Striped Maxi Skirts in Winter with Grey Cardigans

Maxi skirts are an all-season wardrobe must have for me. It's not just that the stretchy waistbands and comfortable fabrics are nice on a post-baby belly, they are also a great length for running around after a toddler. Brisbane doesn't get any snow over winter so with enough layers I happily wear them in winter too.

What I wore: 

Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan
Scarf: Alexander McQueen Azure wool skull scarf (new purchase)
Tee: French Connection oversized khaki green tee
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in grey)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff neon pink mini MAC (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

It was a busy day - we had playgroup in the morning and my 6 week post-birth checkup in the afternoon. I dressed in layers as I knew it would be cold at the playground but warmer in the afternoon. With the waterfall drape of the cardigan and the long line of the scarf I did worry my petite frame would be overwhelmed a little, but it was so comfortable when I tried it on. I was really happy in this - and the layers worked out perfectly as it did heat up a lot during the day.

It's been a long time since I last wore this khaki tee - I hunted it out again after really liking the khaki tank I bought last month, wanted to see if this was still a keeper in my wardrobe. While I don't like it as much as the tank, it's a great basic so it's staying for now.


Last worn: grey cardigan, khaki tee, striped maxi skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff neon mini MAC. First time I've worn the scarf as it is a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: grey cardigan and red jeans, khaki tee in summer with jeans, striped maxi skirt and a graphic tee, black ballet flats and a pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff neon mini MAC and a floral kimono.

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Striped Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (25% off at Nordstrom!)

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Shirt: Zara star print shirt
Skirt: Asos colour block maxi skirt in red
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, I really wasn't impressed when I wore this, although it seemed like a good idea when I planned it out. We had an appointment to get to in the morning though so I didn't have any time to change. I hated this outfit more and more as the day went on. It seemed like a fun idea, stars and stripes, but I was so happy to change out of this at the end of the day. Definitely an outfit fail for me. All the pieces on their own are lovely, but together I wasn't enjoying them.



Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, grey wool cardigan, star print shirt, colour block maxi skirt, Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff aquamarine mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: grey wool cardigan and flares, star print shirt in the office, colour block maxi skirt for a dinner date, Marc Jacobs ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff aquamarine mini MAC and denim shorts.

Linking up with Hello Monday, Modest Monday, Mix It Monday, Classy Monday Colour and Grace, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday.

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Tank Tops, Jersey Maxi Skirts, Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag in Third Trimester

Despite having bought a few maternity items to see me through this pregnancy (in addition to the pieces I already had from last pregnancy), I still want to try and wear regular non-maternity pieces when I can. Otherwise I'll get pretty uninspired with outfit choices in the final weeks when I no longer fit into regular clothes! I managed to squeeze the third trimester baby bump into some pretty tanks for what is sure to be their last wear until after baby arrives.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)
Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Tank: Jeanswest 'Darcy' embellished top in Winter coral
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats (on sale!)
Bracelets: the usual plus silver cuff
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey (on sale in black and white!)

Why I wore it:

Wore this out for the last lunch of the year - this was my new year's eve outfit. The tank had the right amount of sparkle for the occasion. Not quite as much as my sparkly Christmas outfits, but nice all the same. The style challenge for the day was 'sparkles' which made this sequin embellished tank a great choice.

I enjoyed wearing this although it didn't look great when I looked back at the photos - the breeze didn't help! I think the tank untucked with the maxi skirt just looked a little weird, I prefer to tuck this tank in when I wear it as it's really long on my petite frame, even with the baby belly. Bit of an outfit fail.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, sequin tank, striped maxi skirt, tuxedo flats, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Other ways to wear: sequin tank and skinny jeans, striped maxi skirt in winter without a baby bump, tuxedo flats and a maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and a colourful cardigan.

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More embellished / button down tank tops for under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)
Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace layered with Tai gold alphabet necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Florence print long line tank (new purchase, on sale!)
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas (new purchase)
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey (on sale in black and white!)

Why I wore it:

Wore this out to a BBQ for the first day of the new year. Unlike the outfit I'd worn the day before, I tucked this tank in and much preferred this outfit over the one above. Just a simple thing, to tuck or untuck a top, but it can make a big difference. And show off the growing third trimester bump nicely! :)

This top was one of my post Christmas sale buys from Jeanswest. I'd actually tried this top on before, months ago, and wasn't sure it would accommodate the baby bump so I left it in the store. I kept thinking about it though. When I came across it again in the outlet store reduced even further I was so happy. Even more so to find that it did fit the baby bump! The buttons will come in handy post-baby for breastfeeding too. Even if I was pushing the limits of it here and can't wear it again until after baby arrives, I'm so pleased to have found and bought this.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), grey maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag (above). First time I've worn the thongs (flip flops) and tank as they are recent purchases.

