Maxi Dresses For Different Events: Wedding and Kids Birthday Party

I love maxi dresses, for everyday wear and for special events. They never look over or under dressed for any occasion! Wearing two pretty blue ones below, dressed up for a formal event and dressed down for a casual kid's birthday party.

What I wore:

Earrings: Ana Luisa 'Olivia' tassel earrings in pink (giveaway prize)
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Dress: Jeanswest Heather textured maxi dress in eggshell (C/O)
Shoes: NineWest "Quicken" wedges in natural
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet
Bag: Chanel vintage quilted lambskin flap

Why I wore it:

I had been looking forward to this day for so long! One of my oldest friends was getting married and we were so thrilled to celebrate with the couple. While his wife is someone I've only gotten to know over the past few years, I met him all the way back in uni so hubby and I are good friends with him. (I met my hubby in uni too, a couple years later!).

It was literally the only sunny day in over a week of rain and storms, they couldn't have had a better day. The sun came out for the ceremony (overlooking the beautiful water) and when the breeze started to pick up and get cooler in the evening I had my Louis Vuitton shawl in my bag. It's the first time I've worn this shawl as an actual shawl and not just as a scarf!

The bag was another accessory I love - a vintage Chanel flap I don't get to wear often, but treasure the times I do!

The shoes I was not too happy with. You might have seen on my Insta stories that taking a few steps out the door to leave resulted in the sole of one of my shoes flying off! So I ran back inside and superglued it together, hoping it would hold out for the party, and trying to ignore the fact that I put it on a little crooked....thankfully, it held together well. The other shoe on the other hand decided to fall to pieces in the same way, as I walked through the middle of the tables at this small and intimate wedding. I've had them for a few years, and I got them pre blog, but in the 6 years I've been blogging this is their 7th wear so it's not like I've overly worn them! I suspect the heat / humidity has got to the glue holding them together while they've spent most of their life stored in a box.

On the plus side, the wedding was wonderful, the ceremony so moving, the food delicious, the speeches both hilarious and heartwarming, and the dancing wonderful. Even if it was a bit of a challenge dancing with lopsided shoes after consuming a couple of glasses of champagne! 😂 I ended up copying the mother of the groom and going shoe-less in the end.


Last worn: Louis Vuitton shawl, pink tassel earrings, grecian maxi dress, nude wedges, vintage Chanel flap.

Other ways to wear: Louis Vuitton shawl woth jeans and tee, grecian maxi dress for birthday party, nude wedges and lace dress, vintage Chanel flap for Christmas day.

Perfect for pregnancy: nude wedges in first trimester, maxi dress in second trimester, vintage Chanel flap at 40 weeks pregnant.

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What's In My Bag: Vintage Chanel Flap

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What I wore:

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Scarf: Jeanswest Lucille golden yellow scarf
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

The weekend before the wedding was a bit cold and wet, so I ended up layering my maxi dress up a little more, with the mustard scarf, denim jacket and ankle boots. Had a bit of a busy day, with swim lessons in the morning, followed by a birthday party for one of little T's friends, then a trip down the coast to spend time with my parents.

The ankle boots were a perfect choice for the wet weather and my layers kept me nice and cosy. I thought this maxi dress would be perfect as I've never been to a birthday party at McDonalds before and wasn't sure what to wear! It was interesting seeing what the other mums were wearing, so many different outfits - and I saw a few similar outfits to other things I was thinking of wearing! - but of course the best dressed was the birthday girl.

It was a lot of fun, getting to chat to the parents of some of the kids I have only heard about from the boys stories after daycare. It was also very noisy, as the kids had a great time running around and playing together.


Last worn: denim jacket, mustard scarf, blue printed maxi dress, Chelsea ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and skinny jeans, mustard scarf and olive pants, blue printed maxi dress in summer, Chelsea ankle boots and swing dress, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in second trimester, blue printed maxi dress at 39 weeks pregnant, Chelsea ankle boots in second trimester.

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Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A maxi dress is a wardrobe staple as you can really make it work for you, for any event or season! You can dress it up with luxe accessories or down with a denim jacket, and you can easily add an extra layer if it gets chilly.

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No shopping haul this month! I only spent $2 on this Kmart dress. Spent a lot of money finishing my Christmas shopping though!



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Mulberry Bayswater and Wrap Dresses For the Office

I still think a printed dress is the easiest, simplest outfit for work. Add some neutral accessories like this classic Mulberry bayswater bag and some ballet flats and you have easy spring office style. No further accessorising required, although you can always add a bright necklace on top like I did with these outfits to feel like you put a little effort in!

What I wore:

Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace

Dress: Atmos&Here Arlette jersey wrap dress

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel

Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

I'm not entirely sure the length of this necklace worked with the wrap neckline of the dress and the tie over the waist, but I did like the little touch of colour it added to this outfit! With the black and white printed wrap dress and neutral tan Mulberry Bayswater and Marc Jacobs flats, a little bit of green through the necklace was a nice way to add a pop of colour.

