Corporate Style: Marc By Marc Jacobs Lil Ukita Bag

Consistently, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Ukita bag is one of the most clicked items on my blog. Probably because the rock lobster colour is awesome and it brightens up a neutral outfit really well. It's the perfect size for taking to work too.

What I wore:

Necklace: thrifted pearl and heart charm long necklace

Tank: Jeanswest 'Hannah' print tank in paradise pink multi
Jeans: Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans in black
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet and JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Little Ukita bag in Rock Lobster

Why I wore it:

As it was a slightly cooler day, I figured I'd get some wear out of my maternity jeans and wear them to the office again like I did with my last pregnancy. I did want to wear a button up shirt to look a little more professional, but couldn't find one that actually buttoned over the baby bump, ha! it was too hot to consider a blazer too, so I just wore the bright tank by itself.

I'm surprised I haven't worn this tank and bag together before, the colours go really well together.


Last worn: striped tank, Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans, Walnut Melbourne ballet flats, Marc by Marc Jacobs Lil Ukita.

Other ways to wear: striped tank and a maxi skirt, maternity skinny jeans post-baby, ballet flats and a pencil skirt, Marc by Marc Jacobs Lil Ukita and a striped dress.

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Shop more Marc by Marc Jacobs Ukita bags:
(including the 'new Q', mine is the 'classic Q')

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What I wore:

Necklace: House of Harlow 5 station necklace in black and silver

Tee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Skirt: Asos maternity panelled pencil skirt in tartan check (non-maternity version here)
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs studded mouse flats in grey
Bracelets: the usual plus Hermes twilly worn as a bracelet (Confettis D'ex-Libris from 2009)
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Little Ukita bag in Rock Lobster

Why I wore it:

Fully embracing the casual side of business casual with a grey tee and a pencil skirt for another day in the office. I'm lucky that my workplace has such a relaxed dress code and I can get away with wearing tees in the middle of the week.

After my Melbourne trip and drooling over some scarves and twillies in Hermes, I decided to get my twilly out again. I really can't pull off the neck scarf look without looking like a flight attendant, but I like wearing it around my wrist. I've done so before, but silk is not the most practical fabric to wear around a toddler so it hasn't been worn much recently. Need to make more of an effort to wear it. It was a nice way to have some colour in my outfit even when I wasn't wearing the bright Ukita bag.


Last worn: grey tee, tartan pencil skirt, studded mouse flats, Marc by Marc Jacobs Little Ukita bag (above).

Other ways to wear: grey tee and a colourblock maxi skirt, tartan pencil skirt with brown and orange in third trimester, studded mouse flats and a printed dress, Marc by Marc Jacobs Little Ukita bag in winter.

Video review of the Marc by Marc Jacobs Ukita Bag:

Linking up with Shoe and Tell, Hello Monday, More Pieces of Me, Mix It Monday, Classy Monday, Turning Heads On Trend, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday, Wardrobe Wednesday.

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Melbourne Girl's Weekend - Second Trimester Travel Style And Pregnancy Trip Essentials

First up, thank you all so much for your kind words on my last post when I mentioned our house hunting is taking longer than we thought. Hopefully we will find the perfect place soon.


Slightly longer post than usual, sharing 3 outfits. It's what I wore when we went down to Melbourne for a girl's weekend to enjoy the food and the shopping. I did think about summarising everywhere we went and ate but it was such a big weekend the list was quite long and would be boring to read. I'll just do my usual and focus on what I wore instead.

It feels odd to be sharing such layered up winter-like outfits in December, but it was a cold weekend when we went down and the temps were around 10 to 20 Celsius, a good 20 degrees cooler than Brisbane. More like autumn/winter temperatures than spring!

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace layered with Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Tee: Atmos&Here grey v-neck tee with rolled sleeves (similar in black or white)
Jeans: Jeanswest maternity super skinny jeans in antique blue
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

This is what I wore to fly down to Melbourne and to explore the city a little. It was much too warm for Brisbane, but I was thankful for the jeans in Melbourne, especially at night as it got very cold.

In the evening I had a quick change out of this grey tee into a few more layers and my Church Online tee to meet one of the ladies on the team I work with each week at church online who is in my online life group (like online bible study). I felt so bad that I got lost, got the trains all mixed up and was very late for dinner - but I made it in the end and we had a wonderful time catching up! It's so nice meeting someone in person after working together and chatting so much with them online.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, grey v-neck tee, Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans, Converse, Balenciaga day bag.

Other ways to wear:  grey v-neck tee and shorts, Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans and a graphic tee, Converse and flares, Balenciaga day bag in the office.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest black leather jacket

Scarf: Seed Heritage Paisley print snood
Necklace: hidden under scarf: Tai gold alphabet necklace Happiness Boutique turquoise and coral pendant necklace (C/O)
Tee: Atmos&Here rolled sleeve oversized tee in wine (similar in pink or in black)
Skirt: Target grey marle maxi skirt
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

This was my comfortable yet cosy outfit for a day full of shopping. We started when the shops opened and then eventually were the last people to leave Tiffany in the evening when it closed. I appreciated the layers I'd packed. I took the scarf and jacket off and on through the day as the temperatures changed, but certainly needed them both in the morning and at night when we went out for dinner and dessert.

