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Luxurious and Affordable Kaftans by Vizcosa PLUS a GIVEAWAY

November 24, 2015 / Fashion / 35 Comments

Congratulations to Karen B for winning the Kaftan.

The end of November and beginning of December is usually the time for work Christmas parties. I love this time of year, but it can also be incredibly busy and expensive!

Each year, I curate my wardrobe to see what outfit I will wear to Christmas functions, as well as keeping (or buying) one special dress for Christmas Day. I love to treat myself to a new dress for Christmas Day.

One of my favourite styles of dress to wear to a summer function is the kaftan. I love the kaftan because it is a versatile dress that can be worn to the swankiest of occasions or dressed down, worn over swimmers by the pool.

I wanted to bring your attention to an Australian owned company Vizcosa, started by the gorgeous Carmen Rivas. Carmen started Vizcosa through a passion of travel and all things flowy and resort like. She wanted to create a brand of clothing that you could travel with, which could be luxurious and comfortable.

Enter the Vizcosa.

Vizcosa offer an array of kaftans in amazing prints and styles. The shapes cater from petite sizes to plus size goddesses. The kaftans aren’t mass produced, so there are limited numbers on each design to ensure you will be one of the few rocking a particular design.

The kaftans are made from non-sheer silk and sheer polyester Georgette which makes the kaftans a perfect choice for summer.

Being a delicate item, it is recommended the kaftans are dry-cleaned or gently hand-washed.

Here are some of my favourite colourful designs from Vizcosa.

Amalfi Long Kaftan $249.99

Rainbow Kaftan $159.99

Silk Poncho Beach Cover up $65.00

I was sent the Jaguar Love Kaftan which is made from 100% silk georgette and is honestly one of the most comfortable and well draped kaftans I’ve ever worn.

In Jaguar Love Kaftan

Here is the same kaftan worn on the model

Vizcosa Jaguar Love $169.99

Jaguar Love

I will be wearing this kaftan to a special function this Saturday. I also have my eye on a few more designs. The style is designed to be floaty and is generous in size. If you wanted to add shape to the kaftan, a simple black ribbon could be used to tie around the empire line for a slimmer look. I love an animal print and have no doubt I will be wearing this gorgeous kaftan to many future events to come.

While I enjoy being gifted items, I love to be able to provide a giveaway so that you can have the chance of being gifted with one of these kaftans too.

Carmen has generously offered a giveaway of one kaftan up to the value of $249.99 from the Vizcosa range.

In order to be in the running, I’d love to know which kaftan is your favourite and why? Answer the question in the comments or on Facebook. The most interesting answer will win the prize. If you can also like the Styled by Bec Facebook page and Vizcosa Facebook page to keep updated with new designs as they arrive, that would be most appreciated.

If you are eager to get your hands one of these beautiful kaftans, I have a special discount code for all Styled by Bec readers. You can receive $20 off your kaftan by simply entering STYLEDBYBEC20 and the code lasts up until the 31^st of December this year.

There is also free delivery on all the kaftans from Vizcosa so your $20 discount won’t be swallowed by shipping fees.

Terms and Conditions

This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

There is one prize: 1 Vizcosa Kaftan to the up to the value of $249.99, so if the kaftan is less than the value, no credit will be given.

Entries open from 6am Brisbane time Tuesday 24^th November 2015 to Friday 4^th December 2015 6pm Brisbane Time.

Prize is not transferable or changeable

Prize sent out by Vizcosa will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

Entry is leaving an answer to the question.

A valid email address must be included in your entry.

Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

The winner will be notified by email and has 3 days to reply and claim the prize. The winner will also be announced on Facebook. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.

The decision on the winner is final and no dialogue will be entered into otherwise.

These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

Disclaimer: I was gifted a Jaguar Love Kaftan for the purpose of this post and giveaway. All opinions are my own and this post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

Australian Made, Eco-friendly Fashion That Sha-de’s You From The Sun

November 17, 2015 / Fashion / 13 Comments

Being a pale girl, I’m always looking for dresses and tops with sleeves. I very rarely wear a spaghetti or slim strap tank mainly because I’ve been self-conscious of my white, rounded shoulders. (although I have embraced the off the shoulder look but only when I know I’m going to be inside). I also find wearing tops with that extra bit of sleeve means I can avoid adding another chore to my morning routine of applying sunscreen to my back and shoulders.

