Category Archives: wardrobe wednesday

8 under $80 – Christmas Party dresses

It’s that time of year again – Christmas Party season!

Every year, November brings with it the search for the perfect affordable and stylish dress to wear to work and social occasions.

These are some of my favorite dresses under $80 (some even under $60!), with key trends covered like off-the-shoulder (OTS isn’t going anywhere this Summer), ruffle sleeve and quirky prints. And I’m amazed, there’s not a stripe amongst them!

Hummingbird dress in red floral, $59.90 St Frock; Poppie dress in green ricrac, $79.99 Adrift; Amy pink pineapple shift dress, $79.99 Style Me Over

B Collection Broderie Bell Sleeve dress, $35 Big W; Mandy Christmas Flamingo Wrap dress, $59.95 Little Party Dress; Arabian Goddess Boho Maxi, $79.99 Erin Louise 

Spencer dress, $60 (on sale) Dressy Bessy; Ruffle Sleeve Pattern dress, $59 Chasing Case

The navy B Collection Broderie dress from Big W is the perfect budget option for a work Christmas party, while I love the floaty boho style of the Erin Louise maxi and Chasing Case pattern dress for casual family barbeques by the water. And the quirky Santa-hat-wearing flamingos of the Mandy Little Party Dress are fabulous for ANY festive celebration!

Which is your favorite? I don’t think I can go past the flamingo LPD, or the Amy Pineapple shift! (Predictable, I know!)

Behind the Door earrings really make a statement!

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings

I’ve harped on recently about the statement earring trend that I love so much,  but you can’t exactly have giant chandeliers flanking your face every single day. I like to give my lobes a rest with studs I can wear daily, but are anything but minimal! These Behind the Door Signature Glass Studs are cute enough to elicit compliments from fashion-forward teens at work, are sparkly enough to flatlay like a boss, and light enough that I can wear them all day long!

Because I like to know the ‘why’ behind small creative businesses (I think anyone taking that step into running their own business is crazy-brave!), I asked the lovely Ali Beer Smith, creative director of Behind the Door a few questions about BTD and her busy life – she has a ‘day-job’ as well as managing her growing business!

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings

What do you do? What do you make/sell? Behind the Door is a one-woman run small business, based in Woodcroft, South Australia. At BTD, you will find handcrafted and affordable jewellery and accessories for the colourful at heart. One of the main reasons Behind the Door was born, was because I couldn’t source or locate good quality stud earrings at an affordable price that didn’t irritate my ears. Behind the Door is now known for exactly that – our Signature Glass Stud Earrings that are affordable, easy to wear for those busy mums and hustling babes. Each piece is meticulously handmade with love using a variety of materials and settings, sourced both locally and within Australia. Since the virtual doors opened in 2015, Behind the Door now frequents the market scene within Adelaide throughout the warmer months of the year.

Why and how did you sell your first product? The first product that I ever sold under the Behind the Door label was a paid of Lady Marmalade Glass Stud Earrings in a stainless steel setting. She was so excited to buy a piece of my jewellery, and was boasting about it to all of her friends.

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings


Who was your key support during the fledgling stage of Behind the Door? My huz, Wade! What a gem he is. Also my Mama, she even invested in Behind the Door in the very early stages which allowed me to buy packaging to send my pieces out.

How do you manage your time well? Some times I feel like I’m drowning, sometimes I feel like I am slaying at the #hustle! I’ve recently just listed to a Mums with Hustle podcast about this very thing. What I took away from the podcast was to identify 4 main non-negotiable priorities for each week. These are family and friends time, dedicate time to Behind the Door, look after myself by eating well and going to the gym, and be able to give myself 100% to my 9am-5pm job. I know that sounds like so much but a way that I manage my time is to decide what non-negotiables I will do each day. My typical day starts out of getting up and head to the gym or take the dog for a walk. I’m always on my way to my 9-5 job at 7.45am. I like to think I slay that, and then head off home for the day. When I get home, I like to play with the animals for a few minutes and then kick into hustle mode! On a side note, I am a FIFO wife. My husband works away for 4 weeks at a time, and then is home for 1 week. When he is home, family time takes priority of my non-negotiables. When he is away at work, it’s a mix of all four! It’s not uncommon to still find me hustling in the work shop at 1am, however that started to affect my 9-5 job so I had to reassess my routine. I hadan ah-ha moment back in December last year – it is really important to look after myself and take time out for me, so I can give more! If I’m not in the workshop or at my day-job, I’m either out in the garden, playing with my dog and two cats, cooking or soaking in the tub with a fab bath bomb!

