6 Ways to Wear: Fringe Cross Body 'India' Bag from Sash & Belle

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A while back Alison from Sydney Fashion Hunter contacted me and asked if I'd like to be involved in the "sisterhood of the travelling bag". Of course you know any mention of handbags has me interested!

Today's post features a few different ways to wear this Sash & Belle India black fringe bag. Check out Alison at Sydney Fashion Hunter and Kirsty from Geelong Fashionista to read more about how they've styled the bag in NSW and VIC.

What I wore:

Hat: Big W bow detail sunhat
Necklace: Australian coin and crest necklace layered with Roie Designs feather, quartz and love charm long necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Sash & Belle India fringed cross body bag in black (C/O)

Why I wore it:

I felt a fringed bag would look great with a boho outfit, and thought of wearing this blue dress or this chambray one, but sadly they couldn't accommodate a third trimester baby bump! While the tie dye maxi dress was my third choice, I really liked this outfit in the end. We went out to a community festival, so I thought the hat was a great idea to be sun-safe, although I didn't need it as they had a lot of stalls indoors. Toddler T had a great time running around, and I was suitably comfortable walking around all morning in my maxi dress.


Last worn: sun hat, tie dye maxi dress, Havaianas. First time I've worn the bag.

Other ways to wear: sun hat and denim shorts, tie dye maxi dress without a baby bump. See below for more ways to wear a fringed bag.

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6 Ways to Wear the Sash & Belle India Fringe Bag:

Of course I couldn't pass up the chance to share the love and let the bag do a little travelling within Queensland...the strap is removable and adjustable so you can wear it a few different ways, as demonstrated by the stylish model and my fellow bloggers below.

Kirsty is a new mum and has been blogging  at Geelong Fashionista since November 2012 and her blog centers on her love of fashion by featuring outfits she has styled, sharing trends and providing advice on living a creative, inspired and stylish life. You can find Kirsty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. See her full outfit here.

Allison is the blogger behind Sydney Fashion Hunter. She is a globetrotting, bargain hunting, shoe loving, designer handbag toting, fun loving Aussie who lives life with a sense of humour and a wine glass in hand! See her full outfit here.

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Shop more great fringe bags under $200:

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French Connection Printed Dress, Miu Miu Bag | Jeanswest Grey Maxi Dress, Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC

Here's what I wore on Saturday:

Sunglasses: pink leopard print sunglasses from Paddy's Markets in Sydney
Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette
Dress: French Connection butterfly jersey tie waist dress
Shoes: gifted black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Miu Miu cammeo studded clutch bag


First official day of my Christmas leave! Spent today running errands at the post office, picking up some groceries at the IGA, getting lunch with DH and watching a movie. Such a nice way to start my holidays. Just wore a simple dress as it was quite warm.


Last worn: pink leopard print sunglasses, French Connection print dress, Havaianas, Miu Miu studded bag.

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Here's what I wore  today:

Sunnies: gifted Cotton On 'Risky Business' sunglasses in sky blue
Necklace: Lovisa blue leaf long necklace
Dress: gifted Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: Nine West silver strap sandals
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC


Another hot day! Summer has definitely settled in. Spent the day relaxing and finishing up writing my Christmas cards. A comfortable dress seemed like a good choice again :) Also had Church Online in the evening.


Last worn: blue sunglasses, grey maxi dress, Nine West silver sandals, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC.

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Weekend Outfits: Jeanswest Dresses, Rebecca Minkoff Yellow Swing Bag. Non-Maternity Wear

Sharing what I wore on the weekend!

Here's what I wore on Saturday:

Necklace: House of Harlow Dynamic necklace in gold
Dress: Jeanswest 'Melanie' paisley mixed print dress (currently 40% off!)
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: Cotton On thin strap thongs in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag in canary yellow


This outfit was one I had in mind for our anniversary dinner on Friday. Unfortunately, the thongs (flip flops) kind of make the whole look a little too casual for eating out at a restaurant, and were against the dress code of the place we booked. My swollen pregnancy feet won't let me wear anything else though, haha!