I think it was Vanessa from Style and Shenanigans who shared via Instagram a shrug she purchased from Sha-de and it was just the thing I was looking for to wear to the beach to cover my shoulders or to wear over a dress or tank top when out in the sun.

When I researched online I instantly loved the resort wear from Sha-de. When I learned that the clothes were ethically made in Melbourne, offered more sun protection than most of the clothes in my wardrobe and were made out of breathable and hypoallergenic Bamboo, I was keen to get some Sha-de into my wardrobe.

After a recent meeting with one of the stylist’s as part of the Sha-de brand, I got to see the up and coming styles for Summer. I was instantly taken by this Blue Palm Print Dress. And ironically it has been named after a beach very close to my husband’s family’s home – Ballina.

The Ballina Dolman Dress is so easy to wear. Yes it’s a long sleeve dress and yes it’s SUMMER, but I have felt cool when out and about in it. I can also imagine myself wearing the dress to the beach over my togs or worn out at night dressed up with heels and a belt.

I got the dress in an XL and I could have gone down to a L but I like the airiness in the dress and being able to cinch it in with a belt.

I feel the print acts like a stripe in that it feels busy but it’s not when you put the dress on. The dress is trans-seasonal and can be accessorised with a bold necklace or a printed scarf.

This print also comes in a drop hem t-shirt and drop crotch pant.

Sha-de clothes are not just great for wearing out in the sun, they are also great for travelling. They roll up quite small and don’t require ironing. If I were to travel on a long distance flight I would wear the Byron Pant in Indigo and the Avoca tee in Watermelon or Indigo as knowing me I always drop food on myself when on a plane.

Avoca Tee in Cream and Byron Bay Pant in Indigo

Some of my other favourite looks from Sha-de are the Balmoral Dress In Indigo, the Lorne Skirt in Indigo with the Cream Avoca Tee (as pictured below on me) and of course the shrug which can be worn all year round.

Balmoral Dress

Sha-de also offers clothing for the kids. My girls love their Hide and Seek Hoodies which they wear over their togs before and after going swimming.

Esther wearing Hide and Seek Hookie in Orchid, Maggie Wearing Hide and Seek Hoodie in Aquamarine.

One of the best things about Sha-de the label is that all the clothing items are made in Australia. They are eco-friendly and ethically produced, here in Melbourne. I like to be able to support locally produced clothes when I can and this label is one to support.

For all Styled by Bec readers, I have a special code where you can receive 10% off your first order. Enter the unique code BEWOR10 to receive 10% off your order.

Are you particular about what you wear in the sun? Do you have fair skin like me?

Disclaimer: I was gifted items from the Sha-de label for the purposes of this post. All views and opinions are my own. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

What to Wear to a Kindergarten Excursion

November 3, 2015 / Fashion / 10 Comments

Last Tuesday was my first kindergarten excursion with my daughter, Esther, and I don’ t know who was more excited!

When you envision having kids, you do dream about all the fun things you will do together, and one of the moments I dreamed about was helping with kindy and school excursions when my kids would go to school.

Of course working out what to wear played on my mind because I knew we’d be on our feet most of the day. I also had to think about wearing clothes that would allow me to bend down to talk to kids, so my clothes needed to be comfortable and simple.

When I surveyed the mums (and 1 dad) on the trip, we all had the similar style outfits on. Shorts or cotton pants with simple tops. Shoes were flats or joggers. Backpacks were the bag of choice, so hands could be free to hold little hands.

This is what I wore.

I admit the scarf did get in my way at times, but I don’t like wearing a plain top without some sort of interest via a necklace or scarf. I adjusted the scarf as needed when I had to.

My tips for what to wear when you go on an excursion with your child are:

Consider the weather and temperature of the day. We were heading to Ipswich and the temperature was going to be a hot 30 degrees.
Wear flat shoes or joggers because you will be on your feet most of the day and having good, supportive, FLAT footwear is a must. I wore my Frankie Sophie’s and they were great to walk in and I didn’t have sore feet at the end of the day.
Bring a hat. I brought mine but didn’t wear it as I was always in the shade, but the kids usually will eat their morning tea and lunch outside and there are no guarantees there will be shade.
Wear a backpack or make use of that baby bag or tote with long handles that you can hoist on your shoulder. The bag should be big enough to carry your hat, lunch and water bottle. I emptied my tote bag of nappies to make room for my lunch bag and water bottle.
Sunglasses for outside time and during meal breaks.
Don’t wear anything that always needs to be adjusted like tops or dresses that need ties around the waist. A simple tee and shorts or tank and print pants or even a dress will work.

