What I Bought: Recent Wardrobe Updates & How I've Worn It

I don't usually buy a lot in winter - I have plenty of winter pieces in my wardrobe to see me through the few weeks of cold weather we have in Brisbane. But this June and July I bought a few pieces, and felt it was time for an overdue wardrobe update!

What I Added to My Wardrobe Recently:

• MIMCO Mim-Mazing crossbody bag in black and light gold

• thrifted Les Tropeziennes Par M.Belarbi leopard print and gold leather sandals
• thrifted Anko Kmart black strappy sandals
• thrifted Seed Heritage tan braided sandals 

• thrifted no label blue checked smock sundress
• thrifted Cotton On The High Rise Skinny Jean black coated denim 
• thrifted NWT Beginning Boutique Sahara red-orange maxi skirt

• Kmart denim short sleeve button front midi dress (gift from Mum)
• Kmart basic purple tee (gift from Mum)

How I've Worn It:

I was hoping that I would have had some more opportunities to layer up the summer dress and maxi skirt I bought recently, but it has been very cold in Brisbane, so one wear each is all I have achieved. I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month that I buy it, but definitely wasn't able to achieve that with the very summery things I bought. I know I will get a lot of wear from the sandals when the warmer weather arrives, but I'm sticking to boots and sneakers for the immediate future!

I went out on an early Christmas shopping trip with my mum and sister but my mum let me take everything she bought me home early, so I was happy to add this beautiful denim maxi dress and the cute purple tee to my wardrobe. I am always looking for more basic colourful tees, this purple one will work so well with everything else in my wardrobe.

Looking forward to warmer weather to rewear my summery opshop finds, and to get the sandals out!

The bag is easily my most worn piece as I bought back in June but never got around to sharing the purchase on the blog then. It was one of those "special little treat" impulse purchases that I love. I'd been admiring my sisters bag for a while, then a MIMCO sale, some expiring credit card rewards and a very illness-filled winter had me adding it to cart to cheer myself up. I love it! I like that the Mimco brand uses leather from tanneries that are part of the Leather Working Group so it's a bit more sustainable than other brands I've bought bags from before. (Although preloved will always be the most sustainable way to get leather!)

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What I Bought In November And How I've Worn It

My shopping usually slows down near the end of the year as I focus on finishing off my Christmas shopping, but I got lucky at the opshop in November and picked up two cute coverups for myself while looking for some books and clothes for the kids.

What I Bought:

• thrifted no label leopard print cover up with waist tie
• thrifted Shein black floral print cover up

These were complete impulse buys. I'm always on the look out for more kimono jackets and cover ups to add to my wardrobe when opshopping! I have a lot of basic shorts and tees and these are the perfect topper pieces to provide a bit of sun protection without overheating. And for $1 each from my favourite opshop I didn't even hesitate to buy them.

How I've Worn It:

With only buying two pieces this month, and pieces that I know work so well in my wardrobe, it was easy to hit my goal of wearing each of these items twice in the month I bought them. I do have a few floral print cover ups, and a dark floral print cover up already, so it was maybe not the most thought out buy, but the leopard print one is super soft and a completely different print from anything else I have in my wardrobe. Happy with both of these buys!

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What I Bought In October & How I've Worn It: More Opshop Finds!

After not buying anything in September, I was back to my opshopping habit in October, and bought a few pieces. Some impulse buys, but also some pieces I'd been thinking about for a while, so a mix of purchases!

What I Bought This Month:

• Kmart short sleeve cotton modal tee in tulip pink
• thrifted Marcs navy lurex detail foil tee
• thrifted Target crew neck tee washed coral red
• thrifted Kmart short sleeve cotton modal tee in black

• thrifted Stella McCartney Falabella fold-over tote in midnight black

• Nobody Denim mustard short shorts
• thrifted ruffle hem leopard print midi skirt
• thrifted JayJays white maxi dress

Why I Bought It:

As I mentioned above, I've been visiting the opshop a bit recently, as the declutter continues at home. I'm also heading there first rather than heading to the retail stores when the kids need things, like special dress up things for events at school. And I can never resist browsing for myself! The maxi dress was a complete impulse buy for sure, as I have so many dresses already, but the others were a bit more thought out.

