June Dress Week Style Challenge - Summer Dresses in Winter With Leather Jackets, Skull Scarves and Boots

Sharing more of my June Dress Week Style challenge outfits, this time for #JuneDressWeek2. I'm doing this challenge with my blog buddy Kiki from According to Kiki. You can follow along with us on instagram @kikimincks and @awayfromblue, or through our blogs. I'm posting a little more closely to the actual days with this one, as I went ahead and did the second challenge right after the first so I was a week ahead!


First, the Shopbop sale has just gotten even better! Get an extra 25% off sale items with the code '25MORE' for the next 3 days only! I keep the Sales and Discounts page updated regularly, but this sale is so good I had to include it in a post too. Perfect time to buy all those items you had added to your cart waiting for a justification to buy. Or is that just me? ;)

What I wore:

Jacket: Wittner 'Santa Fe' cobalt blue leather jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Asos Cleo leather boots in tan
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

The challenge was 'oldie but fave', and this was Kiki's take on it. This dress is only 3 years old (I bought it on a trip to Sydney), so it's certainly not the oldest dress I own. It's definitely one of my favourites though! I was actually surprised to see that I hadn't worn this dress with these tall boots before, in all the (15) times I've worn it. It's one of those pieces that is perfect in summer or layered up in winter, a great all-rounder and I'm so pleased I bought it all those years ago.

This is probably one of my shortest lived outfits that has ever been on the blog though, despite how much I liked it. As usual, after a busy morning everyone was fed, clothed and ready to go out the door. I stopped to take photos and then after putting the tripod away I turned to baby T to go put him in his car seat....and he vomited! My first instinct was to scoop him up and cuddle him, which didn't work out nicely for my outfit as he wasn't quite finished!
I had been debating wearing this jacket that morning, as it is one of my most expensive items of clothing (more expensive than some of my hand bags!). Lydia left a comment last time I wore the jacket suggesting it would look nice with this dress, so I was eager to try the combination. I foolishly decided that as it was only a short morning out, going to the library and then playgroup, my jacket would be okay. I had wanted to give it its first wearing in a while, after not wearing it a lot last year when baby T was still a newborn as I was worried about him spitting up on it!

Had to text my friends to tell them we wouldn't be seeing them, and I spent the rest of the day at home with a sick baby after getting us changed out of our messed up clothes. My outfits for looking after a sick baby are never blog-worthy, and they never tend to stay clean for long!

I might wear this exact outfit again another day as I didn't get a chance to wear it for long and I really liked it. I wonder if this disappointment is what people who have 'professional' fashion blogs feel, getting all dressed up in something you like and it only lasts for a few camera clicks? I prefer actually wearing my clothes, and enjoying them!


Last worn: cobalt blue leather jacket, Alexander McQueen skull scarf, zara printed tunic dress, tan boots, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: leather jacket, skull scarf with stripes and metallic denim, printed tunic dress in summer hiding a first trimester baby belly, tall boots with skinny jeans, LV speedy bandouliere bag for the office.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
Dress: Ezra chambray shift dress
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

This chambray challenge was the hardest one for Kiki and I! We spoke about it quite a few times, as we were unsure how to pull it off. I was a step ahead of Kiki as I already owned a chambray dress, but I have never been to sure about how to style it for cooler weather! A chambray dress is also the Style It Project challenge for June, so I got a few ideas about how to make my chambray dress work for winter from Kimba's blog.

My first thought was to try leggings and ankle boots with this, as that was the outfit idea I liked the most, but I don't have any full-length leggings. With the darker denim panel at the hem of the dress and the leggings cutting off above the ankle boots...it was not a flattering look. So I wore exactly the same thing, but with tights instead. I think it looks nice this way. It does make me wonder why I keep holding onto this dress though as I always find it hard to wear. I'm not letting go of it just yet, will wait until spring comes around again and see how I feel about it then before I decide. It is easier to wear in the warmer weather.


Last worn: printed leather jacket, pink skull scarf, chambray shift dress, Asos black ankle boots, Louis Vuitton Speedy bandouliere (above).

Other ways to wear: leather jacket in spring, pink skull scarf with yellow tee, chambray dress with converse, ankle boots in spring.

