Frocktober: Balenciaga Bags and SAHM Casual Daytime and Evening Printed Dresses

Continuing on with the Frocktober outfits. I'm doing a #31Days31DifferentDresses challenge and wearing a different dress every day in October to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Research.

Every donation helps! Thank you to everyone who is donating to this great cause.

What I wore:

Hat: white knitted beanie 

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal skull scarf in white/pink
Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual plus Edenborough Evans 'Ivy' silver cuff
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

It was a little chilly, so perfect time to wear one of my warmest dresses. And since it was Hat Day too, I was able to meet the #myStyleOctober challenge of 'hattitude' by wearing a cosy beanie. Layered up with a scarf as well as it got quite cold with the wind and rain.

I was so grateful to be wearing this dress, and not just for the extra warmth. The dress has a longer hem in the back that comes in helpful for toddler wrangling. I spent the morning at the accountants getting my tax done, having had to take toddler T along with me. Although he did sit there quietly 'reading' a book most of the time, every now and then he'd try running around. He managed to drop down and crawl under the accountant's desk at one stage!


Last worn: knitted beanie, skull scarf, striped tee dress, Chelsea ankle boots, Balenciaga Part Time bag.

Other ways to wear: knitted beanie in the office, pink skull scarf with blue and teal, striped tee dress in winter, Chelsea ankle boots and jeans, Balenciaga Part Time bag and denim.

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Shop more Balenciaga bags:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (classic style also on sale!)

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Dress: Jeanswest grey snake print maxi dress
Shoes: Ikwetta 'Circles of life' sandals (C/O)
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet

Why I wore it:

We went out for dinner in the evening with hubby's family, so I figured I'd wear one of my 'dressiest' dresses for the occasion. I'm trying to plan out the month so I'm not left with something completely inappropriate to wear near the end! Dinner out seemed like the best time to wear such a formal dress.

We weren't doing much earlier the day though, so I tried to dress this down a little, and settled on the denim jacket and casual bag. I've been wearing my Balenciaga bags a bit lately!

This dress hasn't been worn much - it's been almost 10 months since I last wore it! It's definitely staying in my wardrobe though. I just don't wear it much as I keep it for more formal occasions. I think it's perfectly okay to only wear a floor length formal dress a couple times a year. I expect my 'everyday' wardrobe to get worn a lot more though!


Last week I shared about the Shopbop sale, so I wanted to share with you all what I bought too. I picked up a couple things, after feeling like treating myself as I ended up doing #noSpenderSpetember!

What I bought:

• Love Quotes knotted tassel linen scarf in sunshine yellow
• Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum

Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, denim jacket, snake print maxi dress, Ikwetta sandals, Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and a maxi skirt, snake print maxi dress at 39 weeks pregnant, Ikwetta sandals and a maxi skirt, pink Balenciaga sorbet city bag in the office.


Linking up with Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, Trendy Tuesday, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday.

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Corporate Style: Printed Dresses And Trench Coats For The Office

Easy corporate style for those 'I don't know what to wear' days, printed dresses! They are a great go-to outfit for any occasion, not just for office wear.

I picked these two dresses to wear as I felt it had been a while since I'd worn them.

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Cardi: Jeanswest Peggie kimono in purple mulberry marle
Scarf: Cotton On fuchsia pashmina
Dress: Jeanswest 'Melanie' paisley mixed print dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

It was little chilly in the morning, and this is quite a lightweight dress, so I added a purple cardi under my trench coat that you can kinda see peeking out in the first photo. Kept me warm at my desk too as the dress has short sleeves.

Hopefully I can re-create this look when the weather is warmer, without the trench coat as I really liked the cardigan and dress together. I thought the fuchsia pashmina complimented the purple well.


Last worn: black trench, pink pashmina, purple cardi, mixed print dress, ankle boots, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: trench coat and a pencil skirt, pashmina and a shift dress, purple cardi and jeans, dress in the third trimester, ankle boots and a maxi skirt, Balenciaga day bag and a maxi skirt.

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Shop more printed dresses at Shopbop:

Desk to drinks - printed dresses at Shopbop.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Dress: French Connection 'Fast Rhonda' dress in black/caramel
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (previously owned bargain here)

Why I wore it:

A warmer day so less layers - just a trench over this dress. I didn't add a scarf, because I find this dress a little tricky to wear a scarf with. I don't have many plain scarves, most are printed! Could have done with a scarf to keep me warm in the early morning, but wasn't too bad without it.