Other ways to wear: grey maxi skirt layered for winter, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and skinny jeans.

Linking up with Style Me Wednesday, Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Fun Fashion Friday, Fabulous Friday.

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Purple Tees, Maxi Skirts, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini Bag

Two easy and simple pregnancy outfits. Purple tees, maxi skirts, and my Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag.

Although I've been doing the Fox in Flats style challenge and posting and playing long each day in order on instagram, I'm still trying to pair similar outfits together to post on the blog. I'm much further behind with blogging than I am with instagram so it's easy to organise the backlog of outfit photos into similar pairings.

What I wore:

 

Necklace: Australian coin and crest necklace

Tee: Jeanswest 'Lucy' colourblock tee in orchid/grey marle
Skirt: AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

This was a double style challenge outfit! I tried to play along with #summerStyleFile as well as #DAREcember but couldn't meet every day of them both. The challenges were 'buns hun' and 'to the max' so it was easy to achieve them both with a maxi skirt and a messy bun. You can see my hair a lot better on the Instagram pic I shared. It's definitely getting to that point in summer where I'm tying my hair up more and more!

Simple accessories for a comfortable outfit as I worked from home.

This is the last wear of this purple tee too. It's nice, but I was looking up the last time I wore it and saw this is only it's third wear, where the other one I have (that's pink and grey) has been worn 5 times. It's obvious I have a favourite and don't need both, so it's left my wardrobe. I have other purple tees I wear more. If only I could apply the same thinking to my many grey tees!

purple tee and skinny jeans / purple tee and a striped maxi skirt

Last worn: colourblock tee, striped maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag.

Other ways to wear: colourblock tee without a baby bump, striped maxi skirt and a peach cami, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag for the office.

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More purple tees under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Necklace: Jeanswest Taki necklace (C/O)
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in washed lilac
Skirt: Jeanswest plain jersey black maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

I really wasn't such a fan of this outfit! I'd previously worn the grey version of this tee to the office a couple of weeks before and loved the outfit. I felt comfortable and happy all day, so wanted to replicate that feeling by wearing the purple tee. The baby bump had grown though and I tugged at this shirt quite a bit through the day, feeling so uncomfortable in it. At least I was just working from home.

The maxi skirt I enjoyed wearing of course! It was the first thing I thought of for the style challenge of 'swishy', as my maxi skirts 'swish' around when I walk. If I'd just worn a different tee I would have been much happier in this.

I blog my outfit fails as much as the outfits I love though, as otherwise I'd never find an outfit 'good enough' to share. It's also a good way to reinforce to myself what didn't work and how to avoid it in future. After doing this earlier in my pregnancy and wearing something that didn't quite fit right just because I wanted to squeeze in another wear, it's a little silly that I'd do the same thing again. Need to take a few moments more to think through (and try on!) what I've planned to wear as things continuously change as baby grows.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, purple tee, black jersey maxi skirt, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag (above).

Other ways to wear: purple tee and a lace pencil skirt for the office, maxi skirt and a graphic tee, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag and a printed wrap dress.

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Shopbop have an extra 25% off all sale styles for a limited time only! Just use the discount code 'EXTRAEXTRA'. But hurry, it's just for 3 days!

Shop the sale here.

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Linking up with Fun Fashion Friday.

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Different Ways to Wear Too Short Shift Dresses - When Online Orders Are Shorter Than Expected!

First wearing of my new Balenciaga bag! As expected, I love it just as much as my blue one. Also my first attempts at wearing some too-short dresses.

Choies gave me the chance to order this striped dress for free, and they also threw in another dress as a gift. I was between sizes so went with my usual 'order a size larger to be safe', and also because I thought the extra length would be good. Being petite, I find that sometimes things that look short on the models are actually an okay length on me, but there is no harm in having an extra centimetre or two.

Both dresses arrived, and are lovely, but as I shared on instagram, they are much too short! So I've had to come up with other ways to wear them. Thought this post might be helpful for others who have received too-short dresses they can't return or that aren't worth the cost of returning. It's also a good reminder to check the length measurements before ordering something and not just the bust and waist!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest brown marle waterfall cardigan
Dress: Choies white tile print shift dress (C/O)
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga truffle RH classic day bag (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

I thought I'd try wear tights with this to make myself a little more comfortable with the short length, but I really wasn't comfortable in this at all! I think I should have picked a longer cardigan, that had the length in the back I felt the dress was missing whenever I bent down to pick up toddler T.

