OOTD: Summer evenings

Ben and I met up with a few girlfriends for dinner and trivia tonight. On nights like this, I want something quick and easy I can throw on and still feel cute in. Funnily enough, I find it easier to dress quickly in winter- layering up makes for an instant chic outfit. I'm working on having more simple outfits like this for last minute get-togethers after work.

Top: City Chic

Skirt: Modcloth

Necklace: Lovisa

Wedges: Target

I loved this skirt online, but I'm not sure this shape is for me. I've already been blessed with quite curvaceous hips (no matter how much I weigh) and the bell like shape of the skirt definitely extenuates it. Nonetheless, it was comfy and breezy for our sweltering Summer nights and Ben liked it- he's actually a pretty harsh fashion critic now (I've created a monster!!!)

I wanted this shoes soooooo bad! I held off for the sales and ended up picking them up for $10! Bargain! A funky pair of cork wedge heels is the ultimate fashion chameleon and I'd been hunting for a pair for ages-  Target ended up being my saving grace, with three different styles similar to this. Now I just need to hold out from buying all three!

What do you wear on hot evenings? 

Wardrobe planning

I'm more than a little guilty of buying clothes that I don't need. I buy them on special (and seriously, they are always irresistible bargains) with the intention of working them into my everyday outfits and more often than not, they sit in the closet with the tags on until I ebay them. So I've decided its time to be tough. With the wedding and honeymoon bills literally accumulating on my cork board, a bit of outfit planning is needed.

pencil skirt, floral dress, stripe shirt. 

2014 is my year for improved buying and re-wearing. I've started off my sorting with outfit essentials. Every woman's wardrobe needs (and honestly, I'm sure most of your probably already have these important basics) a black pencil skirt, a floral dress and a stripe shirt. These three indispensable must-haves are from Autograph and I've built some funky day and night outfits around them:

The Pencil Skirt

NIGHT: spike heels, gold necklace, clutch, bow belt, blue peplum, 

DAY: Floral kimono, gold sandals, purple boob tube, coral across body bag, stacked bangles 

The pencil skirt is the ultimate classic must have. They have flattering lines and that bombshell shape so its easy to dress up for a night out with an eye catching top and bold accessories. The cut is an instant outfit wower- looking like a million bucks pretty much goes hand in hand with a dressy PS. But, its easy to get into a pencil skirt rut. I've worn mine with soooo many peplum tops and although I do love the way it looks (refer to evidence A, where I've chosen my night outfit with a City Chic peplum, I have obscene amounts of those amazing tops in different shades!), dressing it down can be just as much fun; albeit harder work.

I'm trying to include a more bohemian feel into my casual day outfits and the pencil skirt stops the look from seeming sloppy. The long kimono means I can easily wear my PS at the markets or even a picnic without being overdressed. The purple boob tube is actually a tankini (cute much!?) and the bright colour looks awesome with a clashing across-the-body bag. Add some stacked bangles and you've got classic and casual chic!

The Floral Dress 

NIGHT: heels, necklace, flower crown, clutch, 

DAY: wedges, shopper tote, heart sunnies, polka-dot jacket

I've been going through my dresses and re-classifying them all. I'm often too quick to pigeon-hole a dress, thinking that it might only suit a day or night events. A floral dress can be one of the most underrated fashion essentials. It took me years until I started to transition floral summer dresses from my 'day-time only' to 'party-time' wardrobe.And I can definitely still fall back into that routine. Now don't get me wrong, they make the perfect debonair day look- I mean, denim jacket, heart shaped sunnies and cork wedges for the win! But by adding some heels and a clutch you can get so much extra wear out of them! I wore a floral dress to a wedding last weekend and it went off! If you're new to the floral dress night time look, you could try starting with one like this with splatters of black. The black makes the translation easier and gives an effortless night time look while still keeping the playfulness of the floral.

The Stripe Top

NIGHT: jeans, coral blazer, necklace, clutch, wedges, earrings

DAY: flats, moustache necklace, skirt, heart bag

I don't doubt for a second that you all have a stripe shirt in your wardrobe. Maybe its short sleeve, perhaps its a tank- but there is definitely at least one in there. You could almost even say that the stripe top is where my love-affair with fashion came from. A stripe shirt was the first adventurous item of clothing I bought myself. And it felt so rebellious wearing something I was always told I shouldn't. I actually have far too many stripe shirts now and am always thinking about new ways I can wear them. I love this gorgeous, dapper skirt and my stripe tops would like awesome tucked into it high waisted. Then for night time a stripe top is easy to dress up- a jacket and long accessories, coupled with killer wedges makes for a perfect chic look! Plus I somehow acquired far too many blazers last winter and I'm trying to include them in more outfits so they don't end up on the eBay pile!

Do you re-asses your wardrobe regularly? 

Do you outfit plan?

OOTD: Steve & Em's wedding

2014 is going to be our year of weddings! Not only is there our wedding, but 4 couples we know are also tying the knot! For our friends Steve and Em's wedding on this weekend just gone, we road-tripped down just passed Sydney so we could help celebrate their big day! I took far too many photos, but wanted to share a few of my favourites here- I think they really captured the energy and love of the day!

I love that weddings are also a great excuse to doll-up! You can never be too dressed up at an event like this (as long as you don't wear a long white dress- fashion faux pas!), so I busted out my new pink facinator to match with this Summer dress and Ben's pink and purple! Lucky it was such an awesome party for my facinator, its already been retired because I set it on fire at the reception when I accidentally threw it into a candle! Awkward!

Dress: City Chic

Flats/Heels: Target

Clutch and Facinator: Target

(I may have been in a few too many Target's lately...) 

It can sometimes be hard to match up black accessories with a colour palate as pastel as this, but with the black trimmings on the hem and bodice I knew my wedges would work perfectly! Ben wore his pinstripe purple shirt accessorized with pink tie to match my facinator- cuteness! It takes a real man to wear pink and purple ;) 

This sparkly green clutch was a bargain buy at $18 from Target- I bought it on a whim, but I couldn't resist those gorgeous green gems! Turned out it was perfect for this outfit as well! Other than that I left accessories to a minimum, just wearing my normal locket necklace and rings. I figure that with so many colours I don't need any more bling. 

I adore this last shot of the four of us boogieing on the dancefloor! Hair's up, shirt sleeves are rolled and jackets off! We met Steve and Em while we were travelling around Thailand five years ago, we hit it off straight away and have been great mates ever since. I love that now we are all growing up and getting married- and still get to share that with friends like this!

What do you wear to a wedding??
Have you ever accidentally had a wardrobe malfunction?
(i.e setting your facinator on fire....)