What I Bought: Chloe Marcie

I started the year off being a very low spend year, with just a little thrift haul back in February. But then I saw something I just had to have and I made a pretty big splurge!

What I Bought:

• Chloe Marcie medium shoulder bag in nut

It's taken me a while to get this video and post together - I had the bag for a while before I did the video, as I explained. It has been a very hectic few weeks, as I bid on this all the way back in March! But better late than never. Once I fixed up that major issue it had with a lot of patience, I've been enjoying and using this bag fairly often recently and it was definitely due a post!

A few years ago I bought the Chloe Marcie hobo in this same colour, and sold it. At the time I wasn't using it much and didn't use hobo bags often for life with baby, so I figured I'd let some impractical bags go. But every now and then I regretted selling the hobo bag. I kept browsing for Marcie bags, thinking a shoulder bag would work better, and just waiting for an excuse to make the splurge! Some exciting happenings at work (I've mentioned before on the blog a few extra rewards I've earned) and a timely auction on eBay resulted in me taking the plunge and getting this bag I'd wanted for a while.

How I've Worn It:

Having owned this colour in a similar style before I knew this would work well in my wardrobe! And if I ever run out of ideas for how to wear it I can refer back to my 30 ways to wear post with the Marcie hobo style!

How I'm Tracking With My Fashion Budget:

As you heard in the video, I got caught up in a bidding war on this and did not want to lose! As well as forgetting to factor in the import charges and GST (as it was an overseas auction) and credit card conversion rates for foreign transactions... I have definitely spent more than I did last year! 

I feel a little bad to have spent more in 2022 in the first half of the year than I did in the whole of 2021, but I'm also really pleased to have this bag. And at almost a third of the retail price, it wasn't overly expensive for a Chloe Marcie bag in such great condition. Plus, everyone needs to indulge now and then!

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What I Bought In August (And How I've Worn It) - Rebecca Minkoff Jumbo Love Bag

After achieving No Buy July I've been sticking firm to the Slow Fashion Season #FashionDetox challenge, which means buying no new fashion pieces from July to September. I'm really wanting to achieve that goal, and didn't see myself even doing much thrifting or second hand shopping for the 3 months, shopping that's allowed under the rules because it's not newly made. 

But then I stumbled across a preloved bag for an amazing deal and just like I did in June, and March, and February... I impulse bought another handbag 😂 Maybe I need a handbag detox!

What I Bought:

This beautiful bag is the Rebecca Minkoff quilted jumbo Love bag in cobalt. It's a bag I've considered a few times over the years but the cheapest I've seen it on sale was $190 and I eventually thought too long even at that price and missed out on it. Being petite and wary of bigger structured bags I didn't want to spend a lot in case it was too big for me. It currently retails for $539 at David Jones so I'd always thought it would be a bag I wouldn't add to my collection.

But then I saw this second hand on Gumtree for just $50 - and knew I had to try it at that price! I do think it is a bit big for me, and I can't wear it crossbody like I do with my other love bags as it's down at my knees! But while it won't be a permanent addition to my handbag collection I plan to enjoy it for a while, the colour is amazing.

Given I don't see it being a staple for me and that I've found it a little tricky to style so far it's an impulse buy I probably shouldn't have bought, but I was so curious about this style and it's nice to have a jumbo Love bag to try. It also brings my total purchases so far this year to: 5 items of clothing, 4 bags and a wallet! 🤣 Definitely a bag buying year this year! They have all been second hand bag buys so I'm still just under budget.

How I've Worn It:

If I was in the office more this would be the perfect office bag I think, but we are still under hybrid ways of working with it meaning working from home most of the time. I've tried to work this bag into more casual outfits, with varying rates of success. I'm determined to make this bag work though, it's just so beautiful!

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What I Bought In Feb (And How I've Worn It)

Just a couple of unexpected purchases in February! Even though I hadn't planned to buy anything this month I scored some shoes in the Kmart clearance and I also couldn't resist scooping up a lucky opshop find. An authentic designer bag!