If you could have given yourself a piece of knowledge or advice when you started what would that be? Try and shake the guilt of doing what you love and take time out for you!

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings

Which opportunities should you have followed? I applied for a very well known market in 2016 that I was accepted for.. I then decided against it because it was such a big investment. I doubted my performance and products, and I wish I didn’t. Behind the Door ROCKS!

How do you conquer any moments of doubt that threaten to stop your great ideas? What pushes you through? It’s the self doubt and self criticism that catches you out.. a lot of the time! In these moments, I think back to why Behind the Door exists first and foremost. I then think of all the fabulous feedback I have received from so many happy customers all over the world.

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings

Righto, time for some fun stuff…

What is your ‘uniform’? What do you wear more often than anything else? In my day-job, it’s smart casual – think black, black, black… you get me? It’s hard when I have such a colourful heart! In the workshop and beyond, I love a fabulous Gorman piece! I will always have a handmade piece on, whether that’s something I have made, or that of another biz babe!

What is your favourite thing to wear to make you happy? COLOUR!

Thanks so much Ali, just hearing about your passion and your juggle makes me want to support small creative businesses even more!

Behind the Door Signature Glass Stud Earrings

*I was kindly gifted a few BTD pieces. As always, if I don’t love it, I won’t share it.

My Summer Picks – That Shop in Doreen

I love small businesses, I really do. I have worked in retail for both small and multi-national fashion brands, and there’s something super-special about a little design and buying team, who choose styles based on what they know their customers will like, because they have a relationship with those customers.

One of the small businesses I’ve discovered this year is Victorian brand That Shop in Doreen – cute name, huh! The brainchild of Samantha Tupper, That Shop in Doreen began life as a bricks-and-mortar store in (you guessed it, Doreen) and now encompasses an online store with seasonal pieces as well as really fun and lovely social media accounts. Check out their Facebook here, and Instagram here.

Now, I’m sure you all know that Summer is my favourite season. I mean, I can never really be too hot, as long as I’m dressed appropriately in light and floaty pieces. Samantha stocks some gorgeous styles, so I thought I would share some of my favourite That Shop in Doreen picks with you!

My Summer Picks – That Shop in Doreen

I love the short sleeves on this and the sweet little twist tie at the front. And the stripes (who am I kidding, I love the stripes the most). It’s only $35 and also comes in grey and white, and black and white.

Remember how Justin Timberlake couldn’t stop this feeling anymore? That’s how I feel about all the off the shoulder tops around this Summer. I’m well aware that they require (gasp!) a strapless bra, but they really are worth it. This one also has an adorable fringe around the hem and sleeves!

If you’re looking for just a great basic top with a little bit of extra flair, this is the top for you. I love the jersey fabric, it drapes beautifully and doesn’t wrinkle. I’m a big fan of the grey marle but it also comes in white for those of you who can keep white tops clean!

Let’s be honest here, sometimes the whole cold shoulder style can look a little mumsy, especially with a gaudy print – but I’ve got my eye on this simple black dress because I do like the open shoulder with the ability to wear a normal bra, or throw it on over bathers for a quick dressy option.

I don’t know what I wore before I discovered stripe t-shirt dresses? Was I wandering around naked half the time? Who knows! Seriously, this is a fab little number that I have in the navy and white stripe, and wear on repeat every week. Actually, we might as well just call it my Tuesday dress.

I’m not usually one for pink… in fact I don’t have a single non-activewear pink item in my wardrobe, and my mates Trainee Mama and Blonde Ambition have challenged me to change that this Summer.  This floaty top is so versatile – it could easily be dressed down with shorts for day, or dressed up with a cute skirt or pair of jeans and heels at night.

Probably my favourite TDIS style at the moment, this Blossom Midi Dress is even prettier in person. I wore it for a long day of partying at the Caloundra Music Festival a couple of weeks ago, and received so many compliments. They say it’s a midi length, but I’m not the tallest giraffe in the zoo, so it looks like a maxi on me.

I continue to put this denim jacket in my cart and then leave it there because it’s going to be too hot for sleeves for the next six months, but stretch in a denim jacket is something that I’m always searching for, and I love the mid-blue wash of this one. If I lived in a cooler climate, this would be high on my wish-list.

