Printed Shift Dresses With Colourful Scarves and Balenciaga Pink City Bag In Winter

I like colourful handbags and accessories, especially in winter to add some colour to winter layers! Today I'm sharing two very different printed shift dresses with my sorbet pink Balenciaga city bag, some colourful scarves and denim jackets. Oh, and an update on my #noBuyJuly challenge.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress with leggings underneath
Shoes: Kmart sparkly silver glitter sneakers
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

Wore this to take the boys out to their favourite museum - the Ipswich Rail Museum. For the winter school holidays back at the start of June, they had their usual 'Thomas and Friends' show, which the boys love. Trains and Thomas, perfect for them! We try and go once each time it's on.

Wanted something easy and comfortable for the day of walking around, this comfy striped tee dress is a fave and easily winterised with the leggings, purple leopard print scarf and denim jacket. It was a little bit windy and I did get cold ankles at some points, but I was still happy with this outfit. Perfect for a day running around various exhibits.

With the purple leopard print scarf, I thought the sorbet pink Balenciaga city bag was a great accessory - and it fit everything I needed to carry as well as my camera for the day. You can see what fits inside the city bag in my video below.


Last worn: denim moto jacket, purple leopard print scarf, striped tee dress, sparkly sneakers, Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: denim moto jacket and jeans, purple leopard print scarf with purple bag, striped tee dress with mustard cardi, sparkly sneakers and shorts, Balenciaga sorbet city bag and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple leopard print scarf in third trimester, striped tee dress in second trimester, Balenciaga sorbet city bag in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Sorbet City Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Earrings: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in hot pink (c/o)
Dress: Jeanswest Nikki printed shirt dress
Shoes: Asos Cleo leather boots in tan
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

Again, another printed shift dress! This one has a fun geometric print on it with tiny pink ovals, so I always seem to gravitate towards pink accessories when I wear it! Even if the pink is hard to see in a photo. Thought this hot pink scarf would look nice with the print, along with the sorbet Balenciaga city bag, even if the shades of pink aren't the same. I like a little matchy matchy by wearing similar coloured pieces together.

Again just a simple denim jacket on top - the tall tan boots kept me cosy along with the fleecy tights and despite the cold start to the morning it was warmer when we left church.


Last worn: denim jacket, pink crinkle scarf, dangly earrings, geometric print shift dress, tall tan boots, Balenciaga sorbet city bag (above).

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi skirt, pink crinkle scarf in the snow, geometric print shift dress and sandals, tall tan boots and jeans, Balenciaga sorbet city bag and kimono.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, Balenciaga sorbet city bag at 37 weeks.

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Printed Shift Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A printed shift dress is a fun piece to wear in winter, with a few modifications! Both these dresses have long sleeves, and with cosy leggings and a scarf it makes a warmer outfit on a colder day.

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No Buy July 19 Update

It was tricky not buying anything in July! I'd looked back at the purchases I'd made over the year in June and seen I bought more than I should have, so I was sure that No Buy July was the right thing to do. The sales were so tempting though, and hard to resist, especially when the Rebecca Minkoff sale got to 75% off and Jeanswest had a further 50% off sale items!

I did manage to make it through the month of July with no fashion purchases! I'm pleased I was able to stick to the challenge and I think I'll do it again next year too, making it the fifth year I've done No Buy July.


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Printed Maxi Skirts and Denim Jackets With Amerii Rattan Sling Bag

Enjoying some warmer than usual winter days with my maxi skirts and denim jackets, and my new Amerii straw bag.

Amerii contacted me through YouTube a while ago and asked if I wanted to try one of their bags in exchange for a review - I was thrilled and had fun picking out this piece to try.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel
Tee: Jeanswest black scoop neck tee
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Amerii medium sling rattan bag in black (c/o)

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a busy day! Church and then a little shopping at Kmart for things for our pantry reorganisation. Now we are all moved into our new house, we are just trying to set up everything how we like it, it's slow but fun progress! As it was slightly warmer when I wore this back in June, I just needed a denim jacket and no scarf.

With the black rattan bag, I thought a black tee and black ankle boots matched nicely and worked well with the colourful blue denim jacket and red printed maxi skirt. This skirt is a summer favourite, but it layers up well for a warmer winter day like this.


