Embroidered Tops, Black Jeans and Rebecca Minkoff Bags

I'm pleased that the embroidery trend is continuing! Gives me more justification to wear these lovely embroidered pieces from my wardrobe. I'll still wear them when the trend dies down, but it's nice to be able to wear something I'm constantly reading about in blogs. An embroidered top and black skinny jeans is an easy stay at home mum outfit, but to add extra interest to each outfit I have wore additional prints and texture too.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Top: Target embroidered khaki tank
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (C/O, on sale!)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

Hadn't worn this jacket for a while so it was nice to get it out again! I wasn't sure if the embellishment paired with the embroidery on the top would be too much, but I quite liked the resulting outfit. It was a nice change from last time I wore this embroidered top with black jeans too. Now that it's spring and warmer weather, I can hopefully wear this jacket more. It's a bit thin for winter.

I like how this jacket dresses up a casual outfit a bit - even if I was just popping out for a little shopping while hubby watched the boys.


Last worn: boucle jacket, embroidered tank, Nobody Denim skinny jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag. 

Other ways to wear: boucle jacket and fit and flare dress, embroidered tank and denim shorts, Nobody Denim skinny jeans in monochrome outfit, black ballet flats in the office, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag worn 30 ways. 

Perfect for pregnancy: boucle jacket and maternity pencil skirt.

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Embroidered Tops Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Dana drape knit cardi in boysenberry

Blouse: Jeanswest Elise longline embroidered shirt in coconut blue
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pink, 43% off!)

Why I wore it:

I've tried to wear other prints with these chevron printed Sass & Bide jeans in the past and not been entirely happy with the results. Just like the first outfit, I decided to try something different by pairing the chevrons with the detail on this embroidered top. I liked the result, but not enough to want to wear it again, haha! Will stick with wearing plain black jeans with this embroidered top next time.

Even though the embroidery and print together was busy enough, I added a little extra texture with the cardigan. I love the purple accessories with this - the cardigan is so cosy and wearing the cardigan and plum mini MAB tote bag together is a favourite combination of mine. Kept me warm on a very windy day.

The plan was to go to the in-laws for dinner, but after baby boy wasn't his usual happy self when we went out in the morning, we decided to stay home at night and let him rest and feel better. It's been such a tough winter with illnesses, I'm glad it's spring now as I'm hoping the warm weather and sunshine keeps the bugs at bay.


Last worn: purple cardigan, embroidered blouse, printed skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and chambray dress, embroidered blouse and flares, printed skinny jeans worn two ways, Converse and shift dress, Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB tote and pink dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cardi and stripes in first trimester, Converse for second trimester travel, mini MAB tote and maternity denim shorts.

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Black Printed and Plain Jeans Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Black jeans are a great base for any outfit! The are the perfect backdrop to let an embroidered top or jacket shine. You can mix things up a little by buying black jeans with a print on them if you feel plain black is too boring.


Also, I'm thrilled to share that another of my posts was featured on Links a la Mode!

Links à la Mode, September 7th

• Aesthetic Distance: 5 Myths About The Fashion And Blogging Industries
• Alicia Maria: Capsule Wardrobe // PT 2
• April Was Here: Mommy and Me Pre-Fall Looks
• Away from the Blue: #30Wears: Ways to Wear Rebecca Minkoff Yellow Micro Regan Bag in Harvest Gold
• Awesome Yeahh: Embroidery Skirt
• By Sarah Martin: Paris, Blue Eyes and A Surprising Message
• Dangerously Me: Outfit: The Oxford Sleeves
• Girl in Betsey: How to Style a Silk Floral Dress
• Gracielle Camilleri: Floral Love from Valletta City
• Have Clothes, Will Travel: Clothes Worth Repeating
• Heart Print and Style: Statement Sleeves
• La Veine: 6 Things on My Fall Wishlist
• Petite Dressing: Five Must Know Tips to Wear White after Labor Day
• Style Splash: A Comfortable, Chic Outfit for a Day Sightseeing in Zurich
• Tales of Two: Fashion vs Trends vs Style - How Are They Different
• The Wanderbliss: Wildflower
BONUS! Shopbop is currently running an app promotion here for new customers: IFB members can exclusively take 15% off their first full-price app order with a code at checkout. Find the full details here: https://www.shopbop.com/appoffer!

