30 Wears: Pink Maxi Dress From Mothers En Vogue (Maternity/Nursing Dress)

Happy New Year!

The 30 wears series will continue in 2018, as I had so much fun doing it last year. Each month I'll show you 30 ways I've worn one of the pieces from my wardrobe in an effort to wear more of what I already own, and enjoy what I have instead of constantly buying more.

Kicking off this year's posts with a favourite, my 'Havana' pink maternity/nursing maxi dress from Mothers en Vogue. I'm surprised it's taken me so long to hit 30 wears with this piece, if you've been a regular reader you'll know I wear it often. Through 2 pregnancies and afterwards it always makes me feel great. It's one of the pieces heavily featured in my pregnancy style book too! One of those maternity pieces I'm keeping in my wardrobe, even though my pregnancy days are behind me.

#30 Wears: Pink Mothers En Vogue Empire Waist Maxi Dress

It's tricky to calculate cost per wear on this dress as I received it courtesy of Zibibo back in February 2014. It's nearly 3 years old. 'Courtesy of 'means I didn't have to pay anything for it, although as I said when I got it, it made me rethink my normal budget for a maternity piece as it was certainly worth the $129.90 retail price. 30 wears in almost 3 years means wearing it about once a month on average, which is impressive for such a statement piece and given how many dresses I have already.

All dresses that come into my wardrobe are judged against this dress. If they don't make me feel as good as this dress does, they don't stay! To have a piece that works for pregnancy and breastfeeding, for casual through to more formal events, is such a lifesaver when you're having the 'don't know what to wear' panic before an event.

Pink Dress and Gold Belt

This gold belt is a very common accessory! The gold glitter belt works perfectly with the bright pink of my maxi dress, and you'll see it pop up many times in the photos below. Belted over a baby belly, or even just belted over my left over mum-tum, a belt is a frequent go-to with this dress.

PInk Dress Unbelted

The best thing about a maxi dress is that it's an instant outfit. While I do like belting this maxi dress, sometimes you just want the simplicity of a maxi dress and not worrying about accessorising or belting it. As the empire waist on this maxi dress is elasticated, the belt is more for show than function anyway.

Scarf as a Belt

When I do want to belt this pink maxi dress but I want something other than the go-to gold belt option above, I try to mix things up a little with this Louis Vuitton bandeau scarf worn as a belt. I love how the colours in the scarf compliment the pink dress, it's got pinks and purples and orange in the print.

Pink Dress and ColourFul Bags

A bright pink maxi dress sounds pretty in your face, and when I ordered this I considered the grey one instead as I wasn't sure I could pull off so much pink. Every time I wear it though I'm so grateful I went with the colourful option. It's just so cheerful with all that colour. You don't need to stick with neutral accessories when wearing a bright dress. I like pairing the bright pink dress with colourful bags! Blue, purple or yellow, a colourful bag works nicely. As you can see I particularly love the pink and purple colour combination.

Pink Dress and Denim Jacket

I like this combo a lot, as you can see by my wearing it 4 times! The outfit with the printed snood is easily my favourite of all of these ones though. It was the first time I wore this dress without a baby bump, and I found it perfect for those early postpartum days. In spring or autumn a denim jacket is a great layer with a maxi dress, and you can add a printed scarf to keep you cosy if it's really cold.

Pink Dress and Layers

It's not just denim jackets that make good layers with maxi dresses! I like to wear cardigans with my maxi dresses, and for something different, a kimono. You can even try belting the layer over the top of the dress too, as I've done in two of the photos above.

Pink Dress in Pregnancy

This Mothers En Vogue dress is a combo breastfeeding and pregnancy one, and it does both those things so well. With a nice bit of stretch, it easily covered a growing baby bump, even right through to the final days of pregnancy. It was nice to have something pretty I could pull on and feel good about in, no matter the size of the growing belly!

Pink Dress and Special Events

Pregnant or not, this beautiful dress has become my default for special events. Christmas day, birthday parties, date nights. I think everyone needs that one staple piece in their wardrobe they can pull on for an event that makes them feel special. For me, this pink dress is it. I love how it turned out to be the last thing I photographed for the blog before giving birth to baby boy, it's such a cherished piece and that makes it even more so.

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Pink Maternity Maxi Dresses Under $50:

Some of these are nursing ones too!

