Winter Outfits for Returning to Work After Maternity Leave - Fit and Flare Dresses

After an extended maternity leave, I'm back in the office and sharing my business casual office style again. It's been a while! Thanks for all your sweet comments when I hinted at my return earlier, and for the encouragement on Instagram as I've been sharing my office wear and return to work struggles.

Just like last time I returned to work, I'll clear up a few things first.

• In Australia you are legally allowed a minimum of a year's maternity leave. You have the option to extend it to 2 years if it suits the company you work for, or go back sooner if you wish. My team, boss and workplace is flexible, understanding and supportive.
• Yes I took a longer maternity leave this time around than last time. (If you followed me in December you'll know why).
• I am back in the office part time again, so I'll continue to have SAHM outfits and corporate style outfits on the blog.

And although it's completely repetitive as I said it last time: "Everyone does the right thing for them and their child (or children) at that point in time. Mums always know best. And that means for me, that I've returned to work. "

Now that's out the way, the simple fuss-free outfits I wore for my first days back:

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo

Scarf: navy bird print scarf
Necklace: Eye Candy LA 'Sasha' statement necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in pink, or in white)

Why I wore it:

No surprise, I went with my comfort colour and wore blue for my first day back. I also took advantage of being child free and wore the biggest most non-baby friendly statement necklace I have. I missed wearing it, last time I wore it I was very, very pregnant! The scarf kept me cosy for my early morning commute and I ended up keeping it on in the office too. A big blanket scarf is the closest you'll get to cosying up to a blanket at your desk!


My first day back was much like my return to work two and a half years ago - lots of emails to sort through and trying not to cry when I thought about being away from my boys. It took me a lot longer to go through my emails - I could delete all the meeting requests and event related emails, but there were a lot of changes while I was away so it was helpful to read the emails covering the changes, and there are so many colleagues that moved around the organisation or even left so it was good to try wrap my head around what it all looks like now.


As much as I missed the office and enjoyed being able to do things in peace and quiet for a change, I was so pleased to come back to my boys and my mum in the evening.


Last worn: navy mac, bird print scarf, striped fit and flare dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: navy mac and chambray dress, bird print scarf with jeans and blazer, striped fit and flare dress for a baby shower, black ankle boots and monochrome jeans outfit, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with the same dress 2 years ago!

Perfect for pregnancy: stripe fit and flare dress hiding a second trimester bump, ankle boots in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote in third trimester.

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Fit and Flare Dresses For The Office Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Forever New Skye Foil Feather scarf in berry / gold (on sale!)
Dress: Jeanswest tucked ponte black dress
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: Asos leather Chelsea boots in tan
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in pink, or in white)

Why I wore it:

Another day in the office, another fit and flare dress. I have this dress in the stripes above and in black here and I have no plans to get rid of either of them - they are perfect for work. Easy to wear in summer with less layers too.


The only thing these dresses aren't suitable for is expressing breastmilk at work. I don't have to do that as Baby Boy's older, but would that be something you'd want to see me call out with my office outfits, which ones would work for expressing/pumping? While I've not had to do it at work I have had to do it at home and occasionally on the go for both my boys so I have a little experience there. Shea has a wonderful guide on how she makes exclusive expressing work for her that could be helpful too.


Last worn: burgundy feather foil scarf, camel trench, black fit and flare dress, gold glitter belt, Chelsea ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: burgundy feather foil scarf and flared jeans, camel trench and print mixing, black fit and flare dress in spring, gold glitter belt and maxi dress, Chelsea ankle boots and skinny jeans, pencil skirts and Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote.

Perfect for pregnancy: trench coat in first trimester, fit and flare dress hiding an early baby bump, gold belt over a baby bump, Chelsea boots and belted dress in second trimester, MAB tote and plaid shirts in first trimester.

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More Fit and Flare Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Returning to work after maternity leave is an emotional time - no matter what length of maternity leave you had! Pick easy, fuss-free outfits for your first few days back. Plan them out beforehand and have them hanging in your wardrobe ready for you to grab and go.

I like fit and flare dresses as they nip in at the waist without being too tight and flow flatteringly over the stomach if you have a leftover mum tum like I do. Plus a dress is an instant outfit, you didn't need to think about how pieces will look together.

If something makes you feel happy, comfortable and confident, it's the perfect outfit for your return to work.


Linking up with On Trend, Confident Twosday, Turning Heads, Fashion Frenzy, Style on the Daily, Fashion Files.

