Away From Blue | Aussie Mum Style, Away From The Blue Jeans Rut

What I Bought In January And February, And How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:16:00 +0000

A few new additions to my wardrobe this year! I picked up some things at the opshop, a result of browsing after donating more things after our post-Christmas clear outs. The boys are outgrowing their clothes so fast, I can always find more to donate and another reason to stop by an opshop.

Here's what I bought over January and February:

thrifted vintage beige Jonata leather jacket
thrifted Bogrio leopard print maxi cardigan
thrifted Big W the 1964 Denim Company burgundy skinny jeans
thrifted Big W The 1964 Denim Company tiered smoke wash dress
preloved Rebecca Minkoff navy and silver mini 5-zip bag
thrifted Mister Zimi Symi print maxi dress

The only thing I didn't buy in an opshop, the navy Rebecca Minkoff mini 5-zip bag, was an online purchase from eBay, so it was a preloved find as well. I'd been considering it for a while and at $50 I really couldn't resist grabbing it one day. It's been worn quite a lot since I bought it.

Unfortunately, the leopard print maxi cardigan and the vintage leather jacket I picked up have not been worn twice yet. I set myself the goal of wearing everything I buy at least twice in the month I buy it, to make sure I'm buying pieces that work well for my lifestyle and to stop all the "new with tags but unworn" pieces living in my wardrobe I had a few years back. While I did manage to wear the cardigan once on a slightly cooler, rainier summer day, and the jeans, the weather just hasn't been cool enough yet for them to have a lot of wears, or the leather jacket to even be worn once. I'm confident once we pass through autumn herein Brisbane that they will be frequently reached for pieces in winter weather though!

How I Wore It:

As I shared above, the navy Rebecca Minkoff mini 5-zip bag has been worn a lot, easily the most worn of everything I bought. The little denim tiered dress has been something I've reached for a lot too.

While I didn't really need any pieces added to my wardrobe this year, I couldn't resist picking up these things over the past 2 months and I'm sure they will get a lot more wear, particularly the winter pieces, when the right weather rolls around!

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What I Bought In 2025 And How Often I Wore It: Wardrobe Update

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:13:00 +0000

Last year was the lowest spend I've had on fashion since I started tracking my spend on the blog. This year, I bought many more items and more than doubled my spend compared to last year.

2025 was definitely a shopping heavy year for me!

I took advantage of the $1 clothing racks in my favourite opshop to try some different pieces, and honestly, not everything I bought made it past my "2 wears in the month I bought it" as sometimes those 2 wears were all I needed to know the pieces didn't work for me so they were donated back to the opshop for someone else to enjoy. Most things were winners though, and a few of the pieces I only managed to wear twice were due to me buying them late in the year and running out of days to wear them.

What I Bought & How Often I Wore It:

Clothing - Tops:

Anko Kmart short sleeve slub v-neck tee in copper - 6 wears
thrifted Mossimo black and white striped v-neck tee - 4 wears
thrifted Seed heritage black dolman sleeve blouse - 4 wears
thrifted no label terrazzo print white tank - 4 wears
Kisschasy Hymns for the Nonbeliever 2025 tour band tee - 3 wears
thrifted Country Road grey crew neck tee - 3 wears
thrifted Dotti linen blend flutter sleeve blouse - 3 wears
thrifted Cotton on pale olive cami - 2 wears
thrifted Suzanne Grae basics red tee - 2 wears
thrifted Target cotton and modal relaxed red tee - 2 wears

Clothing - Jackets/Cardigans:

thrifted no label black and white leopard print cocoon cardigan - 6 wears
Kmart Anko oversized cropped denim trench coat - 4 wears
thrifted Target blue linen blazer - 4 wears
Kmart long sleeved brushed seam detail knit top in berry - 3 wears
thrifted TEMT long black duster cardigan - 3 wears
thrifted Valleygirl pink and grey tartan longline blazer - 3 wears
thrifted Dotti leopard print long cardigan - 2 wears

Clothing - Skirts:

thrifted Rama Boho Fashion pink and orange floral print button up midi skirt - 4 wears
thrifted Gypsy Mermaid blue tulip hem wrap skirt - 3 wears

Clothing - Dresses:

Salty Crush Avery midi dress in charis blue relaxed button down tiered dress with balloon sleeves - 7 wears
Jaase Semika mini smock dress in amor print mandarin dollar dress - 8 wears
Kmart Anko short sleeve wrap chambray tiered midi dress - 5 wears
thrifted Target Preview black shirred tartan midi dress - 4 wears
thrifted Kmart tiered little black dress - 4 wears
thrifted Iris Maxi the Label purple floral tiered mini dress - 3 wears
thrifted Kmart Anko turquoise floral button detail elastic waist maxi dress - 2 wears
thrifted Andywarhol Korea navy tartan babydoll smock dress - 2 wears
Jaase Aimee mini dress with folded collar in Beliss print - 2 wears
Jaase Tillie v-neckline maxi dress in Leena print - 2 wears

Accessories:

thrifted re-Up upcycled denim tote bag - 6 wears

thrifted hammered silver statement necklace - 5 wears
thrifted rose gold station statement necklace - 4 wears
thrifted grey and white beaded necklace - 4 wears
thrifted blue knotted beaded necklace - 3 wears

Cotton On silver beaded bracelet stack - 2 wears
Mimco mini shimmy bracelet in bluebell - 2 wears

Colette white pearl beaded gum leaf tassel earrings - 8 wears
thrifted Target hammered silver circle earrings - 7 wears
Colette purple acrylic flower statement earrings - 5 wears
Colette silver light twist hoop earrings - 5 wears
Colette Tropadelic purple beaded tassel statement earrings - 4 wears
Colette Tropadelic fuschia coloured metal leaf earrings - 4 wears
Colette blue mixed shape faux crustal drop earrings - 3 wears
thrifted Lovisa red tassel earrings - 2 wears

Shoes:

thrifted Midas black twist leather sandals - 10 wears
Havaianas glitter Rosa Macaron - 10 wears
thrifted Converse pastel blue high tops - 8 wears
pre-loved black Acne Studios Pistol boots - 5 wears
thrifted Louenhide metallic embossed sandals - 4 wears
thrifted Mimco red bow detail sandals - 3 wears

Final Annual Fashion Spend:

In 2024, my lowest spending year since I started tracking my fashion shopping, I spent $199. This year, I spent over double that, with a total of $405.81 spent on fashion in 2025. I also bought a whopping 50 items, which works out at an average of $8.11 an item, reflecting how many things I bought that were pre-loved.

Fashion Goals for 2026:

Last year, as most of the previous years, I had a $1,000 budget for fashion shopping. In 2026 it's definitely time to bring that down to $500, so give myself a bit more of a challenge!

I'm planning to continue to opshop more and buy new less, shopping preloved as much as possible.

While I've deleted my YouTube channel and am reducing the amount I'm posting here on the blog, I am still tracking my fashion spend and how often I wear things.

I'm aiming on being more regular with the 30 ways to wear posts here on the blog, but I'm not publishing daily outfits and full sized outfit photos here anymore.

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It's In The Bag 2025: What's In My Bags For Donation To Share The Dignity

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:32:00 +0000

It's that time of year again! My annual post about Share The Dignity's It's In The Bag Christmas campaign.

This year, like last year, I decided to donate two bags, filled with essentials, for a woman in need at Christmas time.

What's In My Bags

I filled two bags this year, picking up these very gently used near new bags at the opshop through the year, knowing I'd donate them to the Share the Dignity #ItsInTheBag campaign. They both met the criteria of being a gently used handbag suitable for gifting, and they met my own personal rule of being big enough for everything I wanted to include.

Just like in previous years, I filled the bags with the essentials and then I added a few more things.

The Essentials:

Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Body wash
Deodorant
Pads
Tampons

I added some extras to my bags as well, to make the recipient smile.

The Optional Extras:

Hairbrush
Facial cleanser
Facial wipes
Tissues
Hand sanitiser
Face masks
Lip balm

If I've inspired you to donate, you can put your own bag together. The bag doesn't have to be new, just in good condition to gift to someone! You can view the Share The Dignity website to get a shopping list for building a bag and find out some things you can't include.

You can drop off your bags at any Bunnings across Australia, from 14th to 30th November. That's starting this weekend! Share The Dignity volunteers collect the bags and pass them on to local charities to distribute to women in need.

More It's In The Bag Donations:

If you want more ideas, you can view the previous bags I've donated here:

Two teen bags in 2024
Adult and a teen bag in 2023
Adult bag in 2022
Adult bag in 2021
Mum and Bub bag in 2020
Mum and Bub bag in 2019
Adult bag in 2018

And if you're not Australian, feel free to leave a link to similar charities in your country in the comments!