It's been a while since I last wore this Mulberry Bayswater bag too! I wore it in March, on my first day back at work after maternity leave. Overall, I've only worn this bag 21 times in the past 3 and a half years (my blog archive is great for finding out info like this!). The leather is extremely sensitive to water, even after I've waterproofed it with the same product I use on all my bags. It tends to get worn mainly for the office. It's such a classic style that will never go out of date though, and some days you just want a formal bag like this for work, so that's why I've held onto it.

I've got a more detailed review of the Mulberry Bayswater on my youtube channel.

Last worn: beige trench, printed sheath dress, camel flats, Mulberry Bayswater tote.

Other ways to wear: trench with orange and burgundy, printed dress with a printed scarf, ballet flats with a boho dress, Bayswater and a baby bump.


Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Style Sessions, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Whatcha Wearing, What I Wore today.



This post was created in partnership with Shopbop. Occasionally, Away From The Blue blog may receive vendor or brand sponsorships for mentioning their products or services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.

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Marc By Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby Pretty Nylon Diaper Bag : Review and Contents

First up, Shopbop are having a handbag sale! Get 20% off classic bags with code 'INTHEBAG'.

Shop the classic bags on sale at Shopbop.

The sale ends on 20th August so you have to be quick! A handbag sale is a perfect way to start a post about a handbag.


I've been using my Marc by Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby bag every day for over 14 months now, so felt it was due a review post. I thought I'd do what I used to do in the early days of my blog and share some more videos from my youtube channel.

When we started shopping for baby things, we checked out baby bags in every baby store, but hubby and I weren't too impressed with the options. They looked too small, too girly or both. We had always joked that I'd get a designer baby bag, so after a few weeks of unsuccessful baby bag hunting in person, I went to Shopbop! They have a great selection of baby bags.

Shop more baby bags at Shopbop

I read every review and did further research on ones that looked promising. A big part of that research was looking for youtube handbag videos, which is often my first stop before buying any bag. I like to know it can hold everything I need before I buy.


Of course I settled on the Marc by Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby bag, which is available in grey or black at Shopbop. I let hubby pick the colour, and then as soon as I had a coupon code, I bought it.

As I like to know what fits inside a handbag, I did a 'what's inside my bag for a newborn' video after using it for a few months to help others considering the purchase.

Now that baby T is a toddler, what I carry around every day has changed. I also bought some cute travel pouches that I use to organise the bag a little bit more, so everything has place and it is easier to find. I recently did an updated video showing what is inside the baby bag right now.

If you are looking to organise your own baby bag, or even your regular handbag, Shopbop also has some very cute pouches you can use. If you prefer decorating the outside of your bag, they have that covered as well!


Overall, I love the Marc By Marc Jacobs Eliza-A-Baby bag I bought last year. I'd highly recommend it. After constant use, you'd expect a few irritations to develop. In saying that, the only problem I have with this bag is that it holds so much, it's easy to over stuff it and make it too heavy to carry when you're holding a toddler too. Of course it's a positive as well as it means I can throw my things in there on days I don't want to carry my own bag!

Pros and Cons of the Eliz-A-Baby bag:

Positives:

• It's HUGE and holds a lot (I chose the 'pretty' version of the bag over the 'preppy' version because it had the softer sides and looked easier to keep adding things to)
• There are different ways to wear it (handles and a cross-body strap) so it's easy to wear while holding a toddler
• It's easy to clean
• The handles haven't stretched out with use
• The bag is so light, being made of nylon
• The material has held up really well with no scuffs or scratches

Negatives:

• It's easy to just keep adding things to the bag and make it too heavy to carry effortlessly.
• If you don't buy it on sale, it can be a lot more expensive than other bags on the market.

This post was created in partnership with Shopbop. Occasionally, Away From The Blue blog may receive vendor or brand sponsorships for mentioning their products or services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.

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

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

June Purchases:

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

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

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

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

Why I wore it:

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

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


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

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

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What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

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

Why I wore it:

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

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

Leaving My Wardrobe: Asos Aggie Black Ankle Boots

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

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

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

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

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Bright Tops and Different Denim - Skinny Jeans and Flares and May Purchases

A wrap-up of my May purchases and the second outfits with a couple of my April purchases, so some purchase reviews as well. I enjoy doing these. Wearing things twice in a month makes me think seriously about ways I can wear them before I buy, and reviewing how successful or unsuccessful I was at buying something I want to reach for in my wardrobe again and again is really giving me things to think about when I'm shopping.
I hope you're enjoying following along with my progress too! I recently did an interview with JORD watches where I talked about my goals and my shopping habits a little more. As well as gushing about baby T....

First up, May's purchases!

I planned to just get the handbag, but there were a few other things I couldn't resist! The 'fill a bag for $2' sale at the local op-shop (thrift store) means I have lots of new wardrobe additions!

• Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy
• Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry
• Thrifted H&M purple floral shirt
• Thrifted valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee
• Thrifted black Jeanswest maxi dress
• Thrifted JayJays teal paisley print maxi dress

And now, what I've been wearing.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers

Earrings: silver bird charm earrings (competition prize)
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace layered with Dogeared 3 Wishes stardust bead necklace and Nibbly Bits Abacus necklace in pop
Shirt: Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry (new purchase)
Jeans: Jeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
Shoes: Asos 'five star' leather sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle and silver tree charm bracelet (competition prize)
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

I'm so pleased to have this shirt at last! It's a new purchase and I have been looking forward to wearing it. A few months ago I tried it on in-store, and although it was 25% off, I decided to leave it and wait for a 40% off sale. Of course when the next 40% off sale rolled around, the top was sold out in my size online and in the couple of Jeanswest stores I checked. I was extremely pleased to see the last one in my size on the sale rack in the Brisbane city store when I went in to return something from an online order and decided to have a browse. I knew I had to have it! We were out for most of the day - lunch with my family and then dinner with DH's family, and this shirt was perfect. I just added a cardigan when we went out for dinner in the evening.
The rest of my outfit was coordinated with my sister for the 'dynamic duo' style challenge from the Fox in Flats style dare, with the black pants and Balenciaga bag.

Second time I've worn the black skinny jeans, so my purchase review:

I really like these! Just as much as the blue pair I have. I got these in the Jeanswest 40% off sale, and another pair of the regular skinnies. I wanted to replace my old black skinny jeans as I wasn't thrilled with the fit, so I donated them. I've been trying to be more critical and get rid of those jeans I have that just aren't right for me to reduce the size of my denim collection. Since that left me with no black denim in my wardrobe, I ordered two pairs to make my mind up between them.
I did think that it wouldn't make sense to have both a black and a blue pair of the prima denim jeans, both with the same zip detail...but these are the perfect length for me and the other black jeans I ordered I would have had to have taken up for my petite frame. So I decided to keep these instead of the plain ones, and I'm glad I did. I really like the prima denim range!


Last worn: Ray-ban Wayfarers, skinny jeans, leather sandals, Balenciaga part time bag. First time I've worn the top as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: skinny jeans with pinstripe button down, leather sandals with denim shorts, Balenciaga part time with neutral outfits (and a baby bump!).

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What I wore:

Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel

Top: French Connection black paisley printed empire top (with thrifted Cotton On yellow tank underneath)
Jeans: Jeanswest 'spoylt' flared jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine

Why I wore it:

This was a nice casual outfit for working from home and doing the day care drop off/pick up. I rediscovered this top when pregnant. Although I don't wear it much now, I used to wear it a lot. It never really looks great in pictures but I like wearing it so it is staying in my wardrobe.

The style challenge for the day was '70's situation' so like last time the 70's was a theme, I wore my flared jeans. Unlike the last time I wore these jeans, I enjoyed wearing them. Although the hem was really long worn with Converse and I did worry I'd trip up when holding baby T! I've taken the flares to the tailor now, I wear flats unless I'm in the office and so it doesn't make sense to keep these long enough to wear with heels, they will never get worn unless I shorten them.

It's the second time I've worn this top, so my purchase review:
I admit I was struggling to find a way to wear this tank twice within a month of buying it. It wouldn't have been so difficult if I had bought it earlier in the year when it was warmer. I bought it just as the weather started to cool, so layering it under tops is pretty much the only way I'll be able to wear it for the next few months of autumn and winter.
In saying that though, I'm glad I bought it, the yellow colour is so cheerful! I just hope it doesn't meet the same fate as all my other bright tanks that don't really get worn often. Perhaps buying something I already have a lot of wasn't a good idea, even if it is a really nice colour. I need to think a little harder about what I buy and be sure I really will wear it, not just think I'll wear it.


Last worn: paisley print empire waist top, yellow tank, flared jeans, Converse Chucks, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: printed empire waist top with skinny jeans, flared jeans with heels, mini MAC with a maxi dress.

Linking up with Fab Favourites, Casual Friday, Passion for Fashion, Budgeting Bloggers, Shoe and Tell today.

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

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

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

What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow sunburst necklace in silver and grey

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

Why I wore it:

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

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

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

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


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

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

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What I wore:

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

Why I wore it:

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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March Update and What I Learnt From a Wardrobe Detox

Thought I'd break with the standard outfit posts template to share my March wardrobe update. I made some purchases this month, and I got rid of a lot of things from my wardrobe. I even listed some on ebay! Also had my first session with a personal stylist, so I wanted to share what that was like with you all.

