Showing posts with label knit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knit. Show all posts

Friday 1 June 2018

30 Ways To Wear A Purple Cardigan: #30wears Outfit Challenge

This 30 wears post has been a while coming, after I hit 30 wears on this cardigan in spring last year. It just didn't feel right to post about it over summer though. Now the weather is cooler and it's officially winter here in Brisbane, I'm happy to share some of the 30 ways I've worn this cardigan in the past. I even managed to find some of the ways I'd worn it before I had the blog so I could share that with you for something different.


30 Ways To Wear: Purple Cardigan


30 ways to wear a purple cardigan | Away From The Blue Blog pinnable pic


The past few times I've done a 30 wears post I've managed to calculate the cost per wear. Unfortunately, I bought this cardigan so long ago, I can't remember what I paid for it. I've only photographed my outfits consistently every day since I started this blog in 2012 so I'm not sure exactly how many times I've worn this. There have been over 33 times I've photographed it and I'm pleased with that. The earliest pic I could find was winter 2011, so it's at least 7 years old and still going strong.



How To Wear a Purple Cardigan Video:






Belting A Cardigan


3 ways to wear a cardigan belted | away from the blue


One of my early blog pics there in the middle! It's fun seeing how things have changed. I used to have to balance my camera on the BBQ and use the self timer, so often it wasn't aligned properly. I much prefer the other pics, taken with my camera remote and tripod.
No matter what the photos look like, I love each of these outfit ideas though. I really like the way this cardigan looks belted. It's something a bit different, and good in the middle of winter as it keeps you warm as the cardigan stays closed in place. It makes the draped pieces sit really flatteringly too and almost creates a peplum effect as you can see in the last photo.



Colourful Cardigan and Matching Bag


3 outift ideas purple cardigan and matching magenta Balenciaga day bag


Each season, Balenciaga come out with new colours for their bags. I always take a liking to the pinks, but the 2005 magenta is my favourite pink. As you can see in the photos above, my current magenta Balenciaga Day bag isn't the only magenta bag I've had, the old selfie in the middle is back when I had the same colour in the city style too.

With the touch of pink in this purple cardigan, and the touch of purple in the pink bag, the cardigan and bags are a nice combination. They aren't a perfect match, but the shade is close enough together that I like the almost matchy-matchyness.



Purple Cardigan With Blue Tops


4 outfit ideas of a purple cardigan with blue tops and jeans | awayfromtheblue


It's not just similar colours I like wearing this purple cardigan with. Blue and purple is a combination I frequently wear, so I really like navy tops with this cardigan.
Of course that last outfit there is my favourite, it was Baby T's first outing after we got home from the hospital. Even though I'm exhausted, my postpartum tum is on display, and we were going to a clinic for breastfeeding help, it was still a comfortable outfit and my favourite photo of the post!


Purple Cardigan With Pink


3 ways to wear a purple cardigan with pink | away from blue blog


Another frequently worn colour combination of mine is pink and purple. With the bright purple colour of this cardigan, it's easy to introduce just a little touch of colour through a small bag like this neon pink mini MAC I'm wearing in the last two photos. If you're feeling bolder or particularly colourful, you could wear it with a pink top too, like I've done with the ombre tank in the first outfit.


Purple Cardigan With Purple Accessories


4 outfit ideas to wear purple cardigan with purple bag | away from the blue


You'll know from reading my blog (or looking at some of the outfits I've already shared!) that I like my colourful handbags. They are fun accessories with an outfit. And while the deep plum purple of these Rebecca Minkoff bags in the outfits above doesn't match the pinky-purple shade of the cardigan, I think they compliment each other quite nicely!
Even if your accessories aren't a perfect match to a colourful cardigan, it's good to give the combination a try - as you can see I loved the little purple MAB tote bag with this cardigan so much I've worn it quite a few times!



Colourful Cardigan With Neutral Outfits


3 ways to add a purple cardigan to neutral outfits | awayfromtheblue


If you're completely stumped about what to wear with a colourful cardigan, throw it on over a neutral outfit. It can be something as simple as a grey tee like in the first picture, or a monochrome black outfit like the last photo. It also works well with cream and neutrals as you can see in the middle there. I'm also employing my previous tip above of wearing a purple bag with the cardigan in these last two photos, but you could easily stick with a neutral brown like the Chloe paddington bag in the first outfit.



