Autumn Fashion Trends to Try in 2019

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By the end of February, I’m always itching for cooler weather to wear clothes I haven’t worn in a while to mix up my outfits. It’s also the time when autumn fashion trends make their way into stores ready for the change in season ahead.

A change is as good as a holiday, and adding a new piece to your wardrobe that embraces one of the Autumn trends I’m going to share with you is definitely going to keep things fresh and prevent you wanting to purchase a whole new wardrobe.

Autumn Fashion Trends 2019

These Autumn Fashion Trends have been collated from reports on what has been shown at fashion shows around the world. It’s also what I’ve noticed has become available in stores and what other fashionistas are embracing. I’ve already introduced some of the trends recently on the blog, so I will reference these so you can do your own research on what piece/s you may choose to embrace this season.

I’m loving all the trends autumn has to offer. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you already own in your wardrobe that has become popular once again.

autumn fashion trends to try for 2019

Dusters – Kimonos, Cardigans, Jackets

I had no idea what a duster was until it was discussed in a closed group. And then when I did my own research, I realized it wasn’t a new fashion term and I had been wearing dusters for years. I had also embraced wearing my kimono open as a duster, which since I’ve written my post, I have seen MANY women embrace this trend. It’s definitely one to embrace this Autumn as it’s the ideal layer between seasons. I love this gorgeous release from Birdsnest. But if you are after budget friendly alternatives, you can check out my post on Kimono Dusters.

Brown & Beige Polka Dots

This trend was introduced in summer, but it’s certainly one to embrace in autumn. I’m loving all the pieces I see in this pattern colour way. My favourite would have to be the Bohemian Traders Top, which I can visualize myself wearing with jeans and my favourite Jo Mercer boots. The dress from ASOS is definitely a summer number, but it can be worn in autumn as a pinafore over a white shirt… which brings me to the next trend. And the gorgeous dress from SWIISH can be layered with a denim jacket and boots.

For more inspiring pieces, or ways to wear this particular trend, check out this post from Brooke at Blonde Ambition.

Overalls and Pinafores

Overalls and pinafores aren’t going anywhere. I invested in my denim pinafore dress last year and it’s a piece I will wear layered in the autumn/winter months due to it’s length and need for leggings underneath. There are various dresses that can be turned into a pinny without having to buy a dress specifically to embrace this trend. Jenni from Styling Curvy shared some great tips and selections in her post. I share how you can wear a denim pinafore dress in summer and autumn.

Plaid

Plaid and checks are another revolving fashion trend which will be popular this autumn. The plaid colour way is trending towards reds, rusts and warm colours. You can always warm a cool colour plaid with a tan belt and boots.

Leopard & Animal Print

Another recycled trend that keeps coming back is leopard print and various animal prints. There seems to have been an explosion of leopard print lately. You can embrace this trend by investing in an accessory, or you can go hard with a dress or top as featured below. Vanessa from Style and Shenanigans had a great post on where to shop for animal print.

Which pieces are you looking forward to wearing this autumn? Which autumn fashion trends do you already own in your wardrobe?

Disclosure: There are affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Earrings That Give Back

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I don’t know about you, but I always feel good knowing a purchase I have made has given back to others in some way. Today, I wanted to share with you earrings that give back to those in need in Africa.

I shared about a cause that I felt led to help with on my plumbing blog, The Plumbette (you can read about the cause here) In the post I mentioned I had bought a pair of earrings from Mosi Mtoto. A percentage of the proceeds from each sale of the earrings are donated to support children severely affected by poverty in Kenya and Uganda.

Right now, the proceeds made on the sale of the products listed on the site will be donated to a school in rural Kenya to plumb in a 10,000Lt water tank before the wet season starts. This will help the village from having to walk the 10km round trip to get their daily bucket of water.

I got to wear my newly purchased earrings on Thursday night to an event. As you know, I’m a big fan of statement earrings.

earrings that give back

Wearing Most Mtoto Fleur Cream Earrings (no longer available, but still available in coral)

I also wore them again on the weekend with my kimono because they matched so well.

bec with kimono and earrings

I also received the stud earrings in coral.

bec with flora coral earrings

While my cream earrings are no longer available, the studs are available for purchase in cream and coral.

