What I Bought in December And January, And How I've Worn It

Well 2020 has been off to a strange start! And not just because of all the wild events recently, I'm talking specifically about my shopping. This is a personal style blog after all!

I started the new year with my intention, the same as last year, to spend less than I did the previous year. Yet at the end of January, I've bought a lot more than expected! I actually only have 1 Christmas gift card left! A few impulse buys and a few fear-driven purchases. I covered it all in the video below with a quick summary you can read through too.

What I Bought:

• Jeanswest essential v-neck tee in elfin yellow 
• Jeanswest Melanie floral kimono 
• Jeasnwest Kensley tie dye summer poncho kimono 
• thrifted Supre black sheer floral kimono
• thrifted black Emerson drawstring waist utility jacket
• Jeanswest harper skinny pant in Russet
• Jeanswest Vickie button back tank in enamel blue 
• Jeanswest Sophie navy v-neck tee

Why I Bought It:

Now my favourite store (Jeanswest) is in administration and closing stores I wanted to spend the last of my Christmas gift cards ASAP. They can change the terms and conditions with the gift cards when a chain is in administration and that has happened with other stores that have closed here in Australia, from requiring you to spend a set amount before you can use a gift card to just refusing to accept them. 

I tried to shop sensibly and buy basics I can wear over and over, and I'm pleased with what I got but also it wasn't anything I really felt I needed. Although to be honest with a wardrobe the size of mine, there's nothing that's really a need! So pleased I got some cute things with the Christmas gifts I was given, and that I got to spend them before the rules around using gift cards possibly changes. Really hoping that Jeanswest doesn't shut down completely though - where else would I do the majority of my clothes shopping!?

How I've Worn It:

I have a rule that every time I want to buy something I have to think of two different ways I will immediately wear it that month. I didn't do too badly with this goal this month at all....the opshopped jacket doesn't suit the weather at all and so hasn't been worn, but I wasn't going to pass on a jacket for just $1! I bought more than I needed to this month for sure, usually I spread my gifts cards through the year but I was focused on spending all my Jeanswest ones this month. I did enjoy wearing everything and did quite well with the goal, but also didn't get to my twice a wear figure with the jeans and the jacket as they aren't suited for summer temps.

For the upcoming months...I'm either going to spend a fortune at the Jeanswest closing down sales or the closure of one of the stores I frequently shop in will help me meet my spend less target this year!


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Jeanswest Duster Kimonos With Denim Shorts, Space Dye Tees and Louis Vuitton Neverfull

If you've followed my blog for a while you'd know that I love Jeanswest. It's easily my favourite clothing store, and I always ask for gift cards from there at Christmas. So when they come out with a kimono, a much loved staple of my wardrobe, I'm very likely to get it.

They've really stepped up their game recently with a whole heap of kimonos and so I spent the last of my Christmas gift cards getting these two amazing bright kimonos from Jeanswest, perfect for summer! They were both 40% off in the sales too 😉

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Eliza summer poncho in yellow floral (new purchase)
Necklace: navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace
Tee: thrifted Kmart space dye cream and black longline top
Shorts: Jeanswest Sara distressed hot short
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

This kimono was a must have, as soon as I saw it I knew I'd use up the last of my Christmas gift cards to get it. So perfect! It's called a poncho on the Jeanswest site but I'm just going to call it a kimono. It's so light and floaty, perfect for our hot summer days in Brisbane and it's the most cheerful bright shade of yellow!

Wore it out for the first time for a picnic by the beach with some family over visiting from WA. The sunny morning turned into a showery day when we got there so we huddled together eating hot chips to stay warm until the sun and the humidity returned. I'd picked shorts to wear as I didn't want to overheat in jeans - regretted that choice with the wind and rain, but was happy for the rest of the day when the sun came out and jeans would have been too warm.

With the plain shorts and space dye tee the yellow kimono was a nice bright pop of colour, and my Louis Vuitton neverfull is a frequently worn bag to the beach, or to a picnic, or a picnic by the beach in this case!