Last worn: denim moto jacket, pearl tassel necklace, black scoop neck tee, red printed maxi skirt, black ankle boots. First time I've worn the bag as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: denim moto jacket and jeans, black scoop neck tee and kimono, red printed maxi skirt and Christmas tee, black ankle boots worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ankle boots in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Amerii Rattan Medium Sling Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace
Tee: Big W mustard v-neck tee
Skirt: AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Amerii medium sling rattan bag in black (c/o)

Why I wore it:

When we had that brief period of summer like weather back in the middle of June, despite it being winter, I took full advantage and the boys and I headed to our favourite playground to enjoy the sunshine. I also got the chance to wear this side-split maxi skirt, which usually I wouldn't be pulling out on a winter day!

The denim jacket wasn't really necessary, I ended up taking it off as we sat in the sunshine - it was 27° Celsius, so about 82 Fahrenheit. So unexpected for winter!

The mustard yellow tee seemed like a colourful choice for the warmer day, and was a fun pop with the white stripes. Again I stuck with the black ankle boots to match the black round rattan bag. I really liked this outfit.


Last worn: denim jacket, mustard tee, navy tassel necklace, striped maxi skirt, black ankle boots (above), Amerii rattan bag (above).

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and navy dress, mustard tee worn two ways, striped maxi skirt and graphic tee, black ankle boots and tee dress. 

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, striped maxi skirt in second trimester, black ankle boots in second trimester.

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Printed Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:
Maxi skirts are a summer staple and great for mum life, especially if they are loose and flowy or have a side split to take advantage of a summer breeze. It's easy to layer them up for cooler weather too, with ankle boots and denim jackets. You definitely need more heavy duty layers if you're attempting to wear them on a cold winter day though! 😂


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Tee Dresses Layered For Winter: Anniversary Weekend

Still playing catch-up with blog posts, as I wore these outfits a few weeks ago! We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary at the end of May. It was a big one for us, with our house build completed, moving into the new house, and a trip overseas to Europe and back to Scotland, where we first went together after our engagement. This time with the kids in tow! With all of these big things I was expecting a quiet weekend for our anniversary, even though hubby had told me to keep the weekend free.

He surprised me with a kid-free weekend away on the Gold Coast, in the same hotel we celebrated out first wedding anniversary in! It was a wonderful surprise!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Scarf: Stella McCartney heart print scarf
Dress: Cotton On 'Tina' white striped tee dress in Lissy black / Gardenia
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Chanel vintage quilted lambskin flap

Why I wore it:

When hubby let me know what the surprise was I knew instantly I was going to wear some of my dresses that hadn't been worn in a while! I worry this one is a little too short for days with the boys, but for a weekend away it was perfect! As we were driving down I noticed a sign advertising Seafire - a big fireworks event on the beach. This wasn't the perfect outfit for that - although my big blanket scarf did come in helpful to shelter us from a rain shower and keep us warm as we sat on the beach - but it was fun to attend the show anyway. I've never seen fireworks on the beach before, really enjoyed it!

The vintage Chanel bag was another must-have due to being kid-free! It's lambskin so a bit too delicate for me to wear it around the boys very often! It fit just the essentials and my camera inside which was nice.


Last worn: denim jacket, heart print scarf, striped tee dress, black ankle boots, vintage Chanel flap bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi skirt, heart print scarf worn two ways, striped tee dress in summer, 30 ways to wear black ankle boots, vintage Chanel flap bag at a wedding.

Perfect for pregnancy: ankle boots in second trimester, vintage Chanel flap bag at 39 weeks.

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What's In My Bag: Vintage Chanel 'Diana' Flap Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Scarf: Jeanswest Lucille golden yellow scarf
Dress: Atmos & Here Willow printed tee dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Chanel vintage quilted lambskin flap

Why I wore it:

Our second day on the coast, another tee dress! This one was a spring / summer favourite when I bought it when my oldest was a baby, but when he got mobile it got less and less wear. I usually wear it as a top with a skirt over it to make the length a little more practical for running around with the kids. But being kid-free, it was easy to wear with tights and ankle boots. Winter on the Gold Coast is still a little chilly!

This mustard scarf is a great combination with the botanical print on the dress, it compliments the yellow nicely. Again, a simple outfit that I enjoyed wearing!


Last worn: denim jacket (above), mustard scarf, printed tee dress, ankle boots (above), vintage Chanel flap bag (above).

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and stripes, mustard scarf with olive, printed tee dress worn as a top, ankle boots and skinny jeans, vintage Chanel flap bag on Christmas.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed tee dress in second trimester, ankle boots in second trimester, vintage Chanel flap bag and final pregnancy outfit.

