While the winter weather hung around a little longer than expected to in Brisbane, I took the chance to enjoy getting layered up with some grey knits and printed scarves. It was easy to take the scarves off as it heated up in the middle of the day.
Wore this to work from home and do the day care drop off/pick up. Nice and comfy! I'd had the idea of wearing this grey jumper and skirt together, but when I put it on it seemed a bit dull. I decided on this scarf to try add some colour, and the bright bag too.
I really wish I could fold this scarf better. It's got a beautiful, colourful print in the centre but I always seem to show more of the cream border than anything when I wear it.
Since I'd liked the grey knit and printed maxi skirt combination above, I wore a similar version again to run some errands and go to the doctors.
I wasn't too sure about the beaded detail on the top and the print in the scarf, if it looked a bit too 'busy'. I changed my opinion back and forth a few times during the day, and I'm still undecided now looking at the photos. Probably not a combination I'd try again, even though I wouldn't call it a complete outfit fail.
It's no secret that I love maxi skirts! I challenge the 'rule' that short ladies can't wear maxi skirts too - I'm petite! I'd always liked wearing them occasionally, and once I discovered just how perfect they are in pregnancy they became a wardrobe staple. I do my best to wear them year-round.
It's easy enough to do in winter here in Queensland, as we don't have snow to contend with. A few extra layers, some ankle boots and maxi skirts are good to go. If it gets even colder where you live, you can always layer leggings or tights underneath ;)
This layering tee was another one of those pieces I'd been looking at in my wardrobe for a while and figured I'd better get around to wearing before winter passes us by! With just a few weeks left, I'm feeling that I haven't given all my winter pieces enough wear before I have to pack them away again.
The plain black tee and the dark skirt seemed a little dull for a day out shopping with family while hubby was on baby duty, so I added the scarf for some colour.
It's not the first time I've worn this tee and skirt together, although it was a bit warmer last time I did so. Layered it up slightly with the cardigan and scarf for a morning at playgroup.
It's not surprising I'd repeat combinations with this skirt. I like pairing it with grey tees, and I've worn it over 30 times in the year and a half since I bought it. Definitely a must-have in my wardrobe!
These pictures were taken earlier in June, before the 'Antarctic Vortex' hit Australia. No chance of going jacket-less now, ha! I'm just a little behind with blogging, so these are some different ways I've worn maxi skirts in winter with slightly more normal Queensland temperatures! I'd been feeling a little like I'd been neglecting my maxi skirts lately so I made more of an effort to wear them.
First, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is now open to the public! I mentioned it when it was open to card holders last week so you could add some things to your wishlist ready to purchase. Wanted to share the sale with you now it's open to everyone, even though I'm doing #noBuyJuly15 and won't be buying.
Don't let my shopping ban stop you from picking up some bargains! Unless of course you are also doing #noBuyJuly15, in which case don't click on the links, think of how much you're saving by skipping the sale instead.
I was actually quite cosy in this outfit - good for a quiet Sunday doing some shopping. We had a big night the evening before with friends so a relaxing day was welcome! Did a little bit of print mixing with the paisley snood and the striped maxi skirt, and I thought the bright colours of the bag and jumper worked well together.
It's the second time I've worn both the jumper and the handbag, so I'll be doing purchase reviews for both. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm so behind with blogging or because I just bought so much in June, but I've really fallen behind with sharing what I wore immediately after buying it. Although I did manage to wear both these items in June, the same month I purchased them, it's just taken them a while to get onto the blog. I think #noBuyJuly15 will help me get on track and just wear and enjoy what I own for a while! I definitely need a break from shopping. Despite all the great sales at the moment!
This jumper was an impulse buy, I saw it as I walked past the local op-shop and couldn't stop thinking how perfect it was for winter. It met the 'wardrobe gap' I have of being a nice plain block colour top, so I bought it. It's cosy and comfortable and machine washable so great for winter with baby. I like the curved hem, it's a really good length on me for layering over skirts (or dresses!) as it's slightly cropped and hits at a flattering spot without overwhelming my petite frame. I did recently buy another blue knit, so this wasn't a real 'must have', more an impulse buy. I do think the two tops are different enough for them both to get some wear, and I got rid of a third blue knit I already had to make this purchase make a little more sense! Otherwise my wardrobe is going to turn into a big pile of blue again....
The handbag was another impulse buy! June really was the month of unnecessary purchases....I'd often thought about trying this style of Rebecca Minkoff bag, as I like my mini MAC bags, and I know this is similar in size. When I saw it on ebay, and then when it was relisted again...I decided to just go for it. It was a bargain! I'm still not sure it's a keeper in my bag collection - it's nice, but I do prefer the mini MAC style so this probably was not the best purchase. It's still going to get used, maybe just not as much as my other Rebecca Minkoff cross body bags.
This outfit was not warm enough, even with the scarf! I spent a bit too much time in the morning trying to see if any other scarves looked nice before I settled on this combination - which I've worn before - so that when I did manage to get out the door with baby I hadn't spent any time thinking I'd need a jacket! Luckily we weren't outside for too long.
