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What I Bought With My Feelings

May 26, 2020 / Lifestyle / 1 Comment

The past couple of months have been strange and unusual.

Our household has experienced a range of feelings from joy and happiness with everything being cancelled, to overwhelm and despair because everything was cancelled.

Changing to at home learning brought out the most emotions – mostly from me as I navigated three different curriculums. I had to block out mornings to spend time with my Preppie because her attention span was limited, as was my patience.

I loved having the girls’ home and we embraced online learning with a positive mindset. But I will admit it wasn’t easy.

My expectations of how I thought online learning would be delivered were different to what was set out. I had moments of frustration when three kids would ask me questions at the same time and I’d have no idea who to help first.

And so by afternoon, I’d sit with my feelings and do some online shopping. A parcel delivery would be a welcome surprise to my day.

I thought I’d share some of the items I bought with my feelings during that time. The intent with my purchases was to help Australian businesses which is more important than ever right now.

What I Bought With My Feelings

Arlington Milne Guitar Strap from Add To Cart

I bought my own Mother’s Day gifts this year with the money I’d have given the girls to spend at the school Mother’s Day shop. I may have given myself a larger budget. 😉

But I had been eyeing these guitar straps from Add to Cart and they would always sell out in the vintage tan.

A restock meant I received my guitar strap before Mother’s Day and I’ve been wearing it with my Wanderer’s Crossbody bag ever since. (The one I bought is no longer available)

I love the colours and it makes my bag look unique. The strap is easy to wear on the shoulder too.

It’s a unique gift idea for that person who has everything. You can also get different colourways. Check out ones still in stock here and here.

Karla Cola Rainbow Dress

I’m not sure how I stumbled across this dress, but it was most likely while scrolling Instagram.

It was really a matter of scrolling at the right time and place because I was able to purchase this dress right on its release.

I knew I’d be able to wear this dress all year round, plus it didn’t require ironing. There was a small problem with the initial purchase of this dress, but that got fixed.

I know it won’t be my last Karla Cola purchase. But you do have to get in quick because the dresses sell out quickly when released.

Rainbow Dreams Dress – also sold out

Frankie 4 Pink Gabbie Brogues

I’ve been meaning to add brogues to my footwear apertoir in anticipation to winter. I mainly have boots and I wanted a flat closed in shoe to wear.

My size was limited with the available brogue styles at the time, but I did add these blush pink brogues to my wardrobe. A video by Nikki from Styling You encouraged wearing supportive footwear at home while we worked.

Wearing Gabbie Pale Rose Suede Brogue on sale $160.96

The brogue is a lighter colour to what I’d normally choose and I won’t be able to wear them with bare legs. But they are so comfortable to wear and they add a winter shoe option when wearing jeans.

Black and White Knit from Lionheart

While I do love to wear colour, I did love the look of this Sleepa Knit from Lionheart Clothing.

A free shipping sale meant I added this jumper to cart.

It’s one of the softest jumpers I own and I know I will get a lot of wear out of it this winter. It’s a knit that can be worn casually with jeans, or dressed up with a pleather skirt and boots.

Neon Cherry Rylee Frill Skirt in Red Spots

I bought this skirt at the beginning of isolation and what a joy it was to receive and wear.

Again, it’s a skirt that can and will be worn all year round. There are limited sizes left, but it is on sale. It’s 100% Australian made and you can tell that with the quality of the skirt.

And those are just some of the items I bought while at home.

Maybe I should make this a series because receiving parcels is fun!

Did you buy anything with your feelings during isolation? Discover any new online stores?

Slip Your Feet Into Handcrafted Australian Made Slippers This Winter

May 5, 2020 / Lifestyle / 0 comment

If you want to keep your feet cosy and comfortable this winter, make sure you slide them into some Handcrafted Australian Made Slippers.

EMU Australia sent me a pair of their Platinum Collection Mintaro Slippers in Black and my feet have never been cosier!

With many of us spending winter at home, one way to add a bit of luxury to our everyday is by investing in a pair of handcrafted Australian made slippers. If worn everyday, you will want them to be superior in style and comfort.

Since receiving my slippers, my feet have been enveloped in the softest of sheepskin and the sturdy yet flexible outer sole has supported my feet while walking on our timber laminate floor.

Style of slippers is a personal choice

I’m a bit fussy with my slippers. I like a boot and they must have a rubber sole. I can no longer walk in slippers without a sole or a cushion bed with grips.

It feels too flimsy for me, and I have rolled my ankle in the past which has made me wary of these styles of slippers.

With the Mintaro slippers, my feet are well supported and the ankle opening makes the slippers easy to put on. I can adjust the sheepskin to sit up higher on my ankle, or folded as I prefer to wear them.

I do have a pair of shin height boot slippers but the edge rubs against my shin causing it to get aggravated.

