Ruffle Dresses for the Office with Chloe Paddington Bag

If I like something I'll buy multiples of it. While I'm a bit more discerning now and I wait until something has proved its worth in my wardrobe before I buy another version of it, there are a handful of pieces in my wardrobe that I bought different prints of at the same time, like these dresses!

These ruffle dresses were purchased at the same time and both are must-haves in my wardrobe. While they are identical styles, just different prints, I find them both useful additions to my wardrobe. Neither of them are breastfeeding friendly so they have been packed away while I was on maternity leave. They are perfect for the office though and it's been good to get them out again. I decided to wear them with a little worn bag, my Chloe Paddington.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 sleeve dusky pink blazer
Necklace: Zanele 40 handmade rope necklace
Dress: Jeanswest ruffle neckline animal print dress
Shoes: Acne pistol boots in "skin"
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'spot my shoe style' so I decided to wear my favourite boots, my Acne Pistol ankle boots. Last time I wore these to the office I really enjoyed wearing them again. While they have a high heel they are so comfortable, and I had no issues wearing them last time on a quiet day in the office. This time round I ended up unexpectedly rushing around the office to and from meetings in these and by the end of the day I was wishing I'd picked flat shoes! My feet were comfortable, but my weak knee, used to wearing flats during pregnancy and on maternity leave, was a little sore as they are quite tall.

Knee problems aside, I loved everything else about this outfit. The pastel pink blazer works perfectly with the print on the dress, and it was fun carrying my Chloe paddington again. It was my first ever designer bag purchase, over 10 years ago!


Last worn: blush pink blazer, ruffle printed dress, Acne Pistol Boots, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: blush pink blazer and olive tank, ruffle printed dress and red accessories, Acne Pistol Boots and bodycon dress, Chloe Paddington bag with graphic tee and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: blush blazer and maternity pencil skirt in third trimester, printed dress hiding 4 month baby bump, pistol boots in third trimester, Chloe Paddington in first trimester.

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Ruffle Detail Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket
Necklace: Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace
Dress: Jeanswest deep pink ruffle neckline dress (updated version recently released)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

The colour of this dress is always so hard to capture! It's a really berry pink, looking hot pink and red in different lights. I thought the fun yellow statement necklace would look great with it, and the embellished blazer kind of has stripes on it for the 'team stripes' style challenge that day.


Surprised to look up and see that the last time I wore this dress was over 2 years ago though! No idea why it's been so long between wears.

I was wearing my trusty gold mouse flats instead of heels, which was definitely needed. As I shared on my Insta stories, daycare lost a lovey/comforter/snuggly whatever you want to call it. As we didn't have a backup, I had to rush around the city stores at lunch time trying desperately to find a replacement. Without any luck sadly! I was more than a little annoyed, especially as it's not the first time I've made this frantic shop!

Thankfully I liked my outfit, even if I did go home empty handed with no replacement cuddly toy. Daycare eventually found it again a couple days later. And we also now have a back up one!


Last worn: jacquard blazer, ruffle detail dress, gold mouse flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: jacquard blazer and maxi skirt, ruffle detail dress and purple bag, gold mouse flats and skinny jeans, Chloe Paddington bag and printed pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard blazer in second trimester, mouse flats and maternity wrap dress, Chloe Paddington in second trimester.

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Where To Buy a Chloe Paddington Bag:

While the Chloe Paddington is no longer in production, there are plenty of trusted places to get it second hand!

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How You Can Wear It:

Need a quick and easy outfit for work? Grab a pretty dress and add a blazer and your fave bag, simple and professional!
If you're buying multiples of clothes for work, dresses are a good option. Different prints and colours make it look like a whole new outfit, even if they are the same style of dress, like the two in this post.


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Plain Henley Tops, Printed Jeans and Cosy Cardis: Winter SAHM Style

A plain top, printed jeans, a neutral cardigan and Converse makes an easy stay at home mum winter outfit.

