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Archive of ‘Fashion’ category

How to Wear a Denim Pinafore Dress

October 12, 2018 / Fashion / 0 comment

Do you ever buy clothes for your kids and wish they came in your size? The denim pinafore dress is one of those pieces.

Last week, I bought all three of my girls a denim pinafore dress for summer. It’s the ideal piece to layer over a t-shirt. I think they look so cute on the girls… I wanted to wear one of my own.

How awesome that the denim pinafore dress is on trend this season. In fact, dungarees or denim overalls are a popular piece to own this spring. Truth be told, I’ve never been a fan of these because of the whole having to undress to go to the toilet situation.

I may also be scarred from hearing a story of a friend of a friend who went out to dinner in her overalls. Nature called and she did a number two, and didnt realise the back part of her overalls had dangled down the toilet bowl as she did so…

If I’m going to wear some sort of overalls… I want a skirt attached, so the denim pinafore dress ticks all the right boxes for me.

I got the last size 16 in this style from ASOS over the footy weekend. It doesn’t have stretch so I sized up. You don’t want your pinafore to be too big or the openings will reveal more than you bargained for.

I’ve styled it two ways so you can see how a pinafore denim dress can be worn in summer and winter. It is another ideal trans-seasonal piece.

How to wear a denim pinafore dress in summer

How to wear a denim pinafore dress in winter or inbetween seasons

A stripe tee is the perfect contrast with the denim. But any tee, singlet or off-the-shoulder top can be worn with your denim pinafore. I can’t wait to try different tops with my dress.

To make the dress versatile for the cooler weather, wear a longer sleeved tee and layer with leggings.

Frankie 4 Nat sneakers work well with the dress, but some Birkenstocks would be an ideal swap for summer.

These dresses seem to sell out as soon as they hit the shelves or online. It took me a while to find availability in a range of sizes. But here are some to help with your research.

Sportsgirl Button Thru Denim Pinafore $89.99
Sportsgirl Classic Denim Pinafore $89.99
ASOS Urban Button Through Denim Midi Dress $76.00
ASOS Vintage Blue Dungaree Dress $70.00
Miss Selfridge Zip Through Pinny Dress $69.95
City Chic Denim Overall Bib Dress $99.95

Do you own a denim pinafore dress? Ever bought clothes for your kids that you wished came in your size?

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.

Bright Patterned Tees for Summer

September 6, 2018 / Fashion / 0 comment

Bright patterned tees are a summer staple for me. A bright, patterned tee with a pair of jeans and cardi is a classic casual outfit for me from Autumn to Spring.

Some of my favourite tees are from Gorman, Elm, Bohemian Traders and Kmart.

Wearing Elm Tee

Polka dots, florals, stripes, abstract or geometric patterns – all of them are in my wardrobe and are worn on high rotation throughout the year.

In summer, my tees are worn with a pair of shorts.

In autumn, winter and spring, I layer a cardigan or jacket over my tees and wear them with jeans. The outfit is complete with a pair of canvas shoes or my Frankie4 Nats.

I love wearing a bright patterned tee because it’s a way to show my personality and one of the ways I love to wear colour in my outfit. I usually will have a bold earring to match with my tee.

There are so many gorgeous patterned tees coming out for spring and summer. There are a variety to suit each budget.

From my experience, the brands I’ve featured in my curation below have worn well – even after wearing them on high rotation and going through the wash multiple times. There’s nothing worse than buying a patterned tee and finding the pattern fades, runs or the tee shrinks in the wash.

I’ve found the Gorman tees for this season are cropped shorter. I’m not a fan of cropped tees as I like a little extra length to cover over my lower tummy. The one I featured is the normal length that I’m used to.

I just bought this tee on Tuesday, on sale. It was the only tee left in that pattern and in my size (yay!). I was pleased to add it to my collection. My Witchery cardigan matches perfectly.

Here are some bright, patterned tees I’ve found online.

Bird Keepers The Spot Cotton Top Mint $59.95
Kmart Extended Sleeve Tee $9.00
Kmart Scoop Neck Drape Tee $9.00
Etsy And Stretch Sandy Batwing Tee $51.91
Bohemian Traders Classic Swing Tee in Stripe $59.00
Etsy And Stretch Bondi Batwing Tee $51.91
Cordelia St Spot Jersey Tee $79.95
Lily & Me Cockles Tee $59.95
Gorman Museum Date Linen Tee $99.00
Elm Camelia Short Sleeve Tee $69.95
ONLY First Mix Top Cherry Print $29.95
Bird Keepers The Spot Cotton Top Blue $59.95

Are you a fan of the bright, patterned tee?

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.

My Favourite Trans-Seasonal Top – Three Quarter Sleeve Tops

August 8, 2018 / Fashion / Comments Off

The three quarter sleeve top is one of my preferred tops to wear during autumn, winter and spring.