SPONSOR: Amazon's Shopbop AGOLDE, Petersyn Tops, DVF Clothing, Senso, Cafune, Ryan Roche, Corsets, Large Totes, Wrap Dresses, Men's Paterson


Linking up with Fashion Files, Weekend Wear, Fabulous Friday, Flashback Fashion, Passion for Fashion, Friday Faves.

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Open Knits and Colourful Jeans with Converse and Cross Body Bags

It's spring now in Brisbane but I still have some older winter outfits like these to share.  A cosy knit and colourful jeans is a simple cold weather outfit. I didn't wear my knitted jumpers a lot over winter as dry clean or handwash only pieces aren't my first choice for wearing around two toddlers! They worked perfectly for work from home days when I do the daycare pick up / drop off.

What I wore:

Scarf: ASOS crinkle oversized leopard print scarf
Jumper: Jeanswest 'Serena' ombre knit
Jeans: Jeanswest blackberry super skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I absolutely loved this outfit - it's taken me a while to get around to posting it on the blog though! I wore this when it was really chilly in the middle of winter, so the extra scarf was necessary for the cold morning. I wasn't sure what scarf to wear with this at first, the purple jeans and ombre knit are a busy enough outfit on their own. I've worn the ombre knit with leopard print before though so I grabbed this one. I really liked the way this looked.

Nice and cosy (with a long sleeve tee under the open knit) and colourful with the purple jeans, but comfortable and quick to pull together in time for dropping the kids off at daycare before working from home for the rest of the day.


Last worn: leopard print scarf, ombre knit, purple skinny jeans, Converse, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: leopard print scarf and red shift dress, ombre knit and burgundy pants, purple skinny jeans with matching scarf, Converse and printed jeans, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: ombre knit at 40 weeks pregnant, purple jeans in first trimester, Converse and dress in second trimester, speedy bandouliere and maternity pencil skirts.

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Open Knit Jumpers Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
Jumper: Wildfox Couture rainbow dreamer Lennon distressed knit
Jeans: thrifted Emerson red skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This distressed knit is either a love or a hate, I don't think there's any in-between! First time I wore it I shared that Baby Boy kept getting tangled in the distressed pieces. Last time I wore it I rolled and tucked to hide the distressing a little more. Since I didn't get a proper blog photo first time I wore it, I was eager to wear it in all its raw ripped glory again. A work from home day with the boys at daycare was the perfect chance - no little toddler hands grabbing and pulling on it! A day to myself meant I could wear a 'grown up' beaded necklace too, even if I did have to take it off in the evening as baby boy kept trying to play with it like he does with my teething necklaces.


I loved how colourful this outfit was with the rainbow knit, red skinny jeans and yellow bag. Felt a little 'wasted' as I only worked from home and didn't see many people, so I'm sure I'll wear this combination again next winter.


I feel a little sad when I look up the previous times I've worn these knits as they've been worn so rarely. I've actually downsized my jumper collection this year, rather than buying more. Usually June is a big spending month for me coming into winter and stocking up on winter pieces, but as I was doing my no-shop challenge I haven't added any wintery things. I'm sure I'll return to loving my knits more next winter when the boys are bigger, but right now I've been preferring layering up summer pieces and sticking to wearing things that are machine washable. Two toddlers can be messy!


Last worn: Wildfox Couture distressed knit, red skinny jeans, Converse (above), Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan.

Other ways to wear: Wildfox Couture distressed knit and maxi skirt, red skinny jeans and graphic tee, Converse and floral dress, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse and maternity denim shorts, skinny jeans in first trimester.