I have a few long sleeve henley tops I packed away with my winter things that I've been trying to make an effort to wear again. In the last official month of winter I'm not sure I'll have many more chances to wear them!

What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On black knit wrap cardigan

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
Top: Jeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt
Jeans: Portmans pink leopard print skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

If you saw my Insta stories you might know I was lucky enough to be given a few new teething necklaces by Dee from Nibbly Bits. This peach feather pendant is one of the ones I got, it goes nicely with a lot of outfits. I've shared my love for teething necklaces before, so I'm thankful to add some new ones to my wardrobe!

I love these pink leopard print jeans - I tend to wear them with grey a lot as I like pink and grey together but they look just as good with other neutrals like this black Henley. I actually ended up taking the cardigan off during the day - we went out to the local Quandamooka festival. While I didn't try a BBQ roo, croc or emu kebab we did enjoy walking around and meeting some of the boys' friends from daycare.

Unfortunately our lovely morning out turned into a stressful afternoon with an unexpected doctor's visit for Baby Boy - I was grateful for having the teething necklace on as it kept him amused in the waiting room.


Last worn: black belted cardigan, black henley top, pink leopard print jeans, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag.

Other ways to wear: black belted cardigan and skater dress, black henley top in the office, pink leopard print jeans with blue and yellow, white Converse and maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag and chambray.

Perfect for pregnancy: cardigan and hidden early baby bump, black top in second trimester, leopard print jeans in first trimester, Converse and maternity shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maternity maxi dress.

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Black and Grey Cardigans Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Scarf: star print pashmina
Top: Jeanswest 'Aubrey' pintuck yoke henley in deep teal
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

A busy day! It was a little chilly in the morning when I wore this so I added the scarf. I thought this one wouldn't compete too much with the print on the jeans. While I loved the pop from the teal henley with the black and grey, I wasn't too sure about the scarf. Kept me warm though so met its purpose!

Had our local ABA meeting in the morning, but sadly we had to leave early to go to another doctor's appointment for baby boy. It's a shame as it was a good discussion topic too - talking about birth experiences and the first breastfeed. While my baby days are behind me, I think birth stories are fascinating, so many different ways our little ones make their arrivals into the world!


I'm so incredibly lucky to be able to return to work part time, but I am finding it difficult on my days off to cram everything in - the time goes so quickly! I know we will hit a rhythm soon. With winter coming to an end hopefully we will have less sickness and doctor visits too. I love our GP and everyone there at the surgery but it would be nice not to see them all so often.


Last worn: wool cardigan, star print scarf, teal henley, Sass & Bide printed jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag (above).

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and tall boots, star print scarf and shirt dress, teal henley and chambray skirt, Sass & Bide printed jeans worn two ways, Converse and purple jeans, Rebecca MInkoff Love cross body bag and blue kimonos.

Perfect for pregnancy: star print scarf in second trimester, teal henley and maternity pencil skirt, Converse for second trimester travel, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maxi dresses in third trimester.

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Printed Jeans Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

If you're not sure what to wear with a printed piece, go plain! If you have a pair of printed jeans, dress, or top, pick a simple basic to wear with them. In this case, I picked two plain henleys. One a nice neutral black against the colourful print, and the other a pop of teal colour with the black and grey.



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Black Printed Dresses and Mulberry Bayswater: Winter Office Outfits

I've always loved printed dresses for work. A dress is an easy instant outfit, quick to pull together and a print adds a little extra interest. Don't let the winter weather put you off either! Add fleece lined tights to your dress, a cosy trench coat, scarf and maybe even a cardigan too.

Below I'm wearing an old favourite dress in a new way, and a new-to-me dress I got from my Grandma's wardrobe. It was good to get my Mulberry Bayswater out again too, it's been packed away for over a year and a half while on maternity leave as I use it as an office-only bag.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo

Scarf: Alexander McQueen Azure wool skull scarf
Dress: Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second-hand and cheaper here, or here)

Why I wore it:

This Leona Edmiston dress is an old favourite, perfect for the office. I liked how the loose lower half worked nicely in pregnancy too, from hiding an early baby bump to fitting a second trimester belly. After not being able to squeeze into the outfit I'd planned to wear the week before, I was grateful to have this in my wardrobe as I knew it would definitely fit!

