10 Fashion Must Do’s Before The End Of Financial Year

/ Lifestyle / 7 Comments

With the end of financial year looming, it’s often a great time to invest in fashion pieces that may be on sale. But I wanted to share some fashion must do’s before the end of financial year which have helped me save money or make it. While the title can be a bit misleading – you don’t have to do anything – these tips are things I do or have done in the past.

10 fashion must do's for end of financial year

1. Declutter and sort out your wardrobe.

This tip should be done every season. Be ruthless with your culling. If you don’t wear it because it’s too tight, stained or doesn’t fit right, it’s time to get rid of it. Keep a pile of clothes for donations and keep the designer pieces to sell online.

2. Buy a 10 pack of 500gm Australia Post satchels

Generally, Australia Post will announce when they increase their prices, but before June 30, I buy a 10 pack of 500gm Australia Post Satchels. Buying them in a pack of 10 means you get one satchel half price and I get them before Aus Post decides to increase the postage prices. The reason I have satchels on hand is for when I need to return online sales that haven’t fit me or suited my shape. I have peace of mind knowing I’m sending a trackable parcel back, even if I’ve lost $9 in postage. It doesn’t happen often as most times I’m pretty good at picking the right sizes, but there are the odd occasions when return postage may be at my cost and I want to send it the most affordable way I can, with tracking.

The other reason for the bulk buy of satchels is to use them when I sell pieces online.

3. Sell designer pieces you no longer wear

I usually sell designer pieces I no longer wear online on Ebay. But Andrea from Sublime Finds shared how she made $1500 by selling her pieces via buy sell swap groups on Facebook. I haven’t done this, but this is a great way for fans of the label to purchase your pieces. It may sound unusual to sell your designer pieces in June, but many people will wait until June to purchase that piece they couldn’t afford at full price.

If it is on sale, it may be best to hold onto it. But if it’s sold out, you may get more for your designer piece. I once sold red, sparkly Peter Alexander slippers for over $100 because they had sold out Australia wide. Even though they were worn, I had a bidding war on the slippers and they ended up selling more than the retail price. A big win for me.

4. Sell winter clothes now.

Sell your pre-loved clothes in the season you’re experiencing. So winter clothes in winter (now for Australia) and summer clothes for summer. When it comes to selling your clothes, sell brands by themselves like Witchery, Review, Sass & Bide, Country Road and etc.
If you have pieces from retail stores like Sussan, Katies, Rockmans, Target and etc, try and group pieces together and sell as a bulk lot.

5. Make all eBay listings to end on a Sunday afternoon or night.

This is peak time for the website and you will most likely sell everything and get the highest dollar for your wares.

6. Really consider if it’s worth your time selling your pieces.

Consider having a clothes swap or donating to causes like Dressed for Success or initiatives that help clothe those in need for winter. Sometimes the time it takes to do the photos and write the listings may not amount to much money.

7. Invest in pieces that will fill a hole in your wardrobe.

If you need a new jacket or some basics, now is the time to purchase them while the sales are on.

8. Buy replacement uniforms.

If you work in a job where you have to wear a uniform, buy replacement uniforms before June 30 so you can claim them on tax. When it comes to corporate clothing, the logo of the business must be on the clothing before it can be claimed on tax. Check with your accountant on what can and can’t be claimed. They will tell you how to purchase so you can get the benefit.

9. Start an End of Financial Year slush fund.

Open an online savings account and get a small amount deposited automatically into the fund so you can use the money to buy your fashion pieces next EOFY. Five dollars per week will accumulate to $260 (plus interest) and $10 per week can accumulate to $520.

10. Check your local op shop for designer finds.

If people are decluttering their wardrobes for winter and donating, now is the perfect time to grab a bargain at your op shop. Some op shops in high end areas can have amazing designer pieces for a small price.

Not all the tips will relate to your situation, and some may be considered common knowledge.

The end of financial year is only two weeks away. Plenty of time to declutter, shop and buy some satchels.

What fashion must do’s would you recommend to do before the end of financial year?

Investing in Winter Basics – What I’ve bought in the last week

/ Fashion / 2 Comments

There comes a time when you’re shopping for clothes where you need to put some money aside for investing in winter basics.

Winter basics are those clothes needed for layering – your block long sleeve tops and basic t-shirts that can go under knits or be layered with a scarf and cardigan.

I’ve started to get a bit more fussy with my basics because

1. I wear them all the time so I want quality

2. I have a belly and under no circumstances do I want a tight t-shirt exposing my roly poly six pack.

3. They have to wash well – and not pill or change shape over constant wear and washing. I guess this relates to point number 1.