Linking up with Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Because Shanna Said So, What I Wore Wednesday, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, The Wednesday Pants, I Feel Pretty, Style Me Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Trendy Wednesday, Thursday Fashion Files, Thursday Favourites today.

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Long Sleeve Dresses For Summer And Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere

Thanks to my friend who gave me the idea for this post! I take photos every day, and you can always see on Instagram what I'm wearing, but for my blog posts I like to try group my outfits together into a similar theme. When my friend told me she had to snap up a similar piece to my floral dress, I realised it would be a good theme for a post.

Both of the outfits below feature long sleeve dresses for summer. I've included where to find similar pieces under $50 too.

What I wore:

Dress: Zaful floral print ruffle hem dress in ginger
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

We had a planned day out at Seaworld, and it was supposed to be a warm day, but we woke up to it being cold and wet in Brisbane. I decided instead of sandals to wear my Converse to keep my feet warm. I regretted that decision when we got to Seaworld, it turned into a glorious sunny day! This dress is a loose, swing style so it's perfect for not overheating, but socks and shoes was a bit much for my feet! Very comfortable for a day walking around at Seaworld though.

The boys had a blast going on all the kids rides. Toddler T even went on his first roller coaster (after settling for the kid's coaster despite him asking many times to go on the big rides). It was so sweet to see him so excited - he dragged all of us on it with him and kept wanting to go on again and again.

It's the second time I've worn this dress, and I do a purchase review with everything after I wear it twice. My usual rule is to wear something twice in the month I buy it, but with this dress it took over a month to arrive and got here right at the end of October so there wasn't enough days left to wear it then! I did manage to squeeze in this second wear by November though. I'm just very behind with blogging.

When the dress arrived I was unsure if the quality was worth the $28.93 I paid for it given all of the threads it had coming off of it. It also arrived crushed, so I had to spend a while ironing it before I could wear it, and I hate ironing. The more I wore it though, the more it grew on me. And I was thrilled to find after that first wear that when you wash it and leave it to air dry (as I do with most of my clothes) it actually has a nice crinkled texture you can see here - no ironing required! This dress is definitely a winner, even if I will have to spend time cutting loose threads off as they appear! I'm looking forward to wearing this more over summer, and it will layer up beautifully in autumn and winter too.


Last worn: yellow floral dress, white Converse, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: yellow floral dress and aqua bag, Converse and maxi skirt, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere for travel.

Perfect for pregnancy: Converse and maternity shorts, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and maternity pencil skirts.

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Long Sleeve Dresses for Summer Under $50:

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What I wore:

Necklace: Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Purple high top Converse look-a-likes
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Not as fun of a day when I wore this, no theme park trip! I just did the daycare dropoff and pickup and worked from home in between. A nice comfortable dress like this was just what I needed.

I don't often wear this dress with the sleeves down like this - it has little tabs so I can roll up the sleeves and keep them in place and that's my preferred way to wear it. For something different though, I thought I'd leave the sleeves down.

Despite a dress being an easy and quick outfit option, I did spend a few minutes in the morning worrying about what necklace to wear. Tried on a few but none of them looked quite right so I settled on this one. A compliment from Ruth on Instagram made me happy as I hadn't been loving the combo, I was pleased to see someone liked it.


Last worn: navy printed tunic dress, purple high tops, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere (above).

Other ways to wear: navy dress and denim jacket, purple high tops and skinny jeans, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: tunic dress belted in third trimester, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere and maternity denim.

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More Long Sleeve Dresses For Summer Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Long sleeves in summer has the benefit of extra sun protection, and if you pick light fabrics, they are still very breathable despite the heat. Cotton, viscose (the blue dress), rayon (the floral dress) or linen are good options. You can also roll the sleeves up too if you find them too warm. Light long sleeve dresses also work perfectly for bikini cover ups at the beach.

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Want a Long Sleeve Dress to Wear On Christmas Day?

There's still time to order and get your purchase before next week!

• If you're in the US, take advantage of Amazon's fast shipping with Amazon Prime.
• In the UK, ASOS has some super fast shipping options too.
• The Iconic has next day delivery to many Australian cities and some cute long sleeve dresses!

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Linking up with Style on The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Oh Hey Girl, Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear.