When I've worn this dress in the past I've usually picked pink accessories to wear with it, tying in with the pink in the fern print. I thought I'd try it with blue instead for a bit of a change, I liked it. Since I was trying a new colour combination, I kept the shoes and bag neutral.


Last worn: navy mac jacket, wool skull scarf, fern print dress, Marc Jacobs flats, Mulberry Bayswater tote.

Other ways to wear: navy mac jacket and printed jeans, wool skull scarf and teal top, fern print dress and pink accessories, Marc Jacobs flats and colourful jeans, Mulberry Bayswater tote for casual Friday.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed dress in second trimester, Mulberry Bayswater and third trimester bump.

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Black Printed Jersey Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Supre neon pink leopard print scarf
Dress: black and white knit dress from my Grandma's wardrobe
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second hand and cheaper here, or here)

Why I wore it:

My mum bought this dress back from a visit with my grandparents at the start of the year. It's labeled to be 3 sizes larger than I usually wear, but we are all fairly certain the label is wrong. It's a lovely knit dress, so perfect for winter.

I wanted to add a little colour to the outfit and was hunting through for a scarf when I saw this neon leopard print one hasn't been worn yet this year I thought it was ideal. I figured it was far enough from the fun blurred black and white print on the skirt to work.

Still not completely sure on it looking at the photos now, but I did feel happy and comfortable in this during the day.

I'd love to wear this dress with heels too - being petite, midi lengths like this can sometimes make me look shorter than I am. I considered getting this hemmed but not sure I want to loose the slight scalloped edge that's there at the moment, so I'll just try it with heels next time.


Last worn: camel trench, neon leopard print scarf, gold mouse flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above). First time I've worn the dress as it's a hand-me-down from my Grandma's wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: camel trench and jeans, neon leopard print scarf and grey tee, gold mouse flats and skinny jeans, Mulberry Bayswater and orange dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: trench coat in the first trimester, scarf hiding a first trimester belly, mouse flats and maternity pencil skirt, Mulberry Bayswater and wrap dress in second trimester.

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Black Knit Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A classic little black dress works for so many occasions. Just like a plain dress, a printed dress is perfect for the office. A dress is an instant pull-on and go outfit that you don't need to think too hard about accessorising with. You can definitely have fun and try different accessories with it though, especially in winter when you pull most of the layers off when you get to your workplace anyway.


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Printed Tanks, Cardigans, Colourful Bags & Skinny Jeans

First, Jeanswest are having a 40% off everything sale for members! Online and in store, ends Sunday!

I've mentioned before I'm happy to keep my summer pieces out and wear them year round. On a mild winter day (which is most winter days in Brisbane to be honest) all I need is a cosy cardi on top and it's perfect.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry (Currently 40% off everything, including knitwear!)

Necklace: For King & Country Priceless Australian coin and crest necklace
Tank: Jeanswest 'Rowena' print tank (Currently 40% off everything!)
Jeans: Jeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans (gifted, currently 40% off jeans!)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')

Why I wore it:

First wearing of these new jeans! I was lucky enough to know someone doing the $5 challenge who saved more than they expected and decided to surprise people by using the money to treat them. (Can't share who it was as they are surprising multiple people!). I said I didn't need anything with my no-buy challenge, but there is that loophole where if someone else buys it for you it's not breaking the challenge! 😉

I went into Jeanswest, just for a look, and saw these jeans which were the perfect candidate to replace my old (10 year +) grey jeans I wasn't entirely happy with. I prefer a higher rise now. Super excited to have something new in my wardrobe, although it does mean saying goodbye to these old jeans. They had a good run and hadn't been worn a lot recently - I can see very few times in the past few years I've had the blog anyway.