Someone recently asked me about the right shoes to wear with Summer shorts and pants for a casual look. I’m a big fan of an espadrille because I think they can be worn with everything from jeans to dresses, and they’re way more casual than a regular flat.

Need more style inspiration? Head to That Shop in Doreen and I’m sure you’ll find a few pieces to add to cart too!

*That Shop in Doreen kindly sent me a couple of styles to try, thank you so much Samantha! I was thrilled with the service and my parcel arrived beautifully wrapped, so I’m more than happy to share the love here.

A favourite Spring outfit

After a Winter of cool weather (ok, 10 degrees is mighty cold for a Queenslander), aren’t we all daydreaming about those balmy days at the end of Spring? This feminine-yet-tomboyish outfit would be perfect to wear on bike rides, to brunches and on picnics…

Fate Lilibeth chambray dress from Birdsnest, Amity necklace from Indera Beads, Longoria Fedora from Blue Bungalow, Philly Putty crossbody Louenhide bag, Chill Leopard sandals from Freya and Sabine.

I wear similar spins on this outfit pretty regularly, adding or subtracting a stripe sweater tied around my waist, a kimono, or mixing up the sleeveless shirtdress to one with a print. Simples.

 Do you have a go-to outfit this season?

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What I Wore – Birdsnest for a Winter wedding

Toasty heaters, big steaming platters of roast meat and gravy, and snuggling into pashminas – who wouldn’t be excited for a Winter wedding?

When one of my favourite colleagues of ALL TIME popped an invite on my desk for her wedding, I did what most girls would do. Squeal a little bit, check the location out online, then start searching online for the perfect outfit.
Hidden in a working cattle property outside the Sunshine Coast town of Yandina is a contender for the most beautiful country wedding venue in the country. At Yandina Station, they’ve been playing host to beautiful events for years now, and BB and I even checked them out when we were searching for our perfect wedding venue. We ended up deciding to head north to Port Douglas to get hitched instead of staying local, but I can still say that it’s one of my favourite wedding venues.
Living just up the road from the venue, I knew that Yandina Station on a July evening would be more than a little chilly, so started my search for a dress with sleeves on Birdnest. There were SO many to choose from, but I played it safe and chose the Off the Shoulder Dress because, well… this is me we’re talking about, and I never pass up the chance to wear off the shoulder, duh!

For non-stylists like me, there are plenty (thousands) of styled outfits available to check out on the Birdsnest website, it’s so easy to envisage how your whole outfit will look when worn together – genius!

Laying out everything early in the morning makes for a much quicker prep time, especially for a weekday wedding!
Clockwise: Birdsnest Off the Shoulder Dress*, Samantha Wills turquoise ring and earrings (similar here), Raybans because I cry at weddings, YSL lippie, vintage hat borrowed from Trainee Mama, Marc Daniels Blue Cypress Blonde Leave-In Toner (this is my new fave hair product, gives such sparkly highlights and shine – currently available at Woolies), Trix block heels from Spendless, borrowed pashmina from Mum, Sussan sequin clutch (similar here).

The happy couple… wait, no! Another happy couple!

This dress was possibly the most comfortable style I’ve ever worn to an occasion… and you don’t need to just believe me! The Birdsnest webswite is super-easy to both navigate and to leave reviews, so when I saw it had a 100% Excellent rating, and comments like these, there’s no way I could not share the love of this fine frock!

Lyndall, size 14: The dress is slimline without being clingy. It gives a beautiful shape to my hourglass figure. Sleeve length is classy and the gorgeous neckline is really pretty. Really happy with this purchase. It will be a great dress for travelling too, as the material isn’t likely to crush.
Yes, I would recommend this item.

Michelle, size 16: Purchased size 16 and fits beautifully – very flattering dress. Was for a date so felt very sexy and confident. Thank you!!
Yes, I would recommend this item.

Rebecca, size 10: If you want to feel sexy and elegant at the same time, or need something for a special occasion then you definitely need this dress in your life. It is a perfect weight, has no horrible zippers that snag or buttons to wrestle with. It holds off the shoulder without slipping. It is a flattering length to the knee.It will travel well without too much fuss or ironing needed. Believe me this dress will turn heads. I just love it. Thanks Birdsnest girls!!!
Yes, I would recommend this item.
Hot potato croquettes on a brisk evening? Don’t go ANYWHERE with that tray, my young waiter friend.