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Printed Zara Dress, Balenciaga Sang Clutch | Burgundy Tee, Metallic Lace Skirt, Miu Miu Bag

Here's what I wore to spend time with family on Saturday:

Sunglasses: gifted Cotton On 'Risky Business' sunglasses in sky blue
Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: Nine West fascinate ballet flats in silver glitter
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs labradorite bracelets, blue beaded bracelet and Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle on other arm
Bag: Balenciaga flat clutch GSH in 2010 Sang


Saturday was the peak of our Queensland heatwave, and it was to get up to 41 degrees Celsius in Brisbane. Wore this light and breezy Zara tunic dress to keep cool, and to look a little dressed up for visiting family and attending a birthday dinner in the evening. We survived the day by staying in air conditioning as much as possible, haha!


Last worn: blue sunglasses, Zara printed dress, glitter flats, Balenciaga sang GH clutch.

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Here's what I wore today:

Sunglasses: gifted Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel
Tee: Atmos&Here rolled sleeve oversized tee in wine
Skirt: Cotton On metallic lace tulip skirt in frosted almond/silver
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus gifted Ferragamo double wrap bracelet, Roie Designs leather and pearl bracelet and Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle on other arm
Bag: Miu Miu cammeo studded clutch bag


Today was much cooler than yesterday thankfully. Lots of smoke haze from the Straddie bushfire though. Hope everyone is keeping safe.

Although this skirt has a little bit of volume on it's own, I've paired it with less fitted tops in the past and thought it looked okay, so I thought I would try it again today with the burgundy tee. What do you think?


Last worn: Rayban Wayfarers, burgundy tee, metallic lace skirt, studded sandals, Miu Miu studded clutch.

Linking up with Mix It Monday today.

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Weekday Wear Linkup! Wearing Dresses As Tops With Pencil Skirts

Scroll down for another Weekday Wear linkup, and to see how I've layered up two printed shift dresses for the office by throwing a pencil skirt over them. (Plus the first photos of my new shorter haircut are on the blog at last! I donated 38 cm of it recently!)

What I wore:

Earrings: gold pendant chandelier earrings
Necklace: Lovisa mixed texture beaded necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

This navy printed shift dress was an impulse Zara buy when I was visiting Sydney a few years ago (before we got our own Zara in Brisbane!). This is not the first time I've worn it as a top, but it is the 30th time I've worn it. I'll need to do a 30 ways to wear post with it soon!

I wanted something professional enough to wear in the office but also easy enough to change up for a rare date night out with hubby to see a comedian at the powerhouse. I got him tickets as a Christmas present. It was super easy to make this outfit go from day to night just by taking off the pencil skirt, perfect for dinner and drinks after work before the show.

The magenta Balenciaga day bag was big enough to carry everything I needed and was a fun pop against the navy and black.


Last worn: gold earrings, navy printed shift dress, gold bead necklace, black pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: navy printed shift dress and ankle boots, black pencil skirt in monochrome outfit, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Balenciaga magenta day bag for travel.

Perfect for pregnancy: navy printed shift dress in second trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, black ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Magenta Day

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What I wore:

Necklace: Kmart rose gold and pink beaded necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Nikki printed shirt dress
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta

Why I wore it:

Making the most of my outfit formulas and wearing a similar outfit again! I really like this shift dress but it's been neglected in my wardrobe as I felt it was a little too short for life with kids. It made me smile through the day when I had to keep pulling the skirt down as I was worried the dress was too long and peeking out the bottom! The dipped hem at the back helped with that. I will definitely need to start wearing this dress more. Last time I wore it was back in 2017!

The geometric print on this dress has tiny little pastel pink shapes, a very different shade from the bright magenta Balenciaga day bag, but I think they worked well together and I really liked this combination, just as much as I did the previous times I've worn it!


Last worn: geometric print shirt dress, blush and rose gold necklace, black pencil skirt, camel ballet flats, Balenciaga magenta day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: geometric print shirt dress and tights, black pencil skirt and summer tank, camel ballet flats and jeans, Balenciaga magenta day bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: black pencil skirt in second trimester, camel ballet flats in third trimester, Balenciaga magenta day bag in third trimester.

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Printed Shirt Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A too short dress can still be worn to the office if you cover it up with a pencil skirt. Using this trick can turn any dress into a top! This works particularly well for longer sleeved shirt dresses, as they just look like pretty blouses, and you instantly have a more formal office outfit just by adding the skirt.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #15

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

Subscribe for The Weekday Wear Linkup reminder emails

Email Address 

Linking up with Modest Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, On The Daily Express.