The three colour basics everyone should have in their closet is white, black and grey. Most will only have black and white, but I’ve found grey to be a great investment in the last few years and after reading Make It Look Easy’s ebook on colours and patterns, she encourages  to have a grey tee because it’s a tone that suits most complexions. (If you want to get her ebook on mixing colours together check out it out here)

So in the last week I’ve bought a few basics, taking advantage of some sales with brands that have produced the goods.

One of my favourite t-shirts is this grey Bohemian Traders tee (I wear the large). I love it because it doesn’t cling and yet it’s a stylish fit. I wear it at least once a week and it looks as good as the day I bought it which was a couple of years go.

Bohemian Traders have a Spend and Save sale on right now and I took advantage of the sale purchasing a black tee in the same shape as my grey one, as well as a long sleeved tee in white.

I find white tees are the hardest to buy because they can tend to cling and show off every lump and bump. My Witchery one does this, so I rarely wear it on it’s own. Nikki has recommended this tee in her Styling You shop. I’m thinking of getting one because I love the shape and I hold Nikki’s fashion advice in high esteem.

The next investment pieces on my needs list were some knits. I bought everything in the collage below from Rockmans as they were reduced down to $30 (and have now been reduced to $21 online!). Currently if you spend over $40 at Rockmans you get a long sleeved shirt free (instore). I got two shirts free because I bought another scarf (my weakness!).

I’m pretty set for winter now with these basics and I think they will last me for a while yet.

There are sales happening all over the place at the moment because of the end of financial year. Two sales that are worth looking at are Birdsnest who have up to 50% off in their winter sale. I love this jumper and it’s been reduced. Plus it has pom poms.

Freez also has a sale on this weekend. You can get 20% off till 12 June by entering June17 at the checkout. This is another one of my favourite online stores.

Last but not least, I’ve had a few people ask me where I got my pom pom scarf from. It was funny how I stumbled across this one. I wrote a post on pom pom scarves for Mums Lounge and through my research I found this scarf reduced down to $10.

investing in winter basics

When I went to purchase it online, there was a 40% off sale, so I ended up getting the scarf for $6! I love it because the brown tones in the pom pom work well with my beige boots. I’ve found the scarf works well with so many items in my wardrobe. If you love it like I do, you can get one here.(I’ve just checked, they have a half price sale so you can get this scarf for $5!! You’re welcome.)

Have you bought any clothes in the recent sales? How often do you invest in winter basics? Where’s your go to place for t-shirts?

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.

Colour Combinations to Try This Winter

/ Fashion / 1 Comment

By this time of year, I can start to feel a bit of a fashion rutt because of the change in season; especially when it’s still not cold enough to bring out the winter woolies.

But today, I wore a knit and I think my knits will now start to get a workout with the predicted winter storm heading our way next week.

I find it hard dressing in between seasons because I can get so hot during the day!

Now that it’s winter, I can start wearing my winter wardrobe and I’m looking forward to making new outfit combinations with some of my recent purchases. I also have some pieces being flown my way from overseas which I look forward to sharing with you.

But in the meantime, I wanted to share with you some colour combinations that have worked really well for me.

I thought I’d share them with you as they may give you inspiration as you organise your winter outfits.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we can’t wear colour. I love wearing colours all year round. I do tend to wear darker shades during winter like grey, navy and black. But colour makes me happy and who doesn’t want to feel happy when it’s cold outside?

I’ve been looking at a few of my #everydaystyle photos, which I take everyday and share on Instagram. And there are some winning colour combinations I will definitely be repeating over the coming months.

If you want to inject some colour into you winter outfits this season, have a look at some of the outfits I put together here.

Winning Winter Colour Combinations

Navy, White and Mustard

navy white and mustard outfit

Burnt Orange and Khaki

burnt orange and khaki

Red, White and Blue

red white and blue

Blush Pink and Khaki

pink and khaki

khaki and blush

Berry Red and Navy

navy and berry red

Grey and Pink

grey and pink

Of course, I’ve found a few colour options if you want to add some of these colours to your wardrobe. I’d love to see you imitate or give your own take on these colour combos.

coloured clothes

  1. Red Swing Knit $49
  2. Portmans Funnel Neck Bell Sleeve $89.95
  3. Katies Chunky Texture Scarf $13.97
  4. Bohemian Traders Khaki Blazer $189.00
  5. Katies Coatigan $59.95
  6. Portmans Pom Pom Scarf $34.95
  7. ASOS Grey Knit Dress $56.00

What colour combinations do you enjoy wearing?

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.

Three Ways to Wear a Pink Knit Jumper

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I don’t own a lot of knits in my wardrobe because I tend to wear cardigans or jackets that can be taken off during the day. But there are days where a knit jumper is needed all day and into the night because it can be freezing cold.

