Postpartum Outfits: Maxi Dress, Maxi Skirt and Cross Body Bags

A mix of outfits - slightly dressier outfit with a maxi dress for a birthday dinner, and a more casual maxi skirt outfit to run errands and do the day care drop off / pick-up.

What I wore:

Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I adore this maxi dress, I really do! It's a maternity/nursing dress, and I wore it heavily in the second and third trimesters of both pregnancies, as well as wearing it post-baby too. It was the last pregnancy outfit I got photos of for the blog. It's nice to wear it again without the bump, and appreciate the ease of breastfeeding in it! In the early weeks, your wardrobe needs to accommodate your changing postbaby body as well as being easy to pull up or down or sideways to allow for easy breastfeeding too while you and baby master the art.

Wore this out to a family birthday dinner.  I'd usually pick a clutch or smaller bag, but I had all my stuff in the speedy bag from the last time I wore it and didn't have the energy to swap out for an evening bag I'd have to juggle with a newborn and toddler. No extra accessories either, just a simple pull on and go outfit.


Last worn: Mothers En Vogue maxi dress, Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: pink maxi dress and LV neverfull, Marc Jacobs ballet flats with black and grey, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and denim shorts.

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Tee: Atmos&Here rolled sleeve oversize tee in black (also in grey)
Skirt: Izabel London Aztec print maxi skirt (C/O)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

I finally swapped my handbags over! I wore my Balenciaga day bag for a while post baby as that's the bag I had everything in when I went into labour. It was a bag that was easy to continue using while hubby had some time off from work to help us settle in. Now it's just me and the boys, a cross body bag like the Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere I wore above is an essential to keep my hands free. I'd had my eye on this saddle bag at Shopbop for a while and with the recent friends and family sale it was the perfect time to buy it.

It's a great size, so easy to wear when spending the day with two under 2, and really pops against a monochrome black outfit like I've worn it here. A nice easy outfit to do the day care drop off / pick up and a chance to wear my new bag.


As it's the second and third times I've worn my Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats, and I'm trying to reflect on everything I buy after wearing it twice to make sure I'm making thoughtful purchases, my purchase review:

I have a few pairs of Marc by Marc Jacobs flats now. They are comfortable, look cute and are easy to pick up on sale, just like I got these ones. I have this same style in silver so it was an easy choice to get it in black too when they were reduced and available in my size. I'm really pleased with them. Although I already have a pair of black ballet flats, I tend to favour neutral coloured shoes so I know I'll get a lot of wear out of these. Happy I bought them.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarers, black tee, printed maxi skirt, black ballet flats (above). First time I've worn the saddle bag as it is a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: black tee and printed jeans, printed maxi skirt layered up for winter, black ballet flats and a grey maxi skirt. 

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Maxi Lengths and Balenciaga Bags

Every now and then I'll get a comment that someone who's short (but actually taller than me) wishes they could wear maxi lengths. You can! In some cases you might need to get things hemmed, or buy a petite length, but both the maxi skirt and dress I'm wearing below haven't been altered in any way to fit my petite 5"2 self.

A slightly more formal and more casual way to wear maxi lengths, both with Balenciaga bags.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest brown marle waterfall cardigan

Necklace: Silhoupette gold plated Shih Tzu necklace layered with Tai gold alphabet necklaces
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Asos metal keeper skinny waist belt in bright blue
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black or silver!)
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga envelope clutch in 2012 mangue with giant 12 RGGH

Why I wore it:

I feel like I say this every time I wear this dress, but I loved this outfit. It is my favourite dress - even in pregnancy it never fails to make me feel good. Wore this to baby boy's dedication ceremony. It's like a christening, the baby wears a traditional gown but there's no baptising. You just thank God for the amazing miracle you have, welcome baby into the family and circle of friends and promise to tell them all about God. It was exciting having baby boy wear the same gown his brother did almost two years ago, it was my dedication gown too and it's been in the family for generations.

Wasn't sure if the weather was going to be as cold and rainy as predicted or not so added this cardigan. It was warm enough to take it off for the ceremony and the rain stayed away until later that afternoon thankfully.

I've worn a yellow bag with this dress before, it's a great combination. The style challenge for the day was 'lighter' so the bright colour and smaller size met the theme nicely. The clutch did spent most of the time in the baby bag though, as if I wasn't holding baby boy or toddler T or Cooper I had a camera in my hand taking pics.