What I Bought:

• thrifted Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr Q Convertible clutch in electric violet
• Kmart white chunky platform sneakers

Why I Bought It:

I'd seen some clearance shoes in Kmart earlier in the week but didn't have time to stop as we were on the hunt for things for my son's upcoming birthday party. Next time I was in Kmart I had a proper look, and although there was a much smaller selection, the shoes were reduced to $2! I wouldn't normally go for chunky platform sneakers - but since ballet flats and pretty sandals are out at the moment as my knee continues to heal, I have been wearing a lot of sneakers and for just $2 these looked like fun to try!

The bag was a bit of a splurge! It was actually out on display in the opshop and so the first thing I saw when I walked in the door before I headed off to the book section. I was sure it wouldn't be authentic but realised when I picked it up that it was. $65 is a lot of money to spend in an opshop but I wasn't going to let the chance pass me by to snag this! 

As mentioned in the video, I've once got a gift with purchase cotton Balenciaga clutch in an opshop for $2 which I was pretty pleased with, but this is the first time I've ever seen an authentic designer handbag. Once I picked it up and verified it was real (I used to have a few MbMJ bags back in the day) I wasn't going to put it back down again! I walked around the opshop with it for about 10 minutes before I decided just to get it, and I'm glad I did. If I'd left it behind it would have been long gone by the time I couldn't get it out of my head and decided to go back to grab it, and I do love a good magenta bag 😉

How I've Worn It:

Being a platform sneaker, these chunky shoes not only give my petite self an extra little height boost but are also quite comfortable on my knee! I've enjoyed wearing them so far. 

I didn't wear the bag right away as I wanted to clean and restore it first, it had a little bit of wear and needed some TLC, but I've enjoyed wearing it after giving it a bit of a clean and condition. Shoulder bags aren't my thing at the moment, being a mum I prefer crossbody bags, but my Rebecca Minkoff guitar strap is the perfect length to allow me to wear this cross body and it's super comfortable to wear. An amazing colour too, it looks great with pink!

Again, I'm not planning to buy anything next month, but as I have this month I'm not going to leave anything behind if I stumble across any more bargains or lucky finds 😂 I've only bought 7 items so far this year, these two included. It means that despite consistently buying things each month I have both spent less and bought fewer things than I did at this time last year, so still on track with my budget goals!

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What I Bought In January (And How I've Worn It)

Well, I have gone a little overboard with the shopping! It's not the massive haul of last January, but it's still more than I expected to have bought so far this year, after setting out my goals for 2021's fashion spending recently. It can be explained with one sentence - "I had a $10 cotton on rewards voucher...."

Here's What I Bought:

Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed red clay

Cotton On The One fitted v tee in eddy stripe white / red terracotta

Mimco D-Vine medium wallet in balsa

Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed summer mango

Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed poolside blue

Why I Bought It:

Yes, with the exception of the wallet which I needed to replace my Coach wallet, all I bought was Cotton On tees this month! 

The wallet was a much needed replacement for my old Coach one which no longer zipped up, and had already been repaired once before. It had embarrassed me one time too many when I picked it up out of my bag upside down and cards and receipts flew everywhere.... This new one is a flap closure and only has a tiny zipper for coins so I'm hoping it lasts longer than 2 years! I haven't bought Mimco in a while so fingers crossed the brand still has the same quality levels it did when I bought my first expensive bag there back in my uni days. Good old button bags, that uniquely Aussie trend! The wallet was on super sale at David Jones for boxing day so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm counting my other boxing day sale finds as January buys too as they didn't arrive until January - two clay coloured Cotton on "The One" fitted tees. I used my $10 Cotton On rewards voucher, and with them already being on sale and then having an extra 30% off, it was too good a deal to say no to! They were reduced to $7.99 each, coming down to just $2.99 each after applying the rewards voucher.

Then right at the end of January there was another sale, I had another $10 rewards voucher after my boxing day sale spending (as I bought for the kids as well as the two tees for me) and I was on the hunt for some cute pyjamas to replace a pair I had that wore out. And then I just looked at the tees, which had new colours, were on sale and had an extra 20% off, and so I bought two more 😂

If you're keeping score at home, that's now 7 of these Cotton On "The One" v-neck tees I have, 4 of which I added to my wardrobe this month. At least they are all different colours I guess? And 20% recycled cotton too! I really do love these tees but think I have ventured into crazy "gotta have them all" territory this month!

How I've Worn It:

The last two tees I bought I selected instore pickup for so while they arrived just before the end of the month for me to know they were keepers to include in this wrap up post, I didn't actually get to wear them both! So my mango tee is still unworn at the moment.

