Away From Blue | Aussie Mum Style, Away From The Blue Jeans Rut: Office wear

Showing posts with label Office wear. Show all posts

Monday, 30 December 2019

Weekday wear link up: Printed Tanks and Grey Pencil Skirts With Chloe Paddington Bag

My last post and Weekday Wear Linkup for the year. So exciting, I can't believe I've been running the linkup for almost a year (and blogging for 8 years!). Thank you so much to everyone who links up! Hope you have a very happy new year!

For my last week at work before the Christmas break I dressed down a little more than usual. I ditched my usual office staple of a blazer and just wore these plain grey pencil skirts with some striped tanks. I did have a cardigan at my desk to combat the cold office aircon and provide shoulder coverage for meetings, but otherwise these outfits felt pretty dressed down.

Maybe it was the Christmas decorations in the office, the summer heat, the casually dressed shorts wearing teammates or the fact that I had 3 weeks of leave lined up over Christmas and New Years - I just wanted something simple and easy for my last couple of days!

What I wore:

casual summer office outfit brushstroke stripe tank jersey pencil skirt chloe paddington bag | awayfromblue

bracelet stack with Ferragamo and Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue Instagram | casual summer office outfit striped tank jersey pencil skirt chloe paddington bag

Necklace: Lovisa wooden statement bead necklace
Tank: Jeanswest 'Hannah' print tank in paradise pink multi
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt
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:

Felt like this tank was overdue a wear - the red/coral brushstroke stripes seemed a little festive without being overly so and it's such a colourful choice to brighten up this grey jersey pencil skirt a bit. Decided to go very matchy-matchy with the rest of my accessories, using the brown Chloe Paddington bag as my inspiration. The gold mouse flats matched the gold padlock, and the Ferragamo wrap bracelet and the wooden beaded statement necklace both have brown and gold in them.

I really liked this outfit, simple for a hot day in the office!

Last worn: brushstroke stripe tank, wooden statement necklace, jersey pencil skirt, gold mouse flats, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: brushstroke stripe tank and maxi skirt, jersey pencil skirt worn 2 ways, gold mouse flats and jeans, Chloe Paddington bag and ruffle dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: brushstroke stripe tank in second trimester, jersey pencil skirt in third trimester, gold mouse flats in third trimester, Chloe Paddington bag in second trimester.

Story Behind My First Designer Bag: Chloe Paddington

What I wore:

green necklace with striped tank grey pencil skirt summer heatwave office outfit chloe paddington bag | away from blue

silver and gold mixed metal bracelet stack with brown chloe paddington bag | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue Instagram | striped tank grey pencil skirt summer heatwave office outfit green necklace chloe paddington bag

Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Tank: Jeanswest 'Josie' striped back strap tank
Skirt: Asos tailored tab front pencil skirt in grey
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus gold leaf cuff from my sister's wardrobe
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

This outfit felt even more casual than the first one. This is a pretty casual striped tank, but oh-so comfortable to wear! I paired it with a dressier pencil skirt but still felt very dressed down. As I mentioned above, we usually have a relaxation of the office dress code in the summer heat and with others wearing shorts to work, I didn't feel out of place.

I thought the green necklace was a little festive touch with this! I was going to wear a pair of red earrings as well but decided not to at the last minute. I did add this pretty gold leaf cuff on to my bracelet stack though, a piece my sister no longer wanted but I was happy to pick up! I should have worn it on my other wrist, it didn't sit well with my silver bracelets, but I wasn't sure how it would go on my other arm, my mouse hand. It was a day at the computer tidying up all my tasks and handing things over to others if they couldn't be resolved before I left, and didn't want the cuff getting in the way each time I used the mouse.

Last worn: striped tank, green beaded necklace, grey pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: striped tank and shorts, grey pencil skirt and peplum tank, black ballet flats and floral dress, Chloe Paddington bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: striped tank at 37 weeks, grey pencil skirt in second trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester, Chloe Paddington bag in second trimester.