Colourful Cardigan and Printed Tops


Purple cardigan with printed tanks 3 outfit ideas | awayfromblue


The fun thing with a bright, single colour cardigan like this purple one is that it's so easy to wear with printed pieces in your outfit. The lack of print on it means it will go with anything. Stripes is my favourite combo, as you can see here! But a plain cardigan will go with any print you want to wear.



Draped Cardigan and Maxi Skirts


3 ways to wear a purple cardigan with maxi skirts | away from blue


With a loose, drapey waterfall cardigan you'd usually follow the 'one fitted, one flowy' rule to balance your outfit. But I like the casual outfit created with a long maxi skirt and this long cardigan. It's a nice way to wear a maxi skirt outside of summer! And as you can see from the last picture, a cardigan is the perfect piece to wear when babywearing, soft for baby to cuddle up to when he's in the carrier.



Purple Cardigan and Dresses


4 ways to wear a purple cardigan with dresses | away from the blue



The last way that you can wear a purple cardigan is with dresses! I smiled when I put this picture together as it shows off some of the other things I'd mentioned above! A purple cardigan with purple accessories, a neutral black dress, with blue, and with prints. Just like it does with with maxi skirts, a cosy and colourful cardigan is a nice way to make a spring or summer dress work into autumn, especially when paired with ankle boots!



I really like the beautiful purple shade of this cardigan, and I find it so easy to wear. One of those purchases that's proved it's worth in my wardrobe. I have had to spend a little more than what I originally paid on it after I accidentally snagged it and got a hole in it. Thankfully my tailor repaired it very affordably, and this cardigan will continue to be worn and loved in my wardrobe for a long time still.


Hopefully these outfit ideas gave you some ways to wear a purple cardigan, or even just a colourful cardigan, that you own. If you don't have one, it is very versatile as you can see from the outfits above, so I've included some similar pieces below you can shop.


Where To Buy Purple Cardigans Under $50:






Want more outfit inspiration? All of the 30+ ways I've worn this cardigan on the blog.




Linking up with Flashback Fashion, Lizzie In Lace, Flashback Fashion, Style Wise, Shoe & Tell, Mix It MondayModest MondayHello Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, On Trend.


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Wednesday 23 May 2018

Grey Knits and Soft Shorts In Autumn With Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag

When you want to wear all your autumn/winter knits but the weather isn't cooperating, try wearing them with shorts! With our extremely warm start to autumn I wore this outfit combination a few times to wear some cosier pieces without overheating.

What I wore:

embellished grey knit jumper ankle boots with printed soft relaxed fit shorts, Balenciaga day bag | AwayFromBlue

grey embellished knit jumper with Balenciaga storm blue tempete day hobo g21 bag | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram embellished grey knit jumper soft printed shorts autumn style ankle boots
NecklaceZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
KnitWarehouse grey bead front jumper
ShortsJeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
BagBalenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

The perfect opportunity to wear one of my recently unboxed winter knits. While I keep my summer pieces in my wardrobe year round, I have no need for winter knits and scarves and leather jackets most of the year here in Brisbane, so I box them away. Unboxing them when the weather changes is always so fun, even if it does lead to the inevitable 'I have no space in my wardrobe' and 'why do I have so many clothes?!' freak outs when I try find a spot in my wardrobe for it all.

It was a cooler morning and we were spending the day playing outside in the shade at playgroup, so I thought this knit would work well with shorts and ankle boots. It was the perfect weather and outfit and I loved wearing this. With the embellishment on the knit I wasn't sure at first if it would work with the printed shorts, but with a lot of white in the print I thought they tied together nicely when I put them on. I really enjoyed wearing this outfit.


Last worn: embellished jumper, printed shorts, black ankle boots, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wearembellished jumper and jeans, printed shorts and embroidered blouse, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Balenciaga tempete day bag and swing dress.

