Maxi Skirts, Ballet Flats and Clutch Bags

Since I injured myself on the way to work the other week, outfit options have been limited. I have to wear my old knee brace, which is a big bulky compression bandage. It helps with the pain, but it definitely doesn't fit under my skinny jeans! It doesn't work nicely with tights either.
Even though we are nearing the end of winter, it's still not quite warm enough for bare legs. So when I've had no choice and had to get out of the house I've been wearing my maxi skirts. A lot.

I'm grateful for the fact that I have quite a few maxi skirts in my wardrobe, but I apologise in advance if things start looking a little repetitive around here!

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Tank: Sass and Bide "For Easy Reference" tank
Skirt: Asos colour block maxi skirt in red
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs two tone flats in blush and black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga flat clutch SGH in 2010 Sang

Why I wore it:

We had a long over-due dinner and poker night with friends, so I was determined to attend despite my injured knee. As I couldn't wear skinny jeans as I had planned because of the knee brace, I figured a maxi skirt would be a good choice to keep me warm. I added the jacket too, but I probably could have done with a scarf as well, it was a bit cold on the way home!

It's been over 8 months since I last wore this tank! I didn't even get an outfit photo with it on the day I wore it last as baby T decided to fling his pumpkin all over my skirt before I had the chance to stand in front of the camera. I really, really like this tank and every time I wear it I wonder why it goes so long between wears. Probably because I just have way too many tops ;)


Last worn: tweed jacket, printed tank, colour block maxi skirt, cap toe flats, Balenciaga sang clutch.

Other ways to wear: tweed jacket in the office, printed tank and pink accessories, maxi skirt in summer, two tone flats and print mixing, Balenciaga clutch for a Christmas party.

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Maxi skirts under $30:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Cotton On black knit wrap cardigan

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Top: thrifted Dotti blue tee
Skirt: Jeanswest plain jersey black maxi skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine

Why I wore it:

Had to work from home and go to the doctor's to get an opinion on how bad my knee injury was, so comfortable cosy maxi skirt outfit with flats again. Picked this cobalt top as it's been a while since its last wear and it makes a good backdrop for my Happiness Boutique necklace. You can read my review of the necklace the previous time I wore it here.

This outfit seemed a little dark with all the black - despite the bright top and bag. I think a colourful cardigan would have looked better.


Last worn: black cardigan, cobalt blue tee, black jersey maxi skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC.


Other ways to wear: black cardigan and a printed skirt, blue top and print mixing, maxi skirt in summer, ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC with shorts.


Linking up with Pleated Poppy, What I Wore, The Wednesday Pants, Style Me Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Trendy Wednesday, Brilliant Blog Posts, Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Fun Fashion Friday, Weekend Linkup, Friday's Fashions, Fabulous Friday today.

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Corporate Style: Printed Dresses And Trench Coats For The Office

Easy corporate style for those 'I don't know what to wear' days, printed dresses! They are a great go-to outfit for any occasion, not just for office wear.

I picked these two dresses to wear as I felt it had been a while since I'd worn them.

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Cardi: Jeanswest Peggie kimono in purple mulberry marle
Scarf: Cotton On fuchsia pashmina
Dress: Jeanswest 'Melanie' paisley mixed print dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

It was little chilly in the morning, and this is quite a lightweight dress, so I added a purple cardi under my trench coat that you can kinda see peeking out in the first photo. Kept me warm at my desk too as the dress has short sleeves.

Hopefully I can re-create this look when the weather is warmer, without the trench coat as I really liked the cardigan and dress together. I thought the fuchsia pashmina complimented the purple well.


Last worn: black trench, pink pashmina, purple cardi, mixed print dress, ankle boots, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: trench coat and a pencil skirt, pashmina and a shift dress, purple cardi and jeans, dress in the third trimester, ankle boots and a maxi skirt, Balenciaga day bag and a maxi skirt.

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Shop more printed dresses at Shopbop:

Desk to drinks - printed dresses at Shopbop.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Dress: French Connection 'Fast Rhonda' dress in black/caramel
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (previously owned bargain here)

Why I wore it:

A warmer day so less layers - just a trench over this dress. I didn't add a scarf, because I find this dress a little tricky to wear a scarf with. I don't have many plain scarves, most are printed! Could have done with a scarf to keep me warm in the early morning, but wasn't too bad without it.

It's been a while since I last wore this Mulberry Bayswater bag too! I wore it in March, on my first day back at work after maternity leave. Overall, I've only worn this bag 21 times in the past 3 and a half years (my blog archive is great for finding out info like this!). The leather is extremely sensitive to water, even after I've waterproofed it with the same product I use on all my bags. It tends to get worn mainly for the office. It's such a classic style that will never go out of date though, and some days you just want a formal bag like this for work, so that's why I've held onto it.

I've got a more detailed review of the Mulberry Bayswater on my youtube channel.

Last worn: beige trench, printed sheath dress, camel flats, Mulberry Bayswater tote.

Other ways to wear: trench with orange and burgundy, printed dress with a printed scarf, ballet flats with a boho dress, Bayswater and a baby bump.


Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Style Sessions, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Whatcha Wearing, What I Wore today.



This post was created in partnership with Shopbop. Occasionally, Away From The Blue blog may receive vendor or brand sponsorships for mentioning their products or services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.

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