Striped Tanks Under $50:

How You Can Wear It:

A striped tank looks just as good with a pencil skirt as it does with denim! Both of these tanks are worn on my days with the boys and in the office - they are a great double duty piece. If your office doesn't dress down over the Christmas break, or if it's on a more formal side, you can easily throw a blazer over these outfits to make them a little more presentable.

Weekday Wear Linkup #51

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!

Linking up with Confident Twosday, Trend Spin, Thursday Moda, Chic and Stylish.

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Monday, 23 December 2019

Two Ways To Wear A Black Pencil Skirt: Weekday Wear Linkup

For today's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm sharing two different ways to wear a black pencil skirt - for the office and for mum life.

This linkup post will be up a little longer than normal as I won't have my usual post on Wednesday as it will be Christmas day. I'll be back posting as usual on the 27th December with some boxing day sales.

What I wore:

metallic tank statement necklace tweed blazer black pencil skirt in the office with purple bag way to wear | awayfromblue

office outfit with Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag | away from the blue

awayfromblue Instagram | summer office outfit with metallic tank and boucle blazer purple balenciaga work bag

Jacket: Jeanswest Dixie collarless jacket
Necklace: thrifted Equip turquoise cream multi strand bead necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maji metallic tank in soft green and silver (on sale!)
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail 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 was a little annoyed with this outfit! I love the metallic tank for a subtle bit of shimmer and the tweed blazer dresses it up nicely and covers my shoulders for the office. The beaded statement necklace was a bit of matchy-matchy with the silver, white and turquoise beads. It got broken and hastily repaired out at dinner one night so it's now a strictly worn without the kids piece. But it went and broke on me while I was in a meeting. A virtual meeting at my desk thankfully but I was still a bit frustrated!

Even with the turquoise in the necklace I thought this outfit needed a little more colour so went with the purple Balenciaga work bag, and added even more interest with the leopard print flats. I did really like this outfit until the necklace annoyed me!

Last worn: tweed blazer, turquoise beaded necklace, metallic tank, black pencil skirt, leopard print flats, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: tweed blazer and printed tank, metallic tank worn two ways, black pencil skirt in winter, leopard print flats and skater dress, Balenciaga purple work bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: tweed blazer in second trimester, black pencil skirt in second trimester.

Balenciaga vs Rebecca Minkoff Bags:

What I wore:

pencil skirt for night out outfit with navy printed kimono little red rebecca minkoff micro avery tote bag | away from blue

navy kimono with Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue | navy printed kimono for night out over metallic tank black pencil skirt red micro avery tote bag

Jacket: New Look Petite print kimono
Necklace: Kmart blue multi-colour beaded necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maji metallic tank in soft green and silver (on sale!)
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

Rushed out of the office early to get home and changed before heading out with family for an important event. Decided to keep the outfit base the same, with the same metallic tank and black pencil skirt, but swapped the ballet flats for these studded sandals, and the blazer for a more casual kimono. It's not the first time I've worn this kimono with a pencil skirt, I enjoyed it last time I wore that combination too.

Swapped the accessories out for a more kid-friendly necklace, and a cute little red bag to add some extra colour to my outfit.

Simple and quick outfit for a night out with family, followed by dinner at our place before putting two very tired kids to bed very late!

Last worn: navy printed kimono, blue beaded necklace, metallic silver tank (above), black pencil skirt (above), studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote.

Other ways to wear: navy printed kimono and skinny jeans, metallic silver tank and maxi skirt, black pencil skirt over a dress, studded sandals and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote and teal dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed kimono at 39 weeks, black pencil skirt in first trimester, studded sandals in third trimester.

Black Pencil Skirts Under $50:

How You Can Wear It:

A pencil skirt is a wardrobe staple, and it's easy to layer it up with a blazer to fit a formal work environment. You can dress it down by changing the outerwear again - pick something more casual like a kimono for an easy outfit that's suitable for a hot summer night.