Perfect for pregnancyblack ankle boots in second trimester, Balenciaga tempete day bag in third trimester.


Review and Contents of Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag:






What I wore:

Jeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver, embroidered olive shorts and Balenciaga day bag | away from blue

silver foil knit, Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram | Jeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver with olive embroidered shorts
Necklace: Silk beaded baby-friendly necklace
KnitJeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver
ShortsJeanswest Tessa olive embroidered shorts
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagBalenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Since I enjoyed the outfit above so much, I thought I'd try the formula again. I should have checked the weather before I did so, it was a warmer than usual day and I did regret the knit at a few points. Fun day though! We had our local ABA mother's group in the morning, a little shopping in the afternoon and then I got changed and we headed down the coast for dinner with my family.

It's the first time I've worn this necklace, an item sold as a fundraiser for ABA. With the silver beads and print I thought it would match nicely with my silver foil knit and tempete Balenciaga day bag.
Last time I wore a normal necklace to the ABA I regretted the decision - spending my stay at home mum days at playgroup or mother's group means baby-friendly necklaces are the best choice! While my boys are past the teething stage, my friend's baby adored chewing on this necklace as I held him for a moment while my friend was busy with her other son. I think I'll be wearing baby friendly necklaces for a while, even though my boys are toddlers now!

I did think that the necklace, knit and bag all worked well together but I'm not too sure about the olive shorts. I usually find green a tricky colour to wear, I think a neutral bag might have been better with this outfit.


Last worn: polka dot foil knit, olive embroidered shorts, Havaianas, Balenciaga tempete day bag (above).

Other ways to wearpolka dot foil knit and denim, olive embroidered shorts with mustard, Balenciaga tempete day bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancyBalenciaga tempete day bag in second trimester.


More Grey Knits Under $50:




How You Can Wear It:


Thin knit jumpers like these are great pieces that you can wear by themselves in spring and autumn or layered up with things over or under them in winter. If the weather isn't the perfect coldness, you can still wear them with shorts as I have above. Definitely pieces you can get a lot of wear from outside of winter.



Linking up with Style On The Daily, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Frenzy, Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Style Wise, Weekend Wear, Fabulous Friday.


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Friday 11 May 2018

Two Ways To Wear Rebecca Minkoff Ruana Poncho with Shorts: Adding Autumn Layers to Summer Outfits

When I stumbled across this Rebecca Minkoff knit poncho / kimono in the Shopbop sale I couldn't get it out of my head. I have no shortage of kimonos in my wardrobe, but it is different from any of the ones I already owned. From the fall/winter collection, it's a thick and cosy acrylic knit that I knew would be perfect for autumn or winter outfits when it gets too chilly to wear my thinner kimonos.

I hadn't planned to wear it with shorts, I was thinking of cooler temperatures and jeans! But it was good to take advantage of the cooler mornings and evenings in this mild Brisbane autumn and throw it on as an extra layer with my shorts.


What I wore:

 Rebecca Minkoff Ruana poncho in monochrome shorts and tee outfit print mixing with foil stripes | awayfromblue

tassel poncho and Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC | awayfromtheblue

Necklace: silver heart long pendant necklace
TeeJeanswest Anika foil stripe tee in white and silver
ShortJeanswest Sara distressed hot short
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Kept things simple this time I wore the kimono. As it was predicted to rain, I thought this would be perfect to keep cosy as we ran a few errands before and after our Australian Breastfeeding Association mothers group. Picked the Converse as a practical choice too, although we were lucky to get home just before the storms rolled in, the rain and thunder chased us home!

I was going to wear a colourful necklace with this, one of my baby-friendly teething ones, but decided at the last moment to keep things completely monochrome and went with a silver necklace to match the silver foil stripes on the tee and silver bag. I ended up having a conversation with a friend about how I might just stick to baby friendly necklaces for the group in future - this necklace got tugged on quite a few times, and that was just by my boys!

Usually I'll add a little colour to a monochrome outfit, but with the print mixing with the print on the kimono and the striped tee, I felt my outfit was busy enough. I really liked this outfit, and I'm looking forward to wearing this kimono more as the weather continues to cool in Brisbane.