Last worn: space dye tee, navy tassel necklace, black distressed denim shorts, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton Neverfull. First time I've worn the kimono as it was a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: space dye tee and red jeans, black distressed denim shorts and scarf, Louis Vuitton Neverfull in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton Neverfull in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Louis Vuitton Neverfull

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Delilah Long Line Kimono in Green Floral
Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel
Tee: thrifted Mix Apparel black marle tee
Shorts: thrifted Jeanswest distressed denim shorts
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

The last photo in front of the Jacaranda trees for the season! I had been trying to get as many pics with them as I could and when I took this photo mid-November there were already more green leaves on the trees than purple flowers. It has been fun trying to stop at the best ones we passed to get pics - although there were many more I wish I could have taken pics with. Next year!

I went back to this street with my tripod this time as I knew to get a shot of the big purple trees behind me I'd need the camera to stand on the road. The boys patiently waited for me on the pavement as I snapped away, before we headed to a coffee date with a friend and then a play in the playground. Being a hot day I'd wanted to have a bit of a splash in the bay to cool down, but a warning about the illness causing algae in the water kept us off the beach sadly!

It was too hot for anything other than shorts and a tee, but I thought that the rose gold sandals and green duster kimono dressed up the outfit nicely for meeting my friend. This kimono was another must have as soon as I saw it, and I picked it up for 40% off in the Jeanswest sale too, earlier this year. I can never resist a good sale!


Last worn: green duster kimono, pearl tassel necklace, black space dye tee, distressed denim shorts, rose gold sandals, Louis Vuitton Neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: green duster kimono and jeans, black space dye tee and denim jacket, distressed denim shorts and peplum tank, rose gold sandals and dress, Louis Vuitton Neverfull worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton Neverfull at 38 weeks.

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Duster Kimonos Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Shorts and a tee is a staple in the summer heat and humidity, and a great outfit for running around with the kids. You can add some extra colour to your outfit, or dress it up a little with a bright duster kimono like these two here.


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Spring / Summer Haul! What I Bought In August

After a successful no buy July last month (5th year in a row!) I went just a little overboard this month and bought quite a lot! Most of it was pre-loved though so not too much of a hit on the budget!

August is the last month of winter here in Australia but I'm already thinking of spring and summer and so bought some light weight scarves for layering on cooler days, along with a LOT of tees and maxi skirts. Oh and a new bag too 😂 You know you've gone overboard when you can't fit all the things you bought in the video thumbnail pic!

What I Bought In August: Haul Video

In The Video:

• Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in mustard 
• Fashion Scarf Girl pretty pink diamond scarf 
• Fashion Scarf Girl zesty stripe tassel scarf in pink 
• Rebecca Minkoff emerald green mini 5-zip rocker bag
• Jeanswest Delilah Long Line Kimono in Green Floral 

Everything I got in my opshop fill a bag for $5 haul:

• thrifted pinstripe maxi skirt
• thrifted SES Fashions vertical stripe maxi skirt
• thrifted Kmart black and grey knitted asymmetric maxi skirt in shadow
• thrifted Cotton On navy and grey striped maxi skirt
• thrifted Kmart space dye cream and black longline top
• thrifted Cotton on grey tunic tee
• thrifted black and white space dye peplum tee
• thrifted Navy Emerson slouchy tee
• blue multi stand long beaded necklace

Why I Bought It:

After catching up with Jess and seeing one of the new Fashion Scarf Girl scarves in person, I had to put in an order! You might recall I was a brand rep for the company last year - but these scarves I bought myself, as I do only collaborate with companies I'd spend money on! I thought they'd be the perfect light layer for the upcoming spring (just a few days away!).

The bag was something I could not get out of my head. I'd put an offer in on it before when I had an ebay voucher but it was rejected, so I decided it wasn't meant to be. I kept it in my watch list though and after seeing it consistently relisted for a few weeks I caved, upped my offer and bought it in mid August when I had another ebay voucher. So happy with it. And still so confused as to how or why these ebay vouchers appear!

The kimono was another purchase I'd been eyeing for a while, when a 40% off sale at Jeanswest came along at the end of August I snapped it up!

The opshop haul is a big one! It was a fill a bag for $5 sale and I may have went overboard - but all these pieces are things I see myself wearing a lot in the months to come. Even if I did question my sanity a little when I realised out of the 5 maxi skirts I tried on I wanted to take 4 home with me....

How I've Worn It:

With my big opshop haul coming mid August, and filling my $5 bag with so many clothes, I was doubtful I'd hit the "wear everything twice in the month I buy it" rule that I set myself. I made a good attempt at it though, and give myself a pass there as I honestly wasn't expecting to have so much good luck at the opshop! I wasn't going to put things I loved back if I was paying the same price for the bag no matter how much was inside it!

