Frocktober: Kimonos, Blue Dresses, Balenciaga Sorbet Pink City Bag and Monthly Purchases

First, what I bought in October. As I am doing Frocktober and wearing only dresses, I didn't buy any new clothes. I did buy a few accessories though! Using some store credit at Rebecca Minkoff, and taking advantage of the Shopbop sale in October. As the parcels arrived separately, about a week apart, I've got 2 'what I bought' videos instead of just the one!

What I bought from Shopbop:

• Love Quotes knotted tassel linen scarf in sunshine yellow
• Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum
• And a few little Christmas presents for friends

What I bought from Rebecca Minkoff:

• Ava quilted zip wallet in magenta
• star earring in silver

Some impulse buys in there, and two things (the bag and wallet) I'd been thinking about getting for a while. It was good to start doing some early Christmas shopping too!


Now, more Frocktober outfits! Two blue dresses this time. I'm challenging myself to wear a different dress each day in October as I take part in the Frocktober fundraiser for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (tortoiseshell also on sale!)

Jacket: Shein cream lace kimono (C/O)
Necklace: Chanel necklace
Dress: Jeanswest Rachel Lyocell chambray dress (C/O)
Shoes: Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bracelets: the usual plus Edenborough Evans 'Ivy' silver cuff and enamel coated Marc By Marc Jacobs Katie bracelet
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet

Why I wore it:

Shein were kind enough to let me pick something from their large range to try out, and I chose this lovely lace kimono. I think it would look great with jeans or shorts, and that's how I had pictured it. Of course, I can only wear dresses in October, so I tried the next best thing and wore it with this chambray dress. I actually quite liked the combination!

I gushed a lot about this dress when I first got it, and yet it hasn't been worn too frequently...it's not that I've fallen out of love with it, it's that I felt it was tricky to hide the baby bump in it! The dress is from the regular line, not the maternity line, but it still fits the bump nicely so hopefully I can squeeze in a few more wears before my belly outgrows it entirely.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarers, chambray dress, Asos Chelsea ankle boots, Balenciaga sorbet city bag. First time I've worn the kimono as it's a recent wardrobe addition.

Other ways to wear: chambray dress and a puple cardi, ankle boots in the office, Balenciaga sorbet city bag with a maxi dress and baby bump.

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More cute kimonos under $50:

Some crochet/lace ones for warmer days and cosier knitted ones for cooler days.

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (classic style also on sale!)

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Necklace: rectangle pendant necklace
Dress: thrifted JayJays teal paisley print maxi dress
Shoes: Ikwetta 'Circles of life' sandals (C/O)
Bag: Balenciaga RH classic city in 2010 sorbet

Why I wore it:

Another blue dress! Well, teal, but close enough. I had been looking forward to wearing this dress as part of the challenge so much, I thought it would look great with the bump. And it does, but it was also very tight! I don't think I could have waited any longer to wear this. It's a lovely dress but doesn't have much stretch, so I won't be wearing this beautiful piece again until after baby's arrival sadly!

I figured I'd add a colourful cardigan to this for warmth in the morning, as I already had the colourful bag and shoes with it. There's purple in the print so the purple kimono cardi seemed like a great idea. I adored this outfit. Was perfect for spending the morning at playgroup with toddler T, and sharing our baby news with all the ladies we hadn't caught up with over the playgroup break.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarers (above), purple kimono cardi, teal printed maxi dress, Ikwetta sandals, Balenciaga sorbet city (above).

Other ways to wear: purple kimono cardi layered up for a cold day, teal printed maxi dress in winter, Ikwetta sandals with stripes, Balenciaga sorbet city bag with monochrome outfits.


An update on my Frocktober progress:

A photo posted by Mica (@awayfromblue) on Oct 17, 2015 at 1:47am PDT

There is still time to donate! Your donations and support can help so much. There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer like there is for other cancers, your donation funds much needed research.

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Weekday Wear Link Up: Printed Sheath Dresses and Colourful Cardigans

For this weeks Weekday Wear link up I'm wearing my favourite printed sheath dresses with some cosy cardigans to make some colourful corporate style outfits.

