Monochrome Winter Office Outfits: Pencil Skirts and Matching Knits

Returning to work in winter has meant I not only get to wear my neglected pencil skirts that were packed away in pregnancy, but also some of my winter knits I haven't seen in a while! I had a little fun trying to create monochrome outfits, even if one of the outfits wasn't my first choice for what to wear.

What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs bright blue stole
Knit: Warehouse grey bead front jumper
Skirt: Asos tailored tab front pencil skirt in grey
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in pink, or in white)

Why I wore it:

To help make things easier with my return to work, I've gone back to laying out what I want to wear for work the night before. I used to do this a lot before kids came along - now I usually plan it out in my head before falling asleep. Despite a tough and tiring day, I decided to actually try on what I'd set out the night before, and I'm glad I did. Although it's 16 months post-baby, the fixed waist zipped pencil skirt I wanted to wear still didn't fit! 😂

It had always been a bit of a snug fit and my diastasis recti wasn't helping the situation. I was able to take the time to find something else that fit, this lovely pencil skirt. Hooray for elasticated waists! Still managed to achieve a monochrome look liked I'd first planned by picking this lovely grey beaded knit to wear with it. Not a bad outfit, one that looks quite nice in the photos actually, just not what my first choice had been!


Last worn: navy mac, cobalt scarf, beaded jumper, grey pencil skirt, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote.

Other ways to wear: navy mac and striped dress, cobalt scarf and maxi skirt, beaded jumper and skinny jeans, grey pencil skirt and floral cami in summer, silver ballet flats and purple jeans, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote and plaid shirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: embellished jumper in first trimester, grey pencil skirt and hidden 20 week baby bump, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote and wrap dress in third trimester.

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Knits Under $50 for a Business Casual Office:

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What I wore:

Jacket:  Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo

Necklace: Eye Candy LA 'Sasha' statement necklace
Jumper: blue Mossman knit jumper
Skirt: Asos blue textured lace pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote in moon navy (on sale in pink, or in white)

Why I wore it:

Unlike the outfit above, this planned outfit worked perfectly. This pencil skirt is stretchy and has an elasticated waist - it worked quite far into my pregnancies too!

No scarf with this outfit so I took the chance to wear my favourite statement necklace. I didn't need the scarf as it was supposed to get up to summer temperatures in the middle of the day. I did however need the cosy knit to keep me warm on my very early morning commute. I'm usually up and out the door early, but had to leave just as the sun was starting to rise, which is the reason for the colours being slightly off in the photo. You can see the lights still on behind me in the dark! Thankfully my camera copes okay with low light settings and the photo doesn't look too bad. I also got to see a beautiful sunrise while waiting for the train, so a pretty good morning overall.


Last worn: navy mac (above) cobalt knit, lace pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote (above).

Other ways to wear: navy mac and burgundy dress, cobalt knit and teal maxi dress, lace pencil skirt worn casually, black ballet flats with blush and olive, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote and printed dresses.

Perfect for pregnancy: cobalt knit in early first trimester, lace pencil skirt and third trimester bump, ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff medium MAB tote and wrap dress in third trimester.

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Elasticated Waist Pencil Skirts for Work Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

If you're unsure how to wear your pencil skirts to the office in winter, add some cosy tights (mine are fleece-lined!) and a matching knit. It's an easy, monochrome outfit that will keep you warm. If your office dress code is more formal or corporate, it's easy to layer a button up shirt under your knit and take your jumper off when you reach your desk.


One final thing: I'm thrilled my latest office wear post for World Breastfeeding Week was selected for Links A La Mode! 😃

Links à la Mode, August 3rd

• Adorned in Armor: Reclaiming My Time
• Aesthetic Distance: Real Talk: When You Are A Jack Of All Trades, You Are A Master Of SOME
• Away from the Blue: Outfits for Expressing Breastmilk at Work: Pumping Friendly Dresses
• Eyes on Style TO: Floral Shorts and Mid-Length Vests
• Five Foot Nothing Shopping: Summer Dress Essentials
• Green Acres Meets Paris: Patricia Nash Designs “Enjoying the Moment” in Knoxville
• Girl in Betsey: How to Date in the Digital Era
• Hampton Roads Fashion and Style: Maternity Style | Lace Midi Dress
• Have Clothes, Will Travel: An Ever Elusive Dress
• Jessica Sheppard: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
• Life in the Fash Lane: Re-Purposed Maxi
• Modernly Michelle: What to Wear to Summer Time Brunch
• Sifa's Corner: 5 Fashion Tips That Will Never Go Out of Style
• Tales of Two: Manly to Spit Walk - Exploring Sydney's Isolated Beaches
• T and Tour: My Mykonos Travel Guide
• The Chic Machine: 6 Pieces to Include in Your Anti Capsule Wardrobe

SPONSOR: Shopbop Vince, KORAL ACTIVEWEAR, Etre Cecile, Alpha Industries, Maggie Marilyn, NUDE, Patent Pumps, Plaid Pants, Mini Bucket Bags, Men's Club Monaco

Linking up with Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, Style On The Daily.

