Friday, 20 November 2020

Handbag Lover's Gift Guide For 2020!

It's that time of year again, where blogs turn into gift guides! Each year I publish this one gift guide: the perfect gift guide for a handbag lover, no matter your budget! This year, because it's 2020, I've added a little bit at the end for ways you can support some local Aussie businesses too. I try to pick pieces that will ship internationally, but I'm sure you will understand that the local section may only ship within Australia.

So, if you're looking for the perfect gift for a bag loving friend or relative, or just a little bit of bag-candy, this is the gift guide for you!






Spectacular Splurge-Worthy Spoils



These bags are $500+ and above - not the kind of thing you would give to a casual acquaintance, but certainly something special for someone close. Wives, girlfriends, mums, sisters - if you have the cash to splash you can't go wrong with something from this list! Sticking with classic styles and neutral colours is always a good idea, especially if you're not entirely sure what their preferred colour bag would be. Probably something to be 100% sure that you know they are after before investing so heavily in this section though!




Modest Mid-Range Designer Choices



At $100-$250 you can look at bags from their favourite contemporary designers, or maybe even a SLG (small leather good) from a luxury brand. There are so many options at this price point to choose from, this budget doesn't limit you but lets you get creative with how you want to spend. Think wallets, clutches, card holders, wallet on chain bags, wristlets... You can give them an accessory from a brand of their dreams or their perfect bag from their favourite contemporary designer. Mine being Rebecca Minkoff of course!




Bargain Bag Finds




Got less than $100 to spend? No worries! Think of ways they can accessorise bags they already have - keychains and bag charms are a good way to go, or a skinny silk scarf to tie in a bow on a bag or wrap around bag handles. See my video for more ways to accessorise a bag! What about a little pouch or wristlet they can use to keep things safe in their bag? Or a gift card to help them purchase the bag of their dreams they have been saving for? You can even hit up sites like ASOS for high street versions of designer styles, without the high price tags.




No matter the budget you have set aside, remember that the Thanksgiving Black Friday sales in the US will be starting soon, and other countries are starting to follow with similar sales. That bag that may have been out of your budget before might be a much more attractive price now or in the days to come, so get adding to cart in preparation for the sales!

Shopbop have up to 50% off designer bags, and you can get an extra 30% off at Rebecca Minkoff with code 'TAKE30' on orders over $150.



A Little Something For Yourself?




All that shopping for other people can lead to a little splurge or two on yourself! The categories above are good for gifts as you get the "new bag" experience with all the wrapping and boxes and that new bag smell! But if you're looking for a bag for you, why not try the preloved market? Easier on the wallet and the environment! Sites like Fashionphile, Yoogi's Closet, Bag Mad Boutique, Vestiaire Collective make it easy to snap up an authenticated designer bag at a bargain price - just be sure to review all the pictures and description carefully so you know what to expect with the condition. eBay is an option too, but I highly suggest using an authentication service like Authenticate First before buying anything designer from eBay.




Shop Local


There are so many local businesses who would really appreciate your support this Christmas. In the sprit of shopping small and supporting local that's so needed for  2020, I wanted to share some. While they are certainly not all bag based they have a lot of great gift ideas to surprise, spoil or entertain your loved ones this Christmas.

For The Little Ones:


For The Grown Ups:

  • Yondale Designs - beautiful silver jewellery that will be treasured for years to come (I have two cuffs I adore from this company that I never remove from my wrist)
  • Handbags on Etsy - you can filter for the perfect gift from your country, state or city!
  • Katherine By Katherine - vegan friendly handbags and accessories, made in Brisbane!
  • Fashion Scarf Girl - another Queensland mum, with multi-buy scarf discounts! (I have been a brand rep for this company in the past and I have also bought a lot of her scarves with my own money!)





Have fun shopping and finding that something special to bring yourself or someone you love a little bit of joy this year!



