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Hello!!
Wow, it’s been a while since my last post! Life has been a bit of a whirlwind again with getting back to work (after just over a year of maternity leave!) and with all the changes I really just needed to focus on getting through the days, so blogging has unfortunately taken a back seat!
I’ll probably write a post at some stage sharing my tips for easing back into work after a baby (let me know if that would be something you’re interested in), because it can be such a big (and emotional) step - it was for me at least - but for today, I thought I’d share a Style Diary post! Figured I would ease back into blogging with something light and fun - which is just how this outfit made me feel!
The Occasion:
These photos were from a few weeks ago when we went out to celebrate my friend Jema’s birthday. Ruby was being looked after by my sister and it was the first time we’d been out without her in a long time! It is so much more relaxing eating when you don’t have a little baby to feed/entertain, so we enjoyed a lovely long lunch with our friends at a place called Young George in East Fremantle (highly recommend - the food was delicious!)
The Outfit:
I was excited to have a chance to dress up a little instead of wearing my typical jeans and t-shirt “uniform”, so I pulled out this dress from Spell which is one of my absolute favourites. It is so floaty and light and I love the boho vibe it has.
It was a little chilly still, so instead of wearing it as a dress I styled it as a skirt by rolling down the top part (which is stretchy and smocked - so perfect for pregnancy and is breastfeeding friendly too!) and layering this thin black knit over the top (to get the cropped/twisted look at the front I just knotted it and tucked it under).
I have gotten so much use out of this dress since I bought it last year as it was one of the few that I could wear while breastfeeding, and it has been so versatile - easily dressed up for a wedding (see photos below) or worn more casually like I did on this day. For anyone who is wanting a versatile dress that they will be able to wear throughout pregnancy and afterwards - the stretchy smocked style is a great one to look out for. This particular one is no longer available but this style seems to be making a come back so there are lots or similar ones around at the moment!
For those in WA, there’s a great little boutique in Margaret River called Isla Samsara which stocks Spell (there are probably other places actually in Perth I’m sure, but this is where I found my dress). I’d always loved the look of Spell dresses but I’m usually quite hesitant to order online, so was so happy to stumble across them in this store last year. If you’re heading down south around the Margaret River area it’s worth a little look!
To keep this particular outfit laid back I wore my new trainers from Ecco* which I mainly bought for work, but I love them so much I’ve been wearing them pretty much everyday. They’re the Ecco Women Soft 7 Sneaker in Stone Metallic” and the colour seems to work with everything so I’ve been wearing them with dresses, jeans and my work clothes too. They were a bit of a splurge but they are so comfy and I’d rather have one really awesome pair of shoes that I wear all the time and can walk everywhere in, so they were definitely worth it for me.
Why Thinking About Cost-Per-Wear Is The Way To Go
Over the years I’ve realised it’s best to think about the “cost per wear” when it comes to shopping rather than immediately discounting something because it’s pricey (within reason of course!) There have been so many times in the past where I’d buy a pair of shoes (or other clothing item) because they were cute and inexpensive, but then I would never actually wear them because I couldn’t comfortably walk in them, so they would just sit in my wardrobe - a big waste of money! I’ve found that spending a bit more upfront on something that I absolutely love and know I will wear all the time means that the cost-per-wear goes way down compared to , say, that cheap dress that I only ended up wearing a handful of times. (This Spell dress is a perfect example of this. While it was a more pricey option, I knew it would be a really great buy and the cost-per-wear is rapidly going down!)
That’s obviously not to say you need to spend a lot for something to be a staple wardrobe item that you’ll get heaps of use out of. It is all about considering each individual piece and I am all about finding bargains if I can, (for example this dress from Jay Jays and these jeans from Kmart), but just to say that if you’ve found a piece that you know will be a staple item, but you’re initially you’re balking at the idea of forking out a bit more than usual, considering the cost-per-wear can help you determine if it’s a smart purchase or not.
… and you know what - when you have a wardrobe full of versatile pieces you really love, you actually end up shopping way less because you don’t have those “I have nothing to wear” moments or feel the constant need for something “new” to inspire you!
Anyway, as usual, what was going to be a simple outfit post turned into a bit more of a ramble than I was intending, so I’ll leave it at that for today! If you’d like my best style tips to help you find your style and simplify your wardrobe, you can check out my free mini-course here!
Hope you’re having a beautiful week!
Lots of Love
Lauren
xxx
Wearing:
Dress (worn as a Skirt) - Spell
(no longer available but they’re always coming out with gorgeous new lines)
Top - Country Road (similar)
Shoes - Ecco*
Bag - Trenery