Thursday, 25 February 2021

30 Ways To Wear: Navy & White Striped Tank

A striped tank is such a staple wardrobe basic, so it's no surprise I've worn this white and navy striped tank 30 times already! Such a good piece to feature for a 30 wears post as I wear stripes with everything, there are a lot of different outfit ideas here.

Each month I look through my blog archives for pieces I've worn 30 times or more over the years I've owned them, to put this post together. Inspired by The True Cost documentary, which I recommend watching as it highlights that we need to commit to wearing all the clothing we buy at least 30 times to minimise the environmental impact of our shopping.



30 Ways To Wear: Navy and White Striped Tank


30 ways to wear a navy white stripe tank pin awayfromtheblue blog


This tank is called the 'Josie' striped back strap tank as it has a cut out on the back with some fabric straps over it. It's a nice feature but it's something I've never gotten a photo of in any of the 30 times I've worn it sadly! I like that it makes it a little different from a standard striped tank in that way though, even if you don't see it in the pics.


Cost Per Wear:


I bought this tank from Jeanswest at the end of March 2014, while in my third trimester with my now 6 year old! I didn't track my fashion spending back then as I do now, but I did order online so I still had the email showing me I paid $11.99 for this tank during the sale. At 30 wears so far that's 40 cents a wear, pretty good value for money! 

As I bought it almost 7 years ago it's gone through 2 pregnancies and is a piece I've worn to the office as well as on days off with the kinds. It's the perfect wardrobe staple for a mum wardrobe and still has a lot of life left in it! Thankfully the first time I wore it over a third trimester bump didn't stretch it out! It's fun to look back on the different ways I've worn it, and hopefully it gives you some outfit inspiration for how you can wear a similar piece in your own wardrobe.



Stripe Tank and Skirts


striped tank and skirt outfits 5 ways to wear | awayfromtheblue

As I said above, you can really wear this striped tank anywhere! Dressed up for the office with a pencil skirt and blazer, or dressed down with a pencil skirt and kimono, even a pretty maxi skirt looks good with this striped tank. I don't have any mini skirts in my wardrobe but you could certainly wear a striped tank with a mini or even midi skirt too - it works with any length of skirt.



Layering Up A Striped Tank


4 ways to layer a striped tank for winter outfit ideas | awayfromtheblue

The beauty of Brisbane's tropical weather is that I can layer up a tank to wear in winter and still stay perfectly warm! As you can see in the first and last outfits, neutral layers like grey cardigans or hoodies work well with this tank, but so do colourful layers like the blue scarves I've added there in the middle. Basic block colour pieces layer well with a striped tank.



Navy White Striped Tank Worn With Red


4 outfit ideas of navy white stripe tank with red awayfromblue

Red is something I wear with this top a lot. Navy and white stripes with a touch of red can seem a bit nautical but I think the thinner navy stripes on this tank don't give off that vibe. I really like red accessories with this tank, like a red scarf or bag, but other red clothing pieces like the cardigan or the skinny jeans also work well with it.



Wearing Green With a Navy And White Stripe Tank


3 different ways to wear a navy white striped tank with green | awayfromblue

While green isn't the most worn colour in my wardrobe this striped tank is so easy to wear with green and it works so well with any shade that I wanted to call it out specifically. With the green or olive skinny jeans it's a simple outfit, and it works with the olive green shorts too on warmer days. I like navy and green together so it's no surprise this tank is worn so much with green.




Navy And White Stripe Tank In Outfits With Brights


ways to wear a nacy stripe tank with bright pieces in an outfit 5 ideas | awayfromblue

While I've called out the red and green, there really aren't any bright colours that don't work with this tank! From an amber skirt, blue scarf and magenta bag, teal and yellow, even neon orange or pink leopard print, the neutral navy and white stripes on this tank go with any bright pieces you have in your wardrobe.



Print Mixing Outfit Ideas With A Navy And White Stripe Tank


print mixing outfit ideas with navy stripe tank awayfromtheblue

Stripes are always one half of any print mix I try, I find them the easiest base piece to pair with other prints. And while not all of these print mixes were successful I do really like trying different prints with this striped tank! Sticking to the rules and matching blue prints with the navy stripes seems to work well.