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Corporate Style: Winter Printed Dresses For a Business Casual Office

First up, had to share this sale with you! Shopbop are having an extra 25% off the designer boutique sale items with the code '25EXTRA'. It's sales like these that make #noBuyJuly15 so difficult to stick to! I love the extra discounts on Shopbop on top of their already good sale prices.

If you're not on a shopping ban, check out the sale! I will be skipping this sale, I'm at the halfway point with #noBuyJuly15. I've been so good for the first half of the month, just need to continue that for the rest of the month! If you're doing the no shopping challenge with us too, ignore the sale info above (sorry!) and make sure to check out the survival plan on Beth's blog for some great tips about making it through the month without buying anything!


Just like the previous post, more dresses for the office! I thought after the June Dress Week style challenge I did I'd be over dresses, but I am enjoying the simplicity of them for work. Just throw on and go, no need to try coordinating pieces. I even kept the same coat and bag. The two dresses below are new ones from my June purchases.

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Cardigan: Jeanswest Peggie kimono in purple mulberry marle
Dress: Jeanswest Sadie silk printed shift dress (new purchase)
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

This dress was a complete bargain for a silk dress! It was on sale at Jeanswest, and then reduced to an extra 50% off on top. A $130 dress reduced to $30, just had to get it. I know that silk (and any hand-wash only item) is not the most practical fabric to have around baby, so I'll be keeping this dress as work-only for a while.

This was great for the office, lunch with the girls and then dinner after work with friends. I was a little paranoid about baby's sticky hands on my dress at dinner though, may have been wiser to have worn this on a different day. I just kept wrapping my cardi around to cover as much of the dress as possible!

This is actually the third time I've worn these ankle boots. The second time I posted them, I forgot to do my usual purchase review!
I bought these in June to replace my heeled black ankle boots, wanting a pair that feel better suited to life with baby. I really like these. They go with everything, from jeans to maxi dresses.
They are leather, only have the tiniest of heels (about a centimetre), they are the perfect ankle boot height for me and even better, they were on sale at The Iconic so were a bargain. They will be getting a lot of wear over the rest of winter, and in Spring too!


Last worn: black trench, purple cardi, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote. First time I've worn this dress as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: pencil skirt and black trench, purple cardi with denim, ankle boots with a maxi dress, print mixing with Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote.

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More printed dresses:

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Cotton On turquoise pashmina
Dress: Target Danni Minogue Petites printed wrap dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

This dress is almost completely hidden by the trench coat and scarf, but it was a cold day! This is the first faux-wrap dress I've ever owned. Usually I hate them, they have the look of a wrap dress but none of the flexibility to adjust them to sit just right. I've never had one look good on me before. This is from the Dannii Minogue petites range at Target (maybe an Aussie only range) and it fits perfectly! I'd seen it a few times in passing but been put off by the price, so when it was on sale I took the chance to try it on. I discovered it was a faux wrap dress in the change room but decided to try it anyway, and fell in love. It just sits perfectly! I'm pleased I tried it on, and although I haven't bought any more from the range (as my size was almost always sold out) I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye any sales on the line in future.

As it's the second time I've worn these shoes, my purchase review:
I like these! I think I'll keep an eye out for this brand going on sale again too! Marc by Marc Jacobs is my usual go-to for ballet flats, but with the Aussie dollar not doing so great even at sale time they are pushing my 'limit' for shoes, so it's nice to find another brand I like. The flats are comfortable, practical and easy to wear. The sole is thicker than a usual ballet flat so it's nicely padded, and the elasticated backs don't rub at all (which I was a little concerned about). Not sad to see my old black flats go, and really happy with these replacements.


Last worn: black trench (above), turquoise pashmina, Walnut black flats, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the dress as it is a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: black trench with black, white and tan, turquoise pashmina with a different printed dress, black flats with skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote with pencil skirts.

Linking up with Pleated Poppy, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, The Wednesday Pants, Trendy Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Fun Fashion Friday, Feature Friday today.

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Corporate Style: Scarves and Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote

I've only been back at work a few months, so I have lots of summery work outfit ideas. I'm trying to wear them and go bare-legged as long as possible. It's certainly warm enough to do during the day, but it is pretty cold in the mornings!

Two autumn work outfits, one that got a lot of love on instagram despite how much I hated it in person, and another I really liked!

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Grey and pink leopard print scarf from Paddy's Markets in Sydney
Dress: Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale, 40% off!)