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What I Bought & How I've Worn It: October Wardrobe Additions

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 04:21:00 +0000

In what is continuing to be a pattern for me this year, once again I added more things to my wardrobe this month, despite doing so back in September as well!

Unlike September's purchases, all of the additions to my wardrobe this month were preloved pieces, and some I didn't even have to pay for!

What I Bought:

thrifted Kmart Anko turquoise floral button detail elastic waist maxi dress

What I Added To My Wardrobe:

wardrobe clear out Jaase red and purple floral maxi dress
wardrobe clear out Kmart Anko navy cotton tiered spaghetti strap maxi dress

Why I Bought It:

I had a couple of bags of items to donate to the opshop and some time to browse so I walked out with a bunch of books for myself and the kids, and a very lucky 2 pairs of shoes and a dress! I really like the Kmart button down detail dress. It is such a nice colour and while I don't remember seeing it in store, being a Kmart piece I've seen it pop up at the opshops a few times, never in my size. I got lucky this time, it fits so well! It's really nice to wear for work.

I always look out for Converse at the opshop and could not believe my luck when I spotted these pastel blue high tops for just $12! While it has been a very warm spring so far in Brisbane I have been able to wear these more than I thought - they pair just as nicely with dresses as my low tops I wear all the time. The leather sandals were another bargain - just $3! They are also super comfortable to wear, which you'd expect for a sandal that retails for over $150!

While I didn't buy the last two dress additions to my wardrobe I wanted to call them out. My sister had been the beneficiary of two giant bags of clothes that started with a friend of a friend doing a wardrobe clear-out, who then took what she wanted from the bag and added some more and passed it on, until my sister went through the bags, took what she wanted and passed onto me. I ended up keeping 2 dresses for myself and even got some nice shirts for the kids and clothes for hubby - it was a real mix bag of everything in there! In the end, I'm not sure who exactly I got these items from as they passed through so many people before getting to me, but I'm thankful for them! I added a couple of pieces from my wardrobe as well before passing the bags on to the next lucky recipient.

How I've Worn It:

I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month I buy it, and I managed to meet or exceed that in October with both the pieces I bought at the opshop and the pieces I got from the wardrobe clear-out.

Current wear count at the end of October:

thrifted Converse pastel blue high tops - 6 wears
thrifted Midas black twist leather sandals - 4 wears
thrifted Kmart Anko turquoise floral button detail elastic waist maxi dress - 2 wears
wardrobe clear out Jaase red and purple floral maxi dress - 2 wears
wardrobe clear out Kmart Anko black cotton tiered spaghetti strap maxi dress - 2 wears

Already everything's at a pretty good cost per wear, with everything being worn at least twice. $0 cost per wear for the dresses I got from the wardrobe clear-out, and down to just 50 cents for the Kmart floral button detail maxi dress.

It will take me a little longer to get the shoes down to such low costs per wear, but as you can see I've been wearing them a lot since I thrifted them and I'm sure to continue to get a lot of wear from them, especially the sandals, over summer. 3 dresses is a lot to add to my wardrobe at once, but I have been reaching for dresses so much recently that I was easily able to wear each of these twice in the month, and I know they will get a lot of wear in the future as well.

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30 Ways To Wear: Ochre Orange Maxi Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 02:20:00 +0000

At 34 wears so far from this beautiful ochre orange Tree of Life maxi skirt that I scored at the opshop for just $4 at the start of 2020, it was overdue a ways to wear post! It's been a fun addition to my wardrobe since I bought it, and is a piece I keep reaching for.

30 Ways To Wear: Ochre Orange Maxi Skirt

I got really lucky scoring this ochre orange Tree of Life Maxi Skirt for just $4 at the opshop 5 years ago. It was a 50% off sale day, normally $8, but either way, it was a complete bargain. The soft rayon material is great in the hot Brisbane weather. I'm really thankful to whoever donated this skirt, as it has become a real go-to in my wardrobe. The ochre orange colour works well with neutrals like black, white and grey, but also pairs so nicely with brighter colours like res, blues and yellows.

Cost Per Wear

As this skirt was only $4 and I've worn it 24 times, this maxi skirt is down to 24 cents a wear. Definitely a bargain. It's still got a lot of life left and is something I always enjoy wearing, so it will certainly stick around in my wardrobe to be worn even more.

Here are just 30 of my favourite times I've worn this beautiful maxi skirt:

Orange Maxi Skirt With White

White is one of the neutrals that look really good with this orange maxi skirt! White tees are something most people have in their wardrobes, and as you can see in the first and last outfits, any style of white tee works well with a maxi skirt. The white denim jacket in the middle too is a great topper, especially on slightly cooler days.

Orange Maxi Skirt Layered For Winter Weather

It's not just warmer weather that has me reaching for this maxi skirt! It works well with cosy knits and winter layers, and if it's super cold I can even wear leggings under it. I have a lot of blue knits and scarves I wear in winter, and I like the bright colour of this orange maxi skirt with those blues. As you can see in that last outfit though, darker coloured knits like this burgundy one work just as well.

Grey Tops With Orange Maxi Skirt

Another great neutral to wear this orange skirt with is grey! I tend to prefer darker greys with this skirt, however as you can see in the middle oufits there, lighter grey works well too. Both those outfits on the end include yellow accessories, I like the pop of yellow from a bag worn against the orange maxi skirt.

Orange Maxi Skirt and Stripes

Much like the white tee in the first set of outfits above, a striped tee is another wardrobe staple of many people, and one that also works well with an orange maxi skirt. The solid, block colour of this skirt means any prints work well, but I do have a fondness for pairing this skirt with striped tops.

Black Top Worn With Orange Maxi Skirt

Orange and black can feel a bit too Halloween-ish sometimes, so I find when I'm wearing black with this maxi skirt I like to stick to a print like stripes, or add a contrasting colour like these yellow necklaces to make the outfit less Halloween like. I think it works well.

Layering an Orange Maxi Skirt With Denim Jackets

For spring and autumn days when it's just a little cooler, I like to layer this maxi skirt with denim jackets. Any tee works underneath, and the denim jacket helps keep me a bit warmer, something you need on a cooler day as this maxi skirt is a light rayon fabric.

Orange Maxi Skirt Worn With Red

While I have shown a lot of neutrals with this maxi skirt so far, I also like trying different colours with this skirt, as you can see with so many outfits above involving blue or an even brighter pairing with yellow. Red and orange is something I tentatively tried one day with this skirt and loved so much I keep coming back to! I like all shades of red with this ochre orange maxi skirt, but deeper burgundy tones are certainly my favourite. It creates such an autumnal toned outfit and always gets compliments.

Orange Maxi Skirt With Printed Tops

While I do most commonly reach for striped pieces to wear with this block colour maxi skirt, other prints look good too! From animal print, to polka dots, more abstract prints, or even just a graphic print tee, I've never found a printed top I didn't like wearing with this skirt yet.

Orange Maxi Skirts Under $50

What I've Been Wearing: Start of Spring In Brisbane

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Some of the outfits I've been wearing recently through the first month of spring here in Brisbane.

For more details on what I'm wearing, you can click on any of the outfit photos you are interested in.

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What I Bought And How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:13:00 +0000

Well I bought a lot this month! I picked up quite a lot in June & July so I wasn't looking to add more to my wardrobe, and didn't do any shopping in August, but in September I made a few impulse buys!

A mix of thrift finds, sale purchases, and even a lucky ebay score.

What I Bought:

Kmart Anko oversized cropped denim trench coat
Kmart Anko short sleeve wrap chambray tiered midi dress
pre-loved black Acne Studios Pistol boots
thrifted TEMT long black duster cardigan
thrifted Valleygirl pink and grey tartan longline blazer
thrifted Target blue linen blazer
thrifted Rama Boho Fashion pink and orange floral print button up midi skirt
thrifted Dotti linen blend flutter sleeve blouse
thrifted Target Preview black shirred tartan midi dress

Why I Bought It:

I always have a browse in the opshop when I drop donations off, and if I'm kid free as I was on one trip this month, I take the time to checkout the clothing section for myself and the kids. With clothes for $1 each in my fave local opshop, I can never resist a browse! I got really lucky and ended up with many things I just had to have! the blazers are great finds for work, I'm always on the hunt for blazers in the opshop. The blouse and the skirt I just really liked, and the black duster I thought would be a good wardrobe addition for when it's not warm enough for short sleeved dusters. It warmed up quicker than I thought it would this spring though so it's not been worn much. I think the tartan midi dress is my favourite opshop find this month though, it works so well in every outfit.

I'd been wearing my nude toned Acne Studios Pistol boots a bit so decided to see if there were any black ones available cheap on eBay and got these for an absolute bargain, resoled too!

The Kmart buys were because I walked passed the discount racks a few too many times - at $5 for a denim jacket I had to give it a try, even though it's so similar to the longline denim trench I bought a while back. And that dress I'd had my eye on for a while, it was finally reduced to $10 so I had to get it. I like it for the office.