I was quite taken by this knit from Wardrobe 22, but when I put it on, I just didn’t feel convinced it suited me. I like to wear knits that are longer to cover over my tummy, but this knit, sits higher than I like.

Having said that, it’s a gorgeous knit and I asked Karen if I could take it home to style a few different ways. I decided to style the baby pink and well… I may be thinking about buying it now.

baby pink knit

I thought I’d show you three ways I’d wear this knit this winter. For $45, it’s a bargain buy and it comes in a few colours.

All shades of light pink and blush are popular this season and they look lovely with denim, khaki, white, black and navy.

With those colours in mind, I created three outfits using the pink knit from Wardrobe 22.

The first outfit is what I originally thought I’d style with the khaki knit. But I just love the mix of polka dots with pink. It’s feminine and fun and I would get a bit of wear out of this outfit.

three ways to style a pink knit

The second outfit is teaming it with my khaki tube skirt. Mind the dust line that’s across the front of the skirt. I literally took it off the washing line and didn’t see the line in the previews! I added a scarf and ankle boots to complete the look.

three ways to style a pink knit

The last outfit is something I’d wear for a casual day to the park or to kids sport if that’s where you find yourself on a Saturday morning in winter. I’d add black leggings to keep my legs warm if the day is particularly cold. I’ve thrown the knit over a simple tee dress and added my canvas shoes for a sporty casual look. I think this outfit was my favourite and I’d wear it the most.

pink knit

three ways to style a pink knit

So now the decision on whether to keep the pink knit or not.

three ways to wear a pink knit jumper

If only we all got to try our clothes with other pieces in our wardrobe before we could buy. But the purpose of this post is to show you how the knit sits on a size 14/16 woman like myself (I’m wearing the L/XL) and styling suggestions if you own one of these knits.

Are you loving all the shades of pale pink this season? Do you think I should keep this pink knit?

Disclosure: I was gifted a dress and received a discount for other purchases, not for the purpose of this post, but as a contra deal. Wardrobe 22 have been generous in allowing me to take clothing home to style so I can create content for my website and returning them to store. I will always disclose if I have been gifted an item or received a discount.

5 Pairs of Pants You Should Invest in This Winter

/ Fashion / 5 Comments

Winter is nearly here and I have been taking stock of my winter pant situation. I gravitate towards jeans and pants during winter and usually, after one wear, they require a wash because: Toddlers.

I’ve made a few purchases recently to make sure I have enough pants this winter and I think I’m pretty set. I’d thought I’d share the 5 pairs of pants you should invest in this winter season.

5 pairs of pants you should invest in this winter

5 Pairs of Pants You Should Invest in This Winter

1. Black Leggings

I owned two pairs of black leggings – one from Witchery and the other that were from Ripe Maternity. After wearing them recently I noticed there were holes in the crotch and on the inner seams, down the leg. I’ve worn these for at least 6 years and they’ve survived 3 pregnancies. I ended up purchasing a new pair of black tights from Target for $15. They are budget friendly, a great fit and taper at the ankle- which is important for me because of my skinny ankles.

black leggings winter pants

2. Ripped and Distressed Jeans

I love wearing my ripped and distressed jeans, but I refuse to pay top dollar for them. When I bend, my knee makes the rip bigger. I know the same thing happens with the more expensive jeans. I bought my ripped and distressed jeans from Crossroads. I love the fit and they also come within budget.

ripped and distressed jeans winter must have pants

3. Stripe Peg-Leg Pants

These pants are just like wearing pyjamas. I don’t think I’m wearing them right because I’ve scrunched them up a bit too far. I will admit these pants are short on me. I can only wear them pushed up my leg. So for any of you that have shorter legs or find it hard to find pants that aren’t too long, these pants are for you. They have pockets and feel so comfy on.

4. Fleece-Lined Jeggings

These Jeggings are fantastic. I bought them in navy, and this week I bought a black pair because I know I will get a lot of wear out of them this winter. The jeggings are lined with fleece, which makes them really warm and soft to wear. They are a flattering fit and I just love them. I definitely recommend them as a pant to wear this winter.

5. Skinny Jeans

I love my skinny jeans because they make wearing ankle boots a breeze. They are flattering and make me look smaller than I am too and that’s a bonus during winter when I tend to put on a kilo or two. I’ve bought my skinny jeans from Target, Crossroads and Rockmans in the past. The key to buying a good pair of skinny jeans is they have to have a high waist to cover my jelly belly, they must have stretch – so they can expand and must taper in at the ankle.

skinny jeans winter must have

I own at least one to two pairs of each of these styles of pants. This means I’m set for a week and a bit between washing.

What pants do you gravitate towards during winter?

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

If you’re still researching bottoms for winter, check out how to wear a Tube skirt.

smart casual tube skirt

 

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