Aside from the two tees that I picked up on Friday, I have been able to wear everything at least twice in the month I bought it, my goal for all purchases to stop the "new with tags but never worn" items in my wardrobe. And I'm sure that I'll be achieving two wears on the last two tees in the next week or so!

Perhaps my goal for February should be to not buy any more tees though! If they bring out a green and purple I'll be doomed...they are the only two colours I need before I will literally have a rainbow of these tees!

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How Things Have changed (And What I've been Buying!) : Isolation and Working From Home With Kids

With the schools closed, working from home and parenting and teaching a 4 and 5 year old, things are a lot different now than they were at the start of the year! If you're coming to my blog just for an escape I apologise for how much this post discusses the impacts of the coronavirus! I am trying to keep it outfit focused and make this my regular break into fashion and frivolity, but the truth is the virus has impacted life so much.

I'm sharing two outfits I wore back when I was working from home while the schools were open, so I did the school run. It was a crazy week with a lot of unknowns in Australia about if and how school would continue, so I wanted to be comfortable and wear things to try cheer me up a little as I worked from home and counted down the hours until I could pick my boys up!

Also thought I'd share with you what I've been buying lately. Definitely no fashion spending - aside from the two things I mentioned in this post - but a lot of things to prepare for home isolation with kids. We are in a new world where I have to ensure my kids are learning at home every day as well as working from home myself 3 days a week. I'm blessed to still have my job, but the juggle is hard!

What I wore:

Tee: Life Church Online "Come change the world with me at Church Online" tee
Skirt: thrifted Billabong 'Don't Think Of It' bikini red printed maxi skirt
Shoes: slim navy and pink Havaianas
Bag: Balenciaga first bag in 2006 Blue India

Why I wore it:

For over 9 years now I've been volunteering at Life Church Online. We have a great group in Brisbane that meets up to stream the service together, and every Sunday night I hop online to help at another one of those services. With the news about churches needing to close, and understandably no more Brisbane catch ups, I wanted to wear my Church Online tee. Faith over fear I guess! And a reminder to myself that no matter what is happening in the world, some things like God's love and my regular Sunday online services, stay the same!

Wore my red maxi skirt with this as it was a bit of a cooler day and this felt more comfortable than jeans for working at home during the day. It, along with the turquoise Balenciaga first bag, were easy ways to add more colour to the black and white tee too.


Last worn: red maxi skirt, Balenciaga first bag, Havaianas. First time I've worn the church online tee on the blog.

Other ways to wear: red maxi skirt and scarf, Balenciaga first bag and pencil skirt.

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What I've Been Buying For Home Isolation:

I've been buying a lot lately. I'm an emotional shopper and while I'm not splurging on fashion items or stockpiling food, I'm thinking about what could be 6 months at home and how we will amuse and teach the kids in these times. We don't often do screen time, just a weekly family movie night and maybe a Daniel Tiger or Bluey episode once during the week, so I have been looking for things other than apps. As a bonus, most of the items I'm sharing are from local Aussie mum owned businesses, so your purchase helps their family as it entertains your own!

Little Birdie Books

Fun book boxes with activity and game ideas (and all the materials you need!) based on the books in the box. You can buy one off book boxes or subscribe to get a steady stream of books and activities. Started by two Aussie mums and speech pathologists, the books and activities are aimed at helping your kids develop essential skills. You can see what I got in a previous box in my YouTube review. I learnt about this company after friending one of the founders on Instagram.

Keeping Kids Busy

This company had been on my radar for a while - a local Aussie mum takes all the guesswork out of travel (or isolation!) by packing a bag filled with activities to keep any age kid entertained. Low mess but high fun bags. My boys got these as bumper "party bags" from my parents after we had to cancel my son's birthday party when the government social distancing restrictions came into place. The things in the bags are still being played with now, just today even. Found this company through a Facebook group, and you can get 15% off this weekend with code EASTER15!

Kids Craft Box

Another Aussie mum owned business, based in WA, who ships a box of crafting materials and activities across the nation, with different themed boxes available. She has special discounts on her Instagram page often, and has a sibling box option to reduce costs which is what I bought for the boys. I "met" this lovely lady through YouTube a couple of years ago.

