Wednesday 11 April 2018

Maxi Dresses For The Weekend With Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC

The best thing about the warm summer weather continuing into autumn in Brisbane is being able to wear pretty maxi dresses like these without any layers.  I wore these dresses to two very different activities over the weekend, but they worked perfectly for each occasion.

What I wore:

second birthday party hostess outfit tropical coral maxi dress layered accessories | away from blue

beaded bracelet stack, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC bag | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue instagram birthday party hostess outfit kmart tropical print coral maxi dress
EarringsA Little Bit of North blue mandala earrings (giveaway prize, close up photo)
NecklacesDogeared 3 Wishes stardust bead necklace layered with For King & Country Priceless Australian coin and crest necklace and Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Dress: Kmart Tropicana sleeveless tiered maxi dress
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Lovisa rose gold beaded bracelet stack
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC
Nail PolishOPI Russian Navy


Why I wore it:

Wore this to celebrate Baby Boy's second birthday. It's crazy to think my youngest is 2 years old now! While his birthday was earlier in the week, we like to have a party on the weekend for them so friends and family can enjoy the celebrations too.

I'll be honest here, the bag was mainly for show! I had my keys, phone and wallet in it so I could locate everything quickly and easily during the party, but I rarely wore it all day. Even though I went with gold and rose gold with my necklaces and bracelets, I think the silver mini MAC still worked.

To make this maxi dress outfit a little more dressed up for the party, I took the time to curl my hair in the morning, layered my necklaces to add a few more accessories than normal, and wore my pretty statement earrings. I love these but have to wear them sparingly as they are big and colourful and so tempting for the boys to pull on, haha!

It was such a fun party, and it was so good celebrating our little one turning two.


Last worn: tropical print maxi dress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to weartropical print maxi dress layered for winter, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancyRebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC in third trimester.


Want More Maxi Dress Style Inspiration? 30 Ways to Wear a Pink Maxi Dress

30 ways to wear a pink maxi dress: #30wears challenge | away from the blue blog


Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC Bags:






What I wore:

tie dye maxi dress with green beaded statement necklace and silver mini MAC bag | away from blue

silver bracelet stack and Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC Bag | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram tie dye maxi dress lazy sunday outfit simple accessories
NecklaceStarfish Project Hannah turquoise bead necklace
DressJeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC
Nail PolishOPI Russian Navy


Why I wore it:

After a really busy week, I had pre-booked a massage as I knew I'd need something to help me unwind at the end of the week! It was a really relaxed Sunday, grocery shopping, a massage, then lounging around a lot playing with all the new toys Baby Boy got the day before.

With the silver mini MAC bag against the grey dress, the outfit felt a little plain, so I added the colourful green beaded statement necklace. I really liked this outfit combination!

You might notice I've been wearing this maxi dress a lot recently - I'm aiming to hit 30 wears on it so whenever I'm considering wearing a maxi dress I think of this one first. It's at 23 wears so far and it would be nice to hit 30 this year.


Last worn: tie dye maxi dress, Havaianas (above), Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag (above).

Other ways to weartie dye maxi dress in winter, silver mini MAC bag and metallic tee.

Perfect for pregnancytie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag in second trimester.


Similar Maxi Dresses Under $50:



How You Can Wear It:


Maxi dresses are great weekend options as they are fuss free outfits, especially when paired with a classic bag that goes with everything. They also tend to work well for busy days or more relaxed days - they never look over or under dressed. A classic weekend wardrobe must have!


Linking up with Thursday Moda, Fashion Files, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear, Flashback Fashion, Modest Monday.


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Monday 9 April 2018

Balenciaga Pompon With Fit And Flare Dresses For The Office

Colourful handbags make up the majority of my (pretty large!) handbag collection. I just love adding bright accessories to outfits. With these two classic fit and flare dresses that I wore to the office I added my newest handbag, the Balenciaga Pompon bag in murrier. It's a lovely lilac purple that works well with blue, and looks great here with the black and white too.