I really wanted to wear this pretty dress, so wore it on Saturday instead. We had a quiet day, and had dinner with the in-laws in the evening. My sister in law just got back from an amazing trip, so we had the chance to catch up and see some photos.


Last worn: Jeanswest paisley print dress, gold glitter belt, Cotton On thongs, Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag.

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Here's what I wore today:

Necklace: statement disc necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Balenciaga classic double tour bracelet in pearly grey
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Swing bag in canary yellow


Simple maxi dress today, for lunch and a movie with DH. We are wondering how many more quiet weekends to ourselves we will get before baby arrives. Hopefully not too many more, we are so excited to meet the little one :) The checkout guy at Woolies was full of questions for us when we did the groceries, wondering when baby is due to arrive. We've seen him a few times during the pregnancy, he's always so sweet and asks how things are going.

Was nice to just wear a dress today - although when we were walking Cooper in the evening I did find myself wishing I'd worn a jacket. First day of winter today so it will definitely start cooling off now, will soon have to start wearing more layers.


Last worn: Jeanswest grey maxi dress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff swing bag (see above).

Linking up with Monday Must-Haves, #FunDayMonday, Mix It Monday, Manic Monday today.

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Rebecca Minkoff Mini MACs: Jeanswest Grey Maxi Dress | Red Singlet, Striped Skirt

Here's what I wore on Saturday:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Lovisa silver love knitted heart pendant necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine


Simple maxi dress for Saturday. We had people over and then a birthday dinner to attend in the evening, so the maxi was perfect for both being at home and going out later. Kept me cool in the heat too.

Not sure the placement of the elastic waist on this dress is flattering with a baby bump, but it felt comfortable all day so the dress is staying in my current wardrobe for a while longer.


Last worn: Ray Bans, grey maxi dress, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

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Here's what I wore today:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers
Necklace: House of Harlow 5 station necklace in black and silver
Tank: Cotton On red singlet
Skirt: AT by Atmos&Here Mars maxi skirt in white and navy
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff coated canvas mini MAC in berry stripe


Today DH and I went shopping, so I wore a nice outfit for walking around in the heat. The side-slit on this maxi skirt goes up to just past my knee so it's really cooling when a breeze catches it. Happy to be able to wear this skirt with tucked in tops now too that I'm not worrying about hiding the bump in photos. Although it's got an elasticated waist, there is not a lot of give in it so not sure how much longer this will be a current wardrobe item, hehe!

I've been slowly taking things out of my wardrobe and putting them into storage for later in the year when they might fit again. Already my swimwear has had to be put away until after baby's arrival, as I've outgrown it. Quite sad, as I love my Funkita bikinis. They have a new collection out now though, which has more of the great colourful prints I love, so it's time to upgrade to a more pregnancy friendly size!

The collection is called 'We the People' and it's available online now at the Funkita website. It's a tough choice for me between the 'Colour Love' stripes and 'Peacock Paradise' print, as I've seen such great campaign photos featuring both. What would you choose, stripes or peacock print?


Last worn: Ray Bans (see above), red singlet, stripe maxi skirt, Havaianas (see above), Rebecca Minkoff canvas mini MAC.

Linking up with Monday Must-Haves, Mix-It Monday today.