How I've Worn It:

Every time I buy something, I stop and consider if I'll get at least 30 wears from it, as I want to minimise the environmental impact of what I buy. it's why I buy preloved so often. If I can't easily think of 3 ways to wear something with pieces I already own, I don't buy it. I then set myself the goal of wearing everything twice in the month I buy it, so I am actually buying pieces I will wear and get use from.

In September, as my opshop trip was at the start of the month, I had more than enough opportunity to wear everything twice or more. While not everything was a planned purchase (aside from the blazer, nothing else is really something I'm hunting for when I'm opshopping), I think I did well buying things that work in my current wardrobe and lifestyle.

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What I Bought In June & July And How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 01:46:00 +0000

In what is quickly becoming a common refrain on the blog, I wasn't expecting to buy anything but then..... I bought a few things this month and last month.

What I Bought in June:

Kisschasy Hymns for the Nonbeliever 2025 tour band tee
thrifted Suzanne Grae basics red tee
thrifted Iris Maxi the Label purple floral tiered mini dress
thrifted blue knotted beaded necklace
thrifted grey and white beaded necklace

What I Bought In July:

thrifted Target cotton and modal relaxed red tee
thrifted Country Road grey crew neck tee
thrifted Mossimo black and white striped v-neck tee
thrifted Dotti leopard print long cardigan
thrifted Gypsy Mermaid blue tulip hem wrap skirt
thrifted Kmart tiered little black dress
thrifted Louenhide metallic embossed sandals

Kmart long sleeved brushed seam detail knit top in berry

Why I Bought It:

I picked up a couple of things at the end of June (the red tee, purple floral dress and necklaces), at the opshop after having a quick browse after dropping off some donations. As I'd bought them near the end of the month and it was winter school holidays, I didn't have the time to get a post together. But as you can see from the photos below, I did manage to wear everything at least twice in the month I bought it. That's my goal with everything I buy, to wear it twice in the month I buy it. It's my way of making sure I'm actually buying things that work with my wardrobe and are suitable for my lifestyle, after feeling a little frustrated with all the NWT items I found hanging in my wardrobe when I did a big clear out years ago.

However, in July I did not manage to hit my goal of wearing everything twice! Mostly because the sandals weren't really geared for the weather. While Brisbane winters aren't that cold, I definitely won't be wearing the sandals I bought until spring at least!

While June's purchases were still impulse buys, just browsing the opshop after dropping stuff off, July's purchases were a result of emotional shopping for sure! I turned to retail therapy and stopped by the opshop just to shop. The "fill a bag for $5" sale hooked me and I walked away with clothes and sandals for me, clothes for the kids and books for all of us as well. Definitely a bargain, but not anything I was really needing. Still, I tried to really consider everything I put in my bag to make sure it would work for me. I am happy with everything I bought as I managed to wear everything at least twice except for the sandals. The Kmart knit was another impulse buy just because I saw it in store, near the checkouts, and I didn't have a pink knit! I do have a very similar one in blue I thrifted a while back, but I really liked the berry pink colour. And with the weather in Brisbane recently, it was definitely worn more than twice.

How I've Worn It:

I've still spent less on fashion this year than last year, but I do feel I've been buying a lot lately. When my favourite opshop has clothes for $1 though it's easy to justify a little retail therapy - it definitely doesn't break the budget!

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30 Ways To Wear: Charcoal Grey Tunic Tee

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:08:00 +0000

After hitting 31 wears with this grey tunic tee, it was definitely time to put together a post sharing 30 ways I've worn it.

30 Ways To Wear: Grey Tunic Tee

I picked up this tee from the opshop all the way back in August 2019. It was such a bargain, and so super soft. I'm not sure how much it was worn before I thrifted it, but it made it to 31 wears in my wardrobe. It will not get any more wears though unfortunately as although it's super soft and comfortable to wear, the fabric has some elastane in it. And over the years as I've worn this tee, the elastane has stretched out a bit. It's started to lose its shape and is showing its age, so it's not something I'm going to be able to achieve any more wears from unfortunately. It's getting a bit sheer with the elastane fading and stretching so it won't be staying in my wardrobe, and will be going into fabric recycling.

Cost Per Wear

At 31 wears over 6 years of owning this tee, I've definitely gotten good value for money. It was one of 9 pieces I got in the "fill a bag for $5" sale so it was technically just 55 cents. And so it works out to 1.7 cents a wear. Amazing for the budget, and also good for the environment that I could give this tee over 30 wears before retiring it.

Here's my favourite ways I've worn this grey tunic tee over the years.

Grey Tee With Green

Obviously, a grey tee goes with everything! I have called out a few different colours in these outfit groupings as I see I wear it with some colours more than others, and green is one of those colours I like wearing with neutrals like grey.

Grey Tee With Pink

I like a pop of pink with grey, it really stands out! The grey tee works with little pieces of pink like that bag or the scarf, or more pink like those jeans.

Grey Tee In Monochromatic Outfits

As well as wearing this grey tee with bright colours, I like to wear it with other neutral pieces like blacks and whites and more greys, to create nice monochromatic outfits. I do often add an extra pop of colour with these outfits, as you can see from the pink bags and the blue bag and scarf.

Grey Tee With Red

Another great colour pairing with grey is red, red really pops against the neutral grey tee.

Grey Tee And Winter Layers

A good basic plain grey tee like this is so good for layering with in winter. I love how it goes with everything so I can add printed or colourful scarves and cosy cardigans, blazers or jackets.

Grey Tee And Prints

Like you can see with the printed scarves above, a plain grey tee works well with larger printed pieces like the maxi skirts and the chevron print jeans.

Grey Tee and Shorts

While I've shared some layered outfits above you can't beat the simplicity of a shorts and tee outfit for warmer weather, and of course a grey tee works with any style and colour of shorts, like in each of these 4 outfits.

Grey Tee and Skirts

Another easy outfit formula, grey tee and a skirt. Much like the shorts, each of these skirts is very different, but a basic grey tee works with any style of skirt.

Grey Tee and Printed Cover Ups

The final set of outfits I want to share with this grey tee is one of my favourite ways to wear it. A plain grey tee and colourful fun printed toppers is a formula I often repeat. The colour and print never clashes with the basic grey.

I'm sad this tee has to be retired, but it was getting too sheer and shapeless with the faded elastane. It's not the first soft and stretchy tee I've had to let go of because the fabric hasn't stood the test of time sadly. It's definitely made me consider the fabric of what I'm buying in stores. Of course if I see a super soft and stretch tee in the opshop I won't pass it up, but if I see a new tee in store with elastane in it, it's not something I'm going to buy new as I know it will be unlikely to stay in good enough condition for me to get good value from the purchase.

It was such a staple in my wardrobe, as you can see in the photos it really worked in every outfit, and a grey tee is something I'll always frequently reach for. Just not this one any more.

More Outfit Ideas:

For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all 31 ways I've worn this tee in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

What I Bought In May & How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 08:06:00 +0000

Although last month when I shared my purchases I said I was pretty wardrobe content and didn't expect to be buying anything for my wardrobe in May, I stumbled on some sales ...

What I Bought:

Why I Bought It:

All of these were impulse buys! I got sucked in by a Facebook ad for the Salty Crush warehouse sale (nothing over $39!) and knowing my sister loves the site and has bought me a few dresses from there I couldn't resist checking it out, and picked up two pretty dresses.

Then after thinking I definitely wouldn't buy any more, I walked past the 3 for $10 jewellery sale at Collette and just had to pick up some statement earrings. I got 6 pairs for $20 which is a great bargain in my eyes. Yes, as my mum said, I didn't really need 6 new pairs of earrings, but it's not that much more than what I'd pay at the opshops for the same, and statement earrings are something I tend to wear more often in the winter months, as I layer with scarves which hide necklaces.

How I Wore It:

I haven't included the outfits I wore the earrings in, although they will pop up on the blog in the next few weeks. Simply because it would be a little hard to spot the earrings in this photo collage! But I have worn all the earrings at least twice in May, the month I bought them, as is my goal for everything I buy. As you can see I managed to get two wears from both dresses too! The Jaase mini dress has long sleeves and is roomy enough that I can layer a slip underneath so I'm hoping that I will be able to wear it a little more before winter weather really arrives in Brisbane. The long sleeved maxi dress is a little thin but it's layered up well so far for autumn days, and it means it will work in spring too!

The earrings and dresses are getting me lots of compliments, and are all things I'm very glad I added to my wardrobe, even if they were all impulse buys.

