Belted Blue Dresses With Purple Bags

Belting some of my favourite blue dresses with cardigans for two very different outfits - one I wore to work and one I wore casually.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan in navy night sky marle
Necklace: ZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Belt: Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap velvet belt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a very busy day! I had to pop into the office for an important meeting in the morning and then I worked from home in the afternoon so I could be there for a tradie arriving and pick my son up from daycare early to take him to an appointment. Lots of travelling around!

As it was a cooler morning and our meeting rooms are always terribly cold I decided to belt this cardigan as I knew I'd have it on most of the day. It's not the first time I've worn this velvet belt with this dress, it's a combination I really like! I thought the black belt and ballet flats were good accessories with the monochromatic blue outfit or cardigan and dress together. The big purple Balenciaga work bag was needed to cart everything around and I really like the touch of colour it adds to the blue too.


Last worn: navy waterfall cardigan, beaded necklace, velvet double wrap belt, Paisley print sheath dress, black ballet flats, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: navy waterfall cardigan worn two ways, velvet double wrap belt over a blazer, Paisley print sheath dress and blazer, black ballet flats and a-line skirt, Balenciaga purple work bag and wrap dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Paisley print sheath dress in second trimester, black ballet flats in third trimester.

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Balenciaga Bags vs Rebecca Minkoff Bags

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What I wore:

Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan
Necklace: Kmart rose gold and pink beaded necklace
Dress: Kmart strappy tiered sundress in watercolour blue and blush print
Shoes: Purple high top Converse look-a-likes
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as the one above, although it follows a similar outfit formula with the belted cardigan, blue dress and purple bag. I had the day off, spending some time with my mum and so I'd planned this outfit out in my head thinking it would work nicely. The belt on the cardigan sat a little lower than the point I wanted to belt the dress though, which made me think it looked a little off. With no time to change I decided to wear it anyway, but I did think a few times during the day that I should have picked a different cardigan or tried the cardigan untied!

While the shades of purple on the mini MAB tote bag and the high top shoes don't match exactly I thought they were good compliments with the blush and blue printed dress. The mini MAB tote bag is one I've worn with the dress in the past, I really like the combination.


Last worn: grey belted cardigan, beaded necklace, tiered sundress, purple high-tops, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: grey belted cardigan and jeans, tiered sundress and blush bag, purple high-tops and skinnies, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag in third trimester.

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Cardigans Under $50 Perfect For Belting:

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How You Can Wear It:

It's simple to add a cardigan to a dress to make it a little warmer for cooler temperatures. You can change up your look slightly by belting the cardigan over the dress too, for a different way to wear it. You can add a belt over your favourite cardigan or you can pick a cardigan that has an in-built tie.

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Weekday Wear Linkup! Blue Blouses, Black Pencil Skirts and Purple Balenciaga Work Bag

Wearing a simple colour scheme in two different ways for this week's #WeekdayWearLinkup! Navy blouses, black pencil skirts and my fun purple Balenciaga work bag.

What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart blue fringe crescent statement earrings

Blouse: Jeanswest chana long sleeve stud top in night sky navy
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava white leopard ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I love wearing this studded peasant blouse to work. With the tassels at the neckline and the stud detail, I never need to accessorise! It's so easy to wear. Paired it with a lot of black, I think navy and black are always a good combination. I've worn a very similar outfit before here. To make things a little different this time, I switched up the accessories, with the leopard print flats and the purple Balenciaga work bag. Blue and purple is a combo I always love, in any pairing of shades.


Last worn: navy tassel earrings, navy blouse, black ponte pencil skirt, leopard print flats, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: navy blouse and skinny jeans, black ponte pencil skirt, leopard print flats and sundress, Balenciaga purple work bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ponte pencil skirt in second trimester.