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Colourful Jeans Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It

Cold morning and in a rush? Grab a favourite knit, add some bright jeans and you're ready in an instant! I like the winter days where it's warm enough to just wear a jumper and jeans, it's the simplest and easiest outfit formula and keeps you cosy no matter what the day holds. Maybe just stick to machine washable knits if you're spending time with toddlers!


Linking up with Mix It Monday, Modest Monday, On Mondays We Link Up.

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What I Bought After a No Shop Challenge: The End of 7 Months Without Shopping

There's been a lot of interest in what I'd buy after I managed to complete not just the 6 months I'd planned but 7 months without shopping.

I'd had one big splurge planned but other than that I wasn't really sure what I wanted, as I tended to overthink most things I went to buy. I ended up making a few impulse buys. I've actually had quite a lot enter my wardrobe too, mainly from my sister's wardrobe clear out.

What was added to my wardrobe during my no-shop challenge:

• A knitted dress from my Grandma's wardrobe (worn here)
• Purple high top Converse look-a-likes from my sister (worn here and here)
• Jeanswest two tone boxy oversized tee from my sister (worn here and here)
• A floral ruffle detail tank from my sister (worn here and here)
• A trio of band tees from my sister (not yet worn)
• Jeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans a very generous gift from a special someone who is surprising people with their savings from the $5 money challenge (worn here and here)
• Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
• Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)

What I Bought in August:

• Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag 
• Starfish Project Veronica short yellow multi strand necklace
• Starfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
• thrifted SES Fashions mustard yellow cardigan
• thrifted billabong red printed maxi skirt
• Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress 
• Jeanswest Flavia foil printed polka dot tee deep iris (gift card purchase)

As you can see, only one of the things I bought was with one of my end-of-challenge gift cards. I'd asked for gift cards for Christmas and set them aside to spend at the end of my no-shop challenge. I just haven't seen anything I had to have that looked as good as I imagined when I tried it on (with the exception of the impulse buy polka dot tee, which is SO soft). With more spring and summer stock coming into the stores as winter ends I'm sure I'll have spent them before they expire in December. Being in Brisbane, winter clothing isn't a priority for me to buy as I tend to wear my summer pieces year-round, just with a few extra layers.


I still have my 'wear it twice in the month I bought it' rule to ensure that everything I buy and add to my wardrobe will work with what I already own. While there might have been a few impulse buys, I'd mostly been thinking about adding similar pieces for a while, and I've hit two wears on everything this month.

The Kmart dress is the only thing I bought full price. I probably could have waited for a sale, but seeing it while I was on my no-shop challenge and then starting to notice the stock levels falling in my local store made me go snap it up before I missed out quite quickly in August! It was only $15 so I'm not too upset I paid full price - still a bargain! And out of stock in my size now in my local Kmart so a good purchase.


The Starfish Project necklaces were an impulse buy too, I was a few days into August and hadn't bought anything yet when I stumbled across the brand on Instagram. From their website, 'the Starfish Project restores hope to women escaping human trafficking and exploitation in Asia.' They provide shelter for women and their children, counselling and employment and education. For every piece on their website that you can buy, it tells you exactly what that money can do. The yellow Veronica necklace is equal to the cost of 5 days of room and board at the Starfish Project shelter. The turquoise Hannah necklace is is equal to the cost of 1 week of counseling for an exploited woman.

This isn't a sponsored post, I bought the necklaces with my own money - but I wanted to share as with Christmas coming up it's a lovely gift idea - especially as you get a little note with each purchase. A nice way to help someone look and feel good when they unwrap your gift on Christmas day! I may have added a gift for someone special to my order too...

How I Wore It:

Balenciaga purple work bag / Starfish Project yellow necklace / Starfish Project turquoise necklace

Balenciaga purple work bag

thrifted billabong red printed maxi skirt / Jeanswest polka dot tee

Starfish Project turquoise necklace / thrifted mustard yellow cardigan / Kmart little black dress / Jeanswest polka dot tee

What I'm Buying in September:

I'm going to try Beth's #noSpenderSeptember now! With some hand-me-downs coming into my wardrobe during my no-shop challenge, and having bought a few pieces in August, I'm pretty wardrobe content at the moment. I still have a lot of gift cards to spend though so we will see what happens...

