What I wore on Wednesday

Don’t you just hate it when your real job gets in the way of your blog! I have been so busy trying to squeeze in a few extra working hours over the last two weeks – most of which have been spent glued to the home computer in a pair of blue velvet trackie-pants and teal blue singlet from target. Yes, even I have my off days - that I have completely missed sharing my numerous fabulous fashion moments with you, and believe me...there have been many. Like Friday for example, when I finally got to wear my gorgeous short-sleeved grey jacket with deep lapel and skinny-leg tuxedo pants from Cue. So for the sake of maintaining my infamous reputation as the average women-on-a-budget-with-two-kids’ stylette about town, What am I wearing on Wednesday has temporarily become What I wore on Wednesday, and I think you will agree that what I wore is so fabulous I am considering wearing it everyday!

The knee-length tunic dress was a Jacqui E sale item purchased for $59.95 when BB2 was just a few weeks old. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t advise myself or anyone else for that matter to shop for a frock like this just after giving birth – the E cups and maternity bra just couldn’t cope, but it was on sale and the perfect replacement for my poor old Katies frock that was starting to see better days. It’s a gorgeous little dress with a most flattering empire bodice and knee-length pencil skirt with matching pleats on the sides. It’s a little bit too saucy in the cleavage department to pass for a behind-the-desk type of attire, so the short-sleeve burgundy shirt from the Cue ‘In the City’ range is a perfect compromise, and I just adore the tie feature at the front. As you know, I promised myself when I returned to work in January I would glam it up, because there is simply no sense in spending over eight hours a day dressed in something that resembles a well used door-mat. I’m afraid I don’t subscribe to the theory of saving your best...if I did that then the smallest wardrobe in the world wouldn’t be a problem, and really, where is the fun in that? Anyway, the shirt was part of my five item haul from the post-chrissie sales at the Cue outlet in Harbour Town WA and purchased for a very respectable $50. So respectable, I brought two more! The t-bar platforms from the Wittner outlet at DFO South Wharf were a perfect alternative to a more traditional black pump, and my fail-safe Guess handbag added a splash of colour. A couple of bangles from Bardot and Diva, both purchased for $5 and my favourite pewter flower bling ring, also from Diva provided the finishing touches. Oh, and you might have noticed I included my iphone, which incidentally was one of the many return-to-work pressies I brought for myself, as an accessory. I had a meeting across town and had to catch to three trains to get there, and two trains and a tram to return. Having just downloaded Stephanie Meyers’ New Moon as an audiobook, it was attached to me for the most of the trip. A justifiable addition to any outfit I say. Let’s check it out:

Jacqui E dress 50 per cent off at $59.95
Cue shirt, reduced to $50 from $80
Wittner t-bars, reduced to $40 from $169
Guess handbag, $95AUD from Macys in LA
Chrome bangle from Diva, $5
Wooden bangle from Bardot, $5
Bling ring from Diva on a 2-for-1-sale, $7.95
iPhone from Telstra, $2.82 per day
Total spend $265.72

Hot tip: If have a tunic dress in your wardrobe that you think is a bit shapeless then whack on a cinch belt to create an empire line then spend half an hour admiring yourself in the mirror, because I can almost guarantee you, you will look fabulous. Plus, it will breathe new life into a piece of clothing you thought you could no longer wear. Do play around with different styles of cinch belts, because like anything different styles will suit different shapes and different outfits. For reasonable quality belts at an affordable price check out stores like Jacqui E, Sussan or Forever New. They do a good job for about $30-$40. If you can afford to go higher and invest in a piece of wearable art then head straight for Cue. In my mind, they have the whole cinch belt game completely covered. You won’t be sorry and neither will your daughter. MFxx