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What Fits Inside Balenciaga Work Bag:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Target silver Alisha trinity pendant necklace
Blouse: Target blue abstract floral print shirt
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

The next time I was in the office, I went with the same outfit formula. Black pencil skirt, navy top and purple Balenciaga work bag. I didn't like the photo outfit as much as the one above though - I was in a bit of a rush taking photos so that's probably why. I felt great in this outfit all day, one of those outfits that just didn't photograph as good as I felt! Being my last day at work before taking my long service leave might have helped.

I picked a silver necklace to match the silver hardware on the Balenciaga work bag but it does blend in a little bit with the abstract floral print. Could have picked a bolder necklace.


Last worn: printed blouse, silver necklace, zip detail pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Balenciaga work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: printed blouse and purple jeans, zip detail pencil skirt in monochrome outfit, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Balenciaga work bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed blouse and hidden baby bump, zip detail pencil skirt in first trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester.

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Navy Blouses For The Office Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Navy and black is a classic colour combo, and you can't go wrong with a navy blouse and black pencil skirt for the office.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #18

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!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Linking up with Confident Twosday, Turning Heads, Trend Spin, Style Sessions, Style On The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Fashion Files.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
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Weekday Wear Linkup! Sleeveless Tanks And Colourful Pants: Business Casual Autumn Style

The best thing about autumn weather finally arriving in Brisbane is the ability to unpack some things from their storage boxes in the wardrobe! Jeans! Scarves! It's nice to have them out again after them being hidden away during the heatwaves.

Colourful pants add a bit of fun to a business casual outfit for the office. And even though one of these pairs is jeans rather than pants, they easily pass as pants in the office (and if they didn't would fit right in to everyone else in my office wearing blue jeans)!

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Top: Jeanswest Florence print long line tank
Jeans: Jeanswest Vicki skinny pant in moss green
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

Totally stealing my boss's style here! This kind of outfit; skinny jeans, a nice top and a blazer, is one she wears frequently in the office in cooler weather. I love pairing neutral pieces with these olive pants so black was an easy choice, and this brown printed tank is an easy neutral to wear. I did feel the outfit was a little flat though so I wanted to add a necklace - decided to step out of my comfort zone a little more and try green with green again. I thought the darker green in this necklace worked well with the olive jeans.

Yes, these are the same jeans I wore last week! I've been thrilled to get them out again with the cooler weather.


Last worn: black jersey blazer, green statement necklace, printed button detail tank, olive jeans, black ballet flats, Balenciaga Part Time bag.

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and jeans, printed button detail tank and purple jeans, olive jeans and printed scarf, black ballet flats and a-line skirts, Balenciaga Part Time bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, printed button detail tank in third trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester, Balenciaga Part Time bag.

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30 Ways to Wear: Balenciaga Part Time Bag

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What I wore:

Scarf: blush metallic rose gold shimmer scarf
Top: Jeanswest Elissa leaf print tank
Jeans: Jeanswest 'Fiona' skinny leg pant in shiraz
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

It's not the first time I've worn this tank with burgundy, I layered it up with a burgundy scarf for winter before. I really like the way to pastels in the print work with the burgundy pants. I decided to try something a little different and add this pretty pastel shimmer scarf on top too. it matches the pretty but impossible to see on photos peach pastel leaf print in the tank. I really liked the scarf and tank together. I don't usually wear so many pastels but I thought it really worked here.

I just picked a grey blazer to throw on and cover my shoulders in the office.

Got quite a few compliments on this outfit too. Mainly on the scarf, a pretty gift from my mum.


Last worn: shimmer scarf, leaf print tank, burgundy pants, camel flats, Balenciaga part time bag (above).

Other ways to wear: shimmer scarf and orange dress, leaf print tank layered up for winter, burgundy pants and blush shirt, camel flats, Balenciaga part time bag and stripes.

Perfect for pregnancy: burgundy pants in second trimester, camel flats in third trimester, Balenciaga part time bag in second trimester.