In saying the above though, I'm also not expecting to shop much more the next few months, I have plenty of new to me things to wear and I feel stocked up for spring and summer! The pieces I bought have been perfect for our warmer end to winter too.

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The Ultimate Handbag Gift Guide - For Any Budget!

It's gift guide season yet again! As it's been so well received in previous years, I'm again doing my annual handbag lover gift guide. Lots of different gift ideas at multiple price points for the bag mad person in your life! As I'm only sharing one gift guide for Christmas, I've made it a good one.

No matter how expensive their taste in handbags, you're sure to find something that will fit your budget and make any handbag fan very happy!

Under $50: Stocking Fillers

You might not be able to get them a luxe handbag under $50, but you can get some fun accessories! Think of inside their bag: pouches to organise things inside or mini emergency / first aid kits. You can give them pieces to add to the exterior of their current handbag too, with luggage tags or bag charms. You can always get them a book relating to the brand they love, or a general fashion / handbag one. For someone who has absolutely everything, there's always the raincoat for handbags!

Under $100: Handbag Related Gifts

You might not be able to score a bag for under $100, but you can pick up a SLG (small leather good) from their favourite mid-range designer. Think key holders, coin purses and card holders! Kate Spade, Coach, Rebecca Minkoff, Furla, Sophie Hulme and Tory Burch are good brands to look at. Of course for those same designers you might have luck second hand shopping to find a used bag in this price range. See the note about second hand shopping at the end.

Under $250: Beautiful Bags For A Bigger Budget

Shopbop and Nordstrom have a wide range of bags and you might be able to score one on sale to bring it down to your budget. Wallets are a good pick at this price point. You can also look at the same mid-range designers above. Kate Spade and Rebecca Minkoff often have bags under $250, as do Madewell.

Under $500: Handbag Splurges For That Special Someone

If they've hinted, or they've outright told you they are saving up for a special bag, this would be the perfect splurge! An idea gift for a close friend or family member who you want to treat. At this price point, you could get a luxe brand like Chloe or Balenciaga second hand, or something a little smaller like a SLG brand new. You could also get a top range bag from the previously listed designers at lower price points. If you're unsure what colour to get, best to stick to a neutral colour so it easily works with the recipients wardrobe and will be a classic they can treasure for years to come.

Second Hand Shopping

Second hand shopping is a great way to find a bag they love at a price more suited to your budget. Do your due diligence on researching condition so you know exactly what signs of wear there will be on the bag of their dreams. Buying from sites like The Real Real or Fashionphile that guarantee authenticity are good ways to go too.

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I hope you found this list useful and it's given you some wonderful gift ideas! There's lots of time to buy now before Christmas and surprise someone with the perfect gift. It's even better to purchase now with the Cyber Weekend and Black Friday sales. I've shared some of the best bag related ones below!

Shopbop Buy More Save More Sale

Use coupon code 'MORE18' for 15% off orders over $200 all the way up to 25% off orders over $800! Includes sale items too, for extra discounts.

Rebecca Minkoff Thanksgiving Sale

Get an extra 25% off orders over $100 at Rebecca Minkoff when you use discount code 'THX25'
Or use code 'THX30' for 30% off your $200+ order!

David Jones Cyber Monday Sale
Get 20% off a selected range of bags, and free standard shipping (Monday only!)

Looking at the higher end handbag gifts? Try these sales!

Luisaviaroma

Get an extra 20% off sale items with the discount code 'BF20'!

The Outnet 

Get up to 80% off in their sale, no coupon code needed!

MyTheresa 

Shop 30% off selected items for black Friday with code 'BLACK30'

Do you have any handbags on your Christmas list this year? Of course I'd be thrilled with anything on this list, I would never say no to another handbag!

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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?


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

After completing no Buy July last month, I was felt like I bought a lot this month to make up for it! Everything was on sale or an opshop find though.

There's a little for everyone here, with new purchases from Jeanswest, opshop (thrift) finds, and awesome accessories. Nothing was over $17, even though I bought a bag too!