If you’re after a new pair of earrings or need to purchase a gift for a friend, these earrings would be ideal. There are other designs available for purchase too.

You can also feel good knowing the sale will help someone in need.

Have you ever bought something that has given back to others?

Is it Cheaper to Buy Clothes in America?

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When I visited America 20 years ago, I owned my first pair of Levis and Sketchers. These brands were much cheaper in America than Australia, and some items weren’t even yet available in Australia.

Fast forward to our recent trip in December 2018, and I had many people say to me, wait till you go shopping in the US. It’s so much cheaper.

The thing is, when we have so much choice with online shopping and we can shop within our budget (or I generally wait for a sale), it’s hard to gauge whether it’s best to use spending money for clothes, or use it more for experiences. I also know my style and know where to go to get it.

I had people tell me clothes shopping in London would be fabulous – especially at shops like  H & M, Topshop and Warehouse (when they hadn’t opened in Australia).  I went into these stores disappointed. I bought a few things but nothing that made me go ‘AMAZING’.  And when I converted the currency, I probably could have saved my money and bought better at home.

After this experience, I wasn’t sure whether clothes shopping in America would be cheaper or not. Things can change over 20 years.

I personally didn’t need any clothes. But my husband was in need of new jeans, tees and shoes. We headed to a few stores in Australia (ie Universal Store) to see what the shoe prices were so we could compare when in America. We knew we’d be greeted with Boxing Day sales when we got back from our trip, so we weren’t fussed on buying in America if it wasn’t worth it.

On our trip, we headed to the Orange County Factory Outlets for half a day visit and found the men’s shoes and clothing were way cheaper than what we could buy in Australia. Jacob faired the best out of our shopping expedition. It was definitely worth waiting to buy up for him.

Adidas sneakers which retail for $150 in Australia, were $40US if we bought a full price pair of shoes. Even the full priced shoes were cheaper than what could be bought in Australia.

Men’s jeans were buy 2 pairs for $27.99 US at Ralph Lauren. Levi’s were $49.99 US each or buy two pairs and pay $39.99 US each.

Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts were $19 US each. Jacob got a few of these. We also got clothes for the kids. Prices started from $9.99 US for a tee from Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger.

What I bought in America

Even though I didn’t need any new clothes, I’m still a shopper at heart. I couldn’t walk out empty handed. 🙂

I had been wanting a pair of black sneakers to swap with my white Frankie 4 Nats. I got a pair for $60 US from Sketchers. I wasn’t fussed on the brand, but buying these allowed the girls to get their Sketchers half price. Esther got the newly released light up shoes that can be charged with a USB.

sketchers cheaper in the US

sketchers

Black Sketchers with Rose Gold Details

I also bought a pair of distressed and ripped Levi’s for $39.99 US, much to my dad’s delight. Jacob found a pair of black jeans and our purchases made both pairs of jeans cheaper.

distressed and ripped levis

Other clothes I bought were within Disneyland itself. It was pricey purchasing clothes in the park. I don’t want to do the conversion of how much we spent. So instead, we bought what we saw and loved.  I bought headbands for all the girls (they range from $27.99 US each) one t-shirt for $29.99 US and a scarf for $23.99 US. I didn’t think the tee and scarf were too bad for buying within the park itself. Plus they’re memories from our trip.

Minnie Mouse Tee

One of the crowd at Disneyland

I also had to get a tourist ‘I LOVE LA’ tee. I found this in a cheap A Mart store for $4.99 US.

I Love LA Tee

Overall, some things especially the sports and lifestyle brands were much cheaper to buy in America, especially at the outlets.

We went to the outlets with an idea of what we needed. I think that is what made the outlets experience worth it for us.

If you head to America, do make a visit to the outlets. For us, it was definitely worth the wait. To bring back all the clothes, shoes and toys we bought in America, we placed one small suitcase into the other. For our family of five we traveled with 2 suitcases and came back home with 3.

Have you found clothes to be cheaper in America than Australia? What destination has been the best shopping experience for you?

 

9 Ways to Add Leopard Print to Your Wardrobe

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Leopard print is everywhere I look this season.