Messy Play Kits

My kids have been going to these messy play sessions since they were tiny, and now you can order a box of messy play activities to entertain the kids at home! Janelle is a local Aussie mum who is diversifying her business and offering do it yourself packs instead of hosting the big parties she usually does. I'm so glad to have connected with her through playgroup, we have tried a few of her activities we've seen at the sessions at home too over the years!

Activity Books

From anywhere I can find them in stock! Think sticker books, Easter themes, puzzle books and educational workbooks or wipe-clean books. Kmart had a good range but I know stock is really low at the moment.

Printables

There are a few educational sites around with freebies at the moment due to the virus, where you just print the activity pages you think would be helpful for your kids. Some are even created by teachers, for teachers. You could also ask your child's teacher for some ideas if they haven't already provided some. Queensland Education department has a good list of sites too.



There are no affiliate links in these product suggestions and this post was not sponsored in any way. I'm just trying to be supportive and share a list that's useful for a parent if they find that like me, all my time is filled with working, playing with the kids, or worrying about what activities to do with the kids next. I've been visiting fashion blogs less as a result of trying to come up with a learn at home plan for the kids but I'm trying to continue my two posts a week goal here.



Also, if you're an Australian parent, Triple P Parenting (Positive Parenting Program) is now free and has a helpful module, guide and tips for parenting during COVID-19.

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What I wore:

Tee: Life Church Online "Go online reach the world" graphic tee
Skirt: Jeanswest Luxe jersey maxi skirt
Shoes: slim navy and pink Havaianas
Bag: Balenciaga first bag in 2006 Blue India

Why I wore it:

A very similar outfit to the one above, another Church Online tee with a maxi skirt. I like the "go online, reach the world" message on this one as it's so true! And I'm so glad for the internet at a time like this, and technology to keep in touch with all my family despite the travel restrictions.

Stuck with the same bright Balenciaga first bag as I thought the grey tee and black maxi skirt needed a little extra colour, even with the yellow print on the tee. It was clear this would be my kids last day at school and kindy for a while, so that was bittersweet when I picked them up at the end of my work from home day.

Last worn: black drawstring maxi skirt, Havaianas (above), Balenciaga first bag (above).

Other ways to wear: black drawstring maxi skirt worn two ways, Balenciaga first bag and shorts.

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How You can Wear It:

A graphic tee is a simple outfit choice with a maxi skirt - and so incredibly comfortable for working from home, while being presentable enough for any video calls!

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It will be a very different Easter break but no matter what you are wearing: stay safe, wash your hands and stay home as much as you can as you watch your church Easter service online.


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30 Ways To Wear: Gold Marc By Marc Jacobs Mouse Flats & 2019 Shopping Review, 2020 Budget

For this month's 30 ways to wear post I'm also sharing how my "spend less on fashion" year went in 2019, and my spending goals for 2020!


These little metallic Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse flats definitely deserve their own 30 wears post. It's not a style that's made any more, you can find some on eBay and other resale sites though. I bought them on sale back in 2013 for $166, and they've been worn 92 times since then. (So currently $1.80 per wear). I think I'm definitely getting my money's worth from them! While they are showing a little wear they are still very comfortable and wearable and I expect them to be around for a while yet. Even if they could do with a bit of a polish!

It's such a talking point when people realise I'm wearing little mouse shoes, they are too fun for me to ever think of giving them up, even if they are discontinued and the Marc by Marc Jacobs brand isn't around any more. I like to wear them whenever I know I'll be meeting new people as they are a cute conversation starter. The metallic gold goes with absolutely everything too, I had a hard time putting this 30 wears post together as I wear them with so many colours!

I decided to show you 34 outfits, with different styles of clothing I've worn these flats with rather than focusing on colour combinations to try. I hope it inspires you to try something different with a similar pair of flats you own - I find bold bright shoes tricky to wear but these fun novelty metallic gold ones are very versatile! Much more versatile that you'd expect from a pair of shoes with mouse ears and whiskers!

Marc by Marc Jacobs Mouse Flats with Dresses

Ballet flats and a dress is a staple outfit for a hot day - and add a blazer, a more structured bag maybe, and it's perfect for the office! I had a hard time picking my fave dress and mouse flats outfits to share here as I have worn this outfit combo a lot!