Weekday Wear Linkup #50

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Monday, 16 December 2019

Weekday Wear Link Up: Printed A-Line Skirts and Tees In The Office

Working in a business casual office that's more on the casual side than the business side of dressing means tees are perfectly acceptable in the office. I do try dress them up a little each time I wear them, by wearing a pretty skirt like these or adding a blazer or statement necklace.

What I wore:

leaf print silk skirt with olive slouchy tee jersey blazer summer office outfit with Mulberry bayswater | awayfromblue

autumnal coloured outfit with mulberry heritage bayswater tote bag | away from the blue

awayfromblue Instagram | olive tee statement necklace jersey blazer silk skirt in office with mulberry bayswater tote

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Necklace: thrifted black and grey floral crystal statement necklace
Tee: Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in dark green (on sale!)
Skirt: French Connection silk leaf print skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

This is a very autumnal toned outfit for summer! I thought I'd let the skirt stand out as the star and pair it with neutrals. This dark olive tee is so comfortable and slouchy, and even though it's a very different shade of green from the skirt I thought it went nicely with it. The black blazer and tan ballet flats and Mulberry Bayswater were nice neutral accessories to wear, but I did add a little extra interest with the crystal statement necklace so the outfit didn't feel too dark.

It was a very busy day in the office, and even if my big meeting with a manager was rescheduled, and I didn't need the blazer, I still felt suitably dressed for the day.

Last worn: black jersey blazer, statement crystal necklace, olive tee, leaf print silk skirt, tan ballet flats, Mulberry Bayswater.

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and wrap dress, olive tee and shorts, leaf print silk skirt in winter, tan ballet flats and skinny jeans, Mulberry Bayswater and chambray dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer at 39 weeks, leaf print silk skirt in second trimester, tan ballet flats in third trimester, Mulberry Bayswater in second trimester.

Wear and Tear: Mulberry Bayswater After 7 Years

What I wore:

printed pleated mustard skirt with space dye tee grey jersey blazer mulberry bayswater | away from blue

printed skirt with Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue Instgaram | space dye tee with jersey blazer mustard printed pleated skirt

Jacket: Jeanswest grey jersey blazer
Necklace: thrifted statement gunmetal hardware necklace
Tee: thrifted Mix Apparel black marle tee
Skirt: Garfunkle Australia pleated print skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

I really don't know why I don't wear this skirt more often! It's such a fun piece and I love yellow! Every time I wear it it gets compliments, it's far too pretty to hide away in my wardrobe.

It's the first time I've worn this black tee with it but I do like wearing it with black tops - picking a colour out of the print is such an easy way to pull an outfit together when you're wearing something printed.

Wasn't sure if this necklace was a bit much given the skirt is already a bit of a statement, but I liked the combination when I tried it on that morning so decided to stick with it. The skirt and necklace always get a lot of compliments when I wear them, even more this time around I wore them both together!

The grey blazer and metallic silver shoes were a little bit of matchy-matchy with the outfit too. The big meeting with the manger was rescheduled to this day so the blazer again made me feel suitably dressed.

Last worn: grey jersey blazer, metallic statement necklace, black space dye tee, printed pleated skirt, silver ballet flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above).

Other ways to wear: grey jersey blazer and print mix, black space dye tee and denim jacket, printed pleated skirt with navy, silver ballet flats and burgundy pants, mulberry Bayswater and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed pleated skirt in second trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester, mulberry Bayswater in third trimester.

Printed A-Line Skirts Under $50:

How You can Wear It:

A printed A-line skirt is a fun alternative to a classic pencil skirt in the office. They are easy to dress up more with a blazer too, even if you wear them with a casual tee.

Weekday Wear Linkup #49

Linking up with Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Trend Spin, Thursday Moda, Chic and Stylish, Fashion Files.

