Winter Office Wear: Louis Vuitton Bleu Monogram Shawl With Pencil Skirts And Blazers

You may remember I got a beautiful LV Christmas gift, a classic monogram shawl I'd wanted for years. I had to wait until now and winter to wear it, but as soon as scarf weather arrived I was thrilled to take it out for a spin! It's coldest during my commutes to and from work as it's outside the heat of the day, so the cosy scarf kept me suitably warm.

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Blouse: Jeanswest chana long sleeve stud top in night sky navy
Skirt: Cotton On 'Mica' mesh spot skirt in dusty pink
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:

I wasn't too sure about how this outfit would all work together. I really wanted to try the navy peasant top with the pink pencil skirt, but I wasn't sure if the blue scarf would work with the navy. I'm so pleased I gave this a go though, the different shades of blue look great together.

As an added bonus, the scarf helped hide the makeup spill I had on my top in the morning - I did try wash it off but makeup is stubborn and I didn't have a lot of time, so I appreciated being able to wrap up a bit and hide the evidence of me rishing about in the morning and being my usual clumsy self! The only downside is that it does cover the top up quite a bit in the outfit and makes it a little hard to see, but it's this one I recently bought from Jeanswest in one of their sales.

Ended up having lunch with hubby in the city. I got a call on my way to lunch saying he'd been another office and was near my building so we had lunch together. Was a nice change to catch up without the kids in tow!


Last worn: black jersey blazer, navy peasant blouse, pink polka dot skirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Balenciaga Black Part Time bag. First time I've worn the Louis Vuitton shawl.

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and a-line skirt, navy peasant blouse worn two ways, pink polka dot skirt and black shirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and blue dress, Balenciaga Black Part Time bag and pastel outfit.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, pink polka dot skirt in first trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga Black Part Time bag in second trimester.

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Reveal Of Louis Vuitton Present

In case you missed it, including the short and sweet reveal of this gorgeous scarf, including some ways to wear it and how large it is compared to my petite frame!

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What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Top: Jeanswest 'Aubrey' pintuck yoke henley in deep teal
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

Just like the outfit above, I'd been wanting to wear this top and skirt combination together. I recently unboxed all my winter things, this long sleeve teal henley is one of them. I thought the colour combination with the blue skirt was nice, but I did worry the top was a bit casual for the office. The blazer helped to dress is up a little, and I've mentioned previously how I really like this cream jersey blazer with the lace skirt, as they have similar colours.

The cream blazer, tan flats and black Balenciaga bag were nice neutral options to wear with all of the colour in my outfit. I've only recently started wearing green and blue together, and I loved the different shades of blue with the teal, from the lace pencil skirt and the blue monogram shawl. Once again, this scarf kept me cosy on the early morning commute. It's part wool, so perfect for wrapping up in on a cold winter morning. I might even have to get my tights out next!


Last worn: cream jersey blazer, teal henley, Louis Vuitton bleu shawl (above), blue lace pencil skirt, camel flats, Balenciaga Part time bag (above).

Other ways to wear: cream jersey blazer and Aztec print dress, teal henley and printed jeans, blue lace pencil skirt and wrap top, camel flats and printed dress, Balenciaga Part time bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream jersey blazer in second trimester, teal henley in second trimester, blue lace pencil skirt in third trimester, camel flats in second trimester, Balenciaga Part time bag and maternity pencil skirt.

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Similar Blue Scarves Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

You don't have to stick with a neutral colour pallette when putting together a work outfit. It's easy to wear a colourful pencil skirt and top together, and still perfect for a business causal office. A scarf, as well as being a winter essential, is another nice way to add some colour to your layers and is easily removed when you get to your desk, so you can be a litle more adventurous with a bold colour or print.


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Office Style: Textured Pencil Skirts, Black Tanks and Magenta Balenciaga Day Bag

Wearing my magenta Balenciaga day bag again in my favourite colour combo with navy pencil skirts for work. I just love pink and blue together. I kept things simple with these outfits, basic black tanks and pretty textured pencil skirts with that fun bag for a pop of colour.

It is winter in Brisbane now though so I did add some cosier elements - a wool cardigan and black ankle boots.

What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: ZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Brianna basque hem tank
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This is such a simple outfit combination, with the textured skirt, neutral basic tank and blazer. I felt that the magenta Balenciaga day bag added just the right amount of contrasting colour and interest to this outfit.

The blazer and skirt go so nicely together, with the cream base of the skirt, but I wasn't 100% sure on the ankle boots with this. Being so cold in the morning I wasn't up for trying ballet flats though, so ankle boots it was. I think the black tank balanced it all out nicely, and while this is a simple outfit I really liked how it all worked together.