Crossing Items Off My 'Maybe One Day' Wish List

It was one of those trips focusing on things for the kids after donating a few items that I stumbled across this amazing Stella McCartney Falabella bag. I could not believe that it was authentic, and just $30. Such a lucky find! Especially as I've been searching now and then for a Falabella online, always wanted to try one! I'm thrilled with this splurge, hidden away in the corner of the opshop.

I also scored a cute leopard print midi skirt that's really more of a maxi on me, that is similar to one I tried on and regretted not buying in Target a while back. Very pleased with this as I've been keeping an eye out for a similar skirt for a while!

The one thing I didn't get to see in person before buying, the Nobody Denim shorts, were an ebay purchase, such a bargain for that brand. I'd been watching the listing for a while and eventually decided to go for it. However I didn't check the measurements and they are a bit shorter than I'd normally wear. Perfect for the hot almost summer-like spring days we have been having though!

Focusing On Basics:

With the multiple visits to the opshop, there have of course been multiple purchases! I've been focusing on being selective and adding more basics to my wardrobe after my big declutter though. So I picked up a few basic tees that are perfect for the mix of life right now with a few office days, a few working from home days, and relaxed weekends. 

How I've Worn It:

A last minute opshop dash for another school event that crept up on me and needed a themed outfit for the kids meant a little browse at some of the women's clothes on my way out, and I stumbled across even more tees. And just ran out of time to wear them all this month! Everything has been worn once though and I know the tees that haven't been worn twice will easily achieve that goal in the 4 weeks after buying it, as I aim for with everything I buy.

The Stella McCartney Falabella bag was definitely the most worn purchase of the month, at 8 wears.

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What I Thrifted In August & How I've Worn My Opshop Finds

Just like back in July, I feel I have been shopping a lot in August too! I have been making more trips to the opshop, as we declutter at home and reorganise, to donate things we no longer need, and of course browsing leads to buying!

What I Bought:

• thrifted black scoop neck H&M tee
• thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress
• thrifted red denim shorts
• thrifted pastel pink and wooden bead necklace
• thrifted chartreuse necklace

Some of these things were impulse buys - the dress and tee I thought were good basics I couldn't pass up! I definitely have a couple black tees already, and a few printed sundresses, but I could easily rationalise adding another when clothing is $1 each! I'm always on the lookout for more of these wooden statement necklaces too, I feel they work well with outfits in my wardrobe and it's nice to have lots of choice when I am picking a necklace to add to my outfit. As it's spring now in Brisbane I'll be wearing more necklaces than scarves so these will get a lot of wear.

The red shorts were actually something I'd been wanting for a while, couldn't believe when I stumbled across them in the opshop. I have a few pairs of denim shorts, but I'd like to have more than the classic blue wash so have been on a look out for red shorts for a while. I've actually been able to wear them in August too, although it's technically winter, it really started feeling like spring early in Brisbane.

How I've Worn It:

How I'm Tracking With My Spending Goals:

This month I had more success wearing all the things I bought twice, as the weather has been so warm. I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the month I buy it, to make sure things really work for me and my wardrobe. And I easily achieved this this month. I think the blush necklace is the standout, being worn 4 times this month.

I have been buying a lot, although as it's mostly preloved opshop finds, I'm still well under my budget this year. I've been revamping my wardrobe a bit and selling old pieces at the markets so I'm more open to buying things and less strict when considering purchases. And also, honestly, I like browsing the racks at the opshop and once I find something it's hard to say no! More browsing time always leads to more buying for me.

There is the drop off in the 30 wears posts I used to do each month as with refreshing my wardrobe and buying so many new pieces, I haven't hit 30 wears as often. I know that things leaving my wardrobe are being put to use - on the racks at the opshop generating money for a worthy charity, or being sold to a happy customer at a market. They aren't just filling up space in landfill, just no longer pieces I reach for that are going onto new homes. I'm not giving up on my 30 wears goals! Just revaluating my wardrobe a little and making some changes that mean I have less pieces I've achieved 30 wears with, for the moment.

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What I Bought In September From The Real Real, Ebay and Kmart

Mid-October is possibly a little late for sharing what I bought in September, but dealing with school holidays and sickness at the end of September meant a little delay in putting this post together.