Last worn: brown marle cardigan, cobalt belt, pink maxi dress, gold mouse flats, Balenciaga yellow envelope clutch.

Other ways to wear: brown cardigan and khaki tank, cobalt belt and boho dress, pink maxi dress at 39 weeks pregnant, gold mouse flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga yellow envelope clutch and a lace dress.

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs mauve square scarf
Top: Dorothy Perkins 3/4 sleeve wrap top
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

A much more casual way to wear a maxi! This maxi skirt was an awesome buy when I was pregnant with toddler T. It stretched to accommodate two pregnancies (have to love an elastic waist!) and is still so comfy post baby. With this wrap top it was an easy breastfeeding outfit. Picked the purple scarf as I wanted a little something to keep my chest covered in the chilly morning after all the coughs and colds we've battled the past few weeks, and I really like blue and purple together. Ended up taking the scarf off in the afternoon as it got warmer.

Wore this for a relaxed day - went to view a house in the morning and then the in laws came over for dinner. The Converse and maxi skirt together met the 'kicks and skirt' Spring Fling style challenge prompt, and the black maxi skirt was perfect for the 'darker' theme of the TRMstyle challenge.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, purple scarf, blue wrap top, striped maxi skirt, Converse, Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear: purple scarf and pink bag, blue wrap top and printed jeans, striped maxi skirt and skull scarf, Converse and flares, Balenciaga day bag and denim shorts.


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Rebecca Minkoff Bags. Stripe Tee, Maxi Skirt | Belted Blazer, MEV Maternity Dress

Here's what I wore to work from home on Thursday:

Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Top: Atmos&Here navy stripe v-neck tee
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: Havaianas tropical print thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine


Nice comfy outfit to work from home on Thursday. Had to pop out to the doctors and the post office. Got my flu shot at the doctors, but didn't get the standard lolly afterwards. Bought myself a magnum on the walk home instead ;)

If my Havaianas could meet the dress code at work, I'd be wearing them all the time! They fit my swollen preggo feet well. Switched up a little and wore the aqua ones instead of my usual go-to black ones. My usual black ones do have silver embellishment on them though, do you think that meets the definition of "ladies dress sandals" allowed in our dress code?! I wish!


Last worn: navy stripe tee, grey maxi skirt, tropical print Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

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Here's what I wore for Casual Friday today:

Jacket: 'He doesn't know why' laser cut-out detail jacket
Necklace: Dogeared 3 Wishes stardust bead necklace layered with Dogeared silver wishbone necklace
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin black glitter belt
Shoes:  Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey
Bracelets: the usual plus Balenciaga classic double tour bracelet in pearly grey and Hermes pink clic clac
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey


Casual Friday in the office and I decided to try the maxi dress approach again. Not very original, just doing the same thing I did a few weeks ago with the belted jacket over the top. It was such a lovely combination, I wanted to wear it again. Did try to change it a little by picking a different lightweight jacket this time :) I really like the cut-out detail on this one.


Last worn: laser cut-out jacket, MEV maternity maxi dress, black glitter belt, studded mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff grey MAM bag.


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Maternity Dresses! Maxi Dress Baby Shower Outfit, Wrap Dress For The Office

Here's what I wore on Sunday:

Necklace: gold heart shaped necklace layered with vintage gold chain
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle, Hermes pink clic clac
Bag: Miu Miu cammeo studded clutch bag


Had a busy Sunday! After Saturday's trip to Australia Zoo, I had another luxurious pregnancy massage booked in the morning to get rid of all of the anticipated aches and pains from all of the walking around. Then it was a spot of shopping with my sister, the baby shower at my parents, and a BBQ dinner at the in-laws.

The baby shower was really fun. Baby got so many gifts! We had put together a little registry advising people that gifts weren't necessary, and suggesting a few little things if people wanted to buy something. So many people got us things, it was really unexpected and I got a little teary opening presents.

I'd initially been against the idea of a baby shower, but warmed up to it more during the pregnancy. They aren't very common in Australia. It was such a lovely way to spend Mother's Day though, and I'm very thankful to my mum and sister who put so much effort into the party. Spending time with friends, family and with my mother and mother in law celebrating the impending arrival of their grandchild was really special. Hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day too. :)


Last worn: purple maternity maxi dress, gold glitter belt, Havaianas, Miu Miu studded cammeo bag.