New fashion labels have launched leopard print as part of their first release. Newly discovered labels (for me) have got leopard print interspersed through their product line.

If you didn’t know, leopard print isn’t going away anywhere soon.

It’s the pattern or neutral, as some stylists suggest, that never really goes out of fashion. Over the last 9 years of watching the fashion industry evolve and while writing this blog, leopard print always pops its head.

There are so many different leopard prints available – some with a snow leopard colourway, others with more a grey tone and you can’t beat the classic caramel tones of a natural leopard print.

If you haven’t dived into this revolving fashion trend, here are 9 ways to add leopard print to your wardrobe. You only need to add one piece to work within your existing wardrobe.

9 ways to add leopard print to your wardrobe

1. Cami

Styling You The Label launched this gorgeous Brooke Animal Cami, which is a versatile piece that can be worn to the office under a blazer or casually on the weekend with jeans. I love how it’s been styled on Karen from Style Loving 2 with the Bec Technical Shorts.

2. Neck Scarf

I love the versatility of a neck scarf, and Jenni from Styling Curvy wears it so well. This is a budget way to add leopard print to your outfit – wear a neck scarf around your hair, on your handbag, around your neck or even as an arm band.

Shades of Grey Scarf worn as a headband

3. Shift Dress

Go all out in a shift dress. If the print is too overwhelming, go with a broken up pattern like this shift dress from Freez Fashion.

4. Kimono

I love wearing my kimono as a duster. If you haven’t added a kimono to your wardrobe this summer, why not invest in a leopard print number? Love these two options from 17 Sundays and IL and Co.

5. Shoes

Add some leopard print to your feet. If you want to wear the print in a minimal way, wear a leopard print shoe.

6. Scrunchie

Not sure if I will personally be jumping in on this trend, but scrunchies are back. Pop a leopard print scrunchie on your ponytail.

7. Tunic

I love a tunic that does double duty – can be worn as a dress or as a top. I bought this one size fits all number and love it. Unfortunately, I can’t wear this as a dress, but it looks great with shorts.

8. Belt

Belts are another subtle way to incorporate leopard print. They can add a bit of interest to a block colour dress.

9. Culottes

I haven’t personally ventured down the culotte path, but this is another way to add leopard print to your wardrobe. Works well with a black or white tee for a casual look.

Have you got leopard print in your wardrobe? How do you like to wear leopard print?

Disclosure: There are affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Changing a Block Colour Dress With Shoes and Accessories

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Autumnal tones of mustard, rust, terracotta, maroon and all shades of brown have been quite popular this summer. The classic block colour dress has been popular in these colours this season.

A block colour dress is an easy piece to change the look of with accessories and shoes. I seem to see them everywhere I go at the moment.

Before adding a popular trend to my wardrobe, I always consider what I own already and what accessories can be used to create multiple outfits.

In some parts of Australia, a scarf is not going to be suitable until at least April. But Neon Cherry have released some gorgeous neck tie scarves which are versatile and won’t billow and layer around the neck like a normal sized scarf causing you to sweat unnecessarily.

I’ve taken this gorgeous Linen Dress from Freez to create three different outfits.

block colour dress freez

I’ve gone matchy matchy with the accessories and shoes in these outfits. I’ve simply picked a colour in the accessory and matched a shoe to correlate.

block colour dress

  1. Freez Sunny Girl Brown Linen Dress $59
  2. Neon Cherry Animal Print Square Scarf $24.95
  3. Jo Mercer Bowie Mid Heel Sandal $159.95

block colour dress

  1. Freez Sunny Girl Brown Linen Dress $59
  2. Ruby Olive Wonderland Hibiscus Necklace $45
  3. Gorman Colour Pop Sneaker $169

block colour dress

  1. Freez Sunny Girl Brown Linen Dress $59
  2.  Neon Cherry Retro Pony Prancer Scarf $17.95
  3.  Jo Mercer Dallas Mid Heel $99.95

This dress from Freez would make a versatile piece in anyone’s wardrobe. It’s a dress that can be worn to work, and dressed down for the weekend with sneakers.

You can use the same styling techniques with a block coloured dress in your wardrobe.

Have you noticed autumnal colours have been popular this summer? Do you own a block colour dress?

Disclosure: There are affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

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