Since my last splurge all the way back in March, I haven't bought any fashion items at all. It has been a busy year, but I am impressed I could go without shopping for so many months - after it was such a challenge to try 6 months without shopping in 2017! Definitely made up for my lack of purchases over the past months with a couple of impulse buys!

What I Bought:

• Rebecca Minkoff olive mini Darren
• Rebecca Minkoff yellow mini 5 zip
• Silver chain handbag strap
• Kmart long sleeve black tie neck dress in floral wisteria print

As you can see in the videos above, I had a lot of fun picking out a couple handbags for myself when doing some Christmas shopping!

I also bought a bag strap I could use just for my Marc by Marc Jacobs bag that I'd been using straps from other bags in my collection with. And then I stumbled across a $25 dress reduced to just $2 at Kmart and scooped that up! With the warmer spring weather I have been wearing a few more dresses lately, and it will be so easy to get a good cost per wear with a $2 dress! I've already worn it twice, so it's $1 per wear without trying hard.

How I've Worn It:

I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month that I buy it, which was a little trickier last month when I bought a few things close to the end of the month and then we had to stay home for a while thanks to getting sick on the last week of school. Giving myself a pass on not hitting my wear twice goals for that reason! While I have worn everything I bought at least twice, it wasn't all twice in September.

The little mini Darren bag has been worn a lot - it's been great for days I don't need to carry much other than my phone, car keys, and sanitiser.

How I'm Tracking With My Budget:

In 2021 I spent just $580.36 on clothes and accessories. I knew I was never going to spend less than that this year, so I set myself a goal of spending less than $1,000 on fashion this year. I'm still under that budget, but getting close! With the last months of the year and all the extra sales coming up I'm hoping I can stay under the $1,000 budget I set myself.

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Blue and Pink: Jeans, White Tee and Scarf Outfits With Blush Darren Bag | Weekday Wear Link Up

For today's Weekday Wear Link Up, sharing two magenta and black outfits with my blush pink Darren bag and blue scarves. 

Sometimes I'm organised enough to plan outfits in advance, which is what I'd done here. However it was such cold and windy mornings the week I'd planned to wear these outfits I had the choice of saving them for another day or adding a scarf. Went with the last minute scarf addition to both outfits to give me that little extra warmth, rather than planning out all new outfits in the morning rushes to get out the door in time for school drop off!

What I wore:

 

Jacket: Cotton On Leah kimono in Juddy floral cerise
Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs bright blue stole
Tee: Atmos & Here white essential v-neck tee
Jeans: thrifted Jeanswest faded black cropped butt lifter jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony (more affordable preowned!)

Why I wore it:

I've never tried to wear a scarf with this light long sleeve kimono before! I'd planned this outfit for a Monday during a very warm weekend afternoon so when I woke up to a cold and windy day I decided to give a scarf a try. I think this really worked, although the cosy scarf and light jacket do contradict a bit - the cobalt blue matches the leaves in the floral print so well I felt so happy wearing them together.

I liked the colour combo of the blush bag with the magenta jacket too, and of course a white tee and black jeans go with everything!

Such a good outfit for the school run, working from home, and then school pick up in the afternoon.


Last worn: floral print kimono, Marc Jacobs scarf, white v-neck tee, faded black skinny jeans, black Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Darren bag.

Other ways to wear:  floral print kimono and shorts, Marc Jacobs scarf and dress, white v-neck tee and shorts, faded black skinny jeans and double denim, black Converse and striped dress, Rebecca Minkoff Darren bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Darren Messenger Bag Review:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Kmart striped maxi cardigan
Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl navy Silver foil print tree scarf
Tee: Cotton On The One Deep V tee in marle nep white body black 
Jeans: Sass & Bide The Winning Day Lovestate jeans in magenta
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony (more affordable preowned!)

Why I wore it:

Despite the day being a lot windier than the one above, I was actually really warm in this outfit and took the scarf off after helping in my son's classroom in the morning. I had a busy day, with the school run, working from home, and all the last minute shopping and preparation for my son's party the next day. I think all the running around was what kept me warm, more than the outfit, as this long sleeved striped duster isn't the thickest material.

Was the perfect outfit for a busy day though - I liked the extra colour from the blue scarf, and again this is a magenta and black outfit with the black and white stripes and magenta jeans. Just as in the first outfit, I thought the blush pink bag was a nice pairing with the brighter magenta pink. Again I wore my black Converse, as I had a lot of running around to do!