We did have a few romantic moments together, imaging what it might have been like to get married at this gorgeous venue.

I love love LOVE me a good wedding, and this one was superb. The groom cried a little when saying his vows, and we all know how adorable that is. 

To Stacey and Jason, our biggest congratulations to a beautiful couple who make each other so happy. BB and I wish you a wonderful journey as you build your new life together. Hugs forevs.


Do you have a favourite season for attending weddings? I love them all!

*Birdsnest dress super-awesomely gifted. You should really know by now that I won’t wear anything I don’t love, so consider this piece fantastic, and I’ll be wearing it years from now!

Another stripe dress – Surafina Sportif Grey Stripe

At least once a week, I find myself reaching for a striped t-shirt dress. I’m starting to amass a little collection of them and I have no issues with the fact that most of my friends now know that I’m likely to turn up anywhere wearing one. I even shared my love in this post.

My latest one started as a ‘Here, borrow this’ dress from Trainee Mama who was heavily pregnant with her twins and wasn’t getting any wear from it; and now it’s a ‘No chance am I returning this to you, I love it so much!’ dress. (Maybe I’ll buy her a replacement. maybe not.)

This is the perfect piece to throw on and head out the door in a hurry, but it’d also be on my list to take on holidays to dress up and down easily. Surafina has a few sizes left online in the grey stripe… hop to it!

The current AW Sportif styles are black with white stripe, and an alternate white with black stripe – choosing is too hard, so I recommend both! But you don’t need any convincing from me, do you?

 
Would it be rude of me to ask how many stripe dresses you have? (Just to make me feel better?!)

*Dress gifted in the sense that I borrowed it from my bestie and am not returning it in a hurry.

What I wore: Port Douglas holiday part 2

If you’ve only just stopped by, you might like to click back to this post, it’s Part One of What I Wore: Port Douglas holiday… this one is a little more pictorial, because I’ve been busy and working hard, and have no words left.
Now, it wouldn’t be a tropical holiday for me without some poolside relaxing. Yes, we have a pool at our home, but it’s nowhere near as relaxing lounging in the water when you have a houseful of chores just metres away. I love laying by a pool that is a LONG way from my dirty laundry and a dishwasher that need stacking, so holiday pool time is my favourite.
I love swimsuits. For a curvy girl with bumps and dimples in all the wrong places, I give little thought to how people see me when I’m on the beach or lounging by a pool. I hope that never changes. (That said, outside of a watery environment, I’m crazy-insecure about my body. Go figure.) This gorgeous new Capriosca Cancun Twist Bandeau One Piece* with the moroccan tile-inspired print is probably my favourite one-piece of ALL. TIME. SERIOUSLY. The team at Sequins and Sand are so helpful too, you can email or call Anita and the team and get so much great advice on sizing and fit, which is so useful when buying swimwear online.
I adore the glam print, the ruching, the DD shelf bra that actually does what it’s supposed to, and most of all, the removable and adjustable straps. I mean, you guys surely know how I feel about tan lines. I was so hesitant to take the straps off, because there’s nothing cute about hauling a bandeau top up over and over again by the pool, but the shaping of the cups means that I didn’t even need them! And that means I can wear this swimsuit under so many of my strappy, strapless and off-the-shoulder beach and pool dresses. Hip hurrah!
On our actual wedding anniversary, we had a super-relaxing day of strolling around Port Douglas. I wore one of my favourite off-the-shoulder tops (of course I did, I’m original like that) with super-tropical-cute palm-print shorts from Witchery. These shorts are brilliant for Summer holidays, because there’s no ironing required, and they wash and dry so quickly that you can wear them more than once… which I obvs did.

When on holidays, wear no makeup and let your hair air-dry. Please, for the love of relaxation, do it.

Speaking of relaxation… my husband enjoyed his first pedicure ever! I’d been telling him for ages just how relaxing they were, and my dad (who doesn’t exactly has attractive manfeet) has been waxing lyrical for years to BB about the pleasures of someone else attending to your feet, and I finally managed to persuade him to give it a try. BB has quite nice feet, I think, so I knew he’d have nothing to be self-conscious of.

And now he wants to get one at least monthly. Can we just say ‘I told you so’ already?

By the second last day of our trip, I was all but forgetting to take photos of our holiday, I was just in full-blown vacation mode. It wasn’t until I saw other people snapping away on the Cairns-Kuranda SkyRail that I remembered!

