Friday 18 August 2017

Shift Dresses In Winter With Boots, Scarves and Cross Body Bags

I love to wear my dresses year-round! These shift dresses layer up perfectly for a cooler day. Fleece lined tights and boots are essentials to help you wear them in winter.

What I wore:

summer tunic dress in winter tights boots scarf LV speedy cross body bag | Away From Blue

Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere | Away From The Blue

@awayfromblue @emhawkerblog @slowdownstyle outfit inspiration
Scarf: blue tartan scarf
Dress: Zara printed bib front tunic dress
Belt: Kmart thin gold glitter belt
ShoesAsos Cleo leather boots in tan
BagLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene 30 speedy bandouliere

Why I wore it:

Wore this to spend the morning in the city with the boys. I'd been a little unsure what to wear but when I saw the #WinterStyleFile outfit on instagram by @emhawkerblog I just had to try replicate it. While I don't have the exact dress, I did have this dress with a similar print that worked quite well I think. The original outfit was a dress and boots by @slowdownstyle. Em added tights, a cardigan and hat so I added a scarf. See all 3 outfits on Instagram.

Even if it was quite warm in the city and I soon shed the layers, I really liked this outfit. every time I wear this dress I love it. I actually managed to tear it a while back, I was tugging to get it out of the washing machine and it had got tangled with something and I heard a rip. Thankfully the tailor could fix it up, as I'm planning on keeping this dress in my wardrobe for a long time. Unbelievably, this is only it's 19th wear. I was sure I'd have worn it more often.


Last worn: black belted cardigan, blue tartan scarf, gold beltprinted shift dress, tan boots, Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere bag.

Other ways to wearblack belted cardigan and red jeans, blue tartan scarf and chambray skirt, gold belt and pink maxiprinted shift dress and ankle boots, tan boots and skinny jeans, Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancycardigan and hidden early baby bump, tartan scarf in first trimester, gold glitter belt at 38 weeks pregnantdress in the third trimester, speedy bandouliere and maternity office wear.


Blue Printed Shift Dresses Under $50:






What I wore:

Colourful winter outfit red shift dress cobalt leather jacket paisley print snood | AwayFromBlue

Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey | AwayFromTheBlue blog

@awayfromtheblue instagram cobalt leather jacket red shift dress boots winter
JacketWittner 'Santa Fe' cobalt blue leather jacket
ScarfSeed Heritage Paisley print snood
DressZalora Basics faux leather placket red shift dress
ShoesAsos Cleo leather boots in tan
BagRebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

This red shift dress was packed away when I outgrew it in pregnancy as it's not breastfeeding friendly. It was so good to get it out and wear it again. I like red and blue together so the cobalt leather jacket seemed like a good choice with it.

I felt a little overdressed for the day care drop off / pick up and working from home, but it was still nice to have a reason to wear this dress again, it's been such a long time since it was last worn. Unboxing and wearing all of my winter pieces and non-breastfeeding pieces made my 6 months without shopping challenge easier to stick too, as it felt like I had 'new items in my wardrobe again!


Last worn: cobalt leather jacket, printed snood, red shift dress, Asos Cleo boots (above), Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag.

Other ways to wearcobalt leather jacket and printed jeans, printed snood and stripes for the office, red shift dress and ankle boots, Asos Cleo boots and boho dress, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag and chambray.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed snood and second trimester bump, shift dress in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag in second trimester.




Red Shift Dresses Under $50:







How You Can Wear It:


It's easy to layer up your summer dresses for winter. You can go neutral with black cardigans, fleece tights and tan boots, or you can be a little brighter with a colourful jacket like this cobalt blue one. Layered outfits like this work perfectly at the beginning or near the end of winter when the temperatures vary during the day, as it's easy to take layers off as it heats up.



And just in case you missed it on social media, I ended 7 months without shopping with a pretty spectacular purchase!



Linking up with Friday Favourites, Passion For Fashion, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Friday Faves, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, Hello Monday.



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Wednesday 16 August 2017

Plain Henley Tops, Printed Jeans and Cosy Cardis: Winter SAHM Style

A plain top, printed jeans, a neutral cardigan and Converse makes an easy stay at home mum winter outfit.

