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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Friday 11 August 2017

Winter Maxi Skirts, Knits and Red Saddle Bag

I love my maxi skirts, even in winter. An easy way to make them winter-appropriate is by adding a cosy knit jumper. My bright handbags are another thing I wear often in winter too, I don't think you need to reserve brighter bags for summer wear.

What I wore:

monochrome blue maxi skirt knit winter outfit with red accessories saddle bag | Away From Blue

blue knit and chambray with red Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag | Away From The Blue
Jumper: Valleygirl blue knit jumper
SkirtNoisy May long denim maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in white
BagRebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in blue!)

Why I wore it:

I decided to wear this knit because as I said in my previous post, I'm trying to wear through more of my winter things before the cold weather disappears. I thought this jumper would look nice in a monochrome outfit with my chambray maxi skirt.

It was a very cold day when I wore this to playgroup though. As we'd have to be outside, I added a few extra layers. A long sleeve top under my jumper, and some leggings under my maxi skirt. The chambray isn't the thickest material to keep me cosy in winter, but the leggings underneath worked perfectly for our time spent at the playground outside.

I've worn red and blue together before and liked the combo, so the red skull scarf and saddle bag seemed like a nice touch with all of the blue.


Last worn: cobalt marle knit, red skull scarf, chambray maxi skirt, white Converse, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag.

Other ways to wearcobalt marle knit and pencil skirt, red skull scarf and striped dress, chambray maxi skirt in summer, Converse and printed dress, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and printed kimono.

Perfect for pregnancy: red skull scarf in second trimester, Converse and maternity denim shorts.


Colourful Knits Under $50:








What I wore:

Wildfox Couture rainbow dreamer Lennon distressed knit, striped maxi skirt | AwayFromBlue

striped skirt, Rebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red | AwayFromTheBlue
JumperWildfox Couture rainbow dreamer Lennon distressed knit (from my bestie's wardrobe)
Skirt: Target black and white striped maxi skirt
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
Bracelets: the usual
BagRebecca Minkoff unlined saddle bag in cherry red (on sale in pink!)

Why I wore it:

First time I wore this knit I didn't manage to get a blog photo, although I did share a pic on my insta stories. My friend very generously let me have this Wildfox Couture jumper when she had a wardrobe clearout last year. It took a while for the weather to be cool enough to wear it again.

It's a very comfy knit, and it's got a lot of distressing on it. So much so that when I shared it on Insta stories people asked if Cooper had gotten to it, ha! The first time around I found that the rips were a little inconvenient with a toddler, he kept grabbing at them.

This time around I rolled up the sleeves and tucked the jumper in a little to keep the distressing out of the way, and found it a lot more kid-friendly. I wore this to work from home and do the daycare drop off/pickup so it limited the amount of time the boys could tug on it too 😂

Will try pick a fairly kid free day for the next time I wear this jumper too. It's too cosy and pretty to leave in a box until next winter when the boys are bigger and less grabby.


Last worn: striped maxi skirt, Converse, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag (above). First time I've worn this rainbow knit on the blog.

Other ways to wearstriped maxi skirt worn 30 ways, Converse and printed shirt dress, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag and denim shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: stripe maxi skirt and graphic tee in third trimester, Converse for a weekend away in second trimester.



Maxi Skirts Under $50:










How You Can Wear It:


Maxi skirts can be layered up and worn year round. You can add a colourful and cosy knit to be weather appropriate. If it's a really cold day or you plan on being outside a lot, you can add hidden layers with a long sleeve tee or even leggings underneath. I'm wearing Converse in these outfits but ankle boots are another option to keep your feet cosy.

Make these outfits work for breastfeeding by layering a breastfeeding singlet under and just lifting the jumper to feed.


Linking up with Friday Faves, Friday Favourites, Passion for Fashion, Shoe & Tell, Mix It Monday, On Monday We Link Up, Hello Monday, Modest Monday, Mummy Monday.



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Wednesday 9 August 2017

Stripe Henleys in Neutral Outfits with Colourful Pink and Purple Accessories

I unpacked all my winter stuff months ago, but even with my #6MonthsWithoutShopping and #noBuyJuly17 and no new things in my wardrobe, I still have winter pieces unworn. Part of this is due to not having a lot of space in my wardrobe and some of my winter things having to go into one of the boy's rooms where I forget to look when picking out things to wear. I've been making more of an effort lately to wear some of my long sleeved winter tops.

The same outfit formula was used to wear each of the striped henley tops below, but I think the outfits look quite different! Striped henley, monochrome jeans and cardigan and colourful scarf and bag is easy winter stay at home mum style.


