Friday, 4 May 2018

30 Ways To Wear: Louis Vuitton Neverfull in Damier Azur (#30Wears)

Thought it was time to feature another handbag for this month's 30 wears post. Every month, I take advantage of having a daily record of my outfits as I look through the blog and find something I've worn 30 times or more, and share it with you as part of the 30 wears challenge. I started it in 2017, and it's a lot of fun!



30 Ways To Wear: Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull


30 ways to wear a Louis Vuitton Damier Azur MM Neverfull Tote Bag | awayfromtheblue blog


I got this neverfull bag all the way back in 2011, so it's 7 years old this year. When I looked through the blog I realised I'd worn it a lot more than 30 times. Given all the times it's been worn on the blog, and having it a year before I started blogging, it's easy to assume it's had over 100 wears. In keeping with the theme though, I've picked just 30 of my favourite outfits to share here.

In terms of cost per wear, this is still high. I did have a vintage speedy bag that was 20 years old and still going, so I expect this 7-year-old-bag to also be around and be used in another 13 years.

That's the thing with investing in bags, you expect to have a lot of years of use to recoup the cost you spent. It was $875 at the time, so around 100 wears is $8.75 a wear. Retail of this bag now from Louis Vuitton is more than double, at $1,810 AUD! That's after 7 years worth of price rises, so I'm not to concerned at my high cost per wear, it could be worse! To be fair, the new bag comes with a little pouch too, so it's not just needless price increases. Still a big difference in price though.

But a good thing to remember - if you're saving up for a designer bag like this, save up and buy the bag as soon as you can, before the price is increased out of your budget! Plus you deserve a splurge now and then 😉




30 Ways To Wear A Damier Azur Louis Vuitton Neverfull Tote in Video Form







Louis Vuitton Neverfull and Maxi Dresses


Louis Vuitton Neverfull ways to wear with maxi dresses | away from the blue


While I love tiny little cross body bags and clutches like the Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with my maxi dresses, a big holdall tote like the neverfull looks great too. It's such effortless style, picking a big tote bag and a classic maxi dress.


Damier Neverfull and Jeans


ways to wear Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull tote with jeans | awayfromblue


It's not just maxi dresses a neverfull looks great with! You can easily pair the bag with casual outfits, and I often wear mine with jeans. Skinny jeans are my go-to choice, but any pair of jeans works well with a tote bag, even those metallic ones in the third picture.


Louis Vuitton Neverfull and Dresses In The Office


Outfit Ideas Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote and dresses for the office | away from the blue


While a neverfull looks great on weekends with a maxi dress or jeans, it also functions perfectly as a big tote for the office. On days where I have multiple meetings to attend or I'm away from my desk for an extended length of time, I like to take the neverfull bag as it has room for any files or notebooks I need, as well as a bottle of water and a cardigan if necessary.




Review and Contents Of The Louis Vuitton Neverfull







Damier Azur Neverfull And Pencil Skirts For Work


3 ways to wear Louis Vuitton Neverfull and Pencil Skirts | away from blue


Just like the dresses above, a neverfull works great with pencil skirts to the office too. I have the damier azur neverfull with the blue checkerboard print, so as you can see from these photos I like pairing it with purple! Blue and purple is one of my frequently worn colour combinations.


Louis Vuitton Neverfull At The Beach


4 outfit ideas Louis Vuitton damier azur neverfull bag at the beach | awayfromtheblue


Of course it's not just a workplace you can wear your neverfull! Being such an easy to care for tote it's a good bag to take to the beach, as you can just wipe away the sand. The body is coated canvas so wipes clean easily with a baby-wipe! You can see the versatility of the bag in these four photos too, as it works with the denim shorts or maxi dresses, all good outfits for a day at the beach.


Damier Azur Neverfull In Winter


Wearing the Damier Azur Neverfull Tote In Winter: 3 Outfit Ideas | awayfromtheblue


While the spring-like white and blue damier azur print looks perfect in a beach setting, I don't reserve the bag for exclusive spring or summer wear. It's a nice bag to wear in winter too, to add a little lightness to your outfit. The damier azur neverfull has leather handles and trim so I would keep it dry and wouldn't take it out on a snowy or rainy winter day, but it does look just as good in the cold as in the heat. Definitely a year-round bag.



Louis Vuitton Neverfull as a Baby Bag







Louis Vuitton Neverfull And Striped Skirts


3 Outfit ideas with Louis Vuitton Neverfull And Striped Skirts | awayfromtheblue


The monogram and damier print neverfull bags are easier to wear than you think! I don't have any problems pairing the printed bag with an outfit that has a print in it. Of course, stripes are my staple for pattern mixing so they are a good option to start out with if you're unsure about what prints to wear with the damier print bag.


Damier Azur Neverfull and Print Mixing


4 ways to wear Louis Vuitton damier neverfull with printed pieces | away from blue


It's not just stripes you can wear the printed neverfull with! I really do see the classic damier azur print as a neutral, and I'll wear it with bold prints like florals, or even in an outfit I'm already print mixing with as a third print. You can easily wear this with printed dresses, skirts or scarves.


Louis Vuitton Neverfull In Pregnancy


3 ways to wear Louis Vuitton neverfull in pregnancy with baby bump | away from blue


You need to carry quite a lot in pregnancy! Whether it's the bottle of water you constantly sip from, various crackers, ginger tablets or lollies that help you overcome morning sickness, or snacks for the second trimester munchies, you need a big bag! The Louis Vuitton Neverfull is perfect for that, and being a canvas bag it is light enough to wear that it doesn't add to any of the pregnancy aches and pains. This set of photos proves why I invest in accessories too - they consistently work for you, no matter how many pregnancies you have or how big your belly gets. A definite must-have!




Where to Buy The Louis Vuitton Neverfull







More Posts In The #30Wears Series:


See the 79+ ways I've worn this damier azur MM neverfull bag, or check out more of the 30 wears series.


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Monday, 30 April 2018

What I Bought In April & How I Wore It

Every month I like to share what I've bought and how I've worn it. This month was a month of impulse buys, driven by sales. Grab a drink and watch the video where I go through everything in detail, and try everything on.


What I Bought:











I know I don't usually include beauty products in my hauls, mostly because only wearing makeup two days a week to go into the office means I rarely have to buy replacements! But I picked up a couple of things in the Priceline 40% off sale.






How I Wore It:

awayfromblue april monthly purchases and how I wore them rebecca minkoff poncho belt and Jeanswest


No surprise I wore the navy Jeanswest top twice right away - it's perfect for SAHM life and office life. You could even breastfeed in it if you do the singlet underneath trick and lift it up for access.

I'm pleased I managed to wear everything else twice too, especially the kimono as I was worried it would be too warm to wear this month. Thankfully autumn weather started to arrive near the end of April so I could meet my goal and wear it twice! I like to wear everything I buy twice in the month I buy it. It ensures I buy things I can use right away, stops things being bought just to sit unworn in my wardrobe, and makes me think of different ways I can wear things before I buy.

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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.




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