What I Bought in 2023, and Fashion Resolutions For 2024

In what is becoming an annual blog tradition, kicking off another year of personal style blogging by looking back on what I bought last year and confirming if I stuck to my fashion budget.

What I Bought & How Often I've Worn It

Just like last year, the majority of what I bought in 2023 was preloved. And unsurprisingly, after the year that was 2023, being somewhat of an emotional shopper, I find myself with a long list of purchases to share. I had a massive declutter and re-evaluation of my wardrobe that resulted in a lot of pieces leaving, as I searched for new pieces that fit into my lifestyle a bit better. I donated a lot and sold some things at local fashion markets too to make space for all these new buys. Last year I bought 18 things. This year, I added 54 things to my wardrobe. Mostly accessories, but still, a lot of shopping!

Of course, everything I bought has been worn at least twice. I set myself the goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the month I buy it, to make sure I'm buying things I'll actually wear and use and that work in my wardrobe. It's always interesting to look back on what I bought and see how much wear it actually all got over the year too.

Things Bought New:

• Target animal print ruffle hem mini skirt - 8 wears
• Target classic denim skirt in white - 6 wears
• Cle The Label Amelia tank in indigo - 5 wears
• Cle The Label Charlotte tee in ombre rose - 4 wears
• Kisschasy United Paper People 2023 tour band tee - 3 wears
• Kmart linen blend textured black tank - 4 wears
• blue and yellow daisy resin earrings - 3 wears
• Kmart teal tank - 3 wears
• Kmart short sleeve cotton modal tee in tulip pink - 2 wears

Opshop and Preloved Buys:

Things that I picked up from a rare browse on ebay, or a lucky opshop find or buy at the second hand markets.

Accessories:

• thrifted wood and marble bead thrifted necklace with white string - 9 wears
• thrifted gold and pastel blue beaded necklace with grey string - 4 wears
• thrifted multi strand multi colour disc bead necklace with tassels - 4 wears
• thrifted wooden geometric bead necklace - 8 wears
• thrifted yellow beaded statement pendant long necklace - 5 wears
• thrifted wooden yellow tassel necklace - 8 wears
• thrifted silver and turquoise multi strand necklace - 3 wears
• thrifted metallic clay bead necklace - 7 wears
• thrifted flat peach statement bead necklace - 6 wears
• thrifted flat navy statement bead necklace - 15 wears
• adjustable coral flat bead necklace - 6 wears
• red multi strand beaded statement necklace - 3 wears
• gold beaded statement multi strand necklace - 4 wears
• thrifted pastel pink and wooden hexagon bead necklace - 8 wears
• thrifted chartreuse necklace - 2 wears
• Mimco gunmetal twisted bracelet stack - 5 wears
• thrifted red dinosaur skeleton earrings - 6 wears

Cover Ups:

• thrifted Kmart blue and pink palm print cover up - 2 wears
• thrifted no label tropical print tassel cover up - 7 wears
• thrifted Cotton On maroon wanderlust floral border cover up - 5 wears
• thrifted Cotton On navy zig zag cover up - 3 wears
• thrifted no label leopard print cover up with waist tie - 2 wears
• thrifted Shein black floral print cover up - 2 wears
• thrifted pastel Paisley print cape - 2 wears

Winter Pieces:

• thrifted Dotti black cocoon cape cardigan - 9 wears
• thrifted no label black and white leopard print cardigan - 7 wears
• Witchery black belted moto leather jacket - 8 wears
• thrifted pink ombre tassel scarf - 2 wears

Tees:

• thrifted black scoop neck H&M tee - 5 wears
• thrifted Kmart short sleeve cotton modal tee - 4 wears
• thrifted Marcs navy lurex detail foil tee - 4 wears
• thrifted target crew neck tee coral red - 2 wears

Jeans and Shorts:

• thrifted Atmos&Here white straight leg jeans - 4 wears
• thrifted Kmart turquoise linen shorts - 3 wears
• thrifted red denim shorts - 5 wears
• Nobody Denim mustard short shorts - 2 wears

Dresses and Skirts:

