Friday 7 April 2017

Chambray and Pink: Different Shades and Lengths with Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag

I've shared many times about my love for blue and pink together. I like wearing pink with denim, so when I wore two of my chambray pieces recently I paired them with two different shades of pink. A maxi skirt with a magenta pink tank and a dress with a dusty pink vest.

What I wore:

Sass & Bide neon tank chambray noisy may denim maxi skirt teething necklace outfit | Away From Blue

Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey | Away From The Blue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
TopSass and Bide 'Musical Genius' tank (similar, at 40% off!)
SkirtNoisy May long denim maxi skirt
ShoesWittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
BagRebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

Pulled this together at the last minute to go out for dinner with the in-laws. The style challenge for the day was 'denim your way', this chambray maxi skirt was brilliant as although it was evening it was still too warm for jeans or a denim jacket.

I wasn't sure what necklace to wear with this - the tank has magenta and neon orange with the neutrals, but I knew as we'd be going out to a restaurant I'd need a few tricks to keep Baby Boy amused. As suspected, the necklace came in handy as he could play and fling it around without it actually going on the floor, unlike some of his other toys.... When trying on a few of the teething necklaces I have I was pleased to see how well this necklace matched the pink on the tank, I'm sure to wear this combination again!

Not the first time I've worn this chambray maxi skirt with magenta pink either!


Last worn: Ray-Ban Wayfarer, Sass & Bide tank, chambray maxi skirt, two tone sandals, Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag.

Other ways to wearSass & Bide tank and print mixing with stripes, chambray maxi skirt in winter, two tone sandals and printed skirt, Rebecca Minkoff quilted love bag and pink dress.




Where to Buy the Rebecca Minkoff Love Bag:








What I wore:

Jeanswest Rachel Lyocell chambray dress, Peri drape sleeveless jacket vest dusty pink | AwayFromBlue

Rebecca Minkoff Love quilted cross body bag in charcoal grey | AwayFromTheBlue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
JacketJeanswest Peri drape sleeveless jacket (on sale!)
DressJeanswest Rachel Lyocell chambray dress (C/O)
ShoesBalenciaga studded sandals in sorbet RGGH (on sale!)
BagRebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

The style challenge for the day was 'layer player' but despite it being autumn, it was much too hot to think about layering. This sleeveless jacket is a good layering piece for hot days.

I was inspired to try this by seeing vests and dresses worn together on a few different blogs. I wasn't sure how this vest would work with the dress, so picked a quiet day to try it. Although I like the colour combination I wasn't sure how the shapes would work together. A quiet day running errands was good to give the new silhouette a try. Although not quite an outfit fail, I liked the idea of this outfit better than the actual resulting outfit. Blue and pink is a good colour combination, but these two pieces together weren't my favourite.


Last worn: Ray-ban Wayfarer (above), dusty pink vest, chambray dress, Balenciaga sandals, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love (above).

Other ways to weardusty pink vest worn two ways, chambray dress and ankle boots, Balenciaga sandals and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag and winter layers.



More Chambray Dresses and Skirts Under $50:







How You Can Wear It:



Try pairing your chambray with something pink. You can wear it with a little like a printed tank with only a small percentage of pink, or go all out and wear a pink vest or jacket with it. A pink scarf would be nice with chambray in cooler weather too.


Linking up with Friday Faves, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Hello Monday.




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Wednesday 5 April 2017

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:


Mothers En Vogue Maxi Dress Breastfeeding and Volunteering SAHM Style Outfit | AwayFromBlue

pink maxi dress, Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | AwayFromTheBlue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Abacus teething necklace in pop
DressMEV Havana maxi dress C/O Zibibo
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
ShoesRebecca Minkoff Georgina studded gladiator sandals in blush (on sale, 44% off!)
BagBalenciaga 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 wearpink maxi dress at 39 weeks, gold glitter belt and Aztec print, gladiator sandals worn 30 ways, Balenciaga tempete day bag and red skinny jeans.



More Balenciaga Day Bags:








What I wore:

Monochrome outfit, jeanswest printed maxi dress tempete Balenciaga day bag | Away From Blue

blue dress, storm Balenciaga giant hardware Day bag in 2009 tempete | Away From The Blue
SunglassesRay-Ban new Wayfarers
Necklace: Ruby Olive Softies Ava elephant pendant teething necklace
DressJeanswest 'Chantelle' crochet detail blue printed maxi dress
ShoesWittner 'Jasmarie' studded sandals
BagBalenciaga 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 wearblue printed maxi dress with pink and aqua, studded sandals and denim shorts, Balenciaga tempete day bag and blush pink.




Colourful Maxi Dresses Under $50:









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.


Linking up with Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear, Flashback Fashion, The Ultimate Rabbit Hole.


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Monday 3 April 2017

#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.


30 ways to wear a black and white striped maxi skirt | Away From The Blue Blog #30Wears



#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.

4 Monochrome Outfit ideas with black and white striped maxi skirt | AwayFromTheBlue


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.

3 ways to wear striped maxi skirt | away from the blue blog


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.

print mixing: striped maxi skirt and patterned scarves | AwayFromBlue


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!

Ways to wear a striped maxi skirt in Winter with layers | AwayFromBlue



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!

Second trimester comfy outfit ideas striped maxi skirt | AwayFromBlue


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 striped black white maxi skirt in third trimester non-maternity wear | AwayFromTheBlue



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.

Postpartum style: easy maxi skirt comfortable outfit | Away From Blue



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!


Linking up with Hello Monday, Mix It Mondays, Modest Monday, On Monday We Link Up, On Trend, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, Midweek Inspo, What I Wore, Thursday Moda, Fashion Files, Labour of Fashion.


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