What I Bought:

• Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in terracotta
• Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in dark green
• thrifted ASOS petite green skinny jeans
• thrifted French Connection olive skinny cargo pants
• thrifted cobalt blue long sleeve tee
• thrifted Maison Scotch black paint splatter print long sleeved tee
• Kmart sparkly silver glitter sneakers
• Kmart blue fringe crescent statement earrings
• Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag (used ebay discount voucher)

Not Mentioned In The Video:

I will always be upfront on the blog about additions to my wardrobe. I didn't include these in my haul video as I didn't buy them, but I became a brand rep for Fashion Scarf Girl in July and received 4 scarves as a result to wear over the next few months.

Shopping-wise, this month felt like a month of impulse buys! I wandered into the Jeanswest store just for a browse, and these tees were on sale with an extra 50% off sale prices. I got both for less than the full retail cost of one of them, I'm pretty happy with that! A nice slouchy, basic tee will get a lot of wear in my wardrobe so I couldn't resist getting both colours.

I'm an emotional shopper, so after a bit of a stressful start to the day, I went into Kmart for the containers I planned to buy, and decided to browse. While I didn't buy anything extra that day, I couldn't get these sparkly shoes out of my head (the messages on my Instagram stories telling me to go back for them may have helped there!) and so went back to Kmart again to pick up the shoes and some statement earrings.

After some luck with the green pants at various opshops, I really was hoping to get more for myself in the 'fill a bag with clothes for $2' sale at my favourite opshop (especially as all the proceeds were going to drought-stricken farmers), but as you can see I only ended up with two items of clothing for myself, that pile for the boys you saw in the video and some homewares after I'd been looking out for similar pieces for a while.

The bag was explained a bit further in the video too, but I wanted to try a new style and could not believe that I scored this for under $20! Still not sure how I ended up with that ebay voucher but it came at a perfect time! Its second wear is today so I haven't got the photo for this post unfortunately.

How I've Worn It All:

After buying those long sleeved tops at the opshop, the weather started to warm up and I wasn't sure I'd be able to squeeze in two wears of them! Thankfully they work for my business casual office, and it's really cold for my early morning commute so they got some wear that way! Was really pleased to wear everything at least twice, with some surprise pieces like the green skinny jeans being worn a lot more over the month!

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New Tees and Textured Pencil Skirts With Balenciaga Bags

After I completed my No Buy July challenge, I made up for not shopping for a month and quickly started buying things in August! I picked up two tees from Jeanswest and thought that they would go nicely with my textured pencil skirts for work. Plain tee, busy textured skirt, seems like a fail-safe outfit. I'm wearing the tees in the outfits below, with mixed results!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Tee: Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in terracotta (new purchase)
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

I like wearing red and blue together. While I don't have a lot of red in my wardrobe, it's a colour I love accessorising with when I'm wearing something blue. It was nice to switch things up a little and wear this new red tee with a colourful blue scarf for a slight reversal on the usual blue clothes and red accessories combination.

It's the first time I've worn this tee and I really liked it. The shade of red is so easy to wear and it's so soft, definitely my kinda tee. It was my last day at work before going on leave, so I was a bit busy trying to get everything done on time, and it was nice to have a comfortable outfit to wear with all the craziness.

With the bright colours in the outfit, I thought a classic neutral bag would be best to accessorise with and picked my black Balenciaga part time. I've been wearing this bag often lately, it goes with everything and fits a lot, such a good bag and one of my favourites from my Balenciaga handbag collection. I've included a video below for you of my full collection!


Last worn: navy macintosh, Louis Vuitton shawl, jacquard pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Balenciaga part time bag. First time I've worn the tee as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: navy macintosh and sheath dress, Louis Vuitton shawl and maxi dress, jacquard pencil skirt and wrap top, black ballet flats and stripes, Balenciaga part time bag and chambray.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard pencil skirt in first trimester, Balenciaga Part time bag in third trimester.

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My Complete Balenciaga Handbag Collection:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs mauve square scarf
Tee: Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in dark green (new purchase)
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as the one above, even though it follows the same outfit formula (you know I love my outfit formulas!). When I first tried on this tee I had a closer look at the tag as I couldn't really tell what colour it was - what looked green in the store looked more grey in the change rooms. It's officially 'dark green'. I thought I'd take advantage of the deeper olive looking more grey and wear it how I would a grey tee, with blue and purple. I wouldn't normally try the colour combo with olive!

