Wearing A Colourful Bag to the Office with Textured Pencil Skirts and Black Shirts

After I completed 7 months without shopping, I celebrated in my usual fashion and bought a new bag! 😂 Although it's big and purple, I still think it's perfect for the office - you don't have to stick to neutral bags for work.

I wore it to the office the other week with a classic black shirt and textured pencil skirt outfits, wearing more of my office pieces that were packed away while I was on maternity leave.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Dixie collarless jacket

Necklace: freshwater pearl necklace and long freshwater pearl strand necklace
Shirt: French Connection verity voile black short sleeve shirt (with Target grey marle tank top underneath)
Skirt: Cotton On 'Mica' mesh spot skirt in dusty pink
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs howlite and hematite beaded bracelets
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag (from my bestie's wardrobe!)

Why I wore it:

I felt really lady-like in this outfit! Which helped counteract some of the awkwardness I felt when I stepped back from setting my tripod up in the morning to get a blog photo and realised I'd just been standing in my bemused neighbour's way (you can see them jogging away in the background!). So awkward. I never know what to say when people see me taking outfit photos so I just kinda smile and shrug.

I've worn this top and pencil skirt together before. Back then I was hiding an early baby bump, this time around I'm using the outfit to disguise my mum-tum 😉
This pencil skirt was one I saw in a magazine a few years ago and thought it was nice, so I checked out the price details. When I saw it was called the 'Mica' skirt I just had to get my namesake. It's perfect for the office and one of those pieces I'm glad I impulsively bought. Despite the top layer being textured polka dots on a fine mesh, it's held up well over the years and I'm impressed by the quality, considering I bought it 5 years ago.

I hadn't planned a necklace to wear with this, I'd set out the clothes and thought I'd pick one at the last moment. I was still unsure as I was getting dressed until I added the tweed blazer I knew I had to go for my pearls. They are actually two different freshwater pearl necklaces! The shorter one is from my jewelry designer friend and I've worn it as a bracelet before.

Last worn: tweed blazer, French Connection shirt, grey target singlet, pink polka dot pencil skirt, Marc Jacobs black flats. First time I've worn the bag as it's a new purchase. 

Other ways to wear: tweed blazer and skinny jeans, black shirt and peplum skirt, grey target singlet and striped maxi, pink polka dot pencil skirt and striped tee, Marc Jacobs black flats and skinny jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: boucle blazer in third trimester,grey singlet in third trimester, shirt and pencil skirt hiding first trimester bump.

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Textured Pencil Skirts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs mauve square scarf
Shirt: Forever 21 sheer black ruffle detail shirt
Skirt: Warehouse navy jacquard pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

I've been wearing blue and purple together often recently! I really like the combination. This purple scarf was the perfect topper to my black and navy outfit, and tied in nicely with my purple bag.

This black shirt is another one that hasn't been worn for a while. It's button up so would work for breastfeeding, but it feels a bit 'fancy' for stay at home mum wear so it was packed away with all my office clothes while I was on maternity leave. It's a little hard to see in the pictures with all the layers but it's got a fun ruffle detail down the front. You can see it better when I previously wore it here, again with the same skirt!

This jacquard pencil skirt is one of my favourite textured ones - it's a very pretty design, even if the skirt rides up a little as I walk! A ruffle shirt, textured pencil skirt and purple accessories might sound a bit much for the office, but I think all the pieces work well together.


Last worn: navy macintosh, purple blanket scarf, sheer ruffle shirt, jacquard pencil skirt, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Balenciaga work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy macintosh and striped dress, purple blanket scarf and chambray dress, sheer ruffle shirt and pink skirt, jacquard pencil skirt and grey tee, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats and wrap dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: jacquard pencil skirt in first trimester, ballet flats and maternity jeans.

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Purple Tote Bags Under $200:

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How You Can Wear It:

Neutral bags are a good choice for the office, but if you have a relaxed work environment with a business casual or smart casual dress code, it's easy to add a little extra colour to your outfit with a bright bag. While there are some exceptions, my general rules for picking a bag for work are to:
Carry a neutral bag if -  I'm going to be travelling for work, either across the city or to another state, and I'll need to carry my bag into meetings.
Carry a bright bag if -  I'm going to be in meetings in the same building all day leaving my bag behind at my desk and I'd like something fun to look as I work.

Don't be afraid to add a little colour to your office wear with a bright bag.


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Wearing Your Printed Shirts Out of the Office: SAHM Style with Purple Jeans

As I mentioned in Monday's post, I love my button up shirts as they are one of those pieces in my wardrobe that work for work and weekend. Having relaxed style shirts made with soft fabrics (like these ones I'm wearing are) helps make them a good option to do double duty for stay at home mum outfits.