Another thing I liked about this outfit was that it got me closer to my 30 wears goals. Both the jersey blazer and lace skirt are just a few wears away from 30 wears each. This is part of the reason why they've been worn so frequently lately too.


Last worn: cream jersey blazer, black basque tank, lace pencil skirt, black ankle boots, magenta Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear: cream jersey blazer and sheath dress, black basque tank and shorts, lace pencil skirt and wrap top, black ankle boots and little black dress, magenta Balenciaga day bag for travel.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream jersey blazer in second trimester, lace pencil skirt in third trimester, black ankle boots in second trimester, magenta Balenciaga day bag in third trimester.

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Review and What's In My Bag: Magenta Balenciaga Day

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Necklace: Lovisa wooden statement bead necklace
Tank: Jeanswest round neck lace detail top
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This is one of the outfits that I don't feel photographed well. I had been planning to wear another one of my jersey blazer with this, but had been eying up my recently unboxed winter cardigans before I went to bed the night before. I woke up in the morning and it was cold and I decided to swap the blazer for this cosy wool maxi cardigan. I did add a blazer in my bag to wear in the office though as I was leading an important meeting that afternoon.

With the wool cardigan and black ankle boots, I felt so cosy for my early morning commute, and I loved how comfortable this outfit was. When I looked back at the photos I don't think they managed to capture it well - but I did have such high thoughts of this outfit, ha! It was one of the best ones I've worn in a while I felt, even if it falls flat on the photos. I think a different necklace might have looked better in the photos.


Last worn: wool cardigan, lace detail tank, jacquard pencil skirt, black ankle boots (above), Balenciaga magenta day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and printed jeans, lace detail tank and shorts, jacquard pencil skirt in summer, black ankle boots and shorts, Balenciaga magenta day bag in winter.

Perfect for pregnancy: lace detail tank in the second trimester, jacquard pencil skirt in first trimester, black ankle boots and pregnancy announcement, Balenciaga magenta day bag and maternity shorts.

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Textured Pencil Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It

Pretty textured pencil skirts add a lot of interest to your outfit. They don't have to be tricky to wear though, you can easily pair them with neutral basics like these black tanks. Keeping the rest of your outfit neutral allows you to add in another colour to your outfit like this bright pink bag. And of course, many offices require you cover up a sleeveless tank. A blazer is perfect for that!


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Printed Shirts, Pencil Skirts and Colourful Cardigans With Mulberry Bayswater

With the winter weather arriving in Brisbane and it feeling a lot colder in the mornings, it gave me the wonderful opportunity to wear two of my newly purchased cardigans right away! I picked up these cardigans in the Jeanswest knitwear sale last month. I couldn't resist getting two of them!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan in scarlett marle
Shirt: Zara star print shirt
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second-hand and cheaper here)

Why I wore it:

You might remember that I already have a little red cardigan. I decided to donate that one and replace it with this. It's thicker, warmer and with longer sleeves. I also I love the button feature! It's got a button on either side of the cardigan you can use to button up the hems. You can use it for breastfeeding, or to change the knit into a cowl neck top. Just wearing it simply here, letting the waterfall drape shine and the red pop against the black outfit.

Cooler weather means long sleeves more regularly too! I'm so pleased to be able to get this star print shirt out again. It's one of those pieces that is formal enough for work with the buttons but casual enough for stay at home mum style with denim. I love how it looked with the pencil skirt.

With the red cardigan being a big bright pop of colour with my outfit I went with a classic neutral tan for my accessories, with my Marc Jacobs ballet flats and Mulberry Bayswater bag.

Sadly, this may be last time I wear this shirt. I stupidly didn't check the setting on the iron and burned literally right through it when I tried to go over it quickly. So annoyed with myself! I'm going to take it to my tailor and see if it can be turned into a tank after I burned right through one of the sleeves.


Last worn: star print shirt, ponte pencil skirt, camel flats, Mulberry Bayswater. First time I've worn the cardigan as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: star print shirt and burgundy pants, ponte pencil skirt, camel flats and sheath dress, Mulberry Bayswater and chambray dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: star print shirt in first trimester, ponte pencil skirt in second trimester, camel ballet flats in second trimester, Mulberry Bayswater in third trimester.