Non-maternity Pink Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and the chance to see the baby bumps across two pregnancies. This dress really has been worn to so many things, and accommodated all of the pregnancy and breastfeeding related body changes so well 😂 Want more outfit inspiration? Browse through all the times I've worn this MEV dress on the blog.

2017: A year of 30 wears posts

• 30 ways to wear a black maxi skirt
• 30 ways to wear red Balenciaga velo bag
• 30 ways to wear gladiator sandals
• 30 different ways to wear striped maxi skirt
• 30 different ways to wear skinny jeans
• 30 ways to wear a grey Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag
• 30 ways to wear a printed leather jacket
• 30 ways to wear black ankle boots in multiple seasons
• 30 ways to wear mustard yellow Rebecca Minkoff bag
• 30 ways to wear a classic denim jacket
• 30 ways to wear white and navy stripe maxi skirt
• 30 ways to wear a floral kimono

Linking up with On Mondays We Link Up, Turning Heads, Trend Spin, The Style File, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Style on the Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Fun Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Passion for Fashion, Modest Monday.

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Boxing Day Sales! Bright Tanks and Printed Relaxed Fit Shorts

I love printed pieces, especially stripes, and given the choice between a plain piece and a printed piece I'll usually go for the print! Over the past couple of years I've been really trying to focus more on adding basics to my wardrobe - nice plain pieces that go with anything in my wardrobe. Plain doesn't have to mean boring though, as you can see from these fun colourful tanks. Simple style and cut but bright and cheerful colours.

For their first wear, I wore these bright tanks with some relaxed and soft printed shorts. Easy summer SAHM dressing.

What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow sunburst necklace in silver and grey
Tank: Jeanswest Maya gather back tank in mid turquoise (new purchase)
Shorts: Jeanswest Parker printed shirred short (new purchase)
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

I was excited to wear these two new pieces together, I bought them both during separate shopping trips at the Jeanswest sale. I like that these shorts have pockets too. I was surprised to see how nicely the blue tank works with the aqua bag - I wouldn't change anything about this outfit! It was so comfortable and perfect for a hot summer day.

We took each of the boys shopping separately to let them pick out Christmas gifts for each other, then watched Santa's arrival parade at out local shopping centre. (I wore this earlier in December). To finish off a busy morning, we had swim lessons. It was a much more relaxing and quiet afternoon!


Last worn: black Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC. First time I've worn the blue tank and the printed shorts as they are recent purchases.

Other ways to wear: blue tank in the office, printed tank and grey tee, Havaianas in multiple seasons, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and purple cardigan. 

Perfect for pregnancy: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in third trimester.

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Printed Relaxed Fit Shorts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maya gather back tank in chartreuse (new purchase)
Shorts: Jeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

I've worn these blue printed shorts with a yellow top before, and my little mustard yellow micro Regan bag. I like blue and yellow together, and this is the first outfit I thought about when I tried on this yellow tank in store. Even if it is incredibly similar to the last time I wore these shorts with yellow!

It was a quiet Sunday, just a couple of errands in the morning, but I loved how bright and colourful this outfit was. I'm looking forward to wearing this tank a lot more - perfect addition to my wardrobe.


Last worn: blue printed shorts, gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC (above). First time I've worn the tank as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: yellow tank and lace pencil skirt, blue printed shorts and pink vest, Havaianas in multiple seasons, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and maternity denim.

How You Can Wear It:

An ideal wardrobe would have the perfect balance of plain pieces and printed pieces to allow for a lot of outfit options. Basic plain pieces don't have to be neutrals - add a little colour with bright basics that still pair just as nicely with printed pieces as neutrals do!

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Boxing Day Sales!

Here are some of the best boxing day sales around:

• Get an extra 25% off pieces in the Shopbop sale with discount code 'JOY25'! Up to 75% off!

• Sale now on at Jeanswest!  Tops from $15, shorts from $25 and $40 dresses!

• Up to 50% off at The Iconic plus get an extra 20% off with code 'HOT20'! Same day or next day delivery available for New Year's Eve outfits! Order up to 29th December for NYE delivery.

• ASOS 50% off sale is on!  No code needed.

• Up to 60% off in the Matches Fashion sale! Further reductions are on now.

• Up to 70% off in the Net a Porter sale!

• Get an extra 30% off the Rebecca Minkoff sale with the discount code 'RINGRING'!

• Get 40% off at Bonds! Applies to everything except personalised items.