As this was a quiet day, just a couple errands and grocery shopping, I decided to try something I'd been thinking about for a while and pairing the similarly coloured magenta bag and cardigan together. I actually really liked the combination! It was good to get this old tank out too. It hasn't been worn in a while after outgrowing it in pregnancy.


Last worn: purple cardigan, animal print tank, bow ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag. First time I've worn the jeans as they are a recent gift.

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and chambray dress, animal print tank and denim shorts, bow ballet flats and flares, Balenciaga magenta day bag and breastfeeding dresses.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cardi in first trimester, printed tank hiding 20 week baby bump, magenta day bag and novelty pregnancy tees in third trimester.

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More Printed Tanks Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Paper Scissors grey wrap cardigan

Tank: Emerson crochet lace bib print top
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (C/O, on sale!)
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs pearl, howlite and hematite beaded bracelets and black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in blue!)

Why I wore it:

A much more colourful printed tank in this outfit! :) The last time I wore this tank it was the height of summer and despite the heatwave we headed out to see Thomas the tank engine at the rail museum.

Although it was winter this time around, I ended up swapping my thick wool cardigan for this thinner one, as it looked like it might warm up. It was again a hot and sunny day, I was pleased I picked the thinner cardigan! I loved this tank, bag and cardigan together when I wore it with flares so I knew I'd like the combination again with different jeans.


Had a lot of fun with the boys running around the museum and playing with all the Thomas toys, and it was good being able to take a picture in the same spot with the same tank but a different season! Just goes to show you don't have to put all your summer tanks away when winter arrives.

Same tank, different seasons! https://t.co/TPNLX0YdEh @liketoknow.it #liketkit #LTKStyleTip pic.twitter.com/b9WG1U5nDS

— Mica (@AwayFromTheBlue) July 3, 2017

Last worn: grey drape cardigan, printed red crochet detail tank, Nobody Denim skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff studded saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: grey drape cardigan and flares, printed tank and striped maxi skirt, Nobody Denim skinny jeans in monochrome outfit, Converse and a dress, Rebecca Minkoff studded saddle bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed tank in second trimester.

How You Can Wear It:

Your summer printed tanks can still be layered up and worn in winter with a cosy cardigan. Layering with printed pieces doesn't have to be tricky. For a neutral printed tank, try a plain block colour cardigan like in the first outfit. Neutral layers work well with a textured and colourful printed tank too. Monochromatic greys and black like in the second outfit make a colourful printed tank really pop.


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Grey and Pink: Tees and Printed Jeans

Another grey tee post! In the final month of #6monthsWithoutShopping, I'm often feeling uninspired and picking something to wear and create outfits from like my grey tees or graphic tees is a good way for me to come up with outfits. Grey and pink is a colour combination I like to wear often, and both these outfits with my printed jeans show that nicely.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peri drape sleeveless jacket (on sale!)

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale, 20% off!)

Why I wore it:

Starting to get a little too chilly now for short sleeves - winter weather has arrived in Brisbane. It was a milder day when I wore this though and I didn't need any extra layers. Had a busy morning with baby boy's weekly weigh and a doctors appointment and then spent some time with my mum and sister in the afternoon.

While I have tried wearing other prints with these fun Sass & Bide printed jeans, my favourite way to wear them is with plain basics like this grey tee. The monochrome outfit felt a little dull until I added the pink vest for a bit of colour, along with the bright teething necklace.

These chevron print jeans were perfect to meet Shea's Live Your Best Life for Less style challenge prompt of 'printed bottoms' too.


Last worn: pink vest, grey v-neck tee, chevron print jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: pink vest worn two ways, grey v-neck tee and red kimono, chevron print jeans worn 2 ways, black ballet flats and pleated skirt, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: grey tee and maternity pencil skirt, black ballet flats and maternity wrap dress, mini MAC and maternity dress.

