Monday 8 October 2018

Ruffle Dresses In The Office: Printed And Plain with Purple Balenciaga Work

Like anyone with a large wardrobe, there are many different factors that come into play when picking what to wear. Mood, planned activities, weather... however the only reason I wore these dresses was because I saw them hanging in my wardrobe and realised I hadn't worn them in a while! They are sleeveless, but it was easy to layer them up for cold mornings.

While both of these dresses look different, they are exactly the same style with a ruffled neckline, sheer top layer with opaque lining, and an elasticated waist. Because one is printed and one is plain, they look like two completely different dresses.

What I wore:

camel trench, bleu louis vuitton monogram shawl, balenciaga work bag | away from blue

Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag | away from the blue

office selfie leopard print ruffle dress grey cardigan | working mum style | away from blue

awayfromblue instagram cobalt Louis Vuitton scarf with animal print dress trench coat cold weather office outfit
Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
EarringJeanswest Evy dangly earring
ScarfLouis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
DressJeanswest ruffle neckline animal print dress
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
BagBalenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

While this dress does have a lot going on - it's a busy animal print, with a lot of ruffles on top - it never feels overpowering. The neutral colours make it really easy to accessorise. I went with some bright colours, picking the blue Louis Vuitton scarf and the purple Balenciaga work bag for another touch of colour.

While it is spring, when I wore this a few weeks ago it was still quite cold in the mornings, so my cosy trench coat and some fleece lined tights were much needed additions for my early morning commute.

As I wonder every time I wear this dress, I'm not sure why I don't wear it more often! It's a beautiful piece and got me a few compliments through the work day.


Last worn: camel trench, dangly earrings, Louis Vuitton shawl, animal print ruffle dress, Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: camel trench and burgundy pants, Louis Vuitton shawl and black pencil skirt outfit, animal print ruffle dress and blazer, Marc Jacobs ballet flats and sheath dress, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Perfect for pregnancy: camel trench in first trimesterprinted dress hiding 4 month baby bump.


What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Work Edition





What I wore:

berry pink ruffle detail dress with navy macintosh and bird print scarf, purple Balenciaga work | away from blue

slouchy purple Balenciaga work bag | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue instagram navy macintosh coat ruffle dress with purple balenciaga work bag
JacketJeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo
Scarf: navy bird print scarf
DressJeanswest deep pink ruffle neckline dress (updated version)
ShoesWalnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
BagBalenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

This dress is just as bold as the one in the first outfit, although it's due to the colour rather than the print. It's a lovely plain dress, a very berry toned pink so it looks more red here, but it looks more pink in other photos. I wouldn't ordinarily go with a purple bag for a red dress, but felt this reddish pink was pink enough that I could wear the combo. I've worn this dress with another purple bag before too.

The only downside to this outfit was that I realised on the way to work that the 'I think I've forgotten something' feeling I have most mornings I go to work was actually valid. I'd left my cardigan behind at home. Since we moved to 'hot desking' at work, I don't have a permanent desk or a desk drawer to stash a cardigan in and have to take one to work each day. I ended up taking my scarf off and tying it into a kind of kimono as I needed my shoulders covered for a few meetings. I figured a strange cover up was better than no cover up, plus the air con was particularly cold that day. It may also have felt colder because I was coming down with the bug the boys had.

So while I liked this outfit when I put it on in the morning, the lack of a cosy layer to cover up the sleeveless design and feeling a little unwell meant I wasn't too happy with it in the end!


Last worn: navy macintosh, bird print scarf, berry ruffle neckline dress, Walnut Melbourne flats, Balenciaga work bag (above).

Other ways to wearnavy macintosh and colourful pants, bird print scarf and stripes, berry ruffle neckline dress and LV speedy, Walnut Melbourne flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga work bag.

Perfect for pregnancyWalnut Melbourne flats in second trimester.



Ruffle Dresses Under $50:




How You Can Wear It:

Ruffle dresses are perfect for a business casual workplace. A bright colour or print makes it a fun change from a classic black pencil skirt. Just make sure to bring something to cover up with in meetings or to battle the office air-con, particularly if your dress is sleeveless like these 😂


Linking up with Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Fashion Frenzy, Style On The Daily, Fashion Files, Chic and Stylish.


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Friday 5 October 2018

Skinny Jeans, Bright Tanks and Kimonos With Colourful Rebecca Minkoff Bags

Spring weather means kimono weather for me! I'm wearing really simple outfits below with bright tanks and skinny jeans, you know I love my simple outfit formulas. I also love how the addition of a kimono makes a simple outfit a little more interesting.