It comes down to personal preference on the style of slippers you prefer to wear. Maybe the knee boot style is your preferred. My husband loves the open ankle slide slipper. EMU Australia offer a variety of styles to suit your needs.

The Mintaro ankle boots are ideal for me. I chose the black slippers, in the hope they look less like slippers and more like boots.

Not that anyone is coming around anytime soon. And even if they were, I wouldn’t care. These slippers are not only luxurious to wear, they’re stylish.

If you want to add some luxury to your everyday this winter, you can get 10% off your purchase by placing STYLEDBYBECEMU10 in the discount code. The code is valid until 30th June 2020.

Disclosure: I was gifted these slippers for the purpose of sharing my review on Instagram. I love my slippers so much I’ve shared them in a blog post too. This post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy. I will receive a small commission on sales made from purchases made on this page via links and banners. This will be at no extra cost to you.

What To Do With a No Refunds Or Exchanges Purchase

February 3, 2020 / Lifestyle / Comments Off

I love wearing dresses. It’s my signature style and I will always get drawn to a frock before a pant and top ensemble. Or even a skirt and top ensemble.

Back in November, I took a risk in purchasing a pair of Gorman pants, which I had had my eye since their release. I was waiting for a sale to purchase my size.

When the sale happened, I purchased the biggest size and waited for 3 weeks for delivery. In that time, the pants sold out.

I received the pants, put them on and felt they were on the roomy side, but I’d make them work.

And I did. I wore them with an orange top for Christmas Day and a chambray top when going to the cinemas.

Gorman Coral Pants with Organic Orange Cropped Tee

But they were a really oversized fit and when I caught myself side on in the mirror… they made my butt look like a shelf. The pleats were doing no favours for my figure. I regretted the purchase and had wished I’d bought the smaller size – or the dress instead. But this too had sold out.

I was now in the position where I had worn the pants and couldn’t exchange or refund them.

With a Chambray Top

I did a quick scan on eBay and found the dress was on sale with tags still attached. Possibly a regrettable purchase from the seller or one where no exchange could be given? I was in luck.

I bid on the dress and watched it like a hawk. I also sold my pants to a friend who loved them and the money I got from that sale was used to pay for the dress – if I won it.

I was surprised to see I was the highest bidder and I received my dress a week later. I love it and know it’s going to get more wear than the pants.

Yay. I won my dress on eBay.

What to do with a no Refunds or Exchanges purchase

It can be disappointing to purchase a piece of clothing online and not be able to exchange it for a different size or get a refund. But all is not lost. Here are some options to consider:

Resell the item via Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Groups or on eBay.

If it’s a designer piece, you can definitely try and sell it in a Facebook Group. Just ensure you have great pics of the item and include postage in your price. I find these posts sell quickly as opposed to ones where postage is extra. Opt for eBay if the item was popular and sold out and you’d like to get your money back. It won’t always work… but I have seen some over retail prices paid for pieces which were highly sought for.

If selling on a Facebook Marketplace, also ensure it’s listed in a Facebook Group. To find the group, put the brand in the search and ask to join the groups. Some groups may be at capacity. Others will ask you questions to join to ensure you are a real person. You may also be asked to respect rules when making an offer and sharing a piece you wish to sell.

Try and swap the item for a different size in a Facebook group.

Someone may also be in a similar situation needing the size you have and they could have the size you want. Organise an exchange in a Facebook Group. You can also place a post in the group ‘Wanting to buy or swap…’

Get the item tailored.

If you love the piece, but it’s too big, why not get it tailored? Unfortunately, if the item is too small, this may not work. Think how the piece can be used to create something new if you absolutely LOVE the fabric.

I could have got my pants tailored… but I preferred the dress better and I took that risk. I’m glad it paid off.

What have you done with a no refunds or exchanges purchase? Got a happy swap story to share? I’d love to hear it.

The Year of Spending More But Buying Less

January 20, 2020 / Lifestyle / 0 comment

I love the thrill of wearing something new. I’m sure we all do.

But the cost of maintaining this can overfill our wardrobes and drain our wallets.

Over the last few years, I’ve become more conscious of the pieces I select for my wardrobe.

I’m after well made pieces, Australian owned and Australian made.

I want pieces to last so I can get maximum wear out of them. I also want to create a vintage wardrobe my girls can raid when they’re older.

A new tradition Esther and I have each time we go to Carindale Shopping Centre is buying a new pair of Gorman socks.

Esther’s fashion taste runs similar to her mother’s. Bright, bold – and sometimes a little quirky.

While I browse the racks for anything new that might take my fancy, my Esther heads straight to the back wall to show me the latest pair of socks. At times, that is the only thing that will fit her, and sometimes the only item I can afford after perusing the racks.

