Finishing Frocktober: Boho Dress, Jeans and A Tee. Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote

My final October outfit! I had a bit of a backlog of outfit pictures before I started the Frocktober challenge, and I wanted to post them before I started sharing all of my Frocktober outfits. Mainly because it's a nice timeline of the development of the baby bump. Thanks for sticking with me while I wrapped up posting the old outfits.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Dress: Jeanswest 'Chelsea' printed dress
Belt: Asos skinny pale pink belt
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes pink clic clac and purple Salvatore Ferragamo 'Vara' leather bow bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in blue!)

Why I wore it:

My favourite dress to finish up Frocktober! Just a relaxing Saturday, spending some gift cards we found that expired that day, and going out for lunch.

It was an interesting challenge. If it had been one of the instagram style challenges I like to play along with, I would have given up a long time ago! It was only because I'd set myself a #31Days31DifferentDresses to fundraise for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation that I kept going, as so many people had generously donated to encourage me.

I did a Frocktober wrap up post here. There were some outfits I loved, some I hated, and despite hoping I'd be able to clean out my wardrobe a little by getting rid of dresses that no longer worked for me, so very few dresses actually left my wardrobe! With many generous supporters, I managed to triple my initial fundraising target and raise over $600 for such a good cause. Thank you.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarers, boho print dress, pink belt, Balenciaga sandals, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: boho print dress layered up for autumn, pink belt with a LBD, Balenciaga sandals and a back maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote with a maxi dress.

---

Shop more Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bags:

---

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Tee: Kisschasy the final roar band tee
Jeans: Jeanswest maternity super skinny jeans in antique blue
Shoes: Big W purple thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus House of Harlow sunburst wrap bracelet in cobalt
Bag:  Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in mint!)

Why I wore it:

I was so excited to wear my maternity jeans after Frocktober! I wore my jeans and pants as much as possible in the early stages of my pregnancy with the help of a belly band, but I was really missing my maternity jeans. I knew as soon as I wore them the secret would be out, especially here on the blog, and I wanted to keep the secret to myself a little longer.

It was so good to wear these - comfortable and practical for a morning at playgroup with the toddler. I wore my Kisschasy band tee I'd picked up at their final Brisbane concert too. Toddler T and I both wore our graphic tees!


Last worn: Ray-Ban wayfarer (above), Jeanswest maternity jeans, purple thongs, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the tee as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: maternity skinny jeans and a newborn, purple thongs and shorts, purple Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote with a black dress.


Linking up with Fab Favourites, Flashback Fashion, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Modest Monday.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Frocktober: Blue Printed Dresses - Work and Weekend with Gold Necklaces

For the final days of the Frocktober challenge, I'd saved some of my favourite blue dresses to wear. I'm sharing dresses 29 and 30, for work and weekend. I wore them both with gold necklaces!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket
Necklace: House of Harlow Dynamic necklace in gold
Dress: Jeanswest Aztec print dress
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

Last time I wore this jacket (pre-Frocktober) I wore it with blue too, and the same accessories! I really like the jacket and the dress, so although they are both 'busy', I wanted to wear them together. It looked much better than the last time I tried to wear this jacket with a blue printed dress I think!

This dress is one of my favourites for work, and I'd saved it for near the end as it fit in the third trimester last time so I knew I'd definitely be able to wear it in the second trimester.

Wore this to MC a Frocktober frock fashion parade at work. Wearing my favourite colour, blue, always calms me and wearing a dress I'm happy and confident in even with a growing baby bump helped me be a little less nervous, as I hate public speaking. All the 'models' did so well, took the attention off me so I could relax a little more and we raised a lot for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, which was wonderful!


Last worn: metallic boucle jacket, gold glitter belt, Aztec print dress, Asos Chelsea ankle boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran.

Other ways to wear: boucle jacket casually with a maxi skirt, gold glitter belt and a maxi dress, Aztec print dress in the third trimester, Asos Chelsea ankle boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran with a pencil skirt.

