Casual Striped Outfits. Tank and Maxi Skirt, Drop Waist Tee Dress

While I am back in the office, I don't have to go into work every day and still have a couple of days a week just for baby. I'll continue to share my casual stay at home mum style when I'm not at work. Here are two more life with baby outfits. Both featuring stripes of course! I'm sure I have more stripes than blue in my wardrobe now...


Here's what I wore to take baby T to playgroup:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus necklace in pop
Tank: Jeanswest Jenni basic singlet in Royal Lilac purple
Skirt: thrifted black and white pleated striped maxi skirt from AWLQ jumble sale
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere (with Coach feather bag charm)


For a while now I've been thinking about taking baby T to a playgroup. Now he's mobile he's sure to get some enjoyment out of interacting with other babies often. After some encouragement from a friend, I finally found a local one and signed up. I was pleased I did. The hall we meet in is air conditioned and absolutely stuffed full of toys.

The only thing they don't have is highchairs, which is where maxi skirts come in handy! The group is on right near baby T's lunch time. Now he's bigger, he just has solids for lunch and he can make quite a bit of mess. I ended up sitting down on the floor and spreading my skirt out like a little blanket for him so that all the crumbs were caught and not smooshed into the carpet. I've mentioned doing this before when I wore a maxi dress, but I still think it's a clever little 'function' of a maxi skirt or dress, to create a little play mat for baby.

I wore the bright tank as I like pairing this maxi skirt with bright tops, and the teething necklace in case baby T got grouchy when we were at playgroup. Of course I didn't need to worry, there were so many toys to capture his attention.


Last worn: Ray-ban wayfarers, purple tank, striped skirt, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere.

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Here's what I wore for day care pickup and drop off:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Dress: Atmos&Here 'California' drop waist tee dress (on sale in a cute pastel blue)
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey


Another casual day care pick up/drop off outfit. Usually I'd at least think of my outfits the evening before, but I had no idea what to wear when I woke up in the morning. I went with the easy option of a dress! It's been a couple months since I last wore this one, so it was due another wear.

Had the opportunity to work from home, which was wonderful. I thought the dress was casual and comfortable for working from home in the heat, but still professional enough for all of the virtual meetings I attended through the day and for doing the day care run. I am very lucky to be able to work from home, it is perfect for getting to day care early to maximise cuddle time with baby T.


Last worn: wayfarers (above). striped drop waist dress, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Linking up with Passion For Fashion, Casual Friday, That Friday Blog Hop, Favourite Fashion Friday, Fab Favourites, Skirtista Diaries, Mix It Up Friday, Fashion Friday, Fashion Cache, Let It Shine today.

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Outfits for Returning to the Office After Maternity Leave - Pencil Skirts and Mulberry Bayswater Tote

My first office wear of the year, as I'm now back at work! I've returned earlier than planned, partly due to getting a place at our ideal child care centre a little sooner than needed. When a place comes up, you take it! Some people are on waiting lists for day care before their babies are even born. In Australia, you are legally entitled to 12 months maternity leave, and my company allows 2 years.

Those who are parents will know first-hand that (like everything in parenthood) you get a lot of differing and very vocal views from everyone. I've had people constantly asking when I'm going back to work, why am I not back at work yet...and then on the other hand, people asking why I'm back at work a couple months early or why I'm returning back to work at all. Everyone does the right thing for them and their child (or children) at that point in time. Mums always know best. And that means for me, that I've returned to work. :)


Here's what I wore for my first day back after returning from maternity leave:

Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Top: River Island floral print sleeveless shirt
Skirt: Review 'Ziggy' polka dot pencil skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Mimi' heels in mushroom
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch C/O JORD Watches
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather


I'd thought a lot about what I should wear for my first day back - and figured overdressing was the best way to go. So collared button up shirt (but sleeveless with no blazer because it's Queensland and summer), pencil skirt, heels, and structured, formal bag. I've mentioned before that my workplace is business casual, with a lot of emphasis on the casual side of things.

I felt suitably overdressed for tackling a mountain of emails! It was good to see people who I hadn't seen in a while, and there was a lot to catch up on. There was also a lot of technical issues to wrap my head around - lots of things to set-up and reactivate after being on extended leave. I think my biggest achievement of the day was not getting through all those emails, but managing not to cry when everyone asked how much I was missing baby T - I'd never spent so much time apart from him before.


Last worn: floral shirt, polka dot pencil skirt, brown heels, Mulberry Bayswater tote.

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Here's what I wore to go to work:

Necklace: House of Harlow Dynamic necklace in gold
Top: Target ruffle sleeve dog print blouse
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt (same in navy)
Shoes: Wittner 'Bolla' black bow detail flats
Bracelets: the usual plus beaded neon and gold and black and gold bracelet set
Bag: Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather


After wearing heels all day on my first day back, I needed to go back to flats again! My knee just isn't used to heels for an extended period of time. I've noticed being back at work that everyone seems to be sticking to business causal wear now. It was a really hot day (over 36 Celsius, 97 Fahrenheit) and I was expecting to be overdressed again. But I didn't see any denim! It wasn't out of place to see people in denim shorts in the office on hot days before I went on leave. The clothing guidelines were very flexible... I was pulled into an important meeting with just 30 minutes notice though so I wonder if that happens a lot and so people are always dressed to impress now, hehe. I even wondered if maybe the grey marle pencil skirt was too casual of a fabric at one point. I bought it a few months back thinking it would be perfect for the office, now I'm thinking it will just get worn on quieter days. A lesson to myself to stop buying things for the future, and just buy things that will get use now.


