June Dress Week: Corporate Style - Polka Dots and Floral Print - Monthly Purchases

Sharing my June purchases and the final two outfits for the June Dress Week Style challenge, two work outfits. I enjoyed playing along with Kiki during this challenge, but I do think it was extremely challenging for me wearing so many dresses in winter. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone though, which is a nice benefit from a style challenge.

June Purchases:

• thrifted blue Mossman knit jumper (already worn here)
• Zalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt 
• Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (worn below)
• Jeanswest Sadie silk printed shift dress
• Target Dannii Minogue Petites printed faux wrap dress (not in video as it was in the wash sorry!)
• RMK Chester black ankle boots (already worn here)
• Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
• Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
• Rebecca Minkoff mini quilted affair bag in fire engine red

With all of these purchases this month it's easy to see why I've decided to do a #noBuyJuly15 challenge! I definitely don't need to be adding any more to my wardrobe. I still have completely unworn items from my May purchases, as well as things I bought and have only worn once! I didn't hit my goals of wearing things twice in a month after buying them...because of this I returned all of the tops from my Jeanswest order. I think I need a bit of space to wear and use what I own instead of buying more in July and compounding the problem.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Dress: Atmos&Here Polly navy polka dot shirt dress
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt (same in navy or in black)
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'shirt dresses or wrap dresses' so I wanted to wear my newest shirt dress purchase. Wearing a dress as a top isn't a new thing for me (I've done it here and here before) but I actually really hated it this time! I don't know if it was the lack of a belt or just the mix of the materials with the dress, tights and skirt. It didn't stay in place and I kept tugging at it all day. The jersey pencil skirt wasn't very forgiving when the dress bunched up underneath it either.

I like the idea behind this outfit and all the pieces, but not how it all worked together. If I was to try this again I'd wear a different skirt, add a belt and pull the dress down. I think part of the problem was that I tried to let the dress drape a little over the top of the skirt to disguise that I didn't add a belt. See how Kiki had a better outfit for the challenge here.


Last worn: metallic jacket, roses skull scarf, polka dot shirt dress, grey marle pencil skirt, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: metallic blazer with a sequin tank, skull scarf with spring dresses, polka dot shirt dress with Converse, grey marle pencil skirt with Converse in spring, ankle strap heels and bare legs, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with printed pieces for work.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs print scarf in croc-print
Cardigan: Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (new purchase)
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress
Tank: Jeanswest Jenni basic singlet in Royal Lilac purple
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

This was what I wore for the 'Floral Friday' challenge. I did think of wearing this wrap dress for the previous day's challenge, but as it was one of the few floral print dresses I own I wanted to save it for this day instead. I've worn it a few times in the blog, during pregnancy and post-baby too. I've never worn it layered up quite so much, even pre blog I kept it as mainly a warm-weather dress. Was good to try something different and wear it in winter. See how Kiki wore the floral Friday theme on her blog.

I really liked this outfit to wear, but I think the photo shows how rushed I was that morning - everything was kind of thrown on and I didn't even have time to try straighten anything out before I took the photo. Taking daily outfit photos will never be more than something I quickly do before I go out each day, I'm not trying to and never will be perfectly posed and styled. I figured a rushed photo was better than nothing, as I was doing the style challenge I felt I had to get a picture. Still pretty pleased I managed get ready and take photos and get to work on time though, I was really running late that morning.

Leaving My Wardrobe: Asos Aggie Black Ankle Boots

This is the last wearing of these ankle boots too. The heel just limits the amount of time I can wear them, and I've already bought a pair of flat ones to replace these as shown in the video. They were comfortable and did well in my wardrobe, I just need things that are a little more suited to life with baby. From the first wear to now, I've worn them 36 times. Not bad for a sale buy 3 years ago!

Last worn: trench coat, croc print scarf, purple tank, floral wrap dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the cardigan as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: black trench coat with a different printed wrap dress, printed scarf with striped maxi skirt in third trimester, purple tank with a pencil skirt in summer, floral wrap dress in summer with a baby bump, ankle boots in spring with a floral dress.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Styled Up, Budgeting Bloggers, Bless Your Heart, Mix It Mondays, Manic Monday, Daily Express, On Trend Tuesday, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Reasons To Dress, Wardrobe Wednesday, The Wednesday Pants, What I Wore today.

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Corporate Style: Pencil Skirts Layered Up for Winter with Tights,Trench Coats and Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote

Despite recently sharing that I was trying to resist wearing tights to work as much as possible, it's just gotten too cold in the mornings. Even in Brisbane. So I've got my fleece lined tights out now. It means I can continue to wear all of my pencil skirts for work while still keeping cosy. The only problem is that I've had these tights so long I can't remember where I bought them. Anyone have good recommendations for replacements?