• Orange Sherbet Zoe tiered dress in geranium print pink - 6 wears
• thrifted no label floral print babydoll dress - 4 wears
• thrifted colourful geometric print maxi dress - 4 wears
• thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress - 6 wears
• thrifted JayJays white maxi dress - 2 wears
• thrifted ruffle hem leopard print midi skirt - 5 wears

Preloved Bags:

• Rebecca Minkoff quilted maxi Edie crossbody in Porcini brown suede - 3 wears
• thrifted Rebecca Minkoff vintage Cupid satchel in dark navy blue - 38 wears
• thrifted Stella McCartney Falabella fold-over tote in midnight black - 13 wears

No surprises there that I focused a lot on accessories and cover ups when shopping! They are great final pieces to add to staple outfits to make them seem a little different each time.

I made the most of the special "fill a bag" sales and 50% off days at my local opshops to have a browse and quite often come away with a new purchase or two. And of course all the items I donated from my wardrobe resulted in a few more browses where I'd often pick up a necklace or accessory!

Of course I already hit over 30 wears with my thrifted Rebecca Minkoff vintage Cupid satchel in dark navy blue. It is SUCH a good sized bag and being a neutral it goes with everything, so again, no surprise it was my most worn item of everything I bought this year. Definitely a go-to bag for me. One of the volunteers came up to me in the opshop the other day to say she remembered my excitement over my bag find when I stumbled across it and wanted to see if I'd found any other awesome finds since! I was able to share with her how much I still love and enjoy wearing the bag - even if I wasn't wearing it that day she spoke to me. Benefits of a personal style blog and a daily diary of outfit photos to look back on!

Sticking to My Fashion Budget:

The best thing is that my total spend comes up to $441, which shows that while I doubled what I bought last year, I was able to be well under budget by shopping preloved more often and searching for things second hand before buying new.

Fashion Resolutions For 2024

These fashion related goals for 2024 are very similar to last year, as I feel they worked well for me then too.

Continue to not buy any more hangers. When I set up my wardrobe room of my dreams, I replaced all my hangers with velvet ones. And I refuse to buy any more hangers. If something enters my wardrobe, something has to leave to make room. This has been working well for me so far.

Shop second hand more - there is already so much stuff in the world, I don't need to add to the demand for it by buying new when there are plenty preloved pieces out there to discover.

Buy less - this was my goal last year and I didn't meet it, buying a lot of items in 2023! But I'm hoping I can meet this goal this year as I'm very content with the state of my wardrobe at the moment.

Spend no more than $1,000 on fashion - something I've been able to do consistently the past few years, thanks to frequenting opshops rather than retail stores.

Start up my 30 wears series again - something that became tricky as I worked through my wardrobe this year and sold or donated older pieces. I'd love to hit 30 wears with more of my wardrobe this year though. I still think we should aim to wear everything we buy at least 30 times. It minimises the environmental impact that went into making clothes and it's better for the budget to rewear more often.

Have you set yourself any goals or resolutions for your spending on fashion in the year ahead?

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Black Tees and Printed Culotte Shorts With Green Mini 5-Zip Bag

The best thing about printed shorts is that they are so easy to wear with a plain black tee! So good I wore the combination twice, just with different tees and shorts each time.

What I wore:

Necklace: thrifted wood and marble bead thrifted necklace with white string
Tee: Jeanswest black scoop neck tee
Shorts: thrifted Kmart pastel soft culotte shorts in floral print
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff emerald green mini 5-zip rocker bag

Why I wore it:

Such an easy outfit for a summer school run and working from home day with this plain black tee and the cute pastel print thrifted culotte shorts. They are so comfortable in the humidity! Stuck with my Havaianas as it was too hot for closed in shoes, and this cute little green crossbody bag as I didn't need to carry much with me.

Although the green in the print of the shorts is more of a pastel green, I really liked the darker green of the mini 5-zip bag with this.

Last worn: black tee, neutral necklace, pastel print culotte shorts, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff mini 5-zip.

Other ways to wear: black tee and maxi skirt, pastel print culotte shorts and cardigan, Rebecca Minkoff mini 5-zip with orange.