I did consider wearing statement earrings with this outfit too, but felt it was busy enough. It was my first day back at work after a week off sick, and there was so much to catch up on. The simple yet comfortable dress worked well, for meetings and for sitting at my desk reading all the emails I missed!

Last worn: tulip hem wrap dress, green beaded necklace, camel flats, Mulberry Bayswater.

Other ways to wear: tulip hem wrap dress and purple bag, camel flats with olive and mustard, Mulberry Bayswater and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: camel flats in third trimester, Mulberry Bayswater in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Mulberry Bayswater

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What I wore:

Necklace: Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace

Dress: Target Dannii Minogue Petites printed wrap dress

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats

Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (cheaper second hand)

Why I wore it:

Sometimes I find this dress a little tricky to wear. It 'reads' as blue from a distance, but up close you can see the pink, red, black, green and blue in the geometric print. I decided to try mix things up a bit and wear this bold yellow statement necklace with it. I really liked the combination, and I felt it distracted from how tired I felt and looked. I did manage to get a lovely compliment from a colleague who said I looked just like his niece - and she's 20, so I was very happy with that! I think it was maybe the ponytail, or all the makeup I threw on to try look a bit more perky.

Unfortunately despite feeling much better and just a little tired, my voice sounded terrible! I'd started to loose it the day before when working from home as everyone ended up calling me, and by mid-afternoon it was almost entirely gone. I soldiered through the day though, lots of charades and having others speaking for me and managed to wrap up everything from my to-do list before I left, so I felt productive! Even if I did have to postpone one meeting as the person I was meeting with thought it was too much to try make me talk for 30 mins! 😂 They were probably right!

Last worn: faux wrap dress, yellow statement necklace, gold mouse flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above).

Other ways to wear: faux wrap dress in winter, gold mouse flats with purple skinny jeans, Mulberry Bayswater and chambray dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: faux wrap dress in second trimester, gold mouse flats in third trimester, Mulberry Bayswater in second trimester.

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Wrap Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A wrap dress is a classic wardrobe staple that can work for many different occasions. Mine get worn mostly to the office though! They are a fail-safe outfit option that work for a business casual office like mine as well as a more formal business attire dress code. If you're wearing a sleeveless version like I am in the last outfit, a blazer or cardigan is a good option to keep shoulders covered for formal meetings.

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Print Mixing: Printed Dresses, Leopard Flats and Pink Bags

When I first bought these leopard print flats, I saw myself wearing them with plain outfits, to let them be the standout print. I decided to try stretch myself a little and wore some printed dresses with the leopard print shoes. Keeping things simple, I stuck with black and white dresses to match the colour of the shoes.

What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava White leopard ballet flats (new purchase)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony

Why I wore it:

I hadn't been feeling too well when I wore this - I'd been to the doctor the day before and was signed off for the day. I woke up expecting to feel better, still feeling pretty terrible. Got myself and the boys dressed and ready and dropped them off at daycare, where I was promptly asked if I was okay as I wasn't my usual self. Realised that all I wanted to do was go home and sleep so went home, let work know I wouldn't be in, and booked another appointment to see the doctor who then gave me more time off work.

I wouldn't usually be so dressed up for a doctors appointment, but I'd planned my outfit before so it was easy to grab and go, and I had started the day not feeling too sick.

Does feel like this was a bit of a waste of an outfit as I really liked the print mixing with the striped dress and leopard print flats, and the pastel pink Darren bag was a cute addition. Ended up taking everything off when I got home and defaulting to trackie dacks to curl up on the sofa and doze and watch netflix!


Last worn: striped fit and flare dress, bead necklace, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren. First time I've worn the leopard print flats on the blog as they are a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: striped fit and flare dress and purple bag, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: striped fit and flare dress in second trimester.

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More Printed Dress Inspiration: 30 Ways To Wear a Tie Dye Dress

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What I wore:

Necklace: Lovisa silver love knitted heart pendant necklace
Dress: Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava White leopard ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

Felt much better when I wore this outfit! Unfortunately, the day was not any more fun! Had to go do my taxes. Not very exciting! We did do a little Christmas shopping afterwards, but came home empty handed.

Since I liked the outfit combination above so much, I tried it again, with a black and white printed dress to compliment the black and white shoes. This time I went with a bolder pink bag, my sorbet Balenciaga city. Perfect size for holding all the paperwork I had to take to and from my appointment.

I did just post this dress recently, but I love it in spring and summer. It's so light, fun to wear and it's a nice length for spending time with the boys - not too short! Kmart still sell them too - they have the same style in lots of different designs at the moment.