What I wore: 

Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket

Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Shirt: Target blue abstract floral print shirt
Jeans: Jeanswest 'shale' super skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini in soft grey (on sale, 30% off!)

Why I wore it:

I love blue and purple together so these purple toned jeans seemed like an obvious choice with this printed shirt. Another $10 target sale find, I always seem to have good luck in their sales.

Was an interesting day when I wore this. Baby Boy woke up early as always and when we got downstairs I noticed a giant rat in the yard. I've tried to show hubby it before and Cooper's unsuccessfully tried to catch it too. I took a photo for proof of all those times I've been sure Cooper chased a rat out the yard, and then carried on making brekkie.

When Baby Boy excitedly pointed at birds out the window I looked out again and saw the rat hadn't moved. I went out and scared the birds away from it and caught the poor thing in a cardboard box and gave him some food and water and a blanket made from an old top. I called RSPCA while trying to figure out if it was native or introduced. Although it meant I was late for the ABA meeting that morning, we took a little detour to the vet. She confirmed it was a melomys, a native Aussie animal which to my untrained eye looked like a cute rat. Toddler T even named him "E The Rat". Every time we pass the vets he asks if E The Rat is feeling better. I hope so, he was in very bad shape.

In the end we weren't too late to the ABA meeting, which worked out nicely as part of the introduction speech was a thank you for the volunteers as part of World Breastfeeding Week. I was surprised to get given a thank you gift for volunteering with my local group. It was so sweet, and I'm glad I didn't miss catching up with everyone.


Last worn: denim jacket, blue printed shirt, colourful skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff MAM.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and maxi dress, blue printed shirt in the office, colourful skinny jeans and kimono, Converse and maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff MAM worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and black dress in second trimester, blue printed shirt in first trimester, colourful jeans for work in first trimester, Rebecca Minkoff MAM and maternity denim shorts. 

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Purple Jeans Under $50:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Peggie kimono cardigan in purple mulberry marle
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
Shirt: Target mint stripe shirt
Jeans: Jeanswest blackberry super skinny jeans
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Although not totally blue, I thought this mint shirt would look good with my purple jeans. I wore this out shopping with the toddlers. After being sick for a few days, we were feeling better so I made a small detour to Kmart before grocery shopping. I had my eye on a dress I'd continuously seen during my no shop challenge and couldn't stop thinking about. I was going to wait for it to go on sale, but decided to go ahead and buy it anyway as I kept thinking of it. It was only $15 too.

I've worn these purple jeans with the mint bag before, I really like the colourful combination. This shirt is so soft and so comfortable - while it works nicely in the office with a pencil skirt, I love wearing it casually too.


Last worn: purple cardigan, pinstripe shirt, purple skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: purple cardigan and maxi dress, pinstripe shirt and pencil skirt, purple skinny jeans and graphic tee, Converse and floral maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and black maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: purple cardigan and printed cami in first trimester, striped shirt in second trimester, Converse and maternity shorts, mini MAC bag and kimonos in third trimester.

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Printed Shirts Under $50

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How You Can Wear It:

Your printed shirts don't have to be ignored when you're outside the office. They can easily be worn casually too:

• Perfect for breastfeeding so can be worn while on maternity leave. 
• A printed shirt and colorful jeans is a nice casual option for the weekends.

It's great to have pieces in your wardrobe that work for multiple situations, it means you can get more wear from them, and more value from your purchase.


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Maxi Skirts in Cooler Weather with Longer Sleeve Tops

If you're a regular reader you'll know I love my maxi skirts! I like to wear them year-round. When it starts to get a little cooler, I swap out the tanks I usually wear with them for longer sleeved tops. The little extra warmth is helpful in the colder mornings and evenings. These outfits were worn when it started to cool off a little, but before our winter weather really arrived.

What I wore:

Blouse: Jeanswest Elise longline embroidered shirt in coconut blue

Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale, 20% off!)
Nails: Revlon 'Plum Seduction'

Why I wore it:

This was a nice quiet, relaxing day without much on when I checked Instagram as the boys napped and saw that Lightning McQueen was in Brisbane for the day. Quickly threw this on and packed the baby bag so that as soon as the boys were awake we were ready to go. While Baby Boy was a little too small to understand, the Cars mad toddler T loved it! Was definitely worth the last minute trip.

