Spring / Summer Haul! What I Bought In August

After a successful no buy July last month (5th year in a row!) I went just a little overboard this month and bought quite a lot! Most of it was pre-loved though so not too much of a hit on the budget!

August is the last month of winter here in Australia but I'm already thinking of spring and summer and so bought some light weight scarves for layering on cooler days, along with a LOT of tees and maxi skirts. Oh and a new bag too 😂 You know you've gone overboard when you can't fit all the things you bought in the video thumbnail pic!

What I Bought In August: Haul Video

In The Video:

• Fashion Scarf Girl plain crinkle scarf in mustard 
• Fashion Scarf Girl pretty pink diamond scarf 
• Fashion Scarf Girl zesty stripe tassel scarf in pink 
• Rebecca Minkoff emerald green mini 5-zip rocker bag
• Jeanswest Delilah Long Line Kimono in Green Floral 

Everything I got in my opshop fill a bag for $5 haul:

• thrifted pinstripe maxi skirt
• thrifted SES Fashions vertical stripe maxi skirt
• thrifted Kmart black and grey knitted asymmetric maxi skirt in shadow
• thrifted Cotton On navy and grey striped maxi skirt
• thrifted Kmart space dye cream and black longline top
• thrifted Cotton on grey tunic tee
• thrifted black and white space dye peplum tee
• thrifted Navy Emerson slouchy tee
• blue multi stand long beaded necklace

Why I Bought It:

After catching up with Jess and seeing one of the new Fashion Scarf Girl scarves in person, I had to put in an order! You might recall I was a brand rep for the company last year - but these scarves I bought myself, as I do only collaborate with companies I'd spend money on! I thought they'd be the perfect light layer for the upcoming spring (just a few days away!).

The bag was something I could not get out of my head. I'd put an offer in on it before when I had an ebay voucher but it was rejected, so I decided it wasn't meant to be. I kept it in my watch list though and after seeing it consistently relisted for a few weeks I caved, upped my offer and bought it in mid August when I had another ebay voucher. So happy with it. And still so confused as to how or why these ebay vouchers appear!

The kimono was another purchase I'd been eyeing for a while, when a 40% off sale at Jeanswest came along at the end of August I snapped it up!

The opshop haul is a big one! It was a fill a bag for $5 sale and I may have went overboard - but all these pieces are things I see myself wearing a lot in the months to come. Even if I did question my sanity a little when I realised out of the 5 maxi skirts I tried on I wanted to take 4 home with me....

How I've Worn It:

With my big opshop haul coming mid August, and filling my $5 bag with so many clothes, I was doubtful I'd hit the "wear everything twice in the month I buy it" rule that I set myself. I made a good attempt at it though, and give myself a pass there as I honestly wasn't expecting to have so much good luck at the opshop! I wasn't going to put things I loved back if I was paying the same price for the bag no matter how much was inside it!

In saying the above though, I'm also not expecting to shop much more the next few months, I have plenty of new to me things to wear and I feel stocked up for spring and summer! The pieces I bought have been perfect for our warmer end to winter too.

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Layering Up Sundresses With Knotted Knits In Winter

These adorable Kmart strappy tiered sundresses from the past two summers are so perfect for the summer heat and humidity in Brisbane. I've layered them up a little for autumn and spring before, but decided to take advantage of some warmer winter days to wear them with more layers! Using my go-to petite style hack of knotting a jumper over a dress to create these outfits.

What I wore:

Knit: thrifted Spirit grey marle jumper
Necklace: Kmart gold and navy beaded necklace
Dress: Kmart Aztec print tiered little black dress
Shoes: Asos Cleo leather boots in tan
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff red micro Avery cross body bag

Why I wore it:

This cute grey knit, a $1 opshop buy at the start of the year, is a longer length with an uneven hem. It means there is a lot of it to tie up when I want to knot it over a dress, but I think it makes the knot more of a feature. Just like last time I knotted this knit, I really liked this outfit! I think the grey knit paired so nicely with the black tiered sundress, and the tan boots were a cosy and comfortable option.

The outfit felt a little too neutral so I added the fun red Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery tote bag for a touch of colour. I think it was the perfect finishing touch!

It was great to be wearing something I felt happy and comfortable in because I stopped to take these photos on the way to church, at a spot I'd been driving by for a few weeks and thinking how good it would be to take photos there. I hopped out the car, setup the tripod and then a car drove by...and another, and another. Turns out the "little side road" I'd seen actually had a very busy gym in the middle of it and it must have been near the time classes started or finished. I'm awkward enough in public when someone else is taking my photo, it felt even weirder just being there with my tripod! I couldn't pack everything back in the car quick enough, haha!


Last worn: grey knit, beaded necklace, Aztec print sundress, slouchy tan boots, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag.

Other ways to wear: grey knit and olive jeans, Aztec print sundress in summer, slouchy tan boots and skinny jeans, Rebecca Minkoff micro Avery bag and pencil skirt.

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My Favourite Rebecca Minkoff Bag:

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What I wore:

Necklace: blush pink and gold beaded tassel necklace
Knit: thrifted Valleygirl blue knit jumper
Dress: Kmart strappy tiered sundress in watercolour blue and blush print
Shoes: Kmart sparkly silver glitter sneakers
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger bag in peony

Why I wore it:

Although this outfit follows the same formula as the one above, just a more colourful version, I didn't like this one as much. I think possibly because this knit wasn't knotted as tightly and looks a bit more relaxed and slouchy. Being petite, it helps to tie it in a fixed line and have a more defined waist. It looks okay, just not as good as I imagined in my head when I thought up the outfit!