What I bought in March:

Emerson red skinny jeans (already worn here)
Jeanswest Bindi skinny 7/8 jeans in indigo luxe

Jeanswest 'Sierra' embellished black maxi dress (already worn here)
Jeanswest Elise longline emroidered shirt coconut blue
Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 Sleeve dusky pink blazer
Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Not bad considering the last time I bought clothes for myself was in December! You can tell I had a few Jeanswest gift cards to spend ;)

March was the month I returned to the office after maternity leave. As I did so, I got all of my old office clothes out of the 'for after baby' box they had been hiding in and - honestly - started to get quite frustrated that I didn't really have any space for those things in my wardrobe. The slow and steady wardrobe clear-out process got a bit more focused and ruthless over the month. There are so many considerations and emotions around going back to work, and tackling my wardrobe at such a time was probably not the best idea in hindsight. I was just getting more frustrated trying to turn my wardrobe into something that would work for my new lifestyle. So I called in the professionals! One of my instagram friends (@sophisticatedmumma) recommended a personal stylist who lived near me (@istyl). I've been thinking about having someone help me with my wardrobe for a while, and facing a big lifestyle change with returning to work after maternity leave seemed like an ideal time to get an expert!

If you are thinking about getting a personal stylist to come help you with your wardrobe, do it! If you're wondering, I always disclose my sponsored posts. This is not one of them. This is all my own words and I paid for the services with my own money. I didn't even mention that I was going to blog about it. The wardrobe detox was not as stressful as I expected, and was actually really fun. It helped that baby T and Cooper were on their best behaviour and that Maudie was happy working around baby and his needs through the day. She was a superstar.

What I learnt from my wardrobe detox:

• Babies never nap as long as you expect them too!
• You will be trying on lots of clothes so you want to dress appropriately (maybe matching undies) or set up a little hidden spot to change if you're feeling modest. Dancing around the room half naked asking for a little help struggling to pull off a pair of stubborn skinny jeans / needing to fix a zipper caught halfway up a dress might happen more than once.

• There are certain colours you can wear that can make you look incredible, and some that wash you out.

• If your wardrobe is full of colours that don't make you look your best, there are a few tricks you can employ to get around this. It isn't about buying a whole new wardrobe, but learning how to make what you have work for you.

• You'll never really comprehend how much stuff is in your wardrobe until you start going through it all.
• It is extremely frustrating realising just how many 'perfect for nursing' tops you had hidden in your wardrobe, after you've stopped breastfeeding.

• You will come up with the craziest justifications to explain oddities in your wardrobe. (Like why each and every one of your 14 grey tees is a complete essential and different from all the rest.) Thanks for humouring me Maudie!

• A wardrobe detox is very emotional. Saying goodbye to old pieces, and re-discovering old favourites. You might feel compelled to tell stories of when, where, and why you bought things. It's a trip down memory lane.

• Even you will be surprised with how stubborn you can be on keeping some pieces....and how happy you will be to toss others.

• If there are things you just have to have despite the expert opinion saying it doesn't work for you, you can get ideas of different ways to style the items to make them work a little better.

• Even an overflowing wardrobe can have 'gaps' in it.  It is really helpful to know what things you should look for next time you are shopping, and what you should avoid buying more of. (Like jeans!)

• Sorting things into piles of 'keep', 'tailor' and 'toss' is so much easier with an impartial third party helping.

• It's never about you. You look amazing. Your clothes might not be working to show off your best self. And that can be easily fixed.

• Hearing sincere and flattering compliments is always a good boost, especially after having a baby.
• Some things you might be considering getting rid of can stay and become stand out pieces in your wardrobe very quickly when you know how to wear them.
• Finding out why things make you look and feel good will help guide your shopping for the better.
• A few hours, a bin bag full of cast-offs and a little bit of wardrobe reorganisation can make such a positive difference.

If you're in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast I'd recommend Maudie as an awesome personal stylist. If a wardrobe detox isn't in your budget, try inviting a friend over and getting an honest opinion on some of the things you own. It's so helpful getting another view. I know some bloggers have check lists or flowcharts or things to help you do your own wardrobe detox too. Please feel free to link up any great advice you have or have come across in the comments.

As a result of my little spring-cleaning before my wardrobe session and a very productive couple of hours during it...there are a bunch of things that have left my wardrobe this month. I've included pictures of just some of them below, as they didn't all have a 'last wear' outside. You can find a few things on ebay. I'll be listing more as I find the time, and the rest will be donated to the Animal Welfare League shelter to end up in their op-shops.