Maxi Dresses and Balenciaga Bags with Giant G21 Hardware

When you're not feeling your best, a dress is an easy outfit. Just pull it on and you're done, no need to try think about what pieces look good together. Printed dresses like these make it even simpler. Just pick a handbag that matches one of the colours in the print and you look like you spent a lot more time and effort getting dressed than you really did.

Both the maxi dresses worn below were when I wasn't feeling the best, and looking after a sick baby meant I had even less energy.

What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

Despite being unwell, we had an appointment to get to though that morning, so I threw on this maxi dress. It's not the first time I've knotted this maxi dress, it's a good way to change it up a little. I did it on this day as I didn't want to do the 'grab the skirt when walking up the stairs' bit I usually have to do, haha! Tying it up made it easier to move around in.

Added the teething necklace so I'd have something to amuse the boys with as we waited at the appointment. It did help keep baby boy entertained for a few minutes. They might have passed the teething stage, but they still find these necklaces to be fun toys!

Picked my Balenciaga bag as it went with the Havianas and the black in the tie dye print of the dress, but also because I was feeling lazy. It had been the bag I'd used previously so I didn't have to move everything over into a new bag.


Last worn: tie dye maxi dress, Havaianas, Balenciaga Part Time bag.

Other ways to wear: tie dye maxi dress for a Christmas party, Balenciaga Part Time bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: tie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks pregnant, Balenciaga Part Time bag in second trimester.

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Tie Dye Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: ZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
Dress: JayJays feather print maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

Another day of feeling unwell, another maxi dress! I picked this purple Balenciaga work bag to wear as I've only worn it with office outfits since I got it, need to wear this bag casually as well. It was a good carry all tote to take to the shops with me while the boys were with their grandparents.

I'd planned just a short trip out, to pickup a few groceries and return an incorrectly sized Christmas gift. I got away from the house and realised I'd forgotten the item to return, so turned back to go pick it up. In doing so, I came up to the garage at a weird angle and managed to scrape the car on it. Not a good start. At least the outfit looked good as my day was less than great! Spent the afternoon recovering from the crazy morning, thank goodness for Netflix.


Last worn: feather print maxi dress, Havaianas (above), purple Balenciaga work bag.

Other ways to wear: feather print maxi dress at a wedding, purple Balenciaga work bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: feather print maxi dress in second trimester.

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Feather Print Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

In summer a printed dress is a great way to beat the heat. It's an easy instant outfit too. To accessorise, keep things simple and pick pieces that match one or more of the colours in the print. If you're like me and you feel a little better when you get dressed properly, you might find a colourful printed dress a good mood booster too!



Curious about what Balenciaga Bag would be best for you?




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Louis Vuitton Neverfull and Blue Printed Dresses For The Office With Blazers

My go-to outfit for the office is a printed dress. You instantly look and feel more pulled together, and it's such a quick outfit. I try to plan my outfits out the night before, so when I've had a tough day or I'm too tired to want to stand in front of my wardrobe, I just grab a dress to wear the next day.

What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer
Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Aztec print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

I actually wore this a couple months ago, but just never got around to posting. I work from home one day a week, and the other two days I'm in the office. This means I can easily group together the two office outfits for a blog post, makes blogging simple.

When I wore this dress, it had been an absolutely crazy week, with the boys and I unwell, so I only made it into the office once. Because of that, this solitary office outfit had sat around for a while until another week where I only went into the office once so I'd have something to post with it.

I picked this dress to wear as I love the colour and print, and blue is always a mood booster for me when having a crazy week. I really like the simplicity of this dress for the office. Blue and green is a colour combination I've been warming to lately, and this necklace looks great with a blue dress.


Last worn: cream jersey blazer, blue Aztec print dress, gold mouse flats, Louis Vuitton neverfull tote.

Other ways to wear: cream jersey blazer and jeans, blue Aztec print dress and purple bag, gold mouse flats and wrap dress, Louis Vuitton neverfull tote at the beach.

Perfect for pregnancy: jersey blazer in second trimester, Aztec dress in third trimester, mouse flats and maternity pencil skirt, neverfull tote in third trimester.

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Where to Buy the Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull Second Hand:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest grey jersey blazer
Necklace: gifted statement silver plate necklace
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

Another crazy week calling for another simple dress outfit. This blue one is one of the oldies in my wardrobe, bought near the start of my career with my current company. I've been there a long time! I love how it continues to look just as good as it did when I first bought it, and wonderful addition to my wardrobe. It would be nice to have taken more photos of it before the blog, as I'm sure it's over 30 wears. It's only the 6 years I've been blogging that I've been taking regular daily outfit pics though, so I don't have any photos of this before the blog.

