Thrifted Outfits: Printed Tees and Maxi Skirts With New Rebecca Minkoff Bags

I think these outfits sum up my style perfectly! Thrifted maxi skirts and tees, with some splurge-worthy bags. Because why spend a lot on clothes when you could put that money towards the bag budget instead? 😂


I've been thrifting a lot more in recent years - it was helped by having an opshop (thrift store) right next to the playgroup we went to weekly. Although it's now closed down it helped me see that I could maybe swing 10-15 minutes to browse if there were some toys around for the boys to play with! I've been looking further afield at different opshops to find a nice replacement store, which of course has lead to buying things as I browsed! It's meant I could pull these outfits together really cheaply (if you don't count the cost of the bags I accessorised with!)

What I wore:

Tee: thrifted Kmart abstract blob print tee
Skirt: thrifted Crossroads black ruffle hem maxi skirt (new purchase)
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Edie small crossbody bag in magenta (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

This skirt is recently purchased - both it and the tee were only $1 each. While I do already have a black drawstring waist maxi skirt, it doesn't have the ruffled hem and does have splits up each side which limits when I can wear it. I can see this working for cooler weather with some ankle boots, and being petite I wasn't going to turn down a perfect length maxi skirt for just $1. I suspect it may have been altered before to suit its previous equally short owner!

The perfect outfit for a busy day. First wearing of my new Rebecca Minkoff Edie cross body bag too. I scored this in the January sales, and while it took a few weeks to arrive it was worth the wait! Wore this to a birthday party at McDonalds in the morning and then watching church online at my friends house in the evening.

With the bold abstract print on the tee and the bright cross body bag, I didn't feel this outfit needed a necklace.


Last worn: abstract print tee, Havaianas. First time I've worn the ruffle maxi skirt and Edie bag too as they are recent purchases.

Other ways to wear:  abstract print tee and denim shorts.

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What I Bought In January And February - Opshop Haul:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Tee: thrifted Mix Apparel black marle tee
Skirt: thrifted tribal print maxi skirt
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

Another completely thrifted outfit if you exclude the accessories! This tee was even cheaper than the one above, working out to just 67 cents as I got it in a 'fill a bag for $2' sale with a few other pieces. This is its sixth wear too, getting great cost per wear.

I've tried print mixing with it before, this time around I thought I'd pair it with this printed maxi skirt. Which I got in the same $2 bag of clothes. It was originally a dress, and I decided to have it altered into a skirt. It's such a fun summer piece.

I liked the way that the space dye tee worked with the mixed prints on the skirt, and I think the Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag tied the two pieces together nicely. Since the bag was a Christmas gift, that leaves the sandals to be the most expensive part of my outfit and I purchased them for $20!



Last worn: black printed tee, gold and navy beaded necklace, mixed print maxi skirt, gold sandals, Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag.

Other ways to wear: black printed tee in the office, mixed print maxi skirt and denim jacket, gold sandals and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag and frill sleeve tees.

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How You Can Wear It:

There is a false assumption that you need to wear a new outfit every day or you can't rewear things - in fashion in general, not just in blog land. I definitely challenge that and I enjoy showing you different ways to wear things in every post, and my 30 wears series to illustrate that you don't need new things all the time. And you certainly don't need to spend a lot when you do buy things!

You can easily find a bargain piece or two to update your wardrobe and make things feel fresh without maxing out your credit cards. Opshops, thrift stores, eBay, sale sections, all are good ways to make your fashion budget go a little further and give you the thrill of something new, so you can have a little more money to splurge on the things you care more about. That means more money for handbags for me obviously! 😂

In blogging, there is pressure to wear new things, things you can link and generate commissions on sales of. And I truly do appreciate those of you who buy things through the affiliate links I share to give me a little extra money for my hobby. But I'd much rather be a useful blog, that gives you inspiration for ways to wear pieces you already have and encourages you to rewear pieces to get more value from the things you've bought.


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Maxi Skirts and Frill Sleeve Tees With Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag

You will recognise these frill sleeve tees - I got them as presents last year from my mum. They are nice, basic block colours, with a fun little frill on each sleeve and heavy been frequently worn since I got them. While I've worn them with shorts before, it was time to try something different and pair them with maxi skirts.

What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart blue multi-colour beaded necklace

Tee: Jeanswest Ruby frill sleeve Ric Rac detailed tee in deep iris

Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt

Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

Not the first time I've worn this red printed maxi skirt with a navy top! I really like the combination. I thought this skirt would be perfect for another hot and humid day. I was just working from home so wanted something cool and comfortable to wear. This skirt is perfect as it's such a light fabric and it billows around as I walk, making its own lovely breeze!

