2015: Year in Review

December 30, 2015, 3:51 am

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It's that time of the year again when many of us create our year in review posts. I've thought, on multiple occasions, what I'll say because 2015 has been highly significant and life changing for me. For the last six years I can distinctly remember writing the same post at the end of each year about what a terrible year it's been and how I hate my life. However, I was fortunate enough to finally have a year that was much better. It's been the best I've had in as long as I can remember, at least since I was a child. I will always look back on it fondly and I wish it didn't have to end so quickly. If I'd written this post a week earlier I'd continue to write more praise about the year. However, I received some news late last week which has hit me really hard- it's about a very significant person, who I credit so much of my progress this year towards, leaving my work. I can feel myself slipping back into the all too familiar feelings of depression and anxiety that I've experienced many times over. However, I think I'll write about that separately and say what I would have anyway in this post. 

The main positives this year happened at work. I put so much effort into my job and many times it was my whole life. It was so incredibly satisfying and rewarding to have my efforts recognised. I felt respect and belonging among my team far more than I'd ever felt in any previous contexts throughout my life. In the middle of the year I was offered permanent employment (I'd been a contractor the almost two years prior) and I was offered double to pay, beyond what I could ever have dreamed of.  I learned so much- I'm amazed if I compare my skills set and confidence this time last year to what it is now. I don't say this often but I'm actually proud of myself for what I'v achieved at work in 2015.

The next positive is in relation to my confidence and mental health. For the first time in as long as I can remember I've been comfortable with where my life is and I don't hate it. Similarly, I've finally had some relief from the major anxiety and depression which have controlled so much of my life. I rarely feel paralyzing nerves and I haven't had any days lying in bed crying for a long time now. I learned how to rely on myself more. I have lost friends this year and haven''t always had the support I felt I deserved from others, which forced me to support myself. I've really tried to force myself to keep busy and get out of the house, even on days where there hasn't been much reason to, because I know it's bests for me. As I said above, I can feel myself struggling a little with some recent news but overall the year brought great news in this respect.

I got back into sport this year. I started up running in the middle of the year. It's been incredibly unfortunate that I've been injured so often and haven't been able to dedicate as much of myself to it as I would have liked, but the times I've been able to run have been amazing. I've enjoyed the feelings of success when improving my own personal bests- there's no better feeling than this sense of achievement and I've missed it ever since I gave up sport many years ago. I started up swimming only two weeks ago but already I can see similar benefits and love that I've incorporated it back into my lifestyle. 

I dyed my hair red in May and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made! I love it so much! I had the same hairstyle for yet another year but that suits me. I have no plans to change it any time soon. 

The biggest negative this year was that my sister moved to London in August - I miss her and wish every single day that she would come back. 

Now onto the outfits- I've chosen my top 20 from 2015. 

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New Years Eve Outfit

January 2, 2016, 4:04 am

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This is the outfit I wore on New Years Eve! I usually don't go out on New Years Eve because it's not a significant time for me and the crowds may not be worth it. However, this year I decided to try going out and, although I have never ever seen the city and the trains so busy, it was a good night. The husband and I caught up with a couple of groups of friends- we even had an amazing location at a high rise building to see the fireworks (see my Instagram). I decided to wear my Kitten D'Amour Scarlet Lace Dress for the first time. I posted this dress in a wishlist post a few months ago here but couldn't buy it because it was $250 and I had already purchased another rather pricey dress from the same collection. I waited very patiently, constantly checking if it was on sale, and finally it was reduced to $99! I had to buy it, such a discount. I also got the hem taken up substantially. The below knee length meant that there was just way too much material and it swamped my frame. It also made it more formal and generally less wearable. It looks a lot better now. The lace is so pretty and the cutout design at the back is unique. I wish more clothes had this design. I like the match between the lace, my lipstick shade and my hair colour. 