Why I wore it:

I really did not like this outfit. I liked the idea in my head, and it met the style challenge theme of 'a hint of pink' with both the dress and scarf...but it just felt really bulky on. It was all too much with the layers and the print mixing. Cosy with all the layers, just didn't feel very confident in it, felt a bit 'bleh'. Thankfully I didn't need the scarf indoors, and I was able to change as soon as I got home.

Everyone on instagram really seemed to love this outfit though! It even got more likes than Baby T's newborn photo! Maybe the print mixing didn't look as bad as I thought.


Last worn: trench coat, leopard print scarf, Leona Edmiston printed dress, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: leopard print scarf with skinny jeans, trench coat with jersey dress, ankle strap heels with pencil skirts, navy MAB tote with a monochrome blue outfit.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Zara cream jersey blazer

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal and cashmere skull scarf
Tee: Thrifted valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee (new purchase)
Skirt: vintage pencil skirt from The Thrifty Kitten
Shoes: Wittner 'Lumen' heel in patent leather
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

The next style challenge was 'powerful' and I don't really think I have any clothes that make me feel powerful. Confident I do though! Like most people, I tend to think heels make me feel more confident. Heels, a pencil skirt and a blazer is a staple work wear combination for me so I feel pretty confident in it.  Just might have been a little cosier with the trench coat on top rather than the blazer, as I was bare-legged. Winter temperatures are definitely here in the mornings!

This top is one of the new-to-me ones I got from the 'fill a bag for $2' op-shop sale. I wanted to wear it like this as I remembered the comment Kiki had made last time I wore this skirt about how nice it would look with cobalt blue. I've worn it with white, brown and purple before but this is the first time I've tried it with blue. This top isn't cobalt, but I did really like the blue with the printed skirt.


I'm always so grateful when you leave constructive criticism or outfit suggestions - it's good to get some ideas from an impartial third party about how things look, and some different things to try. As I learnt in my wardrobe detox session with the personal stylist, I'm not always using my wardrobe to it's full potential or dressing in the most flattering outfit combinations. But just like the terrible outfit above, I'll still share what I wore anyway - and think of different ways to wear things in future so I am back to feeling confident and happy with what I'm wearing.


Last worn: cream blazer, skull scarf, printed pencil skirt, nude heels, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the tee as it's a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: blazer with skinny jeans, tan skull scarf with red, printed pencil skirt in summer, nude heels with a printed dress, navy tote with printed dress and pink blazer.

Linking up with WIW, Style Me Weekly, What I Wore, I Feel Pretty, The Wednesday Pants, Trendy Wednesday, Oh Hey Girl, Wardrobe Wednesday, Thursday Fashion Files, Throwback Thursday, Thursday Favourites, Look What I Got today.

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June Dress Week: Corporate Style - Polka Dots and Floral Print - Monthly Purchases

Sharing my June purchases and the final two outfits for the June Dress Week Style challenge, two work outfits. I enjoyed playing along with Kiki during this challenge, but I do think it was extremely challenging for me wearing so many dresses in winter. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone though, which is a nice benefit from a style challenge.

June Purchases:

• thrifted blue Mossman knit jumper (already worn here)
• Zalora Basics maroon stepped t-shirt 
• Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (worn below)
• Jeanswest Sadie silk printed shift dress
• Target Dannii Minogue Petites printed faux wrap dress (not in video as it was in the wash sorry!)
• RMK Chester black ankle boots (already worn here)
• Asos airtime leather Chelsea boots in tan
• Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
• Rebecca Minkoff mini quilted affair bag in fire engine red

With all of these purchases this month it's easy to see why I've decided to do a #noBuyJuly15 challenge! I definitely don't need to be adding any more to my wardrobe. I still have completely unworn items from my May purchases, as well as things I bought and have only worn once! I didn't hit my goals of wearing things twice in a month after buying them...because of this I returned all of the tops from my Jeanswest order. I think I need a bit of space to wear and use what I own instead of buying more in July and compounding the problem.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket

Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Dress: Atmos&Here Polly navy polka dot shirt dress
Skirt: Atmos&Here grey marle jersey pencil skirt (same in navy or in black)
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'shirt dresses or wrap dresses' so I wanted to wear my newest shirt dress purchase. Wearing a dress as a top isn't a new thing for me (I've done it here and here before) but I actually really hated it this time! I don't know if it was the lack of a belt or just the mix of the materials with the dress, tights and skirt. It didn't stay in place and I kept tugging at it all day. The jersey pencil skirt wasn't very forgiving when the dress bunched up underneath it either.