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted SES Fashions mustard yellow cardigan
Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Dress: French Connection 'Woodblock wonder' panache dress in white/geranium rose
Shoes: Atmos&Here tan Lola leather ankle boots
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

It was such a warm day when I wore this - a little teaser of the upcoming summer heat before the Ekka winds set in the next day and cooled things in Brisbane right down back to winter temps! I went out during my lunch break at work to run a few errands and actually regretted the cardigan! My plan had been to belt it in place but I knew I'd probably have to take it off at some point with the summer temps, so left it unbelted so I could do so.

You've seen me wear yellow with this dress before - often in smaller doses like a yellow necklace or scarf. I thought I'd be a bit bolder this time and pair the orange printed sheath dress with the mustard yellow cardigan. I really liked this outfit, perfect for a busy day at work and a little time outside in the sunshine at lunch time. The ankle boots kept my bare legs cosy on the cooler morning, it quickly warmed up anyway.

With the summery citrus toned outfit, the Louis Vuitton neverfull bag seemed like the perfect choice!


Last worn: mustard cardigan, gold and navy beaded necklace, orange printed sheath dress, tan ankle boots, Louis Vuitton damier azur neverfull tote.

Other ways to wear: mustard cardigan worn belted, orange printed sheath dress and blazer, tan ankle boots and maxi dress, Louis Vuitton damier azur neverfull tote and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: orange printed sheath dress hiding second trimester bump, Louis Vuitton damier azur neverfull tote in third trimester.

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Wear & Tear: My Louis Vuitton Neverfull Bag at 7 Years Old

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs mauve square scarf
Dress: French Connection blue Paisley print dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

This outfit was worn on a more winter like day, so followed the same outfit formula as the first, but with a few more layers. I really like blue and purple together so I was surprised to see I hadn't worn this purple cardigan with the blue paisley print sheath dress before! It's such a great combination.

I needed to be just a little bit warmer though, so added my cosy fleece-lined tights, as well as my purple Marc Jacobs blanket scarf. This scarf is such a stunning piece, and even though it has a print it's subtle enough that it looks nice worn with the paisley dress. It's not an exact match to the cardigan, but I did like the two different purple shades together. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull adds more print to the outfit, but I see this bag as a neutral and will wear it with any print!

With all the colour and print, a classic black pair of ballet flats seemed like the best shoe option. Super comfortable too!


Last worn: purple cardigan, purple scarf, paisley print dress, black ballet flats, Louis Vuitton neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and purple jeans, purple scarf and chambray dress, paisley print dress and ankle boots, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Louis Vuitton neverfull worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cardigan in second trimester, paisley print dress in second trimester, black ballet flats in third trimester, Louis Vuitton neverfull at 38 weeks.

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How You Can Wear It:

A fun and colourful printed sheath dress is a great option for your work wardrobe. You can play it safe and stick with neutral layers to accompany the bold print and let the dress make a statement on it's own, or you can get even more colourful by adding bright layers like scarves and cardigans that will compliment the colours in the print of your dress.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #34

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

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Colourful Cardigans With Monochrome Jeans and Tee Outfits, Scarves and Mimco Button Bag

What I wore for celebrating the end of our 3 day lockdown in Brisbane at the start of July to enjoy what was left of the school holidays and get out with the kids. Kept my outfits simple and monochromatic with jeans and a tee. Even wore monochromatic scarves too, and a real wardrobe oldie with my black Mimco button bag. Added some colour with cardigans as I just can't seem to do a full neutral outfit without adding a bit of colour!

What I wore:

Earrings: Lovisa mini mustard tassel earrings

Jacket: thrifted SES Fashions mustard yellow cardigan
Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl in black and white Pretty Floral print
Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Jeans: Nobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (c/o)
Shoes: New Balance Coast women's running shoe in black 
Bag: Mimco black button bag

Why I wore it:

After a little uncertainty, we were so pleased when lockdown was lifted the evening before and my son was able to compete in his sports tournament as planned. Even if all the parents and spectators had to sit outside and peer into the sports hall from the doorway to make sure everyone met the post lockdown indoor space restrictions 😅

Despite having to sit far away it was so good to see him competing and my bright mustard cardigan ensured my son could spot me in the crowd. I wasn't expecting to have to sit outside so I was pleased this was just the right outfit for it. The cardigan wasn't too heavy when the sun came out, but it and my scarf kept me warm when the sun hid behind the clouds. And luckily no rain too! Turned out to be such a good morning, so pleased they were able to still run the event.