Linking up with Style on the Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Fashion Files.

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Print Mixing: Floral Kimono With Stripes and Polka Dots Foil Print Tees

I love this floral kimono, and I've been wearing it a little more than usual lately to meet a challenge I set myself at the start of the year to wear more pieces in my wardrobe 30 times.

As I recently got two new foil print tees, I took the chance to wear it with them for a little bit of print mixing: floral with stripes and polka dots. It helped me hit 30 wears of the kimono too!

What I wore:

Jacket: Somedays Lovin' Yakuza print kimono
Tee: Jeanswest Anika foil stripe tee in white and silver
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

I've worn this floral kimono with stripes before - stripes are my go-to for print mixing as they really go with everything! When I got this striped tee in the Jeanswest sale I knew I'd wear it with this kimono, i think the grey of the kimono and the silver foil stripes go together nicely. With the busy print mixing on top, I stuck with a neutral pair of shorts on the bottom - another Jeanswest sale purchase! I continued on the grey and silver theme with the grey Rebecca Minkoff love bag with silver hardware. I really liked how this outfit came together, perfect for a quiet Saturday running a few errands.


Last worn: floral kimono, black denim shorts, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag. First time I've worn the striped tee on the blog as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: floral kimono worn 30 ways, stripe tee, black denim shorts and burgundy tee, studded sandals and denim shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and boho dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: kimono and maxi skirt in second trimester, studded sandals in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag in third trimester.

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Floral Kimonos Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Somedays Lovin' Yakuza print kimono
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee: Jeanswest Flavia foil printed polka dot tee deep iris
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold
Nails: OPI Fire Escape Rendezvous

Why I wore it:

Once again I'm realising I've worn this tee to my Australian Breastfeeding Association group - it gets worn there quite a lot, haha! I wore this to a topic I'd really been looking forward to - we had a first aid presentation from St John's ambulance. When Toddler T was little, I'd gone to a first aid course for babies and felt quite confident with everything baby first aid related.
A few months ago, when Baby Boy fell ill, everything went out the window and I panicked. I barely remembered what to do and had to ask the 000 operator to tell me each step to do as my mind was blank. Instinct kicked in and I did a few things but couldn't remember what to do next, it was scary. It wasn't until we were out of the ambulance and in the hospital when we were asked if we had done a first aid course that it all came flooding back to me, and I started remembering what we'd been taught.

I asked the presenter to cover the topic again for me and it was nice to know I'd done the right thing calling the ambulance. I picked up some other useful tips and advice from her too, that I hope I'll never have to put into practice!

Outfit-wise, I thought the polka dots and floral print was something very different for me. I don't have a lot of polka dot pieces in my wardrobe. Really liked this combo though - I think the gold foil polka dots on the tee work just as well with the floral kimono as the silver stripes on the tee above. And the mustard yellow micro Regan bag is a nice combination with the yellow on the kimono as well as the navy tee. I've worn this tee and bag together before.

I usually do a purchase review after wearing everything I buy twice. The goal is to learn what works and doesn't in my wardrobe, so I make wiser purchasing decisions in the future.

I love these shorts (even if this is the fourth wear, I forgot to do the review earlier). I already had a couple pairs of black shorts, but I got rid of them as I was worried they were too short. These are still short shorts, but slightly longer than the ones I had before, and still just as comfortable (perhaps even more so!). A classic pair of black shorts is essential for Brisbane summers, I'm really pleased I bought these, and thankful for the Christmas gift card I used to buy them!


Last worn: floral kimono (above), polka dot tee, black denim shorts (above), gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: floral kimono and chambray dress, polka dot tee and mustard cardigan, black denim shorts and a dress, gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: floral kimono and maternity shorts.

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Foil Print Tees Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

You don't have to stick with neutral basic pieces when wearing colourful printed kimonos. Stripes and polka dots are fun to try print mixing with. If you're unsure, picking similarly coloured pieces like the silver stripes and grey kimono is a good way to go, and keeping it simple with just two prints and having the rest of your outfit plain makes it easy. The benefit of having one of your pieces being a printed kimono is that if you are unsure when leaving the house and later change your mind, you can easily take that layer off!


Linking up with Fabulous Friday, Fab Favourites, Trend Spin.


I hope that you have a very merry Christmas and enjoy spending time with your friends and family on Monday as we reflect on the greatest gift of all, God sending Jesus.

