A Most Flattering Summer Dress… Well For me it is

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I have been eyeing a few dresses from Little Party Dress. So many of my fashion blogging friends have shared outfits from this online shop. It seems the store stocks many flattering summer dresses.

A couple of months ago I fell in love with the Megan dress in the watermelon print. At the time it was winter and I wasn’t interested in buying clothes for summer yet.

Big mistake.

My size sold out.

I showed Jacob the dress and he loved it too. He told me I should have bought it when I saw it! What husband says that?!

But alas, I loved the Leopard Print dress and I thought the Cactus Print dress was pretty cute too. So I signed up to the newsletter, got my discount and free express shipping.

My dresses arrived the next day and they were a perfect fit. I’m calling it the most flattering summer dress. They are a roomy fit, as described online, so I’m glad I bought the size 14. If you choose to purchase, buy a size down.

What I love most about this flattering summer dress is that it has pockets, a belt to add some shape and it covers my shoulders and has sleeves.

I love the off the shoulder trend, but I went on a buying frenzy last summer and realised most of my dresses didn’t have shoulder coverage. I like to wear dresses to church and because Jacob and I tend to be outside after the service, I want dresses that have the shoulders covered for sun protection.

I wore my Cactus dress on a date night with Jacob in Coffs Harbour.

coffs harbour date night wearing Megan Cactus Dress

The Megan dress comes in a variety of patterns and from what I’ve noticed, the sizes do usually get restocked. Best to enquire though, if you love the style and a particular pattern.

I’ve teamed my leopard print dress with my Frankie 4 Sandals and some turquoise Adorne tassel earrings. I love a pop of colour and this outfit made me feel very happy.

Little party dress Megan leopard print dress

For $59.95, this dress is really affordable. Do sign up to the newsletter to get your first purchase discount if you love it too and wish to purchase.

most flattering summer dress megan dress
Have you found a flattering summer dress that you bought two of? Have you bought anything from Little Party Dress?

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

6 Dresses That Caught my eye in the New Birdsnest Summer Catalogue for 2017

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Yesterday I received my Birdsnest Summer Magazine in the mail. It’s got to be one of my favourite pieces of ‘junk’ mail I receive in my mailbox. That and the Sussan magazine.

While I was flipping through, there were a few dresses that caught my eye and I thought I’d share them with you. Some of them you can’t buy yet, as they haven’t been released online. You can pre-order them if they end up being love at first sight.

When it comes to purchasing from Birdsnest, I’ve found the sizing to be a bit all over the place, so I only usually buy the labels that I know fit me well like Firefly, Naudic, Boom Shankar, Lulu Soul and Ruby Yaya.

Some of these dresses have divine prints and colours, perfect for summer. There is a pattern for everyone in this mix with geometric, floral, stripes and polka dots.

So here are the 6 dresses that caught my eye from the new Birdsnest summer range.

1. Boho bird by Candlelight Maxi Dress $159.95 (pre-order only)

boho bird birdnest summer dresses

2. Firefly Amber Dress in Punch $99.95

firefly dress

3. Boom Shankar Lulu Dress $139

Boom shankar lulu dress

4. Boho Dance With Me Maxi Dress $149.95

Boho dance with me dress

5. Tirelli Foil Dress $79.95

Tirelli foil dress

6. Solito Dawn Maxi Dress $169.95

Solito maxi dress

Have you seen the new Birdsnest Summer Magazine yet? Any dresses catch your eye from this selection?

Disclosure: There area affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Floral Spring Racing Carnival Outfit Ideas For 2017

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It’s a bit hard to believe that Spring Racing Carnival season is upon us. Melbourne Cup tends to be the one race that workplaces stop to put on a special lunch or organise an event. Any excuse to wear a dress and a fascinator in your hair is fine by me.

Florals are a big trend this season, and so I’ve found 3 budget floral dresses which would work perfectly for a Spring Racing outfit… and beyond.