I liked using my big Mimco button bag again! The 25th anniversary of Mimco had me thinking about my button bag again - this is one of the original styles, I bought it in 2007 when I was at uni. Was so thrilled when I bought it, it was a craze for a few years and they were everywhere in Australia. Still see them around now and then, although mostly the newer, smaller version of this style. This one you wouldn't know is over 14 years old! It's in great condition, I should wear it more!


Last worn: mustard earrings, mustard cardigan, grey v-neck tee, Nobody Denim skinny jeans, New Balance sneakers, Mimco black button bag. First time I've worn the scarf as it was a Christmas gift.

Other ways to wear: mustard cardigan and shorts, grey v-neck tee worn 30 ways, Nobody Denim skinny jeans and kimono, Mimco black button bag and pencil skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: grey v-neck tee in second trimester.

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What Fits Inside: Mimco Button Bag From 2007

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Scarf: Fashion Scarf Girl black and white thick and thin mix print scarf
Top: thrifted Cotton on grey tunic tee
Jeans: Jeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans
Shoes: New Balance Coast women's running shoe in black 
Bag: Mimco black button bag

Why I wore it:

Very similar to the outfit above. Again, a monochromatic jeans and tee outfit with a black and white printed scarf and a colourful cardigan. This purple one isn't as bright as the mustard yellow one above, but it still adds the perfect amount of colour to this outfit. With the different shades of grey in the tee and the skinny jeans, the purple cardigan was the perfect topper. And with no other prints I could wear this fun contrasting striped scarf for a bit of an instant print mix without it clashing with anything.

Thankfully one of the workshops I'd booked in advance for the kids went ahead despite a lot of other school holiday activities I'd planned for the week being cancelled as soon as lockdown was announced, even though it was just for 3 days. Because it was still on after lockdown was lifted we had a pretty fun day. The kids got to make their own light up DIY aquariums in a jar which look really cute! These are kind of similar. We even managed a little play time in the playground before the rain arrived that afternoon which was perfect.

Again I wore my Mimco button bag - it seemed the obvious choice with the neutrals and it fits snacks and water bottles and the essentials nicely.

Last worn: purple cocoon cardigan, grey tunic, grey skinny jeans worn 30 ways, New Balance sneakers, Mimco black button bag (above). First time I've worn the scarf as it was a Christmas gift.

Other ways to wear: purple cocoon cardigan and skater dress, grey tunic and shorts, grey skinny jeans and leopard print, Mimco black button bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cocoon cardigan in second trimester.

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How You can Wear It:

Layering in winter gives you lots of fun options for accessorising. A colourful cardigan can add a burst of brightness to a monochrome jeans and tee outfit, and a printed scarf adds some extra interest and a little warmth.

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Casual SAHM Winter Style: Skinny Jeans and Layers

It's feeling like quite a cold winter here in Brisbane so I've been wearing my skinny jeans often. Probably wearing them more than my maxi skirts! A nice easy option for life with baby, and easy to layer up with scarves.

What I wore:

Jacket: Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
Jumper: Supre knit loose fit jumper in bahamas
Jeans: Jeanswest Bindi skinny 7/8 jeans in indigo luxe
Shoes: Asos Cleo leather boots in black
Bag: Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Wore this to run a crazy amount of errands! As it was a really cold morning and I had to be up early, I added the leather jacket to keep me cosy. Thought the scarf added more nice colour with the peach knit. I had lunch with DH, and it was easy to take the layers off in the afternoon as it heated up.