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Maxi Dresses For Christmas Events (And Where To Get One Now For Christmas Day!)

It's no secret that I love maxi skirts and dresses. While I recently bought a lot of shorts for summer, you can't beat a classic maxi dress in December for all the Christmas related events. I almost always wear a maxi dress on Christmas day too, it's such a good choice. Comfortable for opening presents, running around with toddlers and nice and loose so you can indulge in all that yummy food!

The two jersey maxi dresses below are some of my fave wardrobe oldies. There's still plenty of time to order a maxi dress now and have it arrive before Christmas so you can wear it on Christmas day too!

What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace

Dress: Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

I wore this a little while ago! We had our family Christmas photo, and as usual I went with the easy maxi dress option. I picked this one specifically as I'd bought the boys little blue poloshirts for the photo, and with hubby in a blue shirt too we were all perfectly themed but not too matchy matchy!

I had a bit of a giggle when we got to the photo area though - it was a blue background! We really coordinated! We usually go to Westfield for our photo, Chermside do pet Santa photos. Unfortunately they had cut their pet santa photos down to just 2 hours over the month and they were of course almost immediately booked out as a result. We ended up booking in with the RSPCA Santa Paws photos for the first time and while it was more expensive, the resulting photo was much better quality. Santa was very understanding too and they took the time to help and suggest things so we managed to get a good photo of us all despite our terrified toddler, who never got anywhere near as close to any other Santas we saw! I recommend them if you're looking for a photo with the whole family, we can't imagine our annual photo without Cooper!


Last worn: blue maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Other ways to wear: blue maxi dress for first birthday, Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and gold jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: maxi dress at 39 weeks, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag in second trimester.

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Where to Get Maxi Dresses for Under $50 for Christmas Day!

There is still enough time to order yourself a beautiful maxi dress to wear on Christmas day, if you order now!

In Australia, use next day shipping for dresses at The Iconic:

Last Christmas delivery order date varies depending on your state but can be as late as early morning on the 22nd for same day delivery, or mid-morning on 21st December for next day delivery.

In the UK, shop for maxi dresses at ASOS:

Last Christmas order date is 22nd December for standard UK delivery, or 23rd for express.

In the US, shop maxi dresses at Amazon:

Last Christmas order date is 22nd December for 2 day shopping, or 24th December at 9am for same day delivery.

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What I wore: 

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Wilma teething necklace in pale daffodil
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Christmas bow bracelet (with bells!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

Another Christmas event, another maxi dress! It seemed the most obvious choice for a Christmas party with the boys.  I like grey and yellow together, so when I saw one of the style challenges in Instagram for the day was 'bold hue', I knew I'd pick yellow accessories with this dress. I've worn the dress and bag together before, it's a nice combination. The little Christmas bow on my wrist was a fun addition for the party, and met yet another Instagram style challenge for 'tied'.

This was such a fun party for me to attend. Last year, we had been looking forward to it. I was in hospital with Baby Boy but we had been confident that we wouldn't be in there long, just a few days at most, which would mean we would be out for the party. Instead, we stayed there much longer than expected and the party marked day 6 in hospital as I continued to room in with Baby Boy. Toddler T's grandparents took him to the party solo instead. It was just a kid's party, but was quite emotional for me reflecting back on where we were last year. I didn't have time to dwell on it for long though, there was a lot to do and see and then we had to dash to swim lessons, and celebrate putting the Christmas tree up in the afternoon.


Last worn: tie dye maxi dress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: tie dye maxi dress knotted, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: tie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks pregnant.

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More Printed Jersey Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

For me a maxi dress will always be a go-to over December. It's the perfect mum outfit as it's quick and easy to wear with minimal accessorising required, although you can add bright accessories if you want a bit of a pop. Maxi dresses are comfortable and casual enough for running around with toddlers but dressed up enough for parties and family Christmas photoshoots.

There is still enough time to order a special dress in for Christmas too, with great options under $50 at ASOS, Amazon or The Iconic linked above. I love next day shipping at the Iconic for last minute gifts too.



Linking up with Style on the Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Fabulous Friday, Passion for Fashion.