There are some interesting takes on headwear this year. Succulent crowns are stunning and are a different take on the floral crowns we saw emerge in previous years. The boat hat will also be popular and adds a masculine touch to a feminine outfit.

When it comes to heels, I always choose a block heel or wedge to avoid sinking in grass if the event is outside. I find a block heel is easier to stand in when attending an event.

Here are three outfit options to consider, using some of my tips above.

Floral Spring Racing Carnival Outfit Ideas for 2017

floral spring racing carnival outfit idea 1 Freez 3rd Love Floral Crush Dress $69

Jo Mercer Elas Block Heel Sandals $179.95

Adorne Sunflower Earrings $24.95

Adorne Flower and Vine Faux Suede Resin Bar Clutch $49.95

Feather and Noise Annabel Crown $99

floral spring racing carnival outfit idea 2

Showpo Snow Bird Dress in Black Floral $69.95

Feather and Noise Juliet Boater Hat $29

Adorne 12mm Ball Stud Earrings $19.95

Jo Mercer Elas Block Heel Sandals $179.95

Adorne Daisy Pearl Clutch $49.95

floral spring racing carnival outfit idea 3

Freez 3rd Love Ruffle Hem Dress $69

Colette Hayman Flower Garland $10.20

Styletread Therapy Microsuede Mardra Heels $59.95

Adorne Black Cut Out and 3D Clutch $49.95

Adorne Double Teardrop Jewelled Earring $39.95

Are you going anywhere for the Melbourne Cup this year? A fan of floral dresses this season?

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

If You Had $1000 to Spend on Yourself, What Would You Buy?

/ Lifestyle / 1 Comment

If you had $1000 to spend on yourself, what would you buy?

I was thinking recently about all the things I wanted, and some that I needed, and I calculated they’d all come to $1000.

I realised, it doesn’t take long to spend $1000 on yourself. Here’s a break up of my needs and wants list.

$200 for Frankie4 Shoes (cause my last pair of sandals broke and it’s time to start buying supportive shoes that last longer than 1 season)

$50 for a Dress (this is a want, not a need)

$250 for new make-up (a need as I had run out of everything. I only buy once a year at the Malouf Pharmacy sales)

$120 for an hour long facial ( a want. Haven’t had for years. But would like. Will wait till holidays to have one.)

$40 for a Pedicure ( a want. Recently had and only have one every couple of months.)

$100 to get hair done (a need. Hadn’t had my hair done since… July!)

$260 for a new leather handbag (A need. My only handbag broke. Had it for over 4.5 years)

$30 for new earrings (a want. Fell in love with the design as soon as I saw them.)

All this comes to $1050!! See how easy it is to spend $1000 on yourself? Any wonder people head to op shops to buy their clothes. It would be interesting to see what you could walk away with for $100. (On that note, look out for a future blogpost on this)

I don’t actively spend $1000 on myself in one sitting. I will spread the costs out over time and usually make a big once-per-year purchase that will last me for a while (ie handbag and shoes).

My new handbag will hopefully last me a few years. As will my new Frankie4 Shoes.

For most of us, having a spare $1000 to spend on ourselves is pretty rare. Bills and family needs usually come first. Or the $1000 may saved towards a holiday.

While it’s true, we don’t need more things. It’s still a need to replace things when they are broken and are no longer useful.

But after reading the Barefoot Investor, having play money is important so you’ve got the money to spend on things you want. And it stops you from feeling guilty about using your credit card to purchase. Because there is no need to use it.

Thankfully, I’ve been quite proactive in selling a lot of stuff from our garage on Facebook Marketplace. The money made has been put to good use. With most of it saved, some of it has been put towards new purchases I’ve made in the last few weeks which have included:

Frankie4 Maddie Black Spot Sandals $199.95

Frankie 4 Maddie Sandals

Unfortunately Sold Out

Lovisa Earrings $27.99

Lovisa Earrings

Tropical Print Maxi $50 and Airflex Florida Tan Shoes (I got mine for $64.99 on sale, in store)

Tropical Print Maxi Dress

What have you been saving to purchase this Spring? Got your eye on a dress or some Frankie4 shoes?