I felt good about my choice in the morning to wear the grey/green tee with the blue lace skirt and purple blanket scarf, even adding in my purple Balenciaga work bag for a bit of matchy-matchy. Reviewing the photos though I worried it looked a bit too olive to work with the purple. Of course I had to get to work so wore it anyway, alternating between liking and being unsure about the combo through the day!

It's funny as I look at the photos now on my computer screen and the tee looks more grey - it's definitely going to be a fun tee to wear. (I have worn it with olive as well and really loved that combo!)


Last worn: Barkins trench coat, purple blanket scarf, lace pencil skirt, Walnut Melbourne, Balenciaga purple work bag. First time I've worn this tee on the blog, although I have worn it previously and just not posted it yet.

Other ways to wear: Barkins trench coat and wrap dress, purple blanket scarf and purple jeans, lace pencil skirt with navy and grey, ballet flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga purple work bag for a YouTube Event.

Perfect for pregnancy: Barkins trench coat in second trimester, lace pencil skirt in third trimester, Walnut Melbourne flats in third trimester.

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Textured Pencil Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

With a busy textured skirt, a plain top is a good choice. You don't have to worry about the prints clashing or your outfit being too loud. A classic tee like these ones are good pieces to have in your wardrobe, but if your office dress code is more formal you could swap them out for a plain blouse instead.



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Blazers and Skinny Jeans With Rebecca Minkoff Love Bags

Because I like making things easy, following the same outfit formula of jeans, a jersey blazer and a printed tank. Along with my Rebecca Minkoff love bags. I bought another version in the recent Rebecca Minkoff sale, and this is the first time I've shared an outfit with it on the blog. You can see the unboxing here.

What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: ZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
Top: Jeanswest Elissa leaf print tank
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (C/O)
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff chevron quilted small Love crossbody bag in pale coral (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

I got some rare kid-free time to go shopping! That almost never happens, I think the last time was just before Christmas! I had signed up for a secret santa 'Christmas in July' gift exchange with some Aussie mum vloggers I've met through YouTube, and decided to take a couple of hours to finish up shopping for the person I drew. I had a lot of fun shopping, and picked up a little necklace for me too that you might have already seen here.

As I was kid free, I decided to take out my little Rebecca Minkoff small Love bag. I thought that the peachy-coral would look nice with the pale peach leaves printed on the tank, but they are so pale they never really show up in photos. I still liked the combination though. As it was much too cold for a sleeveless tank, I added the blazer on top. I really liked this outfit and had a productive couple of hours of shopping too.


Last worn: cream blazer, leaf print tank, Nobody Denim jeans, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats. First time I've worn the Rebecca Minkoff small Love bag as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: cream blazer in the office, leaf print tank worn two ways, Nobody Denim jeans and monochrome outfit, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and blue dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: cream blazer in second trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag Review & What's In My Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Scarf: Alexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
Tank: Jeanswest Florence print long line tank
Jeans: Jeanswest 'shale' super skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey with Rebecca Minkoff Crystal Star Shoulder Guitar strap

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the outfit combo above so much, I repeated it again to go to playgroup. I had the boys with me so went with the bigger grey Love bag. It fits my wallet in it, unlike the smaller peach one. Just nice having everything on me ready to go instead of carrying just a few cards like I did for the shopping trip above.

The neon pink scarf was a nice pop of color with all of the neutrals, and kept me cosy in the cooler morning. I took it off in the afternoon though when it warmed up.

It was good to give this tank another wear too - one of my favourites, each time I wear it I worry it's gone too long between wears. I'm thankful for the Brisbane winter weather that means you can still wear sleeveless tanks with just an extra layer like a blazer on top.


Last worn: black jersey blazer, pink skull scarf, printed tank, purple skinny jeans, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff studded guitar strap, Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag.

Other ways to wear: black jersey blazer and striped dress, pink skull scarf and chambray dress, printed tank and bright purple, purple skinny jeans and kimono, silver ballet flats and summer dress, Rebecca Minkoff studded guitar strap on Regan bag, Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, pink skull scarf in third trimester, printed tank in third trimester, purple skinny jeans in second trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag in third trimester.

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Jersey Blazers Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Blazers can definitely be worn out of the office. Try pairing them with denim, they work just as well with jeans as they do with pencil skirts. A casual fabric, like these jersey ones, or a knit one, can help make them more comfortable and suited for weekend outfits.


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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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