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Tailoring Thrifted Pieces: Is It Worth It? Opshop Finds and Denim Jackets

While I'm not a massive opshopper (thrift shopper for my American readers!) I do like browsing when I can and occasionally getting a bargain. Back in October, my local store had a 'fill a bag for $2' sale. I took the rare opportunity to leave the boys home with hubby and have some time to myself to browse. I didn't try anything on, just filling my bag with things that looked good and I guesstimated would work.

I've shared before that I sometimes wonder if it's worth buying less than perfect pieces at the opshop with the idea of spending more to get them tailored to fit. But with two of the thrifted pieces I'm wearing below I decided to go ahead and spend more on getting them tailored. They worked out at 67 cents each so even with the average $14 tailoring price for both they were still bargains.

What I wore:

 

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Wilma teething necklace in pale daffodil
Tank: Jeanswest brown marle singlet
Skirt: Thrifted tribal print maxi skirt (new purchase)
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This beautiful tribal print skirt used to be a strapless dress. It looked nicely made, but you could see where the fabric had been pulled from someone constantly adjusting it. I couldn't get past the gorgeous print and colours, it looked lovingly handmade too so I added it to my bag, reasoning I could wear it as a maxi skirt. When I got it home and tested this theory out, I realised it was going to need a bit of elastic sewn in to keep it in place as a skirt. Luckily my tailor was happy to do that for me. While it's not quite maxi skirt length, and is more an ankle grazing length on me, I adore it. I've never seen anything like this in the stores and being cotton it's sure to get a lot of wear over summer.

It's made me think about getting my red maxi skirt fixed up - it's a bit too long (#petiteprobs!) but I usually just get around that by wearing it higher on my waist.

Wore this out for an errand filled day with the boys, trying to cram everything in before a predicted storm was due to arrive. Thankfully it passed right by us. I did a little detour in the morning and stopped by the Jeanswest sale again, and picked up another little something which you'll have already seen in my November purchase post.


Last worn: denim jacket, brown marle tank, gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan. First time I've worn the skirt as it was a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi dress, brown marle tank and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and hidden baby bump, brown tank in third trimester, gold Havaianas and maternity bermuda shorts.

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Denim Jackets Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee:  thrifted mix apparel black space dye tee
Shorts: Thrifted pastel pink cotton shorts
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

Both the tee and the shorts I picked up at the same $2 sale! The super soft tee was perfect as it was, so no alterations were needed there. I got it to replace my black tee which I accidentally destroyed by sticking it in the wrong wash cycle one too many times!

When I saw these shorts I was drawn to the colour and felt positive when I saw the size label was my normal size. I threw them in the bag. After having my colours 'done' pastels were one of the things suggested to keep away from my face, so I thought these shorts would be a nice way to add some pastels to my summer outfits.

I was disappointed to get them home and realise that they were either labeled incorrectly or a different sizing standard, as they were much too big. After debating if I could belt them, I decided to go ask my tailor if she could do anything. And she could! I felt pretty good about giving these shorts a new life, slightly tapered off by then seeing very similar shorts on sale for less than half the cost of the alterations.

The way I see it though, I supported a charity buying them in the first place (even though it was just $2...), and supported a local business with the alterations. So I don't feel too bad that there are similar styles available cheaper. $14.67 is a pretty good price for a cute pair of shorts!

Wore these out to playgroup, where the boys had chocolate chip cookies and of course my shorts were smeared in chocolate. Hopefully these light shorts will fare better next time I wear them!


Last worn: denim jacket (above), black marle tee, black Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag. First time I've worn the pastel pink shorts as they are recently back from the tailor.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and printed maxi skirt, black marle tee and olive shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and floral maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in third trimester, Love bag and maxi dress in third trimester.

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How You Can Wear It:

It can be tricky to find your size when op shopping. While there are ways around things being slightly too big like belting or wearing skirts higher on your waist, you can always alter something to make it fit. If you're not crafty or are a bad sewer like I am, finding a local tailor is a good idea. They can give you ideas and advice on ways to change garments and make them work for you. Something to try when you love something so much you don't want to leave the store without it. (Tia is my local tailor who I recommend if you're in the Brisbane bayside and this post was not sponsored, she doesn't even know I'm writing it).


Do you buy things knowing they will need alterations, or do you leave them on the opshop rack and hunt for other treasures that fit?


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Capsule Wardrobe - 5 Outfits, 5 Days! International Style Challenge with Black and Burgundy

My blog friend Ruth does these 5x5 style challenges on Instagram. Another blog friend, Eileen and I started talking with her about it and thought it would be fun to participate. We decided to do an international style challenge a couple of weeks ago near the end of November.

