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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Bright Maxi Dresses and Blue Bags

Despite my love for bright bags, I have very few bright clothes. Blue and grey are the main colours in my wardrobe. Over the past few years I've been trying to be more adventurous with colour thanks to reading lots of great blogs and looking up to people like Sheila who wear colour so easily. Now I have a couple of bright maxi dresses. I like maxi dresses as they are fuss-free instant outfits, and colourful dresses are a great way to ease into a more colourful wardrobe.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
Dress: Kmart Tropicana sleeveless tiered maxi dress
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale, 44% off!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Last time I wore this dress I shared that I bought it after seeing it on Instagram. Quite a few of the #everydaystyle ladies have it, and I always smile when I see it pop up in my feed. It also makes me smile every time I wear it, such a cheerful colour. Perfect for a hot day and I love how the aquamarine Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag matches with the print on the dress. We had a fun morning attending rhyme time for some singing and the dancing with the boys, a quiet day.

I don't always go matchy matchy with accessories, but the necklace and bag worked so wonderfully with this print I was glad I did it this time. I'll probably wear this similarly again, I liked it so much. It's only March but this is easily my favourite outfit of the year. Wouldn't change a single thing.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, coral printed maxi dress, studded gladiator sandals, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: coral printed maxi dress for Christmas day, studded gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and pink vest.

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More Bright Floral Print Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo

Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
Shoes: Balenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH (on sale, 58% off!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in black, or in blue)

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, I wore this for a much busier day. We had Baby Boy's weekly weigh and then a trip into the city for another specialist appointment, and family visiting in the afternoon. I really like this bright maxi dress as it's a nursing dress, perfect for a busy day and breastfeeding on the go.

I kept thinking of this bag after sharing it (and all my other bags) in my wardrobe inventory post, as it's really only worn in the office. Thought this tote would be a good carry all for the folder of documents I bring along to appointments for Baby Boy. Unlike my neverfull, it's quite a stiff bag and not very flexible or easy to use when you have a baby on your hip. You can't just use one hand to dig around inside when it's on your shoulder due to the inflexible sides. It spent most of the time hooked onto the stroller which I actually didn't mind.

Pink and blue is one of those colour combinations I really enjoy, but this bag just isn't practical for stay at home mum life. I was annoyed by this bag most of the day. It's going back to sit in the wardrobe awaiting my return to work in a few months.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), Mothers En Vogue maxi dress, gold glitter belt, sorbet Balenciaga sandals, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: Mothers En Vogue maxi dress and denim jacket, gold glitter belt in the office, studded Balenciaga sandals and maternity shorts, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote and fit and flare dresses.

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More Pink Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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If you want to add more colour to your wardrobe, try a bright dress. You don't have to worry about mixing and matching or clashing with other colours. You can let it shine on its own as the focal piece in your outfit, so it's incredibly easy to wear.


Linking up with Friday Faves, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole, Modest Monday, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, Hello Monday, On Mondays We Link Up.

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Corporate Style: Wrap Dresses In Third Trimester and Rebecca Minkoff Medium MAB Tote

Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone celebrating the Lunar New Year! Neither of the outfits below feature the traditional red or gold, instead I'm sharing what I wore to work a few weeks ago. Toddler T is still getting generously showered in little red envelopes though, we celebrate Chinese New Year.


Congratulations to Sarah who won the #Struggles Book giveaway, by sharing some great advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed with social media:

The advice that I would give is to fast from social media. When you give it up, you give up your ties to it and it's hold on you is gone. Just distance yourself from it at least for a while.

There were lots of great entries, and similar advice, but I liked Sarah's mention that sometimes we need to to break the 'hold' we feel social media has on us.

What I wore:

Necklace: Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Dress: Atmos&Here Betsy jersey wrap dress in watercolour print (new purchase)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey (on sale in black)
Bracelets: the usual plus turquoise and silver beaded bracelet set
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in black, or in blue)

Why I wore it:

I was excited to wear my new dress! I saw this on incredible sale at the Iconic for boxing day and ordered a size larger than my usual so that it would hopefully fit the baby bump. Was really pleased to find it accommodated a third trimester belly nicely. It's still on sale too...