I kept the accessories simple - this beaded necklace pairs so nicely with the navy tee and I thought the gold sandals were a nice matchy-matchy touch with the gold hardware on the MAB camera bag, you know I love a bit of matching in my outfit.

Last worn: navy frill sleeve tee, blue beaded necklace, red printed maxi skirt, rose gold sandals, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag.

Other ways to wear: navy frill sleeve tee and blush shorts, red printed maxi skirt with stripes, rose gold sandals and tee dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag and printed shorts.

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Handbag Reveal: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag

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What I wore:

Necklace: navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace

Tee: Jeanswest Ruby frill sleeve tee in fuchsia

Skirt: Noisy May long denim maxi skirt

Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Camera Bag in almond

Why I wore it:

Wanted an easy outfit for a busy day - had to go update my expired passport. I always look washed out in passport photos so I thought that the bright pink tee would be a good choice to try make me look a bit more awake! 😂 I also needed something simple to cope with the summer heatwave we were experiencing, so I could also run errands after the passport appointment, pickup my friend in the afternoon, and go to another friend's house to watch church online together.

The night was a little more stressful than anticipated when my son, overexcited by dinner being ready, decided to bounce over to the unzipped opening of the mesh around the trampoline. I turned around after helping my other son down, just in time to see him bounce right out of the opening and off the trampoline through the air. I caught him before he hit the ground but he got a little bashed on the way down by the side of the trampoline. It was hilarious and terrifying all at once!

With the chambray skirt and pink tee, I thought this navy necklace complimented the combination nicely, even if the necklace had silver hardware and the MAB camera bag has gold hardware. I don't mind mixing metals in my outfits, and do it often. The camera bag was a great neutral addition for the colourful outfit.

While I did love this outfit, the heat and humidity left my outfit looking a bit crumpled! One of those outfits that didn't look as good in the photos as I felt it did while wearing it.

Last worn: pink frill sleeve tee, navy tassel necklace, chambray maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag (above).

Other ways to wear: pink frill sleeve tee and printed shorts, chambray maxi skirt and printed tank, Rebecca Minkoff MAB camera bag and shorts.

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Frill Sleeve Tees Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

If you're looking for a another way to wear a tee in summer instead of shorts, why not try a maxi skirt? You can pick a basic block colour skirt like the chambray one, or change it up a little with a printed skirt like in the first outfit. It's an easy combination to pull together that's still just as practical to wear in the heat if you pick a lighter fabric maxi skirt.

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Embellished Tanks and Maxi Skirts With Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag

The thing I like about maxi skirts is that they never feel over or under dressed. When wearing both of these maxi skirts below I added some embellished tanks to make them feel just a little more dressed up, and a little more festive for the parties we were going to (back in December!).

What I wore:

Dress: Jeanswest 'Darcy' embellished top in winter coral
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Fashion Scarf Girl Navy and Gold hair scarf (c/o) tied in bow
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

I wore this to the boys daycare party. I'd just worn shorts and a tee earlier in the day, but swapped to this as the maxi skirt gave me more coverage, and I wanted the bigger bag. I'm glad I picked this bag, they got so many things I had to hold and it was nice being hands free! The style challenge for the day was 'sequins and sparkle' so this sequin embellished tank was perfect, and probably overdue a wear! It's been a while since I last wore it.

The boys had a wonderful night at the party, and I was grateful for having picked the maxi skirt to wear with all the running around after them I did and bending down to toddler level!


Last worn: sequin embellished tank, navy scarf, navy stripe maxi skirt, black Havaianas, Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag.

Other ways to wear: sequin embellished tank and skinny jeans, navy scarf on a handbag, navy stripe maxi skirt worn two ways, Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag and printed dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: sequin embellished tank in third trimester, Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Tempete Day

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What I wore:

Dress: Jeanswest 'Macy' ombre tank in 'very berry'
Skirt: Noisy May long denim maxi skirt
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the outfit above so much, I repeated a similar thing a few days later. I picked this ombre beaded tank which is such a special piece but again, like the sequin tank above, so sparingly worn due to how delicate it is. Life with two boys under 5 requires a bit of consideration when wearing delicate pieces!

I really liked the pink and blue together of the ombre tank and chambray skirt, and the studded sandals were a simple option. We had a busy day, with the final Christmas food shop in the morning and then a party with our church friends down the coast. This was the perfect outfit to feel cool and pulled together for all those events. I was relieved to see that Woolies wasn't as busy as I anticipated and I grabbed the groceries quite quickly, but it was definitely getting busier as we left.


Last worn: ombre embellished tank, noisy may chambray maxi skirt, studded gladiator sandals, Balenciaga tempete day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: ombre embellished tank and skinny jeans, noisy may chambray maxi skirt and printed tank, studded gladiator sandals, Balenciaga tempete day bag and floral dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: ombre embellished tank and hidden second trimester bump, Balenciaga tempete day bag in third trimester.