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf in Island pine-print
Cardigan: Jeanswest grey knit cardigan
Shirt: Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry (on sale, extra 30% off!)
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

After finishing the Fox In Flats style challenge, I was looking forward to wearing this outfit I'd had in my head for a while. I thought the plain pink shirt would look really nice with the printed blue pencil skirt. This scarf wasn't the first one I had in mind (I was going to wear my newest one, the Marc by Marc Jacobs stargazer scarf) but it was my second choice after I realised that morning whilst rushing around that I couldn't find the one I wanted! After panicking that it had fallen on the ground as I put baby T into his car seat I called and confirmed I had left it behind by accident at playgroup. Thankfully one of the ladies had kept it aside for me. Phew!

I was really happy with this outfit - the cardigan I layered under the trench kept me cosy in the office with the sleeveless shirt too. You can't really see it in the first picture but you can in the close-up with my bag.

As it's the second time I've worn this shirt, my purchase review:
I really like this shirt, but I haven't worn it as much as I expected to after buying it. It's one of those pieces I want to 'save' in my wardrobe. I know I'm not the only one who thinks something is too special for everyday wear and has to be 'saved' for a special occasion. I'm really trying to challenge that thinking and just wear and enjoy what I own! I'm pleased I bought this top, I just hope I don't always wait for an ideal outfit to wear it. It will probably get worn a lot more in spring/summer as I did have to layer it up a little for this cold winter day.


Last worn: trench, printed scarf, grey cardigan, pink sleeveless shirt, jacquard pencil skirt, ankle strap heels, RM MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: printed scarf with a black dress, grey cardi with a printed dress, sleeveless shirt with skinny jeans (and fewer layers!), jacquard pencil skirt with a purple tee, black heels with a monochrome outfit, navy MAB tote and print mixing outfit.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Cotton On animal print scarf in blue
Top: Jeanswest 'Melanie' Stripe henley in black/coconut
Skirt: Review 'Ziggy' polka dot pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs two tone flats in blush and black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

In contrast to the outfit above, I spent much less time thinking about this outfit - I quickly put it together the night before as I was feeling unsure about what to wear. This shirt I'd been eyeing off in my wardrobe for a while, waiting for a chance to wear it again and I figured a cold day was good! I have a few long sleeve tops in my wardrobe that only get worn in the cooler months - yet every time the cold weather rolls around I think I have 'nothing to wear' and go on a shopping spree for long sleeve pieces. I'm hoping to stop that this winter, I really have enough tops already!

It's also the first wearing of my black trench this winter. As I mentioned on instagram, I've had it for years, a $30 sale buy as I didn't want to spend too much buying a warm coat for a trip to Europe I didn't see myself wearing much in Brisbane. At the time I didn't have any long coats, preferring cropped styles and I thought I'd rarely wear it in future. Of course now I think it was one of my most practical purchases - worn 26 times in the 3 years I've had this blog and countless times before then.

I don't like how this looked in photos so much, but I liked the way it felt when I wore it - this shirt is so soft and comfortable and the print mixing with the leopard print scarf was nice. I did worry the top might be a little too casual in the office, but it was cold and this kept my arms warm.


Last worn: black trench, blue leopard print scarf, stripe top, polka dot pencil skirt, cap toe flats, RM MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: black trench with a printed dress, leopard print scarf with stripes again, stripe henley a few days postpartum, pencil skirt hiding a tiny first trimester baby bump in the office, cap toe flats with a maternity wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with printed pencil skirts.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Styled Up, Shoe and Tell, Style To Inspire, Bless Her Heart, More Pieces of Me, Daily Express, On Trend Tuesdays here and here, Real Mom Style, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday today.

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Corporate Style: Scarves and Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote

I've only been back at work a few months, so I have lots of summery work outfit ideas. I'm trying to wear them and go bare-legged as long as possible. It's certainly warm enough to do during the day, but it is pretty cold in the mornings!

Two autumn work outfits, one that got a lot of love on instagram despite how much I hated it in person, and another I really liked!

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Grey and pink leopard print scarf from Paddy's Markets in Sydney
Dress: Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

I really did not like this outfit. I liked the idea in my head, and it met the style challenge theme of 'a hint of pink' with both the dress and scarf...but it just felt really bulky on. It was all too much with the layers and the print mixing. Cosy with all the layers, just didn't feel very confident in it, felt a bit 'bleh'. Thankfully I didn't need the scarf indoors, and I was able to change as soon as I got home.

Everyone on instagram really seemed to love this outfit though! It even got more likes than Baby T's newborn photo! Maybe the print mixing didn't look as bad as I thought.


