Wednesday, 4 December 2019

30 Ways To Wear: Grey V-Neck Tee

A grey tee is such a staple piece to have in your wardrobe. When I heard about the 30 wears challenge I was sure the first thing I'd be sharing was going to be one of my many grey tees. I was surprised to find none of them were even close to 30 wears! Documenting what I wear each day by taking photos really helps me see what I actually wear all the time, instead of just what I think I wear all the time! I suppose having it be the first top in the series is very fitting - everything else has been accessories, outerwear or shorts or skirts.


This monthly post is inspired by the 30 wears challenge I first heard about in The True Cost documentary.


30 Ways To Wear: Grey V-Neck Tee


30 ways to wear a grey v neck tee affordable outfit ideas | away from blue blog

A grey tee is such a basic wardrobe staple and I am sure you have one in your wardrobe! I'm hoping that this post gives you a new outfit or colour combination to try and encourages you to rewear something you already have. I love repeating my favourite pieces, I bought them to wear them after all!


Cost Per Wear


I purchased this tee from The Iconic sale back in July 2013 and it was reduced to just $13.95 so the cost per wear is just 47 cents as I've worn it 33 times. It shows you don't have to splurge on something to have it last a long time.

I am so sad that I can't buy more of these tees - the brand isn't listed on the Iconic anymore and I haven't been able to find anything on Google. When I realised what a great piece this tee was I went back to buy more but by then there was none left in my size and it was never restocked. It's a 100% cotton, comfortable and soft tee which has held up so well over 6 years (and two pregnancies!) and I expect to have it in my wardrobe for a long time still. I've not found one that compares to it yet!





30 Ways To Wear: Video style






Grey Tee and Kimono


4 ways to wear a grey tee with a kimono away from the blue

Just as grey tees are a wardrobe staple, kimonos are another staple for me! Perfect for stay at home mum wear. With a grey tee and shorts or a grey tee and jeans, your outfit can sometimes feel a little plain, so adding a bright kimono is a great way to add more colour and interest to your outfit.


Grey Tee and Layers


5 outfit ideas ways to wear grey v-neck tee | away from the blue

Sometimes you need a little more than a kimono to keep warm - and a grey tee layers beautifully! As it's a basic, block colour neutral you can pair it with printed scarves, bright cardigans and even denim or leather jackets on colder days. I like how you don't have to worry about the tee clashing with any colours or print you might be layering with.


Grey Tee Over A Dress


3 ways to wear a grey tee knotted over a printed dress | awayfromtheblue blog

I was sure I'd have more examples of this to share as I've been loving knotting things over dresses recently! I like how a simple grey tee worn over a fun printed dress can completely change the look of it. This tee knots beautifully too - it doesn't stretch out after being knotted and it looks great with every style and colour and print of dress as it's a go-with-anything neutral.


Grey Tee In The Office


how to wear a grey tee in the office 3 outfit ideas ways to wear | awayfromblue

If you have a business casual workplace, you might be able to dress up your tee for a day at work. I have a business casual office that's so casual people wear jeans through the week. In this kind of office environment, a grey tee and a pencil skirt is an easy and comfortable outfit to wear. You can always try dressing the tee up a little more with a pair of heels, a blazer, or a big scarf to disguise the casual material.


Grey Tee And Printed Skirts


4 outfit ideas with printed skirt and grey tee | away from the blue blgo

As I've shown above, a neutral tee goes with any print. My favourite pairing is definitely stripes, but I like how easy this tee is to wear with any style of printed skirt. It's such a simple combo, grey tee and maxi skirt, but one I keep wearing over and over. Perfect for mum life.


Grey Tee With Bright or Printed Jeans


5 ways to wear a grey tee with different jeans bright and printed | awayfromblue blog

Everyone relies on a great jeans and tee outfit! It's the best basic outfit and one I frequently wear. Because this tee is a nice neutral grey, you can have a little more fun when picking jeans to wear it with, going bolder with bright jeans or printed jeans to add a little more interest to your outfit. All 5 of these outfits are the same basic tee and jeans formula, but just by changing up the jeans to different colours and prints, maybe adding an accessory like a scarf, you create a new outfit each time.


Classic Jeans and Tee Outfit


3 classic simple outfit ideas grey tee and jeans | away from the blue blog

Of course sometimes you don't want to go all out and you just want a nice, simple, classic jeans and tee outfit. With the traditional blue jeans or simple black pair, this grey tee makes a great staple outfit.


Grey Tee In Pregnancy And Postpartum


3 outfit ideas with grey non maternity tee pregnancy and postpartum | awyafromblue

I just had to finish this post with some pregnancy (and postpartum) outfits! I always enjoy looking back at them when I'm compiling these 30 ways to wear posts. After owning this tee 6 years, it's accommodated all the typical weight fluctuations over that time, and two pregnancies (as you can see by it stretched to the max over the third trimester bump there!). It's sprung back into shape every time and was so comfortable to wear over a growing baby bump or slowly shrinking postpartum bump like in the middle photo. Definitely a versatile wardrobe staple!



Where To Buy A Grey V-Neck Tee Under $50:





More Outfit Ideas:


For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all the 33+ ways I've worn this grey v-neck tee in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

Similar Posts In The 30 Wears Series:


Linking up with Fancy Friday, Fabulous Friday, Lizzie In Lace, Weekend Linkup.


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Friday, 29 November 2019

Handbag Lover Gift Guide 2019 - For Any Budget!

