I have my 'wear everything twice in the month you buy it' rule. I started this a few years ago to ensure I was only buying things I could get use from right away, to stop the discovery of unworn with tags items in my wardrobe. There have been a few exceptions to this rule, one when my pregnant belly outgrew something before I got to wear it and the rest have been weather related. As I mentioned in the video, the foil jumper hasn't been worn because of the weather.
The wear twice rule still works though. I did consider buying something else this month but decided against it. Purely because I had to order it online and it wouldn't have made it in time for me to wear it twice in February. It was a 'want' item, not a 'need', but my large wardrobe makes almost every purchase a 'want'! It was easier to refrain from purchasing know it wouldn't pass the wear twice rule. Maybe next month I'll buy it if I keep thinking about it.
The foil knit, bought a few days before the heatwave, didn't get worn at all this month. There's a little more detail in the video above, but basically I bought this thinking I might not get to wear it right away, and bought it anyway as I didn't want to miss out on the trend again.
The denim shorts, an impulse buy, have been worn right away as you can see above, as they were perfect for the heatwave. I know I bought a lot of new shorts for summer a couple of months ago, but when you stumble across $60+ denim in your size in the op-shop, you buy it! While I've worn them similarly here with printed tanks and kimonos, the video has more ways to wear them.
I'm pretty content with my wardrobe now. I might buy that piece I keep thinking about or I might wait until cooler weather to see where the gaps are in my wardrobe!
This summer has definitely been the summer of shorts, but I haven't completely forgotten my maxi skirts! The classic combo of a printed maxi skirt and grey tee makes an easy, comfortable outfit that's perfect for running around with the kids.
I was surprised to find I hadn't worn this tee and navy striped maxi skirt together before! I thought it was what I wore last time we went to hospital, but it was a different tee I wore then. This very similar outfit was worn again to the same hospital, but a day stay this time. I shared some pics on Twitter and my Instagram stories, as one of the boys had his first surgery.
There are a few times in adulthood I have a little panic to myself that "I'm not grown up enough for this", and having to comfort my child through an operation was one of those times. Thankfully, it was just a short day stay. The operation went well, and apart from being a little woozy afterwards, it was a smooth recovery.
I wasn't sure if I needed closed in shoes for the operating room, I forgot to ask with all the other questions I had, so I went with Converse just in case, even if I did take them off as soon as we got home. I picked comfortable clothes for all the sitting around waiting I was going to have to do, and my big Louis Vuitton neverfull to carry snacks and things to amuse me as I waited, with everything else in the baby bag. I've tried the neverfull as a baby bag before, as you can see in the video below, but I'm not a fan so it meant carrying two bags with me. Easy when I had the stroller to throw everything on.
It was a difficult day, made just a little easier by having a fuss-free outfit I was ready to face anything in. I'm just hoping to have no further days of hospital style!
Onto happier days! I wore this the weekend before operation day. We'd planned a day out but after taking these photos and our morning walk, the rain showers started to we decided to stay home instead, after running a quick errand. In the end I think a quiet day was just what was needed as operation week was crazy.
Very similar outfit formula to the one above, with a more voluminous printed maxi skirt and a slouchier grey tee. This was a lovely outfit for a humid day, nice loose layers. The only thing I didn't like so much was that the hem of my skirt got wet quickly when the rain started. I really need to get this skirt properly tailored. I'm currently doing the well-known petite girl hack of wearing it higher on my waist and rolling the waistband to keep it in place. It's definitely proven it's a keeper in my wardrobe, so I need to get it tailored to be just the right length.
Again I was wearing my Louis Vuitton neverfull tote, although this time around it had a lot less stuffed into it. That's the beauty of the neverfull, it always looks good no matter if you carry a little or a lot.
With a printed maxi skirt (or any printed piece in your wardrobe) pairing it with a grey tee is an easy outfit formula to follow that's guaranteed to look good. If grey tees aren't your thing, you could substitute with a similar neutral like black or white. I'm just such a fan of grey v-neck tees, they are what I reach for most often when wearing prints.
No, it isn't scarf weather yet in Brisbane! This scarf I got from my mum is so pretty though, a lovely blush shade with rose gold thread running through it. I added it in the morning as I'd lost my voice the afternoon before, and thought it best to keep wrapped up in the office air con. Thankfully my voice (mostly) made it through to the end of the day.
I forgot that this necklace hangs at an awkward length and bangs noisily on my work pass when I wear it, but the scarf did help muffle it a litte.
I usually pick neutral bags to wear with this colourful orange sheath dress. Although there was one time I paired it with an orange bag. I like blue and orange together, so the navy Regan satchel was a nice addition and a change from my usual grey. With the blazer and ballet flats, it's a classic office outfit combo, and one that I relly on a lot. Especially when life gets hectic, as happens often with two little ones. I wonder how full time office workers with kids do it all sometimes!