The bag is a Christmas gift which I also used for the first time on New Years Eve. It seemed to suit the occasion and it's such an adorable shape. I just wish it was a little bigger to fit my phone but it looks good so that's the main thing. The shoes are also a purchase I made before Christmas which arrived a couple of days ago from the US. They are the Sindy flats from B.A.I.T. I also got the Seaform version. I love how B.A.I.T Footwear have been releasing new styles lately. B.A.I.T Footwear are the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned which is why I now have eight pairs and seem to keep buying the same style in multiple colours. I'm planning to do a post on my B.A.I.T Footwear collection soon. I hardly wear black so this is a different look for me. 





















Kitten D'Amour Dolce Vita Dress
Kitten D'Amour Shooting Star Clutch
B.A.I.T Footwear Sindy Flats in Black

Linking to: Fashion Should Be Fun, Fashion Link Up

Instagram

January 5, 2016, 2:52 am

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Here is the latest installment from my Instagram. I've included pictures from the last couple of months minus my outfit pictures as they've already made an appearance on the blog. 

L-R: 1. my favourite outfit post from our trip to the Central Coast. 2. Halloween cupcake made by a colleague at work. 3. our accommodation at the Central Coast. 4. Saturday morning Parkrun. 5. Forget Me Not Peekaboo Dress from Kitten D'Amour. 6. selfie with the husband. 7. training session for swimming. 8. mini train ride at the Central Coast. 9. a Monday night training at the pool. 10. with Juliette Princess Miracle on Christmas Day. 11. husband's work Christmas party. 12. purchases from the opening of the new Kitten D'Amour store in Chatswood. 13. lovely day in Sydney. 14. Christmas decorations. 15. I'm weird and enjoy train travel (as long as it's a relatively empty train). 16. beach at The Entrance

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Fitness Goals 2016

January 7, 2016, 4:20 pm

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Hi all. As I've recently taken up swimming and running again I thought I'd share my fitness/sport goals. I think these are all achievable in the long term having regard to my current level. As I mentioned previously, I commenced running last July but have been struggling with an ankle injury for the last few months. It's been very demotivating and frustrating when all I want to do is run, something which is positive and consistent with self improvement. So I don't want to push myself too much with the running goals listed below. My main problem with injury has been returning to running too early so I need to avoid that. If I can recover fully from my ankle injury then I hope to achieve the below. As a result of being injured so frequently I decided to take up swimming again. I have a lot of background in swimming, having competed for most of my childhood. I'm surprised how much of the technique and skill I've retained after over ten years away from the pool. However, I'm sure I wouldn't have the speed or skills for racing at the moment; I'd be much slower. Having taken up swimming again only three weeks ago, I've found the desire to join a swim club and participate in race nights again. I love the satisfaction I get from achieving a goal and improving my best. This is a big deal for me as I never thought it would happen. I don't want to put pressure on myself as that was one of the reasons I gave up swimming in the first place so if it all becomes too serious and like a chore, then I'll have to stop. I want this to be different and for enjoyment only. Luckily I heard that adult swimming is much more relaxed. 

Fitness/Sport Goals for 2016 
-return to running after injury 
-return to regular Saturday morning parkruns
-run 5km in under 27 minutes 
-run another 10km in under 1 hour
-complete 14km City to Surf (annual run in Sydney) in August 
-join masters swim club 
-swim in a competitive race (first one in over ten years)
-swim or run at least 3 times a week
-continue with swimming training for the year (even if it's only once a week for fitness and even if competition and club don't work out)
-improve personal best times for swimming (general because I don't know what level I'm currently at- sure I'll be far off the times I used to do)

Do you have any similar goals for the year? 

Colours of the Year: Rose Quartz and Serenity

January 9, 2016, 5:15 am

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I love the Pantone colours of the year for 2016. Rose Quartz and Serenity are very beautiful and a welcomed refreshing choice after the 2015 Masala shade. I certainly wasn't expecting two colours even though they go perfectly together. While the Pantone chosen colour/s certainly don't influence my outfit choices or have much impact in my daily life, I thought it would still be fun to create a couple of sets with these shades especially given that they are very consistent with my style. I've found myself wearing pale blue and pale pink frequently in the past couple of weeks since Kitten D'Amour released the Arabesque Collection which entirely consists of pastel yellow, pink and blue dresses. In fact I just realised that today I wore a pale blue dress from Kitten D'Amour with a pale pink patterned cardigan from Wheels and Dollbaby.  It looks like Rose Quartz and Serenity are already very much a part of my life.