As it was a warmer day, I skipped the fleece-lined tights I'd worn above and just wore leggings and my fun sparkly Kmart glitter sneakers. I even considered going without the leggings and having bare legs, but in the shade at the playground I was glad I'd picked the leggings!

Added a little more colour to this already colourful dress by matching the blush floral print to the pink tassel necklace and Rebecca Minkoff Darren messenger bag. The bag is one I've worn with this dress in the past, I just love the combination.


Last worn: cobalt knit, pink tassel necklace, printed tiered sundress, glitter sneakers, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger.

Other ways to wear: cobalt knit and purple jeans, printed tiered sundress in summer, glitter sneakers and shorts, Rebecca Minkoff small Darren messenger in the office.

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Tiered Sundresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A pretty tiered sundress isn't just for summer! You can add more warmth to a spaghetti strap dress with a cosy knit on top, tied at the waist to give your outfit a little more definition. It's a great option for a warmer winter day when you don't need a lot of extra layers.


Linking up with Fashion Files, Thursday Moda, Chic and Stylish, Friday Faves, Red Carpet Style, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Wear.

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Weekday Wear Linkup! Grey Knits With Extra Details, Pencil Skirts and Chloe Paddington Bag

For today's Weekday Wear Linkup I'm sharing some more office wear, easy outfits for winter. Just a grey knit (with a little extra detail), a black pencil skirt, bright scarf and my forever classic Chloe Paddington bag.

What I wore:

Scarf: Love Quotes knotted tassel linen scarf in sunshine yellow
Knit: Warehouse grey bead front jumper
Skirt: Jeanswest zip detail ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

A slightly warmer winter morning after a rather cold snap meant I pulled out my cheeriest scarf! This big yellow blanket scarf is one I sometimes think is too big for my petite frame. I've even considered chopping it in half before! But I can't deny that whenever I wear it it makes me smile, it's so bold and colourful. Was the perfect touch of colour with my otherwise neutral outfit.

The embellished grey knit is a wardrobe oldie too, it's so good with a pencil skirt to the office. I tend not to wear it on days at home with the boys much as I'm worried the little beads would soon fall off after a lot of tugging from a curious toddler....much more suited to time in the office with grown ups!

Felt like taking my Chloe Paddington out for another spin. It's a much treasured piece in my wardrobe, my first ever luxury handbag purchase, and despite it being the heaviest bag I own I just can't part with it. Chloe have even reinterpreted the padlock design recently, but nothing beats the original!


Last worn: yellow scarf, embellished knit, black pencil skirt, black ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag.

Other ways to wear: yellow scarf and maxi dress, embellished knit and shorts, black pencil skirt over a dress, black ballet flats and wrap dress, Chloe Paddington bag and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: yellow scarf in second trimester, embellished knit in first trimester, black pencil skirt in first trimester, black ballet flats in second trimester, Chloe Paddington bag in second trimester.

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How I Scored My First Designer Bag: Chloe Paddington

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What I wore:

Scarf: blue tartan scarf
Jumper: Jeanswest Kara foil pullover in smoke marl and silver
Skirt: Jeanswest black ponte pencil skirt
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs silver tuxedo flats
Bag: Chloe Paddington in 2007 Brun

Why I wore it:

Another cosy and comfortable grey knit with a black pencil skirt for the office - if something works, why not repeat it! This time around the casual grey knit has a little extra detail in the form of foil polka dots! I do wear this knit on my stay at home mum days, but it also works well in the office.

I thought this blue tartan scarf would be a fun burst of colour with the black and grey, and while the jumper does have polka dots on it I thought it was subtle enough to be able to wear the tartan print with it. Again, I took my Chloe Paddington bag. I promptly put it back in its dustbag on its storage shelf when I got home though - I can only carry a bag this heavy so many times! And to think, before kids, at the height of the Paddington craze, I used to wear one (of 5 different ones I had!!) almost every day! 😅


Last worn: polka dot knit, blue tartan scarf, black pencil skirt, silver ballet flats, Chloe Paddington bag (above).

Other ways to wear: polka dot knit and maxi skirt, blue tartan scarf and jeans, black pencil skirt and pink tee, silver ballet flats in summer, Chloe Paddington and jeans.

Perfect for pregnancy: black pencil skirt in second trimester, silver ballet flats, Chloe Paddington in second trimester.

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Grey Knits Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

A classic grey knit is a wardrobe staple, and picking one with a little extra detail like a foil print or added embellishment makes your outfit feel a little more special. A bold accessory like a scarf can add an extra touch of colour and warmth to your outfit.

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Weekday Wear Linkup #33

Welcome to the Weekday Wear linkup! A linkup for you to share your weekday outfits - whether that is office wear or stay at home mum wear - if you wore it on a weekday, you can link it up!

Guidelines:
1. Please link to a specific outfit post, not your blog homepage.
2. Link back to this post so others can find the link up.
3. Follow your host Away From The Blue on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
4. Add up to two posts and be sure to visit and comment on as many other posts as possible to get some weekday outfit inspiration!
Optional: tweet the post you linked up with the hashtag #weekdayWearLinkUp so I can retweet!

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Linking up with Mutton Style, What I Wore Sunday, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday.

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