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Monday, 9 December 2019

Weekday Wear Linkup: Wrap Tops and Pencil Skirts With Balenciaga Day Bags

For today's weekday wear I'm wearing some wrap tops that haven't been worn in a while with pencil skirts and statement necklaces for an easy office outfit.

What I wore:

navy wrap top with statement necklace and grey jersey pencil skirt, printed flats summer office outfit | awayfromblue

Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue instagram | navy wrap top with grey jersey pencil skirt beaded statement necklace summer office outfit

Necklace: Oxfam Noah's Ark green red beaded necklace
Top: Atmos & Here Arlene wrap top in navy
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava white leopard ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

It's not the first time I've worn this navy wrap top with a grey pencil skirt, I really like navy and grey together! To change it up a little I added some different accessories. This green and red beaded statement necklace is a firm fave and while I do wear it at other times through the year it seems so perfectly festive for December, being so close to Christmas! I wasn't sure if the leopard print flats would be too much with this given the necklace was already enough of a statement, but I ended up really liking it when I tried it.

The tempete Balenciaga day bag is the perfect mix of blue and grey so seemed like the obvious choice to wear with this 💙

Last worn: navy wrap top, green and red necklace, grey jersey pencil skirt, leopard print flats, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: navy wrap top and maxi skirt, grey jersey pencil skirt worn two ways, leopard print flats and jeans, Balenciaga tempete day bag and floral dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy wrap top in third trimester, grey jersey pencil skirt in third trimester, Balenciaga tempete day bag in second trimester.

What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Day

What I wore:

grey jersey wrap tee with jacquard navy pencil skirt and pink accessories | away from blue

Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta | away from the blue

awayfromblue Instgaram | summer office otufit wrap tee with jacquard pencil skirt magenta statement necklace balenciaga bag

Necklace: thrifted magenta pink statement beaded necklace (new purchase)
Tee: Atmos&Here Nile wrap front jersey tee
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

Followed the same blue and grey colour scheme as the first outfit for this one, just with a single brighter colour in my accessories. I thought the basic grey wrap top was a nice neutral to pair with the jacquard pencil skirt and I really like the way the magenta pops against it!

This recently thrifted necklace was one I couldn't pass by in the opshop when I was in looking for Christmas books for our advent calendar. I knew it would be the perfect match with this magenta Balenciaga day bag and I love the way they look together!

Last worn: grey wrap top, jacquard pencil skirt, silver ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag. First time I've worn the necklace as it was a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: grey wrap top and jeans, jacquard pencil skirt in winter, silver ballet flats and printed dress, Balenciaga magenta day bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard pencil skirt in first trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

Wrap Tops Under $50:

How You Can Wear It:

A simple wrap top is a nice twist on a basic and works well in the office when you need to be a little more dressed up. They are great with pencil skirts! I bought both of these wrap tops for easy breastfeeding as they have a snap to hold them in place. It makes them simple to wear at work as they don't gape open. You could always layer a tank underneath if your top doesn't have a modesty snap.

Weekday Wear Linkup #48

Linking up with Confident Twosday, Turning Heads, Trend Spin, Style On The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Style Six.

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Monday, 2 December 2019

Weekday Wear Linkup! Floral Dresses and Mulberry Heritage Bayswater

For today's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm wearing two floral dresses to the office - a new one I only bought a few weeks ago and an old favourite that's been in my wardrobe so long I have no idea when I purchased it! I accessorised with my classic Mulberry heritage Bayswater tote and some fun scarves I tied differently each time.

What I wore:

Kmart teal floral print midi dress with scarf in hair, heels and Mulberry bayswater tote bag | awayfromblue

teal floral dress with Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather | awayfromblue

awayfromblue Instagram | kmart teal floral midi dress with heels, bow in hair and mulberry oak NVT bayswater

Scarf: blue Coach twilly scarf tied in a bow
Necklace: House of Harlow Dynamic necklace in gold
Dress: Kmart teal floral print midi dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Mimi' heels in mushroom
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

I feel I'm wearing this dress a lot! I picked up on clearance at Kmart for just $12 back in September and I've worn it 4 times, which is an average of once a month, but it feels like I'm heavily repeating it!