What I wore:

Rebecca Minkoff ruana poncho with grey skinny jeans mustard tank and bag dinner outfit | awayfromblue

Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold | awayfromtheblue

awayfromblue instagram | rebecca minkoff ruana poncho kimono frey skinny jeans mustard yellow regan bag
JacketRebecca Minkoff Ruana poncho
NecklaceZuriCollections blue polymer clay necklace
TankJeanswest Maya gather back tank in chartreuse
JeansJeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
BagRebecca Minkoff micro Regan satchel in Harvest Gold

Why I wore it:

This was a last minute thrown together outfit. We'd had a quiet day, with the overcast and rainy weather, and then got an invitation in the afternoon to go out for dinner that evening. I picked my brightest tank to offset the gloomy evening. It's not the first time I've worn this mustard tank and bag together, it's a combination I love even though the shades of yellow don't match exactly.

With the mustard tank and bag, I kept everything else in the outfit neutral. I really loved this kimono with the grey skinny jeans. Everytime I wear them together (like here) I always like the resulting outfit. No exception this time around, again I loved this. I appreciated that this kimono is really just a giant blanket so it kept me cosy when we stepped out of the restaurant at the end of the night!


Last worn: Rebecca Minkoff poncho, mustard yellow tank, grey skinny jeans, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag.

Other ways to wearRebecca Minkoff poncho worn two ways, mustard yellow tank in the office, grey skinny jeans and navy top, silver ballet flats and pencil skirt, Rebecca Minkoff micro Regan bag with green.

Perfect for pregnancysilver ballet flats in third trimester.


My Rebecca Minkoff Handbag Collection:






What I wore:

turquoise tank, purple skinny jeans and bag with navy floral kimono, playgroup style | away from blue

Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum with faux fur pom pom | away from the blue

awayfromtheblue instagram | playgroup spring skinny jeans converse and floral kimono outfit
Jacket:  Cotton On 'Gemma' cocoon kimono in Laos blossom navy print
Necklace: Uniquely Made with Love Sea Change necklace
TankJeanswest Maya gather back tank in mid turquoise
JeansJeanswest blackberry super skinny jeans
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
BagRebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in plum

Why I wore it:

There must be something about these jeans! Once again I unsuspectingly wore them to playgroup, where ti was another messy play day. I did really well, watching the boys from a distance and keeping fairly clean until right at the very end. The boys were playing with pigs in 'mud' (cornflour, cocoa and water) and apparently the pigs liked to cannon ball in from great heights. I wasn't standing far enough back so got a bit splashed.

I didn't mind myself and the boys were soaked through as due to the cocoa it all smelled quite lovely, haha! We got some strange looks in Woolies grabbing groceries on the way home later though!

Messy morning aside, I really liked this outfit! These purple pants are frequently worn with blue, and I loved the bright tank with the darker purple. With the bright blue tank, navy floral kimono and purple mini MAB tote bag, I really liked all of the colours in this outfit. It felt so spring-like!


Last worn: navy cocoon kimono, blue tank, purple skinny jeans, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote.

Other ways to wearfloral kimono and stripes, blue tank in the office, purple skinny jeans and ombre knit, Converse for exploring Sydney, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancynavy cocoon kimono at 39 weeks, purple skinny jeans in first trimester, Converse for second trimester travel, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB tote in second trimester.


Bright Tanks Under $50:




How You Can Wear It:

Add some colour to your outfit with a plain but colourful tank! It's so easy to wear with jeans to add an extra touch of colour to your look. If you're unsure how to wear a bright tank, try pairing it with neutral layers like in the first outfit. You can go bold and pair it with other complementary colours like the second outfit if you prefer.


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Wednesday 3 October 2018

Grey Tees, Green Pants and Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC Bags

When I picked up a couple of pairs of green pants in the opshop I knew they'd push me out of my comfort zone a little - green is a colour I find tricky to wear. I did my usual round of thinking when considering new purchases and thought of at least two ways to wear them before I bought them. With grey tees was of the original ways I thought of wearing them. It's like a default when I'm not sure how to wear something - wear it with a grey tee! A neutral grey tee is a wardrobe-must have for me.