Here is an outfit idea if you are needing to plan what to wear to your child’s kindergarten or school excursion.

1. Katies Extended Sleeve Placket Top $29.95

2. Katies Perforated Tote Back $49.95

3. Portmans Mono Stripe Hat $29.95

4. Frankie 4 Footwear Ellie $229.95

5. Birdsnest Bird Keepers The Denim Short $69.95

Have you accompanied your child on an excursion? What did you wear?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

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

Off the Shoulder Dresses – Summer 2016 Trend

October 27, 2015 / Fashion, Style tips / 20 Comments

Off the shoulder dresses (or off shoulder dresses) are a big trend this summer. It’s the strapless dress of the season and I didn’t think I would be a fan of this type of dress until I tried on this Katies version when I went to the Styling You Katies Style night and kitted my wardrobe out for Summer 2015/16. Once I put the dress on and Nikki tugged at the dress to pucker over the waist and pulled the sleeve down my shoulders, I fell in love with the style. It’s a dress that can be worn with the sleeves over the shoulder, or with one shoulder showing or both shoulders showing. I like the versatility.

Katies Off shoulder dress

I wore my dress on Sunday for Phoebe’s baby dedication at church. I had a few comments about the dress and one friend couldn’t believe the dress was from Katies.

How to wear your off the shoulder dress

If you are keen to give the off the shoulder dress a go, here are some tips.

Firstly, the cut and style of the dress is a feature in itself, so there is no need for excessive jewellery. However, if you are going for a boho look, layer your fine necklaces. A dangly earring always works well with an off the shoulder cut.

A platform or wedge heel works well for the maxi style dresses. For the shorter styles, opt for a flat sandal or gladiator style sandal.

If you think having a dress off your shoulders will annoy you, buy an off the shoulder dress that has straps for support (like the white dress below).

I’ve found some styles online that may interest you.

1.Vero Moda Off The Shoulder Leopard Print Dress $47.00

2. Katies Off Shoulder Maxi Dress $69.95

3. Tropica Lace Trim Off Shoulder Dress $139.95

4. Bohemian Traders Wanderlust Holiday Dress $109.00

5. ASOS Fallen Star Off The Shoulder Maxi Dress $51.00

6. Zalora off the shoulder dress $25.98

7. Katies Off Shoulder Maxi Dress $69.95

8. Vila Off the Shoulder Embroidered Dress $48.00

What do you think about the off the shoulder dress style? Are you willing to give it a try this season?

Don’t forget I’m giving away a Sissy Mt Eliza sequin tee worth $119.95, just head to this post on How to Wear a Sequin Tee.

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Disclaimer: 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.

Accepting the skin I was in – Sirens Ship the Shop Review

October 13, 2015 / Fashion / 40 Comments

One hot and humid afternoon at the age of 16 I remember riding the school bus home after a steamy day at school. The bus was not air conditioned so us older kids would resort to shoving the windows fully open, to allow the wind to blow across the beads of sweat that would form on our foreheads.

It was this particular afternoon I had a conversation with a girl who had beautifully tanned skin. It was skin I wished I had. I found it incredibly unfair to be given the skin I had and I often wondered why I couldn’t tan easily, like most of the girls at school could.

This particular girl looked at my white as snow legs and then up to my face and said, ‘Bec, you would be so pretty… if you had a tan.’

The comment didn’t make me feel sad because I believed what she said. I knew I would be prettier if I had a tan but I didn’t get a say in the skin I was given.

How I wished I had dark skin. I envied those with darker skin because black/dark skin was gorgeous and hid all types of lumps and bumps. White skin highlighted all of mine.

Unfortunately tan creams just didn’t seem to ‘stick’ to my skin, and when I would apply those gradual tan creams, it was easy to see a misapplication because I was so white. After a few tan cream disasters I resorted to being white, than strutting around with apricot elbows and orange knees.

