Away From Blue | Aussie Mum Style, Away From The Blue Jeans Rut

Monday, 3 December 2018

30 Ways To Wear: Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag In Plum Purple #30wears

I couldn't resist snapping up this little purple mini MAB tote bag in a Shopbop sale 3 years ago. It's been a great addition to my wardrobe over the years, and today I'm celebrating it by making it the star of this month's 30 ways to wear post. Each month I take something from my wardrobe I've worn 30 times or more and make a roundup post showing the different ways you can wear it.

30 Ways To Wear: Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag In Plum

30 Ways To Wear The Rebecca Minkoff MIni MAB Tote Bag in Plum Purple: Styling Ideas | awayfromblue

Cost Per Wear

This bag was on sale for $146.25, although I don't recall if it was AUD or USD and the receipt doesn't tell me. Given that it's been worn over 50 times since then, it's getting good cost per wear! $2.71 per wear so far, and that will go down the longer I use the bag. It still looks new! It has a lot more wears to go to get the magic '$1 per wear' people aim for, but I know I will hit that with it eventually. I'm pleased with the cost per wear so far.

30 Ways To Wear A Mini MAB Tote: Video Style

Purple Bag As A Pop Of Colour

how to wear a purple bag with a neutral outfit as a pop of colour | awayfromblue

The easiest way to wear a purple bag - or any colourful bag! - is to keep your outfit neutral and let the bag be the pop of colour. This plum purple mini MAB tote works so well with black and grey outfits. You can continue on the colourful theme with a necklace like I have in the first outfit, or just keep things simple and let the bag be the only bit of colour like I have in the other outfits.

Purple Bag To Accessorise A Pink Outfit

pink outfit ideas with a purple mini mab tote bag | away from blue

Pink and purple is a colour combination I love to wear together! You'll see it pop up in the other categories too. This purple bag works so nicely when wearing something pink in your outfit. From head to toe pink in a maxi dress, berry pink tops, or a subtle pink printed cami, this purple bag is a wonderful accessory.

Blue Clothes and Purple Bag

ways to wear a purple mini mab tote bag with a blue outfit | awayfromblue

Blue and purple is another go-to colour combination for me, especially as I wear so much blue! Just like with the pink outfits above, this purple bag matches with head-to-toe blue in a maxi dress, or more subtle blues like a navy tee or a chambray maxi skirt.

Matching A Purple Bag to Purple Pieces In Your Outfit

matchy matchy purple outfits with plum rebecca minkoff mini mab tote bag | awayfromtheblue

I will always love a big of matchy-matchy! Even if the shades are slightly different, I think this purple bag looks great worn with other purple pieces in an outfit to tie it all together. You could have a little touch of purple through a tee or tank, or a bolder mix with purple jeans or a purple cardigan - and matching purple accessories! If you love a colour it makes sense to wear a lot of it in one outfit!

Plain Purple Mini MAB Tote Bag With Prints

purple mini mab tote bag with printed outfits | away from the blue

This cute little boxy tote is so simple to pair with a printed outfit. The plain, block colour means you don't have to worry about patterns clashing. You can do a bit of print mixing like I have in the first outfit, or you can keep things simple and stick to one pattern piece.

Purple Mini MAB Tote Bag In Winter

rebecca minkoff purple mini mab tote bag and winter layers | away from the blue

If you are trying to make the most of your wardrobe year round like I am, you'll find that bags can be worn in any season! This plum purple bag was purchased in the Australian spring of 2015, which means it was an American autumn / winter bag. I've found the colour so easy to wear year round! From simple summer shorts outfits to these layered winter ones, it really works in any season! One thing to note though is that the bag doesn't completely seal up, o maybe not a good idea on a snowy or wet day!