What I wore:


blue tree print scarf grey tee and green skinny jeans Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC | awayfromblue

Rebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue instagram grey tee green skinny jeans blue tree print scarf rebecca minkoff mini mac
ScarfFashion Scarf Girl Family tree scarf in blue and navy (c/o)
Teee: Spectrum basic v-neck tee in grey marl
Jeans: thrifted ASOS petite green skinny jeans
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagRebecca Minkoff metallic silver mini MAC

Why I wore it:

We decided to spend the morning at Brisbane's Green Heart Fair. It's a fair around being green and environmentally friendly, with shows and displays and even free trees. So it's obvious to see why I picked my green skinny jeans to wear and my family tree print scarf, ha! I've worn the scarf and jeans together before, but the combo seemed even more fun given our destination. The silver mini MAC bag seemed like a nice neutral with the colourful jeans.

We had a bit of a late start to the day but we still made it in time to see a show from PJ Masks - something the boys were very excited about. (Don't worry if you haven't heard of them either, I hadn't. Apparently they've seen it or heard about it at daycare or their grandparents?). Was a fun show for the kids and they had a great time dancing around and being super heros.

The day warmed up a lot too, I added the scarf in the morning as it was a bit breezy but I considered taking it off around lunch time. Such a beautiful spring day.

While I loved my outfit and the boys loved the show (and getting to 'drive' a bus) the highlight for me was bumping into Rachelle and her lovely family! One of the friends I've made on YouTube this year.


Last worn: family tree scarf, grey tee, green skinny jeans, Havaianas, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC.

Other ways to wearfamily tree scarf and blue knit, grey tee and maxi skirt, green skinny jeans and mustard yellow, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC with printed shorts.

Perfect for pregnancygrey tee in second trimester, Rebecca Minkoff silver mini MAC in third trimester.


What's In My Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC






What I wore:

skinny cargo pants with parrot print scarf grey tee and denim jacket | away from blue

Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram | grey tee denim jacket cargo olive cargo pants aqua mini mac bag
Jacket: Bubblegum denim jacket
ScarfFashion Scarf Girl parrot print scarf (c/o)
TeeAtmos&Here grey v-neck tee with rolled sleeves (also in black)
Jeans: thrifted French Connection olive skinny cargo pants
ShoesWalnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
BagRebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

This was also a nice warm spring day, but I needed the denim jacket on top for out outing to the ABA. It's held in a church hall, so it's quite a cold space. I took it off later in the day though!

It was nice being able to get my denim jacket out again, one of those pieces that really seem to welcome spring for me. The parrot print scarf was a nice way to add more colour to my outfit too. The green in the print makes it a frequent go-to for me when I'm wearing anything green! I thought it paired really nicely with the olive cargo pants.

I was going to wear my silver ballet flats with this outfit, but I felt the bow detail and pointed toe was a little too formal for such a casual outfit. These classic black flats seemed like a better choice.

The aqua mini MAC bag I wasn't sure would work with the olive at first, but I ended up really liking this new combination! When you're trying out a new colour combination, including a handbag is a nice way to give it a go without committing to wearing it all day, as you don't always need your bag on your shoulder all the time once you get to your destination.


Last worn: denim jacket, slouchy grey tee, parrot print scarf, olive cargo pants, black ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC.

Other ways to weardenim jacket and maxi dress, slouchy grey tee and chambray, parrot print scarf with teal, olive cargo pants and mustard cardigan, black ballet flats and jeans, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancydenim jacket in second trimester, slouchy grey tee in second trimester, black ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff aqua mini MAC in third trimester.



Grey Tees Under $50



How You Can Wear It:

Got a pair of colourful pants you're unsure how to wear? Try a grey tee! A classic wardrobe staple, a neutral grey tee can pair with so many colours in your wardrobe. It works awesome with prints too, a must-have for your wardrobe!


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Monday 1 October 2018

30 Ways To Wear: Balenciaga Part Time Bag In Black #30wears

This black Balenciaga part time bag will always be a classic to me. Even with the giant silver hardware being discontinued and replaced with smaller, lighter hardware, I think the bag is timeless. It's easily been worn over 100 times, over 70 on the blog. It's definitely due to be celebrated with a post showing 30 different ways to wear it.

Note: No haul video or post as I managed to complete #noSpenderSeptember with no fashion purchases for the month!