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Embellished Tanks Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Anything with a little extra embellishment will feel a bit more pulled together when you add it to an outfit. A simple maxi skirt looks more dressed up when you add an embellished tank, but it creates a simple outfit option, ideal for running around after kids at parties!


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Printed Tops and Maxi Skirts With Red Rebecca Minkoff Micro Avery Bag

Such a simple outfit formula - pick a printed top and pair it with a plain maxi skirt! Since both the polka dot cami and logo tee have a little red in them, I thought my Rebecca Minkoff mini Avery bag was the best accessory for both outfits.

What I wore:

Necklace: Oxfam Noah's Ark green red beaded necklace

Cami: Jeanswest 'Mia' cami in black

Skirt: Jeanswest Luxe jersey maxi skirt

Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a busy day! We had our final ABA meeting for the year, so it was Christmas themed. It was also, sadly, our last time at the Australian Breastfeeding association group meetings. The new year means a change of day for the sessions and we can't make it on the new day unfortunately! I'm still a member and will try organise some pram walks on the days we are free so I can still catch up with my friends.

After a slightly emotional morning, it was off to run errands. The post office was okay, but waiting in line at the bank with two kids who had filled up on sugary morning tea (including chocolate brownies I brought along for the group) probably wasn't the best option. 😂

Hyper kids aside, I really liked this outfit. It was comfortable for the day and the red and green necklace, which can be worn year-round, definitely didn't look out of place at the Christmas party.

Last worn: polka dot cami, red and green necklace, drawstring maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote.

Other ways to wear: polka dot cami and denim shorts, drawstring maxi skirt worn two ways, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote and little grey dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: polka dot cami in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Micro Avery Tote

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What I wore:

Tee: thrifted navy stripe Coca-Cola logo tee

Skirt: Noisy May long denim maxi skirt

Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

I was doing a couple of Instagram style challenges in December and the theme for the day on them both was stripes. I hard a hard time picking one piece to wear, stripes are definitely my favourite print! I settled on this fun Coca-Cola thrifted tee, as I thought it went really nicely with this chambray maxi skirt. It's not the first time I've worn this chambray skirt and little red Avery bag together, they are a lovely combo. It tied in nicely with the red logo on the striped tee too.

The boys and I had a quieter day - a couple of errands to run (including picking up food for the daycare Christmas party later in the week) and then some time playing at the playground. Nice easy outfit for all of that.

Last worn: striped Coca-Cola tee, chambray maxi skirt, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag (above).

Other ways to wear: striped Coca-Cola tee worn two ways, chambray maxi skirt in winter, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag and black dress.

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Plain Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A plain maxi skirt is a great outfit base, letting you pick any printed piece to wear with it - stripes or polka dots work equally well. They are also a nice option for a hot summer day as a stay at home mum as you can easily run after the kids (and break up wrestling games in the bank) in them!

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Christmas Outfits: Casual and Dressy Maxis

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your friends or family! We hosted Christmas this year, which always makes things a little more hectic, but it's always fun.

Below I'm sharing two Christmas outfits - a casual one for Christmas eve and then a dressier one for Christmas day. Also the first time in a couple of years I've bought a new dress just for Christmas!

What I wore:

Top: festive glitter Santa tee
Skirt: Jeanswest Luxe jersey maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Christmas bow bracelet (with bells!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

Christmas eve in my family is always a casual day, the purpose being to relax and spend time together. We all meet up at my parent's place, and commence our yearly traditions. Christmas cookie making, craft making, Christmas movies and a lot of laughter. Definitely the best way to begin Christmas, spending time with people you love.

We've been wearing these Christmas tees to celebrate for 6 years - we each have one, and although I have to keep buying the boys new ones as they grow, this green Santa tee has been worn regularly every year, through both my pregnancies! It's another fun tradition to have.

I couldn't resist adding this red Rebecca Minkoff Avery bag to my outfit - it's such a festive bag it was a frequent go-to over December.


Last worn: green Santa tee, black jersey maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag.

Other ways to wear: green Santa tee and shorts, black jersey maxi skirt in autumn, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag and other festive outfits.

Perfect for pregnancy: green Santa tee in second trimester.

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Christmas Celebrations:

All the family fun from Christmas and a few days before it.

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What I wore:

Earrings: gifted navy tassel statement earrings
Necklace: gifted navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Sophia high-low maxi dress (new purchase)
Shoes: Novo Tawny rose gold sandals (new purchase)
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet
Bag: Chanel vintage quilted lambskin flap

Why I wore it:

While Christmas eve is dressed down, on Christmas day we love to dress up! I'd seen this maxi dress at Jeanswest a few weeks before Christmas, and with some left over gift card to spend decided to treat myself to a new dress for Christmas, something I haven't done for a couple of years.