What I wore:


Black and white Fit and Flare Blazer Office Outfit with pink and purple Accessories, Balenciaga pom pon | awayfromblue

Balenciaga pompon murier 2010 worn in crook of arm with striped dress | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue Instagram black and white striped dress blazer outfit pink necklace purple balenciaga pompon bag
Necklace: pink bead statement necklace
DressJeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
ShoesWalnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
BagBalenciaga regular Pompon bag in Murier

Why I wore it:

I was so sure that I'd worn this necklace and dress together before! I like wearing statement necklaces against the black and white stripes, it makes the pink in this necklace really pop. Was quite surprised when I sat down to write this post and looked through the blog and realised I haven't actually worn the combination before. I have worn something similar though.

I really liked the pink and purple with this. A neutral outfit is a great base to add colourful accessories too, and pink and purple are so complimentary. The Balenciaga Pompon bag is such a large bag and easily carried everything I need for work. I have a more detailed review of it in the video below.


Last worn: jersey blazer, striped fit and flare dress, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Balenciaga Pompon bag.

Other ways to wearjersey blazer and printed skirt, striped fit and flare dress and pink shoes, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and jeans, Balenciaga Pompon bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: jersey blazer in third trimester, striped fit and flare dress in second trimester, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and wrap dress.



Balenciaga Pompon Review and Contents (What's In My Bag Video)




Where To Buy The Balenciaga Pompon:




Although discontinued, you can find the Balenciaga pompon bag on resale sites like the ones above that guarantee authenticity.



What I wore:

jacquard jacket with classic little black dress and lilac purple murier pompon bag | away from blue

JORD COra purpleheart watch with Balenciaga pompon murier bag worn on shoulder | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram lilac purple balenciaga pompon worn on shoulder with little black dress
JacketJeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket
Necklace: silver ball multi chain long necklace
DressJeanswest tucked ponte black dress
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
BagBalenciaga regular Pompon bag in Murier

Why I wore it:

Keeping it simpler this time, with just one extra colour in my outfit. Classic little black dress with a textured jacket and neutral silver accessories, so the only touch of colour is the pretty purple Balenciaga pompon bag.

I liked the mix of textures in this outfit, with the jacquard jacket and the ribbed dress. The silver necklace seemed like an obvious choice with the metallic silver thread in the jacket.

The only problem with this is that the jacket has pretty zipper pulls on the sleeves. Looks great, but not ideal for wearing to the office and typing in, it makes such a noise! So I had a cardigan with me and swapped the jacket for a cardigan at my desk.


Last worn: jacquard jacket, ponte fit and flare dress, silver ballet flats, Balenciaga murier pompon bag (above).

Other ways to wearjacquard jacket and jeans, fit and flare dress layered for winter, silver ballet flats and pencil skirt, Balenciaga murier pompon bag and navy tee.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard jacket in third trimester, ponte fit and flare dress in second trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester.




Fit and Flare Dresses Under $50:








How You Can Wear It:


Fit and flare dresses in a neutral colour are a great outfit backdrop for any more colourful accessories you might want to add. With the neutral backdrop, the purple Balenciaga pompon bag really stands out. As you can see from the first outfit, your colourful accessories don't always have to match, sometimes it's fun to wear different colours to add even more brightness to a black and white palette.




Linking up with Style Sessions, Turning HeadsConfident Twosday, Fashion Frenzy, Style On The Daily, Oh Hey Girl.



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Friday 6 April 2018

What To Wear When Breastfeeding: Easy, Affordable Nursing Fashion!

It can seem a little daunting at first trying to figure out what to wear when breastfeeding. You need to find clothing that works for your rapidly changing postpartum body, that's practical above all, that's affordable, and still makes you feel like yourself and true to your personal style. Oh, and machine washable!


To solve that dilemma, I wanted to share one of the popular videos off my YouTube channel with some different outfit ideas you can wear while breastfeeding, including some of the must-have breastfeeding accessories. The video shows you 6 outfit formulas, and I've included almost 30 outfits below that I've made from the formulas to show you how easy it is to come up with breastfeeding outfits!