What I wore:

magenta accessories with striped henley and monochrome black outfit Converse winter | AwayFromBlue

Magenta accessories with stripes and black cardigan: Balenciaga Day bag | AwayFromTheBlue
ScarfAlexander McQueen magenta skull scarf in roses print
Top: Jeanswest 'Marina' stripe henley
JeansNobody Denim Siren skinny super high-rise jeans in power black denim (C/O, on sale!)
ShoesConverse Chuck Taylor All Star low in black
BagBalenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')


Why I wore it:

You can tell that this scarf has been sitting unworn in a storage box for a while as it's so crumpled! I probably should have ironed it, but I barely have time to iron my clothes (#mumLife!) so accessories are probably never going to get ironed! 😂

I liked the addition of the magenta Balenciaga bag and skull scarf together with the black and white - really made the outfit more colourful and cheerful.

Wore this for a little bit of a busy day - had my local ABA group meeting in the morning, then lunch, a quick shopping trip and a doctors appointment. The shopping trip was very special! It was back when I was still doing my #6MonthsWithoutShopping, but as I've shared previously, I was treated to a pair of jeans! Thanks to a special someone doing the $5 challenge and deciding to surprise people with the money they saved. I went into Jeanswest 'just for a look' and found the perfect grey jeans to replace my old pair.

The $5 challenge is where you save all the $5 notes you get as change for the year. Even as someone who doesn't use cash often, they saved a lot! I think I'll give it a go next year!


Last worn: black wrap cardigan, magenta skull scarf, navy stripe henley, Nobody Denim jeansConverse, Balenciaga magenta day bag

Other ways to wearblack wrap cardigan and flares, magenta skull scarf and grey tee, navy stripe henley and maxi skirt, Nobody Denim jeans and ankle bootsConverse and printed dresses, Balenciaga magenta day bag and printed jeans

Perfect for pregnancy: black cardigan and hiding an early baby bump, skull scarf and plaid shirt in first trimester, stripe henley for an obstetrician appointment, Converse for a weekend trip in the second trimestermagenta day in the office in third trimester.



Striped Henleys Under $50:








What I wore:

pink scarf and magenta bag with casual monochrome grey skinny jeans outfit winter | Away From Blue

grey wool cardigan and skinny jeans, Balenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta | Away From The Blue
ScarfAlexander McQueen pink pashmina in skull and floral print
TopJeanswest 'Melanie' Stripe henley in black/coconut
JeansJeanswest Cecile dove grey skinny jeans (on sale, 25% off!)
Shoes: Purple high top Converse look-a-likes (from my sister's wardrobe)
BagBalenciaga Day bag in 2005 magenta (20% off with code 'REAL')


Why I wore it:

These are the wonderful jeans I was treated to as part of the $5 challenge - I was surprised to see them in store as I'd been wanting a pair of grey jeans to replace my old ones, and actually had just finished a phone call with my sister asking if she had any grey jeans from her massive wardrobe clearout!

The purple Converse-like high tops I'm wearing are from my sister's wardrobe clearout. I've always wondered if I should add a colourful pair of Converse to my shoe collection, given how much my black and white Chucks are worn, but never been sure what colour to add. This made the decision for me, perfect! I like the purple shoes with the pink skull scarf and magenta bag. Just the right amount of colour for a grey outfit, and perfect for a morning at playgroup.

Last time I wore this scarf I wore it with this striped top too, I really like the combination!


Last worn: wool cardigan, neon pink skull scarf, grey stripe henley, grey skinny jeans, magenta Balenciaga day bag (above). First time I've worn the shoes as they are a recent addition from my sister's wardrobe to mine!

Other ways to wearwool cardigan and flared jeans, neon pink skull scarf and chambray dress, stripe henley in the office, grey skinny jeans with animal print, magenta Balenciaga day bag and graphic tee.

Perfect for pregnancy: stripe henley in first trimester, skull scarf in third trimester, magenta Balenciaga bag and novelty pregnancy tees.



Pink and Magenta Skull Scarves Under $50:








How You Can Wear It:


Bright accessories aren't just for summer! Don't be afraid to add a little (or a lot!) of colour to a winter outfit with a bright scarf, bag or even shoes. Neutral outfits are so easy to wear in winter as you know all the pieces look good together. Adding a bright accessory or two really pops against the neutrals and is a quick and simple way to add a little colour to all your grey or black layers.


Linking up with Thursday Fashion Files, Fabulous Friday, Flashback Fashion, Weekend Wear.



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