Colourful Maxi Dresses, Blue Balenciaga Tempete Day Bag and ABA

I've been wearing my maxi dresses a lot lately! They've just been the easiest option as they are instant outfits. I have a few black ones but the bright and colourful ones definitely get more wear.

This Balenciaga tempete day bag is one of my favourites too. It looks great with pink or worn in a monochrome blue outfit. Sharing it with both below, and talking a little more about my experiences with the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Dress: MEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
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:

If you follow my insta stories, you'll know it was a big day for me when I wore this! I had the chance to help out at the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) stall at the baby expo. While I'm still on maternity leave from my office job, it was nice to have a little bit of 'work' for the day for something different, especially as I waited for my re-application for Church Online to be approved so I could get back to working there.

I'm not the best at public speaking (my youtube channel is a way for me to practice!) and I don't like talking in a group or crowd situation, but it was nice being able to talk one-on-one to the people at the expo who stopped by the stall and tell them a little more about the ABA.

It was bittersweet meeting so many people who had a similar experience that I did. So many people didn't breastfeed their eldest as much as they had wanted to (for various reasons) and so were looking for some support or information to reach their goals the second time around. One of the breastfeeding counselors I worked with on the day was the same lady who had answered that exact query for me a little over a year before when I was pregnant with Baby Boy! She was wonderful and it was good being able to refer people onto her when they had questions outside of membership that I couldn't answer.

Hubby and the boys came to the expo in the morning with me and then after lunch I went to help out at the stand when the boys went home. This nursing maxi dress was a pretty and practical outfit, with the added benefit of my teething necklace generating a lot of enquiries from people. Although I hadn't known it beforehand, we had a little shop within the stall with teething necklaces for sale for fundraising. I showed the selection to a few people. This Balenciaga day bag easily held my water bottle and things inside while sitting in a corner of the stall too.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, pink maxi dress, gold glitter belt, gladiator sandals, Balenciaga tempete day bag.

Other ways to wear: pink maxi dress at 39 weeks, gold glitter belt and Aztec print, gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Balenciaga tempete day bag and red skinny jeans.

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More Balenciaga Day Bags:

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What I wore:

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban new Wayfarers

Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
Dress: Jeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete

Why I wore it:

This was another ABA-related outfit! Blue everything to meet the 'matchy matchy' style challenge on Intagram. Except the black and tan sandals. Sometimes I think I'd like blue sandals...I already have a few colourful flats I don't wear nearly enough though. I've worn this Balenciaga day bag together with the maxi dress before, it's a great combination.

Wore this to head out to the local ABA mother's group. The meeting topic wasn't one that was particularly relevant to me as I'm past the newborn stage, but it was good to get out and have some morning tea and a chat with the other mums.

In the afternoon we popped out to grab a few quick groceries too. While maxi dresses can feel a little more formal (and I wear them for evenings out), they are so comfortable and easy to wear that I wear them for everyday too, no special occasions needed.


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer (above), blue printed maxi dress, studded sandals, Balenciaga tempete day bag (above).

Other ways to wear: blue printed maxi dress with pink and aqua, studded sandals and denim shorts, Balenciaga tempete day bag and blush pink.

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Colourful Maxi Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Don't be afraid to wear bright accessories with a bright outfit. You can pick complimentary colours like pink and blue, or go monochrome and match your bag to your outfit for an easy, fail-safe match.




If you're pregnant or a new mum or both, I'd suggest checking out your local Australian Breastfeeding Association group. You can go to one without becoming a member, if you want to see what it's like first and how good the cakes are. In my experience though, the cake and the conversations are well worth the small $70 annual membership fee. 😂 Not a sponsored post, just wanted to share more about a group that's been a large part of my life this past year.


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#30Wears: Striped Maxi Skirt Black and White Jersey

Honestly, I had no idea wearing things in my wardrobe 30 times would be so difficult! When I first heard about the challenge (in The True Cost movie) I thought I'd have a few pieces I'd achieved it with. As I take a photo of what I wear every day, I had my blog archives to look through and was surprised how little even some of my favourite pieces are actually worn.
 I thought attempting 6 months without shopping would give me time to wear and enjoy what's in my wardrobe and rack up 30 wears. But if I want to get 30 wears of something in these 6 months, that's wearing something 5 times a month on average. That's more than once a week.

Since I own much more than a week's worth of outfits wearing things 30 times isn't often achieved. There are a few pieces I've already clocked up 30 wears of, but they are mainly accessories. Even my most worn kimono has only got 20 wears so far! I thought I'd be able to feature it in this post until I saw that count. Wearing everything you own 30 times sounded like a bit of a challenge, but I didn't realise just how difficult it would be for someone like me with such a large wardrobe.

I'd really like to show something other than an accessory or a maxi skirt in this 30 wears series soon, but as I'm challenging myself to find something every month to share, it means that this month it's going to be another maxi skirt. A printed one at least, so a little different from the plain one I featured previously.

#30Wears: Target Black and White Striped Jersey Maxi Skirt

I've worn this maxi skirt 44 times, so it was difficult narrowing down to just 30 outfits! I really like this skirt. Purchased it while pregnant with (now Toddler) T as I wanted something stretchy and comfortable. I'm amazed I'm still loving and wearing it over 3 years later, and to have gotten through another pregnancy with it. There is no sign of wear on it either, still as stretchy and comfortable as ever so it will be worn a lot more in the future.

Striped Maxi Skirt in a Monochrome Outfit

A classic black and white maxi skirt makes an easy monochrome outfit. You can pair it with white, grey or black and not worry about looking boring as the stripe print adds an extra bit of interest to the outfit.

Black and White Striped Maxi Skirt with Colourful Tops

A colourful tee or tank really pops against a black and white base. You can go bright with blue or purple or stick with another neutral like olive.