The rules: 5 pieces of clothing to create 5 outfits over 5 days, with a black and burgundy colour scheme. Accessories like shoes, necklaces, scarves, handbags, outerwear, can be added as needed and don't count as one of the 5 pieces.

Who took part: Ruth @ruthyannie, Eileen @eileensed and myself, @awayfromblue. Ruth did this over autumn in the cold weather, and Eileen had to dress a growing baby bump too! I have so much admiration for them both!

This is going to be a bit of a long post as I share with you what we wore over 5 days! I hope you'll get a lot of outfit inspiration from it though, and discover some new ways you can rewear pieces you already own.

My Capsule Wardrobe

After a few last minute swaps and changes, these are the 5 pieces I came up with for the challenge.

• black drawstring waist maxi skirt
• black denim shorts
• burgundy jersey dress
• black, burgundy and cream shirt dress
• burgundy slouchy tee

My choices were limited by the colour scheme which helped me make decisions about what to pick as my 5 pieces. The last time I did a capsule, it was my third trimester capsule wardrobe and the growing bump helped limit my options there too! I did have to go into the office for one day which made me pick the shirt dress, even if the print is more red than burgundy. I figured it was close enough!

The main worry I had was around structuring the pieces I wore to allow me to have them washed and ironed ready for the next wear With two messy toddlers it was highly unlikely I was going to be able to wear things twice in a row without washing them! In the end I came up with 6 outfit ideas so that if something wasn't ready in time, I'd have a fall back option.

What I wore - Day 1

 

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
Tee: Zalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt
Skirt: Jeanswest Luxe jersey maxi skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

For the first day of the challenge I went with a classic tee and maxi skirt combo. When I'd first started planning outfits and pieces for the challenge I'd went with a different burgundy tee, and changed my mind and swapped it for this tee instead. I didn't like the way this one sat with the maxi skirt though, I was a bit frustrated with it both tucked and untucked and wasn't as comfortable with this outfit as I could have been. Easy outfit for playgroup though.


Last worn: burgundy tee, black maxi skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: burgundy tee and navy kimono, black maxi skirt in autumn, black ballet flats and pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: burgundy tee in first trimester, black ballet flats and maternity wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and maternity shorts.

What Ruth Wore - Day 1:

A post shared by ruthyannie (@ruthyannie) on Nov 20, 2017 at 6:57am PST

What Eileen Wore - Day 1:

A post shared by Eileen (@eileensed) on Nov 19, 2017 at 1:44pm PST

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What I wore - Day 2

Necklace: Roie Designs pearl and antique gold long necklace
Dress: Atmos&Here Nigella collarless shirt dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

This was as 'formal' as my outfits got during the challenge, the majority of them were casual outfits. I had to go into the office, so picked this shirt dress to fit in with the business casual dress code. I found myself fussing with this outfit too during the day though, the dress seemed to ride up a lot and I was constantly tugging it back down. I much prefer wearing this dress as a kimono, or layering it up with tights in winter.

I knew with the darker black and red print on the dress (it's a geometric print although it looks like polka dots in the pics!) that this Marc Jacobs bag would work perfectly with it. This bag doesn't get worn as often as it did when I first got it, but it's still a nice choice for work. It's been tagged in 62 posts on the blog and most of the time it featured in both outfits of the posts, so you can see it was worn a lot in the past! Such a unique colour too, a deep purple-y brown.


Last worn: geometric print shift dress, black ankle boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag.

Other ways to wear: geometric print shift dress layered for winter, 30 ways to wear black ankle boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ankle boots and pregnancy announcement, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag at 40 weeks pregnant.

What Ruth Wore - Day 2:

A post shared by ruthyannie (@ruthyannie) on Nov 21, 2017 at 7:14am PST

What Eileen Wore - Day 2:

A post shared by Eileen (@eileensed) on Nov 21, 2017 at 12:30am PST

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What I wore - Day 3

Necklace: Zanele 40 handmade rope necklace
Dress: French Connection star dancing jersey dress in red rust/almond
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Mimco black button bag

Why I wore it:

The simplest of all my challenge outfits, and also the most popular. I wore this to work from home and attend a specialist appointment with baby boy in the afternoon. With the burgundy star print dress, I added black through my accessories, with the same ankle boots I'd worn the day before and another little worn bag, my Mimco button bag.