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Printed Tee Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A printed tee dress is so simple to wear on it's own in spring or summer. You don't have to pack them away for winter though! Layer them up with tights, ankle boots, denim jackets and a cosy scarf to keep you warm.


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Orange Camis and Black Skinny Jeans

Layering up some orange camis for winter with black skinny jeans. Surprisingly, both of these camis came from my family! One from my sister's wardrobe, the other a gift from my mum.

What I wore:

Earrings: A Little Bit of North blue mandala earrings (giveaway prize, close up photo)

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket
Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Top: Jeanswest peach ruffle cami
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (c/o)
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Continuing on with catching up with everyone after our Europe trip, I joined my mum friends for a rare night out. The last one we had was last year! It was good to dress up a little, but I wanted to keep things simple. Jeans and a nice top is a staple "I don't know what to wear" outfit, and was perfect for our dinner date.

The pastel cami is a piece I got from one of my sister's wardrobe clear outs. It was a nice combination with my pale denim moto jacket (a recent purchase) and a nice contrast with the black denim jeans. Of course I couldn't resist matching the blue in the denim jacket with the beaded necklace and the statement earrings. I do love a little matchy-matchy! That's why I picked my metallic Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag to wear too, to match the silver hardware on the jacket.


Last worn: denim jacket, peach cami, beaded necklace, Nobody Denim jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi skirt, peach cami and pleated skirt, Nobody Denim jeans and blazer, black ballet flats and swing dress, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC bag for a wedding.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC bag in second trimester.

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My Rebecca Minkoff Handbag Collection:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Necklace: Ruby Olive Art series long striped pod necklace
Top: New Look orange strappy cami top
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

I was eager to wear this neon orange cami that my mum bought for me in the sales. My sister was buying the black one, and mum knows how much I love colour so thought I'd like this orange one. I love it so much! It has a great strappy back that I'll hopefully get to show off after winter!

A colder day meant I wore a similar outfit combo to the one above but swapped the denim jacket for a cosy wool maxi cardigan. This was perfectly comfortable for church, and kept me warm. Even with the bright orange cami, I wanted to add a little more interest to the outfit with the bold statement necklace and the printed jeans. It made for a really fun outfit!

With all the colour and print, I thought the neutral Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag would be the best accessory. I like how the tan worked with the orange cami as well as the neutral black and grey.


Last worn: wool cardigan, Ruby Olive necklace, Sass & Bide jeans, black ballet flats (above), Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag. First time I've worn the cami as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and printed scarf, Sass & Bide jeans with red cardi, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ballet flats in second trimester.

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Orange Camis Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A bold orange cami is so fun to wear! You can keep it simple and wear it with black skinny jeans; adding more colour, print or texture to your outfit with accessories or jackets.

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What I Bought In June:

I'd normally do a separate post and video for this, but I only bought two things so I'm just adding it onto this post!

• A new pair of tan leather boots after the sole on my old ones disintegrated while being stored over summer. It was cheaper to buy new boots than get them resoled...
• An impulse buy $2 clearance Kmart leopard print tee.

Not expecting any purchases next month as I'll be doing #noBuyJuly again for the forth year in a row. Something I need as I've spent more this year than I expected to!

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Denim Jacket And Striped Maxi Skirts With Grey Tees and Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag

I blame jet lag after returning home to Brisbane for these two outfits looking incredibly similar! 😂 You know I love my outfit formulas - denim jacket, a grey tee and a striped maxi skirt was such an easy option. I do try to make my outfits look a little different when I repeat something again a few days later, but in my jet lagged haze and rush to get out the door I ended up grabbing the same denim jacket both times instead of a different one each time. Oh well! At least the necklaces, skirts and shades of grey in the tees are different!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket (new purchase)

Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Tee: Atmos&Here charcoal grey v neck tee
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a day with the boys, trying to get back into our usual routines after returning from Europe! We went to the playground and the library and did a little bit of grocery shopping. I needed a nice easy outfit, so a simple grey tee and striped maxi skirt seemed the best fuss-free way to dress. The splits up the side of this maxi skirt mean it doesn't get worn much in winter, but when I wore this back at the start of the month it was a milder day. It felt really warm compared to the cold temps we'd experienced on the other side of the world too! 😂

This Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag was overdue a wear - I'd considered taking it overseas with me so that I could wear it to the wedding, but I went with the little silver mini MAC in the end. I was glad I'd taken the mini MAC, but still wanted to wear this camera bag when I got home.