30 Ways To Wear: Balenciaga Black Part Time Bag


30 ways to wear Balenciaga Part Time Bag in black #30wears | awayfromblue blog

Cost Per Wear

Once again, another item I find tricky to calculate cost per wear of. I know how much I paid for it all the way back in December 2010, as I still have the emails from the London Balenciaga boutique. It's all in pounds though, and almost 8 years later I don't remember what it converted to! It was over 1,000 pounds at the time, so I have a lot more wears left to go to hit the magical '$1 per wear' figure most people seem to aim for when calculating cost per wear. I fully expect to have this bag for a lifetime though so I might hit that 1,000 wears one day!

I know expensive bags aren't for everyone. Some people splurge more on clothes, or shoes, or holidays, or cars, or jewelry, and some people are just saving up so they have some money to splurge! But hopefully this post still gives you some outfit ideas for how you could wear a similar black bag of your own.



30 Ways To Wear A Balenciaga Part Time Bag: Video Style





Balenciaga Part Time Bag and Dresses


5 ways to wear Balenciaga part time bag with dresses | awayfromtheblue

You can really see the versatility of the part time bag in these 5 outfits! It's a very large, slouchy bag so not the usual piece you think of when wearing a dress (I usually go for smaller bags) but it works so well with so many dresses. You can see it in a mix of seasons, and a mix of dress styles, looking fab with each one.



Part Time Bag and Jeans


4 outfit ideas balenciaga part time bag with skinny jeans denim style | awayfromblue

Skinny jeans are my go-to style, and while I have worn this bag with other kinds of denim, my favourite 4 were these outfits with my trusty skinny jeans. There's something about the slouchy Balenciaga leather paired with denim that I just love, and so this part time bag is frequently worn with jeans.


Balenciaga Black Part Time Bag and Monochrome Outfits


how to wear Balenciaga part time bag with monochrome outfits | away from blue

You might know from reading my blog that I am a big an of bright handbags! I love a pop of colour with a handbag against a monochrome outfit, but with this black part time bag you can use it to let other parts of your outfit shine. From the bold and colourful scarves in the first and third outfit, or just letting the cheerful print be the statement part of the outfit with the dress in the middle there. It's good to have a neutral black bag to tie in with a monochrome back or grey outfit.


Balenciaga Bag and Printed Pieces


4 ways to wear Balenciaga part time bag with prints casual and corporate outfits | away from the blue

This bag is such an easy piece to grab when you're wearing something printed. You don't have to worry about matching it to colours in the print, or that it won't go with the print.  A black bag just goes with whatever you have on and you don't need to worry about coordinating it with printed pieces in your outfit.


Part Time Bag and Print Mixing


part time bag and pattern mixing outfit ideas for balenciaga part time bag | awayfromblue

Of course with a neutral black bag, you can go all out with your outfit, mixing different colours and prints together. While my favourite thing to do is to add a printed scarf to an outfit for a bit of mixing, you can achieve this by wearing two different printed items of clothing together too like in the first outfit.



Balenciaga Part Time In Summer


black balenciaga part time bag in summer 3 outfit ideas | awayfromtheblue

You will see me wearing all of my bags year-round on this blog! I don't keep things set aside for different seasons, preferring to wear and enjoy the handbags all year. That means a big black bag works perfectly in summer for me. I don't think you have to stick to lighter coloured handbags just because it's summer.


Black Part Time Bag in Winter


Black balenciaga part time bag in winter | awayfromtheblue

Of course, despite working year round, a black bag is undeniably a winter staple. It works with any kind of layers you put together, being a classic neutral shade. With all of the darker layers that tend to get worn around winter, a black bag is a great piece to have in your wardrobe.


Balenciaga Part Time Bag in Pregnancy


3 outfit ideas ways to wear Balenciaga part time bag in pregnancy | awayfromtheblue

A frequent feature in these posts, pregnancy outfits! I like including them in these wrap-ups as it shows you why I invest in my handbags. Clothes quickly stop fitting in pregnancy, somes shoes follow suit, but handbags and accessories always work and I'm glad I get to have these photos with my baby bumps to look back on.



Where To Buy The Balenciaga Part Time Bag:






More Posts in The #30 Wears Handbag Series:

If you're looking for more outfit inspiration with this bag, you can see all 70+ ways I've worn it in my blog archives. I've included some links to other handbag related 30 wears posts below too. You can find the full post series by clicking here.


Linking up with Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Style SessionsConfident Twosday, Fashion Frenzy, Style On The Daily, Thursday Moda.


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Friday 28 September 2018

Blue Wrap Tops And Colourful Skinny Jeans With Louis Vuitton Neverfull Tote

Sometimes I'll look through my wardrobe for something I want to wear and come across something I haven't worn in a while. These wrap tops haven't been worn recently and were definitely overdue a wear, so I set them aside waiting for an opportunity to wear them. I decided they would look great with my colourful jeans.