Are you a fan of this shade? 
 

Photos from: Kitten D'Amour, Marks and Spencer, May Kool, Miu Miu via net-a-porter, Chanel, Michael Kors, Pandora, Not on the High Street, Oasis, Alannah Hill, Dior, Luna Bazaar, Florsheim, Yoox.com

Central Coast Day 2

January 13, 2016, 6:13 pm

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Hi all! Here are the pictures from the second day of our trip to the central coast (which was almost 2 weeks ago now). You can see part 1 here. It was only a very short trip- I could only get accommodation for two nights given that we booked with very short notice, but I didn't mind it being short. I don't usually like going away for very long and there wouldn't have been much to do there in excess of three days. It was just the right about of time to get out of Sydney. The weather was beautiful on the second day and the scenery was in such vivid colours. It was very bright for photos which is why I'm never facing the camera here. I can't believe I got sunburnt! I didn't even go swimming. We just had a short walk on the beach and I even wore sunscreen. My pale skin is really not suited to the Australian climate. 

























Kitten D'Amour Dolly Darling Collar Dress
Kitten D'Amour Heart Throb Clutch
B.A.I.T Footwear Everline Flats in Red Patent
Bow Belt via ebay 

Linking to: Fashion Friday,

Wood Watch

January 18, 2016, 3:40 am

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Today I'd like to show you the lovely watch which I recently received from Jord Wood Watches. I've seen a few of these around and generally love the idea of a wooden watch so I thought this would be a great opportunity to try one out. They are very creative and artistic designs. There are a range of watches available with different coloured faces and shades of wood but I chose the 'Maple & Rose Gold' watch from the Sidney series. I prefer the lighter shade and rose gold is always a favourite. I'm pleased with this watch. It was beautifully presented in a matching wooden box and came with a little watch pillow. It suits a variety of outfits and occasions. Here is one of my favourite looks to style it with. I like how to colour complements the base of the jacket. You can check out the website here. 

There's another element to my outfit today which is different to usual- I'm wearing a bomber style jacket from Adidas. I haven't mentioned this before but I majorly have a thing for jackets from the Adidas Originals store. I have five now and I'm planning to do a post on my collection at some point. The one I'm wearing in this post has to be my favourite though because it is the most colourful. The Adidas Originals range has so many beautiful colours and designs. I love to wear them with my usual dresses and skirts- I think it creates contrast against the dressier pieces. 

...and the giraffe? We're just hanging out after work, I have no other explanation.,,

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Sidney Series Maple and Rose Gold Watch c/o Jord Wood Watches
Adidas Originals Confete Firebird Track Top
Kitten D'Amour Pretty Ballerina Lemon Dress
B.A.I.T Footwear  Gloria Flats in Black

Outfit

January 24, 2016, 4:54 am

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This has been my most worn outfit for the last couple of months so it's very fitting that it makes an appearance here. It's from one of my favourite ever Kitten D'Amour collections called Forget Me Not. You may remember that I posted the dress version here and here.  I loved it so much that I also decided to buy the shirt and the skirt. That just shows how much I love the collection because I try my best to minimise most collections to one piece. I even have to show some self control to refrain from buying even more! There's another two dresses in the collection which are almost identical which I could easily add to my wardrobe (but luckily I'm not going to spend the money). The outfit I am wearing here is actually not a dress but matching separates. That's another reason I wanted the two pieces because I don't have any other matching separates. The advantage of the shirt is that, unlike the dresses, it has a peter pan collar- what is there not to love about a peter pan collar!?!I've had so many compliments on this look and, based on this, it seems to be my most vintage outfit ever. The skirt is also amazing to wear with a variety of different tops. I haven't worn the top separately but hopefully I will at some point. The shirt has a pale blue undertopand I'm looking forward to substituting this with different coloured undertops soon. Tonight I went to kmart and purchased undertops in grey, peach, pale green and yellow (wish they had the pink and the purple in my size) so I can't wait to experiment with them. This is going to be a good test of who actually reads my posts because my outfit is not a dress. My pink accessories are also from Kitten D'Amour. The bag is a recent purchase and the hair flowers were a Christmas gift. The shoes are quickly becoming a most worn candidate too. As with all B.A.I.T Footwears I have, they are very comfortable. Unfortunately I've been very much restricted to flats in recent months due to my ankle injury. However, it's not too bad when I have these adorable flats.  