Just like the dress above, a blue printed dress boosts my mood, and that was what was needed for this busy day. While I kept the bag the same, I went with silver flats instead of gold, and a different blazer. I may even like this outfit a little more than the first one.


Last worn: grey jersey blazer, paisley print dress, silver ballet flats, Louis Vuitton neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: grey jersey blazer and fit and flare dress, paisley print dress and ankle boots, silver ballet flats and maxi dress, Louis Vuitton neverfull and purple jeans. 

Perfect for pregnancy: sheath dress in second trimester, silver flats and maternity wrap dress, Neverfull at 38 weeks pregnant.

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Blue Printed Dresses For the Office Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

For an instant confidence boots at work, make sure you have a cute printed dress in your favourite colour. Mine is blue of course. You can pull it on when you're feeling rushed or stressed, and feel more confident knowing you look great! If it's chilly in the office air con, it's easy to add a blazer to a short sleeved dress.


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Making Casual Dresses Work For The Office With a Pencil Skirt

One way I like to get more wear from my dresses is to layer a skirt over them and wear them as tops. I've done that with both of the dresses below before. Putting a pencil skirt over a dress is the perfect way to make a dress on the shorter side work-appropriate!

What I wore:

Necklace: gifted silver heart long pendant necklace
Dress: Atmos & Here Willow printed tee dress
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual
Bag:  Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote in moon

Why I wore it:

My first day back after an extended leave over Christmas time meant picking bright colours to cheer me up. Especially after spending the week before I went back to work feeling sick. I knew it would be a day of catching upon emails and everything else I missed, so wanted to pep myself up as much as possible with this bright and colourful dress worn as a top. It's not the first time I've layered a skirt over this dress, I've done it before here with a maxi skirt and with a pencil skirt again. Way back when I first bought this I fell in love with the print and couldn't decide between getting the dress or tee in the print. I'm glad I picked the dress, as it's so easy to wear it as a top too to mix things up a little.


Last worn: botanical print tee dress, black pencil skirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Regan satchel.

Other ways to wear: botanical print tee dress and Converse, black pencil skirt in winter, black ballet flats and fit and flare dress, Rebecca Minkoff Regan satchel and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: botanical print tee dress for pregnancy announcement, black pencil skirt in first trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester.

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Pencil Skirts Under $50:

Both pencil skirts I'm wearing in this post are Jeanswest, and they've just released a new office wear collection!

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What I wore:

Necklace: Lovisa gold filigree heart pendant
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag:  Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote in moon

Why I wore it:

Another day in the office, another dress as a top. This dress has been worn with a pencil skirt before too. I'd planned to wear this outfit after the one above, but after wearing that and dragging myself to the office, I made myself much worse and the doctor sent me back home to rest for a few more days. It did make getting ready for work when I was eventually well enough to go back really easy though, just pulled on this outfit I'd had sitting planned for a few days!

The only thing I didn't like about this outfit was the necklace. I love the way it looks, but I didn't consider that when I wore my work security pass around my neck on the long lanyard like I usually do, it would hit and jingle with the necklace all day. It was a little frustrating as I moved around between meetings, as I didn't always have a hand free to separate the two. Might need to save this necklace for weekend wear, which is a shame as it's so pretty!


Last worn: navy shift dress, black pencil skirt, MbMJ ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy shift dress and denim jacket, black pencil skirt and tan accessories, MbMJ ballet flats and little black dress, Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag and tee dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy shift dress in third trimester, black pencil skirt in second trimester.

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Printed Dresses Under $50 great for layering with:

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How You Can Wear It:

Not all dresses are work appropriate lengths, even though they might be ideal for weekend wear. If you're worried a dress is too short for the office, try turning it into a top by putting it under a pencil skirt. A pencil skirt works so well for different office dress codes, and it's a fun way to remix a dress and make it less casual.



Have you seen my latest YouTube video? Top 3 must-have bags for mums!





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Navy Printed Dresses and Red Saddle Bag

Blogging does influences my outfits. I try to plan my outfits the night before, but sometimes I'll think ahead and plan them out a little more in advance. I wasn't sure at first how I'd wear this new dress I got from Shein, but an evening out seemed like the perfect time. As we were going out for dinner again a few days later, I thought I'd wear my navy Zara dress, and create an easy post with navy dinner dresses. Simple.

I changed my mind last minute and wore something else to dinner instead of my Zara dress. Still wore it a few days later so I could still group both dress outfits together in this post though!

What I wore:

Necklace: Lovisa gold filigree heart pendant
Dress: Shein navy flower print flowy dress (C/O)
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in blue!)

Why I wore it:

When I ordered this dress from Shein, I wasn't sure about the sizing. Most people said it ran true to size, with a few saying it was on the larger size. As it was a relaxed fit, I decided to order my usual small size instead of a medium. I'm so glad I ordered a small as this swing dress is so perfectly loose and floaty, the medium would have been much too big. It was actually tricky trying to get a good photo of the dress with the evening breeze blowing it around, but I managed in the end!