Last worn: foil stripe tee, distressed denim shorts, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wearfoil stripe tee and olive short, distressed denim shorts in capsule wardrobe, Converse and swing dress, Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC and purple jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC in third trimester.


What I Bought Last Month:

(Including some action shots of me wearing the kimono in different ways)






What I wore:

Rebecca Minkoff Ruana poncho print mixing with mustard tank shorts autumn SAHM style | away from blue

silver bracelet stack, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold | away from the blue

awayfromblue print mixing Rebecca Minkoff Ruana poncho mustard and blue tank and shorts micro regan bag
JacketRebecca Minkoff Ruana poncho
Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
TankJeanswest Maya gather back tank in chartreuse
ShortsJeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagRebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This was a much more colourful outfit to wear with the black and white kimono. This had seemed like a great idea in my head, but I felt it was a little busy when I looked back at the photos. I did really like the mustard tank under the kimono though, I'm going to have to give that a try again.

Was a busy day with daycare drop off and pick up and working from home, but at the last minute Baby Boy's specialist appointment was postponed so that freed up the evening a little and gave me a little more time to do the daycare pickup and get dinner organised.

Although it's the first time I've worn the kimono with these pieces, I have worn the tank and shorts together before. I like wearing these blue shorts with yellow, so cheerful and colourful.


Last worn: Rebecca Minkoff kimono (above), mustard tank, blue printed shorts, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wearmustard tank in the office, blue printed shorts in monochrome outfit, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and little black dress.



More Black and White Kimonos Under $50:



This poncho I'm wearing has just been added to the 75% off Rebecca Minkoff Online sample sale too!


How You Can Wear It:

Cosy knitted ponchos or kimonos make great layers when the weather starts to cool in autumn or when it hasn't warmed up enough in spring. A classic black and white one works just was well with a monochrome outfit as it does with a bold and colourful one, so it's easier to wear more often.


Linking up with Lizzie In Lace, Shoe & Tell, Hello Monday, Mix It Monday.


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Wednesday 18 April 2018

Foil Polka Dot Tops and Shorts With Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC and Micro Regan Bags

I really have a foil print obsession this year! It's not the first time I've posted about foil print pieces with shorts!

I'm loving the trend, it's been around for a couple years here in Australia and you see it a lot on cute knits for winter. Being in Brisbane, I don't need a lot of winter knits, so I've been snapping up foil print tees too. Below I'm wearing two of my polka dot foil print pieces, with shorts because the first few weeks of autumn in Brisbane were quite warm.

What I wore:

Jeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver polka dots with boyfriend denim distressed shorts | awayfromblue

Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue instagram polka dot foil print knit and denim shorts with mustard bag
TopJeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver (new purchase)
Shortsthrifted Jeanswest distressed denim shorts
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagRebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

I bought this top back in February when it started getting a little cooler, Then the heatwaves hit and continued into autumn, and weeks later I'm finally giving it a wear!

Being completely honest, while it was nice and cool in the morning, in typical Brisbane style it was hot and sunny in the afternoon and I ended up taking this off! It was nice to wear it for a little bit though, and take it off to just wear a tee when it got too warm. I'm looking forward to wearing it more, probably will be winter before I get a chance to!

The knit top and denim shorts combo is actually something that came up from the monthly purchase video I did - I bought both of these in the same month (although the shorts have been worn a lot more!) and so I modelled them together for the video. I really liked the combination, so it seemed like the perfect outfit for the first wearing of this beautiful knit.

Decided to add just a little colour with the mustard yellow Micro Regan bag - I like grey and mustard together so I'm sure I'll wear this combination more often.


Last worn: boyfriend denim shorts, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan. First time I've worn the knit jumper as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wearboyfriend denim shorts and kimono, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan and little black dress.



Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan and Mini MAC Compared





What I wore:

Jeanswest Flavia foil printed polka dot tee deep iris navy with pastel pink shorts aqua bag | away from blue

Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram navy polka dot foil tee pastel pink shorts SAHM style

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
TopJeanswest Flavia foil printed polka dot tee deep iris
Shorts: thrifted pastel pink cotton shorts
ShoesRebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bracelets: the usual
BagRebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

It's been a while since I last wore these pink shorts, so they were due another wear! I seem to have the worst track record with keeping them clean, always spilling something on them. I'd been thinking about upgrading my denim jacket and buying a white one, but my inability to keep these pastel pink shorts clean is putting me off, haha! Thankfully they were spill free this time.