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What I Bought In April & How I've Worn It: Opshop Finds and a Few Retail Purchases

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Sat, 03 May 2025 04:48:00 +0000

I haven't bought a lot of things to add to my wardrobe this year. I did pick up a NWT bag in the opshop back in February, but since then hadn't had much thrifting luck looking for myself. Managed to purchase plenty of books for myself and the kids to enjoy though!

Earlier in April I had a rare morning running errands by myself, and some things to donate to the opshop, so I had a good long browse after doing so, and I came home with a lot!

Not everything was a preloved find, as I also bought a couple new things on a day out with my mum and sister. So here's my massive April shopping haul, and how I've worn everything so far.

What I Bought:

Bought New:

Havaianas glitter Rosa Macaron
Anko Kmart short sleeve slub v-neck tee in copper
Cotton On silver beaded bracelet stack
Mimco mini shimmy bracelet in bluebell

Opshop Purchases:

thrifted Target hammered silver circle earrings
thrifted hammered silver statement necklace
thrifted Lovisa red tassel earrings
thrifted rose gold station statement necklace

thrifted Seed heritage black dolman sleeve blouse
thrifted no label terrazzo print white tank
thrifted no label black and white leopard print cocoon cardigan
thrifted Cotton On pale olive cami

How I've Worn It:

Every time I add something to my wardrobe I set myself the goal of wearing it twice in the month I buy it. While there have been a few exceptions to this rule (like knits I stumble across at the opshop in summer I need to wait until cooler weather to wear), most of the time I achieve this goal. It helps me make sure I'm buying things I'll actually wear and enjoy and that work with my current wardrobe. And everything I bought I managed to wear at least twice. Even the Havaianas, as it was mild enough for a few days not not need closed in shoes.

The hammered silver circle earrings were a surprise winner for most worn new purchase in April, as I wore then 4 times. Good cost per wear already, at $2 new with tags at the opshop. They just go with everything! I love wearing them, and all the things I bought I've enjoyed wearing. The leopard print cardigan was such a lucky opshop find, as the autumn weather has really set in in Queensland and I've been reaching for knits more often. I'm confident I'll still be able to wear it over winter too, it keeps me nice and cosy.

I'm really happy with everything I added to my wardrobe this month, and expect I'll have another couple of shopping free months before I buy any more.

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30 Ways To Wear: Atmos&Here Navy Stripe Shift Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:26:00 +0000

Now that Brisbane is having a little bit of cooler autumn weather at last, thought that this cosy black and navy striped shift dress with 3/4 sleeves was the perfect piece to feature for my latest 30 ways to wear post!

30 Ways To Wear: Atmos & Here Navy and Black Stripe Shift Dress

Cost Per Wear

I picked this navy stripe tee dress up on sale at The Iconic for $26.36, back in July 2014. So I've had it in my wardrobe almost 11 years! At 32 wears, it's down to 82 cents a wear. And it's still going strong, it will be worn in the cooler months for years to come.

It has taken over a decade to get more than 30 wears, but I credit that to it being a dress I can only really wear on cooler days, and it not being one I could wear when breastfeeding. I definitely think of it as a staple in my wardrobe though and look forward to wearing it in the colder months.

Out of the 32 outfits I've made from this dress, here are my 30 favourite ways I've worn it so far.

Navy Stripe Tee Dress With More Blue

I love wearing multiple shades of blue together in an outfit, and as you can see from these 4 outfits, the dark navy dress is perfect with blue jackets, scarves, bags and even shoes.

Striped Shift Dress With Boots

As this striped dress is quite thick with the long 3/4 length sleeves, I wear it most often on colder days. it means it's the perfect temperature to wear some boots with it too! Sometimes with bare legs and ankle boots, other ways I've worn it include with taller boots and leggings.

Navy Stripe Dress With Yellow

The neutral navy and black stripes on this dress make it the perfect backdrop for a nice bright scarf, and as you can see from each of these 4 outfits, yellow scarves are a bit of a go-to for me with this dress. And sometimes I add a little yellow bag for even more bright colour against the neutral navy.

Navy Striped Tee Dress With Red

Navy and red is not a new combination, but like the colour combinations above, it's one I reach for a lot with this dress! I love the pop of a nice bright red accessory against navy, from something small like a belt or necklace, to something larger like a bag or scarf.

Navy and Purple

Of course it's not just colourful scarves that look good with this dress, although as you can see from the last 3 of these outfits I do like wearing printed purple scarves with this dress! In the first photo though you can see even a small pop of a lighter lilac purple can look good against a navy dress.

Navy Stripe Dress With Pink

Blue and pink has to be one of my favourite combinations, and I have worn an awful lot of pink bags with this neutral dress. it's a very fun pop of colour! But again, wearing this in cooler weather, I find pink scarves brighten it up nicely, and I really liked that middle outfit with the blush pink blazer over the dress.

Navy Striped Shift Dress With Green Accessories

I think blue and green should definitely be seen together! Navy is a really nice shade of blue to wear with green, and it works well with different shades. The olive bag, green necklace and darker green bag all look good against the dress.

For more outfit inspiration, you can see all the 32+ times I've worn this dress in my archives, or browse the 30 wears series too.

What I Bought In February & How I've Worn It: Upcycled Re-Up Denim Tote Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 07:50:00 +0000

When I did my annual budget round up post at the end of the year I shared that I probably wasn't going to add much to my wardrobe in 2025. And I managed to resist the January sales and bought nothing, although I did make one purchase this month. An impulse buy I just had to have!

What I Bought:

Just one addition to my wardrobe so far this year. I just HAD to buy this when I saw it in Lifeline. I see that a lot of opshops are listed as stockists of the Re-UP bags on their website so I'm assuming they partner with the opshops in some way and it wasn't just a donation from someone's wardrobe. That explains why there was an entire rack of these beautiful bags all new with tags for me to pick from.

I was only intending to browse for books, but I like to look everywhere in an opshop in case I find a gem or two and this bag was definitely it. It's a real conversation starter!

I am not short on bags, but for something this unique I couldn't resist adding it to my wardrobe.

How I've Worn It:

While I don't have any blue jeans in my wardrobe, I do have some blue denim skirts and jackets, although I don't see myself wearing this bag with them. I love it with non-denim pieces, particularly dresses, those outfits might be my favourite with this so far.

It's also been used as as a laptop bag for work a few times, it gets a lot of compliments! And it's a great tote on a day I need to carry a lot. Definitely a fun addition to my wardrobe.

At just $14.95 I'll get a lot of value from this bag, and it's so good that it's giving life to an old pair of jeans as well.

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What I Bought In 2024, And Wardrobe Goals For 2025

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:17:00 +0000

Continuing on with my blog tradition I started 8 years ago, and kicking off the new year by looking back on what I've bought this year, as well as how much I've worn it. Looking at if I've stuck to my fashion budget and setting my fashion shopping / wardrobe goals are for 2025.

What I Bought in 2024 (And How Often I've Worn It)

In what is becoming a trend, just like the previous few years, most of the additions to my wardrobe this year have been preloved. Only 2 of the 27 things I've purchased were bought new in retail stores. I'm trying to buy preloved first so this is a great result.

I focused mostly on accessories in my opshopping trips, not feeling the need to add too much clothing to my wardrobe this year as I'm enjoying rewearing the pieces I already own for the most part.

Accessories:

thrifted Colette gold metal flower stud statement earrings - 4 wears

thrifted cream resin bangle duo set - 4 wears
thrifted Vinnies green glitter resin bangle - 2 wears
thrifted Vinnies blue and natural wooden bead bracelet stack - 2 wears

thrifted burgundy and cream beaded statement necklace - 6 wears
thrifted Belle Folie multi colour tassel necklace - 8 wears
thrifted mint silicone statement necklace - 4 wears
thrifted bronze foil statement necklace - 8 wears
thrifted neutral silicone and wood bead necklace - 5 wears
thrifted blue tone flat bead statement necklace - 8 wears

Shoes:

thrifted white leather Converse sneakers - 45 wears
thrifted Les Tropeziennes Par M.Belarbi leopard print and gold leather sandals - 12 wears
thrifted Anko Kmart black strappy sandals - 9 wears
thrifted Seed Heritage tan braided sandals - 15 wears

Handbags:

MIMCO Mim-Mazing crossbody bag in black and light gold - 22 wears
preloved MIMCO vintage cocoon bucket bag in teal - 13 wears

Clothing:

thrifted &Me blue linen button up midi skirt with pockets - 5 wears
thrifted Kmart black and white boho print maxi skirt - 3 wears
thrifted NWT Beginning Boutique Sahara red-orange maxi skirt - 5 wears
thrifted Salvos Nobody Denim grey distressed denim skirt - 2 wears

thrifted Cotton On The High Rise Skinny Jean black coated denim - 6 wears
thrifted Zara pink frayed hem skinny jeans - 11 wears

thrifted Cotton On The One crew tee in green - 7 wears
Just Jeans metallic gold linen tee - 4 wears
thrifted blue checked babydoll sundress - 3 wears

thrifted Jeanswest cobalt blue blazer - 8 wears
thrifted purple and red Paisley print duster - 3 wears

No surprise that my most worn item this year was the white Converse shoes I found at the opshop! Converse are my shoe of choice for everything from school run to working in the office. Although I do swap over to mostly sandals in summer, I still wear sneakers often and these Converse being white go with everything. Definitely got my money's worth for these, and they have a lot of wear left!

