ages researching and reading up on it and struck up quite a few online friendships. One of my friends, @jessicaval, had recently been talking about Chloe Paddingtons again, and we all decided to get out our old favourites and carry them for an informal #internationalPaddingtonWeek. I only managed two days as I figured a heavy bag with a padlock wasn't best for a day at home with a toddler, but it was perfect for taking to the office. It reminded my why I love and keep this bag, even if I don't wear it often, there are so many happy memories attached.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Tank: Jeanswest brown marle singlet
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Ferragamo double wrap bracelet
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

I'd only worn this dress two weeks ago, but really wanted to wear it again as I remembered I couldn't wear it after my second trimester in my last pregnancy as it was getting a bit tricky to wrap all the way around the bump. I'm glad I could give it one last wear before the baby arrives.

Picked gold flats to match the gold padlock on my Chloe Paddington. Can't believe it's been a year since I last wore it!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, brown marle tank, Jeanswest wrap dress, gold mouse flats, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: brown marle tank and a maxi skirt, wrap dress layered up for winter, gold mouse flats and flares, Chloe Paddington bag and a vintage pencil skirt.

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Shop more Chloe Paddington bags:

Note: If you're ever looking for a Chloe Paddington I'd suggest not paying retail and instead buying second hand from somewhere that guarantees authenticity like Fashionphile, or Vestiaire Collective  that authenticates the item after you purchase but before you receive it. I've featured bags from these places above. While ebay has a lot of Paddington bags, many are counterfeit.

What I wore:

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace

Dress: Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Another wrap dress! They are such easy maternity options. this is a special maternity dress that I picked up second hand on ebay in my last pregnancy, and wore it 6 wonderful times. I wished I'd bought it sooner than I did, so I was pleased to be able to pull it out of the 'maternity clothes' bag I'd set aside and start wearing it now in the second trimester.

I'm not looking to buy any more maternity workwear, with the two pencil skirts and this maternity wrap dress from last time I'm pretty set as I'm only in the office twice a week.

I was a little sad to pack my Chloe Paddington bag away after wearing it, although it's not the most practical of bags and I can't use it every day I'm pleased @jessicaval inspired us to get our old bags out again.


I know that there is still a lot of interest in the Chloe Paddington bag as the video review of it is one of the most popular on my channel!

The Chloe Paddington will always be my first handbag 'love' and I'm never going to get rid of this one. What was your first ever handbag splurge? Do you still own and use it?


Last worn: Soon Maternity printed wrap dress, black ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: Soon Maternity wrap dress in the third trimester, black ballet flats and layers, Chloe Paddington bag and skinny jeans.



Linking up with Fresh Fashion, Pleated Poppy, What I Wore, Style Me Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, What I Wore to Work, Weekend Link Up, Fun Fashion, Flashback Fashion.

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