Disclosure: I bought my Wardrobe 22 dress with a discount. There are affiliate links on this post. Should you choose to purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

10 Places to Buy a Stylish Leather Handbag

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Around a month ago, I asked my Facebook followers to share with me where they purchase their leather handbags from. My favourite Orange Sterling and Hyde bag broke (I got 4.5 years of everyday use, including trips interstate) and I was in need for a new everyday handbag.

I won’t go back to synthetic materials when it comes to handbags because, from my personal experience, they don’t last the distance, when used everyday.

I’m not a girl that changes her handbag often, so investing in leather, I know I will get good wear out of the bag and it won’t start to fray in 6 months time.

But choosing the right bag can be a difficult decision. I do like colour and pattern. When I was researching online, I really wanted something a little different and I wanted it to be a little smaller than my previous bag.

I fell in love with a Mimco bag, but it sold out online and in stores, so decided to ask for some leather handbag brand recommendations. Here is what was suggested, and hence, here is my list of 10 Places to Buy a Stylish Leather Handbag. I waded through each of them to find my perfect handbag.

Saben

This brand was suggested by my cousin, who currently lives in New Zealand. It’s a New Zealand brand, but I just LOVE the colours and designs offered by this brand. I find a lot of leather handbags are generally made in black or tan. I like a bit of colour for something different.

Nikki Williams

A good friend shared this gem of a brand with me and it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, the prices were out of my budget. But still, some gorgeous designs and definitely one to keep in mind if you’re after something a little different.

3Annies

I was introduced to 3 Annies via Fat Mum Slim a few years ago. It’s the ultimate camera handbag, but can also work as an everyday handbag. I loved the red bow bag.

Oroton

Oroton has always been one of my go to stores for leather handbags. I recently got an orange leather satchel from the outlets in Sydney. I always wait for the sales or visit the outlet when purchasing one of these bags.

Fossil

To be honest, I’ve always walked past Fossil stores. I’ve always seen the bags and atmosphere in the store as masculine. But if you head to the website, there are some fab leather handbag offerings and my aversion is completely miscalculated. Loving the colourful handbags offered here.

Wanderers Travel Co

Wow. This brand was suggested twice on Facebook. I did love the Santorini in Tan, but it still wasn’t quite what I was after. Definitely a brand to keep in mind if you’re after an everyday bag.

Status Anxiety

Another brand that offers standard black and tan leather handbags. I did like a deep blue handbag, but none of the styles really floated my boat. But if you’re after a bag that is simple in design and doesn’t have extra hardware, then this would be the place to go.

Country Road

Again, classic designs, with tan and black offerings. The selection is limited, but still somewhere to consider.

Mimco

Mimco is a brand that I’ve always wanted to own, but often haven’t had the dollars to buy a bag full price. However, there are the standard Mimco bag designs that continue to be popular and I do love when they offer different designs like this one below.

Kate Spade

Love the quirky designs and colours of Kate Spade bags, but usually they are way out of my price range. Or they offer bags that aren’t practical for everyday use. I like a shoulder bag, but many of the Kate Spade range are cute clutches, totes or arm held handbags which I don’t find easy to use when I’ve got kids. But one day I will get a Kate Spade handbag. I will wait til I go to the US to get one though.

So what did I get in the end?

Would you believe, the handbag I fell in love with at Mimco, was on eBay. Despite looking at all the bags online, I couldn’t find one that I liked better than this one. And it was well within my budget of under $300 (including postage).

mimco handbag

My Mimco Handbag

I’ve had my new bag for a few weeks now and I love it.

If you do fall in love with a handbag but can’t afford to purchase it at the retail price (lets be honest, leather is a big investment), check out eBay and Facebook Groups or the Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone is selling their bag. So many women buy handbags and then change their mind after their purchase. It’s these situations where you can grab a good deal and get the handbag you really want.

Where do you go to get your leather handbags? What is your favourite online leather handbag store?

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

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