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Rebecca Minkoff Mini 5 Zip Review & Contents:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kelly's Kloset rainbow layered necklace
Tee: thrifted black scoop neck H&M tee
Shorts: Kmart culotte short in navy lemon print
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff emerald green mini 5-zip rocker bag

Why I wore it:

This was a busy day! After the school run and working from home, we had a playdate at the park after school and a bunch of errands to run as well as sports in the afternoon. Again I went for the failsafe shorts and tee outfit, just like the one above with this black tee and navy printed culotte shorts. I added a couple different shades of green to this with the beaded necklace and the dark green mini 5-zip bag, even though there is no green in the print of the shorts I think the accessories worked well with this. Black and navy always work together, as does blue and green.

Last worn: black tee, beaded necklace, navy culotte shorts, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff mini 5 zip bag (above).

Other ways to wear: black tee and leopard print, navy culotte shorts and knit, Converse and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff mini 5 zip bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse in second trimester.

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Tiered Sundresses and Red Rebecca Minkoff Studded Saddle Bag

Hope you had a lovely Christmas! We thankfully were safe from any major damage from the storms.

Today, sharing more of my tiered printed sundress outfits again. for some very hot summer days in Brisbane! I added a little red to both of these with my Rebecca Minkoff Studded Saddle bag, that I have been wearing so much recently.

What I wore:

Earrings: thrifted red dinosaur skeleton earrings
Necklace: thrifted gold large double circle necklace
Dress: Kmart strappy tiered sundress in watercolour blue and blush print
Shoes: slim navy and pink Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual plus plus Roie Designs beaded bracelets
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red

Why I wore it:

I really like this navy and blush print Kmart sundress, it was a Kmart clearance find years ago, for just $2! I decided to try it with a little bit of red to brighten it up even more, for a day with the school run, working from home, and errands after school pick up. I matched the red saddle bag with my little red dino skeleton earrings and a little red beaded bracelet. Even though they are all different shades of red, I liked the additions, especially with the blue background of the dress.

My navy and pink Havaianas match the print of this dress so well, and they were the best choice for such a hot and humid day!


Last worn: dino earrings, circle necklace, navy tiered sundress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff studded saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: navy tiered sundress layered with a tee, Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag worn 30 ways.

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30 Ways to Wear: Red Studded Saddle Bag

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What I wore:

Earrings: Colette Ciao Bella glitter ball drop earrings
Necklace: Ruby Olive Art series long striped pod necklace
Dress: thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red

Why I wore it:

This was a very, very humid day! My sister was over and we spent the morning finishing off our Christmas shopping, before heading out to the church Christmas festival and carols in the afternoon. This relaxed tiered sundress was the perfect light dress to wear, although I did get a little sunburnt from lack of shoulder coverage at the festival in the afternoon.

With the pretty orange pastel palm print on the dress, I thought this red saddle bag would be a good combination. And as it was a Christmas event I added the gold bauble earrings and a tiny amount of green with this fun multi coloured beaded necklace.

Picked my comfortable sneakers as there was a lot of walking around to do at the shops and then later at the event, checking out all the stalls and going on a few of the rides with the kids.

Last worn: tiered palm print sundress, gold bauble earrings, multi coloured beaded necklace, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag (above).

Other ways to wear: tiered palm print sundress and denim jacket, Converse and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse in second trimester.

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Printed Dresses and Red Saddle Bag

For my last blog post until after Christmas day, two pretty printed dresses with my little red Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag, that's gotten a lot of wear recently. It's a little nod to the Christmas season!

What I wore:

Earrings: Colette Ciao Bella glitter ball drop earrings
Dress: Kmart red flora printed wrap dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore for our annual family Christmas photo. I try get one to put in our Christmas cards every year, although finding somewhere that accepts dogs every year isn't easy. We can't leave Cooper out of the family photo though!

Went with this pretty dress that I wore for a belated Christmas celebration at the in-laws last year. It feels festive, with the bright coral floral print. It's not the first time I've worn these gold bauble earrings or the nude gladiator sandals with this dress, they are great accessories with it.

It's the first time I've worn this little red saddle bag with the dress though - I was worried about the coral print and the red of the bag not looking good together, but I really liked the combination and I'm glad I gave it a try.