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Non-Maternity Clothes in Third Trimester: Dresses and Leggings and Sales!

Here's what I wore to spend the day with my sister on Friday:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: gold heart shaped necklace layered with vintage gold initial necklace
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Leggings: Cotton On
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Disney Couture Winnie the Pooh bangle
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag in canary yellow


On Friday my sister and I went into the city for lunch, shopping, and to check out the Reebonz handbag sale at the Hilton. Although I fell in love with a Balenciaga tote bag (out of my budget now with baby on the way) and a Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet (vetoed by my sister as she didn't like the colour) we left the sale empty handed.

Was still a great day though. We had fun shopping after lunch, and had dinner and watched a movie in the evening. Not entirely sure why Queen Street Mall had these decorated horses, but lined up with the tourists to have my photo taken anyway. Something a little different!

This was a nice simple outfit, good for walking around all day, and the dress accommodated both the baby bump and all of the delicious food we ate! Had been wanting to try pair this tunic dress with leggings since I worried it was getting a little short in the second trimester with the bump in the way. Pleased I got a chance to give it a try in the third trimester, was much more comfortable with the leggings underneath.


Last worn: Ray Ban Wayfarer, printed Zara dress, gold glitter belt, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff yellow Swing bag.

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Here's what I wore today:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: vintage gold initial necklace
Dress: French Connection star dancing jersey dress in red rust/almond
Leggings: Cotton On
Shoes: Cotton On thin strap thongs in black
Bracelets: the usual plus two metal and fabric Roie Designs bracelets
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag in canary yellow


Enjoyed the dress and leggings combo yesterday, so wore it again today for a relaxing day. Didn't need a belt though as this dress has it's own built-in belt attached :) Spent some time with the in-laws, they've picked their "grandparent names" for baby to call them. Baby will be extremely lucky and spoiled by both sets of grandparents.

It's currently the Memorial Day weekend in the US, so there are a lot of sales online. I've listed a few below, and I always keep the sales and discounts list up to date as well.

• Saks 5th Avenue Sale - up to 55% off
• Revolve Clothing - up to 50% off
• Nordstrom Sale - up to 40% off
• Neiman Marcus - up to 40% off
• Rebecca Minkoff - up to 30% off
• Barney's Warehouse - extra 30% off - my fave pick is this purple Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag just $244!

All of the above ship to Australia too. Happy shopping!


Last worn: Ray Ban (see above), French Connection star print dress, Cotton On thongs, Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag (see above).

Linking up with Passion for Fashion today.

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Red Asos Dress With Blue, Marco Tagliaferri Bag | Zara Printed Dress Worn As Top, RM Mini MAB

Here's what I wore to work on Tuesday:

Sunnies: gifted Cotton On 'Risky Business' sunglasses in sky blue
Jacket: Zara frayed basket weave cardigan in blue
Necklace: Chanel necklace layered with Dogeared 3 Wishes stardust bead necklace
Dress: Asos tulip skirt dress in red
Shoes: Nine West fascinate ballet flats in silver glitter
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes Kelly double tour bracelet in rubis
Bag: Marco Tagliaferri first generation Birk bag in navy


Wasn't 100% sure this was the best jacket to wear with the dress, as it does have a very tulip shaped skirt and I don't think the blazer hits it at a very flattering point. It did keep me warm with the cool morning though, so I was happy. :)

Linking up with Spotlight Weekly, Three-fer Thursday, What I Wore To Work, Fashion Informant today.


Last worn: Zara blazer, red Asos dress, glitter flats, Marco Tagliaferri bag.

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Here's what I wore to work today:

Sunnies: gifted Cotton On 'Risky Business' sunglasses in sky blue
Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress (worn as top)
Belt: Asos metal keeper skinny waist belt in bright blue
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey
Bracelets: the usual plus Kate Spade skinny mini bow bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey


Have been wanting to wear this dress as a top for a while. Figured that now was the best time to wear it, before the weather gets too warm! Have had a few cooler weather outfits planned in my head for a while despite the heat, as I was due to fly overseas for work on Saturday, to a cold climate. I'm unfortunately no longer travelling as planned. I know if the chance comes up again though, I've got my outfits planned and my suitcase all packed in my head, ready to go, haha!