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Colourful Pants Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Colourful pants are a nice alternative to classic black for the office, particularly if your office is business casual where you have more options with what you wear. If your office is really casual, you could even pass off colourful jeans as pants by dressing them up with a blazer.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #17

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!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Linking up with On Mondays We Link Up, Modest Monday, Mutton Style, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style On The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Glitz n Glamour.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
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Weekday Wear Linkup! Striped Tanks Worn 2 Ways: In The Office, Casually

A little bit of print mixing for this week's Weekday Wear Linkup! Showing you two different ways to wear striped tanks, in the office and casually, and doing a little print mixing by having spotty accessories with the stripes in each outfit too!

What I wore:

Earrings: gold pendant chandelier earrings
Jacket: Shein lace trimmed crochet inset white kimono C/O
Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Tank: Atmos & Here Oregon stripe tank
Jeans: Jeanswest Vicki skinny pant in moss green
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava white leopard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

Starting to realise you can't see my earrings with my new shorter haircut! 😂 I was so thrilled to wear jeans for once! I wore these a couple weeks ago, excited about the weather cooling down. Green is one of the colours I find tricky to wear and as a result these olive jeans are frequently worn with black - this striped tank seemed like an obvious choice. Added the white kimono as I wasn't sure which of my printed ones would look best with this and wanted to keep it simple!

Couldn't resist adding a little bit of leopard print to this outfit with the printed shoes too - I felt they worked nicely with the striped tank as they are the same colour scheme.

Hubby and I had an appointment to attend that unfortunately was in the middle of the day. We decided to make the most of it and take the day off. It was nice to have some quiet time at home to get caught up with a few must do tasks which are easier without the boys around!


Last worn: gold earrings, crochet kimono, turquoise tassel necklace, black striped tank, olive jeans, leopard print flats, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan.

Other ways to wear: crochet kimono and shorts, black striped tank and maxi skirt, olive jeans and printed scarf, leopard print flats and little black dress, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan and maxi dress.

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My Favourite Rebecca Minkoff Bag:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest grey jersey blazer
Scarf: Target Sadie woven scarf in blue spot print (Christmas pressie)
Tank: Jeanswest 'Josie' striped back strap tank
Skirt: Asos tailored tab front pencil skirt in grey
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Edie small crossbody bag in magenta

Why I wore it:

I felt this outfit was lacking a little something - this cute blue polka dot scarf that I got as a Christmas present from my mum was the perfect finishing piece to add to the striped tank and pencil skirt and blazer outfit. It was a nice bit of print mixing and extra touch of colour with the grey.

The Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag added a little more colour too! I like how the magenta pops with the grey.


Last worn: grey jersey blazer, striped tank, grey pencil skirt, metallic ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag. First time I've worn the scarf as it was a Christmas present.

Other ways to wear: grey jersey blazer and monochrome outfit, striped tank and purple jeans, grey pencil skirt and floral cami, metallic ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag and shorts. 

Perfect for pregnancy: striped tank in second trimester, grey pencil skirt in first trimester, metallic ballet flats in third trimester.

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Striped Tanks Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A striped tank is a great wardrobe basic that you can easily dress up or down. Stripes are so fun to print mix with too! Why not try introducing a small accessory with a different print for a subtle take on pattern mixing in your outfit.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #16

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!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Twitter : Instagram : Youtube : Facebook : LikeToKnow.It 

Weekday Wear Linkup! Wearing Dresses As Tops With Pencil Skirts

Scroll down for another Weekday Wear linkup, and to see how I've layered up two printed shift dresses for the office by throwing a pencil skirt over them. (Plus the first photos of my new shorter haircut are on the blog at last! I donated 38 cm of it recently!)

What I wore:

Earrings: gold pendant chandelier earrings
Necklace: Lovisa mixed texture beaded necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This navy printed shift dress was an impulse Zara buy when I was visiting Sydney a few years ago (before we got our own Zara in Brisbane!). This is not the first time I've worn it as a top, but it is the 30th time I've worn it. I'll need to do a 30 ways to wear post with it soon!

I wanted something professional enough to wear in the office but also easy enough to change up for a rare date night out with hubby to see a comedian at the powerhouse. I got him tickets as a Christmas present. It was super easy to make this outfit go from day to night just by taking off the pencil skirt, perfect for dinner and drinks after work before the show.