Linking up with Weekend Wear, Friday Faves, Flashback Fashion, Passion for Fashion, Friday Favourites, Style Nudge, Mummy Monday, Mix It Monday, Hello Monday, Modest Monday.

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Wearing Your Printed Shirts Out of the Office: SAHM Style with Purple Jeans

As I mentioned in Monday's post, I love my button up shirts as they are one of those pieces in my wardrobe that work for work and weekend. Having relaxed style shirts made with soft fabrics (like these ones I'm wearing are) helps make them a good option to do double duty for stay at home mum outfits.

What I wore: 

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket

Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Shirt: Target blue abstract floral print shirt
Jeans: Jeanswest 'shale' super skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey (on sale, 30% off!)

Why I wore it:

I love blue and purple together so these purple toned jeans seemed like an obvious choice with this printed shirt. Another $10 target sale find, I always seem to have good luck in their sales.

Was an interesting day when I wore this. Baby Boy woke up early as always and when we got downstairs I noticed a giant rat in the yard. I've tried to show hubby it before and Cooper's unsuccessfully tried to catch it too. I took a photo for proof of all those times I've been sure Cooper chased a rat out the yard, and then carried on making brekkie.

When Baby Boy excitedly pointed at birds out the window I looked out again and saw the rat hadn't moved. I went out and scared the birds away from it and caught the poor thing in a cardboard box and gave him some food and water and a blanket made from an old top. I called RSPCA while trying to figure out if it was native or introduced. Although it meant I was late for the ABA meeting that morning, we took a little detour to the vet. She confirmed it was a melomys, a native Aussie animal which to my untrained eye looked like a cute rat. Toddler T even named him "E The Rat". Every time we pass the vets he asks if E The Rat is feeling better. I hope so, he was in very bad shape.

In the end we weren't too late to the ABA meeting, which worked out nicely as part of the introduction speech was a thank you for the volunteers as part of World Breastfeeding Week. I was surprised to get given a thank you gift for volunteering with my local group. It was so sweet, and I'm glad I didn't miss catching up with everyone.


Last worn: denim jacket, blue printed shirt, colourful skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff MAM.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi dress, blue printed shirt in the office, colourful skinny jeans and kimono, Converse and maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff MAM worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and black dress in second trimester, blue printed shirt in first trimester, colourful jeans for work in first trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAM and maternity denim shorts. 

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Purple Jeans Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Shirt: Target mint stripe shirt
Jeans: Jeanswest blackberry super skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Although not totally blue, I thought this mint shirt would look good with my purple jeans. I wore this out shopping with the toddlers. After being sick for a few days, we were feeling better so I made a small detour to Kmart before grocery shopping. I had my eye on a dress I'd continuously seen during my no shop challenge and couldn't stop thinking about. I was going to wait for it to go on sale, but decided to go ahead and buy it anyway as I kept thinking of it. It was only $15 too.

I've worn these purple jeans with the mint bag before, I really like the colourful combination. This shirt is so soft and so comfortable - while it works nicely in the office with a pencil skirt, I love wearing it casually too.


Last worn: purple cardigan, pinstripe shirt, purple skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and maxi dress, pinstripe shirt and pencil skirt, purple skinny jeans and graphic tee, Converse and floral maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and black maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cardigan and printed cami in first trimester, striped shirt in second trimester, Converse and maternity shorts, mini MAC bag and kimonos in third trimester.

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Printed Shirts Under $50

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How You Can Wear It:

Your printed shirts don't have to be ignored when you're outside the office. They can easily be worn casually too:

• Perfect for breastfeeding so can be worn while on maternity leave. 
• A printed shirt and colorful jeans is a nice casual option for the weekends.

It's great to have pieces in your wardrobe that work for multiple situations, it means you can get more wear from them, and more value from your purchase.