I wasn't too sure of the combination of scarf and top together last time I wore them, but I really liked it this time around. I would have liked it even more if I'd remembered a jacket of course ;)
Nordstrom half yearly sale is on now - up to 40% off! Also, Vogue Online Shopping Night is on tonight! Some sales are only on for 12 hours, so be quick to shop! Details of some great ones below, and I've also updated the Sales and Discounts page again too.
David Jones - 20% off clothes, denim, handbags and accessories. No code needed.
Portmans - 25% off full price and free delivery. No code needed.
Samantha Willis - 50% off selected jewellery. No code needed.
Sambag - 20% off and free delivery with code 'VOSN20'.
Sass and Bide - 10% off and free shipping. No code needed.
General Pants - free delivery and 20% off everything with code 'GP20'
Wanderlust & Co - 30% off and free shipping with code 'VOSN'
I have to give a shout out my friend Kiki who said a lot of nice things about meon her blog. I'm so glad I could inspire her! Being a mum has a lot of changes associated with it, and the way we wear and view our wardrobe can change too, but it doesn't mean we can't enjoy what we wear. And if something no longer feels right (due to body/lifestyle/taste changes) it's good to let it go, or admit that an outfit combination just wasn't the best, and try again the next day. They are only clothes. I'm trying to remember this as I work towards reducing the size of my wardrobe.
Not every day has to be about trying something new or coming up with perfectly coordinated and accessorised outfits. Some days you just want to be comfortable and confident and you rely on simple 'outfit formulas' like the outfits below - blue tops over black! Both outfits showcasing a couple of my new April purchases. A blue knit and striped maxi skirt, and a blue shirt with black skinny jeans.
What I wore:
Jumper: thrifted Valleygirl blue knit jumper (new purchase)
First wearing of this cute blue knit jumper from my April purchases. This was taken the day after the crazy weather - the sun came out! It actually ended up being a really sunny and warm day, so I was glad I had worn a tank under this. Although it's a light weight knit, it was good to take it off in the heat of the afternoon. The Fox in Flats style challenge for the day was 'up up up' and to try a new hairstyle, so I tied a twilly around my messy bun. You can't see it in these pics, but you can see it in the photo on instagram.
We had to take Cooper to the vets for his regular vaccinations. Just a reminder if you have a dog and especially if you are in the Brisbane/Gold Coast area - get your dog vaccinated against parvovirus. There is a serious outbreak at the moment.
Cooper did really well at the vets, and as the vets have some cute kittens available for adoption, baby T got to play with some kittens for the first time. He loved them, it was so cute to see!
The style dare for the day was 'geek chic', achieved with the collared shirt and a selfie in my glasses! I need glasses for working on a computer screen.
This was a really practical and comfortable outfit for running errands all morning - trying to get things organised for baby T's upcoming first birthday.
With the autumn weather starting to settle in it can get a little chilly in the mornings. I'm enjoying it, as I get to wear some of my bigger scarves that are just too warm to wear in spring/summer. Below are two casual stay at home mum style outfits with some big cosy printed scarves.
I wasn't too sure what the weather would end up like on this day. I didn't have much to do after a busy morning, so just wanted to be comfortable. Maxi skirt and Converse is always a good idea, and I went with the tank and the scarf as I thought it might warm up later. It ended up being a really warm day so I didn't need the scarf when I was outside in the afternoon. Was good to have it in the morning and evening though.
First couple of times I wore this scarf I wore it with red, so I thought I'd try a different colour this time and went with purple. I really liked this colour combination too. I've been trying to break out of my little rut of pairing everything colourful with something grey, and being slightly more adventurous with colour.
This was taken a couple of days after the outfit above, when Brisbane had a taste of the wild weather that had badly affected Sydney. I'd made sure to get organised and run all my errands earlier in the week so I had nothing to do but stay at home and snuggle with baby T. The scarf was needed as I was still recovering from my cold and had completely lost my voice. Poor baby had to make do with me reading and singing to him in a whisper!
The white shirt wouldn't normally be my first choice for a day at home with baby, but it was the first day of the Fox in Flats instagram style challenge for May, and the prompt for the day was to wear a white shirt (as it was white shirt day for OCRF). No bag or shoes as I literally stayed in the house all day listening to the rain with baby T and Cooper.
DH was one of the lucky ones, as he had been sent off-site for the day he didn't have to battle through the crazy traffic and flooded roads to get home and he got home a little earlier than usual. I know there were a lot of people in Brisbane who didn't make it home until really late that evening, and some not until the next day! We had a nice quiet evening at home, until we got a knock on the door from our neighbour as DH's car was about to be swept away!