Since there was red in the print of the dress, I thought my red Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag would pair nicely. I was going to wear a new red necklace I got for Christmas too, but it didn't work with the neckline of the dress, so I went for my rose gold filigree heart pendant instead.

As I got this dress C/O, my thoughts on it: unlike the crochet trim kimono I got in the same order, there were no stray threads on this dress at all. The material is thin and light as expected, but not see-through. It's ideal for summer, even with the slightly longer sleeves. While bigger than I expected, it makes the dress a nice length on my petite self and based on all the compliments this dress got I'm not the only one that likes it. Not bad for a dress that's less than $22!


Last worn: studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag. First time I've worn the dress as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: studded sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and jeans.

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Rebecca Minkoff Saddle Bags:

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What I wore:

Necklace: gifted ZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus Lovisa rose gold beaded bracelet stack
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in blue!)

Why I wore it:

While I'd had this in mind to wear to a new year's dinner, I changed my mind at the last moment and went with another outfit. I'd really liked the navy dress with red bag combo above though, so wanted to wear it again. It's not the first time I've worn this Zara dress with a red bag (see here and here) but it's the first time I've worn this saddle bag with the dress. Just like the outfit above, I really liked this combination.

Wore this for a busy day with hubby. We both had the day off and the boys were in daycare so we ran around running a few errands and getting things done. While this dress isn't that short, it feels that way when I'm rushing around with the kids and bending down every few minutes, so I try wear it on days I'm not spending all my time with the boys. Just as nice for going out for dinner as it is for a kid-free day of errands.

Last worn: navy printed shift dress, studded sandals, red saddle bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy printed shift dress and denim jacket, studded sandals and embroidered shorts, red saddle bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed shift dress in third trimester, studded sandals and maternity shorts.

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Navy Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Navy printed dresses are so easy to accessorise. If you're unsure what colour of bag to chose, you could pick a colour from the print like I did in the first outfit. Or you could just pick a bright pop of colour that doesn't match with the print like I did in the second outfit. Red and blue are such a nice colour combination, you can't go wrong with a red bag and navy dress.



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Summer Maxi Dresses and Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere

Maxi dresses are such an easy summer option for me. I tend to wear any and all kinds of accessories with them too. While they are perfect with sandals, they look just as good with Converse, and with a Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere instead of a smaller cross body bag.

What I wore:

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)

Dress: Kmart Tropicana sleeveless tiered maxi dress
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I wanted something light and airy to wear for a planned morning out at the markets, but when it was cooler and cloudy in the morning I thought I'd add some Converse instead of my havaianas, as it was predicted to rain. By the time we got to the markets though, we realised our mistake. The humidity was so bad and closed in shoes were definitely not needed. I was glad I'd forgotten to grab my denim jacket on the way out the door!

We managed to have a speedy browse before Cooper decided he'd had enough of the heat and we reatreated home again. Somehow still managing to pick up bags of treats and things for Cooper before we left, ha! He's such a spoiled little pup.

The Converse helped meet the style challenge for the day on Instagram, as did the dress itself. I picked the speedy as it's damier ebene and waterproof if the predicted rain did happen. It's also just the right size to carry the water bottles for the boys and my own essentials, as we left the baby bag and stroller in the car as we walked around.


Last worn: coral tropical print maxi dress, Converse, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: coral tropical print maxi dress and denim jacket, Converse for travel with toddlers, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse for second trimester travel, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and maternity pencil skirt.

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Louis Vuitton Damier Speedy Bag:

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What I wore:

Necklace: gifted Oxfam Noah's Ark green red beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere
Nails: OPI Breakfast at Tiffany Collection Five and Ten

Why I wore it:

I was excited to wear my new Christmas necklace with this dress - the neckline is just right for it! I was thrilled to unwrap this (and a bunch of other things!) from my bestie on Christmas, she always has such great taste and I adore everything she sends for the boys and I.

Wore this for a day that was just as hot as the one I wore the floral dress for above - but it was more bearable with sandals this time! Midway through our busy morning I got a few messages from Beth at Almost Posh. I'd found out from Insta stories she was staying nearby on holiday, so we quickly setup a quick coffee catch-up for that afternoon. After a bit of lunch with hubby and a little Jeanswest sale shopping to spend one of my Christmas gift cards, we met-up for a drink and chat. Beth is one of those bloggers I admire so it was nice to chat and pick her brain about Instagram, blogging and the juggle of a blog, work and motherhood.