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Review and Contents of the Mulberry Bayswater:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan in navy night sky marle
Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Ruby' mixed print shirt
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second-hand and cheaper here)

Why I wore it:

It was this navy cardigan I'd seen on the website that prompted my trip into Jeanswest. When I saw the red one above hanging next to it, I decided to take them both in to try on, to pick my favourite. I decided I liked them both enough to buy them! I think this navy will be the perfect neutral to add to my winter wardrobe. I like how it worked with the blacks in this outfit, and just as the red cardigan did above, it kept me cosy on my autumn morning commute to work.


Last worn: navy cardigan, mixed print shirt, zip detail pencil skirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above).

Other ways to wear: navy cardigan and printed shorts, mixed print shirt and shorts, pencil skirt for Youtube creator day, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and a-line skirt, Mulberry Bayswater and polka dots.

Perfect for pregnancy: zip detail pencil skirt in first trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in third trimester, Mulberry Bayswater in second trimester.

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Printed Shirts For The Office Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

With a neutral printed skirt and a black pencil skirt, you have an easy and professional outfit for work, especially when you add a classic bag like the Mulberry Bayswater. For a little fun and colour with your outfit, you can add a cardigan just as I have in these outfits here. If your workplace is more formal, just leave the cardigan in your bag when you get to your desk.


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Black and White Dresses For The Office With Navy Rebecca Minkoff Regan Bag

The beauty of a black and white dress is that you can really accessorise with anything! I even got to get out one of my scarves I've been waiting to wear.

As you can see from the outfits below, although these were worn just a day apart there was a big change in the temperatures! A couple of weeks ago it eventually started cooling down in Brisbane. This Friday is the first day of winter, so it's about time we had some cooler weather!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 sleeve dusky pink blazer
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
Belt: Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap velvet belt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote in moon

Why I wore it:

It's not the first time I've belted this blazer, but I think this is my favourite outfit I've created with it. I have worn this belted over a black fit and flare dress before, this time around I really liked the double wrap velvet belt and the pink with the black and white.

The only thing I didn't like with this outfit was that it was a little chilly in the morning - after taking photos, I ran inside to grab a scarf as I packed the tripod away before I left for work. Didn't have time to get photos with the scarf, but it stayed off for the rest of the day as the weather heated up. Headed out to the Brisbane Botanical Gardens again with my friend to take some photos. While she doesn't have an active blog, she is modelling some pieces she's been sent so I was happy to enjoy the autumn sunshine and take some pics for her. Managed to get a pic of my outfit too! We had time for a quick lunch after before we headed back to the office, with an afternoon full of meetings for me.


Last worn: blush pink blazer, velvet double wrap belt, striped fit and flare dress, Marc By Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: blush pink blazer and olive tank, velvet double wrap belt over a vest, striped fit and flare dress in winter, Marc By Marc Jacobs ballet flats and A-line skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag and wrap dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: blush pink blazer in third trimester, striped fit and flare dress in second trimester.

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Review And Contents of the Rebecca Minkoff Regan Bag:

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What I wore:

Jacket:  Zara cream jersey blazer
Scarf: gifted grey and gold embroidered feather scarf
Dress: black and white knit dress from my Grandma's wardrobe
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote in moon

Why I wore it:

A much cooler morning had me pulling out my Grandma's knitted dress. It was one of the pieces I'd packed away for winter. I'd recently unboxed all my winter things, perfect timing for the weather change. While this dress has been worn a few times, it's the first time I had the opportunity to wear this beautiful personalised scarf my friend sent me. The gold embroidered feathers are complimented with my name in gold foil, it's such a sweet gift.

This was just the right amount of layers for a wet and cold autumn day, although I am wondering if I'll have to get my tights out soon! Again, just like the outfit above, I stuck with my Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag, the neutral navy goes with so much.


Last worn: cream blazer, knitted dress, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag (above). First time I've worn the scarf.

Other ways to wear: cream blazer and pencil skirt, knitted dress and leopard print scarf, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag and printed shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream jersey blazer in second trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and maternity pencil skirt.

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Black and White Dresses For The Office Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A classic black and white dress is an office essential. It's an instant throw on and go outfit. You can add a blazer if it's cooler or you want your outfit to seem a little more professional. The black and white is also a great backdrop to add some colour to, like the blush blazer in the first outfit, or to try print mixing with the feather print scarf in the second outfit.