Kuranda Scenic Railway Station is flipping adorable. It’s just like the railway stations you imagine from the books The Railway Children, but with excellent coffee available. Nawwww.

This lame tourist photo at the railway station features pretty much the exact same off-the-shoulder top and shorts situation from a previous day, albeit with the coral version of the Katies top. What can I say? When I find a good thing, I stick to it.

Taking the obligatory arm-out-the-window photo as we rounded the bends of the Barron Valley meant that I had quite the conniption as BB risked the life of my iPhone.

Food, food, food. One of the highlights of any trip to Port Douglas for us is dinner at Bucci Italian. The blue cheese and cauliflower arancini were a hit, and the roast pumpkin gnocchi (below) served with little dollops of the most delicious goat’s cheese… I can’t even.

After all that cheese, I was feeling VERY cheesy and loved up. (You knew there was a bad cheese pun coming, admit it.)

Apparently I’m going through an off-the-shoulder phase. Who knew?

What it’s actually all about for me. You can take away the sunbathing and afternoon cocktails, the excuses to wear tropical-print clothes, the food (although please don’t take away the food), and my anniversary trip to Port Douglas is really just all about spending time with this silver fox. 
Happy Anniversary, BB. You’re the cheese to my pasta. 
* Thank you so much to the team at Sequins and Sand, for gifting me this gorgeous swimsuit, and helping me find my perfect style and fit. Big big love.

What I wore: Port Douglas holiday part 1

We have returned last week from our annual anniversary holiday to Port Douglas, and I’m almost finished the holiday laundry pile! (It’s always the very first thing I get started on the minute we get home… because if I don’t, it can take months!).
I say annual, although we hadn’t been to Port Douglas for three years prior to this trip. After BB proposed on Four Mile Beach in 2011, and we got married in 2012 in the beautiful beachside Rex Smeal Park and held our wedding reception in Harrisons Restaurant (the only hatted restaurant in the region!), we decided that we’d love to come back for every anniversary. Late April is a gorgeous time to visit Far North QLD, and it’s never Easter or school holidays, so we’re able to snag some pretty good flight and accommodation deals. After enjoying a relaxing PD holiday for our first anniversary in 2013, we were persuaded to join friends on a cruise trip for our second, and then our third anniversary fell right when BB was unable to take a break due to a really good work opportunity. Whilst I certainly wasn’t upset or mad, we were both disappointed, and when we booked the trip for this year, we were both super-excited to head north and celebrate anniversary number four… until the realisation that we couldn’t take our puppy Stevie sunk in.
We have had short breaks away from Stevie since she joined our family in January last year, and she accompanied us on our Outback QLD trip in Winter; but neither of us knew just how hard it would to be say goodbye to her for a whole week. We were confident she’d have a wonderful time visiting her grandma and grandad (my parents), but GAWD we both had to reel in the emotions a few times when we started missing her. 
I’ll try to blog about our holiday chronologically, but let’s be honest, I always forget to take photos when I’m on vacation, and sometimes we were just having way too good a time for me to start snapping away! Maybe I’ll just share some highlights for you all…
Our first full day on holiday in Port Douglas, and we started our morning with a long (almost 8km!) walk before freshening up and getting changed to hit Macrossan Street for a stroll and lunch. I wore Suzanne Grae off-shoulder top (this Florence Broadhurst-inspired print is so fun), Jag chambray shorts, Harris Scarfe sandals and my favourite Louenhide crossbody bag (now on SALE for $29!). Oh, and PINEAPPLE earrings because QUEENSLAND
Shopping in Tommy Bahama is pretty much the only time I join my husband shopping – he always knows what he’s after, and rarely needs my help – but in Tommy Bahama, I love to bring him the brightest Hawaiian print shirts and crazy Bermuda shorts. The change rooms are always freaking awesome too… like a little tropical corner of George Clooney’s house in The Descendants.

On day 1, we hit Port Douglas’ newest bar, Barbados Port Douglas, because I’d been salivating for weeks in the lead-up to our holiday over their signature cocktail menu. The Weniki Tiki cocktail I chose didn’t disappoint – house-infused Belvedere Vodka, Passoa, coconut cream, pineapple juice and shredded coconut made for the perfect tropical welcome drink!
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Port Douglas, Barbados Port Douglas will fast become the go-to bar for locals and tourists alike. The bar’s lime-washed timber furnishings, navy and white stripe awnings and umbrellas, and the small touches like embroidered canvas coasters are reminiscent of a Queensland-style beach house, but with a luxe Hamptons twist.