The resulting outfit formulas below are exactly the same, with a wrap top, cosy scarf, skinny jeans and Louis Vuitton neverfull bag. But with the different colour schemes I think they look completely different.

What I wore:

blue wrap top, family tree print scarf with green skinny jeans LV neverfull tote | awayfromblue

Louis Vuitton MM Damier azur neverfull tote and green skinny jeans | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue instagram | blue and green skinny jeans wrap top neverfull and tree print scarf outfit
ScarfFashion Scarf Girl Family tree scarf in blue and navy (c/o)
TopDorothy Perkins 3/4 sleeve wrap top
Jeans: thrifted ASOS petite green skinny jeans
Shoesblack slim Havaianas thongs
BagLouis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

An early start and a busy morning meant I wanted a simple and fuss free outfit. I always enjoy this wrap top when I wear it as it's so cosy and soft. The only downside to it being chilly in the morning and needing a scarf is that the scarf kind of covers up the wrap detail of the top, ha! You can see it better the last time I wore it here.

When I bought these green jeans I thought they were something to challenge me and make me try different things, as I usually find green tricky to wear. But I've been finding these jeans work with so much! I've been wearing them so frequently lately. I love blue and green together so expect to see me wearing them that way a lot more often! Sticking with simple block colour pieces makes an outfit come together really quickly. It made it a simple choice when picking a scarf to wear too, as I didn't have to worry about the family tree print clashing with the clothing I was wearing. I think the navy tree part of the print matches the shade of blue in the wrap top quite nicely too!

Carried my Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote as I needed a big bag to cart everything around in as hubby and I had a busy day full of appointments and errands.


Last worn: wrap top, family tree scarf, green skinny jeans, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote.

Other ways to wearwrap top and chambray skirt, family tree scarf with purple, green skinny jeans and blue knit, Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote for the beach.

Perfect for pregnancyLouis Vuitton Neverfull tote at 38 weeks.


What's In My Bag: Louis Vuitton Neverfull Edition






What I wore:

navy and red SAHM style skinny jeans outfit with poppy print scarf Louis Vuitton NF MM | away from blue

Louis Vuitton neverfull damier azur MM with red skinny jeans | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram | red poppy print scarf navy wrap top and skinny jeans lv neverfull SAHM outfit
ScarfFashion Scarf Girl large poppy scarf in white (c/o)
TopAtmos & Here Arlene wrap top in navy
Jeans: thrifted Emerson red skinny jeans
Shoesslim gold Havaianas
BagLouis Vuitton MM damier azur neverfull

Why I wore it:

While blue and green is a fairly new colour combination for me, I've always loved red and blue together. I was quite surprised to see that I've never worn this navy wrap top and these red jeans together before! They seem like such an obvious pairing.

The scarf was a last minute addition to my outfit, as the day was off to a cooler than expected start. On this morning there was a dust storm in Brisbane so everything was just a little hazy and the early sunlight was very golden! Last time I wore this poppy print scarf it was with navy and I really liked the combination, so I was happy to wear it with the same colour again. Again, the scarf does cover up the wrap design of the top a bit though!

We had a busy morning with a dentist appointment for the eldest followed by swim lessons. This was an easy and comfortable outfit for all of that. The big Louis Vuitton wasn't really needed as I wasn't carrying all that much, I just thought it went nicely with the rest of my outfit.


Last worn: navy wrap top, poppy print scarf, red skinny jeans, gold Havaianas, Louis Vuitton Neverfull (above).

Other ways to wearnavy wrap top and denim shorts, poppy print scarf in monochrome outfit, red skinny jeans and rainbow knit, Louis Vuitton Neverfull worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancynavy wrap top in third trimester, red skinny jeans in first trimesterLouis Vuitton Neverfull in second trimester.



Blue Wrap Tops Under $50:



How You Can Wear It:

A plain blue wrap top is a really easy piece to wear - you can wear it with prints, or simply with jeans. A colourful pair of skinny jeans is a bold way to colourblock your outfit, and a fun way to wear a colour combination that you already love, or want to try out!