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Printed Jeans Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop

Tee: Atmos&Here grey Arizona zip tee
Jeans: Portmans pink leopard print skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

Wore this to go to my local ABA mother's group. As it was a little cooler and raining on this day, I wanted something long sleeved so had a rummage through my box of winter things. This grey tee is one I've pulled back from the donate pile before. It's got zips on either side of the hem (that you can kind of see in the second photo) but I still worried it was a little dull for winter. I'm glad I kept it around as it pairs well with other brighter colours to make winter layering easy!

The pink leopard print jeans are always fun to wear, and met Shea's Live Your Best Life for Less style challenge of 'leopard spring brights' with just one item. Even though it's winter here in Australia, I've had fun with the prompts as I can usually find something that matches to wear in the cold. It's no secret I like pink and purple together, so the purple bag seemed like a good choice, especially when worn with the teething necklace.


Last worn: grey zip detail long sleeve tee, pink leopard print jeans, gold mouse flats, purple mini MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: grey long sleeve tee and shorts, pink leopard print jeans and graphic tee, gold mouse flats and printed dress, purple mini MAB tote bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: loose tee hiding an early baby bump, mouse flats and maternity wrap dress, purple mini MAB tote and maxi dress in second trimester.

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More Grey Tees Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A grey tee is a great wardrobe basic, but your outfits don't have to be basic when you wear it! Try adding more interest with a pair of printed pants, or a scarf. A grey tee is a great pairing with a statement printed piece like leopard print. You can also add another layer, like the pink vest, for a little colour pop against the grey tee.


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Statement Jeans, Prints, Yellow Teething Necklace

While I am trying to move away from a blue denim rut and embrace some other kinds of clothes in my wardrobe, there's no denying that I love jeans as an easy go-to outfit option. I do try step away from the blue by buying and wearing other kinds of jeans as I wear them a lot being a stay at home mum. As well as colourful jeans, I'm happy to have a few statement jeans in my wardrobe.

What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Wilma teething necklace in pale daffodil
Top: Dorothy Perkins 3/4 sleeve wrap top
Jeans: Portmans pink leopard print skinny jeans
Shoes: Asos 'five star' leather sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'gratitude' and while I'm grateful for a lot of things, I decided to celebrate the fact that the slightly cooler spring days gave me another change to wear this long sleeved top. While the wrap design happily means it's perfect for breastfeeding, the longer sleeves mean I probably won't get to wear this much more this year as spring draws to a close.

I like blue and pink together almost as much as I like blue and purple so the pink leopard print jeans were a good choice. I've worn them with a blue top before too and I liked the combination just as much then as I do now.

Added the bright teething necklace at the end to help keep baby boy occupied. Spent some time with my mother in law in the afternoon.


Last worn: blue wrap top, pink leopard print jeans, pastel sandals, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag.

Other ways to wear: blue wrap top and chambray skirt, leopard print jeans and blazer, pastel sandals and a maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag and maternity pencil skirts.

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Sale Alert!

Shopbop have a surprise 40% off sale on selected items. It's on now, for 3 days only!

Shop the 40% off items here.

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What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Wilma teething necklace in pale daffodil
Tank: Atmos & Here Oregon stripe tank
Jeans: Sass and Bide 'Three Words' metallic gold jeans
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'because I can' which gave me the perfect excuse to wear these statement metallic skinny jeans on a quiet weekend. While these jeans don't look as bright in the photos as the leopard print ones above, I feel these jeans are really statement making when I wear them. I often have to think a few times before coming up with what to wear with them. I still have a lot of fun wearing them though so they are definitely staying in my wardrobe. Plus I think the likelyhood of finding another pair of metallic jeans to replace them if I change my mind later is pretty low!

Stripes are a great go-to when you're not sure what to wear too, they go with everything! I picked the brown Balenciaga day bag as it's a great neutral and I felt like I hadn't worn it in a while.


Last worn: striped tank, metallic skinny jeans, Havaianas, Balenciaga Autumne day bag.

Other ways to wear: striped tank and maxi skirt, metallic skinny jeans and printed shirt, Balenciaga Autumne day bag and flares.