I wore this cute dog print top as I've been looking at it in my wardrobe and wanting to wear it for a while - it's really good for work, not so much casual day-at-home-with-baby wear. You can't really layer a nursing tank underneath. It really is a candidate for leaving my wardrobe, as it's been worn so little. But there is a reason. When I first got this top, it had a little belt and belt loops stitched on it. That's limited the ways I could wear it. So based on something Sheila said on her blog a while back, I cut the belt loops off! Managed to do it without cutting into the shirt, I was very pleased it didn't all fall apart on me! Meant I could wear the shirt over the top of my skirt, without having to line the waistband up with the belt loops sticking out. Hopefully this blouse gets a lot more wear now, as 4 times in nearly 2 years wasn't a lot. While I am trying to downsize my wardrobe, if there is some minor change I can make that would mean something gets more wear, I'll give that a try first before I let it go.


Last worn: dog print top, grey marle pencil skirt, black flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above).

Linking up with What I Wore, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Get Your Pretty On, Because Shanna Said So, Style Me Wednesday, Trendy Wednesday, Oh, hey girl, What I Wore Wednesday, Style Me Weekly (and here and here), Spotlight Weekly, What I Wore to Work, Sydney Fashion Hunter, Fun Fashion Friday, Modest Monday today.

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Rebecca Minkoff Bags: Swing and Love. New Hair Cut!

I mentioned getting a hair cut in my last post. It seemed like a great idea at the time...but I'm struggling with how to style it when I have zero time with baby T. I'm also kinda missing my long hair...just now getting around to sharing the first outfits with my shorter hair. A casual daytime one and a slightly dressier evening one. I know my hair doesn't look great in either, but I'm still getting used to it...be kind ;)


Here's what I wore to go on another play date:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Tank: Jeanswest 'Sarah' stripe tank in firecracker/coconut 
Shorts: Jeanswest printed denim shorts
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch C/O JORD Watches
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag in canary yellow (on sale in black)


Another play date for baby T! It's really fun now the babies are grown up and crawling around, there's a lot more 'playing' involved at our mummy meetups. Wore this casual outfit for a morning at an indoor playground with the ladies and babies from my mother's group. I haven't seen them in a while. It's gotten harder with even more people back at work and getting the days we have off to line up. I've started branching out a little too to join other groups, as now I know what my schedule is like for work I want to make sure that baby T has some activities planned for the days we have together.

Converse as you have to wear socks at the playground, and shorts again as they are really quite practical for playing on the ground with baby! I wore this tank because I've been looking at it hanging in my wardrobe for a while and felt it was due a final wear to decide if it stays or goes. I looked on the blog and I've actually worn it 7 times before which is more than I thought I had. One of the benefits of having a personal style blog, I can always search and see when I last wore something or how much something has been worn. I wasn't really loving it when I wore it, but I wasn't hating it either. It's just a nice top. Nothing special, but nothing I dislike. I am going to hold onto it a little longer and maybe try wearing it to work before I make a final decision if it stays or leaves my wardrobe.


Last worn: Ray-Ban wayfarers, stripe tank, printed shorts, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag.

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Here's what I wore to go out for a date night with DH:

Necklace: Lovisa silver love knitted heart pendant necklace
Singlet: Jeanswest 'Maria' cami in cream
Skirt: Cotton On metallic lace tulip skirt in frosted almond/silver
Shoes: Asos 'five star' leather sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus Balenciaga classic double tour bracelet in pearly grey
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey


This skirt has been worn 7 times too! I absolutely love this skirt. Of all of the $5 sale buys I have in my wardrobe, I think this one is the prettiest! I have about 8 pencil skirts to add to my wardrobe (that I had boxed away when the baby bump outgrew them) so I really need to make room for more skirts. I wore this so I could give it a final wear before I decide if I should keep it or remove it from my wardrobe. I was fairly certain I was going to get rid of it.

This skirt is a really beautiful piece so I was looking forward to wearing it one last time, and date night with DH was perfect. Baby T stayed at home with the babysitter and we went out for dinner and a show at QPAC. Although I did wonder at the last minute if I should take a jacket, it was so warm that evening I didn't need one. The cardi I grabbed as we rushed out the door just hung over my bag the whole time.

Usually if I am thinking of dressing up for a special occasion, I'd think of a dress rather than a skirt. It was really nice to wear this skirt though. Last time I wore it, it was hiding my little early second trimester baby bump! I know it's impractical at the moment due to the shorter length, and I won't have many chances to wear it while looking after baby...but I really do love it. If I saw it in store today I'd buy it, so it is staying in my wardrobe. Even if I don't know the next time I'll wear it and I really should let it go, it's just too pretty! It's a keeper.


Last worn: white cami, lace mini skirt, Asos leather sandals, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Shoe and Tell, Style to Inspire, Mix It Mondays, More Pieces of Me, Daily Express, Style Sessions, Real Mom Style, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, What I Wore today.

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