Even though this was ostensibly a romantic holiday for BB and I to celebrate our anniversary, we managed to get a little social and head out for dinner with our friend Jemma, who recently moved from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns. She drove up the coast road to Port Douglas and we enjoyed a beautiful meal at Star of Siam (probably the best Thai restaurant in QLD), even though Jem and I dared BB to eat the whole chilli garnish on his plate… sorry honey! I wore a stunning and oh-so-comfy Passion Q off-the-shoulder dress* from White Haven Emporium, with Samantha Wills earrings and a necklace purchased on our last visit to the fantastic Port Douglas markets. 

This dodgy-as photo does this frock NO justice… I blame the cocktails and beers that BB and I enjoyed at dinner. I really should start remembering to take outfit photos before dinner, shouldn’t I?

The following night we dined at Watergate Port Douglas, where the duck pancakes are possibly the world’s greatest entree; and I wore a dramatic print dress from Sequins and Sand. This Achilleas dress* is a showstopper, there’s no ironing required (a travel requirement for me!), and the Greek design and draping fabric really shows off the striking print to perfection. It’s so new that it’s not even featured on their website yet… but keep an eye out for this stunner!

I’m a big fan of white cotton off-the-shoulder frocks, and this new Iris Dress* from local resortwear designer Anannasa is the perfect transition piece for me to wear one of my favourite styles in Autumn. It’s a little longer than most white cotton dresses, which means that you can belt and blouse it nicely, and the longer sleeve is super pretty. This style was SO easy to throw on over my togs to go downstairs to the pool, and is definitely cute enough to dress up and wear out for dinner – the ideal holiday frock, really!

I’ll share a few more outfits in my next blog post, and you might just spot a trend that I obviously can’t let go of!
*Super-awesomely gifted. You should really know by now that I won’t wear anything I don’t love, so consider these pieces fantastic!

So are you like me, already planning next Summer’s holidays?Do you have a holiday tradition like we do?

Wardrobe favourites – Typographic tops

Who doesn’t love a good slogan tee to pair with denim shorts or jeans? They’re the perfect conversation-starter!

Having worked in activewear, I wear a lot of tanks and tees with slogans of an inspirational ilk printed on them. Even plenty of my non-Lorna-Jane tops have some sort of memorable motto emblazoned all over the front. What can I say? I like to make a statement.

Here are some of my current favourites that I’ve found floating around online… maybe one of them says exactly what you’re thinking.
Love the grey and peach in this.

Perfect for gymwear, yoga, and also denim and cocktails, because that blue is too pretty to ignore!

I’ve felt this fabric instore and it’s a luxe as it looks. And aren’t we all Francophiles really?
Perfect with leggings and flat boots for travel, I am SO buying this baby. (Because this is exactly what I want to wear flying to Asia next month. Nobody at Singapore Airport will be able to guess where I’m going!)

This exercise tank is a no-brainer – it’s in my favourite colour, the fabric is super-lightweight and breathable, and that back cut-out means that I can wear a regular bra (instead of t-back)!

Well, sometimes we need a little Monday Motivation, don’t we? And it’s way prettier in real life – that dark charcoal marl cotton is soft and the pale pink font print gives it a preppy spin.

Because we can’t celebrate Monday a little without celebrating Friday a lot! Those cap sleeves are lovely, too.

Not exactly a typographic tee, but the silver gilded detail on this washed cotton blend tee is really cool.

This lightweight sweatshirt with raglan sleeves is ideal for the Australian Autumn – khaki is really ontrend right now, and it’ll be sweet under coats through Winter too.

I can’t showcase slogan tops without including a few from Torrid. This plus-size brand REALLY knows how to do slogans well, and this Cowboy Up tank is a fun spin on those uber-cheesy Texan shirts that country folk wear non-ironically! Also, the longer-length is a win for everyone.

You’re welcome for putting this song in your head. (You know it is, don’t deny.)

Pink with vodka scrawled on it? Did they just steal a tee from my 21-yr-old self’s wardrobe?

So forget Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, let your tees and tanks do the talking this season. Is there a slogan you wish you could find on a tee?


Bonus slogan tee find! This Ruby and Lilli XO tee has been in my shopping cart for a while, and it’s on sale, reduced from $45 to $20. Time to make this cutie mine, I think!
On sale, hurrah!