Last worn: coral floral wrap dress, gold bauble earrings, studded gladiator sandals, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: coral floral wrap dress for Christmas, studded sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and denim skirt.

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What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Saddle Bag

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What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart gold circle glitter resin statement earrings
Necklace: personalised gold children's names charm necklace
Dress: Jaase Celine autumn leaves mini dress
Shoes: Sketchers Bountiful navy fabric sneakers
Bracelets: the usual plus Polka Luka resin bangles in red and teal
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red

Why I wore it:

I wore this back at the end of November, to go down the coast and finish off my Christmas shopping. Just like the family Christmas photo above, it's an annual tradition! My mum and sister and I hit the shops for a full day of shopping to finish buying all our presents. It was a very productive day, we were there at the shops until we heard the closing messages again, and I got a lot of presents bought!

As I knew it would be a long day with a lot of walking and some driving, wore my comfortable Sketchers to support my knee. With the resin bracelet stack, the gold glitter earrings and the little red bag, this felt a bit Christmas-y, without being too festive as it was still November. I really liked this outfit! The red saddle bag looks so good with the autumn leaves print of the dress.


Last worn: resin glitter earrings, engraved gold necklace, resin bracelets, Jaase Celine dress, Sketchers, Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag (above).

Other ways to wear: Jaase Celine dress and denim jacket, Sketchers and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag and maxi skirt.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones.

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Tiered Dresses and Burgundy Bag With Converse

Sticking with simple outfits for hot summer days, accessorising these two tiered sundresses with my little burgundy Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag and white Converse.

What I wore:

Necklace: thrifted wood and marble bead thrifted necklace with white string
Dress: Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag in burgundy

Why I wore it:

Just needed an easy outfit for a weekend playdate - this little black tiered sundress was perfect! With the neutral necklace and white Converse, I wanted to add a little more colour, and the burgundy Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody was a nice way to do that without being too bright.

I've worn the bag and dress together before, I really like the combination.


Last worn: neutral necklace, black tiered sundress, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag.

Other ways to wear: black tiered sundress and knotted tee, white Converse and skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: white Converse in second trimester.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Kensley summer tie-dye kimono
Necklace: navy and silver circle pendant tassel necklace
Dress: thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag in burgundy

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, this is trying a few new things, with the print mixing with the palm print dress and tie dye cover up, and burgundy and orange combination with the Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag. Again went with the classic neutral white Converse sneakers.

I had the school run as well as working from home, and then a playdate in the park in the afternoon. I knew I'd need a cover up to protect my shoulders from the sun and this one is nice and light. I thought it was an interesting combination with the orange palm print dress and although I don't think I'll be rushing to try this pairing again it was good to try something different.


Last worn: tie dye cape, tassel necklace, tiered printed sundress, white Converse (above), Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag (above).

Other ways to wear: tie dye cape and denim skirt, tiered printed sundress and denim jacket, white Converse and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: white Converse in second trimester.

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Colourful Shorts and Cover Ups With White Tees and Converse

Two outfits using the same tried and true outfit formula, with some new pieces I recently scored at the opshop. Colourful shorts, white tees and little crossbody bags with these printed cover ups I thrifted for just $1 each!

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted no label leopard print cover up with waist tie
Necklace: thrifted gold and cream multi strand pearl necklace
Tee: Atmos & Here white essential v-neck tee
Shorts: thrifted pastel pink cotton shorts
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Jean MAC bag in fig 

Why I wore it:

I like pink and leopard print together, so I added a couple different shades of pink in this outfit to complement the printed cover up! These pastel pink shorts haven't been worn in a while, and with the white tee and neutral leopard print cover up it needed just a little extra colour. The Rebecca Minkoff Jean MAC crossbody bag in fig pink was a good way to add more colour. even thought the shades of pink are different, blush goes with everything really!

Wore this for a simple working from home day, with the school run and a playdate in the park after school.


Last worn: leopard print cover up, statement necklace, white tee, blush shorts, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff jean MAC.

Other ways to wear: leopard print cover up with teal, white tee and midi skirt, blush shorts and navy, white Converse and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff jean MAC and floral dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: white Converse in second trimester.