I have a few long sleeve henley tops I packed away with my winter things that I've been trying to make an effort to wear again. In the last official month of winter I'm not sure I'll have many more chances to wear them!

What I wore:

black henley, belted knit cardigan, pink leopard print jeans, Converse | Away From Blue

pink leopard print, Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey  | Away From The Blue

@awayFromblue pink leopard print jeans instagram pic
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
TopJeanswest 'Tilda' black shirt
Jeans: Portmans pink leopard print skinny jeans
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
BagRebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

If you saw my Insta stories you might know I was lucky enough to be given a few new teething necklaces by Dee from Nibbly Bits. This peach feather pendant is one of the ones I got, it goes nicely with a lot of outfits. I've shared my love for teething necklaces before, so I'm thankful to add some new ones to my wardrobe!

I love these pink leopard print jeans - I tend to wear them with grey a lot as I like pink and grey together but they look just as good with other neutrals like this black Henley. I actually ended up taking the cardigan off during the day - we went out to the local Quandamooka festival. While I didn't try a BBQ roo, croc or emu kebab we did enjoy walking around and meeting some of the boys' friends from daycare.

Unfortunately our lovely morning out turned into a stressful afternoon with an unexpected doctor's visit for Baby Boy - I was grateful for having the teething necklace on as it kept him amused in the waiting room.


Last worn: black belted cardigan, black henley top, pink leopard print jeans, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag.

Other ways to wearblack belted cardigan and skater dress, black henley top in the office, pink leopard print jeans with blue and yellow, white Converse and maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff quilted Love bag and chambray.

Perfect for pregnancy: cardigan and hidden early baby bump, black top in second trimester, leopard print jeans in first trimester, Converse and maternity shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maternity maxi dress.


Black and Grey Cardigans Under $50:







What I wore:

teal henley printed Sass & Bide skinny jeans converse wool maxi cardigan | AwayFromBlue

Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey | AwayFromTheBlue

@awayfromblue teal henley print mixing skinny jeans star print scarf
JacketJeanswest Alice longline Australian wool cardigan
Scarf: star print pashmina
TopJeanswest 'Aubrey' pintuck yoke henley in deep teal
JeansSass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag in grey

Why I wore it:

A busy day! It was a little chilly in the morning when I wore this so I added the scarf. I thought this one wouldn't compete too much with the print on the jeans. While I loved the pop from the teal henley with the black and grey, I wasn't too sure about the scarf. Kept me warm though so met its purpose!

Had our local ABA meeting in the morning, but sadly we had to leave early to go to another doctor's appointment for baby boy. It's a shame as it was a good discussion topic too - talking about birth experiences and the first breastfeed. While my baby days are behind me, I think birth stories are fascinating, so many different ways our little ones make their arrivals into the world!


I'm so incredibly lucky to be able to return to work part time, but I am finding it difficult on my days off to cram everything in - the time goes so quickly! I know we will hit a rhythm soon. With winter coming to an end hopefully we will have less sickness and doctor visits too. I love our GP and everyone there at the surgery but it would be nice not to see them all so often.


Last worn: wool cardigan, star print scarf, teal henley, Sass & Bide printed jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff Love cross body bag (above).

Other ways to wearwool cardigan and tall boots, star print scarf and shirt dress, teal henley and chambray skirt, Sass & Bide printed jeans worn two ways, Converse and purple jeans, Rebecca MInkoff Love cross body bag and blue kimonos.

Perfect for pregnancy: star print scarf in second trimester, teal henley and maternity pencil skirtConverse for second trimester travel, Rebecca Minkoff Love bag and maxi dresses in third trimester.




Printed Jeans Under $50:








How You Can Wear It:


If you're not sure what to wear with a printed piece, go plain! If you have a pair of printed jeans, dress, or top, pick a simple basic to wear with them. In this case, I picked two plain henleys. One a nice neutral black against the colourful print, and the other a pop of teal colour with the black and grey.



Linking up with Oh Hey Girl, Thursday Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday.