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Rebecca Minkoff Aquamarine Mini MAC Bag: Maxi Dress for Dinner, Denim Shorts for Errands

Two more outfits accessorised with my Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag in aquamarine. And a special giveaway for my US readers! I wear this bag a lot, it's my go-to for weekends when I want to add some colour to an outfit, and it looks good with everything, from a maxi dress to denim shorts. While I do have a lot of scarves, and after my last handbag clearout on ebay I have more scarves than handbags, I think handbags are the best accessory to invest in. If you take good care of them, they can last years. I bought this bag back in 2012, and while it doesn't look as pristine as it did then it's still looking really good! Definitely a wise purchase.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Rayban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Roie Designs pearl and antique gold long necklace layered with Roie Designs long freshwater pearl necklace with tassel
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: Asos 'five star' leather sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine

Why I wore it:

I used this outfit as the one I posted to Instagram for the 'I'm loving this look' prompt for the Fox Pack Style Dare outfit challenge, even though I'd worn it the weekend before the challenge started. The day of the challenge was a much needed stay at home looking after baby in pyjamas day. I still have pyjama days.
Hard to believe I once thought about getting rid of this dress! I was a bit happier to let things go from my wardrobe when I was pregnant though, I had to turn my walk in wardrobe room into baby's nursery so a big downsize was needed! Glad I kept it, it really is insanely comfortable. And I like it with this mini MAC bag, have worn that combination before.

This dress was good for a quiet day at home with DH, and then a family birthday BBQ in the evening. I wasn't sure what necklace to wear with this, and was trying a few on when I realised these two looked pretty good layered together! :) Baby T wasn't too grabby either so I managed to keep them on the whole day.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarers, tie dye maxi dress, Asos leather sandals, Rebecca Minkoff aquamarine mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: maxi dress on Christmas day, pink sandals with a red bag, aqua bag with a navy tunic dress.

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Rayban new Wayfarers

Scarf: Jeanswest tri-colour dip dye scarf
Tee: French Connection oversized khaki green tee
Shorts: Jeanswest black denim cuff shorts
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in aquamarine

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'khaki', so I wore my khaki tee. I don't really have a lot of this colour (or any greens) in my wardrobe. I've mostly wear this tee with blue denim, so thought I'd be a little different and wear it with my black denim shorts instead. I thought the scarf added a nice bit of colour, along with the mini MAC bag.

The pairing of the scarf and tee together is actually something that the personal stylist came up with during my wardrobe detox. I think it works really well! :) Certainly was a hit on Instagram with the other people participating in the style challenge.


Last worn: khaki tee, dip dye scarf, denim shorts, Converse, mini MAC bag (above).

Other ways to wear: ombre scarf with trench in winter, khaki tee with skinny jeans, aqua bag with a colourful printed tee dress.

As promised, I am hosting a special giveaway for US readers! Unfortunately it is US only at this time, apologies to my Aussie and international readers. I had the chance to share it with you all and thought I would even if it don't apply to everyone. It's a chance to win a Microsoft Surface tablet, thanks to the Mom's Affiliate network that I am a part of.


Note that this giveaway is only hosted on my blog, it is administered and run via Moms Affiliate. I have no input into the competition, other than providing you with a chance to enter. Details are on the post here, or you can fill in the entry form below. Good luck!


Linking up with Styled Up, Let It Shine, Shoe & Tell, Style to Inspire, Mix It Monday, Celebrate Southern, More Pieces of Me, Daily Express, Real Mom Style, Reasons To Dress, Turning Heads Tuesday, Style Sessions, What I Wore, Spotlight Weekly today.

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Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe: 22 Items for Third Trimester Maternity Wear

Dressing in pregnancy is a fun challenge as the baby bump grows and changes every day! In order to simplify things this time around, I implemented a third trimester capsule wardrobe.

Why I Made a Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

• I've never tried a capsule wardrobe before (unless you count living out a suitcase for travel).
• The baby bump was outgrowing my current wardrobe faster than I anticipated this time around.
• I didn't have the luxury of time that I had in my first pregnancy to try on lots of outfit options each night and find things that still fit. (Or I didn't have the energy to do so after spending time with my toddler!)
• The summer heat and humidity (that continued well into autumn in Brisbane) left me less inspired to try new things.
• I had lots of great maternity pieces I wanted to wear as much as possible to make sure I got my money's worth.