Last worn: trench coat, leopard print scarf, Leona Edmiston printed dress, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: leopard print scarf with skinny jeans, trench coat with jersey dress, ankle strap heels with pencil skirts, navy MAB tote with a monochrome blue outfit.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Tee: Thrifted valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee (new purchase)
Skirt: vintage pencil skirt from The Thrifty Kitten
Shoes: Wittner 'Lumen' heel in patent leather
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

The next style challenge was 'powerful' and I don't really think I have any clothes that make me feel powerful. Confident I do though! Like most people, I tend to think heels make me feel more confident. Heels, a pencil skirt and a blazer is a staple work wear combination for me so I feel pretty confident in it.  Just might have been a little cosier with the trench coat on top rather than the blazer, as I was bare-legged. Winter temperatures are definitely here in the mornings!

This top is one of the new-to-me ones I got from the 'fill a bag for $2' op-shop sale. I wanted to wear it like this as I remembered the comment Kiki had made last time I wore this skirt about how nice it would look with cobalt blue. I've worn it with white, brown and purple before but this is the first time I've tried it with blue. This top isn't cobalt, but I did really like the blue with the printed skirt.


I'm always so grateful when you leave constructive criticism or outfit suggestions - it's good to get some ideas from an impartial third party about how things look, and some different things to try. As I learnt in my wardrobe detox session with the personal stylist, I'm not always using my wardrobe to it's full potential or dressing in the most flattering outfit combinations. But just like the terrible outfit above, I'll still share what I wore anyway - and think of different ways to wear things in future so I am back to feeling confident and happy with what I'm wearing.


Last worn: cream blazer, skull scarf, printed pencil skirt, nude heels, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the tee as it's a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: blazer with skinny jeans, tan skull scarf with red, printed pencil skirt in summer, nude heels with a printed dress, navy tote with printed dress and pink blazer.

Linking up with WIW, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, I Feel Pretty, The Wednesday Pants, Trendy Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Wardrobe Wednesday, Thursday Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Thursday Favourites, Look What I Got today.

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Corporate Style: Prints, Pink and Blazers

With a quiet few days at work without a lot of meetings, I took the chance to try some new things to meet the challenges for the Fox in Flats style dares on instagram. I ended up with two outfits I was really happy with!

What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Shirt: Choies pink chiffon shirt with strawberry print (C/O Choies)
Pants: Jeanswest 'Fiona' skinny leg pant in shiraz
Shoes: Wittner 'Mimi' heels in mushroom
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I've always admired pink and burgundy on other people, I've seen it done really well, so wanted to give it a try myself! Of course we call it Marsala this year ;)

I've worn burgundy to work before (burgundy scarf, maroon dress) but when I saw this challenge I had a hard time trying to think of anything Marsala-toned that I could wear to work. I kept thinking of these pants. I've always thought of these pants more as skinny jeans. They aren't denim, but they are quite a slim fit. I think with the heels and the button up shirt and blazer they dressed up nicely for the office. I've had them 3 years and never once worn them to the office, not even for casual Friday.

This is my favourite outfit from the Fox in Flats style dares this time around - because I'd never thought of wearing these pants to the office before. Now I've tried it and loved it, I have a new way to wear them! It's good to find new ways to wear things in my wardrobe.


Last worn: cream blazer, strawberry print shirt, burgundy pants, Wittner heels, LV speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: jersey blazer with a vintage skirt suit, casual summer shorts outfit with printed shirt, casual burgundy pants and iombre knit outfit, brown heels with flares, LV speedy with a chambray dress.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 Sleeve dusky pink blazer
Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs Stargazer scarf in aquamarine (on sale!)
Necklace: House of Harlow Dynamic necklace in gold
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Belt: Asos skinny boyfriend belt (tied in a double loop knot using this tutorial)
Shoes: Acne pistol boots in "skin"
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

the style challenge for the day was 'all tied up' so I took the chance to wear this blazer belted, as I've been wanting to do that for a while. I've worn this belt with the dress before, in summer, I really like the combination. I think that it looks better without the scarf for working in an office, but I wanted something to keep me cosy on the commute so I thought this scarf would be a nice mix of prints. After reviewing the photos I wasn't too sure about it, so I put the scarf away in my bag when I got to work.

This outfit is one I had in mind for wearing this dress after I was a little on the fence about it last time I wore it. I really liked the combination of the dress and blazer together, and so I'm going to keep the dress in my wardrobe still. Minus the scarf I felt comfortable and confident in this all day.


Last worn: blush pink blazer, MbMJ Stargazer scarf, tan belt, paisley print dress, Acne Pistol boots, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: galaxy print scarf with stripes and purple, pastel blazer with denim shorts, scarf, paisley print dress in summer with blue and silver accessories, pistol boots with denim shorts, MAB tote with office outfits.