---

Shop more gold necklaces under $100:

(some of these would be great Christmas gifts!)

---

What I wore:

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)

Dress: Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
Shoes: Ikwetta 'Circles of life' sandals (C/O)
Bracelets: the usual plus House of Harlow sunburst wrap bracelet in cobalt
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum

Why I wore it:

I had to save a maxi dress for near the end of the challenge! It's been a few months since I last wore this dress too, as I last wore it for toddler T's first birthday party!

I wore this during the day, my sister and I took toddler T out for a morning of fun. We went to rhyme time at the local library, and spent a while inside an indoor playgrounds (I carried a pair of socks for me in the baby bag for that, as you have to wear socks). We had lunch together then took a very tired but happy toddler home to nap.

In the evening, I got changed into yet another dress! I hadn't had a chance to wear it during the challenge, was keeping it as one that would work for the office if I ran out of dresses, so it was good to squeeze in a wear. My sister and I went out to see one of our favourite bands we loved growing up, doing their final gig in Brisbane. I've shared my love for Kisschasy before, and they did play my favourite 'Strings and Drums' song as part of their set. It was a bittersweet show.


Last worn: blue printed maxi dress, Ikwetta sandals, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: blue printed maxi dress for a Christmas party, beaded sandals with a leopard print dress, purple bag with a black maxi dress.


Linking up with Wednesday Wearables, Pleated Poppy, Style Me Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, What I Wore, Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Fun Fashion, Weekend Link Up.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Frocktober: Printed Dresses, Sun Hats, Rebecca Minkoff MAM Bag. Weekend Wear

Two more Frocktober dress outfits. Some colourful printed dresses for the weekend, where we spent time out in the sun so my trusty sun hat was needed. I balanced out the bright prints with a neutral bag.

I spent October wearing a different dress every day to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. While I shared a picture every day on instagram, I'm just a little behind with blogging what I wore. I'll temporarily be back to blogging 3 times a week to get through the backlog of daily dress photos.

What I wore:

Hat: Big W bow detail sunhat

Dress: Asos red leopard print dress with dipped hem
Belt: C/O Poppywinkle brown weave belt
Shoes: Ikwetta 'Circles of life' sandals (C/O)
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes Kelly double tour bracelet in rubis
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey | Shop more Rebecca Minkoff bags

Why I wore it:

Had been planning to wear a maxi dress, but decided to wear this cute red leopard print dress instead. We are hosting a frock swap in the office to raise more funds for Frocktober, and I figured I could bring this dress to the swap. Wanted to give it one last wear before I did so. It's ordinarily a very flattering cut, but doesn't look the best with a baby bump. Belting it higher over the bump helped a little. I did enjoy wearing this out to a school fete, but I'll take it to the swap anyway and see if there is anything on the racks I prefer more.

I have a little red dress, I have a animal print dress, not really sure if I then need another that combines both of those things! I've gotten 9 wears out of it in the 3 years I've had it, so it's not as frequently worn as my other dresses. If there's one thing that Frocktober is showing me it's that I own many more dresses than necessary, I need to start getting rid of some! Swapping an old one for a new-to-me one is a good start.


Last worn: sunhat, red leopard print dress, braided belt, Ikwetta sandals, Rebecca Minkoff grey MAM.

Other ways to wear: sun hat and denim shorts, red leopard print dress and a striped bag, braided belt with a shirt dress, Ikwetta sandals and a maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff grey MAM and a maxi skirt.

---

Although the Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag (MAB) has been continued, there are still some great Rebecca Minkoff bags available (including the 'sister' of the MAB, the MAB tote!).

Get these Rebecca Minkoff bags at Shopbop.

1: Rebecca Minkoff clutch bags | 2: Rebecca Minkoff satchel bags | 3: Rebecca Minkoff tote bags

You can find some Rebecca Minkoff bags in the 40% Shopbop sale on right now too!