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Wednesday, 18 November 2020

Navy and Green Kimono Outfits With Grey Tees And Micro Bedford Bag

Another Wednesday post! I'm still not back to my regular 3 times a week posting I was pre-pandemic as I just don't get out of loungewear that many times a week yet! But I wanted to share two outfit posts this week, and on Friday I'll have my special annual gift guide post.

Two outfits with similar colour schemes and outfit formulas, but both look very different despite featuring navy kimonos, grey tees, green and the same little Rebecca Minkoff micro Bedford bag.

What I wore:

navy and green outfit with skinny jeans, grey tee and tie dye kimono spring outfit | away from the blue

tie dye kimono with Rebecca Minkoff Micro Bedford zip satchel in twilight | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue Instagram | spring school run outfit green jeans navy tie dye kimono grey tee micro bedford bag


Jacket: Jeanswest Kensley summer tie-dye kimono
Necklace: thrifted Equip gold and marble station necklace
TeeAtmos&Here charcoal grey v neck tee
Jeans: thrifted ASOS petite green skinny jeans
Shoesslim navy and pink Havaianas
BagRebecca Minkoff Micro Bedford zip satchel in twilight

Why I wore it:

Simple jeans and tee outfit for a busy day with the school run, working from home, and an appointment for my son in the afternoon. The grey tee and the green jeans are a combination I've worn a few times in the past, but I couldn't resist changing it up a little bit this time with the navy tie dye kimono on top. I thought it went nicely with the green jeans and it was a fun bit of match-matchy with the navy Rebecca Minkoff micro Bedford bag, and the navy Havaianas.

I really liked this outfit - nice and comfortable and practical for working from home and rushing around between school pickup and the afternoon appointment. I was glad I'd picked jeans to wear as the wind really picked up in the afternoon and it was actually a bit chilly on our way home from the appointment!





What I wore:

olive and grey shorts and tee outfit with tropical print floral duster kimono and sneakers | away from blue

tropical print kimono with Rebecca Minkoff Micro Bedford zip satchel in twilight | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue Instagram | navy floral jeanswest melanie kimono with grey tee and olive embroidered shorts outfit


Jacket: Jeanswest Melanie floral kimono
NecklaceStarfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
Tee: thrifted Cotton on grey tunic tee
Shorts: Jeanswest Tessa olive embroidered shorts
ShoesNew Balance Coast women's running shoe in black 
BagRebecca Minkoff Micro Bedford zip satchel in twilight

Why I wore it:

I really liked the colours in this outfit! Just like the first outfit, it was a grey tee with green and a navy kimono, and that little Rebecca Minkoff micro Bedford bag. This time around though it was olive shorts instead of jeans, as the weather had warmed up a lot. The navy floral print kimono adds even more colour too, as does the green beaded necklace.

I thought that this grey tunic would go nicely with the pull on olive shorts - while they are both very relaxed fits I like the casualness of the outfit with the two loose pieces together, and I felt the long line of the kimono pulled it together a bit more to stop it looking too messy. Again I really liked this outfit! After the school drop off in the morning we went for a walk along our fave trail. Walking around the water was not the smartest idea after the storms that weekend though, especially when I forgot to put on mozzie repellent! I was bitten so much, ended up walking around a lot quicker than normal trying to stop my legs getting bitten 😂

Our grocery order was due to arrive the next day but I'd run out of some things for lunchboxes and it wouldn't arrive early enough in the morning, so had to go for a quick grocery shop after. Was nice to cool off my multiple bug bites in the air conditioning! And I took the opportunity to have a little browse of the shopping centre for some more Christmas gifts as well. I've purchased most of my Christmas gifts (I want to be really organised this year with all the online orders slowing down the postal service a little) but there's always a few extra things to buy!


How You Can Wear It:

Blue and green is a colour combo that should definitely be seen! It's easy to pair any shade of green with navy, as you can see here with the forest green and the olive working well against the navy kimonos.




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