Baby Bump Outfits With A Navy and White Stripe Tank


wearing a non maternity striped tank in pregnancy 3 outfits | awayfromtheblue


I always love looking back at baby bump pics when doing these 30 wears posts! This comfortable tank was perfect over a growing baby bump, and the first two photos here are some of my favourite pregnancy outfits. it's always nice to have a non-maternity piece that works even into the third trimester. I find a stripe really enhances the baby belly too 😂




Where To Buy Striped Tanks Under $50:








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Wednesday, 3 February 2021

What I Bought In January (And How I've Worn It)

Well, I have gone a little overboard with the shopping! It's not the massive haul of last January, but it's still more than I expected to have bought so far this year, after setting out my goals for 2021's fashion spending recently. It can be explained with one sentence - "I had a $10 cotton on rewards voucher...."


Here's What I Bought:






Why I Bought It:


Yes, with the exception of the wallet which I needed to replace my Coach wallet, all I bought was Cotton On tees this month! 

The wallet was a much needed replacement for my old Coach one which no longer zipped up, and had already been repaired once before. It had embarrassed me one time too many when I picked it up out of my bag upside down and cards and receipts flew everywhere.... This new one is a flap closure and only has a tiny zipper for coins so I'm hoping it lasts longer than 2 years! I haven't bought Mimco in a while so fingers crossed the brand still has the same quality levels it did when I bought my first expensive bag there back in my uni days. Good old button bags, that uniquely Aussie trend! The wallet was on super sale at David Jones for boxing day so I thought I'd give it a try.


I'm counting my other boxing day sale finds as January buys too as they didn't arrive until January - two clay coloured Cotton on "The One" fitted tees. I used my $10 Cotton On rewards voucher, and with them already being on sale and then having an extra 30% off, it was too good a deal to say no to! They were reduced to $7.99 each, coming down to just $2.99 each after applying the rewards voucher.

Then right at the end of January there was another sale, I had another $10 rewards voucher after my boxing day sale spending (as I bought for the kids as well as the two tees for me) and I was on the hunt for some cute pyjamas to replace a pair I had that wore out. And then I just looked at the tees, which had new colours, were on sale and had an extra 20% off, and so I bought two more 😂

If you're keeping score at home, that's now 7 of these Cotton On "The One" v-neck tees I have, 4 of which I added to my wardrobe this month. At least they are all different colours I guess? And 20% recycled cotton too! I really do love these tees but think I have ventured into crazy "gotta have them all" territory this month!



How I've Worn It:




The last two tees I bought I selected instore pickup for so while they arrived just before the end of the month for me to know they were keepers to include in this wrap up post, I didn't actually get to wear them both! So my mango tee is still unworn at the moment.

Aside from the two tees that I picked up on Friday, I have been able to wear everything at least twice in the month I bought it, my goal for all purchases to stop the "new with tags but never worn" items in my wardrobe. And I'm sure that I'll be achieving two wears on the last two tees in the next week or so!

Perhaps my goal for February should be to not buy any more tees though! If they bring out a green and purple I'll be doomed...they are the only two colours I need before I will literally have a rainbow of these tees!



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Friday, 29 January 2021

30 Ways To Wear: Navy Printed Jersey Maxi Dress

My first 30 ways to wear post for 2021, with this pretty Jeanswest "Chantelle" navy blue printed empire waist jersey maxi dress. I actually thought I hit 30 wears on this a while back but I'd miscounted the number of posts featuring it - as I included it in my pregnancy style wrap posts too, but they were just outfit reposts and not a new wear. Stretchy jersey is so comfortable, pregnant or not! And it stretches well to fit the bump!


Each month I look through the my blog archives to see what things in my wardrobe I've worn more than 30 times. It's so helpful taking a photo of the outfits I wear each day so I can look back on the ways I've worn things and put these posts together.


30 Ways To Wear: Navy Printed Jersey Maxi Dress


30 ways to wear navy empire waist jersey printed maxi dress 30wears challenge | away from blue blog


This dress was a Jeanswest outlet sale find back when I was pregnant with my oldest boy, in 2014! With it being in my wardrobe almost 7 years and it accommodating a baby bump nicely, it's no surprise I've exceeded 30 wears with this dress. So far, it's up to 31 wears. I really thought I'd have worn it more by now, having owned it so long!