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Jean MAC and Avery Crossbody Bag Comparison:

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Shein black floral print cover up
Necklace: Roie Designs multi chain layered beaded necklace
Tee: Cotton On The One Deep V tee in marle nep white body black
Shorts: thrifted red denim shorts
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag in burgundy

Why I wore it:

Another comfortable shorts and tee outfit with a pretty cover up. I liked the bolder colours in this outfit, it was a little more matchy-matchy with the dark floral print matching the red of the denim shorts and the burgundy crossbody bag. And of course plain white tees go with everything! Even added a black chain necklace to match the black background of the floral cover up.

Wore my white Converse again - it was another hot weekend and we had a bunch of errands to run. Converse are good for a lot of driving around.


Last worn: floral cover up, black necklace, white tee, red denim shorts, white Converse (above), Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag.

Other ways to wear: floral cover up, white tee and jeans, red denim shorts and stripes, white Converse and dress, Rebecca Minkoff Avery crossbody bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: white Converse in second trimester.

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Black Tees, Jeans and Colourful cover Ups | Weekday Wear Link Up

We had some very stormy, wet weather at the end of spring in Brisbane, so it gave me an opportunity to wear my jeans again. I don't get to wear them much over summer as it's too hot for jeans, so it was nice to give them another wear while it was cooler. Keeping it simple, I wore both of these colourful sets of denim with black tees, my Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag, and some bright cover ups.

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted no label tropical print tassel cover up
Necklace: thrifted wooden geometric bead necklace
Tee: thrifted Kmart short sleeve cotton modal tee in black
Jeans: thrifted ASOS petite green skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual plus black and gold bracelet stack
Bag: thrifted Rebecca Minkoff vintage Cupid satchel in dark navy blue

Why I wore it:

The fun colours in this tropical palm print cover up go with so much. On this day I decided to wear it with some green to play up the green in the print. I liked the forest green jeans with this, even if it's a deeper green than the print. The geometric necklace went well with it too.

With all that green, a simple black tee, my Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag and white Converse were good neutrals.

This was a colourful and comfortable jeans and tee outfit for the school run, working from home, and then a quick errand in the afternoon after picking the kids up from school.


Last worn: palm print cover up, geometric necklace, black tee, green jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag.

Other ways to wear: palm print cover up and band tee, black tee and shorts, green jeans worn 30 ways, Converse and dress, Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag and blazer.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse in second trimester.

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Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Reveal

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Cotton On maroon wanderlust floral border cover up
Necklace: thrifted gold and cream multi strand pearl necklace
Tee: Atmos & Here black essential v-neck tee
Jeans: Jeanswest Harper skinny pant in Russet
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: thrifted Rebecca Minkoff vintage Cupid satchel in dark navy blue

Why I wore it:

Just like the outfit above, again I went with a plain black tee and then added a printed topper in a similar shade to my jeans. I think this floral print cover up pairs perfectly with the burgundy jeans! While it had been raining overnight it brightened up during the day, so I just wore my Havaianas, not needing to worry about it raining. I had the school run, working from home, and then the dentist in the evening.

I picked this big statement necklace as it's a fun mix of metallic neutrals and it brightened up the darker outfit a little. 

Last worn: floral cover up, metallic necklace, black v-neck tee, burgundy jeans, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag (above).

Other ways to wear: floral cover up and skirt, black v-neck tee over a dress, burgundy jeans and stripes, Rebecca Minkoff Cupid bag and shorts.

Weekday Wear Linkup #251

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

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Pink Tiered Dresses And Stella McCartney Falabella Bag

Wearing two pretty pink tiered midi dresses, for two different events lately. One more formal the other more casual. Wearing my recently thrifted Stella McCartney Falabella bag with both dresses too, black and pink always work!