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Here's what I wore to work today:

Dress: Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey
Bracelets: the usual plus enamel coated Marc By Marc Jacobs Katie bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga part time in black 2010 with GSH


After a busy weekend, simplicity was needed, so went with this Soon Maternity wrap dress for work again. Made getting ready easy, and was perfect for the many meetings I had.

Shocked to search the blog and find that I haven't carried this bag for 5 months - I need to get better at rotating through my handbags. It's a little tricky now that they are all stored in boxes under the bed though, bending down to get things is not the easiest manoeuvre when pregnant, haha!


Last worn: maternity wrap dress, studded mouse flats, Balenciaga Part Time bag.

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Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe: 22 Items for Third Trimester Maternity Wear

Dressing in pregnancy is a fun challenge as the baby bump grows and changes every day! In order to simplify things this time around, I implemented a third trimester capsule wardrobe.

Why I Made a Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

• I've never tried a capsule wardrobe before (unless you count living out a suitcase for travel).
• The baby bump was outgrowing my current wardrobe faster than I anticipated this time around.
• I didn't have the luxury of time that I had in my first pregnancy to try on lots of outfit options each night and find things that still fit. (Or I didn't have the energy to do so after spending time with my toddler!)
• The summer heat and humidity (that continued well into autumn in Brisbane) left me less inspired to try new things.
• I had lots of great maternity pieces I wanted to wear as much as possible to make sure I got my money's worth.

Third Trimester Capsule Wardrobe in Video Form:

Below is a video covering the pieces in my capsule wardrobe, how I wore them, and my general thoughts about the experience.

The 22 Items In My Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

• Asos maternity graphic print pencil skirt (non-maternity version here)
• Asos maternity panelled pencil skirt in tartan check (non-maternity version here)
• Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
• Thrifted Target printed wrap dress 
• Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print 

• MEV Havana maxi dress (C/O Zibibo)
• Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
• Jeanswest 'Sierra' embellished black maxi dress
• Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress

• Target black and white striped maxi skirt
• AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
• Target grey marle maxi skirt
• Jeanswest plain jersey black maxi skirt

• Jeanswest Georgie maternity boyfriend shorts (available in non-maternity also)
• Jeanswest maternity rolled up shorts

• Jeanswest maternity tank in white
• Jeanswest maternity tank in sea glass
• Jeanswest maternity tank in black
• Jeanswest Carla Maternity Cut out tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Sol Maternity jacquard tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Sonny maternity tee in lagoon marle (C/O)
• 'Ninja baby' maternity skeleton tee

A Few Notes On My 22 Items:

I didn't include accessories (scarves or bags or shoes) in this count. I also didn't include 'completer' pieces like my printed kimonos or blazers. I freely grabbed these from my wardrobe as and when I wanted them.

The pieces included were suitable for my part time office job, as well as being perfect for a stay at home mum the rest of the week.

Not everything was a maternity piece, I used pieces from my regular non-maternity wardrobe too.

There were a few times at the start of the third trimester where I wore pieces that weren't included in the capsule, but after realising they were getting uncomfortable I stuck to my capsule wardrobe for the majority of the time.

The 22 items I had were great over summer (and multiple heatwaves!), but would need to be changed for cooler weather. Simple things like swapping the maternity denim shorts for jeans instead, and some long sleeved tops and fewer tanks.

Outfit Combinations from a Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

Some photos of my favourite third trimester outfits from my capsule wardrobe to give you an idea of how I wore all the pieces in the third trimester. Not an exhaustive list, as 3 months worth of daily outfit photos would be a pretty big post! You can see all the outfits I wore in the third trimester here.

For my first capsule wardrobe experience, it was pretty fun, and I hope that it gives you some ideas or inspiration to try your own capsule wardrobe if you've often thought about it too.



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Christmas Outfits! Casual Christmas Eve, Maxi Dress for the Big Day

A little late, sharing what I wore on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Also sharing my December purchases. I'm behind in sharing my purchases as well as being behind with my outfits! I was really lucky to get a lot over Christmas, so I didn't buy too many things for myself, but I couldn't resist picking up a little something for myself in the Asos sale and the Iconic boxing day sale.