I've also mentioned in the past that I can't wear tights with the compression bandage I have for my injured knee. It's designed to keep the muscles warm, so I have to wear it under clothing so it's right next to my skin and it gets a bit warm through the day. When I add tights, it's just much too hot. I thought this day would be okay though as it was cold and rainy....nope. My knee got so hot so quickly. I couldn't wait to take this off! A bit of an outfit fail all round.

How would you wear this dress differently? I was thinking maybe as a bikini cover up for the beach...


Last worn: brown cardi, tan ankle boots. First time I've worn the bag and the dress.

Other ways to wear: brown cardi and skinny jeans, ankle boots and skinny jeans, blue Balenciga day bag and a summer dress.

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More shift dresses under $50:

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What I wore:

Cardigan: Jeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Dress (worn as top): Choies monochrome stripe shift dress (C/O)
Jeans: Jeanswest 'spoylt' flared jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga truffle RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

After the outfit fail the day before, I knew I'd need a bit more coverage with this dress! While it does have the right length in the back and even in the front, it has curved hems so it comes up short on the hips. I belted it like a tunic over jeans. It would look better with skinny jeans, but I can't squeeze the knee bandage under them.

I really liked this outfit though! I felt happy and comfortable all day. I really like the way the dress looks belted, and I wasn't worrying about what it looked like from behind every time I bent down as I had jeans on underneath. It's a really comfortable cotton, which helps as it feels good to wear. I'm thinking this would look nice worn as a top and tucked under a skirt too...I can see lots of other ways to wear this dress. Definitely a winner, even if I don't wear it as a dress as it was intended!


Last worn: purple cardi, flared jeans, ballet flats, Balenciaga day bag (above). First time I've worn the dress.

Other ways to wear: purple cardi and a maxi dress, flared jeans and heels, ballet flats and a wrap dress, blue Balenciaga day bag and stripes.


One last thing before I finish today's post: this Sunday is Father's Day in Australia, so I hope everyone has a lovely weekend with their family. Jeanswest were kind enough to send me this beautiful Malrvern check shirt for DH, and as baby T has a cute little shirt from Jeanswest to wear also, I know there will be one very fashionable and adorable duo this Sunday! I'll try get a photo of them together and share it on instagram, @awayfromblue.

The 30% off Jeanswest sale that I mentioned in my last post has been extended this weekend! So if you're looking for something for yourself or even a last minute gift for Father's Day, the sale is now on in store too as well as online.


Linking up with Fab Favourites, Friday Favourites, Passion For Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Favourite Fashion, Fashion Friday, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Hello Monday today.

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Shirt Dress, Shift Dress, Cardigans and Ankle Boots.

DH and I are at the 'spending every weekend attending open houses' phase of house-hunting. Below are two simple outfits I've worn to do so. As they were so similar, I thought I'd post them together.

We take turns each baby wearing while we go through the houses, so I need to wear something that's easy to wear with a toddler strapped to me, not too casual, and with a layer that I can take off and on as it heats up. I went with dresses both times as they are instant outfits, which is what you need when you have to fit in 5 open houses in one morning and you're running late!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Dress: Atmos&Here Polly navy polka dot shirt dress
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

As soon as I put these pictures on the computer I realised I should have worn a belt with this, oh well. I was comfortable and decided not to wear a belt so it would be easier to strap the baby carrier around me. I've worn it without a belt before and its looked fine, I just think with this cardigan a little waist definition would have been nice.

On the plus side, it warmed up nicely through the day and I ended up taking the cardigan off by the time we got to the third house, so I didn't wear it like this all day. I do like the colours of everything together, just feel a belt would have made it look nicer.


Last worn: purple cardigan, taupe skull scarf, polka dot dress (as a top), Asos Chelsea ankle boots, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: purple cardi and a maxi dress, skull scarf in the office, polka dot dress with Converse, ankle boots in the office, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and skinny jeans.

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Shop more shirt and shift dresses under $70:

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Rayban new Wayfarers
Jacket: gifted Kmart striped maxi cardigan

Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel
Dress: Zalora Basics faux leather placket red shift dress (on sale!)
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

I wasn't 100% happy with this outfit either, although I do like it more than the one above. I was trying to decide on something to wear to add a bit of interest and picked this necklace. I think a shorter necklace or a scarf would have worked better with the placket detail on the dress though.

