Blue is my favourite colour and I do wear a lot of it! While I'm trying to stay away from the blue jeans, I do love my blue denim shorts. I paired the blue shorts with some blue tops to create monochromatic outfits, and accessorised each with different colours. Bright bags and kimonos with shorts outfits are a summer staple for me!
Wore this to spend the day with my sister. I love when our days off line up together, and the kids really love spending time with their fave aunt! We headed out to Bounce which is basically just a giant warehouse filled with trampolines. Wanted something simple to jump around in but cool for the hot day so picked this super soft tee and denim shorts. It felt a little plain so I added the kimono for a touch of colour, and the little red Rebecca Minkoff Avery tote matches the red in the print.
Still felt this outfit was lacking a little something so added this light thrifted necklace - didn't want anything too heavy while bouncing around! Ended up doing more bouncing than I expected, as my sister and I perfected the double bounce you can see below and also enjoyed bouncing off the trampoline onto a giant pillow with the boys. Was a great day, and after lunch we relaxed a little bit before an early dinner and when out again for a trial sports session in the evening for my eldest son.
I think part of the reason I love yellow so much is that it goes great with blue! I wasn't feeling the best on this day so decided to try brighten up my monochrome blue tank and denim shorts outfit with this bright yellow kimono. I felt it was a great topper for the navy and made me look a little more energetic than I felt! The long tassel necklace broke up the blue a bit, and this little green Rebecca Minkoff mini 5 zip bag was another fun way to add some colour.
While my breastfeeding days are behind me, I kept this tank in my wardrobe as it's a good basic and you wouldn't know just by looking at it that it's designed for breastfeeding!
Was a quiet day with the boys - headed to our local fenced in park so I could try sit and rest while they played. Bumped into my friend there so the boys had fun playing together and getting some of their energy out!
A navy top is a great basic to have in your wardrobe- tanks or tees, both look great with denim! To break up the monochrome combo when wearing it with blue denim, try adding other colours to your outfit like a colourful bag or bright kimono.
Although it's autumn in Brisbane, summer outfits can continue for a while before the really cold weather arrives! Simple tanks, printed kimonos and shorts with a cute colourful Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag are such easy stay at home mum outfits.
I really liked this outfit, I thought all of the colours worked so well together. While the dominant colour in this printed kimono is purple, it has a bunch of other colours in it. I couldn't resist adding more colour with this magenta Rebecca Minkoff Edie cross body bag. A neutral navy tank and blue denim shorts were an easy pairing with the rest of the colour. And then a blush necklace, for another little extra touch of colour.
Just a quiet day, doing the daycare drop off and pickup and working from home, before taking my son to an appointment in the afternoon. Such a comfortable outfit for that. I did wish I had picked a different tank in the afternoon heat though - this one is an old breastfeeding one, it's layered with hidden access for breastfeeding and on a hot day layered tops are not the best! Such a cute basic tank though, I'm still keeping it around long after finishing breastfeeding as you wouldn't know just by looking at it that it's a special piece.
Another outfit with the same formula! A metallic tank this time, black denim shorts and a navy printed kimono. Again with the same magenta Rebecca Minkoff small Edie bag as, just like in the first outfit, I love how the magenta works with navy.
Didn't like this outfit as much as the one above though - even with swapping the Havaianas for studded sandals, this outfit just felt a bit plain. Was nice and simple for a day with the kids though, doing our usual playground and library routine with a couple of errands to run too.
Kimonos aren't just a summer staple! They are an easy layer to add to a simple tank and shorts outfit for a little more colour and interest on milder spring and autumn days too.
I love my soft printed shorts. They make summer dressing easy, particularly for a summer that's as hot as this one is. Take a pair of printed shorts, a similarly coloured top and you have an easy monochrome outfit that's perfect for beating the summer heat.
Even though I ended up 'redoing' one of the outfits a few days later as I didn't like the accessories!
Wore this for the longest drive I've ever done, a roadtrip to see my friend who had recently moved to Kilcoy. It's about an hour and a half from Brisbane, and there was roadworks so it took longer than expected. She told me it was an hour and a half and yet google suggested it had a shorter route, so I wasn't too worried when we set off slightly later than intended. I quickly realised Google was wrong when we hit our first patch of traffic! Thankfully my sweet friend let me stay a little longer so that the whole day wasn't taken up by driving, and our kids got some time to play together.