The pink Zara frayed hem jeans were my most worn item of clothing that I bought this year, at 11 wears. That has a lot to do with the perfect timing of finding them at the opshop 50% off sale day in the middle of autumn, when the weather was perfect to wear them over the colder months on frequent repeat!

Sticking To My Fashion Budget:

2024 is not my lowest purchase year as I only added 18 things to my wardrobe back in 2023, and I bought 27 items this year but it's my lowest spend year since I've been tracking on the blog, at $199. A large part of that is due to the credit card rewards I used for the Mimco Mim-Mazing bag purchase, otherwise the total would have been $399. Still my lowest spend year since I started tracking on the blog in 2016 even if you include the full cost of the bag.

Once again getting an under $1,000 spend on fashion was easy this year, as the majority of things I bought were thrifted or preloved. Second hand shopping is much kinder to the budget than constantly buying new. Better for the environment too.

I am really happy with everything I have in my wardrobe at the moment and can't think of any gaps I need to fill in 2025. Plus I got a lot of wardrobe additions as Christmas presents I'm looking forward to wearing with thins I already own. So my goals for the upcoming year, will again be similar to the previous years. Buy less and buy preloved!

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What's In My Bag: Sharing The Dignity Teen Bags Donation For #ItsInTheBag 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 07:35:00 +0000

Christmas is coming, and Share the Dignity are doing their It's In The Bag donation drive again. I've participated in this the last few years as I think it's a great way to make a difference at Christmas time.

This year I packed two bags for some teens in need. Here's what I put inside each:

How You Can Participate

If you're in Australia, you can fill a new or gently used bag with some essential items for a woman or teen in need over Christmas. Share the Dignity partner with many charities to make sure the bags are available for those doing it tough. They could be in poverty, homeless, or feeling domestic violence and your donation can help bring some comfort.

Bags can be dropped off at all Bunnings stores in Australia from the 15th November to the 1st December. (Starts today!)

What To Include In Your Bag

Once you have a new or gently used bag to donate, you can buy some things to fill it with. I'm always looking for things on sale or on special near the end of the year to include in my bags.

While there is a list of essentials needed in every bag, you can always add a little extra or two to your bag. The basics are:

shampoo and conditioner
toothbrush and toothpaste
body wash or soap
roll on deodorant
pads or tampons.

Ideas for extras you may want to include are listed on the Share the Dignity Website. This year I added gel pens, a colouring book, hairbrush, sanitiser and tissues as my little extras. I was so proud of scoring the colouring books at Kmart for just $4 each, and I picked up both bags on clearance too. I really hope the bags make someone smile this Christmas!

Want More Inspiration?

Other bags I have donated in the past:
Adult and a teen bag in 2023
Adult bag in 2022
Adult bag in 2021
Mum and Bub bag in 2020
Mum and Bub bag in 2019
Adult bag in 2018

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30 Ways to Wear: Atmos&Here Navy Marle Scoop Neck Tee | Magnificent 8 Restyled

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:11:00 +0000

This quarter's magnificent 8 post theme is "restyled" where we will each be rewearing a piece we've worn for previous Magnificent 8 collaborative posts. As I was due to share another 30 wears post, I was pleased to see that this Atmos&Here navy marl scoop neck tee is something I've exceeded 30 wears with, and wore in a previous Magnificent 8 post as well.

30 Ways to Wear: Atmos&Here Navy Marle Scoop Neck Tee

Cost Per Wear

As I've worn this tee 33 times, I was expecting a good cost per wear for it. I actually got it on sale, with an extra coupon code discount, back in June 2016. It was just $8.74, so for 33 wears, that works out at 29 cents a wear, great value indeed. I've also exceeded 30 wears on the chambray maxi skirt I bought in the same sale order, so I've gotten a lot of value from that sale order.

This navy tee has been in my wardrobe for 8 years, so I'm surprised it's not hit 30 wears sooner! It's a great basic tee, and as it's got a slightly curved cropped hem (although it's just normal length on my petite self) it looks great worn over dresses, as well as with the navy tee staples of denim, shorts and skirts. It still looks new, so I've got a lot more wear to get from it! Here are 30 of my favourite ways I've worn it so far.

Navy Tee and Pink Outfits

Blue and pink is one of those combinations I'll always wear! And as you can see in these 5 outfits, with the neutral navy marle tee, all different shades of pink work well with it. From the neon pink bag, to leopard print jeans, pastel pink jeans or even the magenta jeans on the top right.

Orange and Navy Tee Outfits

Surprisingly I haven't worn as much orange with this tee as I thought I would have - I feel orange really pops when you wear it with navy! I like it with the orange shorts and skirt, but a smaller piece of orange like that little peach bag in the first outfit is a great accessory with navy too.

Navy Tee and Green

"Blue and green should never be seen" is one of those silly rules I used to follow, but since I've been wearing green more often I've realised how nicely green and blue compliment each other. All different shades of green, like the olive shorts, emerald green duster, or moss coloured jeans, look great next to the navy tee.

Shorts Outfits With A Navy Tee

Shorts and a tee is a summer staple! I might throw a cover up on top for a little extra print and colour, or even just some sun coverage. But as you can see in the majority of these shorts outfits, a simple pair of shorts and a navy tee is a nice easy outfit on its own.

Navy Tee and Black

I tend to wear this navy tee a lot with black in the cooler weather - something about winter has me reaching for all the neutrals, and black jeans, or black blazers or knits, are a nice addition to a neutral navy tee. Sometimes as you can see in the first 3 outfits, I add a bit of colour with an accessory, but as in that last outfit, it's nice to just have a neutral filled outfit with the navy tee sometimes too.

Navy Tee and Purple

Blue and purple is another colour duo I frequently wear! Just as with the other colour combinations I've shared in this post, I think different shades of purple are great with this navy tee. The little plum purple Rebecca Minkoff mini MAB bag in the first and last outfits there is a favourite accessory with this navy tee, but the deeper purple bag and jeans in the middle there look good too!

Skirts and Dress Outfits With Navy Tee

As you read above, this tee is such a good layering piece. In that outfit photo in the middle there I've layered it over a maxi dress. The other outfits in this set of 5 are simple skirt outfits, but in the outfit photos earlier in the post I've shared the tee over a dress again as well. I love the look of the tee over a maxi skirt or a maxi dress, and being navy, as you've seen from all the photos in this post, it works with so many different prints and colours.

For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all 30+ ways I've worn this jumper in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

The Magnificent 8

The Magnificent 8 is a collaboration of 8 stylish women, ranging in age from early 20’s to early 80’s. The mission of this collaboration is to showcase how ageless style is. There are no age restrictions on style. So wear what you want, when you want, add a smile, and strut your style with confidence. And be sure to check out all 7 of these other amazing ladies!

Grace of Graceful Rags
Mica of Away from the Blue
Roxanne of Glass of Glam
Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge
Rena of Fine Whatever
Eugenia of Age of Grace
Lesley of Jodie’s Touch of Style
Charlotte of Jodie’s Touch of Style

Every quarter, the group chooses a theme and each create an outfit that suits our own personal tastes and fashion choices. We post them on the last Wednesday of every third month. Check out everyone’s posts with the links above for style inspiration at any age as they show you their restyled outfits!

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What I Bought How I've Worn It: #SecondHandSeptember

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:55:00 +0000

Managed to stick to second hand September with my purchases this month. After thrifting a few accessories in August I ended up buying a couple of clothing items from my frequent trips to the opshop for books for the kids and I.

What I bought:

thrifted Kmart black and white boho print maxi skirt
thrifted purple and red Paisley print duster

How I wore it:

Both the black and white printed maxi skirt and the purple and red Paisley print cover up were lucky opshop finds, and I've worn them a few times this month already, along with a few other preloved pieces I have in my wardrobe.

The Paisley print cover up is so fun and for only $1 I just had to have it. I really like the colours in the print and with the spring weather being here in Brisbane it's been perfect for the temperatures, so I've already worn it three times.

The black and white printed maxi skirt was another $1 item, from my favourite opshop. I only managed to wear it twice this month but I know it will be a staple in my wardrobe like my other maxi skirts. It's so good with sandals for spring.

I wasn't intending to buy anything this month, but always have a browse of the other items whenever I visit an opshop, and I'm pleased with these additions to my wardrobe that resulted. And despite being firmly casual pieces, I was still able to hit my "wear twice in the month I buy it" goal with both, even with my increase of days working in the office and decrease in work from home days.

