Printed Maxi Dresses & Pink Balenciaga Bags

The simplest outfit of all has to be a printed dress, and you'll know if you've read my blog a while that maxi dresses are my favourite! I wore both of these recently for different occasions - a maxi dress works for so many events.

What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart navy and gold beaded tassel necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Sophia high-low maxi dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

Second wearing of my Christmas dress! I bought this dress back in October. I usually stick to my 'wear twice in the month I buy it' rule for fashion purchases, but decided to treat myself to a new dress for Christmas and put this aside until the day.

This time around, I wore it to head over to my parents for dinner. Nothing formal, just another excuse for me to wear this pretty dress! These studded Rebecca Minkoff gladiator sandals are a staple for me over summer - the neutral shade just goes with everything - and were an obvious choice with the dress.

I thought the magenta Balenciaga day bag would work nicely with the pink and the purple in the print. While not an exact match to the shade of pink in the dress, I still really liked this combination together. I thought the navy and gold tassel necklace was a good pairing with the dress too.

Unfortunately I managed to break (and kinda repair) this necklace part way through the evening. It's not quite as symmetrical now, although it is back in one piece! Despite breaking the necklace, we had such a nice time at my parents.


Last worn: high-low maxi dress, navy tassel necklace, gladiator sandals, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: high-low maxi dress for Christmas day, gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Balenciaga magenta day bag for travelling.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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My Balenciaga Handbag Collection:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart pink multi-colour beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

This outfit was for a much more casual occasion, although I again opted for the ease of a maxi dress. We had an early morning start to surprise hubby at the airport as he arrived after a week away in America. An even earlier start than expected as his plane arrived 20 minutes ahead of time, so instead of leisurely getting ready I had to hurry up and get us all fed and dressed and drive to the airport. In the end I probably didn't need to get there as early as I did, his plane was only actually 10 minutes early in the end, but as we were surprising him and he wasn't expecting to see us, I wanted to be there ready with our signs so he'd see us as soon as he stepped through customs.

Since I wanted to put in a little bit of effort into my outfit, I went with my trusty blue maxi dress. It's just as comfortable as pyjamas when you're sitting around at the airport waiting for someone to arrive! I've worn it with pink before in the past, I really like blue and pink together. I was surprised to see I hadn't worn this pink Balenciaga sorbet city bag with it before though! I really liked the combination.

I picked a pink necklace which kind of matched, and my sorbet Balenciaga studded sandals which matched the bag exactly. Simple accessorising for the morning rush!


Last worn: pink beaded necklace, blue printed maxi dress, Balenciaga studded sandals, Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: blue printed maxi dress layered for a rainy day, Balenciaga studded sandals and shorts, Balenciaga sorbet city bag and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: blue printed maxi dress at 39 weeks, Balenciaga studded sandals in second trimester, Balenciaga sorbet city bag in second trimester.

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Printed Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A printed maxi dress is such a time saver, it's an instant outfit. They are easy to accessorise too! You can pick similar colours out of the print to wear in your accessories and add some neutral pieces like in the first outfit, or just pick a contrasting colour and wear that in all your accessories like I have in the second outfit.



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Striped Tee Dresses and Purple Balenciaga Work Bag

Continuing the theme of blog posts this week and wearing some more new things, two new-to-me striped tee dresses.

My sister had a wardrobe clear out just before Christmas, and hers was a much more successful one than mine. I shared a video of some of the things I scored. I was thrilled to get two striped tee dresses, something I've wanted for a while. I've worn the black one before, but it was the first wearing for the white one. With the dresses from my sister's wardrobe and the bag from my bestie's wardrobe, it's easy to see you don't need to head to the stores when you want something different! Look through things friends or family are discarding from their wardrobes 😂

What I wore:

Earrings: gifted Kmart silver tassel earrings
Necklace: gifted Target silver Alisha trinity pendant necklace
Dress: Cotton On 'Tina' white striped tee dress in Lissy black / Gardenia (from my sister's wardrobe)
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I wore this for a rare kid-free couple of hours to shop! I popped out to browse the Kmart new year clearance sale. They had all their Christmas stock marked down, and I walked away with quite a lot for next Christmas! I got a trolley full of goodies for $15, and just one of the things in the trolley was a $15 tree. As well as Christmas things, they had a lot of clothes and some toys marked down so I enjoyed getting to wander through the store and even try things on at my own pace without kids in tow! I've already shared the shorts I got, and I picked up a peplum top and some new PJs for myself too.