I did think about wearing a jacket with this as I knew it would be cool by the river, but I was babywearing with the Ergo so didn't want too many layers - it gets pretty hot with a toddler strapped to you! It's the same reason I didn't add a necklace to this - but the embroidery and tassels on the top mean I really don't need a necklace anyway. It felt a little cooler on the way home but overall I was pretty pleased with this outfit. I love this embroidered blouse, always enjoy wearing it.


Last worn: embroidered blouse, grey jersey maxi skirt, black Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff metallic mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: embroidered blouse and denim shorts, grey jersey maxi skirt and denim jacket, metallic mini MAC bag with metallic tank.

Perfect for pregnancy: maxi skirt and graphic tee in third trimester, metallic bag and maternity shorts.

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More Grey Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Top: Target blue abstract floral print shirt

Skirt: Noisy May long denim maxi skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats (on sale!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC (on sale, 20% off!)
Nails: Revlon 'Plum Seduction'

Why I wore it:

It's strange to be wearing this shirt when I'm just over a week away from successfully completing 6 months without shopping. I failed my no buy July challenge when I bought this shirt in 2015! Amazing how different it's been coping with the longer no-shop challenge a year and a half later. Will share a post next week with my tips and experience. After failing a 31 day no shop challenge I'm incredibly still staying strong with my 6 months challenge!


It's not the first time I've worn this shirt with a maxi skirt, although I did like this monochrome outfit better. I wasn't impressed with the way the shirt sat in photos, but I liked how this looked in person. Wore it to playgroup and a birthday party for one of Toddler T's friends. Thought the silver accessories were a good pairing with the monochrome blue outfit.


Last worn: blue floral shirt, chambray maxi skirt, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wear: printed shirt in the office, chambray maxi skirt worn two ways in summer, silver ballet flats and purple jeans, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed shirt while battling morning sickness, metallic mini MAC and pink pregnancy dress.

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More Denim Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Maxi skirts aren't just for summer! When the weather starts to cool in autumn, or it starts getting warmer in spring, you can easily wear your maxi skirt. Pick a longer sleeved top for a little extra warmth and some closed in shoes like ballet flats too to keep your toes cosy. Printed or embroidered tops look lovely with plain block colour maxi skirts like the ones I'm wearing.


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Maxi Skirts and Prints: Stripes and Leopard

I'm a fan of print mixing and I've worn stripes and leopard print together many times before. Sometimes it's just nice to let a print shine on it's own though, and wear a single printed piece with a plain basic, like I did with these maxi skirt outfits. Both outfits I wore with my Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush, a great neutral shoe!

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maji metallic tank in soft green and silver (extra 30% off sale price!)
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale, 44% off!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey
Nails: OPI Rich Girls and Po Boys

Why I wore it:

I've worn this metallic tank with a printed maxi skirt and a striped maxi skirt before, but it's the first time I've worn these two together. I'm quite surprised I haven't worn them together before, it's a great combination. I've not worn this tank as much as I thought I had! I bought it in November before my #6MonthsWithoutShopping started, and this is only it's 5th wear in the 5 months I've had it. Actually paying more attention to the number of times I've worn things and not just seeing how long it is between wears has been an eye opener. It's helping me avoid shopping and stick to the challenge, as I know I won't wear new things I buy that much. I already have an overflowing wardrobe!


This was a casual and comfortable outfit, perfect for taking Baby Boy for his weekly weigh and spending time with my mum and sister in the afternoon.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, metallic tank, striped navy maxi skirt, studded gladiator sandals, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag.

Other ways to wear: metallic tank worn two ways, striped navy maxi skirt with purple, studded gladiator sandals and pritned shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and chambray.

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Sale Alert!

There are a few good sales on at the moment:

Jeanswest have 40% off for rewards members (free to sign up if you're not one already!).

ASOS have up to 50% off in their sale. Lots of good autumn/winter options there!

The Iconic have new styles added to their 50% off sale.

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What I wore:

Sunnies: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Tee: Sass and Bide 'New Day Rising' tee in orange leopard print
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale, 44% off!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold (on sale!)

Why I wore it:

Had a quietish day with the boys, a couple of errands to run including stopping at the post office to mail some more parcels from my ebay auctions.

Almost every time I wear this tee I comment how long it's been between wears, so I'm making more of an effort to wear it. The neon tee and the grey maxi skirt is a combination I actually wanted to wear in pregnancy. I liked this yellow, orange and grey combination and wanted to try it with the leopard print rather than the stripes. Unfortunately while a loose fit, the tee is slightly cropped so it's not ideal for pregnancy wear with a baby bump making it ride up!