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30 Ways To Wear: Valleygirl Cobalt Marl Knit Jumper

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 07:07:00 +0000

In the first days of spring in Brisbane, I'm looking back to some colder weather outfits with one of my winter knits. Sharing 30 ways I've worn this beautiful bright cobalt knit I thrifted, over the years it's been in my wardrobe. It's the first jumper I've hit 30 wears on too!

30 Ways To Wear: Thin Cobalt Marl Knit Jumper

Cost Per Wear

I purchased this bright cobalt marl knit at the opshop back in April 2015! At the time, I'd had a wardrobe detox session with a personal stylist after having my eldest boy and she pointed out my wardrobe could use some more basic block colour pieces. This fit the bill nicely and it was just $7 at Vinnies! At 30 wears so far, that's 23 cents a wear. And because it was a preloved thrift find, I'm sure it was worn more by the previous purchaser as well, lowering the environmental impact even further.

Valleygirl is a fast fashion brand in Australia, and not a store I shop at. But this knit has gone the distance over the years and is such a good opshop find. I've only worn it 30 times in the 9 years I've had it because the weather in Brisbane means I don't often need a cosy winter knit! I do enjoy wearing it when the weather cools though.

Knit Jumper Knotted Over a Dress

This is quite a thin and stretchy knit (it's synthetic) so it knots up beautifully to be worn over a printed dress. It adds a little more warmth to allow me to wear summer spaghetti strap dresses like these four on cooler days. I really like the way this jumper looks knotted over a dress.

Cobalt Knit With Skirts

This marl knit is so versatile! While I've worn it over dresses in the first set of photos I also really like it worn with skirts for a similar look. It works just as well with a pencil skirt in an office outfit as it does with a maxi skirt for casual weekend or working from home wear.

Cobalt Jumper With Red

This jumper being a block colour works so well with other pieces and colours in my wardrobe. I've worn this jumper with a lot of different colours and shades. Red and blue is always a bright and colourful combination, and any shades work well. Like the deeper burgundy jeans in the middle, or the brighter red skirt and jeans in the first and last outfits.

Cobalt Knit Jumper With Green

"Blue and green should never be seen" is not a rule I follow! I like this bright cobalt with different shades of green, just as it works with different shades of red in the outfits above. Although I don't find green as easy to wear as some other colours in my wardrobe, pairing it with blue is always a winning combination for me.

Cobalt Knit With Pink

Blue and pink, again, as seen above with the other colours, is something that works in any shade combination! From pastel pink to brighter neon pinks, and even a darker magenta like that little Rebecca Minkoff Edie bag in the third outfit there. I really like the combination of blue and pink. No matter how much or how little pink is worn with this knit, it's always a good pairing.

Cobalt Knit Jumper With Purple

Blue and purple is another frequent go-to combination for me. And while sometimes I just stick with the two colours together like I have in that third outfit there, I often add in a little extra and make one of my most worn trios with blue, purple and a touch of pink. Cobalt never looks out of place with purple or pink.

Blue Knit and Black

Of course if you're not sure what to pair a bright knitted jumper with, any colour works with black! This cobalt knit really pops when worn with neutrals like black, and the bold block colour means it looks good with printed black pieces, like each of the three printed bottoms in these outfits.

Cobalt Marl Knit With Stripes

While I've shown you a few ways to wear this jumper with prints in the other images, I really wanted to call this out as a separate combination with this knit jumper and stripes. With the marl knit having an almost striped appearance I worried at first pairing it with more stripes would be too much, but as you can see from each of these 4 outfits, it really works!

Similar Cobalt Knits Under $50:

More Outfit Ideas:

For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all 30+ ways I've worn this jumper in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

What I Bought In August And How I've Worn It - Opshop Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:32:00 +0000

After buying a few pieces to add to my wardrobe last month, I really wasn't expecting to buy anything this month! But an opshop browse to get things for Book Week at the kids school on a 50% off sale day was too good to pass up! I ended up buying a few accessories.

The best bit is that the 4 necklaces and the earrings were just $6 all together!

What I Bought:

thrifted Colette gold metal flower stud statement earrings
thrifted mint silicone statement necklace
thrifted bronze foil statement necklace
thrifted neutral silicone and wood bead necklace
thrifted blue tone flat bead statement necklace

How I've Worn It:

I couldn't resist these earrings, still new and unworn and absolutely beautiful! I love how they look on, I wasn't sure they would be too big and heavy but they are lighter than I expected and they do make a fun statement.

I wore a lot of silicone necklaces when the boys were younger - great for teething babies! I felt these wood and silicone beaded necklaces were a nice nod to that phase of my life without looking too baby related, so I added those to my bag too!

The blue and cream flat bead necklace and the bronze clay bead necklace are similar to pieces I already own and love so I knew I would get a lot of wear from them.

Even with the winter weather hanging around Brisbane into August and not completely giving up on scarves yet, I have still been able to occasionally wear the necklaces as spring warmth starts to arrive, and I've hit or exceeded my 'wear twice in the month I buy it' goal with all of these pieces.

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What I Bought: Recent Wardrobe Updates & How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 07:41:00 +0000

I don't usually buy a lot in winter - I have plenty of winter pieces in my wardrobe to see me through the few weeks of cold weather we have in Brisbane. But this June and July I bought a few pieces, and felt it was time for an overdue wardrobe update!

What I Added to My Wardrobe Recently:

MIMCO Mim-Mazing crossbody bag in black and light gold

thrifted Les Tropeziennes Par M.Belarbi leopard print and gold leather sandals
thrifted Anko Kmart black strappy sandals
thrifted Seed Heritage tan braided sandals

thrifted no label blue checked smock sundress
thrifted Cotton On The High Rise Skinny Jean black coated denim
thrifted NWT Beginning Boutique Sahara red-orange maxi skirt

Kmart denim short sleeve button front midi dress (gift from Mum)
Kmart basic purple tee (gift from Mum)

How I've Worn It:

I was hoping that I would have had some more opportunities to layer up the summer dress and maxi skirt I bought recently, but it has been very cold in Brisbane, so one wear each is all I have achieved. I set myself a goal of wearing everything I buy twice in the month that I buy it, but definitely wasn't able to achieve that with the very summery things I bought. I know I will get a lot of wear from the sandals when the warmer weather arrives, but I'm sticking to boots and sneakers for the immediate future!

I went out on an early Christmas shopping trip with my mum and sister but my mum let me take everything she bought me home early, so I was happy to add this beautiful denim maxi dress and the cute purple tee to my wardrobe. I am always looking for more basic colourful tees, this purple one will work so well with everything else in my wardrobe.

Looking forward to warmer weather to rewear my summery opshop finds, and to get the sandals out!

The bag is easily my most worn piece as I bought back in June but never got around to sharing the purchase on the blog then. It was one of those "special little treat" impulse purchases that I love. I'd been admiring my sisters bag for a while, then a MIMCO sale, some expiring credit card rewards and a very illness-filled winter had me adding it to cart to cheer myself up. I love it! I like that the Mimco brand uses leather from tanneries that are part of the Leather Working Group so it's a bit more sustainable than other brands I've bought bags from before. (Although preloved will always be the most sustainable way to get leather!)

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30 Ways To Wear Portmans Pink Leopard Print Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 08:20:00 +0000

In a very overdue 30 ways to wear post, I'm finally sharing 30 ways to wear these awesome pink leopard print skinny jeans. I got them from my mum back in 2012. It's taken much too long for them to hit the 30 wear figure, but they do make a bit of a statement so aren't something I reach for everyday. They are really fun to wear though.

30 Ways To Wear: Pink Leopard Print Jeans

Cost Per Wear

Unfortunately as mum got me these as a gift I'm not sure how much they were to calculate cost per wear! However given that they have stuck around in my wardrobe for 12 years and reached 30 wears, I think they were a good buy! Here are the 30 ways I've worn them so far:

Pink Leopard Print Jeans With Grey

Of course if you've got a brightly coloured printed piece in your outfit, it makes sense to wear neutral colours with it. Grey tops and cardigans are a great neutral with these bold jeans.

Black With Pink Leopard Print Jeans

Black is another go-to neutral for me, and one that again works well with the pink leopard print. it really lets the jeans stand out and be the star of the outfit when they are paired with a black top, tee or jacket.

Graphic Tees and Printed Jeans

I don't just stick with neutrals with these jeans! Sometimes I've tried to introduce another print, as you can see with the scarf in the set of outfits above, and these 4 graphic tops outfits. Despite the busy and bright leopard print of the jeans, I think the neutral backgrounds of these tops make the prints work together.