What else has been happening in my life? I've fallen into a routine of going to the pool most days after work and then watching tennis late in to the night. I'm so incredibly tired all the time but, given that the tennis is only for another week, I must make the most of it. Swimming has been a positive influence in my life. It's kept me distracted from a couple of issues at work which I don't want to think about. It's been a sense of community and achievement. I was even talked into a 5.30am swimming training session last Friday which I said I'd never do, not in a million years. But finally having people to do swimming with, after almost a lifetime of having no friends who are into sport, it's worth it. Still haven't recovered from the early wake up though and it was three days ago!







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Kitten D'Amour Forget Me Not Skirt
Kitten D'Amour Forget Me Not Blouse
Kitten D'Amour Miss Kitten Pink Handbag
Kitten D'Amour Petite Bow Belt in Black
Kitten D'Amour Orchid Clip (similar)
B.A.I.T Footwear Sindy Flats in Black

Kitten D'Amour much?  

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New In

January 27, 2016, 6:37 pm

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I did some shopping on the weekend and managed to find this beautiful bargain. I love Wittner shoes and, although they start off expensive, they do have some amazing sales. This pretty pair of heels were a quarter of the original price. I remember awhile ago that Wittner introduced a bridal range and this was part of it- this is good because it means they are extra girly! The sparkly detail is lovely and I always adore a pale coloured shoe. I can't wait to wear them for the first time. I hope I find a permanent solution to my ankle injuries because I haven't worn heels much in the past few months. 






Wittner Royce Heels 

Life Lately 004

January 29, 2016, 10:30 pm

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Unicorn Shopping
Typo has so many unicorn themed pieces at the moment- although it's important to remember that I liked unicorns before they were cool!  I look forward to taking my unicorn water bottle to the pool and the rest will certainly brighten up the office. I couldn't resist thje flamingo notebook too. It says 'Flock Yeah' on the front. I might go back for the unicorn pencil sharpener, I'll probably have the use for it since I occasionally do colouring in now. It was an inexpensive shopping trip that satisfied the urge for shopping.

Australian Open
For the 15th year in a row I am completely loving the summer of tennis with the Australian Open and lead up tournaments. This year I decided to celebrate by purchasing some merchandise from the website. The item I've had the most use from is the players' towel which I use every time I go to the pool. I have the rest of it at work but I'll bring it all home after the tennis has finished- then the salt and pepper shakers will look so amazing in the house.

Kitten D'Amour Feature
My pictures are frequently used on Kitten D'Amour's social media but this one excited me the most because it got over 1 000 likes (little things like this make me happy). Most of the posts on the page get less than 100 likes so I'm not too sure why mine was so popular- maybe because I'm standing on a beach. It's all great fun. Remember to follow me on Instagram as chelsea_miracle.

Swimming
My life at the moment pretty much consists of swimming and not much else. Whenever I'm not at work, I'm almost always at the pool. Swimming has been so positive for me. It's given me a life outside work when I decided I didn't want work to be my whole life anymore. My background in swimming, despite having not trained or raced in twelve years, means I'm able to take it up again. I'm very grateful now for all the time and effort that was put into my swimming training as a child. Fortunately swimming as an adult is much better, there is less pressure and it is very social. It's helped me so much. 