Just a casual outfit to do the daycare drop off / pick up and work from home with a specialist appointment to take my son to in the afternoon.

I like pink and blue together so the navy polka dot foil tee worked perfectly with the pastel pink. The aquamarine mini MAC was another nice little touch of colour. Although the foil polka dots are gold and the chain hardware is silver I think that they looked okay together, especially with the turquoise stone in the necklace.


Last worn: polka dot tee, pink shorts, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC.

Other ways to wearpolka dot tee and floral kimono, pink shorts and denim jacket, studded sandals and a swing dress, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancyRebecca Minkoff mini MAC in third trimester.



Foil Polka Dot Tops Under $50:




How You Can Wear It:


Foil printed pieces add a little extra sparkle to a classic shorts outfit and is a nice way to make a casual outfit feel a little dressier. There are so many different foil print tops around, it's easy to find one that works for you, from a tee for warmer weather or a knit for colder weather. If you want to make your stay at home mum outfits feel a little more pulled together, wearing tops with extra details like foil print is an easy way to do so.



Linking up with Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear.



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Friday 10 November 2017

Sydney With Two Toddlers: What We Did and What I Wore

In October we took the boys on their first flight down to Sydney for a few days. I'm sharing what we did and things to see in Sydney if you're travelling with toddlers. If you want to skip that, I've included my regular outfits too.

Toddler T is 3, and Baby Boy is 19 months. Both are good walkers. We took a travel stroller and I had my Ergobaby carrier. The stroller was great for carrying the baby bag, layers to wear and food and snacks for the boys but we didn't think Sydney was very stroller friendly. Sydney had daylight savings time but it was only an hour different from Brisbane so we stuck to Brisbane time as normal.

What I wore:

Sydney Darling Harbour sightseeing outfit maxi skirt cardigan converse balenciaga hobo bag | awayfromblue
JacketJeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
TankFrench Connection feather foil singlet
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
BagBalenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')


Why I wore it:

I was looking forward to this day the most! I didn't have a lot of space as we packed light, mostly taking extra clothes for the boys. I still prioritised so while I wore the same Converse every day, I had room for a change of bag and instead of my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere I swapped out to this magenta Balenciaga day bag for our morning at the aquarium and spending the afternoon with my bestie. She has a magenta Balenciaga bag too so I had to wear this for the occasion!

Did wish I'd packed another jacket, as it was an overcast and colder day and this purple cardigan was the warmest piece I'd packed.


Last worn: purple cardigan, black tank, grey jersey maxi skirt, Converse, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wearpurple cardigan and chambray dress, black tank and printed shorts, grey jersey maxi skirt in monochrome outfit, Converse and printed dresses, Balenciaga magenta day bag with button up breastfeeding dresses.

Perfect for pregnancy: black tank in first trimester, maxi skirt for second trimester travel, magenta Balenciaga and maternity denim.



4 Days in Sydney With Toddlers: Itinerary


Day One


We landed in Sydney in the afternoon, and it was off to where we were staying for nap time. I will not be sharing the name of the place we stayed as it was the worst place I have ever stayed and if there had been other options available I would have demanded a refund and moved out.

After failed nap time for Toddler T, I took him with me on my bloggy date with Rachel from a Nesting Nomad. It was great to catch up with her again, after meeting her in Brisbane a while back. I followed Google Maps but failed to realise the route resulted in walking up a very long hill to get to the meeting point. Only slightly late. Sorry again Rachel!

We walked through Hyde Park to let Toddler T run around a bit, then met up with Hubby and Baby Boy once he'd woken up. We went for a walk around Paddy's markets and through Chinatown before going to Darling Harbour.

sydney with toddlers darling harbour playground | awayfromblue


Tip: Darling Harbour playground is perfect for toddlers. 