Here's what I wore on Christmas Eve:

A photo posted by Mica (@awayfromblue) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:35am PST

Top: festive glitter Santa tee
Shorts: Jeanswest denim cuff shorts
Bracelets: the usual plus Christmas bow bracelet (with bells!), and red green and silver bangles


Completely forgot to get some blog photos of my Christmas even outfit! So sharing this little instagram family pic instead. Even though baby T wasn't in the mood for smiling ;)

It's become a yearly tradition to wear our novelty tees and make and decorate some Christmas cookies together. We then spend the next few days eating all the cookies....so delicious. The perfect outfits for a day spent getting Christmas mani/pedis, trying (and failing!) to dress Cooper up in his Christmas antlers, watching Christmas movies, decorating and eating cookies, and visiting the local Christmas lights displays.

The style dare for the day was 'baubles', so our matching ribbon and bell bracelets, as well as my glittery Santa tee, seemed quite fitting!


Last worn: novelty Santa tee, denim shorts.

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Here's what I wore on Christmas day:

Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: none in the pic! Barefoot most of the day, but wore Asos 'five star' leather sandals out in the evening.
Bracelets: the usual plus charm bracelet and Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle


The benefit of having a small baby on Christmas day - I was able to take a photo in front of the tree with all of the presents without ruining baby T's morning, haha! It was baby's first Christmas, and the first time we have hosted Christmas lunch. Last Christmas was wonderful when we had the excitement of sharing our pregnancy news with the family, but having baby T ripping into all of his presents on Christmas day this year was even better. We are very lucky, and he is a very spoiled little boy, so many gifts! We had to work our way through them with a few nap and meal breaks in between!

Between cooking my first Christmas lunch, feeding baby and opening all of our gifts, I just wanted something simple and easy to wear. We went out to visit more family in the evening also, so I wanted to look appropriate for that too, without having to worry about changing my outfit. This maternity/nursing dress was the perfect choice, although I did wish I hadn't worn the belt a few times during the day, I was worried about it scratching baby sometimes. With family helping to entertain baby and preparing some side dishes, we managed to have a great day and a lovely lunch. I was pleased my first Christmas meal went so well - everyone said it was delicious, and as it was cooked with baby T in mind, he enjoyed his tiny little portion too!


Last worn: purple maxi dress, gold belt.

December Purchases

I bought a few things in December - more than I expected to buy, but I think I did okay considering all of the great sales there were! As I do every month, I'm sharing my purchases on the blog so it holds me accountable to actually use and enjoy those purchases. I review everything I buy after 2 wears so I can see if it was a winner or not, and use that information as lessons for future purchases. You can read more about my goals and why I'm doing this here. I think it's really helped my spending in 2014!


5 clothes/accessories purchases in December. Only 1 was a planned purchase, the rest were impulse buys.

Asos 'five star' leather sandals (to replace sandals I got rid of)
Atmos&Here 'Florida' tank in Aztec print
Atmos&Here 'Lola' swing dress in Aztec print (returned)
Atmos&Here 'Isla' ruffle cami in floral print
Atmos&Here 'Amalphi' luxe grey tee

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How to Have a Stylish Pregnancy On a Budget: eBook & Giveaway!

This has to be the most nervous and excited I have ever been about posting. I'm sharing my first eBook!

Stylish Pregnancy on a Budget: how to stick to your personal style and budget during pregnancy

It's a guide for you to identify your own pregnancy style and wear what works for you and your growing bump. I've crammed it full of all of the best tips, tricks and exactly what you need to know to effortlessly dress your bump and feel comfortable and confident through your pregnancy. It explains how to navigate maternity clothing and only buy what you really need, identify what you already have that will work for you, and even how to create your own pregnancy capsule wardrobe. With more than 5 years of personal style blogging over two pregnancies, I have of course included a lot of outfit inspiration and ideas too.

When you're pregnant your 'I have nothing to wear' days increase as your growing baby limits your wardrobe options. With this pregnancy style guide you'll be able to minimise those days! You'll know what outfits you have in your wardrobe that will work for you in each trimester and be able to stay true to your personal style through your pregnancy. It's got the knowledge I acquired through two pregnancies so you don't have to make the same expensive mistakes I did when buying maternity clothing.