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Maxi Dresses In Winter: Leather Jackets, Scarves and Ankle Boots

When I did my 30 wears post with one of my leather jackets, I mentioned that I'd been looking forward to wearing the maxi dress and leather jacket outfit combination more over winter. Add some ankle boots, a big scarf and a leather jacket to a summer maxi dress and you have an easy and cosy winter outfit - and you get more wear from your summer dresses.

What I wore:

Jacket: Asos Black by Markus Lupfer printed leather jacket
Scarf: Sportsgirl animal scarf in violet
Tank: Jeanswest 'Jenni' basic singlet in festival fuchsia
Dress: black Jeanswest halterneck maxi dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')

Why I wore it:

Wore this for a day out with my boys, my last official day of maternity leave. (I've already blogged my return to work outfits but haven't shared this pic yet!). We spent the morning running a few quick errands and attending rhyme time at the library.

After liking the maxi dress and leather jacket combo I was eager to try it again. I thought that printed leather jacket would be nice with the black maxi dress but it all just looked a little too dull and black - so bright accessories were perfect for adding some colour! I really liked the purple scarf with the magenta Balenciaga day bag and pink tank.


Last worn: printed leather jacket, leopard print scarf, pink tank, black halter neck maxi dress, black ankle boots, Balenciaga magenta day bag.

Other ways to wear: printed leather jacket worn 30 ways, purple leopard print scarf with blue outfit, pink tank and striped skirt, black halter neck maxi dress and kimono, black ankle boots worn 30 ways, Balenciaga magenta day bag in the office.

Perfect for pregnancy: leopard print scarf and stripes in third trimester, pink tank in second trimester, maxi dress in the third trimester, ankle boots for baby bump reveal, magenta day bag and graphic tee in third trimester.

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More Leather Jackets Under $100:

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What I wore:

Jacket: Wittner 'Santa Fe' cobalt blue leather jacket

Scarf: Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf in Island pine-print
Dress: Jeanswest 'Elodie' tie dye grey jersey maxi dress
Shoes: RMK Chester black ankle boots
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

I went much more colourful for the next time I wore the maxi dress and leather jacket outfit. Had a crazy busy day. After being back at work, I'd found all the little errands I'd usually do during the week had to be crammed in on my days off, and so set an optimistic target of stopping in multiple places before lunchtime. Of course the boys were increasingly cranky and fed up being driven around all morning, so it wasn't the easiest of days!


Although we ran out of snacks buy the time we reached the final stop at Priceline, I was thankfully able to keep the boys amused long enough to have a wonderful chat and makeup trial session with Kaitlyn. We picked out all of the below makeup for my return to work.

I'm sharing this as I know a few bloggers gave me advice when I mentioned I needed new makeup that didn't make me breakout. My old stuff was over a year old and not entirely perfect. With the information I'd picked up from beauty blogs and a very patient and knowledgeable Kaitlyn, I managed to pick out things I'm really happy with.

I'm not a beauty blogger but I am impressed with all of this so far! I wear it twice a week to the office and have zero issues. The L'Oreal foundation in particular was expensive but worth every penny!

What I bought:

• Nude by Nature brush
• Nude by Nature mineral cover
• L'Oreal Infallible foundation
• NYX lipstick in Indian Pink 550

Just as well beauty products were exempt from my #6MonthsWithoutShopping challenge, as this was quite a big haul for me! Not sponsored, but I have been visiting the ladies at my local Priceline often (as it has a pharmacy) and I trust their recommendations! :)



Last worn: cobalt leather jacket, Marc Jacobs scarf, tie dye maxi dress, black ankle boots (above), Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag.

Other ways to wear: cobalt leather jacket and printed dress, Marc Jacobs scarf and pencil skirt, tie dye maxi dress and boho fringe bag, black ankle boots and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and printed jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: print mixing with scarf at 37 weeks, tie dye maxi dress at 38 weeks, ankle boots and baby bump.