I like the idea behind this outfit and all the pieces, but not how it all worked together. If I was to try this again I'd wear a different skirt, add a belt and pull the dress down. I think part of the problem was that I tried to let the dress drape a little over the top of the skirt to disguise that I didn't add a belt. See how Kiki had a better outfit for the challenge here.


Last worn: metallic jacket, roses skull scarf, polka dot shirt dress, grey marle pencil skirt, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: metallic blazer with a sequin tank, skull scarf with spring dresses, polka dot shirt dress with Converse, grey marle pencil skirt with Converse in spring, ankle strap heels and bare legs, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with printed pieces for work.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs print scarf in croc-print
Cardigan: Jeanswest Peggie long sleeve line kimono in purple mulberry marle (new purchase)
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress
Tank: Jeanswest Jenni basic singlet in Royal Lilac purple
Shoes: Asos Aggie leather western ankle boots in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

This was what I wore for the 'Floral Friday' challenge. I did think of wearing this wrap dress for the previous day's challenge, but as it was one of the few floral print dresses I own I wanted to save it for this day instead. I've worn it a few times in the blog, during pregnancy and post-baby too. I've never worn it layered up quite so much, even pre blog I kept it as mainly a warm-weather dress. Was good to try something different and wear it in winter. See how Kiki wore the floral Friday theme on her blog.

I really liked this outfit to wear, but I think the photo shows how rushed I was that morning - everything was kind of thrown on and I didn't even have time to try straighten anything out before I took the photo. Taking daily outfit photos will never be more than something I quickly do before I go out each day, I'm not trying to and never will be perfectly posed and styled. I figured a rushed photo was better than nothing, as I was doing the style challenge I felt I had to get a picture. Still pretty pleased I managed get ready and take photos and get to work on time though, I was really running late that morning.

Leaving My Wardrobe: Asos Aggie Black Ankle Boots

This is the last wearing of these ankle boots too. The heel just limits the amount of time I can wear them, and I've already bought a pair of flat ones to replace these as shown in the video. They were comfortable and did well in my wardrobe, I just need things that are a little more suited to life with baby. From the first wear to now, I've worn them 36 times. Not bad for a sale buy 3 years ago!

Last worn: trench coat, croc print scarf, purple tank, floral wrap dress, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above). First time I've worn the cardigan as it is a new purchase.

Other ways to wear: black trench coat with a different printed wrap dress, printed scarf with striped maxi skirt in third trimester, purple tank with a pencil skirt in summer, floral wrap dress in summer with a baby bump, ankle boots in spring with a floral dress.

Linking up with Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Styled Up, Budgeting Bloggers, Bless Your Heart, Mix It Mondays, Manic Monday, Daily Express, On Trend Tuesday, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Reasons To Dress, Wardrobe Wednesday, The Wednesday Pants, What I Wore today.

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Jeanswest Jewel Toned Blouses In The Office & Weekday Wear Linkup

For today's weekday wear linkup I'm sharing two pretty jewel toned blouses I wore to work with classic black pencil skirts. I wear my pencil skirts year-round to the office, they just need a little extra layering in winter!

What I wore:

Earrings: Kmart navy tassel earrings
Scarf: Alexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
Top: Jeanswest Chana long sleeve stud top in night sky navy
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

More fun photos from my friend K at the Myer Centre cloud 9 area. When I saw that this pink and yellow wall matched my pink and yellow scarf it was an obvious backdrop for taking photos!

I like the sapphire blue of this studded blouse, it's such a nice colour and it pairs nicely with black. I think navy and black is a stunning combo. With the navy Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote too though the outfit felt a little flat - the pink and yellow Alexander McQueen skull scarf was the perfect accessory for a little extra colour.

These black ankle boots have been getting a workout too after my tan ones broke!


Last worn: navy studded blouse, tassel earrings, Alexander McQueen skull scarf, black pencil skirt, black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote bag.

Other ways to wear: navy studded blouse and jeans, Alexander McQueen skull scarf and maxi skirt, black pencil skirt and printed tank, 30 ways to wear black ankle boots, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote bag and sheath dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: Alexander McQueen skull scarf in third trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, ankle boots in second trimester.

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What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Medium MAB Tote

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Cassandra jacquard jacket
Top: Jeanswest Frankie soft blouse in berry
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Edie small crossbody bag in magenta

Why I wore it:

This berry blouse is such a great colour to wear! It's shiny fabric makes it seem more pink or more ruby toned in different lights. I was wondering what bag I could wear with it when I realised it looked pretty similar to the shade of this magenta Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag! You know I love a bit of matchy-matchy, and while the shades don't match exactly this combination made me so happy.