Third Trimester Capsule Wardrobe in Video Form:

Below is a video covering the pieces in my capsule wardrobe, how I wore them, and my general thoughts about the experience.

The 22 Items In My Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

• Asos maternity graphic print pencil skirt (non-maternity version here)
• Asos maternity panelled pencil skirt in tartan check (non-maternity version here)
• Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
• Thrifted Target printed wrap dress 
• Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print 

• MEV Havana maxi dress (C/O Zibibo)
• Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
• Jeanswest 'Sierra' embellished black maxi dress
• Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress

• Target black and white striped maxi skirt
• AT by Atmos&Here Mars striped maxi skirt
• Target grey marle maxi skirt
• Jeanswest plain jersey black maxi skirt

• Jeanswest Georgie maternity boyfriend shorts (available in non-maternity also)
• Jeanswest maternity rolled up shorts

• Jeanswest maternity tank in white
• Jeanswest maternity tank in sea glass
• Jeanswest maternity tank in black
• Jeanswest Carla Maternity Cut out tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Sol Maternity jacquard tank (non-maternity version)
• Jeanswest Sonny maternity tee in lagoon marle (C/O)
• 'Ninja baby' maternity skeleton tee

A Few Notes On My 22 Items:

I didn't include accessories (scarves or bags or shoes) in this count. I also didn't include 'completer' pieces like my printed kimonos or blazers. I freely grabbed these from my wardrobe as and when I wanted them.

The pieces included were suitable for my part time office job, as well as being perfect for a stay at home mum the rest of the week.

Not everything was a maternity piece, I used pieces from my regular non-maternity wardrobe too.

There were a few times at the start of the third trimester where I wore pieces that weren't included in the capsule, but after realising they were getting uncomfortable I stuck to my capsule wardrobe for the majority of the time.

The 22 items I had were great over summer (and multiple heatwaves!), but would need to be changed for cooler weather. Simple things like swapping the maternity denim shorts for jeans instead, and some long sleeved tops and fewer tanks.

Outfit Combinations from a Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe:

Some photos of my favourite third trimester outfits from my capsule wardrobe to give you an idea of how I wore all the pieces in the third trimester. Not an exhaustive list, as 3 months worth of daily outfit photos would be a pretty big post! You can see all the outfits I wore in the third trimester here.

For my first capsule wardrobe experience, it was pretty fun, and I hope that it gives you some ideas or inspiration to try your own capsule wardrobe if you've often thought about it too.



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Scarf, Boots, Grey Maxi Dress, Balenciaga City | Tee, Red Skinny Jeans, Chloe Cross Body Bag

Here's what I wore on Sunday to go out for lunch and work at Church Online in the evening:

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in Violet
Bracelets: the usual plus gifted purple Salvatore Ferragamo 'Vara' leather bow bracelet
Dress: gifted Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Belt: gifted Cotton On black waist belt
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Balenciaga RH city in 2008 sapphire

I spent a little bit of time this weekend trying to figure out how to organise my wardrobe better. One of the things I noticed is that I have an entire clothes rack of dresses that only get worn in warmer weather. With the rainy cool day on Sunday I took the chance to try wear my maxi dress. I really liked it with the scarf and boots, what do you think?


Last worn: Leopard scarf, black belt, grey maxi dress, ankle boots, Balenciaga city bag.


Shop similar:

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Here's what I wore to work from home today:

Bracelets: the usual
Tee: gifted Forever 21 baseball tee in black and grey
Jeans: Jeanswest Pepper Red super skinny jeans
Shoes: gifted black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Chloe paddington cross body clutch

My sister had a cleanout of her wardrobe recently - which is what inspired me to start organising my own! I inherited some new clothes from her, one of them was this really comfortable tee. Nice and casual outfit for working from home. :) I did iron these pieces, but after sitting at the computer all day it doesn't look like it, haha.


Last worn: red skinny jeans, Havaianas, Chloe Paddington bag. First wearing of the tee.