With the navy tank, printed shorts and Regan satchel bag I added the purple teething necklace to add just a little extra colour and stop my outfit being too monochromatic. While the tank and printed shorts are different shades of blue, I really liked this outfit. It was wonderful catching up with my friend too. The kids had a great time together, and it was nice to see them all before their sibling arrived (her due date was the very next day, but baby stayed in a little longer!).
No, you're not seeing double. I really did wear the top and shorts together twice. The first time I wore it, I wasn't sure on the shoes. I picked the ballet flats because it was a wet day and these ones are closed in and have rubber soles, good for the rain. But when I looked at the photos after I took them, I hated the shoes with the outfit. I was only working from home that day, with the daycare pickup and drop off, so I resolved to try the tee and shorts together again on Friday, but with different accessories.
I much preferred the studded sandals with the shorts, and as it was my day off I spent the morning at my ABA mother's group before going out for lunch and some shopping with my sister. So I prefered the days activities too, much nicer than working, ha!
Thought I'd include both very similar outfits to show you that if you're not enjoying an outfit, maybe all you need to do is change up the accessories! I really liked the colourblock tee with these shorts, the pink panel on the back added such a nice touch with the black shorts and I'll probably wear this combination again, with different accessories again.
Mid-October we took the boys on their first ever flight, a short trip for a few days down to Sydney. When I was planning our trip I was curious about how I'd keep the boys entertained on the flights and what our first flight experience would be like. I've had a few questions about that too so I thought I'd share more about what the flights were like as well as what I was wearing. Feel free to skip the flight-related stuff if you're not interested and just focus on the outfits, it's a bit of a long post otherwise.
Background to Our Trip:
Toddler T is 3, and Baby Boy is 19 months. Both are good walkers. We took a travel stroller but checked it at the gate along with a suitcase and I had my Ergobaby carrier (which couldn't be used during takeoff and landing or to go through airport security, but can be used at all other times). Baby Boy was on an infant ticket and had to sit in my lap, Toddler T had his own seat.
We flew Qantas both ways. Both flights were mid-morning flights, when the boys are most relaxed. Toddler T was enthusiastically greeted and given a small activity pack gift on boarding and the flight attendants were polite, friendly, and reminded us we could ask them for anything if we needed help.
Simple comfortable outfit for our first flight. While it was a warm day in Brisbane, I suspected I might need the light duster on the plane and in cooler Sydney. This duster washes well, dries quickly and the print disguises any creases so it's perfect for travel.
While I had multiple outfit choices for the boys, I limited what I brought along to just one pair of shoes (my trusty Converse) and these jeans and a maxi skirt. I usually wear jeans when flying, they are comfortable and it also means that the the heaviest item of clothing is outside your bag in case you're getting near the baggage weight limit!
The flight from Brisbane to Sydney is only around an hour and a half, so we didn't have to keep the boys amused for too long. We also luckily didn't have to attempt using the airplane bathroom with either of them. Not always possible, but definitely helpful for us to have a small flight as our first one, and it's one of the reasons we picked Sydney to travel to.
Run Around the Airport
We got to the airport and the gate early. We picked window seats at the gate so that the boys could watch the planes and vehicles on the tarmac, while also giving them a large 'corridor' along the window to run up and down while staying in sight and out of the way of the rest of the waiting passengers. We encouraged them to run frequently while we waited for boarding. Did have to stop them from crawling under the seats and disturbing the other people waiting at one point though....
Boarding Tips
We didn't board right away, and waited until the line was shorter so they weren't standing in one spot too long. Toddler T had his boarding pass so he was responsible for getting it scanned and showing it to the flight attendants as we boarded which got him involved. We found it best to have Baby Boy and I on the window seat with Toddler T in the middle of hubby and I so there were two sets of hands if either boy needed anything. Boarding time is a good time to wipe down the tray tables and other surfaces with a disinfectant wipe too.
Breastfeeding
If you're breastfeeding remember that baby has to stay seated in your lap and sitting upright for takeoff and landing, so you'll need to wear something you can easily pull down or unbutton to breastfeed as your toddler sits up. Breastfeeding during takeoff and landing is a good way to help with the pressure on little ears.
Bring Snacks
The flights were around regular morning tea time for the boys so that they would be looking for something to eat. As they are so small, eating and drinking during takeoff and landing is the best way to relieve the pressure in their ears. In keeping with my usual over-packing style, I had a Bento lunchbox with two 'levels' of snacks, as well as two identical smaller snack-boxes.