This dress is on it's eighth wear, even though this year marks 5 years since I bought it. I do tend to keep it to spring/summer as I prefer to wear it without tights. Other than not getting worn a lot (which is even harder to do now I'm only in the office a couple of days a week), there's nothing wrong with it. I feel bad keeping pieces like this that are so rarely worn in my wardrobe, but given the choice again today I'd still buy it if I saw it in a store so it's staying, even if it will be a while before it gets worn again!
Unlike the orange sheath dress above, this blue paisley print one has been worn a lot more often. One of my favourite work pieces, it just makes me feel pulled together and confident. I've worn blue bags with this dress in the past, but this is the first time I've worn the dress and Balenciaga city bag together. I've worn it with a pink blazer in the past, but never a pink bag. I really liked the combination - I'm sure it will come up again in my quest to get to 30 wears with this dress this year!
While I love the Rebecca Minkoff Regan above and think it's a great classic option for work, there's something so cheerful about the pink Balenciaga city bag that makes me smile when I wear it. Paired with my favourite blue sheath dress, it's a great mood booster for a tough week.
The pearl necklaces were a last minute choice, I'd planned to wear another necklace but changed my mind that morning. I'm not completely happy with them. I did try knot the longer chain of pearls but when I couldn't get the knot to sit right and I was in a rush I just left it. I think knotting it would have looked better though, like this time I knotted the necklace.
Sheath dresses are a classic cut and style for the office. They work in many different office dress codes. Fun printed ones like these two are perfect for business casual offices, but if you have a more formal dress code you could go with a plain version.
Combining two of my loves together for some colourful summer outfits: soft shorts and mustard yellow. Buying these shorts at the start of summer was such a good idea!
Wore this for Australia day, so I had to go with the green necklace to have a bit of green and gold with the mustard tank. I've worn this tank and necklace together before too. It was something a little different for Australia Day, as we usually try host a BBQ but skipped it this year. We went to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at Brisbane's Gallery Of Modern Art before having lunch in the city. I was hopeful we might get to see some more of the exhibition but our main goal was to see The Obliteration Room in the kid's area. You get given a sheet of stickers, walk into a white room and get to stick the stickers wherever you want. Toddler heaven!
The boys are always trying to stick stickers everywhere at home, so I thought they'd enjoy being given free reign and leaving their imprint on a fun work of art. As you can see from the Instagram photo, it was near the end of the exhibition so there wasn't much white left, but it was still a lot of fun. They had an incredible time and although I didn't get to see other bits of the exhibition I'd wanted to, it was so much fun seeing how much they enjoyed the room.
I'd thought of wearing a monochromatic outfit as it would look great in photos, but wanted to wear my mustard tank more. I did feel a little regret when I watched a lady in a black and white dress posing in front of a professional grade camera and realised her shots would look beautiful! But I was happy and comfortable in this outfit, nice for a hot day out in the city. I did dress the boys in white shirts and they looked especially cute in all the photos. Of course I regretted that outfit choice later too when they had ice cream... 😂
I shared this on Instagram for Australia day but I'd worn it a few days before, I just hadn't gotten around to sharing it then. It was a busy day, with the daycare runs, my usual working from home, and then a specialist appointment for the little one. The stress of a busy day and of trying to find and get to a new location on time was quickly forgotten when we stopped to buy milk on the way home and I picked myself up a well-earned tub of Ben and Jerry's!
Given how high I had to wear these shorts to disguise the mum-tum though, probably could have skipped the ice cream. Still ate and enjoyed it though!
The necklace is gold and the chain on the mini MAC is silver, and the aquamarine doesn't match anything else I'm wearing, but I really liked this outfit. I think the colours all worked so nicely together despite not matching, and it was perfect for a hot summer day.
Soft shorts are the best for a hot and humid day. A plain tank is always a good basic to wear with them, especially if they have a print or embroidery as these ones do. Another benefit to a basic tank is that you can be a little more adventurous with your necklace and pick a bolder statement piece if you want.
Happy Valentine's Day! Sharing two un-Valentine's Day like outfits, although one does have a little pink in it!
With Brisbane's summer heart, shorts and a tank are a good way to dress. It's easy to add a little summer layer to them though for more colour, as I've done with each of the outfits below.
Wore this to go to an appointment in the morning. I wanted something easy to wear and it has been a while since I've worn these denim shorts. I was going to wear a different printed tank, but then I saw the kimono and realised that it would look great with stripes. Last time I wore this kimono I tried a little print mixing too. I liked this combination and felt that it looked good, but got a few side eyes when we went out for lunch so maybe it wasn't the best choice. I was happy in it though, and that's all that matters!
Was a really comfortable outfit, with a very practical bag. I had to juggle the baby bag, my handbag and the toddlers, so I appreciated the cross body strap on my Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag as well as the fact that it held everything I needed in it.
Another appointment, going to see the specialist for a checkup for Baby Boy. As I liked the outfit I'd worn above the day before, I wore a similar outfit the next day. A plain black tank this time, with longer bermuda denim shorts and instead of a kimono I added the pink vest. I'd been thinking about wearing my pink blazer again, after seeing Lorna wearing hers so well, but it was a bit warm for that so I went with this pink vest instead.