Kept things simple with my outfit. Just the tee dress, silver pendant necklace and earrings (both Christmas gifts) and then Balenciaga accessories. This tee dress was one of the new with tags pieces my sister never got around to wearing. Worked out nicely for me! I did mull over the pink studded sandals with the purple studded bag, as the bag has silver hardware and the sandals are rose gold. I think they are far enough apart that it worked though.

While I think this dress might be a little too short for days with the kids, it worked out perfectly for a morning shopping by myself, and was nice on a hot and humid day!


Last worn: purple Balenciaga work bag, Balenciaga studded sandals. First time I've worn the necklace as it was a Christmas gift, and first time I've worn this dress from my sister's wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: purple Balenciaga work bag and jeans, Balenciaga studded sandals and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Balenciaga studded sandals in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Work

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What I wore:

Dress: All About Eve striped black tee dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

Unlike the striped tee dress above, I wore this on a day out with the kids. This dress is just slightly longer and has a longer hem in the back that made me feel more comfortable wearing it out for a morning of running errands.

Usually when I'm with the kids I'll take a small cross body bag as I'll be carrying the bulky baby bag too. On this day, we weren't planning to be out long and I didn't feel like carrying the baby bag all morning, so I decided to put the wipes, water bottles and a changing kit in my Balenciaga work bag. I was feeling quite happy with my decision until we got to music time at the library - with an entire room full of kids dancing and stomping and running around my poor bag was trampled on a few times (mostly by my boys though!). I think I'll stick with the small cross body bag that fits inside the baby bag if needed for a while longer!

Handbag stomping aside, I liked the way this outfit looked! I love the pop of colour with the purple against the black and white stripes. This dress was so nice on an overcast but humid day too. I kept the accessories simple, no necklace and just my trusty Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals, as it really was too hot to contemplate wearing anything more.

Last worn: black striped tee dress, studded gladiator sandals, Balenciaga purple work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: black striped tee dress with gold shoes, studded sandals worn 30 ways, purple Balenciaga work bag in the office,

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Striped Tee Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A tee dress is a lovely easy outfit option for a hot summer day. With lots of choice for designs, you could pick one in your favourite print (mine is stripes!). If you have young kids, best to consider the length of the dresses to avoid any unfortunate moments in the playground! Definitely something you want to try on at home or compare measurements with a dress you already have and know is kid-friendly.


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Printed Dresses, Gold Sandals and Chloe Paddington Bag: Summer Style

You know I love my outfit formulas! Printed dresses are a great piece to include in an outfit formula as they make each outfit look different. I'm wearing two cute printed dresses below, with green necklaces, rose gold sandals and a Chloe Paddington bag, and because I changed up the dress each time they look completely different.

What I wore:

Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Dress: All About Eve striped black tee dress
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

This dress is one that I got from my sister (video explanation here) and I'm surprised she wanted to give it away as I associate it with her so much! One of my favourite photos of her and my eldest son together she was wearing this dress. Of course I am extremely grateful to get it!

A striped tee dress has been on my want list for a while, but I figured I'd start shopping when the boys are bigger and there's less bending over and picking the kids up! I found the length on this really nice though. Hubby and I had a rare few hours to ourselves to do some boring bank stuff while the inlaws watched the kids, so it was the perfect opportunity to break out this tee dress. I actually really liked the length and could see myself wearing this around the boys. The slightly dipped hem in the back helps with that!

The style challenge for the day was 'pure gold' so I layered up the gold pendant necklace, rose gold sandals and gold padlock Chloe Paddington bag together. I really liked all of the gold with the black and white stripes.


Last worn: gold pendant necklace, rose gold sandals, Chloe Paddington bag. First time I've worn the striped tee dress as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: rose gold sandals and maxi dress, Chloe Paddington bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: Chloe Paddington bag in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Chloe Paddington

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What I wore:

Necklace: Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Again, another printed dress with a green and gold necklace, and the same rose gold sandals and Chloe Paddington bag. Despite being the same outfit formula as I wore above, I love how this looks completely different with the navy dress!

This dress isn't much shorter than the one above, but really feels it (especially as the hems are curved and split before they join in the middle. It's strictly a kid free dress, unless I wear it as a top, which I've done a few times in the past.

I wore the dress like this a couple days before Christmas, to get some last minute stocking filler things I hadn't been able to buy before when I had the kids with me, and to make a start on the Christmas food shopping to minimise what I needed to buy the weekend before Christmas. It was a productive few hours, and this dress was a nice light layer for the hot summer day.