Lots of people have been asking about my mini MAB on youtube, so I made a short review and 'what's in my bag' video.

Last worn: blue sunglasses, printed Zara tunic, black pencil skirt, studded mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAM.

Don't forget to enter my Iconemesis iPhone case giveaway!

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Frocktober: Casual and Classy Dresses

Another two of my Frocktober fundraising challenge outfits. A nice casual shift dress for working from home and a fancier lace LBD for the office to tie in with our team fundraising theme for the week.

What I wore:

Scarf: Love Quotes knotted tassel linen scarf in sunshine yellow (Get Love Quotes scarves at Shopbop)

Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shorts: (under dress) Cotton On blue denim shorts
Shoes: Ikwetta 'Circles of life' sandals (C/O)
Bracelets: the usual plus Balenciaga coated stud wrap bracelet in icy blue
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

I wore this the same day I took the video of my Shopbop sale purchases. I was so excited to wear the scarf right away! It does look a bit big though....hoping I can figure out how to tie it better and get some more wear out of it (it's only linen) before the weather heats up too much here in Brisbane. I'd bought it without checking the measurements as it reminded me of a scarf I had my eye on in the July sales, when I was doing #noBuyJuly. That scarf sold out before July was over and I could shop again. I'd been looking for a yellow scarf since, so was excited to pick this one up!

I worked from home and had an OB appointment in the morning, so I had to put some shorts under the dress so I had a little bit of modesty intact when the OB was checking baby's progress.


Last worn: Zara navy shift dress, denim shorts, Ikwetta sandals, Balenciaga day bag. First time I've worn the scarf as it is a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: Zara navy printed dress layered up for winter, denim shorts with a striped dress, Ikwetta sandals and a maxi dress, Balenciaga day bag with shorts.

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Casual dresses and classy dresses from Shopbop under $100:

1, 2, 3, 5: BB Dakota dresses | See more casual shift dresses 

4: Free People lace dress | 6: WAYF lace dress | See more classy lace dresses

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What I wore:

Necklace: freshwater pearl necklace layered with Tai gold alphabet necklace

Dress: Jeanswest 'Gisele' contrast lace dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Mulberry regular Alexa bag in foggy grey

Why I wore it:

Although I'm only in the office 2 days a week, I've managed to get quite a few of my colleagues excited about Frocktober. We've been trying to get group pics as we go along, as we email them around to the department with updates on our dress wearing and fundraising progress. This day, someone suggested we should all try wear our best LBDs, and the final picture was awesome. Wish we had come up with a weekly theme sooner! Maybe next year.

I'd worn this dress in the third trimester before so I was confident I'd still be able to fit into it, and so I'd been keeping it in reserve for the later days of the end of the challenge when I suspected I'd be running out of dresses that fit! Was grateful to have something I knew I would be able to wear.


Last worn: black lace dress, black ballet flats, Mulberry foggy grey Alexa bag.

Other ways to wear: black lace dress for a work party, black flats and skinny jeans, Mulberry Alexa with jeans and a tee.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Shoe and Tell, Hello Monday, Classy Monday, Mix It Monday, Turning Heads, On Trend Tuesday, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Wednesday Blog Hop, Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Pleated Poppy.


This post was created in partnership with Shopbop. Occasionally, Away From The Blue blog may receive vendor or brand sponsorships for mentioning their products or services. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.

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SAHM Life: Navy Dresses, Colourful Scarves and Mater Nappies

Talking about Mater nappies today, and sharing some dress outfits I wore recently. Because sometimes it's nice to break out of the stay at home mum default outfit of jeans and pull on a pretty dress!

Bright scarves make accessorising a printed dress really fun. As a bright and colourful scarf is bold enough on it's own, I try to wear it with a nice neutral outfit. In both of the outfits below I've layered up a navy printed dress with tights, ankle boots, and then a bold pop of colour with a scarf and my mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

What I wore:

Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in orange (c/o)
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore to go to the closing down sale of my favourite opshop. There was a big 'fill a bag for $2' sale which I was lucky enough to wrangle the morning browsing at while hubby stayed home with the kids. It was supposed to be a warm day, but it was a cold early morning start for me so I wanted a nice cosy scarf to add to my outfit. I thought this one was perfect, the orange really pops with the navy and the little mustard micro Regan bag was another touch of colour that worked so well with the dress.