Again I wore my Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag, it's such a good bag with the boys as the cross body strap makes it so easy to wear. I added this fun wooden statement necklace I got for Christmas too, it looks nice against the plain black tank. As the specialist's office is full of toys I didn't have to worry about wearing a teething necklace to entertain the boys. It's nice to wear non-silicone necklaces sometimes!
Add some colour to a denim shorts and tank outfit in summer with an extra layer. Kimonos and lightweight vests don't overheat you, but add a fun touch to your outfit.
Continuing the 30 wears challenge is one of my goals for this year, but at the same time I want to make sure I'm wearing as much of my wardrobe as possible. It's a balancing act between rewearing pieces that are close to the 30 wears number, and not neglecting the other pieces in my wardrobe that aren't. I'd noticed I hadn't worn any of my camis at all this summer, so it was time to pull them out again! Camis look great work to the office with some textured pencil skirts and a blazer.
Id' planned this outfit in advance the weekend before. Usually I plan my outfits the evening before, to help me get ready faster in the mornings. I was feeling a bit stressed on Sunday night though before a big Monday so decided to play in my wardrobe a bit to relax, and pulled this together. I've worn orange and blue together before, but this is the first time I've paired this blue lace pencil skirt with peach. I really liked this combination of colours.
Wasn't entirely sure that the cami untucked looked as good as I thought though - I preferred it without the blazer. The spaghetti straps on the cami mean a coverup was required at work, but I didn't check the blazer addition before I left the house. I think tucking in the cami would have looked better. Otherwise, I really liked this outfit. Perfect for a hot day as I took the jacket off whenever I was outside and had it to keep me warm in the aircon at my desk.
Another day in the office, another opportunity to wear a cami and textured pencil skirt. After not being too sure about the untucked top above, I tucked the cami into the skirt this time, and I preferred this look.
I continue to be impressed by how well this mesh layer skirt is holding up, coming up to having it 6 years now. It has only been worn 13 times in that period though. It's not the first time I've paired it with this white ruffle cami, I love the combination so it makes sense I'd repeat it. This time, instead of the grey cardigan I wore it with the black blazer.
Kept the blue Balenciaga bag with this, I like blue and pink together and I thought that the necklace tied it in nicely. There was a style challenge on Instagram too and I thought the colour of the day was blue, but I was a day early and it was supposed to be green. I enjoyed the blue accessories anyway.
A cami is one of those pieces that you can wear for work or weekend! If your office dress code means spaghetti straps aren't an option, you can go for one with thicker straps, or cover up with a blazer. Adding a blazer to anything is my favourite way to make it ready for a business casual office.
The beauty of this printed tank from Jeanswest is that it goes with so much in my wardrobe. It's nice and light for summer and was perfect to wear on two very hot days during some of the heatwaves we had in Brisbane.
Wore this pretty tank for the first time to go out to dinner. I thought the chambray maxi skirt would be nice with the blue leaves in the print, and they are both light pieces which was perfect for the heatwave we were experiencing.
The red leaves in the print made me think of this little red saddle bag right away too. (See 30 ways to wear a red saddle bag here.) I really liked how this outfit came together. While the usual 'fashion rule' is to avoid pairing two voluminous pieces like this skirt and tank together, I've done it a few times. Sometimes you just want loose, comfortable layers, and on this super hot day it was exactly what was needed. I really liked wearing this outfit. So comfortable, and great for overindulging at dinner as the maxi skirt has an elastic waistband!
Had a fun day out planned with my mum and sister. Again, it was a hot day so I went with comfortable pieces like the printed tank and the pastel pink shorts. The tank has pink leaves in the print that match so nicely to the shorts. Just like last time I wore these shorts though, I managed to get them dirty. I'm kinda glad I thrifted these as they are confirming my suspicion that I'm just too clumsy to get white shorts or jeans, ha! It's annoying to have to try remove stains so often though.
The pretty necklace was a Christmas gift, I thought it worked really well with the neckline of the top.
There were just a few things I wasn't too happy about with this outfit. I think a different bag would have worked better, the black is a bit harsh with all the pastels. It looks okay, but I have other bags (like my metallic mini MAC) that would have looked better I think.
I also wish I'd gone for a different backdrop to show the outfit off better, it kinda blends in with the bricks. I was just looking for a shady spot to take a photo that morning though, didn't think about how it looked with my outfit. I always pick spots for their shade, I admire the bloggers that drive around looking for the perfect locations to match their outfits! It's too sunny to use my normal spot over summer, so I'm finding the shade where I can.
A multi coloured printed piece like this leaf print tank makes creating outfits easy. You can change up the way you wear it each time by picking clothing that matches different colours out of the print. Picking a colour out of a printed piece is a good way to pick an accessory too if you're unsure what would go best and you don't want something other than a neutral piece.