Shop similar:

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Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas with family and friends!

I enjoyed taking a couple of days away from the computer and spending time with my family. Sharing a couple of photos a day doesn't take long but it was nice to stay away from the computer for a while. Thought I'd try do one post to catchup for the missed blog posts. It's a long one, sorry.

Here's what I wore on Christmas Eve (I'm in the middle):

Tee: gifted festive glitter Santa tee
Bracelets: the usual plus two metal and fabric Indigo Rose Design bracelets, gifted Christmas bow bracelet (with bells!)
Shorts: Jeanswest denim cuff shorts
Shoes: Nine West silver strap sandals (not worn in photo)
Bag: Balenciaga flat clutch GSH in 2010 Sang

Close up of accessories and clutch:

Completely forgot to take a solo picture, so sharing this instagram photo of my outfit instead with my mum, sister and Cooper.

My sister bought us all these fun t-shirts to wear on Christmas eve. I thought it was a great idea, and made me feel very festive as we visited family and baked Christmas cookies. I suspect I'll be wearing the tee again next year! The bracelet had little bells inside so my sister and I jingled everywhere we went :)


The shorts were last worn here, shoes here and clutch here. It's the first time I've worn the tee.

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On Christmas day, this is what I wore:

Sunnies: gifted Cotton On 'Kirsten sunnie' in sky blue

Earrings: gifited vintage Chanel dangling camellia charm earrings (better pic here)
Necklace: House of Harlow silver and grey leather sunburst necklace
Bracelets: the usual plus gifted Balenciaga classic pearly grey double tour bracelet, gifted silver and crystal embellished bangle, gifted silver and crystal bracelet, Lovisa 'Collette by Collette Dinnigan' twisted bow charm bracelet in silver, Lovisa 'Collette by Collette Dinnigan' heart charm bracelet in silver. Gifted faux pearl and silver chain bracelet on other wrist.
Dress: gifted Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Belt: Supre black braided belt (hidden by dress fabric in photo)
Shoes: Nine West silver strap sandals (hidden behind Cooper)
Bag: Balenciaga flat clutch GSH in 2010 Sang

Close up of accessories and clutch:

Love the photo of Cooper taking a massive yawn, had to share that one with you all :) Almost looks like he is singing carols!

On Christmas day we went to church, opened presents, had an extremely delicious meal, visited both of our families and ended the day with a relaxing swim in the pool before we had guests around. It was a really busy but family-filled day, it was so nice. The food was lovely and the company even better.

Had a bit of a giggle with my sister when we realised we had both worn blue sunnies, maxi dresses and Balenciaga clutches. We have very similar taste :)


The shoes were last worn here and clutch here. It's the first time I've worn the dress and sunnies, both of which were birthday presents. A lot of my bracelet stack was made up of Christmas gifts.

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Here's what I wore today on Boxing day:

Sunnies: gifted Cotton On 'Risky Business' sunglasses in sky blue
Necklace: Chanel necklace from Reebonz
Bracelets: the usual plus Lovisa 'Collette by Collette Dinnigan' twisted bow charm bracelet in silver, Lovisa 'Collette by Collette Dinnigan' heart charm bracelet in silver.
Tee: gifted JayJays Cookie Monster "Keep calm and eat cookies" grey tee
Shorts: Jeanswest denim cuff shorts
Shoes: gifted Havaianas slim tropical print
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC with python embossed leather in Aquamarine

Closeup of accessories and bag:

We had a much more relaxed Boxing day after our busy Christmas day. Didn't do very much at all, watched some DVDs we got for Christmas, went on a long walk with Cooper and ate plenty of Christmas cookies!

The shorts were last worn here, thongs here and bag here. This is the first time I've worn this tee as it was a Christmas present.


Thank you for reading my longest post!  Would love to hear how you spent Christmas! However you celebrated I hope you enjoyed it and got everything you wished for :)

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