Monday 2 October 2017

30 Ways to Wear a Classic Denim Jacket: #30Wears Series

First up, #noSpenderSeptember was achieved - nothing spent on fashion purchases last month! I did attempt a shopping trip but a minor accident derailed my plans. So no new purchases to report.



10 months into my #30wears challenge, and I've still worn very few items of clothing 30 times. I was sure by now I'd have a few dresses, maybe some tops that I'd hit 30 wears on, especially after not shopping for 7 months, but it's been mostly accessories like bags and shoes.

If you look at the maths behind 30 wears (this post has an amazing breakdown of it) I'd have to wear something every other week for 14 months to hit 30 wears on it. And I don't wear things that often, unless we are talking accessories. I'm still keeping up with my challenge, but I think I'm going to have to start wearing some favourites more frequently to hit 30 wears. Pieces I think I've worn a lot seem to only be around 12-15 wears. It's definitely an eye-opening challenge for me, making me realise just how much I have in my wardrobe already and how little I've worn even my favourite pieces.


A denim jacket is a classic piece most people have in their wardrobe so it's no surprise I've hit more than 30 wears with it! As it's spring I thought now was a good time to feature 30 ways to wear a denim jacket.





#30Wears: Classic Blue Denim Jacket


This jacket is one of the old pieces in my wardrobe. I remember where I bought it and who I was with (my sister) but not when exactly I bought it. Something I've easily worn more than 30 times as I've had it at least 10 years, and I've only been blogging for almost 6 years.



Denim Jacket in a Double Denim Outfit


double denim with denim jacket and colourful skinny jeans converse | Away From Blue

denim jacket and black jeans and shorts: double denim SAHM style | Away From The Blue

I find double denim tricky to wear. When I was younger I wore similar denim jackets and jeans together for a double denim look without thinking twice about it! Now though, I find it a little harder to pull off. Probably after that famous double denim moment. I even had a denim bag! Not as embellished as Britneys, but it was my favourite bag for a while.

The standard advice for an easy double denim look now is to wear different shades or washes together. I take that a step further and like to wear my denim jacket with completely different coloured jeans. I love my blue denim jacket with my red or purple skinny jeans. Black is another good colour too, for an easy double denim look without looking like you tried too hard.



Denim Jacket and Dresses


Printed dresses in spring with denim jacket 5 ways to wear | AwayFromTheBlue

This is a go-to spring and autumn outfit for me. For those days where it's just a little cooler and you need an extra layer so you're warmer in the cold mornings or evenings, a denim jacket is perfect. It's nice having a plain layer like this to wear with printed dresses too - you don't have to worry about clashing prints or colours, as blue denim goes with everything!



Denim Jacket and Maxi Dresses


denim jacket and colourful maxi dresses autumn and spring layers  ways to wear | away from blue

printed maxi dresses and denim jacket 4 ways to wear spring SAHM outfit ideas | AwayFromBlue

I felt this was worth calling out separately from the other dresses above. A denim jacket works with maxi dresses for many different reasons:

  • a sleeveless summer maxi dress you want to add a warmer layer to to get more wear over spring and autumn,
  • a spaghetti strap maxi dresses you want to cover up in a formal setting like church, a denim jacket is perfect.
  • to make a more formal maxi dress look more casual.

When I need to make a maxi dress work for a cooler day, a denim jacket is my first go-to, and I can even add a scarf if it's really chilly. I like maxi dresses and leather jackets together, but a denim jacket is my favourite way to layer with a maxi dress.



Denim Jacket and Maxi Skirts


Denim jackets and striped maxi skirts easy spring outfits | Away From The Blue

4 ways to wear maxi skirt and denim jacket outfit ideas | AwayFromBlue blog

Just like above with the maxi dresses, I find a denim jacket works really nicely with maxi skirts. It's a good way to make your maxi skirts work for cooler weather, when you just need a little extra layer on a cool spring or autumn day. Although maxi skirts are perfect in warmer months and ideal for summer, you can easily layer them up a little to work for the rest of the year.



Denim Jacket in Pregnancy


denim jacket with a baby bump: easy pregnancy style | Away From The Blue Blog

As I usually wear my denim jacket unbuttoned, it still worked perfectly in pregnancy. Having it unbuttoned left plenty of room for a growing baby bump, and it was just the right layer for a pregnancy over autumn. It was nice to have some non-maternity pieces to wear during pregnancy to help me feel more like myself, and a denim jacket unbuttoned is a piece that works in all three trimesters. You can get more pregnancy outfit tips in my book, Stylish pregnancy on a Budget.