Last worn: striped maxi cardigan, white tee, magenta jeans, black Converse (above), Rebecca Minkoff peony pink Darren (above). First time I've worn the scarf as it was a Christmas gift.

Other ways to wear: striped maxi cardigan and dress, white tee and printed jeans, magenta jeans and blazer, black Converse and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff peony pink Darren and sundress.

Perfect for pregnancy: black Converse in third trimester.

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How You Can Wear It:

Jeans and a tee can still work in winter, just with a few extra layers like a long sleeved kimono or cardigan, and of course a big cosy scarf. A scarf is a great way to add more colour to your outfit too.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #174

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

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What I Bought In February: Opshop Haul

I managed to get a lot more opshopping done in February than I usually would! The start of the school year was delayed by 2 weeks in Queensland because of high Covid cases so instead of coming back from the summer holidays in January the kids started school in February. It meant I ended up with a few kid free days while all the opshops around were open after their summer breaks. Perfect opportunity for some good, lengthy opshop browsing!

Unfortunately there was a bit of a laundry incident with my first opshopping day haul - a scarf I'd thrifted leaked colour onto everything in the wash. So I did buy a few things more than I'm sharing here. As they got damaged when the colour ran and I couldn't restore them despite trying two different colour run removers, I added them to my bag for the H&M fabric recycling project instead. I'm not including them in my fashion budget for the year as they didn't get worn, and are no longer wearable pieces after my laundry disaster!

Here's what I did buy in February and didn't destroy!

• thrifted no brand navy grid print scarf $6
• thrifted Eb&Ive black wooden bead multi strand statement necklace $5
• thrifted Ghanda midi slink skirt in green mini blossom $1
• thrifted Kmart pastel soft culotte shorts in floral print $1

A pretty modest haul given all of the opshops I visited over a few days, but while I saw a lot of pretty things I am trying to focus just on buying pieces that I can wear a lot of different ways and that will work in my wardrobe. Even if the preloved prices are so attractive! While the clothing pieces were just $1 each, the accessories were more expensive and the scarf and necklace account for more than half of the $13 I spent.

How I've Worn It:

I have a rule I set myself after doing a wardrobe clear out pre-kids and realising I had so many unworn, still with tags on pieces in my wardrobe. Everything I buy I have to wear twice in the month I buy it. The obvious piece that didn't meet this rule is the scarf - being a winter piece, I'm not going to be able to wear it in summer. I'm giving myself a pass there as I wear a lot of blue scarves and I know I will be reaching for this more when the weather cools. I still think it was a good buy even if I haven't been able to wear it yet. And thankfully this blue scarf didn't cause the colour run!

I'm pleased I manage to hit my wear twice goals with all the other things I bought though - although February was a short month it was easy to work these pieces into my current wardrobe. The shorts and necklace were sure winners, as I already have the same pieces in other colours in my wardrobe already! The midi skirt was a bit of a departure from my usual styles and I admit I struggled a little with finding ways to wear it and didn't love both outfits, but it's good to try different things and I'm hoping I can continue to get a lot of wear from it.

How I'm Tracking With My Budget:

As I didn't make any fashion purchases in January, not even in the January sales, I've only spent $13 this year so far, on the haul above. A good start to the year, especially as I don't see myself having a lot of opportunities for shopping in the near future, as I've started back at work 5 days a week for the first time in years! After I returned to work from maternity leave with my eldest I went part time and I've been part time ever since, until this year.

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Note: 

I missed the opportunity to add to the post that went up on Monday as it was pre-scheduled - but I'm adding to this post now. South East Queensland (and parts of NSW) were inundated with water over the weekend. Some areas got 80% of their annual rainfall in 2-3 days. If you can, please consider donating to the flood relief effort. https://www.redcross.org.au/floodsappeal/

We avoided flood impacts but we were flooded in. We are luckier than many of our neighbours, their homes went under, just 200 meters away from us.