Of course we discussed bags, and she even bought a clutch afterwards! It's a given that whenever you talk to me bags will come up at some point! I smiled that she had worn her Louis Vuitton neverfull tote as I had worn my Louis Vuitton speedy bag, although I completely forgot to get a photo of us together.

Last worn: tie dye maxi dress, studded sandals, Louis Vuitton damier ebene speedy (above).

Other ways to wear: tie dye maxi dress layered for winter, studded sandals and floral kimono, Louis Vuitton damier ebene speedy for a first flight with toddlers.

Perfect for pregnancy: tie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks, studded sandals and maternity shorts, Louis Vuitton damier ebene speedy and wrap dress in third trimester.

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Printed Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Maxi dresses are perfect to combat the summer heat. A pretty printed one makes accessorising simple and not really required. You can think outside the box and wear a maxi dress with Converse too, you don't have to stick with simple sandals. Although sandals are a great choice in the heat! Any cross body bag looks great too, from a large LV speedy to a small clutch.


Linking up with Modest Monday, Hello Monday, Style Sessions, On Trend, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday.



Did You Know: I have a YouTube Channel! Full of pregnancy style ideas, handbag reviews and ways to wear inspo, along with a lot of what's in my bag videos: Away From The Blue YouTube. (There's the unboxing of my Speedy bag on there too!)

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Blue and Green: Printed Dresses and Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote Bag

I've always found green a little tricky to wear, but since embracing blue and green together I've had a lot more outfit options! Both of these summer dress outfits contain navy and green, but in differing amounts.

What I wore:

Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Regan satchel tote in moon (new purchase) with Louis Vuitton "comete" bandeau scarf  tied in bow

Why I wore it:

Just a heads up that this is the 21st wear of this dress, so I'm aiming to rewear it more often to get it to 30 wears this year! Fingers crossed! I tend not to wear it on days with boys as it feels a little short when bending down to pick up toddlers. It was perfect for our annual pre-Christmas shopping trip while the boys were in daycare though. In previous years we've even gone to Melbourne for it, but this year we just went down to Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast as I had a present to pick out at Louis Vuitton!

The #DAREcember style challenge for the day on Instagram was 'scarf', but it was much too humid for that! I knew we'd be going to Louis Vuitton so I dressed up my bag a little with the LV bandeau scarf tied in a bow. A nice neutral navy tote like this is perfect for accessorising with scarves.

The green necklace with the navy dress was another addition because of a style challenge, to meet the 'evergreen' prompt. I wasn't too sure about the green with the pinks and purples on the scarf though, but I think that they were far enough away that it worked. We had a really fun day shopping and then went out for dinner after picking up the boys from daycare.


Last worn: navy printed shift dress, Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals, Louis Vuitton bandeau, first time I've worn the bag as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: navy printed shift dress and denim jacket, Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals worn 30 ways, Louis Vuitton bandeau as hairband.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed shift dress in third trimester, Louis Vuitton Bandeau as a belt in second trimester.

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Printed Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Dress: Atmos & Here Willow printed tee dress
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual plus gifted Lovisa rose gold beaded bracelet stack
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel Tote in moon

Why I wore it:

This tee dress is a favourite, it was worn almost weekly when I first got it, so I'm surprised it's only on its 12th wear! I stopped wearing it so frequently when baby T became mobile, like the dress above I'm worried it's a little short when I bend down to a toddler. The one thing I forgot about this dress is how easily it creases too - especially when little toddler hands grab and pull your dress when you're distracted and they want a cuddle, right before you take an outfit photo, haha! Creases are a fact of life though!

This was another child free day, as I left the boys with their grandmother to enjoy a little time to myself, to pick up some last minute Christmas things and indulge in a pedi before Christmas. Even though it's January, I still have December outfits to share! I am so pleased I started my Christmas leave a little before the big day, it was nice to ease into the busy Christmas time with some quiet moments to myself. Doesn't happen often when you're the mum of two toddlers, so the occasion deserved a pretty dress and some of my favourite accessories.

With the green on the print of the dress and the navy Regan satchel bag, this outfit has the same colour scheme as the one above, only with the proportions of each colour switched.


Last worn: printed tee dress, gold Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff regan satchel (above).

Other ways to wear: printed tee dress and Converse.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed tee dress and pregnancy announcement.

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Printed T-Shirt Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Printed dresses are easy options to deal with the summer heat. You don't need to think about accessories as the print makes enough of a statement on it's own. It doesn't mean you can't accessorise though, and have fun with colour. Accessories are a nice way to try out a new colour combination you might be unsure of at first, like green and blue.




Did You Know? I have a YouTube Channel! Full of pregnancy style ideas, handbag reviews and ways to wear inspo, along with a lot of what's in my bag videos: Away From The Blue YouTube.


Linking up with Style on the Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Seeking Sunshine, Fun Fashion.

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