The boys had the chance to run around and play to expend some energy after sitting still on the flight. Lots of lovely restaurants nearby for dinner options too, although we went back to where we were staying and ordered takeout!


Day Two 

Sydney aquarium shark tunnel outfit maxi skirt tank converse teething necklace | away from the blue

A cold and dull day, it was supposed to rain so we headed to the aquarium as we suspected we might. We hadn't bought our tickets in advance, not wanting to tie ourselves down to anything much with two toddlers.

Tip: Buy your aquarium ticket in advance. The line to purchase was extremely slow.

Sydney Aquarium shark tank selfie | away from the blue blog


The aquarium was worth the wait though, the boys loved it. Despite it being perfect indoors weather and a weekend, there was plenty of space for the boys to run around from exhibit to exhibit as it wasn't too crowded. There were roving staff members in a few rooms presenting and talking about things to see, as well as lots of helpful educational information near each tank. Made it easy to explain to the boys what they were seeing, even though they were a little young to read for themselves.



Tip: Take toddlers to the bathroom before you enter. The bathrooms are at the end of the aquarium which is not what you want to discover halfway round.

After the aquarium, we attempted to head over the Pyrmont bridge to get to the shopping centre for lunch. I have fond memories of walking along the bridge on holiday as a kid, back when the monorail was still there! So difficult to do with a stroller though. We'd walked past the lift a few times before we found it, and then getting the lift down into the shopping centre on the other side of the harbour involved getting out on the top floor, walking through the shopping centre, getting another lift down then walking back to go to where we wanted to eat for lunch. On our way back we just walked around the harbour in the cold rather than attempt the silly lift system again.



As the boys napped, my bestie arrived and I snuck out leaving hubby and the boys to rest as we went to the Lindt Cafe for some chocolate and a catch up. It might have just been the company, but it was easily one of my favourite meals in Sydney, as we shared the 'dome of decadence' between 3 of us.




Tip: Lindt Cafe might be a little too chocolate filled to be a good option with a toddler, but they do takeaway!


After an amazing afternoon catching up, it was dinner time and we just headed to the nearest McDonalds for a fuss-free meal, perfect for toddlers!



Day Three


The day Toddler T was looking forward to most - a trip to the zoo and a ride on a Sydney Ferry!

After a slight detour into the Rocks, we eventually made our way to Circular Quay and had the chance to take photos with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

sydney with toddlers circular quay opera house | Away from the blue


Tip: The Rocks is NOT stroller friendly, don't even try it. Or you'll end up stuck looking down on the harbour realising the only way down is a very long flight of stairs with a stroller. Thanks again Google Maps!

I expected some excitement from the toddlers about the landmarks we'd been pointing out in books for weeks, but it was of course all about the boats! There was a big cruise liner docked while we were there which was exciting to see.

After buying our tickets we hopped on the ferry to go to Taronga Zoo. It's a short trip, just enough time for the toddlers to enjoy being on a boat and you to point out and take photos of all the landmarks before you arrive at the zoo.

Tip: You don't need to travel round all of Circular Quay to get landmark photos with toddlers - just hop on the Manly ferry and take photos from the boat!

selfie with sydney harbour bridge from manly ferry | away from the blue


When we arrived at the zoo, as we had bought our tickets in advance we were able to take the gondola up over the animals to the very top, with amazing views of the harbour. Of course it was the animals you fly over that the boys enjoyed more than the view!

Tip: buy your zoo ticket in advance, even if just at the ferry terminal. It gives you the ability to take a gondola up to the top of the hill and work your way down.


sydney with toddlers taronga zoo giraffe selfie and harbour bridge backdrop | awayfromblue


Starting at the top of the zoo made getting around with the stroller very easy, no need to push up any hills. While we didn't see all the animals (we skipped the aquatic section after the aquarium the day before, and the line for the tiger experience was too long for a toddler's attention span) the boys had a great time running around and getting up close with the animals we did see.

Sydney with toddlers: taronga zoo red bellied black snake behind glass


We had lunch at 'The Fish Stop' which does have non-seafood options, and was less busy than the central 'Food Market' although it does have less choices. It was so easy to get food and then sit in one of the many picnic areas right next to it, with incredible views of the Sydney city and the harbour.