Purple Mini MAB Tote Bag In Pregnancy

4 pregnancy outfit ideas with Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote bag | awayfromblue

I do love closing out these 30 ways to wear posts with pregnancy photos, it's so nice looking back on the baby bump! And it proves a very important point I bring up when buying bags - they are always going to fit and look good no matter what! This cute little purple MAB tote is the perfect example - it's holding its structured shape well and it's seen me through 3 years of wear with many more wears left in it!

What's In My Bag: Rebecca MInkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag:

Where To Buy The Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag:

Friday, 23 November 2018

The Ultimate Handbag Gift Guide - For Any Budget!

It's gift guide season yet again! As it's been so well received in previous years, I'm again doing my annual handbag lover gift guide. Lots of different gift ideas at multiple price points for the bag mad person in your life! As I'm only sharing one gift guide for Christmas, I've made it a good one.

No matter how expensive their taste in handbags, you're sure to find something that will fit your budget and make any handbag fan very happy!

Ultimate Handbag Gift Guide For A Purse Lover - At Any Budget! | Away from the blue

Under $50: Stocking Fillers

You might not be able to get them a luxe handbag under $50, but you can get some fun accessories! Think of inside their bag: pouches to organise things inside or mini emergency / first aid kits. You can give them pieces to add to the exterior of their current handbag too, with luggage tags or bag charms. You can always get them a book relating to the brand they love, or a general fashion / handbag one. For someone who has absolutely everything, there's always the raincoat for handbags!

Under $100: Handbag Related Gifts

You might not be able to score a bag for under $100, but you can pick up a SLG (small leather good) from their favourite mid-range designer. Think key holders, coin purses and card holders! Kate Spade, Coach, Rebecca Minkoff, Furla, Sophie Hulme and Tory Burch are good brands to look at. Of course for those same designers you might have luck second hand shopping to find a used bag in this price range. See the note about second hand shopping at the end.

Under $250: Beautiful Bags For A Bigger Budget

Shopbop and Nordstrom have a wide range of bags and you might be able to score one on sale to bring it down to your budget. Wallets are a good pick at this price point. You can also look at the same mid-range designers above. Kate Spade and Rebecca Minkoff often have bags under $250, as do Madewell.

Under $500: Handbag Splurges For That Special Someone

If they've hinted, or they've outright told you they are saving up for a special bag, this would be the perfect splurge! An idea gift for a close friend or family member who you want to treat. At this price point, you could get a luxe brand like Chloe or Balenciaga second hand, or something a little smaller like a SLG brand new. You could also get a top range bag from the previously listed designers at lower price points. If you're unsure what colour to get, best to stick to a neutral colour so it easily works with the recipients wardrobe and will be a classic they can treasure for years to come.

Second Hand Shopping

Second hand shopping is a great way to find a bag they love at a price more suited to your budget. Do your due diligence on researching condition so you know exactly what signs of wear there will be on the bag of their dreams. Buying from sites like The Real Real or Fashionphile that guarantee authenticity are good ways to go too.

I hope you found this list useful and it's given you some wonderful gift ideas! There's lots of time to buy now before Christmas and surprise someone with the perfect gift. It's even better to purchase now with the Cyber Weekend and Black Friday sales. I've shared some of the best bag related ones below!

Shopbop Buy More Save More Sale

Use coupon code 'MORE18' for 15% off orders over $200 all the way up to 25% off orders over $800! Includes sale items too, for extra discounts.

Rebecca Minkoff Thanksgiving Sale

Get an extra 25% off orders over $100 at Rebecca Minkoff when you use discount code 'THX25'
Or use code 'THX30' for 30% off your $200+ order!

David Jones Cyber Monday Sale
Get 20% off a selected range of bags, and free standard shipping (Monday only!)

Looking at the higher end handbag gifts? Try these sales!

Luisaviaroma

Get an extra 20% off sale items with the discount code 'BF20'!

The Outnet

Get up to 80% off in their sale, no coupon code needed!