My mindset has shifted in the last few years about clothes. I prefer quality than quantity.

Although quantity ensures I have good fodder for this blog and my Instagram account. But on reflection, that account has not grown for a few years now, so I’ve released myself from the pressure of sharing my daily outfits.

Fashion Resolution for 2020: Spending more buy buying less

For 2020, my goal is to spend more, but buy less and shop more from my wardrobe.

I’m not crazy to deny myself from purchasing new, but it’s going to be intentional purchasing. So far this year I’ve bought a new pair of sandals and I won a dress on eBay. There is a story behind that purchase, which I will share with you soon.

Online Purchase Regrets (and what I’d doing to avoid making the same mistakes this year)

In 2019, I had a few online buying regrets. Inconsistent sizing was the biggest issue, and a terrible refund or exchange experience. The best experiences for refunds I’ve had for online retailers over the years have been Birdsnest and ASOS. The process was smooth and money was returned to my Paypal account, not kept as a credit note ransom to purchase again.

While the options of selling on Facebook marketplace or eBay can help get claw back some of the costs lost on a regrettable purchase, it’s still an inconvenience.

So shopping from my own wardrobe will save me money and time.

I’ve also had to be wise about new purchases as well. I now go and try on in a store and will make a list of pieces I wish to purchase. While there is negativity around this practice, some retailers offer you no choice.

Trying on before I buy

Often I’ve got a credit note or discount code that can’t be used in store, but can only be used online. I always let the store know in case it can be redeemed in store, but alas, online stores are different to the physical store (even though they’re the same brand!) and I’m told I have to purchase online.

I’ve personally had to do this with Frankie 4 Footwear and Gorman after ordering my normal size online and finding it too small or too big. I’m not confident purchasing online anymore unless I have tried the size instore.

While there is negativity about this – trying instore and then purchasing online, some retailers give you no choice. I’ve learned my lesson with this and now try on in store before making new purchases. I also check the refund policy before I part with my money.

Before Christmas, I went to Frankie 4 and bought 1 pair of sandals full price, but made a list of sandals and my size to purchase in the future (some were sold out in the colour I wanted).

For Gorman, if there is a dress I like, I will go try in store and purchase there and then if it fits. If it doesn’t, I haven’t lost money to a potential credit note on buying something new that may or may not fit me in the future.

With those lessons learnt, there are still other online stores that can do with our support. I will share about these in a separate post in case they offer items you’ve been searching for. I don’t know about their returns policy so you will need to check this for yourself.

So 2020 is the year of less. Hopefully you will follow my journey this year as I imperfectly put it into practice. I’m still prone to the impulse purchase… but I have learned to sit on it for a while. If it sells out, rather than have regret about the lost purchase, I remind myself someone may resell it on Facebook Marketplace. If I’m meant to get it, I will.

Do you have a fashion resolution this year? Are you good at sticking to them?

Kmart Hack – Make Your Own Tassel Earrings

November 18, 2019 / Lifestyle / 0 comment

I love a Kmart hack, but I’ve had my share of wins and losses when attempting a hack. But this Kmart hack to make your own tassel earrings is a winner. You can’t possibly stuff it up and you only need less than $20 worth of product from Kmart to make 6 pairs of earrings.

The way I came upon this hack was because I recently bought a dress which to my shock and horror – and possibly my dad’s – didn’t have matching earrings!

So I went about looking for the right coloured earrings from all my favourite shops and I couldn’t find what I was after! I’ve now asked a work colleague who has a side business selling jewellery, to make a pair for me. It didn’t stop me getting a bit creative with a Kmart Hack to make tassel earrings though.

What You Need

2 packs of 20 Mini tassels (these can be found in the craft/office/stationery section of Kmart)
1 pack of place cards (also found in the same aisle)
2 packs of Kmart hoop earrings (in the jewellery section)
Paper plate and knife so the earrings can be displayed on the card
Pom Poms and pliers in picture weren’t needed, but I had them there in case

Instructions

I think the images show how easy the are to make, but basically, you need to remove the plastic protector from each hoop earring to unfasten from the cardboard it was displayed on.

Choose your tassel colours and thread them onto the hoop earring. Make sure you have the same sequence of colours for each hoop. Or not. That could be a fun look where they don’t match.

I made different sets with more and less tassels. I think the earrings with three or more tassels look the best. If you’re making the earrings as gifts, buy another pack of tassels to bulk it up.

For less than $20, I made 6 pairs of earrings. The place cards make great holders for the earrings. There’s enough room to put a ‘handmade’ sticker or your little signature if you choose.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to give them away as gifts, this could be a great option for yourself to create your own earrings when you need them.

What do you think about my Kmart hack to make your own tassel earrings? Something you can DIY for Christmas gifts? What colours would you have on your earrings?

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