It's normally $2.95, but for everyone who enters the giveaway to win a copy I'm giving you a special discount code just for the book launch. The discount code will bring the price down to $1.50, even if you don't win the giveaway. The code is only valid for 48 hours so snap it up when you can! Just click here to buy it.


Newer readers might wonder why I'm coming out with this book now, over a month after baby boy's first birthday. This has been a long time in the making. Spending time in July last year with a special friend gave me the confidence to give the book a try and I started writing it. With Baby Boy's health issues and hospital stay it just kept getting pushed back further and further. It's come together now with a lot of support and encouragement! A little later than I hoped, but I'm no less proud of managing to actually write an eBook. I even have an affiliate program, so if you like the book and want to be part of it send me a message.

All of the early feedback has been so positive and I'm thrilled to be able to offer this pregnancy style resource to you!

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Enter the giveaway below to get your discount code and have the chance to win a copy. To enter, leave a blog post comment telling me who you'd want to win the eBook for. The answer that makes me smile the most will be the winner. Giveaway ends on Sunday 28th May. Winning is a game of skill, judge's decision is final.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Excited about the ebook but don't need it in your life right now and can't think of anyone who does? That's okay, I've got an outfit to share too!

What I wore:

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklaces

Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: white and silver sequin scarf worn as a belt
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore for Baby Boy's first birthday party. I wanted to wear this pretty dress again after it was the last blog photo I took while pregnant with him, seemed fitting to wear it for his party.

The first birthday is always an emotional celebration, but even more so this time. Since Baby Boy's speedy arrival into the world things have been so different in so many ways, but through it all we have been blessed. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over his first year, from friends and family helping us to people online reaching out with advice, support and encouragement.


Blogging is my me-time and while it might be in short supply with 2 boys under 3, it's always fun to come and share my outfits and now my eBook with you all. Thank you. 💕


Last worn: sequin scarf, Mothers En Vogue Maxi Dress.

Other ways to wear: sequin scarf as a headband, pink maxi dress and denim jacket.

Perfect for pregnancy: Mothers En Vogue maxi dress at 39 weeks.



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Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag and Casual and Dressy Festive Second Trimester Outfits

Two very different pregnancy outfits with the same bag. A dressier one for an evening out, and a casual one with shorts for daytime. You can see I'm a little behind with blogging as I wore one of these outfits on Christmas eve!

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace layered with Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin black glitter belt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bracelets: the usual plus silver charm bracelet, Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle
Bag:  Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey (on sale in emerald!)

Why I wore it:

Wore this out to a family birthday dinner. I've mentioned before that this dress is one of those maternity pieces that always makes me feel good, it was the perfect option for an evening out and getting a little dressed up.

The style challenge for the day was 'big hair don't care', but messy waves are as 'big' as I can get my hair to be. Luckily I was having a good hair day to take the close up for Instagram, ha!

You can't really see my shoes very well, they are clearer on Instagram, but this is the second time they've been worn on the blog. I'm trying to be more thoughtful with what I buy and reviewing everything after I've bought it twice, so my purchase review:

I really like the look of these shoes. I had a pair of cheap Rubi shoes silver ballet flats I'd been missing ever since I wore them to the ground, so was happy to spot this silver pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs flats in the Shopbop sale (with an extra 25% off!) right before Christmas. The only problem I have with these flats is that they seem a little tighter than the other Marc Jacobs flats I have. Not sure how much of that is due to pregnancy feet swelling and the crazy swelling because of the humidity over summer though! I'm hoping they relax a little the more I wear them. Overall, a great purchase as I've been missing a pair of silver flats, just not as comfortable as my other pairs quite yet.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Mothers En Vogue maxi dress, black glitter belt, Marc Jacobs tuxedo ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag.

Other ways to wear: maxi dress for a Christmas party, silver ballet flats and a black dress, Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag and skinny jeans.

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Where to buy the Rebecca Minkoff Love bag:

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What I wore:

Jacket: New Look Petite print kimono (on sale, 70% off!) 

Tee: festive glitter Santa tee
Shorts: Jeanswest Georgie maternity boyfriend shorts (available in non-maternity also)
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus turquoise and silver beaded bracelet set
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey (on sale in sapphire!)