Denim Jackets Under $50:





Want more outfit ideas? Check out the 40+ ways to wear a denim jacket in the blog archives.


Linking up with Confident Twosday, On Trend, Turning Heads, Style Sessions, Wardrobe Wednesday, Fashion Frenzy, Style on The Daily, Oh Hey Girl.



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Friday 29 September 2017

Wearing Breastfeeding Clothes After You've Stopped Breastfeeding: Colourful Jeans and Blue Tops

Even though I'm no longer breastfeeding, I'm still happily wearing the maternity/nursing pieces I have in my wardrobe. The two blue tops below are perfect for breastfeeding. The blue tank is a specially designed nursing piece that I got while pregnant with Toddler T, and the wrap top is just a regular top I bought after Baby Boy was born. Both valuable pieces for breastfeeding, but also nice enough to wear afterwards!

What I wore:

spring breastfeeding outfit Mothers En Vogue tank purple jeans converse silver mini MAC | AwayFromBlue

roie designs swarovski beaded wrap bracelet, silver Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC | AwayFromTheBlue

awayfromblue instagram navy mothers en vogue breastfeeding tank spring SAHM style
Necklace: Nibbly Bits BB plum silicone teething necklace (C/O)
TankMEV Britney bubble tank in mood indigo C/O Zibibo
JeansJeanswest blackberry super skinny jeans
Shoes:  Converse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs black leather Swarovski beaded wrap bracelet
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Despite loving blue and purple together, this is the first time I've worn this navy tank with the purple skinny jeans. I really liked the combination and I'm surprised I haven't worn it before. Nice and simple outfit for a morning at playgroup and then running errands in the afternoon. The Converse were great for all the running around I did!

I'd forgotten that it was Superhero dress up day at daycare that week so I was that mum rushing around the stores in the afternoon trying to find super hero costumes! It seemed like everyone else had already done this a few days before as there were no little kids costumes to be found. Fortunately, a couple of masks and some superhero clothes the boys already had worked nicely for the day in the end.

The silicone teething necklace and the purple skinny jeans match beautifully together, so this was a good outfit for the 'matchy matchy' style challenge on Instagram.

It was nice to just wear a tank without a jacket - spring weather has been a little erratic lately but it's good to take advantage of warm days like this. The benefit of this tank and other specialised breastfeeding pieces that have hidden breastfeeding access is that you wouldn't know it was a breastfeeding top just by looking at it - definitely something that will stay in my wardrobe a long time!


Last worn: Mothers en Vogue breastfeeding tank, purple skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: breastfeeding tank and maxi skirt, purple skinny jeans and graphic tee, Converse and a dress, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC and printed shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: bubble tank in second trimester, purple skinny jeans in first trimesterConverse for second trimester travel, mini MAC and maternity shorts.


Colourful Jeans Under $50:








What I wore:

Dorothy perkins wrap top navy marle red skinny jeans spring breastfeeding outfit SAHM style | Away From Blue

red skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC | Away From The Blue

awayfromblue instagram  blue wrap top red skinny jeans
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
TopDorothy Perkins 3/4 sleeve wrap top
Jeans: thrifted Emerson red skinny jeans
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Another breastfeeding friendly top, another pair of brightly coloured jeans. Unlike the tank above, this is just a regular wrap top that has the bonus of being perfect for breastfeeding in. And it's so soft and cosy. There might not be many more opportunities to wear it with our warmer spring weather having arrived, so it was good to get it out for another wear before I start to pack it and the rest of my winter things away.

Just like the outfit above, I was surprised to find that I hadn't worn this wrap top with the red skinny jeans before, and loved wearing them together. Again, I wore this to meet the day's style challenge on Instagram. This top was perfect for the 'wrap star' theme!

As I was wearing colourful clothes, I went with my usual fail-safe metallic silver accessories. This silver mini MAC bag goes with everything, as do the metallic bow detail ballet flats. They often get worn together!


Last worn: blue wrap top, red skinny jeans, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC (above).

Other ways to wearblue wrap top and printed jeans, red skinny jeans and autumn layers, silver ballet flats and pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancy: red jeans at 12 weeksmini MAC and second trimester bump.


Wrap Tops Under $50:








How You Can Wear It:


You don't have to get rid of all your breastfeeding clothes once you're finished with breastfeeding! Specifically designed nursing tops with hidden access for breastfeeding look just like normal clothes and transition beautifully into your wardrobe for motherhood post-breastfeeding. Which is helpful at reducing cost per wear, considering they are usually quite expensive to buy!
And of course wrap tops, v-necks and button ups continue to work in your wardrobe just like they did before breastfeeding.