What I wore:

Earrings: silver spiral earrings
Necklace: engraved interlinked silver circle family name necklace
Dress: Orange Sherbet Zoe tiered dress in geranium print pink
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bracelets: the usual plus vintage charm bracelet
Bag: thrifted Stella McCartney Falabella fold-over tote in midnight black

Why I wore it:

It was a day threatening to storm and rain so I added little black ankle boots to this pink and red floral print Orange Sherbet tiered midi dress. I picked it up at the preloved fashion markets this year and I'm so glad I did, I love it! With the black boots, the black Stella McCartney Falabella seemed like a good matchy-matchy choice, and it also had plenty of room for my essentials, some snacks, and my camera. We had an awards ceremony to attend for my son. I'm being vague for privacy reasons, but it was a very fancy ceremony and I'm very proud of him! It was so good to see his joy as he was celebrated in front of so many people.


Last worn: silver necklace, Orange Sherbet dress, black ankle boots, Stella McCartney Falabella.

Other ways to wear: Orange Sherbet dress worn two ways, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Stella McCartney Falabella and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: black ankle boots in second trimester.

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Thrift Find: Stella McCartney Falabella

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What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart lilac statement ball drop earrings
Necklace: thrifted purple wooden bead statement necklace
Dress: Kmart short sleeve tiered jersey dress in Fuchsia
Shoes: slim navy and pink Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: thrifted Stella McCartney Falabella fold-over tote in midnight black

Why I wore it:

Another pink tiered midi dress, again with my Stella McCartney Falabella bag. I love this bag as it works with everything! Wore this for a much more casual event, a kids birthday party. It was a lot of fun, but such a hot day. I was very thankful for this dress which catches the breeze so nicely, and the tiered loose style makes it comfortable in the heat. I did try dress it up a little with the matchy-matchy purple necklace and statement earrings, but still wore my comfortable Havaianas as it was just a nice relaxed party with friends. My kids kept talking about how it was the best party ever, they had a blast!


Last worn: lilac earrings, pastel necklace, pink tiered dress, Havaianas, Stella McCartney Falabella bag (above).

Other ways to wear: pink tiered dress and denim jacket, Stella McCartney Falabella bag in the office.

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Shorts, Tanks and Turquoise Balenciaga First Bag

Two blue tank outfits with denim shorts, recently thrifted cover ups, and my little turquoise Balenciaga First bag.

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted no label leopard print cover up with waist tie
Necklace: Roie Designs pearl and antique gold long necklace
Tank: Kmart teal tank
Shorts: thrifted Jeanswest distressed denim shorts
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Mimco gunmetal twisted bracelet stack
Bag: Balenciaga First bag in 2006 Blue India

Why I wore it:

Simple casual tank and denim shorts outfit for a day of working from home. I thought that the recently thrifted leopard print cover up, statement necklace and gunmetal twisted bracelet stack dressed up this outfit a little for having dinner with my sister in the evening. I wasn't too sure about the teal tank with the turquoise Balenciaga first bag, but I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this outfit combination, and I'm glad I gave it a go! I think the leopard print cover up helped break up the similar shades enough.


Last worn: teal tank, pearl necklace, distressed denim shorts, Havaianas, Balenciaga turquoise first bag. First time I've worn the cover up on the blog as it's a recent opshop find.

Other ways to wear: teal tank over a dress, distressed denim shorts with yellow, Balenciaga turquoise first bag and blazer.

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What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Shein black floral print cover up
Necklace: Roie Designs coral beaded tassel necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maya gather back tank in mid turquoise
Shorts: Jeanswest Heather Bermuda short in black
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Balenciaga First bag in 2006 Blue India

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the teal and turquoise combination above, the next day I tried something similar with this turquoise tank and the Balenciaga first bag again. I added the black denim shorts and this darker floral print cover up, which was also a recent opshop find. I didn't like this outfit as much as the one above, I felt the tank and the bag were a bit too similar. I'm glad I gave something different a try though, and I will definitely have to try turquoise with this dark floral print cover up again. Maybe not on such a hot day next time, this polyester wasn't very breathable or bearable in the summer humidity!

Nice easy outfit for the school run, working from home, and a playdate after school pick up.

Last worn: turquoise tank, beaded necklace, black denim shorts, Havaianas (above), Balenciaga turquoise first bag (above). First time I've worn the cover up as it's a recent thrift purchase.

Other ways to wear: turquoise tank and blazer, black denim shorts and printed cami, Balenciaga turquoise first bag and maxi skirt.

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