Last worn: grey tee, tassel necklace, navy stripe maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag. First time I've worn the denim jacket as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: grey tee and olive pants, navy stripe maxi skirt and band tee, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: grey tee in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kitty denim biker jacket (new purchase)
Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

Another day with the kids, another easy outfit, with a different grey tee and striped maxi skirt, but again the same outfit formula, with the same denim jacket, shoes and Rebecca Minkoff bag. I actually ended up taking the denim jacket off in the morning - it was such a nice day and we spent it at a park in the bayside, soaking up the sun.

This black striped maxi skirt is one that hasn't been worn in a while. A pregnancy purchase when I was pregnant with my eldest boy, it's a piece I've already hit 30 wears on. When I'm thinking of things to wear I usually pass over this skirt for another one that hasn't hit 30 wears yet, but on this day I wanted to go back to an old favourite!


Last worn: denim jacket (above), beaded necklace, grey v-neck tee, black striped maxi skirt, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag (above).

Other ways to wear: grey v-neck tee and shorts, black striped maxi skirt worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag and dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: grey v-neck tee in second trimester, black striped maxi skirt at 39 weeks.

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Striped Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A striped maxi skirt is an easy wardrobe staple for stay at home mum days, and can be paired with the ever classic grey tee so you don't have to worry about prints clashing. For cooler days, you can add a denim jacket on top.


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Two Ways To Wear a Mustard Tee: Mum Style

Back to Brisbane! Our Europe trip was fun and I enjoyed getting to layer up more, but it was so nice to get back home and enjoy some warmer weather. June is the start of winter in Brisbane, and yet it's nowhere near the levels of cold we experienced in Scottish spring!

I was also glad to get back to my full wardrobe, I liked my travel wardrobe but I missed the options from my full wardrobe - and I was really happy to get to wear this $3 mustard tee I picked up just before we left.

What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace:  Kmart navy and gold beaded tassel necklace
Tee: Big W mustard v-neck tee (recent purchase)
Skirt: Noisy May long denim maxi skirt
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

I knew I wanted to wear this mustard tee with my chambray maxi skirt - blue and yellow is a combination I love! I like wearing bright tees with this maxi skirt too, such an easy outfit. And a little matchy-matchy with the mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag, even though you can see in the detail pic that they aren't the exact same shade of mustard.

While we were spending the morning out at the playground with friends I wasn't sure if there would be a breeze on the bay so I went with my denim jacket for a double denim outfit. I'm pleased I took this rather than a cardigan, it was easy to take on and off as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. It did rain a little, but luckily no more than a shower. It was so nice to catch up with everyone after our trip and see what everyone had been up to while we were away.


Last worn: denim jacket, tassel necklace, chambray maxi skirt, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag. First time I've worn the tee on the blog as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and swing dress, chambray maxi skirt and printed tank, Converse and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag with green jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, Converse in second trimester.

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My Travel Capsule Wardrobe For Europe in May:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Necklace: navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace
Tee: Big W mustard v-neck tee (recent purchase)
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (c/o)
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey

Why I wore it:

Returning to Brisbane means returning to routines and for baby boy that means specialist appointments! This is what I wore for one of those visits, this time around I kept the mustard tee as the only colourful piece in the outfit and paired it with a lot of grey and black.

This grey wool maxi cardigan has been a winter fave for a couple of years, it's so cosy! I did consider taking it to Scotland with me but decided my striped duster was more light weight and easier to travel with as it's less bulky. I did miss this cardigan a few times though, so when Brisbane had the winter cold snap it was good to cosy up with this cardi!

I was considering taking this bag over to Europe with me too but wasn't sure if it was the best choice, anticipating a lot of rain. I'm glad I took my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere, but I was looking forward to using this bag again when we got home.


Last worn: wool maxi cardigan, navy tassel necklace, mustard tee (above), Nobody Denim skinny jeans, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag.

Other ways to wear: wool maxi cardigan and maxi dress, Nobody Denim skinny jeans and blazer, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and printed skirt, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: Walnut Melbourne ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAM bag in second trimester.

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Yellow Tees Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A basic v-neck tee in a bright colour is just as easy to wear as one in a neutral shade! Try pairing it with your favourite colour for a bright outfit, or pair it with a mix of neutrals like I have in the second outfit to let it shine and be the star.


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