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Wednesday 26 September 2018

Basic Tees, Prints, Black Jeans and Metallic Flats with Rebecca Minkoff Bags

The one benefit to Brisbane's lovely spring weather suddenly being replaced with a wet and cold spring week is that I got to continue to layer for a little longer. I took the opportunity to try some bolder outfits, with a little print mixing in the first outfit and some bright colours in the second outfit. Despite the very different resulting outfits, the formula was the same with basic tees, black jeans and metallic ballet flats.

What I wore:

print mixing skinny jeans and red tee outfit: skull scarf and stripes | awayfromblue

 Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag on arm | awayfromtheblue

awayfromtheblue instagram | plain red tee with black print mixing skull scarf and stripe outfit
Jacket: Kmart striped maxi cardigan
Scarfred and black skull print scarf
TeeJeanswest Emma woven trim tee in terracotta
JeansJeanswest prima denim super skinny jeans in absolute black
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs metallic mouse flats
BagRebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

I wanted to wear this Rebecca Minkoff Avery bag again, I had worn it over the warmer weekend and really liked it so decided to wear it on this day too. Even though the shades of red with the plain tee, skull scarf and Avery bag are all different, I liked how well they worked together with the black.

This wasn't the outfit I had planned! Hubby and I had another kid-free morning with an appointment and then a lunch date. I'd picked out a dress to wear but the cold and rainy morning made me change my mind and go for a staple skinny jeans outfit. It was a good excuse to give this striped duster a wear too, a bit too cold for winter wear but perfect for spring.

We had a productive morning, but I did regret the striped duster outfit choice when we headed to the bay for lunch - it was really cold and windy, not perfect stroll along the beach weather as we'd hoped. Lunch was good though, and I did really like the print mix of the skull scarf and stripes together. I love pairing my skull print scarves with stripes for a bit of print mixing.


Last worn: striped duster, skull scarf, red tee, prima skinny jeans, gold mouse flats, Rebecca Minkoff  micro Avery bag.

Other ways to wearstriped duster and monochrome outfit, skull scarf and red jumper, red tee in the office, prima skinny jeans and teal henley, gold mouse flats and wrap dress, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancystriped duster in second trimester, skull scarf in third trimester, prima skinny jeans in second trimester, gold mouse flats in second trimester.


My Rebecca Minkoff Handbag Collection:




What I wore:

colourful accessories with monochrome printed jeans outfit: orange and mint | away from blue

Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather | away from the blue

awayfromblue instagram | SAHM style printed skinny jeans monochrome outfit with colourful bold accessories
JacketCotton On black knit wrap cardigan
ScarfFashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in orange (c/o)
TeeJeanswest Emma woven trim tee in dark green
PantsSass & Bide Playman skinny jeans
ShoesMarc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
BagRebecca Minkoff mini MAC in aquamarine with python embossed leather

Why I wore it:

After being too cold on the windy day above, I picked a cosier topper for this outfit, my black belted cardigan. It's the belt you can see hanging down in the insta photo, in case you were wondering! It was much warmer for a busy but cold day, with daycare for the boys, working from home, and then my son's specialist appointment in the afternoon.

You might recall I mentioned when I bought this tee that it's actually a dark green! It really does look grey in particular lights, and looks so grey here with the black cardigan and printed jeans.

I picked the bright accessories as I remembered this old outfit with the orange scarf, olive tee and aquamarine bag. I thought I could recreate it with this orange crinkle scarf. I really like the aqua and orange combo, and it really pops with the monochromatic outfit. I love how the chevrons on the jeans tie in with the crinkle texture on the scarf - although that wasn't planned, a happy coincidence I noticed when I reviewed the photos!


Last worn: black belted cardigan, dark green tee, orange crinkle scarf, chevron print jeans, silver ballet flats, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag.

Other ways to wearblack belted cardigan and skater dress, dark green tee and lace skirt, orange crinkle scarf and navy dress, chevron print jeans with pink and blue, silver ballet flats and grey jeans, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag and maxi dress.

Perfect for pregnancyblack belted cardigan in first trimester, silver ballet flats in third trimester, Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC bag in third trimester.



Basic Tees Under $50:




How You Can Wear It:

A basic block colour tee is a wardrobe staple and so easy to dress up or down. With a plain tee, you can add interest to your outfits in other ways. It makes print mixing easy as the plain tee goes with any other prints you want to wear. Of course if you aren't a fan of print mixing, you can use a neutral basic tee as the base of an outfit you add colourful accessories too, as I've done with the scarf and bag in the second outfit.




SHOPBOP SALE ALERT!





The Shopbop end of season sale is on now! Get up to 25% off with code 'STOCKUP18'!




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