Currently flooded in but thankful to be safe and dry still 💙#brisbane #qldfloods pic.twitter.com/83emVuHnDa

— Mica (@AwayFromTheBlue) February 26, 2022

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Wardrobe Additions And Yearly Fashion Spend For 2021! Fashion Resolutions for 2022

Since I had fun doing this post last year, I'm looking back on this year's fashion purchases too, seeing how I stuck to my 2021 budget, and setting some fashion goals / resolutions for the year ahead.

What I Bought & How Often I've Worn It

I was surprised to look back on what I bought in 2021 and see that I bought just 26 items, as I felt I shopped a lot! It does average out to nearly an item every 2 weeks so it's not such a low shopping year. I focused on accessories and more second hand shopping, and with continuing to work from home most of the time and dress casually, I added a lot of denim and tees to my wardrobe.

Opshop and Preloved Buys:

• thrifted Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr Q Convertible clutch in electric violet - 4 wears
• Rebecca Minkoff Love Too in deep teal croc embossed leather - 16 wears
• Chloe small Ethel bag in light khaki (most expensive purchase of the year) 15 wears
• Rebecca Minkoff quilted jumbo Love bag in cobalt - 7 wears
• Chloe small Paddington in 2006 blanc - 6 wears
  
  
• thrifted rust ruffle tiered skirt - 4 wears
• Nobody Denim Piper vacation skirt in black distressed denim - 4 wears
• thrifted Target black stretch denim skirt - 2 wears
• Target navy and white striped shift dress with frill sleeves - 3 wears
• thrifted Kmart short sleeve godet skirt linen blend dress fuchsia - 3 wears
• thrifted Jeanswest black cropped butt lifter jeans - 0 wears, December purchase
• vintage Haneli metallic gold knit jumper - 2 wears
• thrifted blue Kmart stich detail knit - 0 wears, December purchase
  
  
• thrifted Mix Apparel clover designer inspired necklace - 4 wears
• thrifted gold large double circle necklace - 3 wears
• thrifted orange bead statement necklace - 2 wears
• thrifted purple wooden bead statement necklace - 3 wears
• thrifted Eb&Ive turquoise wooden bead multi strand statement necklace - 1 wear
• checked purple pashmina scarf - 0 wears, December purchase

Things Bought New:

• Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed red clay - 2 wears
• Cotton On The one fitted v tee in eddy stripe white / red terracotta - 3 wears
• Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed summer mango - 4 wears
• Cotton On The One fitted v tee in washed poolside blue - 4 wears
• Nobody Denim Cult high rise skinny ankle jeans in charred grey - 2 wears
• Kmart white chunky platform sneakers - 7 wears
• Mimco D-Vine medium wallet in balsa - countless uses!

The most expensive buy was the Chloe small Ethel bag in light khaki, which was $120 preloved, and the cheapest item I bought was $1 - a lot of the thrifted things were just $1 each, even the jeans. 

There were some surprises with what I bought this year in terms of how frequently (or infrequently!) things got worn. I was on track to have everything worn at least twice, as I have the "wear things twice in the month I buy them" rule I put in place to make sure I'm actually buying things that work for my wardrobe and life right now. But then I went to the opshops in December with my son to check out their special sale and picked up a couple of things, including winter pieces!  There was no chance of me wearing everything before the end of the month. I figured for $1 each though I could break my wear twice when I buy it rule. As you can see above the winter pieces I bought in the middle of summer definitely have no wears, although after Christmas I did squeeze in some wears of the more summery pieces I thrifted in December.

Surprisingly the most expensive buy, the Chloe Ethel, is only the second most worn piece I bought this year, the Rebecca Minkoff Love Too bag was worn one time more for a total of 16 wears.

December Opshop Haul:

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Fashion Spend For 2021 - Over Budget!

My spend in 2020 was the lowest it has ever been in the years I started tracking, $483.59. This year despite trying to spend as close to that figure as possible, I spent more than that. It means that for the first year since I've been tracking it, it's the first time I've increased my annual fashion spend on the year before. In 2021 I spent $580.36. That's $96.77 more than last year.

This total includes $235 of gift card spend. So $345.30 minus the gift card spend, but I always include gift card spend in my total each year.

Despite spending almost $100 more this year than last year, I bought fewer items. I think that the high number of bags I bought is the reason for that! While I bought less things, I spent a bit more on the bags I did buy.