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Monday 14 August 2017

Black Printed Dresses and Mulberry Bayswater: Winter Office Outfits

I've always loved printed dresses for work. A dress is an easy instant outfit, quick to pull together and a print adds a little extra interest. Don't let the winter weather put you off either! Add fleece lined tights to your dress, a cosy trench coat, scarf and maybe even a cardigan too.

Below I'm wearing an old favourite dress in a new way, and a new-to-me dress I got from my Grandma's wardrobe. It was good to get my Mulberry Bayswater out again too, it's been packed away for over a year and a half while on maternity leave as I use it as an office-only bag.

What I wore:

Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress navy mac jacket azure skull scarf mulberry bayswater office outfit | Away From Blue

navy macintosh, Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather | Away From The Blue
ScarfAlexander McQueen Azure wool skull scarf
Dress: Leona Edmiston Jemima fern print dress
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
BagMulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second-hand and cheaper here, or here)


Why I wore it:

This Leona Edmiston dress is an old favourite, perfect for the office. I liked how the loose lower half worked nicely in pregnancy too, from hiding an early baby bump to fitting a second trimester belly. After not being able to squeeze into the outfit I'd planned to wear the week before, I was grateful to have this in my wardrobe as I knew it would definitely fit!

When I've worn this dress in the past I've usually picked pink accessories to wear with it, tying in with the pink in the fern print. I thought I'd try it with blue instead for a bit of a change, I liked it. Since I was trying a new colour combination, I kept the shoes and bag neutral.


Last worn: navy mac jacket, wool skull scarffern print dress, Marc Jacobs flats, Mulberry Bayswater tote.

Other ways to wearnavy mac jacket and printed jeans, wool skull scarf and teal topfern print dress and pink accessoriesMarc Jacobs flats and colourful jeans, Mulberry Bayswater tote for casual Friday.

Perfect for pregnancy: printed dress in second trimester, Mulberry Bayswater and third trimester bump.



Black Printed Jersey Dresses Under $50:








What I wore:

knitted midi dress and flats for office winter trench coat and tights | Away From Bluw

Mulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather for the office | Away From The Blue
Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
Scarf: Supre neon pink leopard print scarf
Dress: black and white knit dress from my Grandma's wardrobe
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats (on sale in black!)
BagMulberry Bayswater in Oak NVT leather (get it second hand and cheaper hereor here)


Why I wore it:

My mum bought this dress back from a visit with my grandparents at the start of the year. It's labeled to be 3 sizes larger than I usually wear, but we are all fairly certain the label is wrong. It's a lovely knit dress, so perfect for winter.

I wanted to add a little colour to the outfit and was hunting through for a scarf when I saw this neon leopard print one hasn't been worn yet this year I thought it was ideal. I figured it was far enough from the fun blurred black and white print on the skirt to work.

Still not completely sure on it looking at the photos now, but I did feel happy and comfortable in this during the day.

I'd love to wear this dress with heels too - being petite, midi lengths like this can sometimes make me look shorter than I am. I considered getting this hemmed but not sure I want to loose the slight scalloped edge that's there at the moment, so I'll just try it with heels next time.


Last worn: camel trench, neon leopard print scarf, gold mouse flats, Mulberry Bayswater (above). First time I've worn the dress as it's a hand-me-down from my Grandma's wardrobe.

Other ways to wearcamel trench and jeans, neon leopard print scarf and grey tee, gold mouse flats and skinny jeans, Mulberry Bayswater and orange dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: trench coat in the first trimester, scarf hiding a first trimester belly, mouse flats and maternity pencil skirtMulberry Bayswater and wrap dress in second trimester.



Black Knit Dresses Under $50:










How You Can Wear It:



A classic little black dress works for so many occasions. Just like a plain dress, a printed dress is perfect for the office. A dress is an instant pull-on and go outfit that you don't need to think too hard about accessorising with. You can definitely have fun and try different accessories with it though, especially in winter when you pull most of the layers off when you get to your workplace anyway.


Linking up with On Trend, Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style On The Daily, Fashion Frenzy, Modest Monday.


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