Metallic Gold Ballet Flats with Skirts

Of course just as I wear my mouse flats to the office with dresses, I like to wear them with pencil skirts too, another work staple for me! You can match the metallic flats to something else gold in our your outfit, like how I've matched the necklaces or gold hardware on the bags in most of these outfits. They can also be worn on their own, like in the first outfit, where the only gold touch is the ballet flats.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Mouse Flats with Jeans

Simple mum style for a busy day with the kids - ballet flats and jeans! I like how printed, flared or colourful jeans all work as well with these shoes as much as skinny jeans do. Being metallic, I also feel they dress up the stay at home mum outfits a little more thank classic black ballet flats. My kids love that the shoes have little ears and whiskers too!

Gold Mouse Flats in Pregnancy

While my pregnancies with the boys both ended with massive heatwaves and my feet swelled up massively with the heat and humidity, there were some days in pregnancy (second trimester and early third trimester) when I could still wear these shoes. I think the elasticated sections helped them stretch out a little, and they were still comfortable to wear.  It's not always possible to wear the same pair of shoes all 40 weeks of pregnancy, but I love looking back at my baby bump pics and seeing how I could still wear my pre-pregnancy pieces, even if they were just accessories!

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Where to Buy Marc By Marc Jacobs Mouse Flats:

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Similar Posts in the 30 Wears Series:

• 30 ways to wear black ankle boots
• 30 ways to wear gladiator sandals

2019 Fashion Spend and 2020 Budget

Last year I set a simple goal, I wanted to spend less on fashion than I had the year before. In 2017 I spent $1,696.53, in 2018 I met that goal and only spent $1,014.44.

For 2019, I also met that goal and only spent $633.18 on fashion over the year (this includes a $158.99 gift card spend). For 2018, I'd spent $664.44 without gift cards and so I'm pleased to see I spent less than that in 2019 even with gift card spend included.

I had an average spend of $52.27 a month which is pretty good (my average spend in 2018 was $84.54 a month). Despite spending less, I bought more in 2019, with 43 items for the year so average of $14.72 each. Most of my gift card spend went to house things which is why I don't have a nice round figure for gift card spend on fashion.

How I spent less:

• We had our big Europe trip at the start of the year as well as the move into our house when the build was finished.
• We had a few things in mind to buy for the new house which reduced my budget, and I used most of the gift cards I got for Christmas (stores like Kmart and David Jones) on things for our new house.
• I usually spend a lot in the January sales, but with the house build going on, studying for a big exam and saving for our Europe trip my mind was occupied with other things!
• I focused on the 30 wear series more and on rewearing what I had instead of frequently buying new.
• I shopped in the opshops more frequently and in high street stores less and although I couldn't resist all the sales I used my gift cards as much as possible when I did shop in the big shopping centres.
• I had the 2018 previous spend figure of $1,014.44 in mind when spending anything on fashion to keep me on track, and I noted down my spend each month to know where I stood.

2020 Budget:

For this new year, I'd love to spend less on fashion than I did in 2019. $633.18 is a pretty low figure for me and one I'm very impressed with, but I'm not sure I could meet that again! I'm going to try meet that figure, but give myself a $1,000 budget similar to what I had in 2019 and I'll see how I go with spending less than that this year. If I can get less than $633.18 I'll be really impressed, but under $1,000, similar to the budget I had last year, and I'll be happy.

What's your fashion budget for this year?

Note: This post, like all my posts, was written and scheduled in advance. I had to add this note in though given the horrible situation unfolding in Australia, especially with it looking bleaker every day. So soon after my last note, once again the country is consumed with bushfires. We are safe from the bushfires, as are our family and friends for now.

For ways to help those not as fortunate, see here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-01/bushfire-relief:-how-you-can-help-frontline-services/11835156 

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

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


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

30 Ways To Wear: Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Nut

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

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Summer

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag With Winter Layers

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo In The Office

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag With Jeans

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo With Printed Outfits

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

Chloe Marcie Hobo Bag In Pregnancy

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

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

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Where To Buy:

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

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More Posts in The #30 Wears Handbag Series:

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

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

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2018 Spend And Goals For 2019

My last shopping haul for the year!

My Total Spend in 2018

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

How Do I Do It?