The detail is in the video above, with a couple of demos of the pieces. I've also summarised the key points below for people who prefer to read rather than watch a video.


what to wear when breastfeeding ultimate guide with outfit ideas | away from the blue blog



Breastfeeding Singlet


Breastfeeding Singlet: nursing outfit staple | away from blue

This is a staple! Find them on sale and stock up. Make sure to get ones with adjustable straps and that aren't tight, you want room for things to expand when your milk comes in! In the early postpartum days they are won so much, with an extra layer on top if you want to look more pulled together.




4 ways to wear a breastfeeding singlet | away from the blue blog





Dedicated Nursing Pieces


breastfeeding outfits with Dedicated Nursing Pieces | away from the blue

Yes, these are a splurge, but the two specific breastfeeding pieces I had came in so valuable I'm glad I had them. I didn't add more to my wardrobe as I felt those two covered all the bases. You don't need many. For more outfit inspiration, see 30 ways to wear this pink Mothers En Vogue maxi dress.




Outfit inspiration with Mothers En Vogue bamboo nursing pieces | away from blue







Regular Dresses


Regular Dresses from your wardrobe that work for nursing | awayfromblue

You can breastfeed in your regular dresses! Just consider the kind of dress - wrap, button or jersey with a scoop neck gives you access and opportunities for breastfeeding. Halter neck dresses can work too! See more button up dresses for breastfeeding here.




4 dresses you can breastfeed in without buying anything new | away from the blue





Wrap and Button Up Tops


Two Breastfeeding Outfits From your regular wardrobe: Wrap and Button Up Tops | awayfromblue

Like the breastfeeding singlets, I stocked up on wrap tops too. The best thing about wrap and button up tops is that you can get them from any of your favourite stores or brands, you don't need to pay the premium that you get charged when buying a specific nursing friendly piece.




nursing outfit ideas wrap tops and button up tank and shirt | away from the blue






V-Neck Tees


Breastfeeding outfits: V-Neck Tees | awayfromblue

If you have a slouchy or stretchy v-neck tee, it's easy to pull the neckline down more and get access. Although this wasn't my preferred way of breastfeeding, this is a favourite for many. I preferred to pull the top up for feeding, see below.




breastfeeding outfit ideas: slouchy v neck or scoop tees | away from blue





Layering Trick For Any Top


Layering Trick: Turn Any Top Into A Breastfeeding One! | away from the blue

One of my favourite ways to breastfeed! Get any top, layer a breastfeeding singlet underneath, and just roll the top up and unclip the singlet when it's time to feed. I've seen people discuss using this for wearing dresses too, but it felt like a little much for me. I prefer doing it with a top. Loose flowy tanks are perfect for layering on top of a singlet.




4 Breastfeeding Outfits With tanks and jeans | awayfromtheblue





Must Have Breastfeeding Accessories


There are a few pieces mentioned in the video that were must have accessories to breastfeeding, and I've included a couple more essentials here too. You can see them pop up in the outfits above. Blanket scarves and kimonos double as breastfeeding covers. Silicone teething necklaces are something safe and fun for baby to tug and pull on while feeding (better than tugging on your hair!). And of course, do not forget the breast pads!





Honourable Mention: C-Section


If you've had a C-Section, you might be staying away from the pants and shorts pictured in some of these outfits. Stretchy elastic waists like maternity denim or jersey maxi skirts could be outfit possibilities!


Where To Buy Breastfeeding Friendly Pieces


I've included some links to places above to purchase the kind of items I was demonstrating in the video. First thing to do is go through your wardrobe with this post as a guide - you'll be surprised how much you already have! Next thing to do is to head out to your favourite store. You'll feel much more confident if you're wearing similar things while breastfeeding as you did before it. And of course, feel free to shop this post if you're struggling for ideas.


My breastfeeding days are over but I was glad I had so many pieces in my wardrobe that I could make work for breastfeeding, so I could use the pieces I loved so much pre-pregnancy. I hope this video comes in helpful for yourself or is something you can share with a friend. You can find more outfit inspiration in my blog archive: breastfeeding outfits.





If you need breastfeeding advice and support, look to the Australian Breastfeeding Association (AU), Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (UK), or La Leche League (in quite a few countries). You can also look up a local lactation consultant. You can contact your hospital, doctor or midwife for more recommendations.




Linking up with Friday Faves, Lizzie In Lace, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Hello Monday, On Trend.


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