This lovely metallic boucle jacket seemed like a good combo with the silky texture of the blouse, and the round neckline let the little ruffled collar of my blouse standout. I also appreciated the zippers on the sleeves of this jacket. The blouse has puffy statement sleeves and it wasn't fitting under a plain black blazer, but unzipping the sleeves on this slightly let me wear the blouse under with ease!


Last worn: jacquard jacket, berry blouse, black pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag.

Other ways to wear: jacquard jacket and dress, berry blouse and skirt, black pencil skirt and tee, black ballet flats and a-line skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard blazer in third trimester, black pencil skirt and second trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester.

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Jewel Toned Blouses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A jewel toned blouse in a modest cut is great for the office. Long sleeves mean your arms are protected from the freezing aircon, and the colours are a nice pop with a classic black pencil skirt. With the plain colourful backdrop of the blouse you can add a fun printed jacket or a scarf for a little extra interest too.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #25

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 

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Corporate Style: Fit and Flare Dresses ~ Winter Layering

Two simple fit and flare dresses for the office, layered up with some colour for winter. I took these photos without my trench over the top so you can see the layering better, but winter mornings are especially cold so I still needed a jacket. I do like being able to show all of the layers for photos instead of hiding them under a jacket, but it's much colder this way...probably will go back to wearing all my layers and staying cosy for pictures!

What I wore:

Scarf: Seed Heritage Paisley print snood (on sale!)

Tee: Valleygirl blue 3/4 sleeve tee
Dress: Jeanswest 'Rita' stripe jersey dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Had to brave photos in the cold without my jacket so you could see the blue tee underneath! This tee was one of my May purchases, and I just managed to wear it twice in June. I took these photos in the last week of June, I'm just a bit behind in blogging. I had planned to wear it sooner, but having to stay home and look after an unwell baby meant I was just waiting for another chance to wear this outfit! I was pleased I got to wear this eventually, I much preferred this outfit over the last time I wore this dress.

So since it's the second time I've worn this tee, my purchase review:
I'm pleased I bought this. I used to have a wide range of layering tees like this and I ended up donating them as I had much more than I would ever wear. I think the last I ever wore one was back in 2013! However I noticed the gap this winter, pieces like this are great under dresses to add some colour and keep warm. Plus with the fill a bag for $2 sale at the local 'op shop' and a bag full of clothes for baby T, adding in an extra top didn't cost me any more. I'm pleased I got it and although I don't wear this style of top very often I'm glad I have it for those occasions I do want something like this. Happy with this purchase, even if it's not the kind of thing I need to wear everyday.

The difficulty with wearing this top twice in the month after buying it made me re-evaluate and return some of my June purchases too. While plain, bright coloured tops are a gap in my wardrobe, I don't need more tops, I have plenty! So I'm definitely going to be buying less tops for a while. (I won't be buying any in July while I'm doing #noBuyJuly15 of course!) I'll focus on wearing more of the tops I own and getting rid of the ones that no longer work for me to free up some space!


Last worn: plain blue top, printed snood, stripe fit and flare dress, ankle strap heels, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: blue top with a pencil skirt, snood in spring with chambray, stripe dress in summer for baby's dedication, ankle strap heels with pencil skirts, Rebecca Minkoff navy MAB tote with printed pieces.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Nadine 3/4 Sleeve dusky pink blazer

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal skull scarf in white/pink (on sale!)
Dress: Jeanswest tucked ponte black dress
Belt: Kmart thin black glitter belt
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

Although I wasn't too happy with the full outfit last time I wore this blazer (it would have been better with a different scarf) I really liked it belted so I was eager to try it again. I really liked this outfit! It's taken me a while to figure out how to make this blazer work for me but I think belting is the way to go! It looks much better belted with a LBD for the office than worn loose.


Last worn: pink Alexander McQueen skull scarf, pink boyfriend blazer, black glitter belt, black dress, black heels (above), Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: Alexander McQueen skull scarf with a maxi skirt in spring, pink boyfriend blazer with denim shorts, printed dress with a glitter belt, belted LBD for the office in summer.

Linking up with Modest Monday, Style To Inspire, Mix It Monday, On the daily Express, More Pieces of Me, Turning Heads Tuesday, Style Sessions, Real Mom Style, Confident Twosday, Trend Spin Linkup, Wardrobe Wednesday today.

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