Last time I wore this dress to the office I dressed it up a little with a blazer. This time around I added a pair of heels and a cute little coach skinny scarf tied as a bow in my hair. It was for Melbourne Cup Day back in November. In Brisbane we don't have a holiday for the horse race like they do in Victoria, but we do usually have a big event and the race on the TV. I thought this floral dress was perfect and the little scarf in my hair a nice nod to cup day. Chatted to my boss's boss in the office kitchen while we were putting our breakfasts together, he said "I knew we could count on you to dress up for the cup day" and everyone in the office seemed to like my outfit! I kept proudly telling people just as I did last time that this dress was just $12 at Kmart!

Even though we ended up stuck in a big meeting and missed the cup day celebrations I did like this outfit and I'm pleased I gave the scarf a go. I wasn't too sure at first if the blue print on the scarf would be too much with the teal floral print of the dress, but I think they were far enough apart that the outfit really worked!

Last worn: teal floral midi dress, Coach skinny scarf, gold necklace, brown heels, Mulberry heritage Bayswater.

Other ways to wear: teal floral midi dress worn two ways, Coach skinny scarf on a bag, brown heels and pencil skirt, Mulberry heritage Bayswater and little black dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Mulberry heritage Bayswater in third trimester.

Wear and Tear: Mulberry Heritage Bayswater

What I wore:

black floral wrap dress for office with mulberry heritage oak nvt bayswater bag and hermes twilly scarf bracelet | away from blue

Hermes twilly Kelly en Calèche with Mulberry heritage bayswater oak nvt | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue Instagram summer office outfit floral wrap dress with yellow statement necklace mulberry bayswater hermes twilly bracelet

Necklace: Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress (with Cotton On 'eternity' tank in charcoal marle underneath)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes twilly Kelly en Calèche tied as bracelet
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

Another floral dress! Unlike the one in the first outfit, this is a wardrobe oldie from Jeanswest and I can't remember when I bought it exactly, or what I paid for it. I do remember wearing it to my first office job though, before I was with my current company, and I've been with my current company over 10 years. I think a wrap dress is a good one to have in your wardrobe as it accommodates weight fluctuations (and baby bumps!) nicely by wrapping a little tighter or looser. I also add a tank under for modesty now as things are a little different in the chest region after pregnancy and breastfeeding two kids!

Surprisingly, this is the first time I've worn this yellow statement necklace with the dress! It adds a nice pop of colour with the black and white print, especially with the neutral grey tank and tan accessories. I added a scarf to this outfit too, my little grey Hermes twilly. Which really deserves to get worn more! I did think about tying it on the Mulberry Bayswater bag instead, but thought it looked nice on my wrist.

Last worn: black floral wrap dress, grey tank, yellow statement necklace, Hermes twilly, tan flats, mulberry heritage Bayswater tote (above).

Other ways to wear: black floral wrap dress and trench coat, grey tank and shorts, Hermes twilly tied on a bag, tan flats and burgundy pants, Mulberry heritage Bayswater tote and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: black floral wrap dress in second trimester, grey tank in third trimester, tan flats in third trimester, Hermes twilly in second trimester, Mulberry heritage Bayswater tote in third trimester.

Floral Dresses For The Office Under $50:

How You Can Wear It:

A floral dress is so prefect for spring and works well in the office too! You can formalise your outfit a little with heels and a classic tote, or stick with a staple office wear silhouette and go with a wrap dress like I have in the second outfit.

Weekday Wear Linkup #47

In case you missed it: my annual handbag lover gift guide for every budget is live now! https://awayfromtheblue.blogspot.com/2019/11/handbag-lover-gift-guide-2019-for-any.html It's the only gift guide I'm doing this year and this is the fifth year in a row, it's so fun to put together!

Linking up with Confident Twosday, Fashion Frenzy, Style Six, Style On The Daily, Chic n Stylish, Thursday Moda, Fashion Files.