This was actually my first expensive bag purchase, despite how little I wear it now I'm never going to let it go. I spent months thinking about it and saving for it and picking out the perfect colour combo I wanted and I still remember the excitement of going to the store to pick it up! Very treasured even if not frequently worn now. I think I bought it in 2007 at the height of the button bag trend, still looks great. Sadly it's discontinued, the closest thing is the Mimco Turnlock bag that's around $200 more expensive than the button bag was 10 or so years ago, or to go to ebay for the classic style.


Last worn: burgundy star print dress, black ankle boots (above, day 2), Mimco button bag.

Other ways to wear: burgundy star print dress in third trimester, black ankle boots and skinny jeans, Mimco button bag for the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: burgundy star print dress for travel in Melbourne, black ankle boots in second trimester.

What Ruth Wore - Day 3:

A post shared by ruthyannie (@ruthyannie) on Nov 22, 2017 at 10:16pm PST

What Eileen Wore - Day 3:

A post shared by Eileen (@eileensed) on Nov 21, 2017 at 6:24pm PST

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What I wore - Day 4

Jacket: Atmos&Here Nigella collarless shirt dress (worn as a kimono)
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
Tee: Zalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

An incredibly busy day called for a comfortable and casual outfit, and the first wearing of the last of my 5 pieces, my black denim shorts. Added the comfy slouchy burgundy tee and the printed dress was worn as a kimono. Converse were a practical choice for a busy day, and the mustard yellow bag was a fun touch of colour with the black and burgundy.

Baby boy had some more tests at the hospital in the morning, so I had the day off. With my mother in law available to watch the boys, as it was a day I normally work, I made the most of it and she looked after them both once the testing was done so I could gt a rare child free afternoon to go Christmas shopping. And I shopped up a storm, getting the majority of the things remaining on my Christmas present list!

Last worn: shirt dress as a kimono (day 2), burgundy tee (day 1), black denim shorts, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: shirt dress and ankle boots, burgundy tee and skinny jeans, black denim shorts and stripes, Converse and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff mustard micro Regan bag and red maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: burgundy tee in first trimester, Converse in the second trimester.

What Ruth Wore - Day 4:

A post shared by ruthyannie (@ruthyannie) on Nov 23, 2017 at 7:56am PST

What Eileen Wore - Day 4:

A post shared by Eileen (@eileensed) on Nov 22, 2017 at 8:38pm PST

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What I wore - Day 5

Necklace: Turquoise and gold beaded necklace from my mum's wardrobe
Dress: French Connection star dancing jersey dress in red rust/almond (worn as a top)
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

For my fifth and final outfit with my 5 pieces, I wore my denim shorts again and the lovely burgundy dress as a top. I added turquoise accessories with the necklace and Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag for an extra touch of colour. I've won dresses as tops before, it's a nice way to wear something a little differently. The extra dress fabric wasn't too bulky although it was a bit of a pain tucking it in to the shorts every time I went to the bathroom! I had considered doubling up on the dresses and wearing the shift dress as a kimono over this again, but despite how little time I spent with the boys the day before it still got messy and had to have a wash. That was the hardest part of this challenge - making sure everything was washed and ironed in time to wear again!

This was a nice outfit to finish the challenge on, I ran around with the boys completing a few errands.


Last worn: burgundy star print dress (above, day 3), black denim shorts (above, day 4), Havaianas, aquamarine mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: burgundy dress layered for winter, black shorts and polka dots, aqua mini MAC bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: burgundy dress and second trimester bump, aqua mini MAC bag and maternity shorts.

What Ruth Wore - Day 5:

A post shared by ruthyannie (@ruthyannie) on Nov 24, 2017 at 8:34am PST

What Eileen Wore - Day 5:

A post shared by Eileen (@eileensed) on Nov 23, 2017 at 8:46pm PST

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Hope you enjoyed seeing the different outfits we were able to create for the challenge. While it was a fun challenge for me, I was looking forward to getting back into my regular wardrobe at the end of it! Especially after buying lots of new pieces that month that I was eager to wear.

Thanks so much to Ruth and Eileen for inviting me to take part - if you don't already, you should follow them on Instagram!


Linking up with Passion for Fashion, Mix It Monday, Hello Monday, On Mondays We Link Up.

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