I'm glad I remembered to give the combination a try now I'm not pregnant, I really liked this. Grey is a great base to pair with such a brightly printed tee.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), Sass & Bide leopard print tee, grey jersey maxi skirt, Rebecca Minkoff gladiator sandals (above), Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wear: Sass & Bide leopard print tee and purple bag, grey jersey maxi skirt in winter, Rebecca Minkoff gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag and denim shorts.

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More Printed Pieces Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Basics don't have to be boring - they are great to pair with printed pieces in your wardrobe. If you have a printed item that you're not sure what to wear with it or how to wear it, grab a plain, block-colour basic piece and let the print be the statement in your outfit.


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Printed Shorts with Neutral and Bright Fitted Tanks

Before starting my #6MonthsWithoutShopping challenge and trying to hit 30 wears on more of my wardrobe, I'd been admiring a pair of printed shorts at Jeanswest. It was a good motivation for me to get the printed shorts I already have and wear them more often. This post brings them to 14 wears, even though the lightweight fabric and relaxed cut make them perfect for a hot day.

The outfit formulas followed below are incredibly similar, but I think they look different just by changing from a neutral to a colourful top. Anything to justify the huge box of fitted tanks I have in multiple colours! 😉

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
Tank: Target grey marle tank top
Shorts: Jeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
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:

I really liked my outfit last time I wore this teething necklace and Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag together, so it was good wearing the combination again. They go quite well together!

Grey and blue is another one of my usual combinations. It's been such a long time since I wore this Target tank, a shame as it's a really good basic. A nice neutral tank went well with the busy printed shorts.

Ran a few errands in the morning and had a haircut too. You might have notice my hair doesn't look any different! I've decided to grow it out and donate it, so just had a trim. I usually grow my hair long and then change my mind and cut it short again, so this way it will benefit a sick child. Completely inspired by my friend who grew her hair for two years in order to donate it.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Target grey tank, printed shorts, Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals, aquamarine Mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: grey tank and maxi skirt, printed shorts and stripes, Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals and denim, aquamarine Mini MAC bag and wrap dress.

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Blue Printed Shorts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Tank: thrifted Cotton On yellow tank
Shorts: Jeanswest 'Scarlette' printed shorts
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale, 44% off!)
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

I liked the neutral tank and printed shorts combo above but wanted to try something a little more colourful the next time I wore these shorts. I like blue and yellow together so this tank seemed like a good choice. I mentioned on Instagram that this isn't a 'flattering' look.

When doing my wardrobe detox with a personal stylist two years ago, soon after buying these shorts, she pointed out that they didn't hit at the slimmest part on my waist (none of my tummy region is slim after having my beautiful babies!). It's easy to disguise by wearing the shorts with similar colours. But some days, you just want to wear a cheerful bright yellow tank and enjoy the colour combination more than the way the outfit flatters your post-baby body. I'm grateful for the advice of the stylist (she was so knowledgable and helpful!) but I'm also going to wear what makes me happy even if it doesn't look the best.

While this outfit does seem to highlight my rounded 'mum-tum', these shorts and blue and yellow together make me happy. Even if it did feel a little overly bright for a quiet day with not much else on other than a trip to the post office, I enjoyed wearing this.


Last worn: Ray-ban Wayfarer (above), yellow tank, printed shorts (above), studded gladiator sandals (above), Balenciaga tempete Day bag.

Other ways to wear: yellow tank and baby bump, printed shorts and ankle boots, studded gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Balenciaga tempete Day bag and blue dress.

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More Printed Shorts Under $50:

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You don't have to pair colourful printed shorts with a neutral top, you can wear a complimentary colour for an extra touch of brightness to your outfit. Neutral shoes are a good addition to a bright outfit like this.


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Maxi Skirts and Stripes

Over the past couple of years, there have been some pieces that have become staples in my wardrobe. Stripes and maxi skirts are two of the things I wear often. It's an easy outfit formula for a busy day, although I don't always love the results.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tank: Jeanswest 'Jenni' basic singlet in Hawaii blue
Skirt: Target navy side split maxi skirt
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs pearl, howlite and hematite beaded bracelets
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag (currently 30% off!)

Why I wore it:

This was an outfit I loved. I've worn a very similar outfit before and liked it just as much then. We had a relaxed day, a playdate at a friend's house in the morning. While I don't like breastfeeding in fitted tanks like this, we were back home before baby boy needed another feed.

The pink and purple teething necklace and brown Balenciaga bag were good accessories to stop the outfit looking too monochrome with the blue tank and navy skirt. There isn't anything I'd change about this outfit! It's so simple but also so perfect for a stay at home mum.