Linked up with Friday Favourites, Style Wise, Friday Faves, Shoe and Tell, Modest Monday, Mix It Monday, On Mondays We Link Up, Hello Monday, Mummy Monday.



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Wednesday 27 September 2017

Red Printed Maxi Skirt with Blue Tees and Denim Jacket

I'm really thrilled with this $3 maxi skirt I found in the opshop in August at the end of my 7 months without shopping. The red print pairs so beautifully with blue that I've worn it with blue tees twice since I got it, despite thinking of neutral pieces to wear it with when I first saw it. It resulted in these two similar outfits below, which I made a little different with accessories.

What I wore:

denim jacket, boho red Billabong printed maxi skirt navy tee silver bag | Away From Blue

Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC | Away From The Blue

away from blue instagram navy tee red boho printed Billabong maxi skirt denim jacket
Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
NecklaceUniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
TeeAtmos & Here Avery marle tee in navy
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

Wore this on a day where I wasn't feeling the best. I'd lost my voice at work the day before, but with a very busy weekend ahead I had to run a few errands and take baby boy for his no longer weekly but still very often weigh session.

I regretted my decision to go out when toddler T ran away to see something in the shopping centre as we came out of Woolies and I could only whisper at him to come back, not very effective!

This was an easy and comfortable outfit though and I did enjoy wearing it. Silver accessories were a failsafe choice. I like wearing this metallic silver mini MAC and the silver ballet flats with colourful outfits as they go with anything. Last time I wore this tee I wasn't feeling great either - it's such a good choice when I just want comfort!


Last worn: denim jacket, navy marle tee, red printed maxi skirt, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC.

Other ways to wear: denim jacket and purple jeans, navy marle tee and flares, red printed maxi skirt and leather jacket, silver ballet flats and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket in third trimester, mini MAC in second trimester.



Denim Jackets Under $50:








What I wore:

denim jacket blue ree red maxi skirt yellow cross body micro Regan bag SAMH Style | AwayFromBlue

Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet, Rebecca Minkoff Micro Regan bag | AwayFromTheBlue

awayfromblue instagram denim jacket red boho print maxi skirt converse yellow bag
Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
Necklace: Nibbly Bits Feather pendant in peach (C/O)
TeeJeanswest two tone boxy oversized tee
Skirt: thrifted Billabong red printed maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
Bracelets: the usual plus Roie Designs waxed leather cream howlite beaded wrap bracelet
BagRebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

You can see how far apart I wore these by the length of Cooper's fur in the background here, before his clip! 😂 Red, yellow and blue made for an easy outfit. Although I think the oversized tee and voluminous maxi skirt together wasn't the best combination, I did really like the colours together.

I was sure I'd seen @mummawears on Instagram wearing a similar skirt with a denim jacket, so that was the inspiration for this outfit at first. After I looked it up to check though I realised she'd worn a chambray shirt with hers. I decided on a blue tee to try replicate the look, as I don't have a chambray shirt.

This was a nice comfortable outfit for running a few errands and going to my local ABA mum's group.

As I've shared this skirt 3 times now and I like to review everything I buy after wearing it twice:
I love this skirt. It is a little long, which I work around by just wearing it higher up my waist. Petite problems! I'm not sure if I'll just keep doing that or get it tailored, it has a slight high-low hemline so wouldn't be a simple job to take up. For $3 I am happy to just wear it a little higher! And I still have a lot of outfit ideas for this, it's so beautiful to wear. So pleased I stumbled across it.



Last worn: denim jacket (above), oversized blue tee, red printed maxi skirt (above), Converse, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan.

Other ways to weardenim jacket and denim shorts, blue tee and blue skirt, red printed maxi skirt and black henley, Converse and red jeans, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan worn 30 ways.


Perfect for pregnancy: denim jacket and hidden baby bump, Converse and maternity shorts.




Red Maxi Skirts Under $50:








How You Can Wear It:


You don't have to stick to neutrals when putting an outfit together with a brightly coloured printed piece in your wardrobe like this maxi skirt. Red looks great with blue, and you can even add another colour like I did in the second outfit. The primary colours of red yellow and blue are an easy pairing and work well together.


Linking up with Hey Girl, Fashion Files, Fun Fashion, Fabulous Friday, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear, Passion for Fashion.


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