---

What I wore:

Hat: Big W bow detail sunhat
Necklace: House of Harlow 5 station necklace in black and silver
Dress: JayJays feather print maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs (on sale!)
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey | Shop more Rebecca Minkoff bags

Why I wore it:

This was the maxi dress I had planned to wear the day before (above) when I picked the red leopard print dress instead. Was perfect for a morning out at a family friendly festival. This dress is one of the ones that the stylist suggested should leave my wardrobe during my wardrobe detox session. I know that I do have plenty of maxi dresses, but I refuse to let this one go. I'm much too attached to it. It's one of the older pieces in my wardrobe - so old I can't remember when I bought it - so I'm going to end up wearing it until it falls to pieces I think! It's one of those pieces that always works and looks great: pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, post-pregnancy and now in pregnancy again.

Same accessories as the day before. The sun hat protects my face and shoulders nicely from the sun on a day out and the grey bag goes with everything. I have no idea why Rebecca Minkoff discontinued this style, the MAM is a wonderful bag. There are still lots of cute Rebecca Minkoff bags (and I certainly own a few!), I just haven't found anything similar to the MAM.


Last worn: sun hat (above), feather print maxi dress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff MAM (above).

Other ways to wear: sun hat for sightseeing, feather print maxi dress on the beach, Havaianas and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff MAM in the office.



Linking up with Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday, Flashback Fashion, Friday Favourites, Passion For Fashion, Fab Favourites.


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.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Frocktober: 31 Days, 31 Different Dresses. Prints and Marc By Marc Jacobs Bags

Getting around to blogging my Frocktober outfits now! (I've been posting everyday on the #Frocktober2015 tag on instagram). For a while my posts will be nothing but dresses.

What is Frocktober?
Frocktober is a month where you can set yourself a challenge involving a dress (or dresses) to raise funds and awareness for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

Why fund-raise?
One woman dies every 10 hours from ovarian cancer. There is no early detection test, so people are often diagnosed when it is too late and the cancer has spread.

What's the challenge?
There are 31 days in October, so for Frocktober I've decided to wear a dress each of those 31 days. To really challenge myself, I'm going to be wearing a different dress every day. #31Days31DifferentDresses. Makes it a little less boring and repetitive on the blog here too, and I'm hoping along the way to identify a few of my many dresses that no longer need to stay in my wardrobe.

How can I help?
I would love for you to donate - you can donate through my fundraising page here (I have a goal of reaching $200). It's not too late to get on board yourself either! What about a girls night in/out or a morning tea in your office, where everyone has to wear a frock and make a donation to the cause?


Now, kicking off my Frocktober outfits.

What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer

Necklace: old pink bead necklace I don't recall where I bought it
Dress: Jeanswest animal print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

My first frock: this lovely Jeanswest printed one that I like wearing to the office. Paired with a blazer as it was a little chilly in the morning, and it's good to have my shoulders covered from the cold air conditioning at work. I've used this dress in the past to hide a second trimester baby bump in the office, and was pleased to find it hid the early second trimester bump this time around too.

I knew I hadn't worn this dress in a while, but didn't realise it had been over a year and a half! I am definitely keeping this in my wardrobe, but I need to get rid of some other dresses so this comes up in the rotation more frequently.


Last worn: Zara blazer, animal print dress, metallic mouse flats, Marc Jacobs Fran bag.

Other ways to wear: Zara blazer and flared jeans, animal print dress in summer with orange and yellow, mouse flats and jeans, Marc Jacobs Fran bag and printed pants.

---

Shop more Marc by Marc Jacobs Bags:

---

What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket

Dress: Rivers Aztec print dress
Belt: brown weave belt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots (on sale here!)
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Little Ukita bag in Rock Lobster

Why I wore it:

A more casual outfit for my second dress of Frocktober. This one again, hasn't been worn in a while. it's been a little over a year since I last wore it. It's cute and comfortable and really should be worn more! It was perfect for a hot spring day. Toddler T and I spent the morning visiting family on the coast and then had lunch with my mum.