This worked out well for our first flight, when baby Boy enthusiastically grabbed one of the smaller boxes and managed to open it and shower the gate area with food. I was relieved to still have the second backup box. We opened out the second 'level' of the lunchbox for snacks for the descent. While they weren't as hungry at the end of the flight, having favourite foods and treats available like biscuits meant they were still happy to eat and help their ears on the descent. One important point to note is that you have to check the customs requirements for food. There are interstate laws about taking fruit across state lines in Australia. This meant we picked strawberries, raisins and apple which could be freshly prepared, cut and washed the morning of the flight and completely consumed before landing. We left out bananas and mandarins as we didn't want to get in trouble for still having the peel, and just bought more fruit when we arrived in Sydney.
Bring Things to Do
As well as the activity pack Qantas provided, I brought a few books along, some colouring books and activity packs with stickers and pencils. We put the bento lunchbox in the seat pocket, along with their drinks and a book and kept the activity packs in the baby bag under the seat in front. With backups in the carry on case we put in the overhead compartment, but never needed to use.
We didn't bring toys as everything you bring will end up on the floor at least once. My teething necklace was the only 'toy' as it stayed around my neck, and Baby Boy gnawed on it a little when he got grizzly during the descent into Sydney.
Plan Your Flight Entertainment
On takeoff we sat the lunchbox in Toddler T's lap so both boys could easily reach it and pick what they wanted to eat. Once the plane was level, we packed it away and did some of the activity books together until the refreshments were served (we asked for a bottle of water at this point to refill the boys drinks). Once they got tired of picking at the bun provided for morning tea, as neither of them seemed to like it, we got out the books to read and did some more activity packs. We followed what the boys wanted to do and changed activities as they wanted until it was time to descend and pack up the tray tables and bring the snacks out again.
Explain Everything
For weeks leading up to the flight we were reading all the plane related books we had, explaining the check in process, take off and landing. Knowing that the plane would go fast, that the plane would be noisy and that eating and drinking will stop your ears feeling funny helped. Instead of trying to detail everything in the moment, we could quickly refer back to earlier conversations. With a toddler who doesn't like loud noises, explaining each and every noise and movement of the plane helped calm any fears. A tip I picked up from my Dad, who would always tell us what noises to look out for next on our flights as kids. It's a habit now!
This is what I wore for our flight home from Sydney to Brisbane. The same duster, jeans and shoes, just a different tank. I wore my Converse every day, there was no room to pack two pairs of shoes with all the extra clothes I had for the boys. I did manage to pack an extra handbag though, ha! I used my Speedy Bandouliere most days. It's so helpful having a cross body bag when you're navigating airports with toddlers in tow.
My jeans were covered with food crumbs after the first flight, but nothing that a baby wipe couldn't fix to make them presentable enough to travel home in a few days later. The ultimate mum essential: baby wipes clean everything!
Comfort is key when flying with toddlers - you don't want to be fussing over your outfit. Make everything machine washable as it will get dirty! A cover-up like a cardigan or duster hides spills and stains and keeps you warm on a cold plane. Converse are comfortable and practical for running around in airports. Jeans are a good choice too as you can easily wipe food crumbs off with a baby wipe. Linking up with Fab Favourites, Mummy Monday, Style Nudge, Hello Monday.
Even though I'm no longer breastfeeding, I'm still happily wearing the maternity/nursing pieces I have in my wardrobe. The two blue tops below are perfect for breastfeeding. The blue tank is a specially designed nursing piece that I got while pregnant with Toddler T, and the wrap top is just a regular top I bought after Baby Boy was born. Both valuable pieces for breastfeeding, but also nice enough to wear afterwards!
Despite loving blue and purple together, this is the first time I've worn this navy tank with the purple skinny jeans. I really liked the combination and I'm surprised I haven't worn it before. Nice and simple outfit for a morning at playgroup and then running errands in the afternoon. The Converse were great for all the running around I did!
I'd forgotten that it was Superhero dress up day at daycare that week so I was that mum rushing around the stores in the afternoon trying to find super hero costumes! It seemed like everyone else had already done this a few days before as there were no little kids costumes to be found. Fortunately, a couple of masks and some superhero clothes the boys already had worked nicely for the day in the end.