The streets around us started flooding really quickly. I've never seen anything like it, not even in the big floods of 2011. Thankfully our house was on high enough ground that it became part of a little island, DH managed to move his car away from the flood waters, and by the next morning the water was gone. Seeing the water creeping up our driveway was a really scary sight though. We definitely weren't prepared for something that bad, we were lucky to all be together and have all our home comforts (and power and water) to just wait it out. Shows how important it is to get to know your neighbours too, if we hadn't had that knock on the door we wouldn't have known until it was too late, the flood waters would have submerged the car if it stayed where it was. Thankful for our neighbours looking out for us!
During my wardrobe detox one of the 'gaps' identified in my wardrobe was some good bright coloured basic tops. I have lots of prints and grey tops and tees, but not a lot of just plain colours. I do have a few basic tanks, but I've been looking for something a little fancier than that, so that I can wear them to work easily as well. I haven't had much luck finding bright colours in the stores, but op-shops (thrift stores) organise everything by colour so shopping for colours is easy! Plus you can't beat the prices ;) Below are two outfits where I wore my recently-thrifted finds.
Wore this after the dawn service on ANZAC day. I had layered up for the dawn service in a black top and cosy hoodie to stay warm, and it was nice to remove those layers and show some colour for the rest of the day. It's the first time I've worn this tank - one of my new purchases.
I decided to wear this blazer as it fit the 'fine lines' theme for the last fox pack style dare challenge on instagram, and as it was a little chilly to have my arms uncovered. This is the third time I've worn this blazer (previously worn here and here). I bought it on one of my op-shopping (thrifting) trips while I was on my maternity leave, thinking it would fit perfectly when I didn't have the baby bump in the way. I wasn't too impressed with the way it fit when I was pregnant, and this time around I wasn't entirely happy either. I think it's the shoulder pads and the placement of the cuffed sleeves. It's leaving my wardrobe, no point hanging onto it if I am fussing about the way it sits when I wear it. I'm certainly not lacking blazers!
Spent the morning at the shops with DH and baby T, and then we had the grandparents over in the afternoon, so just a nice casual and comfortable outfit.
I've worn this kimono with a blue top before and really liked the colour combination, so I thought it would be nice with this new-to-me cobalt blue tee. And it was a lovely little bit of print mixing with the striped maxi skirt. I'm really pleased to see that I haven't actually worn this kimono with grey yet - I'm being a little bolder with my colour choices lately, encouraged by the personal stylist doing 'my colours' briefly so I know a little bit more about what things look good on me and look good together.
I've been feeling like I've been neglecting my maxi skirts lately, so I'm trying to make more of an effort to wear them. They are a great alternative to jeans, I've just been feeling a little uninspired with them and favouring my shorts more as the last of the summer heat still sticks around well into autumn in Brisbane. I used two of the tops I rediscovered in my wardrobe during my wardrobe detox to give me some new ideas for things to wear with my maxi skirts.
After my wardrobe detox, I finally had some more space in my wardrobe and I found a box of little-worn Threadless tees. I think a Threadless tee might have been my first online purchase! As a uni student I bought and wore a lot of them. Lately though, they just haven't been worn as often. I last wore one back in 2013! Back then, I commented that I have a lot of them and yet I still hang onto them despite not wearing them. After the detox I was feeling emboldened, and got rid of most of them by listing on ebay. There are some tees though, like this one above, that I just can't bear to part with. Hopefully you will see the ones I kept popping up on the blog a lot more often as I wear them to justify keeping them. No point in having things in my wardrobe if I never wear them!
This tee has to be the funniest of the bunch - there's a close-up shot of the text on Instagram. Lots of fond memories of wearing this as it always gets a lot of attention. Just a casual day care pick-up/drop off outfit I wore to work from home. I do wish I'd worn a brighter bag with this though, the grey bag with the monochrome outfit isn't very interesting.
I do like style challenges, so I've started participating in another one! I like taking part in them as they are good for helping me wear more of my wardrobe, along with a few other reasons. This was my first outfit for the #FoxPackStyleDare challenge. The theme for the day was 'layers'. Easily achieved with the addition of the scarf, as it was still too warm in Brisbane to consider heavier layers. I went with bright accessories as I wanted to add some colour after not loving the monochrome outfit I wore previously (above).
This tee is a wardrobe oldie that I had to defend keeping during my wardrobe detox session, as I'm just not ready to let it go. As much as I love it, it's worn so little as it's white and I am much too clumsy to frequently wear white.
I think this will just always be the top I get covered in something. Even if I'm wearing it on a relatively 'safe' day where it should be easy to avoid spilling something on it - we were just doing some shopping for baby T's upcoming first birthday party. The first wear, I managed to stain it. Eventually got that stain out and then this time around, it got stained again! Baby T was being a bit grizzly and scared of the stick blender I was using to puree a batch of food I was making for him, so I picked him up so he could see what was going on, get some cuddles and be a little less scared. Of course with one hand round baby and only one hand on the blender....when I turned it on again the food went everywhere, including all over my top. Not the proudest of moments! Spent quite a while cleaning the kitchen after that, and thankfully managed to get the stain out of my top in the end.