You hear a lot about 'shopping your closet' and wearing things you already love, and it's something I'm doing with my #6monthsWithoutShoppingChallenge. It's good to get inspired by your own outfits too, and recreate something you loved in the past.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, blue fitted tank, navy stripe maxi skirt, Havaianas, Balenciaga truffle brown day bag.

Other ways to wear: blue fitted tank and sheer tee, navy stripe maxi skirt worn two ways, Balenciaga truffle brown day bag for a weekend trip.

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Striped Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Top: Cotton On stripe sailor tank in dusky green / grey marle
Skirt: Jeanswest Luxe maxi jersey skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in pink, and there's a spend and save sale on now at Rebecca Minkoff!)

Why I wore it:

This was a new outfit idea I wanted to try. It's a similar outfit formula to the one I loved so much above with stripes and a maxi skirt, but I don't think the pieces worked as well together.


Olive green and red is a colour combination I'd seen around on a few blogs (like Carylee's) and got inspired to try. I was worried it would look to Christmasy with the green and red, but I think the olive and poppy red worked nicely without looking like a Christmas tree!

The tank is one I haven't worn for a while - I was pregnant when I last wore it. I thought it would look nice tucked in with the black maxi skirt. At the last minute I decided to pull it out a little and make a blouson effect to see if it looked better, but as you can see from the photos it really didn't help! I didn't have time to change without being late to playgroup, so I just stuck with wearing it how you see here. Not one of my favourite outfits, although I did like the new-to-me colour combination. Just one of those 'okay' outfits.


Last worn:Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), striped tank, drawstring waist maxi skirt, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff red saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: striped tank and printed jeans, drawstring waist maxi skirt worn two ways, studded sandals and denim shorts, Rebecca Minkoff red saddle bag and jeans.

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More Maxi Skirts Under $50:

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Wardrobe staples like stripes are perfect for those days where you need to get out the door quickly. It's best to check your final outfit in the mirror so you're still wearing something you feel happy in, no matter how much you like each piece separately.


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Metallic Tanks, Maxi Skirts and Red Rebecca Minkoff Unlined Saddle Bag

Doing #6MonthsWithoutShopping means I've been enjoying wearing more of my wardrobe and rediscovering older pieces. I recently found this black foil metallic tank and since I liked wearing it so much, I wore the same outfit the formula the next day with my silver metallic tank.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Charlotte teething necklace
Tank: French Connection feather foil singlet
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bracelets: the usual plus two Roie Designs pearl on leather adjustable bracelets
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

I wore this tank when I created my first ever post on the blog, where you can see the metallic shimmer better as I used the flash on the camera. In six years it's only been worn four times. Last time was two years ago! I uncovered it in my wardrobe and was surprised (but glad) that I still had it.

I wore this for a casual day, taking the boys to playgroup. Previously I'd seen this tank as one of those 'special' pieces where you want to 'save' it for a perfect occasion. With no new clothes coming into my wardrobe for 6 months as I do my no shopping challenge, it's given me a good reason to enjoy more of what I own instead of waiting for a perfect time that never seems to come up. I've already worn this tank again recently!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, black foil tank, grey maxi skirt, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff red saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: black foil tank and metallic skirt, grey maxi skirt and denim jacket, studded sandals and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff red saddle bag and floral print.

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Metallic Tanks Under $50:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
Tank: Jeanswest Maji metallic tank in soft green and silver (extra 30% off sale price!)
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale!)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

I loved the simplicity of the first outfit with the metallic tank, comfy maxi skirt and bright red cross body bag for a touch of colour. Happily recreated it again the very next day with a different tank and skirt. Went to my local Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) mothers group with the boys.

Baby Boy is getting older now and it's easier to get out and back home between feeds. I'm still sticking to mostly breastfeeding friendly outfits like this though, just in case, and that came in helpful! About halfway through the meeting he wanted a feed and I hadn't brought a bottle with us as I didn't expect him to be hungry. It was good I was wearing something that let me easily breastfeed him. I didn't have anything to use as a breastfeeding cover which I would have preferred, but the great thing about the ABA is the mums are incredibly supportive no matter how you feed your baby. Covered, uncovered, bottle of expressed milk, bottle of formula, SNS, they've seen it all. I'm glad to have connected with them!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), metallic silver tank, striped maxi skirt, studded sandals, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag (above).

Other ways to wear: metallic silver tank worn two ways, striped maxi skirt in winter, studded sandals and denim shorts, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and shirt dress.


Metallic tanks are just as easy to wear as plain tanks. You can dress them up or you can wear them casually with maxi skirts like I have here.

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Linking up with Modest Monday, On Trend, Style Sessions, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday, What I Wore.

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