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Monday, 25 November 2019

Weekday Wear Linkup! Belted Fit and Flare Dresses With Tees Underneath and Balenciaga Day Bags

For today's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm layering some 3/4 sleeve tees under classic fit and flare dresses. And adding all the accessories! The last of our stuff is out of storage and my uncle helped me finish the rest of my wardrobe room so I finally have all of my clothes and accessories in one wardrobe room in our new house, making me very happy indeed!

What I wore:

sleeveless fit and flare dress lbd with pink accessories and tee layered underneath | awayfromblue

black fit and flare dress with Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue Instagram spring office outfit long sleeve tee with black LBD fit and flare sleeveless dress pink accessories

Necklace: Eye Candy LA 'Sasha' statement necklace
Dress: Jeanswest tucked ponte black dress (with grey long sleeve tee underneath)
Belt: Asos Metal Keeper super skinny belt in pink
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava white leopard ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus pearl and rose gold bracelet stack
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

It's not the first time I've layered a neutral tee under this black fit and flare dress. It makes it the perfect base for some bright accessories, and this magenta Balenciaga day bag matches so nicely with this magenta skinny belt. Which I haven't worn for a few years as it's just recently been uncovered from storage after our move (I went into a little bit more detail about the return of the belts here). So happy to see it again, it's a great colour match to this Balenciaga day bag.

The pink crystals in the necklace don't match the magenta pink exactly, but I still liked the extra touch of colour it added to the outfit. Went a little further and added the printed shoes too, these leopard print ballet flats are so fun to wear with a monochromatic outfit.

They grey tee wasn't really needed underneath in the heat of the day but it was appreciated in the cold aircon at work, even if I did overheat a little when my friend and I went out for a walk at lunch time, where I posed in front of yet another jacaranda tree!

Last worn: statement necklace, black fit and flare dress, pink belt, leopard print flats, magenta Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear: black fit and flare dress in winter, pink belt and maxi dress, leopard print flats with stripes, magenta Balenciaga day bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: black fit and flare dress in second trimester, pink belt in second trimester, magenta Balenciaga day bag in third trimester.

What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Day

What I wore:

teal tee under striped fit and flare sleeveless dress with red accessories and balenciaga day bag | away from blue

bracelet stack, hermes kelly double tour with Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | away from the blue

awayfromblue Instagram | teal tee under sleeveless striped fit and flare dress with Balenciaga day bag and red accessories

Necklace: thrifted black and grey floral crystal statement necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress (with Valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee underneath)
Belt: thrifted (op-shop) find
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs suede flats in red
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes Kelly double tour bracelet in rubis
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Even more colourful this time, on my next day in the office I wore another fit and flare dress, this one in a classic black and white stripe. I added a teal tee underneath and then some red accessories - mostly because I felt these red suede ballet flats were overdue a wear and you know I can't resist a little matchy-matchy!

With the red belt, shoes and Hermes Kelly bracelet I felt a red necklace might have been a little too much so I picked this anchormen crystal statement necklace instead. The blue Balenciaga day bag isn't a great match to the teal tee, but I thought it complimented it nicely and this bag looks great with red!

Last worn: striped fit and flare dress, teal tee, statement necklace, Hermes bracelet, red belt, red suede flats, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: striped fit and flare dress and blazer, teal tee and pencil skirt, red belt and little black dress, red suede flats and jeans, Balenciaga tempete day bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: striped fit and flare dress in second trimester, teal tee in second trimester, red suede flats in second trimester, Balenciaga tempete day bag in third trimester.

Fit And Flare Dresses Under $50:

How You Can Wear It:

A fit and flare dress is such a staple, and with a sleeveless one like these two you can easily layer a tee underneath if the office aircon is a little chilly, bypassing the need for a blazer or cardigan on top. You can add some colour with bright accessories like statement necklaces or belts. A fit and flare dress looks great belted!