Had a fun morning browsing, filling two bags full of things for the boys and I. You can see what we got here. After I headed to Kmart, picked up a pair of shoes I'd been lusting over, and was back home in time for swim lessons. We ended up going out for lunch after, so I was glad I dressed up a little in this dress. Although I was grateful for the tights underneath, this dress can seem a little short when you're constantly bending down to toddler level!


Last worn: Zara navy printed dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag. First time I've worn the orange crinkle scarf on the blog as it's a recent addition to my wardrobe.

Other ways to wear: Zara navy printed dress in summer, black ankle boots and maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: Zara navy printed dress in third trimester, black ankle boots in second trimester.

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Mater Nappies Review

Full disclosure - I received these nappies to try from Mater for the purposes of reviewing them, after chatting with the brand at the Blogger's Brunch a few weeks ago. I've also used these nappies before when my little one was a baby.

What Are Mater Nappies?

Nappies developed by Mater Mother's Hospitals! They are part of Australia's first product range developed by a hospital. Welcoming over 10,000 babies a year into the Mater Mother's Hospitals around Australia, they know babies well!

Benefits

The nappies are made from ultra-soft breathable material, dermatologically tested and proven not to cause skin irritation. The toddler nappies have double leg cuffs and provide triple protection against leaks, as well as a super-absorbent core.

Our Experience

As mentioned above, I've tried Mater nappies before. When my youngest was hospitalised as a baby almost 2 years ago (see pic above). During our extended stay at the Mater the hospital provided the nappies for us to use. I liked them and had no issues with them. When we went home though, we also went home with a bunch of medical equipment and a baby with a NG tube - both things we needed training on before we were discharged. We went back to our usual nappy brand we had lying around as it was easier and life continued on. Talking to the ladies from Mater during the Bloggers Brunch, I told them a little about my son's story and decided to give the nappies another try now he's bigger.

We found that the Mater nappies didn't leak - I think that's the biggest plus right there! During some of the time we were trialling the nappies, my little one was on a course of antibiotics so you can be assured they were tested to the max!

Will I Repurchase?

Yes! They are not only a product that works for us, I also like that the proceeds from the sale of the Mater Baby Products go to support Mater Little Miracles, funding specialist life-saving care and research for babies in Australia. If you're interested, you can get them online here or find a stockist here.

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What I wore:

Scarf: Love Quotes knotted tassel linen scarf in sunshine yellow
Dress: Atmos&Here navy stripe tee dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

Since I liked the outfit formula above so much, I repeated a similar one again, as I like to do! This time, I picked a bright yellow Love quotes scarf to go with the striped navy tee dress, but I kept the bag and ankle boots the same. These ankle boots are the most comfortable I've ever owned, I was sad to see the brand shut up shop a couple of years ago!

While the linen scarf is a bold bright yellow and the Rebecca Minkoff Regan bag is more mustard, I think the two different shade worked well together in this outfit.

Wore this for a fun day out shopping with my mum and the boys. I got some early Christmas present ideas for the boys as we went around the stores. It was such a good day out, even if I didn't buy anything for myself. I'd been eyeing a dress in Jeanswest for an upcoming wedding, but I was a bit disappointed when I saw it in person. I did like this outfit a little more than the one above - the dress is a more mum-friendly length, with the hem longer in the back!


Last worn: yellow Love quotes scarf, navy stripe tee dress, black ankle boots (above), Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag (above).

Other ways to wear: yellow Love quotes scarf and tie dye maxi dress, navy stripe tee dress in spring, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: yellow Love quotes scarf in second trimester, navy stripe tee dress, black ankle boots in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and maxi skirt.

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Orange and Yellow Scarves Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

It's easy to stick to neutral outfits in winter, as you're guaranteed all your layers will go together! But it's nice to add a touch of colour through bright accessories. I love my colourful handbags, but a bold and bright scarf is another fun way to accessorise. Bright citrus colours like orange and yellow are a great pop against navy outfits.


Linking up with Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear, Fancy Friday, Friday Faves, Trend Spin.

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Some items in this post were provided to me for review purposes. As always: all thoughts, opinions and photographs are my own.