I had an important meeting in the morning and then lunch with friends in the afternoon, this dress was the perfect office wear for that. And the print nicely disguised the fact that I spilled a little sauce down the front at lunch, haha!



Last worn: studded mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote bag. First time I've worn the dress as it is a recent purchase.

Other ways to wear: studded mouse flats and a pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote bag and winter layering.

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More beautiful printed wrap dresses under $100:

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What I wore:

Necklace: custom Cooper charm by Silhoupette, Tiffany diamonds by the yard necklace
Dress: Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in grey, or in burgundy)

Why I wore it:

While the dress in my first outfit isn't a maternity piece, this maternity wrap dress is one of my favourite pregnancy purchases from last time around. It always looks good, worked well for another day in the office and the navy MAB tote goes with everything of course.

I'm not sure how much use this bag will get when I go on maternity leave, but it's so perfect for the office and I think such a classic style I'm pleased I bought it last year.


Last worn: Soon Maternity printed wrap dress, metallic ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: Soon Maternity printed wrap dress and Chloe paddington, metallic ballet flats and a maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with a dress as a top.

Linking up with Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Modest Monday, Classy Monday, Mix It Monday, On Trend, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Fashion Party, Wardrobe Wednesday, Dress to Impress, What I Wore to Work.

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Corporate Style: Plaid Shirts In The Office with Pencil Skirts and Alexander McQueen Skull Scarves

Last time I wore these plaid shirts, I wore them with skinny jeans. I'd been trying to think of another way to wear them so they wouldn't just sit unworn for a while and figured I'd wear them to the office! Just like last time, two extremely similar looks, just wearing them with slightly different things.

If you want to make a plaid shirt look a little more formal and corporate, you can always tuck it in too. I tend to leave my shirts untucked as I work in a fairly relaxed business casual office.

What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Alexander McQueen red skull-print modal and cashmere-blend scarf
Shirt: Jay Jays metallic plaid shirt
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

It's officially spring here in Brisbane which is great as it means I can go bare-legged with the knee bandage more often. I've mentioned before it doesn't work well with tights! While I took this photo before I went to work a couple of weeks ago, it was a warmer than normal winter day and bare legs were fine.

When I put this on it seemed a little dark with all the black, so I added the bright scarf for some colour, even though didn't really need it for warmth.


Last worn: black trench, red skull scarf, plaid shirt, black pencil skirt, ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: black trench and a printed dress, red skull scarf and a navy striped dress, plaid shirt and denim, pencil skirt and polka dots, black flats and a printed dress, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote and a printed dress.

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Shop plaid shirts at Shopbop:

See more plaid shirts at Shopbop.

If you'd rather ease into plaid, check out the plaid scarves. Accessories are a great way to try something out on a small scale.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Alexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Top: See by Chloe lavender plaid cotton shirt
Skirt: Asos tailored tab front pencil skirt in grey
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs logo plaque flats in camel
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

Unlike a few days before, when I wore the outfit above, this winter morning was a little more wintery and I was wishing I didn't have to go bare-legged! Especially in the rain for the commute home. I added the scarf for extra warmth. I considered wearing ankle boots instead of ballet flats too, but my boots have a tiny (1cm) heel and I'd really rather stick to completely flat shoes while my knee heels.

Wasn't sure what colour scarf to wear with the purple shirt at first, I tried on a few and in the end decided this magenta one worked nicely. What do you think?


Last worn: camel trench, magenta skull scarf, purple plaid shirt, grey pencil skirt, Marc by Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: camel trench with a colourful outfit, magenta skull scarf and a LBD in spring, purple plaid shirt with skinny jeans, grey pencil skirt and floral cami, MbMJ ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with the same scarf and different outfit.