The magenta Balenciaga day bag was big enough to carry everything I needed and was a fun pop against the navy and black.


Last worn: gold earrings, navy printed shift dress, gold bead necklace, black pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: navy printed shift dress and ankle boots, black pencil skirt in monochrome outfit, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Balenciaga magenta day bag for travel.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed shift dress in second trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, black ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Magenta Day

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart rose gold and pink beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Nikki printed shirt dress
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

Making the most of my outfit formulas and wearing a similar outfit again! I really like this shift dress but it's been neglected in my wardrobe as I felt it was a little too short for life with kids. It made me smile through the day when I had to keep pulling the skirt down as I was worried the dress was too long and peeking out the bottom! The dipped hem at the back helped with that. I will definitely need to start wearing this dress more. Last time I wore it was back in 2017!

The geometric print on this dress has tiny little pastel pink shapes, a very different shade from the bright magenta Balenciaga day bag, but I think they worked well together and I really liked this combination, just as much as I did the previous times I've worn it!


Last worn: geometric print shirt dress, blush and rose gold necklace, black pencil skirt, camel ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: geometric print shirt dress and tights, black pencil skirt and summer tank, camel ballet flats and jeans, Balenciaga magenta day bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: black pencil skirt in second trimester, camel ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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Printed Shirt Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A too short dress can still be worn to the office if you cover it up with a pencil skirt. Using this trick can turn any dress into a top! This works particularly well for longer sleeved shirt dresses, as they just look like pretty blouses, and you instantly have a more formal office outfit just by adding the skirt.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #15

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!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Linking up with Modest Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, On The Daily Express.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Twitter : Instagram : Youtube : Facebook : LikeToKnow.It 

Weekday Wear Linkup! Blue Printed Dresses Little Red Micro Avery Bag

For this week's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm wearing two blue printed dresses to the office and accessorising with the cutest red Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag. I really like blue and red together!

What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart navy and gold beaded tassel necklace
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

I had been planning to wear something more autumnal (it is autumn in Brisbane after all) but we had a crazy heatwave last month so when I had to deal with the heat and humidity I decided I'd pick a nice simple dress. This paisley print French Connection sheath dress is one of my favourites, such a classic style for work in such a fun print.

With the long navy and gold tassel necklace the gold mouse flats were an obvious matchy-matchy choice. The gold accessories complimented the gold hardware on the micro Avery tote bag nicely, and the red bag was such a fun pop of colour with the blue printed dress.


Last worn: Paisley print sheath dress, navy tassel necklace, gold mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag.

Other ways to wear:  Paisley print sheath dress in winter, gold mouse flats and pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy:  Paisley print sheath dress in second trimester, gold mouse flats in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Micro Avery Tote

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What I wore:

Necklace: thrifted red flat bead necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Aztec print dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

The next day in the office I went completely matching, and I picked the red necklace to wear with the red micro Avery bag. It's the first time I've worn red with this navy Ikat print dress, it's such a bold and colourful combination and one I enjoy wearing so I found that surprising when I looked through my archives to see other ways I've worn it and none were with red! This dress was purchased a few years after the one above but it's still a very firm favourite - and doesn't require ironing which really makes it a winner!

With the darker colours in the print, I thought the black Walnut Melbourne ballet flats were great accessories with this.


Last worn: navy Ikat print dress, red beaded necklace, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy Ikat print dress belted, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats ans skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag and denim.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy Ikat print dress in third trimester,Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in second trimester.

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Blue Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Picking a monochromatic outfit like a printed dress in one colour and going for a small accessory or two in a contrasting colour is a fun way to try a new colour combination, or to have a new way to wear a tried and true colour combination you already love.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #14

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!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Linking up with Sunday Reflections, Mutton Style, Modest Monday, Style Sessions, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Colour and Grace, Style On The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Thursday Moda, Chic and Stylish.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Twitter : Instagram : Youtube : Facebook : LikeToKnow.It