Pink Leopard Pink Jeans With More Pink

Sometimes if I'm wearing a piece in my outfit with one colour, I'll try match that with my accessories, as I have done here in each of the 6 outfits. I've paired pink bags and even a pink printed scarf with these jeans. Any shade of pink works, from the bold neon pinks on the end to the lighter paler rose in the third outfit, and the deeper magenta bag in the 5th.

Pink Leopard Print Jeans With Blue

Pink and blue is a colour combination I really enjoy wearing, so I've worn a lot of different shades of blue with these pink leopard print jeans! From lighter pastel blues to true navy, and even trying a little double denim with the blue denim jacket, I've not found a shade of blue that doesn't look great with these pink jeans.

Pink Leopard Print Jeans With Purple

You can see I love wearing that little purple bag with these pink jeans! Pink and purple is another winning colour combination from me, especially when I introduce a third colour and a blue piece into my outfit as well.

What I Bought In April and How I've Worn It

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Wed, 01 May 2024 07:49:00 +0000

Back again with more wardrobe additions! After scoring a few thrift finds in February, I hadn't really felt the urge to add much to my wardrobe. I did make a couple of recent impulse buys though, so here's what I've bought in April and how I've worn it.

What I Bought:

thrifted Zara pink frayed hem skinny jeans
thrifted white leather Converse sneakers
thrifted Jeanswest cobalt blue blazer
thrifted Belle Folie multi colour tassel necklace
Just Jeans Jamie shirt tail v neck tee in coated champagne gold

Actually bought something new this month! While the jeans, Converse, necklace and blazer were lucky opshop finds, the metallic tee was something I picked up on our recent trip to the outlets. When hubby was buying a couple pairs of jeans I decided to add the tee to our shop as we waited at the register, I thought it would be fun to wear! It gets a lot of compliments for sure, but if I'd stopped and read the care tag and saw the metallic comes from polyester, and that Just Jeans does not have a good track record in ethical fashion practices, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

Completely owning up to the fact that I got swayed by the price tag at the register, and committing to wear it 30 times as I do with everything I buy to minimise the environmental impact, just a reminder to myself to be a little more discerning when I shop and what I support with my cash.

The opshop finds are nothing but positive of course - my money goes to local opshops that help in the community, keeps clothing out of landfill and expands my wardrobe without adding to the environmental impact of the fashion industry or supporting the unfair lower-than-living-wage for people that make cheap clothes. Plus new wardrobe additions at barging preloved prices are always fun!

How I've Worn It:

The blue blazer I have a very similar style of in blush pink that I'm nearly at 30 wears with and so I know this blue one will get a lot of wear. I've really enjoyed the brightness it brings to my office outfits so far!

The tassel necklace I already have something similar, it was also an opshop find and it's a multi strand one with lots of colourful tassels. I couldn't resist this when I saw it at the opshop, despite it being similar to one I already own, as I know I like the style and it will be a great way to add a little more colour to my outfits.

The pink jeans are a little heavy on the stretch fabric but that does make them very comfortable to wear - and while I know frayed hem jeans were a trend a while ago, I couldn't pass up the cute shade of pink. As it was the 50% off sale day at the opshop too I got them for just $2 which was perfect.

Given how much I wear Converse lately I had to check out these leather ones at the opshop - seeing they were my size made them an automatic must-have! They do have the downside of looking exactly the same as my white canvas Converse in outfit pics, so they may suffer from being incorrectly tagged on the blog in future, but for $9 and a little bit of elbow grease to clean and condition the leather they were definitely a good buy. And at 7 wears already, definitely the most worn of my purchases this month!

The gold tee is a little tricker to wear than I thought - it is very shiny! But it's also been fun coming up with ways to wear it, and as you can see I've enjoyed pairing it with softer pinks the first couple of times I've worn it.

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4 Simple Dress Outfits For Beach Life At Tangalooma

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

This is an overdue post! Over Lunar New Year we stayed at Tangalooma with the in-laws, on the beautiful Mulgumpin Island. Last time hubby and I were there was for our honeymoon and I have no idea why it took us so long to visit again, it's the best place. Most of the time I was in a bikini, but I did also wear a few dresses for dinner and sometimes as a cover up over my bikinis. I packed light, with one bag, my big Neverfull tote, and just a few dresses. Didn't even take my camera so just Instagram pics from my phone.

What I wore:

Hat: Big W bow detail sunhat
Dress: thrifted peach and white floral print tiered sundress
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur Neverfull

Why I wore it:

This dress makes such a good cover up! Perfect for a lazy day by the pool. It was suitable for going out for lunch as well. We did have a little rain shower, which didn't bother the kids as they were already in the pool! And thankfully this dress dried quickly when the sun came back out.

Last worn: sunhat, tiered sundress, Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull.

Other ways to wear: tiered sundress and denim jacket, Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull and maxi skirt.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull in second trimester.

What I wore:

Necklace: thrifted gold and pastel blue beaded necklace with grey string
Dress: thrifted no label pastel floral print babydoll dress
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur Neverfull

Why I wore it:

Another great cover up, I've worn this dress to a pool party before as it's nice and light. It's a quick drying viscose and such a lovely print. As you can see in the photo, it was a bit of a rainy start to the day! We headed out to the pool anyway and thankfully the sun came out before we went scuba diving round the Tangalooma wrecks. It was a little scary as with the wind and the earlier rain the waves were really high, but under the water around the wrecks was just stunning, so many fish! We had the best time.

It stayed dry all afternoon, and hubby and the kids enjoyed the pool while I had a very indulgent beachside massage. Absolute bliss.

Last worn: floral babydoll dress, gold and blue beaded necklace, Louis Vuitton Neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: floral babydoll dress and blazer, Louis Vuitton Neverfull worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull in second trimester.

What I wore:

Necklace: double circle hammered pendant necklace
Dress: thrifted colourful geometric print maxi dress
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur Neverfull

Why I wore it:

While we missed the evening's kookaburra feeding there were still some of the birds hanging around after the event, so I tried to take a pic with them. This kookaburra quickly figured no more food was coming and flew off though!

I wore this fun geometric print maxi dress with my Louis Vuitton Neverfull and the gold statement necklace when we all went out for dinner. The barman even managed to knock up a mocktail for the kids that was similar to the 'welcome drinks' I enjoyed when I came to Tangalooma as a kid.

Last worn: hammered gold necklace, geometric print maxi dress, Louis Vuitton Neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: geometric print maxi dress worn 2 ways, Louis Vuitton Neverfull and shorts.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull in third trimester.

What I wore:

Necklace: double circle hammered pendant necklace
Dress: Kmart strappy tiered sundress in watercolour blue and blush print
Shoes: slim navy and pink Havaianas
Bracelets: the usual
Bag: Louis Vuitton MM damier azur Neverfull

Why I wore it:

Another simple tiered dress for dinner. I picked this one, also another great bikini cover up, to wear out for dinner and for our dolphin feeding. The waves were pretty high and we had to go waist deep into the water so I figured a light dress like this one would be best as it would dry quickly afterwards.

Did get a little difficult walking into the surf trying to hold onto my son, a fish for the dolphin, and the dress that was floating up around me! But once we got further into the water the wetness held it down. It was so fun feeding the dolphins again. There's a pod of local wild dolphins that come up to Tangalooma pier every night for food and the dolphin we fed was the son of the dolphin that my sister and I fed a couple times as kids, and that my husband and I fed on our honeymoon! Such a special thing to share with our boys.

Last worn: hammered necklace (above), blue printed tiered dress, Havaianas, Louis Vuitton Neverfull (above).

Other ways to wear: blue printed tiered dress under a tee, Louis Vuitton Neverfull worn 30 ways.

Perfect for pregnancy: Louis Vuitton damier azur Neverfull at 38 weeks.

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30 Ways To Wear: Atmos&Here Slouchy Wine Purple V-Neck Tee

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 08:10:00 +0000

Continuing on with trying to make my #30wears posts a regular monthly feature this year. This month, I'm showing 30 different ways I've worn this beautiful deep purple wine v-neck tee from Atmos&Here.

30 Ways To Wear: Wine Purple V-Neck Tee

Cost Per Wear

I bought this tee back in October 2013, on sale for just $14.47, as I had an extra discount code. It's not the only slouchy soft rolled sleeve v-neck tee I have bought from Atmos&Here. I used to have a grey, black, and a striped one. This one, however, is the only one that I've manged to hit 30 wears with.

The super soft modal also has spandex in it which means that over the years, its stopped being so stretchy and more baggy as the spandex has worn away. Luckily this one seemed to hold its shape better than the others and I hit 31 wears with it, but it's been a lesson for me that if I want my clothes to last, pay attention to the fabric composition. I have a lot more cotton tees in my wardrobe now! Even if the extra stetch in this tee was helpful to see me through 2 pregnancies and very helpful in the breastfeeding days, I prefer just plain cotton tees now.