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

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

My Goals For 2019

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


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What I Bought in October & How I've Worn It: Shopping Haul & Try On Video

After I managed #nospenderSeptember without really thinking about it, I expected I might shop a little more than usual this month.

As you can see from the video below, while I did shop at a couple of places I got most things at a discount thanks to sales!

What I Bought:

• Jeanswest Lucille golden yellow scarf 
• Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace 
• Jeanswest Vicki skinny pant in moss green 
• Jeanswest Sophia high-low maxi dress
• Walnut Melbourne Ava White leopard ballet flats
• Atmos & Here black essential v-neck tee 
• Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony 

Not Mentioned In the Video:

Just like in August's haul video, I've only included things I've purchased, but I was given more things I wanted to share here. As part of my brand rep role for Fashion Scarf Girl on Instagram, I was gifted some scarves to wear. You might have seen these pop up on Instagram over the month, but they haven't appeared on the blog yet. As always, I'll disclose when an item was sent to me to wear (marked c/o). There's another one I was given too but I haven't worn that yet!

Why I Bought It

I go into this in a little more detail in the video.

Somewhat predictably, the allure of the Jeanswest sale was too strong and while I avoided it for September, I caved on the very first day of October and went in 'just to look' while out with my sister, which turned into a try on session and some purchases..

It's been a LONG time since I've ordered anything from The Iconic - last time was in their boxing day sale almost 2 years ago! Was overdue a shop there!

And you might already know about the Rebecca Minkoff bag from my reveal / unboxing video!

How I've Worn It

With the majority of my purchases being early in the month, it was easy to mostly achieve my goal of wearing things twice in the month I purchase them! That dress is the exception - I haven't even worn it once as I've decided to set it aside for Christmas day. I know it's early to plan Christmas outfits, but I know a dress like that needs a special debut! I'm happy with it not meeting my 'wear twice in the month I buy it rule' as I know it's going to be worn a lot after Christmas.


What was your favourite piece of everything I bought?


Linking up with Chic & Stylish, Fashion Files, Weekend Wear, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Linkup, Friday Faves, Lizzie In Lace.

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What I Bought In June & How I've Worn It: Shopping Haul & Try On Video

Time for an overdue shopping haul video! The last item I ordered in May finally arrived so I thought I'd do a wrap up video with some of my May purchases and my June ones. I felt like I bought a lot, but it was only a handful of pieces - 3 to be exact! You can see my June purchases and the other pieces I bought in May in the video below. Plus, I included some bloopers at the end!

What I Bought:

• Rebecca Minkoff chevron quilted small Love crossbody bag in pale coral 
• Thrifted SES fashion mustard marle knit
• Thrifted navy stripe Coca-Cola logo tee
• (Red and navy cardigans in the video bought last month)

A month of impulse buys, after last minute browsing of the Rebecca Minkoff sale and just popping into the opshop for a quick look both resulted in buying things.

While I'm a little annoyed that the handbag I bought didn't arrive the same month I bought it, and it wasn't the colour I expected, I absolutely adore it. It was a bargain too, at 50% off! I'll upload a proper review of it on my YouTube channel at some point, but for now I'll just say I love it and I've enjoyed every time I've worn it.

I had been looking at the new Jeanswest winter collection and admiring the yellow knits when I saw this one in the opshop and for just $1 I quickly forgot all about the Jeanswest ones I'd been looking at! While it would be too thin a knit for winter in most other places, it will be perfect for Brisbane. When it gets really cold, I plan to layer a long sleeve tee underneath, which I've done in the past with my open knits to make them more winter appropriate.

The Coca-Cola tee caught my eye to add to my collection of Coca-Cola things. I have so many glass bottles, as well as towels, balls, badges, toy cars, even a Coca-Cola cookbook! While I don't drink it so much now, I still smiled when I saw this tee and just had to snap it up for just $1. I also feel like I've seen something similar in stores lately, with the recent rise in logo tees it's perfectly on trend.

How I Wore It:

I had no troubles finding and thinking of different ways to wear the pieces I got this month - which is a sign that they will hopefully be good additions to my wardrobe. They seem to be so far.

Every month I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the same month I buy it, to make sure I'm buying pieces I want to wear immediately and can easily think of different ways to wear. As you can see from the pics above, everything was happily worn twice or more.