The silicone teething necklace and the purple skinny jeans match beautifully together, so this was a good outfit for the 'matchy matchy' style challenge on Instagram.
It was nice to just wear a tank without a jacket - spring weather has been a little erratic lately but it's good to take advantage of warm days like this. The benefit of this tank and other specialised breastfeeding pieces that have hidden breastfeeding access is that you wouldn't know it was a breastfeeding top just by looking at it - definitely something that will stay in my wardrobe a long time!
Another breastfeeding friendly top, another pair of brightly coloured jeans. Unlike the tank above, this is just a regular wrap top that has the bonus of being perfect for breastfeeding in. And it's so soft and cosy. There might not be many more opportunities to wear it with our warmer spring weather having arrived, so it was good to get it out for another wear before I start to pack it and the rest of my winter things away.
Just like the outfit above, I was surprised to find that I hadn't worn this wrap top with the red skinny jeans before, and loved wearing them together. Again, I wore this to meet the day's style challenge on Instagram. This top was perfect for the 'wrap star' theme!
As I was wearing colourful clothes, I went with my usual fail-safe metallic silver accessories. This silver mini MAC bag goes with everything, as do the metallic bow detail ballet flats. They often get worn together!
You don't have to get rid of all your breastfeeding clothes once you're finished with breastfeeding! Specifically designed nursing tops with hidden access for breastfeeding look just like normal clothes and transition beautifully into your wardrobe for motherhood post-breastfeeding. Which is helpful at reducing cost per wear, considering they are usually quite expensive to buy! And of course wrap tops, v-necks and button ups continue to work in your wardrobe just like they did before breastfeeding. Linked up with Friday Favourites, Style Wise, Friday Faves, Shoe and Tell, Modest Monday, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Hello Monday, Mummy Monday.
Wearing my favourite kimonos, trying a new outfit colour combination and an old favourite. And also sharing more about what happened when a bird flew into my house, as I mentioned in my Insta stories a few weeks ago.
This was set to be a busy day. My mother in law came over to watch the boys for a few hours. Before I hopped in the car, as I always do, I stopped for a minute to take photos. Like usual I left the house door open so the boys could watch me and know I was still nearby. Just as I'd taken my photos a flock of noisy miner birds flew overhead and I stood there amazed as one flew into the house through the open door.
Ran in to Toddler T excitedly telling me there had been a bird flying around the ceiling. Poor thing then flew into the window and fell....into Cooper's waiting jaws. Luckily he dropped the little guy on command, and I was able to wrap the injured bird up in a tee that was next to the window. Quickly put him in a cosy little box to rest, called the vet and was going to have just enough time to drop off the bird before racing to my appointment.
The little bird perked up on the way to the vets, was nice to hear him scrabbling around in the box. Was not so nice when I pulled up at the vets, turned off the ignition and he flew out of the box and around the car! After capturing him again and putting him in the box again (much harder this time with him flapping!) I took him into the vets. I'm fairly certain he has no wing damage from Cooper's teeth after he flew around the car, but the vet checked him over to confirm before releasing him. And I was only 5 minutes late for my first appointment of the day, phew!
Outfit wise I really liked the colour combination with the navy and burgundy and brown. I wasn't sure at first but decided to wear it anyway and try something different, and ended up loving this. It's been so long since I last carried this Chloe paddington bag too, brought it out after my bestie wore hers recently. Not a kid friendly bag with the heavy padlock, but nice for spending time without the boys.
This is an outfit pic that got lost on my computer- it's from April! As you can probably tell by the sandals. Definitely not sandal weather now, winter has arrived in Brisbane.
To break up the monochrome outfit I added the pink Balenciaga sandals and the printed kimono. I love this grey kimono, it's got so many different colours in the print that it works nicely with so much of my wardrobe.
This pic had gone unnoticed on my computer for a while as when I was wearing this outfit I took a picture for a Jeanswest competition on Instagram. Sadly I didn't win, but I did have fun taking over 20 photos as the boys ran around in circles! This outfit picture was in a big block of those photos and I hadn't gone through them to realise I still had an unposted blog picture. Glad I could share it now, as I really liked this outfit.
A navy tank is a great neutral basic that can be worn many ways in your wardrobe. If your outfit is feeling a little plain or monochromatic, add a printed kimono for some more colour and interest. Picking a similarly coloured kimono like in the first picture is a good fail-safe idea if you're playing with colours elsewhere in your outfit.