Fashion Resolutions For 2022

Spend Less

Much like last year I'm a little unsure what to set my budget for in 2022. Again I'd like to have an under $1,000 fashion spend (which I achieved in 2021) but I'm not sure if I'd be able to spend less than the $580.36 I spent in 2021. It's a good goal to aim for though!

Shop Second Hand More

I really liked the sustainable fashion balance I had this year, with fewer things bought new in retail stores and more preloved finds from eBay and the opshops. I'd like to have a similar or even better balance in 2022, and continue to shop second hand more often. Second hand fashion is the most sustainable way to shop. It's also better for my budget goals, and for the environment!

Buy Less

In terms of items to add to my wardrobe wish list, I don't really have any! I think it will be a varied 2022 with what I buy, whenever I get lucky with preloved finds and make some impulse buys. I don't have a list of things my wardrobe really needs at the moment, so it will hopefully be another year of under $1,000 spending, and a year I buy less than 26 items. I haven't bought anything in the boxing day or January sales either, when I usually buy a lot, so starting off with no spending is a great way to start the year.

What was your spend like in 2021? Do you track your fashion spend and set fashion resolutions?

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Accessorising Pink and White Shorts And Tee Outfits: Blue Kimonos and Pink Bags

Wearing some easy pink and white shorts and tee outfits with blue kimonos and pink bags. To make it look a little different each time I swapped around the tees and shorts, so it was a white tee and pink shorts one day and a pink tee and white shorts the next week!

What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On Alana Wanderlust kimono in floral mood indigo
Necklace: blush pink and gold beaded tassel necklace
Tee: Atmos & Here white essential v-neck tee
Shorts: thrifted pastel pink cotton shorts
Shoes: New Balance white and blue sneakers
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony (more affordable preowned!)

Why I wore it:

Wore this back on the last day of summer to go shopping with my mum - she had some things to buy and there was a Leap Day Sale on at Myer so we went out to shop up a storm. Didn't find anything that I had to have for myself but did manage to pick up some Lego sets for the kids birthdays this year - at 30% off I stocked up!

I felt this white tee was overdue a wear and figured a day of shopping was probably an okay time to wear it - I try to pick days where there is less likelihood of me or the kids spilling something on myself! Unfortunately I did have soup for dinner, thankfully the soup stains washed out!

The blush necklace I have been wearing quite a bit lately - it pairs so nicely with the blush pink shorts! The peony pink Rebecca Minkoff small Darren bag was another bit of matchy-matchy. I wasn't sure if it would be too much with this outfit at first but with the blue printed kimono on top I think it separated the pinks nicely and it was a great accessory to wear.


Last worn: blue printed kimono, blush tassel necklace, white v-neck tee, blush pink shorts, New Balance sneakers, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag.

Other ways to wear: blue printed kimono with Bermuda shorts, white v-neck tee and pencil skirt, blush pink shorts and denim jacket, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren and dress.

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My Favourite Balenciaga Bag In My Handbag Collection:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On 'Gemma' cocoon kimono in Laos blossom navy print
Necklace: Kmart navy and gold beaded tassel necklace
Tee: Cotton On deep v tee in washed desert rose
Shorts: thrifted Emerson white Bermuda denim shorts
Shoes: New Balance white and blue sneakers
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

Just like the outfit above, it's a pink and white shorts and tee outfit, but this time I wore white Bermuda denim shorts and a pink tee instead to swap the colours up. I thought this navy floral kimono worked really well with the pink tee, and I've not worn the two together before. I have worn the tee and shorts together before though!

I thought a pink bag would work well with this, just like the first outfit above, and I needed a bag big enough to carry mine and my son's water bottles in so I didn't have to carry the baby bag too. This sorbet pink Balenciaga city bag was perfect, even if it is a different shade from the pink on the tee and the pink in the floral print of the kimono, I thought it complimented it well.

Wore this for a busy way with the school drop off and pick up, a doctors appointment (just a repeat script one, nothing serious!), attempting to grocery shop during the toilet paper shortage which is surprisingly still continuing weeks later... and logging in to work for a can't miss meeting. Thankfully we managed to buy everything we needed despite some bare supermarket shelves, and sticking a few episodes of Bluey on kept the kids happy after school while I joined the afternoon meeting! Unfortunately the tassel on my necklace fell off in the morning, but I'm hoping I can repair it (it's not the first time it's broken sadly).