Leaving My Wardrobe: Black Leather Boots

This is the last wearing of these boots! I've been a lot more critical with my shoe wardrobe lately. I own these boots in black and in brown. I wear the brown ones much more often, and since I mostly pass over these ones and wear the brown instead it doesn't make sense to keep them in my wardrobe. I've been enjoying ankle boots a lot more lately anyway, I can wear them for more months in the year. I've picked up a new pair of black ankle boots recently that means these tall ones would get even less wear. They've been worn 18 times over the years, which isn't bad, but not as much as the brown ones. Time for them to leave my wardrobe!

Last worn: leather jacket, pink skull scarf, peach knit, Jeanswest skinny jeans, tall black boots, Louis Vuitton speedy bandouliere.

Other ways to wear: leather jacket with a dress, skull scarf in spring, peach knit with printed jeans, skinny jeans in autumn, leather boots with a dress in winter, Louis Vuitton speedy b bag with a maxi dress.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (on sale with extra 30% off)

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Tee: Jeanswest rolled sleeve grey marle tee
Jeans: Jeanswest Super Skinny Jeans in Mid Indigo (on sale with extra 30% off!)
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale here!)

Why I wore it:

I love that last picture with Cooper in the background - it looks like he's fallen asleep sitting up! He was just having a good scratch.

In contrast to the outfit above, this was worn on a much more relaxed day. Met up with a friend for a morning coffee at a baby friendly cafe. It was a lovely way to start the day, and our babies had fun together. We had a bit of a walk to warm us up so I even took the scarf off for a while as we sat outside in the sun.

As it's the second time I've worn this cardigan since I purchased it, my purchase review:
I'm trying to wear everything I buy twice in a month after buying it, and that's come so easily with this cardigan! I couldn't resist the great sale price in the last Jeanswest sale, even though I already have a purple cardigan. This is a kimono/cocoon style instead of the drape style of my other one, and a different shade. I felt it was different enough to justify the purchase, and I have been making more of an effort to wear my cardigans lately so I'm hopefully this will get a lot more wear in my wardrobe.
I'm aware it's not a purchase I needed, just something I wanted, so I shouldn't really have bought it...but I'm happy with it and expect to wear it often.


Last worn: purple kimono cardigan, leopard print scarf, basic grey tee, skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan in the office, leopard print scarf with maxi dress, grey tee with a maxi skirt, skinny jeans and a grey tee in summer, Converse with a maxi skirt, mini MAC with a maxi skirt in the third trimester.

Linking up with Whatcha Wearing Wednesday, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, Pleated Poppy, Pumps and Push Ups, Throwback Thursday, Thursday Favourites, Thursday Fashion Files, Fun Fashion Friday, Feature Friday, Flashback Fashion today.

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Skinny Jeans, Colourful Scarves and Cosy Cardigans | 4th July Sales

With the cooler winter weather in Brisbane, I've been wearing my jeans a lot. After our summer heatwaves continued into autumn and I spent most of autumn in shorts, it's a nice change. Jeans also make getting dressed in the mornings with two little ones really easy. And adjusting to life with two under 2 means I'll stick with the easy path for the moment!

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (30% off at Nordstrom!)

Jacket: Jeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal skull scarf in white/pink
Shirt: Jeanswest Helene sleeveless textured shirt in berry (on sale with an extra 40% off!)
Jeans: Jeanswest Super Skinny Jeans in Mid Indigo
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats (on sale!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'pink till it hurts' which I had originally planned to do by wearing all pink accessories. After putting the pink tank and scarf on though I quickly realised adding any more pink to the mix would be a bit of an overkill! Was a nice casual (and with the buttons on the tank for breastfeeding, practical) outfit for errands in the morning and spending some time with family in the afternoon.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, wool cardigan, pink skull scarf, pink sleeveless shirt, skinny jeans, metallic ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: wool cardigan and a maxi skirt, pink skull scarf and navy stripes, pink shirt and lace pencil skirt in the office, skinny jeans and a floral kimono, metallic ballet flats and a tartan skirt, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and denim shorts.

