Friday 17 February 2017

Silicone Teething Necklaces and Printed Dresses

The most frequent comment on the blog or Instagram is around my accessories. Lots of love for my handbags, but at the moment the most commented on thing is whatever necklace I'm wearing.

While Baby Boy is so small, I'm doing the same thing I did with his older brother and putting aside all my regular necklaces and just wearing baby-friendly pieces. I have a little collection of teething necklaces I rotate through.

What's a teething necklace?

They are called teething or silicone necklaces as they are made out of nontoxic food safe silicone and designed for babies to chew. I've bought necklaces from Nibbly Bits (who I highly recommend) and received some from Ruby Olive in a subscription box. I'm wearing one from each brand with some printed dresses below.

Why wear a teething necklace?


  • Entertainment for baby - they are brightly coloured and perfectly positioned around your neck for playing with during feeds. Useful for both breast and bottle feeds.
  • Perfect for teething - both my boys love gnawing on the bright beads to soothe their gums.
  • Easy to clean - you can wash them in hot soapy water and as they stay on you they don't get as dirty as other toys that roll around on the floor with baby.
  • Always nearby - it can be hard digging around in a baby bag to find a toy when you have a toddler and a baby to keep hold of!
  • Safe - the ones I own have a quick release clasp so if baby gets tangled or tugs too strongly they unfasten for safety. They are also made from BPA free food-grade silicone.
  • They look good! I like being able to wear an accessory that adds something to an outfit I'm wearing and is also useful for baby. Pretty and practical!

You get a lot of unsolicited advice in motherhood and I'm wary of recommending something as what works for one baby doesn't work for all, but when anyone asks about my necklaces I always rave about how good teething necklaces are! They are a nice touch to an outfit too.

What I wore:

Nibbly Bits abacus pop teething necklace, Atmos&Here Nigella collarless shirt dress, LV speedy | AwayFromBlue

Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere | Away From The Blue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
DressAtmos&Here Nigella collarless shirt dress
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

I was in a rush this morning as usual so wanted an easy outfit - this simple printed shirt dress was perfect. It met a lot of style challenges on Instagram too. The polka dot dress is a red, black and white print but it 'reads' like a neutral piece so I thought the pink and purple teething necklace was lovely with it. Wore this for a lot of running around with swim lessons for Toddler T, a few errands and getting lunch.

This is definitely my favourite teething necklace - I really like the colours and it does seem to go with everything! I made a #30wears collages with it as I've worn it so much.

30 wears: outfit ideas with Nibbly Bits abacus pop silicone teething necklace | AwayFromBlue Blog


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Atmos&Here shirt dress, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: shirt dress and winter layers, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere and jeans.


Where to Buy Silicone Teething Necklaces:







What I wore:

Zara printed bib front tunic dress, tempete Balenciaga day bag | AwayFromBlue

Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | AwayFromTheBlue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagBalenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Not what I wanted to wear, but still met a couple style challenge prompts on Instagram. Unlike the shirt dress above, this shift dress is not breastfeeding friendly! I was rushing to get ready as usual and I pulled on my button up shift dress that is breastfeeding friendly. Only to find I couldn't fasten it as somewhere between me taking it off, washing it and ironing it, one of the buttons had popped off.

I'd had my mind set on wearing a dress so I was rummaging through my wardrobe looking for something else to wear. With pregnancy and breastfeeding, it's been a year and a half since I last wore this one! It was nice to get it out again, it is one of my favourite dresses. Even if I was a little stressed about going grocery shopping and getting back before Baby Boy wanted a feed!

With the blue bag and navy shift dress the colourful teething necklace was a good addition to break up the blue a little. Plus it kept Baby Boy amused until I could get home and change into something more suited for feeding him.


Last wornRay-Ban Wayfarer (above), Zara shift dress, Havaianas (above), Balenciaga tempete Day bag.

Other ways to wearZara shift dress and leather jacket, Balenciaga tempete Day bag and blush blazer.


Hopefully you found this post helpful! So many people have asked that I thought this would be useful for someone. It's not sponsored. Just wanted to share the revelation I had when I first heard of teething necklaces - what a great idea!


More Teething Necklaces:







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Wednesday 15 February 2017

Black Jersey Maxi Skirts, Relaxed Tanks and Brown Bags

Two different outfits with two different black maxi skirts. I've mentioned before that I am trying to avoid duplicating items in my wardrobe. I purchased a new black maxi skirt as my old one was looking a little worn after a few years and a lot of wear. Since I'm doing a 6 months without shopping challenge I wanted to have a 'backup' in case the old one actually fell apart sometime in the 6 months.

Looking at the pictures below I think they do look slightly different, or that's what I'll tell myself to justify buying a replacement piece for something that isn't completely worn out yet... 😅

What I wore:

khaki embroidered tank, black jersey maxi skirt boho style summer SAHM outfit | AwayFromBlue

Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere | AwayFromTheBlue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Tank: Target embroidered khaki tank
Skirt: Jeanswest plain jersey black maxi skirt
ShoesWittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a quiet day last month, hitting a few style challenges. Before the in-laws came over I took Baby Boy for his weekly weigh in the morning and stopped at the post office to pick up my last online clothes order for 6 months. Although I ended up returning most of it I really liked one of the wrap dresses I ordered. I've already worn it here.