Striped Maxi Skirt and Scarves

I like to wear my maxi skirts year round, and when the weather cools a little a scarf is a great addition to a maxi skirt outfit to keep you cosy in autumn or spring. You can even do a little pattern mixing with a printed scarf. Stripes are so easy to pair with other prints.

Black and White Striped Maxi Skirt in Winter

While you do need to do a little more layering and perhaps wear boots, I've never had any issues wearing my maxi skirts in winter. Of course we don't get snow in Brisbane which helps!

Striped Maxi Skirt in Pregnancy: Second Trimester

I originally bought this maxi skirt in pregnancy when I was looking for something that would fit a growing baby bump. It was affordable, comfortable and stretchy. I had no idea I'd love and wear it so much that it would be worn through two pregnancies and beyond!

Striped Maxi Skirt in Pregnancy: Third Trimester

In the third trimester you outgrow a lot of the non-maternity pieces in your wardrobe that worked in the first and second trimesters. I ended up making a pregnancy capsule wardrobe last time with pieces I knew would fit and wore that for the final trimester. Luckily the elastic waist on this maxi skirt comfortably accommodated a growing bump. In fact it was the last thing I wore before Toddler T made his overdue appearance into the world.

Jersey Stripe Maxi Skirt in PostPartum Days

The stretchy waistband that made this skirt so good during pregnancy also makes it a perfect choice in the early post-partum days where your stomach changes daily and you need something quick and easy to wear as it's going to get covered in baby spit up anyway! Paired with a oversized tee or a cosy soft knit it's a comfortable outfit option to help you feel pulled together on little sleep.

You'll know from reading my blog that I obviously have a bit of a maxi skirt obsession, but I think this post illustrates quite well why I adore them so much. You can wear them so many different ways.

I think I bought this for $20 (or something close to that), so at 44 wears that's 45 cents a wear, for those who like to calculate cost per wear. Not bad for an impulsive pregnancy purchase over 3 years ago!

Want more outfit inspiration? View all 44+ ways to wear this maxi skirt in my blog archives.

I hope you found this post useful. Don't forget to share or pin!


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Blue Kimonos, Tees and Denim Shorts with Neon Pink Bag | #6MonthsWithoutShopping Update 3

First, I'm so happy to report that month 3 of my #6MonthsWithoutShopping challenge is done, and I've bought nothing. Still sticking to my challenge. I did buy a hair curler but as beauty and makeup/skincare products are exempt I'm not counting that.

The hardest temptation for me this month was a mustard yellow cardigan in my size for $2 in an opshop. I've been wearing a lot of mustard lately with my little mustard Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag so have been wanting more of it. But I left it behind. Even though I keep thinking about it!


Now, what I've been wearing. One colour combination I'll always come back to is blue and pink. Neon, pastels or any shade in-between, I just love the colours together.

The outfits below are really simple with denim shorts and basic tees. Adding a bright handbag and printed kimono creates a little more interest and makes the outfits less plain. Kimonos are a perfect completer pieces for an outfit, even in hot weather.

What I wore:

Jacket: thrifted Edited floral and bird print kimono

Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
Tee: Atmos&Here rolled sleeve oversize tee in black (also in grey, 25% off with code 'YAY25')
Shorts: Jeanswest Trinity Bermuda denim shorts (on sale!)
Shoes: Wittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff neon pink mini MAC (on sale!)
Nails: OPI Rich Girls and Po Boys

Why I wore it:

This was an easy outfit for playgroup, and then a quick stop at the post office in the afternoon to mail some more ebay parcels.

Shorts and a tee is a great warm weather playgroup outfit, and it's what the boys wore too. Adding the printed kimono and bright bag made my outfit a little more colourful and fun. Although the kimono has red in the print instead of pink, I really liked the neon against the navy background. Just like last time I paired the two together.

Cooper wasn't in the mood for photos this morning and tried to hide away - you can see him peeking out in my instgram photo too.


Last worn: printed kimono, black tee, bermuda denim shorts, studded sandals, neon pink mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wear: printed kimono worn two ways, black tee and printed jeans, bermuda denim shorts and button up shirt, studded sandals and printed shorts, neon pink bag and olive tank.

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More Pink Rebecca Minkoff Bags:

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What I wore:

Jacket: New Look Petite print kimono

Tee: Asos new forever grey tee (on sale!)
Shorts: Jeanswest denim cuff shorts
Shoes: black slim Havaianas thongs
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff neon pink mini MAC (on sale!)
Nails: OPI Rich Girls and Po Boys

Why I wore it:

Same outfit formula as the first outfit - blue kimono, basic tee and denim shorts with a bright pink bag. I had picked the bag and kimono first, then the shorts and wasn't sure what top to choose. Went with this neutral grey tee as it's been a while since I last wore it, 7 months! Despite getting rid of a lot of grey tees I obviously still have a long way to go if it's so long between wears.  It was such a hot day I wished I'd picked something with a little less fabric, like a tank instead of this tee.

We spent the day northside visiting the emergency services expo. Although much too hot for us to enjoy walking around an unshaded park, Toddler T and Baby Boy had a fun time jumping up on all the fire engines and police cars and ambulances.


Last worn: printed kimono, grey v-neck tee, denim shorts, Havaianas, neon pink mini MAC bag (above).

Other ways to wear: printed kimono and graphic tee, grey v-neck tee and printed pencil skirt, denim shorts and printed tank, neon pink mini MAC bag and black skinny jeans.

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Blue Printed Kimonos Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Add more colour to a basic shorts and tee outfit with colourful accessories like handbags and kimonos. A plain neutral tee is a great base for a bright bag and printed kimono as you don't have to worry about mixing in any more colours.


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