It's just the right kind of fabric, comfortable and stretchy without being too clingy, and thick enough to stretch without being sheer but not too thick and warm for summer. My favourite way to wear it, as you'll see in these photos, is to double over the elastic empire waist and create a little blouson effect on the top. It has the benefit of making the dress a little shorter too, perfect for my petite self!



Cost Per Wear


Sadly, I can't calculate cost per wear on this dress, as I can't remember how much I bought it for and I no longer have the receipt as it was 7 years ago. I think it was around the $40 mark, which would be about $1.29 a wear as I've worn it 31 times, but I really can't be sure. It was definitely less than $60 as it was more than half price at the outlets, I remember getting an extra % off on top of the sale price, and Jeanswest maxi dresses weren't over the $100 mark 7 years ago. Even without knowing the exact cost per wear figure I know I've gotten my money's worth from this third trimester pregnancy buy, it's a wardrobe staple even without the baby bump!




Monochrome Outfit With Blue Printed Maxi Dress


4 blue accessory outfit ideas for a navy printed maxi dress  monochrome awayfromblue

Blue is my favourite colour so it's no surprise to see I like wearing even more blue with this dress! From a little thing like a blue bracelet or earrings, or something bigger like a blue bag, any shade of blue: pastels, turquoise, or cobalt works well with this navy dress.



Navy Printed Maxi Dress With Yellow


3 ways to wear a blue printed maxi dress with yellow accessories awayfromblue

There are of course lots of other colours you can wear with a navy dress! Yellow and blue are a cheerful combination, and as with the blue outfits above you can do it in a small way by adding a pop of yellow with a necklace, or bigger and bolder with a yellow scarf and bag.



Navy Printed Maxi Dress with Purple 


3 outfit ideas purple pieces with blue maxi dress awayfromtheblue

Another go-to colour combo of mine, blue and purple. As with the other colours above, you can keep it simple with a small purple bag, or wear something bigger like the purple cardigan. This waterfall one looks great belted over the dress for winter! I've done a 30 wears post with this purple cardigan too.



Navy Printed Jersey Maxi Dress With Pink


5 ways to wear pink accessories with a navy printed maxi dress awayfromblue

The navy print on this maxi dress is such a good backdrop for any shade of pink to pop! My favourite is magenta pink, like that Rebecca Minkoff Edie crossbody bag in the middle there, or the magenta necklace in the bottom right. But other shades of pink accessories work well with a navy dress too, with the tiny pastel belt or the bold neon pink scarf!



Ways to Layer a Jersey Maxi Dress


5 ways to layer up a jersey empire navy maxi dress awayfromtheblue

I don't just wear my maxi dresses in summer, even a sleeveless tank style like this one. You can make a maxi dress work in winter by layering a knit over the top, or just cover up a little more on a cooler autumn or spring day by knotting a grey tee over it! Knotting the tee helps stop it looking too overwhelming if you're petite like me, and gives a bit of shape to the outfit. And of course if it's summer you can still layer like I have in the middle with the crochet trim kimono.



Easy Throw On And Go Outfits With a Navy Maxi Dress


5 ways to wear navy blue printed empire jersey maxi dress

The best thing about a jersey printed maxi dress is that it's an instant outfit! Never over or underdressed, you just need to grab and go! With these outfits I've been dressed up for our annual family Santa photo, a night out, or dressed down for a casual BBQ with friends and family, or running errands. It just works for any occasion without any fuss.



Jersey Printed Maxi Dress In Pregnancy


5 baby bump pregnancy outfit ideas with a non maternity jersey maxi dress in navy print awayfromtheblue blog

That photo I have in the middle is the only one I have to show off the beautiful crochet back of this dress, which is a shame! But it turns out it's really tricky to get a good photo of the back of your outfit when you're using a tripod and camera remote 😂 With the stretchy jersey material of this maxi dress it works in all three trimesters, and even as you can see in the bottom right there, for the final days of pregnancy at 39 weeks! I like that I've been able to wear this dress through both my pregnancies with my boys, and it also works for breastfeeding after as the top is so stretchy! It was definitely a good sale buy all those years ago!




Where To Buy Navy Printed Maxi Dresses Under $50:









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