Last worn: navy shift dress, green statement necklace, rose gold sandals (above), Chloe Paddington (above).

Other ways to wear: navy shift dress under a pencil skirt, rose gold sandals and maxi dress, Chloe Paddington and burgundy pants.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy shift dress in third trimester, Chloe Paddington in first trimester.

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Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A simple printed dress is a staple for a hot summer day. They are so easy to style too. Add some metallic accessories and a fun bag and you're set for the day. You can even repeat the same or similar accessories the next day with another dress for a completely different outfit despite following the same formula and wearing some of the same pieces.



Linking up with Friday Faves, Lizzie In Lace, Sunday Reflections, Shoe & Tell, On Mondays We Link Up, PinkSole and I was featured over at Nancy's linkup!

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Wrap Dresses For The Office With Balenciaga Bags | Weekday Wear Linkup

A wrap dress is such a classic piece and it's an office staple for me. When I'm not sure what to wear, a printed wrap dress solves that problem really easily! (Plus, scroll down for the Weekday Wear link up!)

What I wore:

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

Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress (with Cotton On 'eternity' tank in charcoal marle underneath)
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne Ava White leopard ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

This wrap dress is an old classic and I refuse to let it go - it predates me even meeting my husband and we've been together almost 13 years. Of course, as I mentioned on Instagram, things are a little different now after breastfeeding two babies compared to my pre-kids uni days, so I like to add a singlet underneath for a little extra coverage!

I've worn this purple Balenciaga work bag and this floral printed wrap dress together before, I really like the combination. First time I've tired the leopard print flats with this dress though. I wouldn't normally try florals and leopard together, but I thought the black and white in both prints made these shoes an easy choice. I liked the combo.


Last worn: floral print wrap dress, statement earrings, grey tank, silhoupette necklace, leopard print flats, Balenciaga work bag.

Other ways to wear: floral print wrap dress and trench coat, grey tank and pink vest, leopard print flats and jeans, Balenciaga work bag and layered outfit.

Perfect for pregnancy: floral print wrap dress in second trimester, grey tank in third trimester.

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My Complete Balenciaga Collection:

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What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart blue fringe crescent statement earrings

Necklace: Silhoupette gold plated Shih Tzu necklace
Dress: Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Edenborough Evans 'Ivy' silver cuff
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Unlike the first outfit, this tempete Balenciaga day bag and watercolour printed wrap dress have not been worn together often before. I really like the combination of the shades of blue together. For another shade of blue, I added in my navy tassel earrings, they are always a fun addition to a work outfit. I can't wear them at home around the boys as they can be a little grabby and I'd rather have my earlobes intact while they are still learning what gentle means! I continued the gold accessories matching the necklace to the earrings, even though the hardware on the bag was silver. I feel they are far enough apart that it worked.

I kept things simple with the shoes too. These silver flats go with everything, and have been frequently worn with the wrap dress in the past.


Last worn: tassel earrings, gold silhoupette necklace, watercolour wrap dress, silver bow flats, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: watercolour wrap dress in winter, silver bow flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga tempete day bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: watercolour wrap dress in third trimester, silver bow flats in third trimester, Balenciaga tempete day bag 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 style that never goes out of date. A true wraparound and not a faux one is a great option to have in your wardrobe for years as it easily adjusts to body changes over time just by tying it a little tighter or looser as needed. It makes such an easy office outfit, just pull on and go.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #03

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

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Linking up with Modest Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Start the Week Stylish, PinkSole, Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Red Carpet Fashion, Style On The Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Weekly Link Up, Fabulous Friday.

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Accessorising Handbags & Blue Printed Dresses

It's no secret blue is my favourite colour, and while I have a few dresses in my wardrobe, blue printed dresses make up the majority! Both of these dresses are very different styles and prints, but are great for a hot summer day. I accessorised them both with bright mini bags, and accessorised further by adding accessories to those bags themselves.

What I wore:

Necklace: Lovisa gold filigree heart pendant
Dress: Kmart strappy tiered sundress in watercolour blue and blush print
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum

Why I wore it:

I wasn't doing anything special on this day - a quiet day out with the boys, but sometimes you just want to throw on a pretty dress. This lightweight one is so good in the heat too, and since I picked it up on clearance at Kmart for $2, it's down to a $1 cost per wear already!

Last time I wore this I paired it with a pastel pink bag to match the print of the dress. This time around I decided to do something a little different. I love blue and pink and pink and purple and blue and purple together, this dress gives me the ability to wear all three! Since I was wearing the purple mini MAB tote bag and it has gold hardware, I picked my rose gold filigree heart necklace to wear.