MyTheresa

Shop 30% off selected items for black Friday with code 'BLACK30'

Do you have any handbags on your Christmas list this year? Of course I'd be thrilled with anything on this list, I would never say no to another handbag!

Linking up with Sunday Reflections, On Mondays We Link Up.

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Saturday, 3 November 2018

30 Ways To Wear Blue Printed Shorts ~ #30wears Challenge

With summer approaching, seemed like the perfect time to feature another pair of shorts for this month's 30 ways to wear post! It's these cute blue 'Scarlette' printed soft shorts from Jeanswest.

30 Ways To Wear: Blue Printed Shorts

Cost Per Wear:

I bought these blue printed shorts at Jeanswest back in 2014, so I don't remember the exact price! A similar pair of printed shorts I bought more recently were $35.99, so I'd assume these were around the same price. It means they are just over the $1 cost-per-wear figure people aim to get to, but given that they still look brand new and I still love them, I'll definitely get them down to less than a dollar per wear!

30 Ways To Wear Printed Shorts: Lookbook Video

Blue Printed Shorts With Grey Tees

3 ways to wear blue printed shorts: with grey tops in summer | awayfromtheblue

A grey tee is a classic fall-back for me. Not sure what to wear? Throw on a grey top or tee! The neutral colour works so well with any print and is a simple fuss-free way to get dressed quickly.

Printed Shorts And Basic Tanks

ways to wear blue printed shorts with plain tops and tanks | awayfromblue

Just like the grey tops above, other basic block colours work well with printed shorts. I like bold colour combinations with these shorts like the pink and purple tanks, but of course you can stick with other neutrals like black too.

Blue Printed Shorts And Yellow

As you've seen in the outfit photos above, I like adding little yellow touches when wearing these blue shorts. Yellow and blue is just such a cheerful colour combination! Basic yellow tanks like the ones above pair so nicely with prints, as you can let the colour mix be the star without worrying about prints clashing, keeping things nice and simple.

Printed Shorts In A Monochrome Outfit

5 ways to wear different monochrome printed shorts outfits | awayfromtheblue

As much as I love wearing other colours with these shorts, sometimes you just want a classic monochromatic outfit. Blue is a very common colour in my wardrobe, so I've had a lot of blue tops I could wear with these shorts! You can keep things entirely monochromatic, or use the monochrome outfit base to add other colours through your accessories like I have with the necklaces and pink bag.

Blue Printed Shorts And Light Layers

4 ways to layer printed shorts outfits in summer: vest and kimonos | awayfromblue

Shorts are definitely a summer staple, but you can layer them ever so slightly despite the heat. Sleeveless vets in contrasting colours, or bright kimonos are nice layers to add for some extra interest to your outfit without overheating!

Printed Shorts And Ankle Boots

outfit ideas 3 ways to wear printed shorts in spring or fall | awayfromblue

When it's not quite summer or summer is starting to fade, you can still wear your shorts. I like to wear ankle boots with shorts for spring and autumn, and of course you can add a cosy knit like the blue cardigan or grey jumper if you need a little extra warmth. It's a good way to get more wear from your favourite shorts.

Print Mixing: Printed Shorts And Stripes

outfit ideas for print mixing striped tops and printed shorts | awayfromtheblue

I've shown a lot of basic block colour pieces with these printed shorts, but it's fun to pattern mix with them too! I really like wearing stripes with these shorts - I find the navy and white stripes tie in with the colours in the print really nicely, but other colours of stripes like the grey and white work well too.

Blue Printed Shorts And Detailed Tops

how to wear detailed embroidered tops with printed shorts 3 outfit ideas | awayfromblue

Took me a while to think of how to classify these outfits! The trio is all quite detailed tops, paired with the printed shorts. Despite the tops being interesting statement pieces on their own, I think they all work so nicely with the top as the colours with white and blue echo the colours in the print of the shorts. Some fun and different outfits that show you don't just have to stick to pairing only basics with printed pieces.