I thought the denim jacket looked nice with this, although I took it off pretty quickly as the day heated up. This jacket only really seems to get worn in spring, so I'm making the most of it now before it's neglected in my wardrobe over summer!


Last worn: denim jacket, Aztec print dress, black ankle boots, Marc Jacobs Lil Ukita bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and a maxi dress, printed dress with yellow accessories, black ankle boots and skinny jeans, Marc Jacobs Lil Ukita bag and a maxi skirt.


Linking up with The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Shoe and Tell, Let It Shine, More Pieces of Me, Sincerely Jenna.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Different Ways to Wear Too Short Shift Dresses - When Online Orders Are Shorter Than Expected!

First wearing of my new Balenciaga bag! As expected, I love it just as much as my blue one. Also my first attempts at wearing some too-short dresses.

Choies gave me the chance to order this striped dress for free, and they also threw in another dress as a gift. I was between sizes so went with my usual 'order a size larger to be safe', and also because I thought the extra length would be good. Being petite, I find that sometimes things that look short on the models are actually an okay length on me, but there is no harm in having an extra centimetre or two.

Both dresses arrived, and are lovely, but as I shared on instagram, they are much too short! So I've had to come up with other ways to wear them. Thought this post might be helpful for others who have received too-short dresses they can't return or that aren't worth the cost of returning. It's also a good reminder to check the length measurements before ordering something and not just the bust and waist!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest brown marle waterfall cardigan
Dress: Choies white tile print shift dress (C/O)
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga truffle RH classic day bag (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

I thought I'd try wear tights with this to make myself a little more comfortable with the short length, but I really wasn't comfortable in this at all! I think I should have picked a longer cardigan, that had the length in the back I felt the dress was missing whenever I bent down to pick up toddler T.

I've also mentioned in the past that I can't wear tights with the compression bandage I have for my injured knee. It's designed to keep the muscles warm, so I have to wear it under clothing so it's right next to my skin and it gets a bit warm through the day. When I add tights, it's just much too hot. I thought this day would be okay though as it was cold and rainy....nope. My knee got so hot so quickly. I couldn't wait to take this off! A bit of an outfit fail all round.

How would you wear this dress differently? I was thinking maybe as a bikini cover up for the beach...


Last worn: brown cardi, tan ankle boots. First time I've worn the bag and the dress.

Other ways to wear: brown cardi and skinny jeans, ankle boots and skinny jeans, blue Balenciga day bag and a summer dress.

---

More shift dresses under $50:

---

What I wore:

Cardigan: Jeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Dress (worn as top): Choies monochrome stripe shift dress (C/O)
Jeans: Jeanswest 'spoylt' flared jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga truffle RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

After the outfit fail the day before, I knew I'd need a bit more coverage with this dress! While it does have the right length in the back and even in the front, it has curved hems so it comes up short on the hips. I belted it like a tunic over jeans. It would look better with skinny jeans, but I can't squeeze the knee bandage under them.

I really liked this outfit though! I felt happy and comfortable all day. I really like the way the dress looks belted, and I wasn't worrying about what it looked like from behind every time I bent down as I had jeans on underneath. It's a really comfortable cotton, which helps as it feels good to wear. I'm thinking this would look nice worn as a top and tucked under a skirt too...I can see lots of other ways to wear this dress. Definitely a winner, even if I don't wear it as a dress as it was intended!


Last worn: purple cardi, flared jeans, ballet flats, Balenciaga day bag (above). First time I've worn the dress.

Other ways to wear: purple cardi and a maxi dress, flared jeans and heels, ballet flats and a wrap dress, blue Balenciaga day bag and stripes.