The extra length in the sleeve is perfect for trans-seasonal dressing. Brisbane has had some warm winter days of late, so the three sleeve top has been ideal, layered with a cardigan or jacket early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Whenever I choose a three quarter sleeve top, I think about:

1. What jackets and cardigans I already own that can be layered over top?

2. Can they be worn into summer with a pair of shorts?

3. Can the sleeves be rolled up for summer?

4. What is the material and can it be worn all year round?

5. Will it look great with jeans?

Not all of my three quarter sleeve tops tick all the questions, but I do have multiple three quarter sleeve tops that suit one or more of my requirements.

At the moment, I’m working on a capsule wardrobe to take overseas that will work in with my black puffer jacket and jeans.

Here are some of the styles I’ve found that I’ve considered adding to cart.

Freez Zip Top $49

Katies Printed Bell Sleeve Top $27.97 (on sale)

Betty Basic Milan 3/4 Sleeve Top $39

Naudic Hacienda Navy and Red Tunic $149.95

Elm Luna Shift Top $89.95 (other sizes available here)

Katies Boat Neck Stripe Top $20.97 (on sale)

Do you have many three quarter sleeve tops 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.

Replace or Repair? Should You Get Your Favourite Boots Repaired?

July 31, 2018 / Fashion / 1 Comment

We live in a world that would much rather replace than repair something old or broken. The cost to repair can often be more expensive than buying brand new. I also think we can be cautious of spending money on something that could need to be repaired again to eventually be told ‘sorry, they are no longer reparable’. Isn’t it better to put the repair money towards a replacement?

I had these very questions go through my mind when I got my favourite boots repaired yesterday.

There was no question about wanting to keep them. I love these boots. They feature heavily in my winter outfits. But after I paid over $60 for the boots to be re-soled, I did question if I had done the right thing.

Thankfully, the Mister Minit man advised they had a 6 month warranty on their shoe repairs. I reasoned I only ever wear my boots in winter anyway, and decided it was going to be worth paying for the repair, instead of replacing them with another pair boots which would cost me over $200.

Plus it’s saved one pair of boots going to landfill.

My Jo Mercer boots have worn really well. I’ve owned them for over 4 years. I get asked frequently where I got them from and they have also been mistaken for Frankie4 boots.

They were a lucky purchase I made at the Jo Mercer Factory Outlet store when I was pregnant with Phoebe. I originally paid $60 for them!

And they have been the most comfortable boots to wear, with a heel.

I was grateful when I found out the boots could be re-soled and I was really impressed with the workmanship when I picked them up. They were repaired within the same day.

If you’re going to repair a pair of shoes or boots – it comes down your personal convictions. How much do you love them and what are you willing to spend to keep them? After perusing the Mister Minit website, it seems like there isn’t anything they can’t do to repair your shoes.

And they make a very valid point: Don’t buy new, Fix your Favorites.

Which is exactly what I did. So in the end, the cost was very much worth it. I can wear my favourite boots and no need to wear in a new pair. Problem solved.

Have you ever had your favourite boots repaired or resoled? What stops you from getting your shoes repaired?

I Bought My Shoes for Disneyland (And Have Been Wearing Them NON-STOP!)

July 20, 2018 / Fashion / 2 Comments

Earlier this week, I bit the bullet and bought my shoes for Disneyland.

We have a family trip planned for the end of the year and on my ‘must get’ list has been a pair of white sneakers from Frankie4.

Ever since the Frankie4 Nat’s were released, I’ve had my eye on them. My go to shoe as a mum is a white sneaker that I can slip on and off quickly. I’ve been wearing my Seed Heritage shoes to death and as much as I love them, they don’t offer the best support. I knew I would need a more supportive shoe for travelling.

Ironically, with the amount I walk each day, the purchase was one that would benefit me now.

I headed to the store at Indooroopilly, to make use of my $50 VIP Birthday voucher.

Since acquiring my first pair of Frankie4’s when Phoebe was born, my foot has shrunk in size. Less fluid and the length of my feet have shortened, which means my size 11/10 feet have gone down to a size 9.5/10.

I tried on the Nat sneakers and the Beth brogues to get an idea on size. I’m a solid 9.5 at Frankie4, which means I know what size to purchase in the future, online. When purchasing online, postage is free. This will save me having heart palpitations when navigating down the laneway to the Indooroopilly store.

I remember wrangling the street with a ute when getting into Reece Plumbing during my plumbing days. It was my least favourite store to get into due to the lack of parking. Thankfully, there is plenty of onsite parking at the Frankie4 store. Nevertheless, the drive down the street is one I don’t want to be making often.

I’m very happy with my purchase and have been wearing my shoes since the waterproof spray allowed me to do so. I have to break them in so they are ready when we go to the US in December. But honestly, they haven’t needed it because they are so comfy to wear.