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Monochrome Office Outfits: Navy Tops and Textured Pencil Skirts With Rebecca Minkoff MAM

Monochrome outfits are a quick and easy way to get dressed for the office. Blue is my favourite colour, and while I'm managing to stay away from the blue jeans rut I am still wearing blue often as I have so much of it in my wardrobe. Both of those pretty blue textured pencil skirts, although I just wore them the week before, work so nicely with blue tops that I pulled them out again when I wanted to wear some navy.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest grey jersey blazer
Blouse: Jeanswest chana long sleeve stud top in night sky navy
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

This outfit is a combination of pieces I love so it's no surprise that I really liked it! I love this top, one of my purchases last month, and paired with this pretty lace pencil skirt is was such an easy outfit. The grey blazer matched the bag nicely, and grey and blue is a combination I frequently employ when wearing this blazer.

I felt suitably attired in this for an early start at the office, a quick coffee date and filming/photographing session with a friend in King George Square (See Chloe's video for the clip I filmed), a leaving lunch for a colleague and then an afternoon full of meetings. I started to get a bit flustered at the end of the day when the printer started acting up, but overall it was a good day in a good outfit!


Last worn: grey jersey blazer, studded blouse, lace pencil skirt, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAM.

Other ways to wear: grey jersey blazer and fit and flare dress, studded blouse and shorts, lace pencil skirt in summer, silver ballet flats and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff MAM worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: lace pencil skirt in third trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAM in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff MAM Review and Contents

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Necklace: Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace
Shirt: Jeanswest Tory textured shirt
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, I really didn't like this one. It was more of a frustrating than productive day at work, and even spending some time out with my friend in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at lunch time didn't really lift my spirits. I'd been in a rush that morning and scraped my hair up into a messy bun for ease, but felt bad about it all day. I tried to add some cheerful colour to my outfit with the yellow necklace. Yellow and blue is a colour combo I usually enjoy, but on this day I just wasn't enjoying my outfit.

I'm also aware I'm harsher on my outfit when I had a bad day like this one!


Last worn: black jersey blazer, navy button up shirt, jacquard pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAM (above).

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and a-line skirts, navy button up shirt and shorts, jacquard pencil skirt and purple accessories, black ballet flats and sheath dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAM and burgundy pants.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAM in third trimester.

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5 Ways To Wear The Rebecca Minkoff MAM

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Textured Pencil Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Pencil skirts and blazers are default office outfits as they fit into most office dress codes. Printed or textured pencil skirts like these add a bit of fun to an outfit, but they are also so easy to wear when you pick similarly coloured tops, for a quick and professional office outfit. Neutral blazers, shoes and a classic bag like the Rebecca Minkoff MAM keep it simple as they will go with whatever colour you pick out.


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Dressing Up Tees For The Office: Business Casual Style With Pencil Skirts and Blazers

The benefit of working in a business casual environment is that it's perfectly acceptable to wear a tee to work. It was a staple for casual Fridays for me (back when I worked 5 days a week) but I thought I'd give it a go again recently. With some heels, a pencil skirt and a blazer, I felt my tees were dressed up perfectly for my office - particularly when my boss is wearing jeans. I do have a very casual business casual office.

What I wore:

Jacket:  Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: Lovisa wooden statement bead necklace
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Mimi' heels in mushroom
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as I'd hoped. Last time I wore this cream blazer with grey I wasn't very impressed with the final outfit. I decided to try it again with a grey tee this time, one of my favourite grey pieces, so I was sure I'd love it. I really didn't like this combo though. It was a comment from Sheila that explained it to me: the grey tee is a cool neutral, the cream blazer a warm neutral, and they are both a similar intensity of colour, so they don't look great together.

It's definitely not going to be a combination I repeat again in a hurry. I did think about a bright necklace with this in the morning to add some more colour, and think that or a scarf would have helped. I thought the purple Balenciaga work bag would be bright enough but it really wasn't.

It was a really busy day at work though, so it flew by and I didn't have much time to question my outfit choices, other than to kick myself for not taking an extra minute or two to try something different when I looked in the mirror that morning before leaving the house! I forgot my lipstick and mascara that morning too - I think I was still half asleep for a while! 😂


Last worn: cream jersey blazer, grey v-neck tee, ASOS lace pencil skirt, mushroom heels, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: cream jersey blazer and a-line skirt, grey v-neck tee and kimono, ASOS lace pencil skirt, mushroom heels and flares, Balenciaga purple work bag and wrap dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream jersey blazer in second trimester, grey v-neck tee in second trimester, ASOS lace pencil skirt.

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Review and Contents of the Balenciaga Work Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer

Necklace: Eye Candy LA 'Sasha' statement necklace

Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in washed lilac

Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt

Shoes: Wittner 'Lumen' heel in patent leather

Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

Was a little unsure about the lilac tee with the darker purple bag when I was planning this in my head, but I really liked this outfit! Unlike the outfit  above, I think this black blazer matched the outfit nicely, with the black texture on the skirt.