One last thing before I finish today's post: this Sunday is Father's Day in Australia, so I hope everyone has a lovely weekend with their family. Jeanswest were kind enough to send me this beautiful Malrvern check shirt for DH, and as baby T has a cute little shirt from Jeanswest to wear also, I know there will be one very fashionable and adorable duo this Sunday! I'll try get a photo of them together and share it on instagram, @awayfromblue.

The 30% off Jeanswest sale that I mentioned in my last post has been extended this weekend! So if you're looking for something for yourself or even a last minute gift for Father's Day, the sale is now on in store too as well as online.


Linking up with Fab Favourites, Friday Favourites, Passion For Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Favourite Fashion, Fashion Friday, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Hello Monday today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

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.

---

Shop more printed dresses at Shopbop:

Desk to drinks - printed dresses at Shopbop.

---

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.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

Corporate Style: Fit and Flare Dresses ~ Winter Layering

Two simple fit and flare dresses for the office, layered up with some colour for winter. I took these photos without my trench over the top so you can see the layering better, but winter mornings are especially cold so I still needed a jacket. I do like being able to show all of the layers for photos instead of hiding them under a jacket, but it's much colder this way...probably will go back to wearing all my layers and staying cosy for pictures!

What I wore:

Scarf: Seed Heritage Paisley print snood (on sale!)

Tee: Valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Had to brave photos in the cold without my jacket so you could see the blue tee underneath! This tee was one of my May purchases, and I just managed to wear it twice in June. I took these photos in the last week of June, I'm just a bit behind in blogging. I had planned to wear it sooner, but having to stay home and look after an unwell baby meant I was just waiting for another chance to wear this outfit! I was pleased I got to wear this eventually, I much preferred this outfit over the last time I wore this dress.

So since it's the second time I've worn this tee, my purchase review:
I'm pleased I bought this. I used to have a wide range of layering tees like this and I ended up donating them as I had much more than I would ever wear. I think the last I ever wore one was back in 2013! However I noticed the gap this winter, pieces like this are great under dresses to add some colour and keep warm. Plus with the fill a bag for $2 sale at the local 'op shop' and a bag full of clothes for baby T, adding in an extra top didn't cost me any more. I'm pleased I got it and although I don't wear this style of top very often I'm glad I have it for those occasions I do want something like this. Happy with this purchase, even if it's not the kind of thing I need to wear everyday.

The difficulty with wearing this top twice in the month after buying it made me re-evaluate and return some of my June purchases too. While plain, bright coloured tops are a gap in my wardrobe, I don't need more tops, I have plenty! So I'm definitely going to be buying less tops for a while. (I won't be buying any in July while I'm doing #noBuyJuly15 of course!) I'll focus on wearing more of the tops I own and getting rid of the ones that no longer work for me to free up some space!


Last worn: plain blue top, printed snood, stripe fit and flare dress, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: blue top with a pencil skirt, snood in spring with chambray, stripe dress in summer for baby's dedication, ankle strap heels with pencil skirts, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote with printed pieces.

---

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 Sleeve dusky pink blazer

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal skull scarf in white/pink (on sale!)
Dress: Jeanswest tucked ponte black dress
Belt: Kmart thin black glitter belt
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

Although I wasn't too happy with the full outfit last time I wore this blazer (it would have been better with a different scarf) I really liked it belted so I was eager to try it again. I really liked this outfit! It's taken me a while to figure out how to make this blazer work for me but I think belting is the way to go! It looks much better belted with a LBD for the office than worn loose.


Last worn: pink Alexander McQueen skull scarf, pink boyfriend blazer, black glitter belt, black dress, black heels (above), Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: Alexander McQueen skull scarf with a maxi skirt in spring, pink boyfriend blazer with denim shorts, printed dress with a glitter belt, belted LBD for the office in summer.