Out of all the places we visited and all the shopping we did, I have to comment on one experience in particular. If you ever find yourself in the Collins St Tiffany store in Melbourne, ask for Helen. She was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and we picked out some great gifts with her that I can't wait for everyone to receive!


Last worn: Jeanswest leather jacket, printed snood, burgundy tee, grey maxi skirt, Converse Chucks (above), Balenciaga day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: leather jacket and a summer dress in winter, printed snood in the office, burgundy tee and printed jeans, maxi skirt and a graphic tee, Converse and purple skinny jeans, Balenciaga day bag with flares.

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest black leather jacket
Necklace: hidden under scarf: Tai gold alphabet necklace 

Scarf: gifted star print pashmina
Tank: no label floral and lace top
Jeans: Jeanswest maternity super skinny jeans in antique blue
Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Balenciaga truffle brown RH classic day bag

Why I wore it:

The third day in Melbourne, back in the skinny jeans I'd worn for the trip down and wearing my new scarf that was a gift bought for me the day before from the Queen Victoria markets. I'm pleased how great this scarf looked with the tank! I knew the snood I'd packed wouldn't work with it, so was hoping for a warmer day, but was thankful I had the new pashmia for the chilly morning.



I was sad to leave Melbourne behind (the shopping and the food really doesn't even compare to Brisbane!) but I was really glad to get home and see toddler T. It's the longest I'd ever been away from him since he was born and I really missed him. And Cooper too, I kept stopping to pat cute dogs over the city! I really missed my boys.


I was really happy with everything I packed - I packed just enough, wore everything at least once, and my mostly empty LV keepall became stuffed full of purchases for the flight home! I did find myself wishing I'd picked a bag with a cross body strap by the end of the second day so I'd have the chance to give my shoulder a rest, but it wasn't too bad. First time I've ever not over packed! The allure of filling up empty space in my carry on with shopping helped me make the tough decisions of what to pack and what to leave behind.


Last worn: Jeanswest leather jacket (above), floral tank, Jeanswest maternity skinny jeans (above), Converse Chucks (above), Balenciaga day bag (above). First time I've worn the star print pashmina.

Other ways to wear: leather jacket and plaid scarf, floral tank and a pencil skirt, maternity skinny jeans post baby, Converse and a plaid shirt, Balenciaga day bag and a chambray dress.


Pregnancy travel essentials: stretchy tees, maternity jeans, scarves to layer with and comfortable shoes.

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Corporate Style: Chloe Paddington Bag and Wrap Dresses for The Second Trimester Baby Bump

Before I bought my first ever designer handbag, I'd spent ages researching and reading up on it and struck up quite a few online friendships. One of my friends, @jessicaval, had recently been talking about Chloe Paddingtons again, and we all decided to get out our old favourites and carry them for an informal #internationalPaddingtonWeek. I only managed two days as I figured a heavy bag with a padlock wasn't best for a day at home with a toddler, but it was perfect for taking to the office. It reminded my why I love and keep this bag, even if I don't wear it often, there are so many happy memories attached.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Rayban new Wayfarers (on sale!)
Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace
Tank: Jeanswest brown marle singlet
Dress: Jeanswest floral wrap dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
Bracelets: the usual plus Ferragamo double wrap bracelet
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

I'd only worn this dress two weeks ago, but really wanted to wear it again as I remembered I couldn't wear it after my second trimester in my last pregnancy as it was getting a bit tricky to wrap all the way around the bump. I'm glad I could give it one last wear before the baby arrives.

Picked gold flats to match the gold padlock on my Chloe Paddington. Can't believe it's been a year since I last wore it!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, brown marle tank, Jeanswest wrap dress, gold mouse flats, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: brown marle tank and a maxi skirt, wrap dress layered up for winter, gold mouse flats and flares, Chloe Paddington bag and a vintage pencil skirt.

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Shop more Chloe Paddington bags:

Note: If you're ever looking for a Chloe Paddington I'd suggest not paying retail and instead buying second hand from somewhere that guarantees authenticity like Fashionphile, or Vestiaire Collective  that authenticates the item after you purchase but before you receive it. I've featured bags from these places above. While ebay has a lot of Paddington bags, many are counterfeit.

What I wore:

Necklace: Tai gold alphabet necklace

Dress: Soon Maternity 'Madeline' grey print wrap dress
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bracelets: the usual plus JORD black Fieldcrest wood watch (C/O)
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Another wrap dress! They are such easy maternity options. this is a special maternity dress that I picked up second hand on ebay in my last pregnancy, and wore it 6 wonderful times. I wished I'd bought it sooner than I did, so I was pleased to be able to pull it out of the 'maternity clothes' bag I'd set aside and start wearing it now in the second trimester.

I'm not looking to buy any more maternity workwear, with the two pencil skirts and this maternity wrap dress from last time I'm pretty set as I'm only in the office twice a week.

I was a little sad to pack my Chloe Paddington bag away after wearing it, although it's not the most practical of bags and I can't use it every day I'm pleased @jessicaval inspired us to get our old bags out again.


I know that there is still a lot of interest in the Chloe Paddington bag as the video review of it is one of the most popular on my channel!

The Chloe Paddington will always be my first handbag 'love' and I'm never going to get rid of this one. What was your first ever handbag splurge? Do you still own and use it?


Last worn: Soon Maternity printed wrap dress, black ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: Soon Maternity wrap dress in the third trimester, black ballet flats and layers, Chloe Paddington bag and skinny jeans.



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