I really liked this outfit - simple but perfect for a hot day! The purple mini MAB tote bag has a little extra interest too with the faux fur pom pom charm - a gift a few years ago from one of my friends, it looks so good on this bag it lives there permanently!


Last worn: blue and pink tiered sundress, gold filigree heart necklace, gold Havaianas, purple Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: tiered sundress and silver sneakers, purple Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag in third trimester.

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More Ways To Accessorise Your Bags:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Zatini red pendant necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chelsea' printed dress
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag (with Fashion Scarf Girl Navy and Gold hair scarf (c/o) tied in a bow)

Why I wore it:

This dress is a summer favourite, although I have layered it up for winter a few times in the years I've owned it. I wanted something simple to wear at a catch up at my parents. Since they were missing Christmas as they were going overseas, we caught up with the family to give them a few gifts before they left, and have a yummy dinner together.

I don't think I've worn red with this dress before, but I really liked the way this little Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag popped with the blue print. I had to go a little matchy-matchy and wear my red necklace with it too, even though it's guaranteed one or both of the boys will grab on this when I'm wearing it to get a closer look!

To further continue to the blue, and to change up the look of the micro Avery bag a little as I've been frequently wearing it, I added one of my scarves from Fashion Scarf Girl. Such a fun little hair scarf, it looks great tied in a bow on this handbag handle!


Last worn: blue boho printed dress, red necklace, gold Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag. First time I've worn the scarf as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: blue boho printed dress and blazer, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: blue boho printed dress in second trimester.

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Similar Blue Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A mini cross body bag is a great addition to a simple summer dress outfit, to add an extra little pop of colour. If you want to change things up a bit, you can accessorise the bag too! Try a fun charm or a simple scarf tied in a bow.


Linking up with Lizzie In Lace, Shoe & Tell, Modest Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Sunday Reflections.

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New Weekday Wear Linkup! Blue Dresses and Pink Balenciaga City Bag: Summer Office Outfits

Two simple summer office outfits, with two pretty printed dresses and a pink Balenciaga city bag. All pieces I love and have worn before, but I do have something new to share with you - a new outfit linkup!

What I wore:

Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

Sometimes I find the square neckline of this sheath dress a little tricky to accessorise, I often debate for a while each morning about what necklace to wear. This long pendant necklace has been a frequently worn one lately though, so I decided to give it a go and I really liked the combination!

The paisley print dress and pink Balenciaga city bag are frequently worn together, I really like pink and blue! And as I had a gold necklace, these gold mouse flats were an obvious shoe choice. Really easy summer office style. I did have a blazer too for the cold aircon in the office, but it was much too hot to wear it for photos in the morning.


Last worn: long tassel necklace, paisley print sheath dress, gold mouse flats, Balenciaga sorbet city bag.

Other ways to wear: paisley print sheath dress and blazer, gold mouse flats and pencil skirt, Balenciaga sorbet city bag in winter.

Perfect for pregnancy: paisley print sheath dress in second trimester, gold mouse flats 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: thrifted Zara black blazer
Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Aztec print dress
Belt: Rebecca Minkoff Liv double wrap velvet belt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet (more affordable preloved)

Why I wore it:

It was a little cooler this morning (although not by much) so I wore my blazer for the pics. Again I picked a gold necklace to wear with the blue printed dress, this Kmart one is another frequently worn one, and so cheap too! For the blazer, shoes and belt I went with black, due to the darker colours in the Ikat print of the dress.

While the blue print in this dress is darker than the one above, I still think the pink Balenciaga city bag is a fun accessory with it - it really pops with the darker background.

A little bit of a quieter day at work meant the opportunity to get some training in too which was wonderful - we have an online training site but I so rarely get the opportunity to use it and there were some courses I've been wanting to do for a while!


Last worn: black jersey blazer, blue and gold necklace, Ikat print dress, velvet belt, black ballet flats, Balenciaga sorbet city bag (above).

Other ways to wear: jersey blazer and jeans, Ikat print dress with green, velvet belt over a blazer, black ballet flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga sorbet city bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: black jersey blazer in third trimester, Ikat print dress in third trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester, Balenciaga sorbet city bag in second trimester.

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Blue Printed Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A printed dress is such an easy office option as you can just pull-on and go. You can always accessorise with a nice neutral like all the black pieces I wore in the second outfit, or make a brightly coloured dress even brighter with a bold bag like the pink Balenciaga city.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #01

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!





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