It's really interesting how even if you follow the same outfit formula you can have such different results with the outfits you create! Definitely shows me I still have lots to learn about style :)

What also helped I think was the bright colourful statement necklace to make me look more awake this time, as well as remembering to put my lipstick on! 😂

Last worn: black jersey blazer, lilac v-neck tee, jacquard pencil skirt, patent heels, Balenciaga purple work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and dress as a top, lilac v-neck tee and jeans, jacquard pencil skirt in winter, patent heels and burgundy pants, Balenciaga purple work bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, lilac v-neck tee in second trimester, jacquard pencil skirt in first trimester.

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V-Neck Tees Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A tee is one of those pieces you can easily dress up or down just by changing what you wear with it. If you have a more formal dress code these might be casual Friday only options for you. If you have a business casual environment like mine or aren't in a customer facing role then dressing up a casual tee for the office with a blazer, pencil skirt and heels could be a great mid-week outfit idea for you!


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Blue Dresses and Black Accessories: Mimco Button Bag and Rebecca Minkoff Velvet Double Wrap Belt

Last month I picked up the cute Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap belt in the Shopbop sale. A complete impulse buy, I was just looking for something a little different to update my wardrobe as I am feeling pretty content with all the clothes I have. And I looked at accessories as the weather wasn't cooperating with all the dreams I had for buying cosy knits, it was a very warm start to autumn!

I wore the belt to the office two slightly different ways, with the same bag each time. My Mimco black button bag is a classic most Australians would recognise, and my very first 'expensive' (triple digit) handbag purchase.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peri drape sleeveless jacket (on sale!)
Necklace: gifted Swarovski heart pendant
Dress: Jeanswest Aztec print dress
Belt: Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap velvet belt (new purchase)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Mimco black button bag
Nails: OPI Koala Bear-y

Why I wore it:

With the cooler mornings and evenings, and a bit of rain, I was excited autumn may finally be arriving in Brisbane. I did want to get more wear from this vest before it got too cold though. I find vests better suited for warmer weather. When it's cold, I want my arms covered. If was the perfect day to wear this vest though. Cool, but not too cold. When I first bought this vest, I thought of belting it. I see bloggers belting vests all the time, so that's probably what gave me the idea. This is it's tenth wear though, and the first time I've belted it!

I really liked this outfit! The dusty pink of the vest worked perfectly with the blue Aztec print in the dress, with the black belt matching the black in the dress print as well as the Mimco button bag and black ballet flats. I'm surprised it took me so long to belt this vest as I love the look. I'm glad I eventually gave it a go! The outfit was practical too - had the flu shot at work in preparation for the upcoming winter and needed my arms uncovered.


Last worn: pink vest, Aztec print dress, black ballet flats, Mimco black button bag. First time I've worn the velvet double wrap belt as it's a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: pink vest and graphic tee, Aztec print dress and purple bag, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Mimco black button bag and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: Aztec print dress in third trimester.

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Review and Contents of the Mimco Button Bag (original version)

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What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow 5 station necklace in black and silver
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Belt: Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap velvet belt
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: Mimco black button bag
Nails: OPI Koala Bear-y

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as the one above. The blue Paisley print of this dress is beautiful, but I felt the black accessories didn't look as good as they could have with it. I was really liking the outfit until I went to pick a black necklace. I don't have many, and this was the best one I could find. The velvet belt has gold hardware and this necklace has really prominent silver. I felt a little mismatched all day. I don't mind mixing gold and silver in bracelet stacks or when layering necklaces together, it just felt a little 'off' having the different metals on different accessories.

Just a minor thing, but next time I'd spend the time to hunt out a gold necklace and I'm sure I'd like the outfit better!


Last worn: Paisley print sheath dress, Walnut Melbourne flats, Mimco Button Bag (above).

Other ways to wear: Paisley print sheath dress and tote bag, Walnut Melbourne flats and printed skirt, Mimco Button Bag and monochrome outfit.

Perfect for pregnancy: Paisley print sheath dress in second trimester, Walnut Melbourne flats and maternity skirt.

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More Velvet Belts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A really easy way to change up the look of your favourite dress is to add a belt. It doesn't require buying anything new, as you probably already have a couple belts you could try it with. In these photos above I matched the black belt with black accessories, but you could also add a belt that contrasts with your outfit and other accessories for a pop of colour.



Linking up with Turning Heads, Fashion Frenzy, Style On The Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Modest Monday.

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