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Maxi Dresses Under $50 You Can Wear All Year

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How You Can Wear It:

Don't pack your summer maxi dresses away when the cold weather arrives! You can layer them up for even the coldest winter day with the right layers. they might not be ideal in the snow if the maxi length trails on the ground, but if you have a snow-free day it's a good time to give this outfit idea a try! You can even hide some leggings underneath if it's really cold.


Linking up with Mix It Monday, On Monday We Link Up, Hello Monday, Oh Hey Girl.

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#30Wears: Black Ankle Boots

Another month, another #30wears post. This month I'm sharing 30 ways you can wear black ankle boots - across multiple seasons. If you're currently enjoying summer and want more sandal inspiration, I've done 30 ways to wear gladiator sandals.

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#noBuyJuly17 Results

Quickly wrapping up #noBuyJuly17 - I achieved it! Even after 6 months without shopping, I stuck to my goals this month and avoided the sales, not spending anything on fashion. I'm not going to try do 8 months without shopping, I'm open to shopping again in August.

However, I don't have the big 'wishlist' of items I was sure I'd have by the time my no-shop challenge is over, so I'm not going to be breaking the shopping drought with a huge haul or spending all those gift cards at once. I'll just see what I come across, and gradually spend the giftcards I'd set aside as a reward over the end of the year. A fairly uneventful end for a rather big achievement, no shopping for 7 months!

Despite the lack of a properly planned celebratory shop, I'm still really proud of managing to change my shopaholic ways. By buying nothing, I'm really getting more use from the things in my wardrobe that I already own, something I was trying to do but never seemed able to when I was just slowing down my shopping.

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30 Wears: RMK Black Leather Ankle Boots

I bought these boots in June, a little over two years ago. It was a month of a lot of purchases thanks to all of the sales there were on at the time and needing new winter pieces. These boots were a little more expensive than the pair they replaced, but they were on sale, in my size and with a smaller heel so they were the perfect choice for me as a mum! It's also good to see that while 30 wears in two years doesn't sound like a lot, it's more frequently than I wore the boots that these replaced so it was definitely a practical purchase, and I'm pleased I bought these.

I think black ankle boots are such a classic - definitely a must-have for me, and you can wear them many ways in different seasons.

Ankle Boots & Dresses in Warmer Weather

This is my favourite way to wear ankle boots. While I'm petite, I don't think these black ankle boots make me look shorter when paired with bare legs - they are a very flattering style. The slight dip at the front of them is one of the features that's supposed to stop them from 'cutting off' your legs and making you look shorter. While we rarely get weather that allows me to be bare legged and wear boots, wearing dresses and ankle boots with bare legs in spring and autumn is definitely a favourite.

Ankle Boots and Dresses in Winter

As much as I like the look of dresses and ankle boots with bare legs, I don't stop wearing it when winter arrives. Just add some extra layers like a cosy cardigan or jacket, a big scarf, and some fleece-lined tights (a winter essential for me!). If you're concerned about black ankle boots making you look shorter, this is a good way to wear them as the black tights and boots together elongate your legs.

Ankle Boots and Office Wear

While I don't think ankle boots would work in all offices, I have a business casual dress code at work and so ankle boots are a great choice in winter. Just like above, I wear them with dresses, although they look equally good with pencil skirts too. If it would fit in with your company dress code, there's no reason you can't rock ankle boots in the office.

Ankle Boots and Maxis

You can continue to wear your maxi skirts and dresses year-round by layering them up for winter weather. While sandals are great with maxis in the warmer weather, it's much cosier wearing them with ankle boots in winter. I've worn ankle boots with maxi dresses as well as maxi skirts.

Ankle Boots and Jeans

A really common way to wear ankle boots, because everything goes with denim! When it's a cold winter day, I'll usually tuck my skinny jeans into my ankle boots to keep my legs warm. It it's a warmer spring or autumn day, I'll usually roll my jeans up so they stop just above my ankle boots, showing the tiniest bit of skin. I've read a few times that cuffed jeans are a no-no for petites as they make you look shorter, and so I spent far too much time avoiding wearing my ankle boots this way. I really like it after giving it a try, I don't think it makes me look any shorter than I am and I love wearing it. Rolling my skinny jeans above my ankle boots is my favourite way to wear them with denim.

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Black Ankle Boots Under $100:

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How do you wear your ankle boots? Want more outfit ideas? 100+ ways to wear ankle boots in my blog archives.

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Black Ankle Boots With Extra Detail Under $100:

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Linking up with Friday Faves, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Passion for Fashion, Friday Favourites, Shoe & Tell.

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