Last worn: tiered dress, knotted heart necklace, leopard print flats (above), Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: tiered dress layered for winter, Balenciaga sorbet city bag and sheath dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga sorbet city bag in third trimester.

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Leopard Print Flats Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

It's easy to wear printed shoes with plain neutral pieces, but you can try something different by wearing them with a printed dress. To keep things simple and cohesive, pick a dress that matches the colours in the shoes. You can add a bright and colourful handbag to your outfit also as it can add interest to your outfit without clashing with the prints.


Linking up with Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Trend Spin, Turning Heads.



Congrats to Jaydee who won the Mater baby product hamper giveaway!

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Dresses, Ankle Boots, Scarves and Rebecca Minkoff Bags For Spring

While the weather is warming up as summer is arriving soon here in Brisbane, I took advantage of a few cooler days to wear a much loved spring outfit formula: dresses and ankle boots. I added some cute scarves for an extra touch of colour too!

What I wore:

Scarf: Jeanswest Lucille golden yellow scarf
Dress: Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

It's not the first time I've worn mustard yellow with this dress and definitely won't be the last - I really like the combination! A nice and simple outfit with the black printed dress, ankle boots and matching mustard accessories for a quiet day with the boys. We ran a few errands. I picked up my Christmas dress at Jeanswest (as the first store I went to didn't have my size!) and grabbed some groceries after spending some time at the library. Nice relaxing day.

As we weren't in a rush to be anywhere that morning and could set our own pace for the day, I decided to try snap another twirl pic with this dress. It twirls so beautifully, it's just not easy to capture on camera! I was pleased with the shot I got.


Last worn: mustard scarf, tiered printed dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan.

Other ways to wear: mustard scarf and olive pants, tiered printed dress and kimono, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ankle boots in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan and Mini MAC Compared

Comparing the two handbags I'm wearing in this post side by side in under 4 minutes.

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What I wore:

Scarf: navy bird print scarf
Dress: Jeanswest Rachel Lyocell chambray dress (C/O)
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff striped coated canvas mini MAC in berry stripe

Why I wore it:

Making use of the easy, comfortable outfit formula and wearing a dress and ankle boots again for another quiet day with the boys. I really treasure the SAHM days I get when working part time. On this day, despite the warm sunny weather, we spent the day inside at the library for music time, and then running a couple of errands before heading home. I did kinda wish we'd spent the day outside instead when the rain set it in for the rest of the week, and we were forced to stay indoors, ha!


I was sure that I'd worn this bird print scarf and the chambray dress together before, I was quite surprised to find that I hadn't when I searched through the blog. With the blue dress and scarf together and neutral tan ankle boots, I thought the red striped mini MAC bag waas a cute touch of colour. And a little bit of print mixing.


Last worn: bird print scarf, chambray dress, Chelsea ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff striped mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: bird print scarf with stripes, chambray dress in winter, Chelsea ankle boots and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff striped mini MAC and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: chambray dress in second trimester, Chelsea ankle boots in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff striped mini MAC in third trimester.

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Ankle Boots Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A simple dress and ankle boots is a quick and easy spring outfit formula, perfect for a busy mum. For a little extra interest to your outfit, you can add a colourful or printed scarf. It helps keep you cosy for the cooler mornings and evenings, and can easily be taken off when the days warm up.


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Printed Dresses, Silver Bag and Sneakers with Colourful Scarves: Spring Style

I debated about buying these glitter sneakers for a while. Given how much I've been reaching for them lately, I'm so glad I went back to the store to buy them. They work perfectly with spring dresses and scarves, and were only $8 at Kmart!

What I wore:

Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chelsea' printed dress
Shoes: Kmart sparkly silver glitter sneakers
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Couldn't resist going matchy-matchy with this outfit! Silver glitter shoes, and metallic silver mini MAC bag with a blue scarf and printed dress. Took me a while to decide on a scarf to wear in the morning - sometimes I leave my accessory decisions to the last minute even if I plan my outfits the night before. I tried this on and knew it would be perfect with the blue boho print of the dress.

While I don't wear this dress much over winter (I have layered it a few times) it gets worn frequently over spring and summer. Was a nice and simple outfit for a trip out shopping with the boys and my sister. We started the day at the playground before heading to the shops for a browse and some lunch (I've already shared my purchases!). Such a fun day, and nice to catch up with my sister. The boys loved it, even if we did spend time shopping, as they love their aunt.


Last worn: Louis Vuitton shawl, boho print dress, glitter sneakers, metallic silver mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: Louis Vuitton shawl and jeans, boho print dress and autumn layers, glitter sneakers and jeans, metallic silver mini MAC bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: boho print dress in second trimester, metallic silver mini MAC bag in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC: Review & What's In My Bag

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What I wore:

Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in orange (c/o)
Dress: Shein navy flower print flowy dress (c/o)
Shoes: Kmart sparkly silver glitter sneakers
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the outfit combo above so much, I did what I usually do and repeated it again a few days later with different pieces. Kept the silver mini MAC and glitter sneakers, and picked a different blue printed dress with an orange scarf this time. Was a comfortable outfit for a morning with the kids at an ABA-funded CPR and choking course.