Linking up with WIW, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, I Feel Pretty, Oh Hey Girl, Trendy Wednesday, Style Me Wednesday, The Wednesday Pants, Throwback Thursday, Thursday Favourites, Brilliant Blog Posts, Look What I Got, Fun Fashion Friday, Fashion Friday today.

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Corporate Style: Rebecca Minkoff Medium MAB Tote in Moon Navy For The Office

The first wearing of my latest handbag purchase, the medium Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote!

If you follow me on youtube, you would have already see my reveal video, complete with interruptions from baby T. He can be really adorable, but also slightly distracting when I'm trying to film! He much prefers being in front of the camera than playing quietly with all his toys behind it ;)

What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow sunburst necklace in silver and grey

Knit: thrifted Valleygirl blue knit jumper
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Lumen' heel in patent leather
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

It's been over a year and a half since I last wore this pencil skirt! I wore it with a navy bag then too. While it does have an elastic waist, it wasn't quite as forgiving as I needed during pregnancy, so it has been a while between wears. I still see pencil skirts as office items and haven't had much luck trying to wear them casually. I'm happy for this to stay a work-only piece, and to keep it in my wardrobe.

The Fox in Flats style dare challenge for the day was 'blue baby' so I took the chance to wear everything blue and came up with this monochrome outfit. I kinda wished I had a pair of blue shoes to go with it...but that might have been a bit too much blue anyway!

It's the second time I've worn this thrifted blue jumper, and I'm reviewing everything I buy after wearing it twice (reasons why here). My purchase review:

I like this knit! I need to try and expand my collection of jumpers (which is predominantly grey!) to include some other colours, and so I knew this top would be perfect when I spotted it in the local op-shop. It's a blue marle so it even has little bits of grey running through it. It's a good lightweight piece too, not too heavy which is perfect for Queensland autumn and winter. One of those pieces I can wear casually or to the office. Really pleased I bought this, it's a keeper!


Last worn: blue jumper, navy jacquard pencil skirt, nude heels. First time I've worn the bag as it's a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: blue knit in a casual maxi skirt outfit, blue pencil skirt with purple tee for the office, nude heels with skinny jeans, similar navy tote with the same pencil skirt.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
Scarf: Seed Heritage Paisley print snood (on sale!)
Top: Jeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt
Skirt: Cotton On 'Mica' mesh spot skirt in dusty pink
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was foxy flats, so just like I did last time this was a style challenge, I wore my gold Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse flats. They are definitely the cutest pair of shoes I own!

I've slowly been trying to wear my way through all of my pencil skirts now I'm back in the office again after my maternity leave. This one is pretty and I definitely don't want it to leave my wardrobe, but I do tend to wear it with black a lot. I had a different top in mind that I wanted to wear this skirt with (a floral cami), but it was such a cold day and I had wanted to go bare-legged, I decided a long sleeve top was the most practical.

Also the first wearing of my trench coat for the year - hasn't been worn since last winter. With the scarf as well it kept me really cosy, even if it was a little tricky to see what I was wearing under the coat and scarf! In the past I've tried to take pictures without all the layers for winter, but it does take a bit more time to take photos that way so I stopped doing it. Hopefully you can still manage to see what I wear under my coats as I start to layer up for the cooler weather!

As it's the second wear of my new Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote also, another purchase review:
I tend to prefer unstructured, softer bags over structured bags, but I can't deny that structured totes (like my bayswater or neverfull) are perfect for the office. After selling a lot on ebay, I decided to treat myself to a new handbag for work. I sold three bags so that justified buying another one ;) I had been looking at a few and then I got the email that there was a 70% off Rebecca Minkoff sale....so I knew I had to try the MAB tote!
It's much bigger than I expected it to be - looks quite large on me, because it doesn't slouch down. It's perfect for work though. Although not a style I'd usually go for, and something pretty limited in that I'd only want to wear it to work, I'm glad I bought it. I'll need to do a full review of it on my youtube channel once I've worn it some more.


Last worn: trench coat, Paisley print snood, black top (in the third trimester), polka dot pencil skirt, metallic mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: trench coat and skinny jeans, Paisley print scarf with a striped dress, black top with a lace pencil skirt, print mixing with polka dot pencil skirt, mouse flats with printed skinny jeans, navy tote with a red dress for the office.

Linking up with WIW, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Style Me Weekly, Get Your Pretty On, Thursday Fashion Files, Happiness at Midlife, Look What I Got, What I Wore to Work, Sincerely Jenna Marie, Fun Fashion Friday, Feature Friday today.

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