Sometimes I find voluminous tops tricky to wear with maxi skirts, but I really liked this outfit. I was comfortable and cool all day in this. A khaki embroidered tank wasn't even something I'd been thinking about buying, this was an impulse buy, but I am so glad I bought it. $10 well spent! Even if I've not loved every outfit it's been worn in... loose over a little mum-tum, a neutral colour and so so soft. Definitely a winning top!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, khaki embroidered tank, black maxi skirt, studded sandals, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere.

Other ways to wearkhaki embroidered tank and stripes, black maxi skirt in winter, studded sandals and pink vest, Louis Vuitton speedy Bandouliere and denim shorts.


More black maxi skirts under $50:







What I wore:

Sass&Bide neon printed tank, black jersey maxi skirt, playdate outfit | Away From Blue

Roie Designs bracelet stack, Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag | Away From The Blue
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
TankSass and Bide 'Musical Genius' tank
SkirtJeanswest Luxe maxi jersey skirt
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs pearl, howlite and hematite beaded bracelets
BagBalenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the relaxed tank and black maxi skirt outfit above I tried to recreate it again with different pieces. Again it met a few style challenges. While I do love the tank and the skirt on their own, I wasn't really liking this combination. Comfortable for a playdate at home at least. With the crazy heatwaves this summer most people with kids are hiding out at home in the air conditioning so that means more playdates and rotating around everyone's houses!

Wearing a couple of new things - my pastel blue mani from the OPI Breakfast at Tiffany collection set that I got at Christmas which you sadly can't see in the pics. I'm also wearing some beautiful bracelets from Roie Designs. My talented friend designs and makes her own jewelry and I thought these pearl, howlite and hematite bracelets worked so nicely with my everyday bracelet stack.When I have a curious baby that spends a lot of time in my arms I tend to keep my jewelry to the basics! It was nice to wear something a little different just to change things up a bit, even if they did attract a little attention from Baby Boy.

Last worn: Sass & Bide Neon tank, drawstring maxi skirt, Havaianas, Balenciaga brown Day bag.

Other ways to wearSass & Bide Neon tank and shorts, drawstring maxi skirt and plain tank, Balenciaga brown Day bag for a weekend trip.




More brown Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton bags:






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Monday 13 February 2017

Tees, Denim Shorts and Kimonos with Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag

Last year's pregnancy go-to outfit of denim shorts and kimono is still a favourite combination this summer too. While in pregnancy I was appreciating slouchy tees for how well they accommodated a growing baby belly, I like them post baby too as they hide a little mum-tum.

What I wore:

OneTeaspoon Hawks denim shorts, printed kimono, wine tee Balenciaga day bag | AwayFromBlue

Balenciaga tempete giant hardware Day bag | AwayFromTheBlue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
JacketSomedays Lovin' Yakuza print kimono
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
TeeAtmos&Here rolled sleeve oversized tee in wine (similar in black or grey)
ShortsOneTeaspoon Hawks shorts in Fox black (C/O, on sale!)
ShoesWittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
BagBalenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Simple shorts and tee outfit with some added colour and interest with the printed kimono for a busy morning. Viewing a possible plot of land for house building, Baby Boy's weekly weigh and an extra doctor's appointment for him. Phew!

The outfit met a few style challenges on Instagram, as I'd planned it out in my head the night before. I thought the tee and colours in the print of the kimono would work nicely together, and the black shorts as I felt the outfit needed something neutral. I put it on, glanced in the mirror and thought it looked okay. When I looked at the photos later to put one up on Instagram I wasn't so sure. I'm pleased I gave the combination a try, and I don't think it looks that bad, it's just not as great as I'd imagined it would be in my head!


Last worn: Ray-Ban WayfarerSomedays Lovin' kimono, purple tee, OneTeaspoon Hawks shorts, studded sandals, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wearSomedays Lovin' kimono and jeans, purple tee and winter layers, OneTeaspoon Hawks shorts in spring, studded sandals and printed skirt, Balenciaga tempete day bag and pink blazer.


More Printed Kimonos Under $50:







What I wore:

navy printed kimono, red tee, Jeanswest trinity denim Bermuda short, Balenciaga day bag | Away From Blue

Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | Away From The Blue
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
TeeZalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt
ShortsJeanswest Trinity Bermuda denim shorts (currently on sale!)
ShoesWittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
BagBalenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

Another shorts and tee outfit topped off with a kimono. Red isn't a colour I wear often (although I love my red handbags), but I enjoy wearing it when I do. I wanted to add something to this outfit so the printed kimono was perfect. I like blue and red together. The colour combo achieved a few style challenges for the day on Instagram too. Nice and comfortable for a trip to the library for rhyme time with the boys.

Unlike the outfit above, the kimono was a last minute addition to this outfit that I hadn't planned in advance. I actually liked this outfit more though! What do you think?


Last worn: navy printed kimono, red tee, bermuda denim shorts, studded sandals (above), Balenciaga tempete day bag (above).

Other ways to wearnavy printed kimono and skinny jeans, red tee in winter, bermuda denim shorts and green tank, studded sandals and shirt dress, Balenciaga tempete day bag and maxi skirt.




More Balenciaga Day Bags:







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