Why I wore it:

My long overdue to be posted Christmas eve outfit! It's a tradition in the family to spend the day doing something crafty for Christmas, baking and decorating cookies, and watching Christmas movies. Of course, while we do this, we wear our festive glitter tees that my sister bought us one year. Met the 'holiday glitz' style challenge nicely! Usually I wear some Christmas bracelets too, but I completely forgot about them this year. I had picked them out and set them aside, but in the hurry of getting everything and everyone ready to go to my parent's place I forgot to put them on. There's always next year!


It's the second wear for this blue printed kimono too, so my purchase review:

I picked up two kimonos in the Asos sale, this one being one I was sure I'd love, and the other I wasn't 100% sure would look good, but wanted to give it a try anyway. Surprisingly, I've gone for the other one more. I do love the colour of this (of course, it's blue!) but it doesn't seem to be worn as much as my other kimono. I'm confident it will still get a lot of wear in my wardrobe though, so it's staying. It's just interesting how the piece I thought I'd love the most from my order is being worn the least! Even after a year and a half of looking at my spending habits I still surprise myself.


I like how the Rebecca Minkoff love bag goes equally well with a dress to go out for dinner, or casually with denim shorts. It works in both of these outfits as it's a great all-rounder bag!

I have a video review on my youtube channel for it too:

Last worn: blue printed kimono, Christmas Santa glitter tee, Jeanswest maternity denim shorts, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag (above).

Other ways to wear: printed kimono and a white tank, Christmas tee trio, Jeanswest maternity denim shorts and Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag with a purple cardi.


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Pregnancy Wardrobe Essentials - Review of Maternity Pieces in My Wardrobe

While I'm in the hospital with baby, I've set up a few scheduled posts.

As soon as I can I will be back to posting my usual daily outfits. Until then I hope you enjoy the little break and slight change of format.

First up, talking about my pregnancy wardrobe and the maternity pieces I wore through my pregnancy.

I had a total of 14 maternity pieces to supplement my existing wardrobe. I've included links below so you can see when I wore them, and how often I wore them. My goal was to buy as little maternity pieces as possible.

Tops:

• MEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo. Worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester
• Asos drape tank in space dye fabric. Worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester
• Jeanswest 'Felicity' maternity shirt in amethyst. Worn in third trimester, three times.
• Jeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt. Worn in first trimester | worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester

Dresses:

• Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress. Worn in third trimester 6 times
• MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo. Worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester 5 times
• Burgundy button sash maternity dress C/O Pink Blush Maternity. Worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester twice

Skirts:

• Asos maternity tartan check pencil skirt. Worn in second trimester 4 times | worn in third trimester 5 times
• Asos maternity graphic print pencil skirt. Worn in second trimester 4 times | worn in third trimester 6 times
• Soon Maternity Flora fold pencil skirt. Worn in second trimester | worn in third trimester twice

Shorts:

• Jeanswest maternity rolled up shorts. Worn in second trimester twice | worn in third trimester 4 times

Pants:

• Jeanswest Maternity slim straight jeans. Worn in second trimester twice
• Jeanswest maternity super skinny jeans in antique blue. Worn in second trimester 8 times | worn in third trimester 7 times
• Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans in black. Worn in second trimester 4 times | worn in third trimester 5 times

You can hear my thoughts and opinions by watching the video, but in summary:

• I was lucky to have a lot of pieces in my existing wardrobe that worked well in pregnancy. Lots of flowy, loose, oversized and stretchy pieces meant I didn't need much maternity wear. I'll do a follow up post about the non-maternity items I found most helpful.
• Maternity tops I found tricky to wear as the extra length swamped my petite frame.
• Dresses were the easiest, most comfortable maternity wear option for me. Great go-to pieces!
• The Asos maternity pencil skirts I bought were fantastic for work and I'd recommend them to anyone who has to dress for pregnancy in the office.
• Jeanswest maternity denim is the only brand of maternity jeans I tried - perfect first time so I didn't try to look elsewhere.

I hope that you found this post useful, and that you can pass it along to anyone who might benefit from it :) Different from my usual posts, but I thought that laying out what I wore and how I wore it during my pregnancy might come in helpful for someone.


Linking up with Manic Monday, Style Sessions, Three-Fer Thursday today.

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