You've seen me wear this dress with red a lot in the past. I've always thought the print was red. I saw on A Pocket Full of Polka Dots blog Jennie said it was orange and it made me question my eyes! I think it's a very orangey red, and could go either way. I appreciate her post as now I have a new colour combo to wear with this dress!

The longer knee length dress came in really helpful as I was running around with the boys before and after the course. It was a great course, I think you can never really have too many first aid refreshers, especially as I know from experience when things go wrong with the kids my mind goes blank! You always hope you'll never have to use anything you learn at one of these courses, but you want to remember it just in case.


Last worn: orange crinkle scarf, floral swing dress, silver glitter sneakers (above), Rebecca MInkoff mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wear: orange crinkle scarf and skinny jeans, floral swing dress and red bag, silver glitter sneakers and green pants, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and printed shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in third trimester.

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Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A dress and sneakers is a great outfit combination for spring when it's not quite warm enough to bare your toes in sandals! Fun sparkly ones add a little extra interest to your look, and work with any printed dress you have. Bold scarves that match one of the colours in the print of your dress is a good way to stay warm in the colder mornings and evenings too.


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Printed Dresses For The Office With Colourful Scarves and Balenciaga Bags

When I'm feeling uninspired picking workwear I make things easy on myself and pull on a printed dress! While both of these dresses are different styles and prints, they solved my 'no idea what to wear' dilema by becoming instant, easy outfits. I added some bright scarves and Balenciaga bags and I was ready for the office!

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Earrings: Ana Luisa 'Olivia' tassel earrings in pink (giveaway prize)
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Dress: Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I really liked the colours in this outfit, with pink blue and purple together. Not the first time I've worn that combination to the office. The pink statement earrings were won in a giveaway and I thought they worked perfectly with the pink fern print on the dress. Despite the earrings being gold and the hardware on the bag being silver, I think because they are far enough apart from each other the combination still works.

Originally when I'd put this together I had planned to wear my purple scarf, to match my purple bag. A text from my colleague the evening before reminding me we needed to wear blue that day made me pick this Louis Vuitton shawl instead. I adore this scarf so much, it's so cosy! As it's always cold in the office, I kept it on all day and matched the rest of the team wearing blue perfectly.

The ankle boots were a necessity with the cooler morning. Despite thinking the week before it was time to retire my tights, I was happy to have them this morning with the overcast and cooler day with lots of rain forecast.


Last worn: jersey blazer, Louis Vuitton shawl, Leona Edmiston dress, black ankle boots, Balenciaga Work Bag.

Other ways to wear: jersey blazer and fit and flare dress, Louis Vuitton shawl with stripes, Leona Edmiston dress and grey accessories, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Balenciaga Work Bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: jersey blazer in third trimester, Leona Edmiston dress in second trimester, black ankle boots in second trimester.

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How To Pick Your First Balenciaga Bag:

My most popular YouTube video with over 74,000 views! Short and sweet talking you through some popular Balenciaga styles.

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer
Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in orange (c/o)
Dress: French Connection 'Woodblock wonder' panache dress in white/geranium rose
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with SGH

Why I wore it:

A completely different look even though this follows the same outfit formula as the one above. I even wore the same blazer. I can't believe it's taken me this long to wear the orange crinkle scarf with this printed orange sheath dress, it's the perfect matchy-matchy layer!

With all of the colour in my scarf and outfit, I decided to go with neutral accessories this time, letting the scarf and dress be the touch of colour against all of the black. I really liked this outfit. You might recall me saying a few times I'm wary of wearing black with the orange dress as it reminds me of Halloween but I think it worked really well. When I was popping out to get lunch one of the sales people standing on the street complimented my outfit as I ran past shaking my head. Was nice of them to do that, but I was too busy to stop to see what they were selling!


Last worn: jersey blazer (above), orange crinkle scarf, orange sheath dress, black ballet flats, Balenciaga Part Time Bag.

Other ways to wear: jersey blazer and a-line skirt, orange crinkle scarf and navy dress, orange sheath dress under a knit, black ballet flats and jeans, Balenciaga Part Time bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: jersey blazer at 39 weeks, orange sheath dress in first trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester, Balenciaga Part Time Bag in second trimester.

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Printed Dresses For The Office Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Printed dresses are an easy and quick outfit to put together for the office. You can accessorise them with bright and colourful scarves. You could try using the scarf to introduce another bold colour to your outfit like the first pics, or by matching the scarf to a colour in the print of your dress like the last outfit.

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