At 31 wears, it's now definitely too worn and stretched out to continue wearing, but still super soft, so will be a good pyjama top! It has had a low 47 cents cost per wear, and it's taught me a valuable lesson on paying attention to the fabric content of the things I buy, even if it's not something I'll be able to get a lot more wear from in future.

I don't have a lot of this deep wine-purple coloured burgundy in my wardrobe, so it's been interesting looking back to see how I have worn this. I like it a lot with black and other darker colours, but it has been worn with some brighter pairings too. Here are 30 different ways I've worn it over the 10 years it's been in my wardrobe.

Wine V-Neck Tee With Denim

I don't think there can be a more classic combo than a v-neck tee and denim! Sometimes I'll pair this tee with jeans, or shorts, even denim skirts. With the plain block colour, printed jeans work too. As do sequins, wearing my awesome Haus of Queenie custom kimono in the middle there.

Deep Purple Tee With Floral Prints

I like throwing a cover up or duster on top of a denim and tee outfit, as I have here in these 4 outfits. A floral cover up is a great way to add more colour and print to a plain tee like this wine one.

Wine V-Neck Tee With Stripes

As I've shown above I'm partial to florals, but stripes and even other prints like leopard work well against the plain dark background of this tee too!

Deep Purple Tee With Skirts

You saw the denim skirt with this wine tee above but it works with all other kinds of skirts, like a maxi skirt or with a pencil skirt for the office. I loved that it still fit over the bump with my maternity pencil skirt at the bottom there!

Wine Tee With Blue

Blue is my favourite colour and I'll wear it with everything. While this dark tee is a bit more burgundy than plain purple, living up to the 'wine' colour label well, I do still like wearing it with shades of blue just as I would with a purely purple tee. Different shades of blue in a scarf work well, and even a brighter turquoise like you can see in the middle of these outfits is good with the tee.

Deep Purple Tee With Grey

Of course if you're not sure what colour to wear with something, neutrals always work! This tee works well with grey skirts. I really like it with the grey skirt in the first and last outfits, so good I wore it twice! And it was nice to knot it over the grey tie-dye maxi dress in the middle there for something a little different.

Wine Tee With Other Shades Of Red

I have tried now and then to be a little more adventurous with this tee. Pairing it with much brighter shades of red, and other lighter shades of burgundy. I've really liked the combination, done on a small scale with a little crossbody bag, or on a larger scale with a printed cover up or that striped maxi skirt in the third outfit.

Deep Purple Tee With Brights

One unexpected combination I really ended up liking with this tee was adding a brighter piece against the deep wine purple shade. I really liked the wine with the rust orange skirts, and the little yellow bag and yellow print on the shorts in the second outfit there. It was a good way to lighten up this tee and I'm glad I gave the orange and burgundy colour scheme a try!

Similar Tees Under $50:

More Outfit Ideas:

For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all 31 ways I've worn this tee in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

What I Bought In February And How I've Worn It: Thrifted Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Mica) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:42:00 +0000

After getting so many awesome clothes and accessories for Christmas, I wasn't expecting to be adding to my wardrobe so early into the year! However I came across some a few pieces I couldn't resist at the opshop. I mostly focus on books when I'm there, but also have a little browse through the clothes racks and accessories stands and often unearth some gems like I did on my last visit.

What I Bought:

thrifted cream resin bangle duo set
thrifted burgundy and cream beaded statement necklace
thrifted &Me blue linen button up midi skirt with pockets
thrifted Cotton On The one crew tee in green

How I've Worn It:

It's taken me a while to add midi skirts to my wardrobe - but after thrifting an awesome leopard print midi skirt last year, and getting a pretty green one from my mum for Christmas, I couldn't pass up this lovely linen button down one. It has pockets! And was just $1.

I wear a lot of tees so I always have my eye out for them at the opshop - this green one was in perfect condition, and I have a bunch of Cotton On tees in my wardrobe already, just no green ones. I'm finding it really easy to wear so far. I used to avoid anything green, but have been embracing the colour more these past few years. I think realising "blue and green should never be seen" is a silly rule has really attracted me to the colour, I love wearing green and blue together.

The accessories are fun statement pieces I instantly noticed on the accessories stands at the opshop. The resin bangles work well with the trio of colourful resin bangles I already own, I have been enjoying wearing them.

The necklace has been trickier to wear than I thought, but even it met the "wear twice in the month I buy it" goal I set for all new things I buy. With the burgundy beads I think I'll be pulling it out more often when I start to wear a lot of darker layers for the cooler months.

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Away From Blue | Aussie Mum Style, Away From The Blue Jeans Rut

What I Bought In January And February, And How I've Worn It

Here's what I bought over January and February:

How I Wore It:

What I Bought In 2025 And How Often I Wore It: Wardrobe Update

What I Bought & How Often I Wore It:

Clothing - Tops:

Clothing - Jackets/Cardigans:

Clothing - Skirts:

Clothing - Dresses:

Final Annual Fashion Spend:

Fashion Goals for 2026:

It's In The Bag 2025: What's In My Bags For Donation To Share The Dignity

What's In My Bags

The Essentials:

The Optional Extras:

More It's In The Bag Donations:

Two teen bags in 2024Adult and a teen bag in 2023Adult bag in 2022Adult bag in 2021Mum and Bub bag in 2020Mum and Bub bag in 2019Adult bag in 2018

What I Bought & How I've Worn It: October Wardrobe Additions

What I Bought:

What I Added To My Wardrobe:

Why I Bought It:

How I've Worn It:

Current wear count at the end of October:

30 Ways To Wear: Ochre Orange Maxi Skirt

30 Ways To Wear: Ochre Orange Maxi Skirt

Cost Per Wear

Orange Maxi Skirt With White

Orange Maxi Skirt Layered For Winter Weather

Grey Tops With Orange Maxi Skirt

Orange Maxi Skirt and Stripes

Black Top Worn With Orange Maxi Skirt

Layering an Orange Maxi Skirt With Denim Jackets

Orange Maxi Skirt Worn With Red

Orange Maxi Skirt With Printed Tops

Orange Maxi Skirts Under $50

Similar Posts In the 30 Wears Series:

What I've Been Wearing: Start of Spring In Brisbane

What I Bought And How I've Worn It

What I Bought:

Why I Bought It:

How I've Worn It:

What I Bought In June & July And How I've Worn It

30 Ways To Wear: Charcoal Grey Tunic Tee

30 Ways To Wear: Grey Tunic Tee

Cost Per Wear

Grey Tee With Green

Grey Tee With Pink

Grey Tee In Monochromatic Outfits

Grey Tee With Red

Grey Tee And Winter Layers

Grey Tee And Prints

Grey Tee and Shorts

Grey Tee and Skirts

Grey Tee and Printed Cover Ups

More Outfit Ideas:

For more outfit inspiration and ideas, you can view all 31 ways I've worn this tee in my blog archives, or browse the complete 30 wears series.

Similar Posts In The 30 Wears Series:

30 ways to wear: slouchy wine purple v-neck tee30 ways to wear: navy and white striped tee30 ways to wear: lilac v-neck tee30 ways to wear a dark grey v-neck tee30 ways to wear a grey v-neck tee

What I Bought In May & How I've Worn It

What I Bought In April & How I've Worn It: Opshop Finds and a Few Retail Purchases

What I Bought:

How I've Worn It:

30 Ways To Wear: Atmos&Here Navy Stripe Shift Dress

30 Ways To Wear: Atmos & Here Navy and Black Stripe Shift Dress

Cost Per Wear

Navy Stripe Tee Dress With More Blue

Striped Shift Dress With Boots

Navy Stripe Dress With Yellow

Navy Striped Tee Dress With Red

Navy and Purple

Navy Stripe Dress With Pink

Navy Striped Shift Dress With Green Accessories

Similar Posts In The 30 Wears Series:

What I Bought In February & How I've Worn It: Upcycled Re-Up Denim Tote Bag

What I Bought In 2024, And Wardrobe Goals For 2025

What I Bought in 2024 (And How Often I've Worn It)

Accessories:

Shoes:

Handbags:

Two teen bags in 2024
Adult and a teen bag in 2023
Adult bag in 2022
Adult bag in 2021
Mum and Bub bag in 2020
Mum and Bub bag in 2019
Adult bag in 2018

30 ways to wear: slouchy wine purple v-neck tee
30 ways to wear: navy and white striped tee
30 ways to wear: lilac v-neck tee
30 ways to wear a dark grey v-neck tee
30 ways to wear a grey v-neck tee

Other bags I have donated in the past:
Adult and a teen bag in 2023
Adult bag in 2022
Adult bag in 2021
Mum and Bub bag in 2020
Mum and Bub bag in 2019
Adult bag in 2018