I'm giving myself a little bit of grace with the Rebecca Minkoff Love bag, as it didn't arrive until a month after I ordered it. I did wear it 3 times in the month after it finally arrived though, so still counting it as meeting my goal.

Update on Yearly Budget:

June is usually a big spending month for me as it's a change of season and I want to stock up on all the fun winter pieces in store. I'm pleased I haven't done much of that and only bought a handful of pieces this year. I'm really focusing on rewearing more of what I already own.

I've definitely spent more in the first six months of 2018 than I did in 2017 though, only because I did 6 months without shopping in the first half of 2017. I'm still less than half way under my total spend from last year so I'm hoping I can stick to that and spend less overall this year than I did last year. Fingers crossed!

I'll be attempting #noBuyJuly18 (just like I've done in previous years) so there shouldn't be any purchases next month to report. Feel free to join me if you want to forgo fashion spending for a month! My tips for surviving 6 months without shopping might come in helpful!




And finally, I was the Featured Fashionista over at Have Clothes, Will Travel so go check it out! You'll find out a little more about me and why I blog.



Linking up with Lizzie In Lace, Weekend Link Up, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up.

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Two Ways To Wear Jeanswest Waterfall Drape Cardigan in Navy

I bought some new cardigans recently to celebrate the cooler weather in Brisbane! You might have seen in Monday's office wear post how to wear them in the office, but today I'm picking the navy one and showing you two different ways to wear it.

This is the new season Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan, which has two buttons on the top and button holes in the hem. It means you can button up one side as an impromptu breastfeeding cover, or you can button up both hems and wear it like a cowl neck knit.

While it's winter now, it was still a mild autumn when I wore this cardigan for the first time, so I'm wearing it with shorts in both outfits.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan in navy night sky marle
Necklace: Roie Designs pearl and antique gold long necklace
Tank: thrifted Cotton On yellow tank
Shorts: Jeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

I was so eager to squeeze in another wear of these shorts, in my effort to hit 30 wears on them before the summer weather really ended. With the ankle boots and long cardigan, they were just warm enough for the last of our summer heat before autumn truly set in. The blue shorts were an obvious choice to wear with the navy cardigan as I love wearing these shorts with navy pieces to create monochrome outfits.

The mustard cardigan is something I've worn frequently with these shorts too, I really like yellow and blue together. A nice cheerful and colourful outfit, yet still practical for working from home and doing the daycare drop off / pick up.


Last worn: navy waterfall cardigan, mustard yellow tank, blue printed soft shorts, Chelsea leather ankle boots, Balenciaga truffle brown day bag.

Other ways to wear: navy waterfall cardigan in the office, mustard yellow tank and kimono, blue printed soft shorts and navy peasant top, Chelsea leather ankle boots and burgundy pants, Balenciaga truffle brown day bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: mustard yellow tank in second trimester, Chelsea leather ankle boots in second trimester, Balenciaga truffle brown day bag for second trimester travel.

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Review and Contents: Balenciaga Day Bag In Magenta

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest waterfall drape cardigan in navy night sky marle (worn as top)
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

There was a little more rushing around when I wore this outfit. We had some errands to run and a doctor's appointment in the morning. I thought the cardigan buttoned up and worn like a tank would be perfect with shorts, as it was quite a sunny day. It was also rather windy though, so I did regret choosing shorts when walking between stores and giving Cooper his afternoon walk when the wind picked up.

The magenta Balenciaga Day bag is my favourite part of this outfit - it really pops with the navy cardigan. If it had been a less windy day, I would have liked this outfit more I'm sure. It was still warm in the sun, so jeans would have been too much with the cardigan buttoned up like this though. Not a bad outfit, just not the best for the weather that day!


Last worn: navy cardigan (above), denim shorts, ballet flats, magenta Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear: navy cardigan in the office, denim shorts and foil print tee, ballet flats and fit and flare dress, magenta Balenciaga bag with purple cardigan.

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

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Navy Cardigans Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

During those in-between seasons where it's not too hot or not too cold, a cardigan can be a good option with some shorts! A neutral navy cardigan like this will go with so much too. While this has buttons to take the hems up, you could easily replicate the second outfit with a waterfall drape cardigan you own and a brooch or pin.


Linking up with Weekend Wear, Fabulous Friday.

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