Linking up with Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Friday Favourites, Friday Faves, Shoe & Tell, Mummy Monday, Mix It Monday, Modest Monday, Hello Monday.

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Plain Henley Tops, Printed Jeans and Cosy Cardis: Winter SAHM Style

A plain top, printed jeans, a neutral cardigan and Converse makes an easy stay at home mum winter outfit.

I have a few long sleeve henley tops I packed away with my winter things that I've been trying to make an effort to wear again. In the last official month of winter I'm not sure I'll have many more chances to wear them!

What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On black knit wrap cardigan

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
Top: Jeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt
Jeans: Portmans pink leopard print skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

If you saw my Insta stories you might know I was lucky enough to be given a few new teething necklaces by Dee from Nibbly Bits. This peach feather pendant is one of the ones I got, it goes nicely with a lot of outfits. I've shared my love for teething necklaces before, so I'm thankful to add some new ones to my wardrobe!

I love these pink leopard print jeans - I tend to wear them with grey a lot as I like pink and grey together but they look just as good with other neutrals like this black Henley. I actually ended up taking the cardigan off during the day - we went out to the local Quandamooka festival. While I didn't try a BBQ roo, croc or emu kebab we did enjoy walking around and meeting some of the boys' friends from daycare.

Unfortunately our lovely morning out turned into a stressful afternoon with an unexpected doctor's visit for Baby Boy - I was grateful for having the teething necklace on as it kept him amused in the waiting room.


Last worn: black belted cardigan, black henley top, pink leopard print jeans, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag.

Other ways to wear: black belted cardigan and skater dress, black henley top in the office, pink leopard print jeans with blue and yellow, white Converse and maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag and chambray.

Perfect for pregnancy: cardigan and hidden early baby bump, black top in second trimester, leopard print jeans in first trimester, Converse and maternity shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maternity maxi dress.

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Black and Grey Cardigans Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Scarf: star print pashmina
Top: Jeanswest 'Aubrey' pintuck yoke henley in deep teal
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

A busy day! It was a little chilly in the morning when I wore this so I added the scarf. I thought this one wouldn't compete too much with the print on the jeans. While I loved the pop from the teal henley with the black and grey, I wasn't too sure about the scarf. Kept me warm though so met its purpose!

Had our local ABA meeting in the morning, but sadly we had to leave early to go to another doctor's appointment for baby boy. It's a shame as it was a good discussion topic too - talking about birth experiences and the first breastfeed. While my baby days are behind me, I think birth stories are fascinating, so many different ways our little ones make their arrivals into the world!


I'm so incredibly lucky to be able to return to work part time, but I am finding it difficult on my days off to cram everything in - the time goes so quickly! I know we will hit a rhythm soon. With winter coming to an end hopefully we will have less sickness and doctor visits too. I love our GP and everyone there at the surgery but it would be nice not to see them all so often.


Last worn: wool cardigan, star print scarf, teal henley, Sass & Bide printed jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag (above).

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and tall boots, star print scarf and shirt dress, teal henley and chambray skirt, Sass & Bide printed jeans worn two ways, Converse and purple jeans, Rebecca MInkoff Love cross body bag and blue kimonos.

Perfect for pregnancy: star print scarf in second trimester, teal henley and maternity pencil skirt, Converse for second trimester travel, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maxi dresses in third trimester.

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Printed Jeans Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

If you're not sure what to wear with a printed piece, go plain! If you have a pair of printed jeans, dress, or top, pick a simple basic to wear with them. In this case, I picked two plain henleys. One a nice neutral black against the colourful print, and the other a pop of teal colour with the black and grey.



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Stripe Henleys in Neutral Outfits with Colourful Pink and Purple Accessories

I unpacked all my winter stuff months ago, but even with my #6MonthsWithoutShopping and #noBuyJuly17 and no new things in my wardrobe, I still have winter pieces unworn. Part of this is due to not having a lot of space in my wardrobe and some of my winter things having to go into one of the boy's rooms where I forget to look when picking out things to wear. I've been making more of an effort lately to wear some of my long sleeved winter tops.