This striped maxi cardigan is new-to-me! My mum brought it over one day and asked if I wanted it, of course I said yes. It's not too warm which is great as I'll be able to keep wearing it as it warms up and we move into spring. I like boots and tights but I'm looking forward to the end of winter too!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Zalora red shift dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC. First time I've worn the cardigan.

Other ways to wear: red shift dress with bare legs, ankle boots and a maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and a maxi dress.


Linking up with Mix It Monday, Modest Monday, Turning Heads, Real Mum Style, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Whatcha Wearing, Pleated Poppy, Style Me Weekly, Wednesday Pants, What I Wore, Oh Hey Girl, Throwback Thursday, Fun Fashion Friday today.

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June Dress Week Style Challenge - Dresses, Tall Boots and Leather Jackets

As I mentioned my previous post, I'm participating in the June Dress Week style challenge on instagram. I'm a little behind with blogging the outfits, but I'm posting as quickly as I can (and skipping over some banked up Fox in Flats Style Dare outfit posts) so that I can blog together with Kiki from According to Kiki. We are participating in the challenge together on instagram. You can follow along with us, @kikimincks and @awayfromblue.

I skipped the style challenge for 'fan favourite' as baby T was unwell and wearing a dress was not the ideal outfit for a day at home with a sick baby. But you can check out Kiki's take on the look here! Below is what I wore for the 'boho beauty' and 'nautical nods' challenges.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest black leather moto jacket

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chelsea' printed dress
Boots: Asos Cleo leather boots in black
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

This outfit was for the style challenge 'boho beauty'. It's winter here in Australia, although it's summer for the Americans who came up with the challenge, so I'm wearing a few extra layers...I tried to winterise my summer boho dress but really don't think I did the dress justice layered up like this. I preferred the last time I layered up this dress, for autumn. I think if I'd worn ankle boots, and maybe a different print-free bag I would have felt better about this outfit. Not too confident driving in my ankle boots as they have high heels though, so that's why I went with these.

This leather jacket has always been worn less than my others as it's a looser fit, and it works better with something fitted. I think a little bit of an outfit fail all round, although the idea seemed good in my head and in the mirror, I really didn't like it after looking at the photos. See how Kiki interpreted the theme better.

This outfit did made me smile though when I looked back through the blog to find the last time I'd worn the scarf. It was when I was 7 months pregnant, and just last week we celebrated baby T's first birthday! Time is flying by.


Last worn: black leather jacket, purple leopard print scarf (with a third trimester baby belly!), boho printed dress, tall black leather boots, LV speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: leather jacket to the office, leopard print scarf with a maxi dress, boho dress in summer, black leather boots with a grey dress in winter, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere bag for the office.

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What I wore:

Jacket:  Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen red skull-print modal and cashmere-blend scarf (on sale here!)

Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress

Belt: Supre red braided belt

Boots: Asos Cleo leather boots in black

Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I wore this outfit for the 'nautical nods' theme. I thought the navy and the stripes worked well with the red accessories to be a little nod to nautical style! I'd actually had an office outfit planned with a different dress, but baby T was unwell so I wasn't able to make it into work. It was still going to be a striped dress with red accessories though, that's the closest any of my dresses get to a nautical theme! See Kiki do nautical here.

It was nice wearing this dress again - one of my favourites from last winter, it's cosy and comfortable. As baby T was feeling a little better, I had a bit more time to get organised and ready for our doctor's visit, so I enjoyed being able to dress up and meet the challenge. The only thing I didn't like about this outfit was the placement of the belt - I think I should have worn it a little higher, it hits me at an odd spot in the photos. The dress is a thick fabric too so doesn't really slouch over the top of the belt as much as I imagined. Maybe would have been better without the belt entirely, but overall I liked this outfit - comfortable and cosy.

Last worn: printed leather jacket, red Alexander McQueen skull scarf, striped tee dress, red belt, boots(above), LV speedy bandouliere (above).

Other ways to wear: leather jacket with office wear, skull scarf in spring, dress with a snood and brown boots, red belt with a nautical maxi dress, boots and skinny jeans, speedy bandouliere with shorts in summer.

Linking up with Styled Up, Shoe and Tell, Style to Inspire, Mix It Monday, More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express, Real Mom Style, Bless Your Heart, Reasons to Dress, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, The Wednesday Pants, Wardrobe Wednesday, Style Sessions, Because Shanna Said So, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday today.

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