My fifth annual handbag lover gift guide! I love bags so really enjoy putting this post together to share some gift ideas with you. No matter your budget, you're sure to find something special for that bag loving friend or family member in your life. Or maybe a little splurge for yourself! Christmas is a time for special surprises after all 😉 With the Black Friday sales on everywhere, now is the perfect time to buy.


ultimate handbag lover gift guide purses for any budget! | away from blue



Budget Bag Related Finds Under $50





These are perfect stocking fillers or last minute gift ideas that won't break the budget! Looking out for sales or discount codes can help bring the cost down more too. I've included some Black Friday sales at the bottom of the post for you to help. While you might not be able to get a designer handbag for this price, you can get little accessories to adorn the inside or outside of bags they already own. Think pouches, card holders, clutches, travel pouches and bag charms! Or even a straw bag.



Contemporary Bags $50- $150





Extending your budget a little lets you pick up a cute bag from a mid-range designer, or a small leather good from a higher end brand. Rebecca Minkoff is my current favourite contemporary brand and you'll find a lot of bags in this price range there! Think also Kate Spade, Coach, Ted Baker, etc.



Splurge Worthy Bags $200+





This category is idea for someone special in your life, where you have a bigger budget. You could even get a wallet from a high end designer for under $400. It's good to look for hints for the brand, style or colour someone would be interested in before splurging in this category. If you're not sure, a neutral coloured classically shaped handbag would be a safe bet, or you could always just get them a giftcard for their fave store instead to let them pick out the bag of their dreams!



Second Hand Shopping


You can find some real bargains second hand. If you're shopping for yourself this is a good way to go, or buy early from a store with a good return policy so you have time to return in case you've bought the bag as a gift and it's a little more pre-loved than you expected!

Buying from sites like Vestaire Collective (who are having a 30% off sale for Black Friday) and Fashionphile that guarantee authenticity takes a lot of the stress out of purchasing a designer bag second hand. Bag Mad Boutique is UK based but ships worldwide and there is a 10% off black Friday sale on at the moment (and full disclosure, the owner is a wonderful friend of mine!).


Some Handbag Related Sales to Check Out:


The sales can mean something that was out of our budget before becomes a little more attainable, and a handbag will have a lot of staying power in your wardrobe!

Shopbop - use code "MORE19" to get 15% off orders over $200 to up to $25% off orders over $800 - and you can use it on sale items too for an even bigger discount!

Rebecca Minkoff - use code "THANKS25" to get 25% of orders over $100, and "THANKS30" to get 30% off orders over $250.

David Jones - up to 60% off in the Black Friday sale.

The Outnet - get up to 85% off in the clearance sale!

Net A Porter - get an extra 15% off selected sale items!


I hope you enjoyed browsing some of my top handbag related gift ideas this year! Are you wishing for a bag shaped present under the tree this Christmas? I may have already given hubby a direct link to the bag I want...leaving nothing up to chance! 😂



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Friday, 15 November 2019

What's In My Bag: #ItsInTheBag2019 Nappy Bag For Share The Dignity

A special what's in my bag post today as I'm sharing what I have pulled together for Share the Dignity's It's In The Bag Christmas campaign!

Share The Dignity provides sanitary products to those in need across Australia and every year at Christmas time they have the drive to donate a little more than just pads or tampons.

You can fill a new or gently used bag with some essentials and a few (non-food) treats to make a woman, teen or new mum smile. Last year I donated a handbag for a woman in need, this year I am donating a nappy bag for a mum and baby.


What's Inside My Nappy Bag:


It's In The Bag Christmas Campaign Share the Dignity Nappy Bag | awayfromblue blog


A little more about what's in the bag and why is in my video!




I had so much fun putting this bag together! As you can see, it had to be quite a big bag to fit all the essentials in it so I went with this pink and grey Kmart gym bag. Nothing else was big enough! I had forgotten just how many things you need as a new mum, now my youngest is 3 and a half! I ticked off all of the essentials from the list for mum (things like breast pads, maternity pads, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner) and for baby (nappies, wipes, nappy balm). With the little space I had left I added some extras for mum, like a hairbrush, lip balm, tote bag and of course a little hand written card.

I can't imagine being a new mum at Christmas time in a shelter or homeless and so I hope that this bag helps a little. While I picked up a lot on sale spreading my shopping out over time, I also picked up things we use and love at home for the boys. I've shared my review of the Mater baby products before on the blog when I collaborated with them, but this post, like last years It's In The Bag post, was not paid for in any way and I purchased the Mater products myself.


Ways You Can Help


  • Share The Dignity has some great ideas about what you can put in your bag to give to a woman, mother or child in need. See what to put in a bag for a lady, teen or new mum. You can donate your bag at your local Bunnings from Friday 22nd November to Saturday 7th November.
  • If you don't have a new or gently used bag to donate to the Christmas campaign, why not take part in the sanitary products drive in April or August next year?
  • If you're not in Australia and still want to help women in need, have a look and see if there are any charities in your country that put together blessing bags. Similar things I found on google are blessing bags in the US and bags of kindness in the UK.


What You Can Include In Your Nappy Bag:




There are so many ways to give back at Christmas time. If your heart aches for men, women, children, mothers, animals or families in need, Christmas is a great time to give back. I loved being able to do a little something for a struggling mum this year and hope in some small way it brings a little joy at Christmas time.


I'd love to do this again next year too! Have you done something like this before? What should I include in my next bag?


Note: My posts, like this one, are usually written 2-3 weeks in advance. I had to add on this updated note though. We are safe from the bushfires, as are our family and friends. For ways to help, see here: https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/bushfire-donations-heres-how-you-can-help/11696418


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