Maternity Tanks, Prints and Pencil Skirts: Third Trimester Office Wear with Balenciaga Magenta Day Bag

My January purchases and some third trimester office wear. Although I'm trying not to dress too casually for work, my maternity tanks are so comfortable I'm looking for ways to make them work in the office. Adding a blazer on top is a great way to do that!

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Zara black blazer

Scarf: Jeanswest Lux paisley print scarf (C/O)
Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Tank: Jeanswest maternity tank in white
Skirt: Asos maternity panelled pencil skirt in tartan check (non-maternity version here)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

It was quite cold and rainy - but welcome as it broke the heatwave we'd been having. I did consider wearing pants in the morning and wished I had during the day. I liked the print mixing with the scarf and tartan pencil skirt together. This is my favourite blazer and although I can't button it over the baby bump it works well unbuttoned. Just as perfect for the office as it is with jeans.


Last worn: Zara blazer, printed scarf, white maternity tank, tartan pencil skirt, silver tuxedo flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: jersey blazer and a printed dress, printed scarf and chambray, maternity tank and a maxi skirt, tartan pencil skirt with brown and orange, silver tuxedo flats and a maxi dress, Balenciaga magenta day bag and a graphic tee.

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What I wore:

Jacket: no label white drape jacket

Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace layered with custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Tank: Jeanswest Sol maternity jacquard tank (new purchase)
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt (also available in black or stripes)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey (on sale in black)
Bracelets: the usual plus turquoise and silver beaded bracelet set
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This tank is another of my post-Christmas sale purchases. You can tell I had some Jeanswest gift vouchers to spend! I wouldn't normally be able to wear this skirt in the third trimester, but as the maternity tank is so long I was able to wear the elastic waist of the skirt under the bump and have the tank cover up all of the baby belly and then some. I was actually able to tuck the tank into the skirt. Benefits of being petite, maternity tanks are quite long.

In contrast to the previous outfit above, this was such a hot day. I took the blazer off after these pictures and just wore it around the office to keep my shoulders covered. It was much too hot and humid to wear it long on the commute.


Last worn: waterfall drape jacket, grey marle pencil skirt, studded mouse flats, Balenciaga Magenta Day bag (above). First time I've worn the tank as it's a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: waterfall drape jacket and printed shorts, grey pencil skirt layered for winter, studded mouse flats and a printed dress, Balenciaga Magenta Day bag and a maxi skirt.

January Purchases

Continuing on with recording what I buy each month and keeping a track of how many times I wear things, here's what I bought in January and at the end of December in the post-Christmas sales.

• Jeanswest Carla Maternity Cut out tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Sol Maternity jacquard tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Florence print long line tank
• Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta
• Cotton On 'Gemma' cocoon kimono in Laos blossom navy print
• Slim gold Havaianas
• Be Free maternity/nursing bras
• Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print
• Atmos & Here Arlene wrap top in navy

That's a lot! I had some gift cards to spend and there were so many good sales on....so far the most worn items have been the maternity bras. I don't usually talk underwear on the blog but a good maternity bra is a pregnancy and breastfeeding essential and these two are just so perfect!

I don't anticipate buying any more clothing until after baby arrives, so there are likely to be few monthly haul videos for a while. I'm not entirely ruling out getting some accessories though.... ;)



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Fun Novelty Tees To Wear in Pregnancy and a Giveaway: #StrugglesBook

My ninja baby tee was a firm favourite last pregnancy, and I'm enjoying wearing it this time around too. There are a lot of fun novelty pregnancy tees around so I thought I'd do a post featuring them.

Also wanted to give away an extra copy of the #Struggles book I received. I wrote about it last year, in my favourite post I've ever written. I pre-ordered a copy and received an advance e-copy to read. Since I ended up with one more copy than I needed when the one I bought arrived, it made sense to do a little giveaway.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)
Tee: 'Ninja baby' maternity skeleton tee
Shorts: Jeanswest Georgie maternity boyfriend shorts (available in non-maternity also)
Shoes: slim gold Havaianas
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

Everyone loves a good ninja baby tee! I wore this to work from home, run some errands in the afternoon and attend my OB appointment. It's fun seeing everyone's reactions to this tee - at the very least it raises a smile. Comfy and casual outfit for a hot day.


Last worn: ninja baby skeleton tee, Jeanswest maternity denim shorts, Havaianas. First time I've worn the Balenciaga magenta day bag on the blog.

Other ways to wear: ninja baby tee and skinny jeans, denim shorts and a print mixing outfit, Havaianas, Balenciaga magenta day bag on instagram.

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More fun graphic maternity tees:

The best novelty pregnancy text tees:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Tee: Grey 'making magic happen' tee C/O Shein
Skirt: AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (new purchase)

Why I wore it:

This isn't designed to be a maternity tee, but when I saw it I knew it would be a fun slogan tee to wear in pregnancy. I was contacted by SheIn and asked to pick another item to feature on my blog after previously featuring this cute lace kimono. I picked this tee right away. Of course as everyone who orders from SheIn knows, shipping is slow, (around 3 weeks) and with Christmas delays, it took quite a while to arrive.

I don't think I'll be able to enjoy it while I'm pregnant as much as I thought due to it's late arrival, as it doesn't have enough stretch in it for me to wear it again as the baby bump grows. I did size up, but the third trimester baby bump is pretty big. It's a tee that's easy to wear outside of pregnancy too, it just makes the text even better when you're growing a baby!


Last worn:Ray-Ban Wayfarers (above), striped maxi skirt, Havaianas, Balenciaga magenta day (above). First time I've worn the tee.

Other ways to wear: striped maxi skirt and a cosy knit, Balenciaga magenta day bag in the office.


The Giveaway

I have one unused copy of the #StrugglesBook to give away! This is a really good read for anyone who uses social media. If you're not a reader, or you just want an overview of what the book is about, you can watch the video on the same topic here.

The Struggles book really made me think and change my behaviour so I'm excited to be able to share it with you! I completed a technology fast, cut down my data allowance on my phone, removed a bunch of apps, unfollowed some accounts, and set myself specific times each day to use social media.

The book is about something that is all too common to bloggers - social media burnout, and how social media takes up so much of our lives, time and worry. One of my favourite quotes:

We want to believe we’re more than the total number of clicks on our last post, but we still check to see how many we have #strugglesBook

— Mica (@AwayFromTheBlue) October 27, 2015

While the book is written from a Christian viewpoint and references bible values frequently, I think the advice contained in it is worthwhile reading even if you aren't a Christian. Of course feel free to read the reviews first if you're unsure. If you've ever felt overwhelmed with 'keeping up' with social media, or browsing your feed has made you feel like everyone has the perfect life, this book is for you!

From the book overview on Amazon:

"The more you compare, the less satisfied you are. The more we interact online, the more we crave face to face intimacy, but the harder it is to find. The more filtered our lives become, the more challenging it is to be authentic. The more information about the pain in the world we’re exposed to the more difficult it is to care."

This competition is open internationally, I will ship the book worldwide. In order to win a copy of "#Struggles: Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World", you have to come up with the most creative answer to the question "What advice would you give to someone feeling overwhelmed with social media, or what is the best advice someone has given you?". You can enter this game of skill competition via the rafflecopter form below, and remember to include your answer in a blog comment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! The competition will run for one week, and I can't wait to read all your great pieces of advice. It will be hard to pick a winner!



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