Tip: Grab a bite to eat at 'The Fish Stop' or bring a picnic and sit back on the lawns for an amazing view out over the harbour!


sydney with toddlers taronga zoo 4wd | awayfromblue


While the monkeys were the favourite animal of the day (and it was incredible watching one of them mesmerised by my teething necklace!) there were so many to choose from. There was a lovely playground in the farm animal section. Although it was geared towards older kids the boys really enjoyed playing there for a break from animal-watching.

Sydney with Toddlers: skyline and harbour view from Taronga zoo with giraffes | Away from the blue blog


The walk back to the ferry was a really nice downhill stretch, and while you do have to go through a gift shop as you exit the big shark tank and presentation that was on around the sharks meant the boys were nicely distracted as we left, souvenir free. If only that had been the case at the aquarium, ha!


Once we got back to Sydney, we headed to Helm Bar for dinner. I'd looked up a few places online for food and Helm bar was highly recommended, but seemed like a noisy party bar every time we passed it before. Having no luck finding anywhere else open on a Sunday night in our price range, we went there as it was listed as wheelchair accessible. While there's no easy way to get a stroller up the stairs to the bar, there is a lovely beer garden you can sit in and order food and drinks. It was perfect for families.

Food was so well priced, especially for Sydney, and the boys loved their kids meal. I'm still sad we tried it on the last night so I couldn't go back for another schnitzel burger - definitely will be next time I'm in Sydney!

Sydney with toddlers place to eat helm bar darling harbour | away from blue


Day Four


This was our travel day, we didn't do much other than pack up, prepare another lunchbox full of snacks for the plane trip home, and make our way to the airport.


Top Tips for Travelling With Toddlers


Have transport options
The toddlers can walk, and we had the stroller and Ergo Baby carrier for babywearing so there were options when the boys didn't want to walk any more.

Be flexible
We had a general list of the sights we wanted to see but didn't buy any tickets in advance so that our days could change if necessary, and we weren't feeling rushed as we didn't try to do too much each day. One activity or outing is fine, and just wing it for the rest of the day.

Pack snacks
This works for the plane flight too, but when you're in a new place you might not know how far away the next kid-friendly place to eat is, so having snacks with you for the toddlers and yourself comes in helpful.

Take lots of photos
The only regret I had in Sydney was that I didn't take a lot of photos (a few hundred over the 4 days instead of my usual couple of hundred I take a day when something exciting is going on!).


Would we do it again?
Not until the boys are bigger and the stroller isn't needed - it was a real pain trying to fit the stroller in places - even though we packed a small umbrella travel stroller instead of our usual big one. Sydney definitely felt a lot more cramped and less stroller friendly than Brisbane.


What I wore:
Targona zoo and ferry ride outfit babywearing Sydney Circular Quay Harbour | away from the blue

Away from blue polka dot tee LV speedy damier Sydney Opera House tourist pic from ferry | awayfromblue
JacketJeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
TeeJeanswest Flavia foil printed polka dot tee deep iris
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, I actually found it too warm to wear the cardigan on this day and wished I hadn't brought it! We took the boys to see the Harbour Bridge and Opera House at last (our third day in Sydney...) and hopped on the Manly Ferry over to Taronga Zoo.

The benefit of wearing the Ergo Baby carrier in the back carry position (you can just see Baby Boy's little foot peeking out in the pic!) is that it's easy to wear a cross body bag, and my Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere was perfect for keeping my camera close by for walking around the zoo.


Last worn: purple cardigan (above), polka dot tee, jersey maxi skirt (above), Converse (above), Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere bag.

Other ways to wearpurple cardigan and button down tank, polka dot tee and mustard cardi, jersey maxi skirt and graphic tee, Converse and colourful jeans, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: maxi skirt in third trimester, Converse in the second trimesterLouis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere and maternity denim.


Linking up with Friday Faves, Style Wise, Mix It Monday, Modest Monday, Hello Monday, On Monday We Link Up, On Trend, Confident Twosday, Trend Spin, Turning Heads.



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