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It's the 4th July long weekend in the US, so there are a few sales on:

• Up to 60% off in the Jeanswest sale
• Final reductions and up to 70% off in the Matches Fashion sale! (Plus free shipping with code 'FREEDEL')
• Nordstrom up to 40% off sale
• Get up to 75% off selected item in the Barney's sale
• Up to 50% off in the Revolve sale
• Get up to an extra 50% off sale items at YOOX
• Final reductions and up to 70% off at Net-a-Porter

Happy shopping!

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (30% off at Nordstrom!)

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Scarf: blue tartan scarf
Tee: Monsterthreads star print graphic tee
Jeans: Jeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

I went with a simple scarf to meet the prompt for the 'plaid is rad' challenge. I really like this pretty tartan scarf my sister brought me back from her travels in Europe.

This was a really simple outfit for a simple day. We had been having a tough couple of days and although I had planned at the start of the week to go out to playgroup, decided to stay home instead. Having a baby is a great reason to be kind and take time for yourself when you need it, and not try do too much. Having two under 2 is an even bigger reason! Since toddler T enjoys doing some activities out of the house each day, I decided to take the boys to the local park. It was a bit chilly so toddler T had the slide all to himself too.  It was a nice quiet alternative to a noisy playgroup and gave us a chance to relax a little.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), tartan scarf, purple cocoon cardi, graphic tee, prima skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff aquamarine mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wear: tartan scarf and a striped tank, purple cardi and a teal dress, graphic tee and a blazer, prima skinny jeans and a floral cami, Converse with a striped dress, Rebecca Minkoff aquamarine mini MAC and a maxi skirt.

Linking up with Hello Monday, Modest Monday, Classy Monday, Mix It Monday, Turning Heads, On Trend, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, Midweek Inspo.

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Leopard Print Scarves, Skinny Jeans and Plum Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote Bag

As it's spring now in Brisbane I'm aware that I'm not going to have a lot of opportunities to continue to wear my scarves. While I love scarves I do find them tricky to wear year-round, especially with the high humidity. I'm enjoying wearing my big blanket scarves for the moment while it hasn't fully warmed up yet.

What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Top:  Jeanswest 'Marina' stripe henley
Jeans: Jeanswest 'shale' super skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pastel and on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day I wore this was "this is what I found" and I had been hunting for my bright purple jeans. While pregnant last year, we boxed up a lot of things to empty our house a little in preparation for selling it. I figured I wouldn't need my pre-pregnancy clothes for a while so packed a lot of them away with no particular organisation. Since we didn't get our perfect house and house-hunting still hasn't gotten us anywhere, I'm a bit unsure where everything is! I didn't find the bright purple jeans I was looking for but I did find this grey pair with a bit of a purple tint.

Since I still felt like wearing purple I grabbed the purple leopard print scarf and Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag for accessories. I really liked this outfit in the end! Even though it wasn't what I had in mind at first I really enjoyed wearing it. I've worn the jeans and top together before too.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, leopard print scarf, striped henley, grey skinny jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: leopard print scarf and leather jacket, striped henley and printed shorts, grey skinny jeans in the office, black ballet flats and flared jeans, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote and a pink maxi dress.

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Sale Alert! 

Jeanswest have up to 70% off in the end of season clearance sale!

Jeanswest ship internationally and as well as some lighter pieces on sale they have a lot of fall-appropriate things for my northern hemisphere readers! :)

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle

Scarf: Cotton On animal print scarf in blue
Top: MEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo
Jeans: Jeanswest Super Skinny Jeans in Mid Indigo
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black or silver!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore to venture out of the house for the first time in a couple days after the boys and I were recovered from the flu! I went into the city with the boys to visit a friend and stop by my office to see some colleagues. Afterwards I had a wonderful chat with a new friend.

If you've followed along on my blog (or twitter) for a while you'll know I volunteer at Life.Church, an online church. My team leader got in touch to say that she had a friend who also works at Church Online who has a niece that's visiting Australia. Since the niece was in Brisbane and the boys and I were feeling better and up to meeting people I emailed her and we had the chance to talk over coffee.

The funniest thing about catching up with this relative of a friend of a friend was how perfectly timed it all was. I'm not sure what God had in mind for our meeting but I really enjoyed it, and we kept marvelling over the way things worked out.