Last worn: navy floral kimono, navy and gold tassel necklace, raspberry pink tee, white Bermuda denim shorts, New Balance sneakers (above), Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: navy floral kimono and jeans, raspberry pink tee and maxi skirt, white Bermuda denim shorts worn two ways, Balenciaga sorbet city bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy floral kimono at 39 weeks, Balenciaga sorbet city bag at 37 weeks.

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Blue Kimonos Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

White is a go-with anything staple colour that you can use to balance out more colourful pieces in your outfit. With blue printed kimonos and pink bags, a neutral white pieces is a great base to build your outfit around.


Linking up with Monday Runway.

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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!


Linking up with Mutton Style, On Mondays We Link Up, Ageless Style.

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Printed Tops, Black Pencil Skirts and Balenciaga Day Bags

With the warmer spring weather, I had some lovely spring weather outfits planned to wear my new shoes. Unfortunately we were in for a wet week, and I didn't want to ruin my new shoes in the rain. So I went back to basics for workwear, with black pencil skirts and printed tops.

What I wore:

Earrings: Ana Luisa 'Olivia' tassel earrings in pink (giveaway prize)
Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Top: Target ruffle sleeve dog print blouse
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

You know I love a bit of matchy-matchy! This magenta Alexander McQueen skull scarf and Balenciaga day bag are frequently worn together. With the purple outlines on the dashounds on my top, it felt like a great matchy-matchy outfit for the office. Kept the rest of my outfit simple with the black pencil skirt and the black ballet flats.

Did end up regretting this outfit in the afternoon though! Around lunch time the rains arrived and I was very cold and wet by the time I got home after work that evening. Probably should have picked tights or a cosier jacket (I just had a blazer in case any meetings came up).

Despite the less than perfect weather conditions, I did like this outfit. I even had a rare opportunity before the rain started to pop out for lunch and have a browse at the Jeanswest store in the city.

Had fun yesterday trying on some of the new dresses at #Jeanswest in my lunch break! Decided to buy a new dress for Christmas this year, been a while since I have! Dresses are on #sale too! Get 30% off: https://t.co/KleQLQQYHA pic.twitter.com/oVDMBKEGEG

— Mica (@AwayFromTheBlue) October 12, 2018

Last worn: Ana Luisa earrings, roses print skull scarf, dachshund print top, black pencil skirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, magenta Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear: roses print skull scarf and striped dress, dachshund print top and burgundy pants, black pencil skirt over a dress, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and olive pants, magenta Balenciaga day bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: roses print skull scarf in third trimester, dachshund print top in first trimester, black pencil skirt in second trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in second trimester, magenta Balenciaga day bag in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Day Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Dixie collarless jacket
Earrings: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Tank: Jeanswest 'Ricky' ruffle front top in midnight
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

I didn't like this outfit as much as the one above. It was something I'd picked as a second choice because of the forecast rain which meant it was already off to a bad start! I wasn't sure about this boucle blazer and the polka dot print tank, but in the mirror that morning it looked good enough for me to pick the boucle jacket over a plain black blazer. When I reviewed the photos later though I regretted my decision - a plain jacket would have looked better over this.

Bad jacket choice aside, it was an otherwise okay outfit. The Balenciaga day bag doesn't look as nice with it as I thought as the shades of blue are so different, but it's definitely not the worst thing about this outfit! I really don't know why this top is worn so little, I get compliments when I wear it and it is always so fun to wear.


Last worn: boucle jacket, statement earrings, polka dot ruffle tank, black pencil skirt, Marc By Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Balenciaga tempete Day bag.

Other ways to wear: boucle jacket and a-line skirt, polka dot ruffle tank and jeans, black pencil skirt for YouTube creator day, Marc By Marc Jacobs ballet flats and striped dress, Balenciaga tempete Day bag and printed shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: boucle jacket in second trimester, polka dot ruffle tank in second trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, Balenciaga tempete Day bag in third trimester.

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Black Pencil Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A black pencil skirt is a corporate office wardrobe essential! It's so easy to throw on a printed top with a plain black pencil skirt and feel ready for work. As you can see from my lessons above though, it pays to put a little more thought into the weather for the day and your accessories when picking such a straightforward outfit!


Linking up with Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Style On The Daily.

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