The same outfit formula was used to wear each of the striped henley tops below, but I think the outfits look quite different! Striped henley, monochrome jeans and cardigan and colourful scarf and bag is easy winter stay at home mum style.

What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On black knit wrap cardigan

Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Top: Jeanswest 'Marina' stripe henley
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (C/O, on sale!)
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')

Why I wore it:

You can tell that this scarf has been sitting unworn in a storage box for a while as it's so crumpled! I probably should have ironed it, but I barely have time to iron my clothes (#mumLife!) so accessories are probably never going to get ironed! 😂

I liked the addition of the magenta Balenciaga bag and skull scarf together with the black and white - really made the outfit more colourful and cheerful.

Wore this for a little bit of a busy day - had my local ABA group meeting in the morning, then lunch, a quick shopping trip and a doctors appointment. The shopping trip was very special! It was back when I was still doing my #6MonthsWithoutShopping, but as I've shared previously, I was treated to a pair of jeans! Thanks to a special someone doing the $5 challenge and deciding to surprise people with the money they saved. I went into Jeanswest 'just for a look' and found the perfect grey jeans to replace my old pair.

The $5 challenge is where you save all the $5 notes you get as change for the year. Even as someone who doesn't use cash often, they saved a lot! I think I'll give it a go next year!


Last worn: black wrap cardigan, magenta skull scarf, navy stripe henley, Nobody Denim jeans, Converse, Balenciaga magenta day bag. 

Other ways to wear: black wrap cardigan and flares, magenta skull scarf and grey tee, navy stripe henley and maxi skirt, Nobody Denim jeans and ankle boots, Converse and printed dresses, Balenciaga magenta day bag and printed jeans. 

Perfect for pregnancy: black cardigan and hiding an early baby bump, skull scarf and plaid shirt in first trimester, stripe henley for an obstetrician appointment, Converse for a weekend trip in the second trimester, magenta day in the office in third trimester.

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Striped Henleys Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan

Scarf: Alexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
Top: Jeanswest 'Melanie' Stripe henley in black/coconut
Jeans: Jeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans (on sale, 25% off!)
Shoes: Purple high top Converse look-a-likes (from my sister's wardrobe)
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')

Why I wore it:

These are the wonderful jeans I was treated to as part of the $5 challenge - I was surprised to see them in store as I'd been wanting a pair of grey jeans to replace my old ones, and actually had just finished a phone call with my sister asking if she had any grey jeans from her massive wardrobe clearout!

The purple Converse-like high tops I'm wearing are from my sister's wardrobe clearout. I've always wondered if I should add a colourful pair of Converse to my shoe collection, given how much my black and white Chucks are worn, but never been sure what colour to add. This made the decision for me, perfect! I like the purple shoes with the pink skull scarf and magenta bag. Just the right amount of colour for a grey outfit, and perfect for a morning at playgroup.

Last time I wore this scarf I wore it with this striped top too, I really like the combination!


Last worn: wool cardigan, neon pink skull scarf, grey stripe henley, grey skinny jeans, magenta Balenciaga day bag (above). First time I've worn the shoes as they are a recent addition from my sister's wardrobe to mine!

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and flared jeans, neon pink skull scarf and chambray dress, stripe henley in the office, grey skinny jeans with animal print, magenta Balenciaga day bag and graphic tee.

Perfect for pregnancy: stripe henley in first trimester, skull scarf in third trimester, magenta Balenciaga bag and novelty pregnancy tees.

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Pink and Magenta Skull Scarves Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Bright accessories aren't just for summer! Don't be afraid to add a little (or a lot!) of colour to a winter outfit with a bright scarf, bag or even shoes. Neutral outfits are so easy to wear in winter as you know all the pieces look good together. Adding a bright accessory or two really pops against the neutrals and is a quick and simple way to add a little colour to all your grey or black layers.


Linking up with Thursday Fashion Files, Fabulous Friday, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear.

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