Christmas day was also a fun and family filled, with presents, putting our new Christmas crafts to good use, and marvelling over the kid's excitement with their gifts. There was a little stress as I hosted Christmas lunch, but so worth it in the end when you get to sit down and eat together! Even if I did mess up the cooking a little bit.... This maxi dress was perfect, I was so glad to finally get to wear it. It's sure to pop up a lot more often on the blog now!

I did want to curl my hair and be all 'done up' for Christmas, but by the time I finished prepping for Christmas day it was 10.30 pm on Christmas eve so I just decided to go to bed instead of staying up to curl my hair, and ran the straighteners through it in the morning. It's nice to want to do everything on Christmas, and wonderful when you achieve it, but at the end of the day (as it is every day) your sanity is the most important thing! Plus with two boys under five that extra 30 minutes in bed makes a difference when they come wake you up early Christmas morning! 😂


Last worn: first time I've worn the maxi dress and the sandals as they are new purchases. Vintage Chanel bag.

Other ways to wear: Vintage Chanel bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Vintage Chanel bag at 40 weeks.

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How You Can Wear It:

Christmas time is a great time to dress up or dress down - there are so many outfit options! You can go for a fun novelty tee (or knit if it's colder where you are) for a casual outfit, or glam it up a little with a maxi dress. Anything goes!


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Plain Tees and Printed Maxi Skirts With Rebecca Minkoff Bags

When the heat hits, I look for simple easy outfits that don't have any unnecessary layers. A plain tee and a printed maxi skirt is simple summer style. And spring style, as I wore these a few weeks ago when it was still spring!

What I wore: 

Necklace: Jeanswest Taryn turquoise tassel bead necklace
Tee: Atmos & Here black essential v-neck tee
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
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:

I adore this skirt so much and it was the first one that came to mind when picking an outfit to wear to meet Sasha. It's so light in the heat and swishes beautifully when you walk, kind of creating its own breeze. The day was forecast to be extremely hot, so we ended up spending more time indoors than anticipated.

Sasha is another Brisbane blogger and while she lives a little distance away from me, we caught up at a mid point in the city, at the state library. The cafe there was lovely and very quiet until I showed up with the boys! In the end we ducked into the kids play area at the library so the boys could run around a little more and we could continue chatting. Always so nice meeting another blogging friend in person, even more so when they are as interesting as Sasha. We spoke for a couple of hours, which seemed to be over in a few minutes, before I took the boys for lunch in the city and headed home.

Keeping things simple with the outfit, I went with a neutral black tee, a red bag to match the red skirt, and my latest necklace purchase to match the gold hardware on the bag. You can see why I enjoy Sasha's blog so much, we have very similar style! Thanks to Mr 4 who kindly took the photo for us.


Last worn: black tee, tassel necklace, red printed maxi skirt, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: black tee and olive jeans, red printed maxi skirt and Christmas tee, studded sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag worn 30 ways.

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Rebecca Minkoff Handbag Collection

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What I wore:

Necklace: silk beaded baby-friendly necklace
Tee: Jeanswest Emma woven trim tee in terracotta
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

Thankfully this day wasn't as hot as the one above. As you can see, there was even a bit of a breeze! I kept to the simple outfit formula I'd liked so much above, going a little more colourful this time with the basic red tee and navy striped maxi skirt. I accessorised with the baby friendly necklace as we spent the morning at our local ABA group, the topic was baby / toddler massage.

The last time I did a baby massage class my now 2 and a half year old was a tiny little 3 week old, so I was really looking forward to it! I went in with two very eager to help little boys, which quickly turned into me chasing kids around the room in between attempting to practice the massage techniques. I definitely don't do the massage techniques as often as I should, but there are so many benefits to it so I'm going to try do it more often. It's a lot more fun to do when the boys are big enough to give feedback on what they like too!

Stuck with this neutral Rebecca Minkoff Love bag as I still had it out after wearing it a few days before and the grey was a good pairing with the brighter red and navy outfit.


Last worn: red tee, silk necklace, navy striped maxi skirt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Other ways to wear: red tee and jeans, navy striped maxi skirt worn two ways, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Rebecca Minkoff Love bag in second trimester.

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Printed Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It

Printed maxi skirts can be a little daunting as they are such large pieces of print! You can keep things easy and simple by picking a plain tee to wear with them. You can go with a neutral black like I did in the first outfit, or try something different and add a little more colour like in the second outfit. You can't go wrong pairing a plain basic with a fun printed piece!



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