Wardrobe favourites – Earn your stripes

Whether they’re vertical, horizontal, diagonal, mixed or matched, stripes will forever remain the best looking lines in the whole wide world.

They’re the BFF that has it all: cool enough to wear during a casual day out running errands, polished enough to take out to dinner, relaxed enough to join you for a Netflix and chill session (and let’s all agree that this takes on a very literal meaning when you’re married – like, we actually watch Netflix whilst chilling). They’re also right there for you when you need a little confidence, making all the difference in a basic striped T-shirt, or crisp button down shirt.

Ever since Brigitte Bardot wore striped tees and shift dresses in the 60’s and 70’s, everyone with a fashion clue has resorted to this simple style. It carries a little French allure, and a lot of international cool.

I wear both vertical and horizontal stripes year-round, and whilst I once worked with a delightful human who thought it her right to remind me that ‘bigger girls shouldn’t wear horizontal stripes’ almost once a week, I feel like everyone’s grown a brain, and it’s finally fashionably acceptable for everyone to wear stripes of any direction!

Here are my top picks for stripe dresses, shirts and tees, heading into Australia’s Autumn/Winter season:

A striped dress is perfect for workwear, or almost any occasion when jeans and a stripe tee won’t cut the mustard. It looks so polished and sophisticated, but you ‘re just there feeling all comfy because you’re in the softest of fabrics!

Hello hi-lo, I love you.

Bonds Besties Tank Dress in Black/White Stripe
This scoopneck is flattering on anyone, and adding a blazer is all you need to take this from the beach to the office. Such a fan.

Billy J Amber Stripe Maxi (currently on sale)
For a maxi version of the classic stripe tank dress, I love this Billy J style. The high-neck and splits to the knee make it smart enough to wear to the polo with a hat and pair of towering wedges, or to the beach with sandals.
Well, this is just charming, and I would rock it long and hard during Winter over tights and boots.

A striped button-down shirt, in either a breezy linen or a crisp cotton is the perfect addition to every possible outfit, especially at this time of year. Throw over your togs when you move from the pool to the bar, or slip one on with a darker denim for instant attitude.

I’ve seen this instore, and it’s as cute and comfy as you’d like it to be, without being bulky with this chest-pockets. Well-played, Sussan. 
Again, the chest pockets had me all worried, but I’ve tried it on, and I can’t for the life of me remember why I didn’t buy it! It’s a classic, and I hope Target repeats this style in a few other colourways this season. (Navy or pink , please and thank you Mrs Target Designer)

Of course, I’m saving the best for last – striped tops and tees. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a lifelong member of the stripe tee club (I believe our 2016 #teamstripes President, Veep and Secretary are Brooke of Blonde Ambition, Melissa of Suger Coat It and Peta of Trainee Mama… we convene regularly on social media!), and I am always looking for another perfect addition to my stripe tee shelf (which is now two shelves, but don’t tell BB, please).

Regulars here will also know that Winter is my least favourite season, and I only manage to get through July and August each year without depressive bouts of Seasonal Affective Disorder because it’s a great opportunity to wear stripe tees with jeans and blazers. Almost my favourite sartorial situation ever.

The tiny little leatherette detail on this means that I consider it dressy enough for dinner out, just add dark skinny jeans and a flat riding boot. Because 3 inches of leatherette will always dress me up. 

Rockmans Rib Stripe Top (currently on sale)
Channel your inner Jen Lindley and pop a funnelneck stripe top on before you wax lyrical about all the important issues for teens in the 90’s. #dawsonscreekforever

This is another style that I’ve checked out instore, and it’s a luxe-looking tee. The white bias on the neckline is super flattering, and I can imagine this being uber-cute in Spring too, with denim shorts.

I have this tee in it’s previous incarnation (navy/white stripe with silver spots) and I love it. The cap sleeves are the perfect length, and it looks adorable with coloured jeans or shorts.

My navy/white/silver version of the Suzanne Grae tee

The over-size drape of this tee makes for ultimate comfort, and would be perfect for travel (note to self, remember this when planning capsule wardrobe for upcoming Asia trip).



Well, this cotton knit is just all kinds of fun. Suede elbow patches and a wide v-neckline make for a nautical version of the classic Breton. V. v. cute.

Do you see any stripe must-haves here that you’re loving this season ? I’d love to know if you’re #teamstripes too, use the tag on Instagram next time you pop on your stripes!

   

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