I eventually got over my skin and just thought ‘it is what it is’, so I would wear the most ugliest rashies and boardshorts to cover my whiteness whenever I’d go to the beach or the pool. My swimming attire protected my skin, but it definitely did not look cool on.

At the end of year break up in year 11 (or it could have been year 10?), a few of the grades were taken to a large community pool to swim and have fun. I sat out of the pool in my free dress clothes because all the girls were in their string bikinis and I had packed my black rashie and black bike pants to cover my ‘horrible’ skin. I was too ashamed to walk out in my ‘swimming attire’ and pulled out the rookie excuse that I wasn’t feeling well and had my period. I remember sitting in the hot sun, watching everyone have fun in the water and felt sorry for myself for not being ‘pretty enough’ for the pool.

Over the years my struggle to go to the beach and not worry about what people thought of my skin has been hard to get over. I’d hate church camps that involved swimming. I missed out on a lot of swimming fun because of how I viewed my skin and the way I looked in togs.

I’m not sure when my attitude towards my skin and body changed. Maybe when I realized I didn’t want to miss out anymore? And being married to a man who adores my white skin and voluptuous curves. This has definitely helped me get over my self-conscious issues.

So with that history in mind, sharing full length pictures of myself in swimsuits on Instagram and Facebook was probably a ballsy idea, but it was another step forward for me to accept my body and skin. I wanted to share the pictures to help other women to embrace the skin and body they’re in.

Sharing my Sirens Swimwear with Instagram followers

I was asked to review Sirens Ship the Shop service and I happily accepted my mission because I was in need of new swimwear. My body shape has changed dramatically after having three babies and my skin is no longer white and smooth all over, it’s covered in tiger stripes and creamy custard. I’m no longer a size 12 but a size 16.

For $199 plus shipping Sirens Ship the Shop service allows you to choose 5 swimsuits. You get sent the 5 swimsuits to try on at home and keep the one you love the most and send the other 4 suits back. Or if none suit you or you need a different size you can exchange for the right suit or get a refund. This service is fabulous for busy mums, like myself, who find it hard to go shopping for swimwear with their kids in tow.

I couldn’t choose between the swimsuits. I tossed between two and then Jacob threw a spanner in the works by telling me he liked the other two suits.

So I resorted to social media and shared my photos with the community that follow me online, to get a decision on which swimsuit to keep.

The fifth swim suit was a bikini that did me no favours, so I’m only showing the 4 suits that were in contention. I’m wearing a size 16 in all the swimsuits shown.

The first swimsuit I tried on was this Lizzie Parisian Stripe swimsuit with tummy control. I thought that this would be the one I would keep, except I wasn’t sure about the straps and the outer line did show my bumps.

The second swimsuit was the Grace French Navy Polka Dot. I liked it but I felt the polka dot was too overwhelming on me.

The third swimsuit was the Grace in the Lights of Vegas print and I loved it as soon as I put it on.

The fourth swimsuit was the Vivian Two Piece Tankini which was really tight around the tummy area, but I really liked the feminine frill.

In the end, the Grace in Lights of Vegas got the most votes and I ended up keeping it, which I will wear to the beach this week.

Winning!

After having three babies and losing time worrying about my white skin and crying over my stretch marks, I’ve come to accept my skin as beautiful and needs to be shown off no matter what size or colour I am.

Life is incredibly short and often I’ve worried too much about what others think. I’ve done it for so long, and the only person it hurt was myself because I ended up missing out.

The thing is most people don’t care what you look like on the beach and even if they do, you’re most likely never going to see them again.

A closer look at the print.

Buying good quality swimwear like Sirens (which has been designed to fit and flatter all types of women’s bodies, both curvy and petite) is the first step to accepting how you look in swimwear. If you’re in ill-fitting swimwear, you’ve lost the battle before you’ve started.

I’m really excited by my new swimsuit and can’t wait to join Jacob and the girls in the pool and on the beach this summer.

I’m making up for lost time now and nothing is going to stop me strutting out on the beach in my new Sirens swimsuit.

How do you feel in your body? Do you tan really well or do you have white skin that burns like me?

BONUS: All Styled by Bec readers can receive free shipping by typing styledbybec at checkout. The free shipping finishes on December 15.

Disclaimer: I was gifted this swimsuit as part of the review and trial of the Ship the Shop service. All opinions are my own and this is the only way I will buy my swimwear from now on.

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