Linking up with Modest Monday, Style To Inspire, Mix It Monday, On the daily Express, More Pieces of Me, Turning Heads Tuesday, Style Sessions, Real Mom Style, Confident Twosday, Trend Spin Linkup, Wardrobe Wednesday today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube 

June Dress Week Style Challenge - Dresses, Tall Boots and Leather Jackets

As I mentioned my previous post, I'm participating in the June Dress Week style challenge on instagram. I'm a little behind with blogging the outfits, but I'm posting as quickly as I can (and skipping over some banked up Fox in Flats Style Dare outfit posts) so that I can blog together with Kiki from According to Kiki. We are participating in the challenge together on instagram. You can follow along with us, @kikimincks and @awayfromblue.

I skipped the style challenge for 'fan favourite' as baby T was unwell and wearing a dress was not the ideal outfit for a day at home with a sick baby. But you can check out Kiki's take on the look here! Below is what I wore for the 'boho beauty' and 'nautical nods' challenges.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest black leather moto jacket

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chelsea' printed dress
Boots: Asos Cleo leather boots in black
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

This outfit was for the style challenge 'boho beauty'. It's winter here in Australia, although it's summer for the Americans who came up with the challenge, so I'm wearing a few extra layers...I tried to winterise my summer boho dress but really don't think I did the dress justice layered up like this. I preferred the last time I layered up this dress, for autumn. I think if I'd worn ankle boots, and maybe a different print-free bag I would have felt better about this outfit. Not too confident driving in my ankle boots as they have high heels though, so that's why I went with these.

This leather jacket has always been worn less than my others as it's a looser fit, and it works better with something fitted. I think a little bit of an outfit fail all round, although the idea seemed good in my head and in the mirror, I really didn't like it after looking at the photos. See how Kiki interpreted the theme better.

This outfit did made me smile though when I looked back through the blog to find the last time I'd worn the scarf. It was when I was 7 months pregnant, and just last week we celebrated baby T's first birthday! Time is flying by.


Last worn: black leather jacket, purple leopard print scarf (with a third trimester baby belly!), boho printed dress, tall black leather boots, LV speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: leather jacket to the office, leopard print scarf with a maxi dress, boho dress in summer, black leather boots with a grey dress in winter, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere bag for the office.

---

What I wore:

Jacket:  Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen red skull-print modal and cashmere-blend scarf (on sale here!)

Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress

Belt: Supre red braided belt

Boots: Asos Cleo leather boots in black

Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I wore this outfit for the 'nautical nods' theme. I thought the navy and the stripes worked well with the red accessories to be a little nod to nautical style! I'd actually had an office outfit planned with a different dress, but baby T was unwell so I wasn't able to make it into work. It was still going to be a striped dress with red accessories though, that's the closest any of my dresses get to a nautical theme! See Kiki do nautical here.

It was nice wearing this dress again - one of my favourites from last winter, it's cosy and comfortable. As baby T was feeling a little better, I had a bit more time to get organised and ready for our doctor's visit, so I enjoyed being able to dress up and meet the challenge. The only thing I didn't like about this outfit was the placement of the belt - I think I should have worn it a little higher, it hits me at an odd spot in the photos. The dress is a thick fabric too so doesn't really slouch over the top of the belt as much as I imagined. Maybe would have been better without the belt entirely, but overall I liked this outfit - comfortable and cosy.

Last worn: printed leather jacket, red Alexander McQueen skull scarf, striped tee dress, red belt, boots(above), LV speedy bandouliere (above).

Other ways to wear: leather jacket with office wear, skull scarf in spring, dress with a snood and brown boots, red belt with a nautical maxi dress, boots and skinny jeans, speedy bandouliere with shorts in summer.

Linking up with Styled Up, Shoe and Tell, Style to Inspire, Mix It Monday, More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express, Real Mom Style, Bless Your Heart, Reasons to Dress, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, The Wednesday Pants, Wardrobe Wednesday, Style Sessions, Because Shanna Said So, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday today.

Follow Away From the Blue on:
Bloglovin : Facebook : Twitter : Google Plus : Instagram : LikeToKnow.It : Youtube