• I'd never usually meet up with a stranger, especially with the boys tagging along, but I was in the city that day anyway dropping by the office so it made sense to meet.
• If it had been a few days earlier I would have been too sick to catch up. 
• While we were talking a little about where she was staying I realised I'd checked out a house in that street - she had just moved and was living 5 minutes from us! It meant I could have her round for dinner before she left that weekend for a newly accepted au-pair job in Sydney. 
• Her new job requires her to look after a little boy around the same age as toddler T, so she could prep a little by playing with him. 
• When organising dinner I mentioned one of my food allergies - she has the exact same one and (like me) hadn't met anyone with it in person before! 

While she's left Brisbane now, she's got a few people in Sydney from Church Online to catch up with too.

Being able to meet with someone from Arizona I'd never know about if it wasn't for my friend at Church Online, and to have so many things happen just the right way for us to connect blew my mind a little! I'm so grateful for my church. I can't wait to see what God does in my new friends life during her Australian trip.


Last worn: purple cardigan, blue leopard print scarf, navy breastfeeding tank, skinny jeans, gold mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag (above).

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and maxi dress, leopard print scarf and a white top, navy breastfeeding tank and a baby bump, skinny jeans and a trench coat, gold mouse flats in the office, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote bag and denim shorts.



Don't forget to enter the giveaways I have running! Enter to win $100 for a JORD Wood watch or $50 for that baby/toddler essential, diapers. They end this week!


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Grey Tees, Black Jeans and Purple Mini MAB Tote Bag

While I kicked off spring by joining in a couple of style challenges on instagram, we had a cooler couple of days that left me a little uninspired, even with the prompts giving me ideas of what to wear. I ended up wearing a simple combo of black skinny jeans and a grey tee. However I wasn't completely happy with either outfit, both outfit fails for me.

Keeping with my usual posting method and sharing what I wore as I manged to get a picture of it, even if I didn't like the outfit.

What I wore:

Jacket: Kmart striped maxi cardigan

Tee: Grey 'making magic happen' tee C/O Shein
Jeans: Jeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus Cora purpleheart and mother of pearl watch C/O JORD
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'monochrome' although I couldn't resist breaking it up and adding a little bit of colour with my purple mini MAB tote bag.

This outfit seemed like a good idea in theory but was a pain to wear. It didn't help that I was running late, but I felt this tee kept sliding around and wouldn't sit right for photos. It annoyed me as I wore it through the day too, but I'm not sure how much of my bad mood was coming from our failed shopping trip that morning! I just popped out to get something quickly but you can never do anything too quickly with a baby and a toddler in tow...


Last worn: striped duster, making magic happen tee, black Prima jeans, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: striped cardi and grey dress, making magic happen tee and baby bump, black Prima jeans and winter layers, ballet flats and a wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff purple mini MAB tote bag and denim jacket.

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers (on sale)

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Tee: Jeanswest 'Lucy' colour block tee in grey marle/rosebud
Jeans: Sass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum (on sale in blue and on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

Baby boy had his vaccinations, so in anticipation of having a tough day I'd planned a simple outfit. Just like the grey tee and black skinny jeans combo above, although with a little more colour from the purple cardigan and some print mixing with the scarf and jeans. The jeans met the 'special' style challenge prompt too as they always feel a little more special to wear than plain blue jeans.

I really liked this outfit - comfortable for running a few errands, getting baby boy's vaccinations and then spending the afternoon with my sister. I added the scarf at the last minute as it looked like it might be a cooler day that morning but quickly took it off as it warmed up. I wish I'd just left it at home, I don't think it looks quite right and I much preferred the outfit without it.

Aside from the scarf not really working with the rest of what I was wearing, I did really like the rest of this outfit and I had a fun day wearing it.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, taupe skull scarf, grey tee, purple cardigan, printed skinny jeans, ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: taupe skull scarf and burgundy tee, purple cardigan and a maxi skirt, grey tee and a baby bump, printed skinny jeans worn two ways, ballet flats and a printed maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote and denim shorts.

Linking up with Modest Monday, Red Carpet Linkup, Mix It Monday, On Trend, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday.

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