Linking up with Modest Monday, Let It Shine, Mix It Monday, Style Sessions, Reasons To Dress, On Trend Tuesday, Wardrobe Wednesday, Real Mom Style, What I Wore today.


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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Corporate Style: Printed Pencil Skirts, Trench Coats and Scarves

It's starting to get really cold in the morning taking outfit pictures! Brisbane's winter has reached its single digit temperatures so it's at the coldest point. My trench coats have been getting a lot of wear, being the biggest jackets I have.

Around this time last year I wore a lot less as I wasn't commuting early in the morning and facing the cold temperatures. I had the luxury of being able to nap when baby did in the morning and only venture out with my tiny newborn in the heat of the day, or even staying inside all day and having people come visit us cosy at home. The middle of the night feeds were freezing, but walking around with a doona wrapped around your shoulders is acceptable when the only face you will see is a hungry baby. A trench coat is a poor alternative, although much more socially acceptable for a commute!

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 

Scarf: Alexander McQueen modal skull scarf in white/pink (on sale!)
Top: Asos crochet shell top in cream
Skirt: Cotton On 'Mica' mesh spot skirt in dusty pink
Shoes: Wittner 'Bloomy' black heels
Bag: Marc By Marc Jacobs Classic Q Fran bag with gold hardware in carob brown

Why I wore it:

It's been such a long time since I last wore this jumper, almost 2 years ago! I used to wear it a lot in the early days of the blog (with all my headless blogging pics). I realised the other day I haven't worn my jumpers often this winter, so this one was the first one I picked out to try wear more. Although it hasn't been worn in a very long time, I'm keeping it as I liked it in this outfit and I have more ideas for other ways to wear it in future.


Last worn: beige trench, pink skull scarf, crochet knit jumper, polka dot pencil skirt, ankle strap heels, Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag.

Other ways to wear: trench with a printed dress, skull scarf and shorts in summer, jumper layered over a dress, polka dot pencil skirt with polka dot top, ankle strap heels with a printed dress and bare legs, 40 weeks pregnant with Marc by Marc Jacobs Fran bag.

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Trench coats and pencil skirts:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Temt black trench coat 

Scarf: Cotton On turquoise pashmina
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Top: Jeanswest Elise longline emroidered shirt coconut blue
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy

Why I wore it:

I really liked this outfit, but hate the photos as I think the scarf looks silly! I looped it around like I normally do after the photos. I wore it this way just to try show off the detail on the top. I know this skirt looks better with heels than flats too, but my knee needed a bit of a break from heels as I knew I had a lot of walking to do that day.

Had been wanting to wear this shirt to the office with this skirt for a while, and I stumbled across a little week-long style challenge on instagram that called for a white shirt. I don't have a white shirt (hate ironing shirts and too clumsy for white) so I figured this white tunic was close enough. So even with the weird looking scarf placement and the stumpy legs the skirt and flats combination gave me, I was really happy in this all day.

That's one of the good things about sharing every outfit I have time to photograph - it means even if the photo is terrible, I still have a record of how great I felt in an outfit to help me on those 'I don't know what to wear' days. I search the blog every now and then when I'm staring at my wardrobe trying to think of what to wear! I'm never going to have perfect photos, and I'm never going to have perfect outfits. I'm happy with that, and I'm happy to have you reading along too. Life doesn't have to be perfectly posed and styled all the time - it never is behind the scenes.


Last worn: black trench, turquoise pashmina, embroidered tunic, blue lace pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: black trench with skinny jeans, turquoise scarf and purple jeans, embroidered tunic with flares, casual summer outfit with lace pencil skirt, black ballet flats with skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff MAB tote with more printed pencil skirts.

Linking up with Modest Monday, Mix It Monday, Style to Inspire, Manic Monday, Turning Heads, On Trend Tuesday, Style Sessions, Real Mom Style, Confident Twosday, Reasons To Dress, Wardrobe Wednesday, Trendy Wednesday today.

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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: 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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