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Leopard Print Scarves, Skinny Jeans and Plum Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag

As it's spring now in Brisbane I'm aware that I'm not going to have a lot of opportunities to continue to wear my scarves. While I love scarves I do find them tricky to wear year-round, especially with the high humidity. I'm enjoying wearing my big blanket scarves for the moment while it hasn't fully warmed up yet.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Top:  Jeanswest 'Marina' stripe henley
Jeans: Jeanswest 'shale' super skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pastel and on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day I wore this was "this is what I found" and I had been hunting for my bright purple jeans. While pregnant last year, we boxed up a lot of things to empty our house a little in preparation for selling it. I figured I wouldn't need my pre-pregnancy clothes for a while so packed a lot of them away with no particular organisation. Since we didn't get our perfect house and house-hunting still hasn't gotten us anywhere, I'm a bit unsure where everything is! I didn't find the bright purple jeans I was looking for but I did find this grey pair with a bit of a purple tint.

Since I still felt like wearing purple I grabbed the purple leopard print scarf and Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag for accessories. I really liked this outfit in the end! Even though it wasn't what I had in mind at first I really enjoyed wearing it. I've worn the jeans and top together before too.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, leopard print scarf, striped henley, grey skinny jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: leopard print scarf and leather jacket, striped henley and printed shorts, grey skinny jeans in the office, black ballet flats and flared jeans, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote and a pink maxi dress.

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Sale Alert! 

Jeanswest have up to 70% off in the end of season clearance sale!

Jeanswest ship internationally and as well as some lighter pieces on sale they have a lot of fall-appropriate things for my northern hemisphere readers! :)

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle

Scarf: Cotton On animal print scarf in blue
Top: MEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo
Jeans: Jeanswest Super Skinny Jeans in Mid Indigo
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black or silver!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore to venture out of the house for the first time in a couple days after the boys and I were recovered from the flu! I went into the city with the boys to visit a friend and stop by my office to see some colleagues. Afterwards I had a wonderful chat with a new friend.

If you've followed along on my blog (or twitter) for a while you'll know I volunteer at Life.Church, an online church. My team leader got in touch to say that she had a friend who also works at Church Online who has a niece that's visiting Australia. Since the niece was in Brisbane and the boys and I were feeling better and up to meeting people I emailed her and we had the chance to talk over coffee.

The funniest thing about catching up with this relative of a friend of a friend was how perfectly timed it all was. I'm not sure what God had in mind for our meeting but I really enjoyed it, and we kept marvelling over the way things worked out.

• I'd never usually meet up with a stranger, especially with the boys tagging along, but I was in the city that day anyway dropping by the office so it made sense to meet.
• If it had been a few days earlier I would have been too sick to catch up. 
• While we were talking a little about where she was staying I realised I'd checked out a house in that street - she had just moved and was living 5 minutes from us! It meant I could have her round for dinner before she left that weekend for a newly accepted au-pair job in Sydney. 
• Her new job requires her to look after a little boy around the same age as toddler T, so she could prep a little by playing with him. 
• When organising dinner I mentioned one of my food allergies - she has the exact same one and (like me) hadn't met anyone with it in person before! 

While she's left Brisbane now, she's got a few people in Sydney from Church Online to catch up with too.

Being able to meet with someone from Arizona I'd never know about if it wasn't for my friend at Church Online, and to have so many things happen just the right way for us to connect blew my mind a little! I'm so grateful for my church. I can't wait to see what God does in my new friends life during her Australian trip.


Last worn: purple cardigan, blue leopard print scarf, navy breastfeeding tank, skinny jeans, gold mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag (above).

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and maxi dress, leopard print scarf and a white top, navy breastfeeding tank and a baby bump, skinny jeans and a trench coat, gold mouse flats in the office, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag and denim shorts.



Don't forget to enter the giveaways I have running! Enter to win $100 for a JORD Wood watch or $50 for that baby/toddler essential, diapers. They end this week!


Linking up with Mix it Monday, Turning Heads, On Trend, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, Midweek Inspo, What I Wore, Fresh Fashion.

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