Work and A Friend Forever
I mentioned this before but avoided writing about it in detail as it makes me too sad. The one person at my work who meant the world to me (and was my manager) has left today. I've had a really hard time dealing with it over the last five weeks since I found out. I can't even put it into words how impacted I feel- I've cried a couple of times and thought about it continually. Last year was such a life changing time for me. I effectively got promoted , gained confidence and got my life back after so many years of struggles. I credit this all to one person for where I am today. He made every single day better for me. I think he's perfect and everything I wish I can be one day. He gave me so many opportunities and responsibilities when many other people at my work thought I was young and inexperienced. He was always on my side continually believed in me. I've literally never met a nicer more accomplished person in my life. The level of admiration I have is beyond words. The point I'm making is that it's rare to find someone who touches your life to this extent I feel awful about the whole situation. I have absolutely no doubt we will remain friends and be in regular contact, I've been provided with reassurance of that. However, it's changed work for me. I used to be mega enthusiastic about my job, gave it my whole life last year and voluntarily did extra hours just because I felt so lucky to be there. But now all my motivation for the job is gone and I hate being at work. It reminds me of how sad I am and all the memories we shared together. I can't force myself to feel differently right now. Work is now just something I have to do and nothing more. I struggle to get through the days because I'm upset being there. I'm trying to create more of a life outside of work to feel better and distracted which is a major factor behind me getting back into swimming. 

A Pretty Cardigan
This beautiful cardigan is the newest addition to my wardrobe and it is right at the top with my favourites. It's from an old Kitten D'Amour collection (Not In Kansas Anymore), before we even had the store in Sydney. I've wanted it for ages and have been stalking eBay and the Facebook Buy Swap and Sell group for one in my size. I finally located it on the Facebook page and was so lucky to buy it because all the items usually go so fast. I've acquired three beautiful Kitten D'Amour pieces from The Buy Swap and Sell Group and it's such a good way to exchange clothes.  I can't wait to wear this beauty for the first time soon.

What have you been up to lately?

Fitness Goals Update- January

February 1, 2016, 5:00 am

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To put this post in context, see my Fitness Goals 2016 post here. The month of January was all about swimming for me. I've spend almost all my free time at the pool because there's so much to achieve and I'm very competitive with myself when it comes to sports. I don't know whether I'll be able to dedicate so much time to swimming in other months because there hasn't been time for much else and I'm so tired, but for now I will enjoy my progress. It's been a successful month for swimming. 

From my list of goals for 2016, I can cross off the following as complete:
-swim in a competitive race (first one in over ten years)
  join masters swim club

I also achieved a few things which I never planned for:

- participated four swim club nights
- raced in first inter club carnival with Masters Australia
-  swam a 400m freestyle event (most hated race)
- attended 5.30am swimming training (on two occasions) 
- better statistics than I expected for January: 53km in total distance, 13 039.8 calories burned, 25 hours 30 minutes and 24 seconds spent swimming
- decided to work towards the million metres award with Masters Australia. I've completed 5% of the total distance required so far.  

 I also bought some amazing colourful swimwear. Does that count as an achievement?

What have you achieved in January?  

Outfit

February 3, 2016, 5:00 am

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Does anyone remember this dress I got about a year ago?! It's the Holly Heatwave dress from Kitten D'Amour and I posted it here. I love rediscovering piecesI haven't worn in ages and this one certainly deserves a few more trips outside the wardrobe. As I'm a massive fan of florals, I think the double florals is perfect. I decided to emphasis the purple trim by matching it with a violet cardigan which has always been a reliable piece which goes with everything. The one aspect I never liked about this dress was the length so I finally decided to have it hemmed. It suits my style a lot more now. I find this a common issue with Kitten D'Amour dresses- I often end up spending more to get them made shorter. If a dress is on my knee I'll sometimes put up with it but if it's below the knee that is definitely not my style. For me the best aspect of this look is the shoes. They are so beautifully sparkly and the shoes I already had in black and in sparkly pink. I love them so much and they are so comfortablethat I felt the overwhelming desire to add the sparkly blue to my collection. This shows how much I love them beacuse it is rather excessive to have the same pair of shoes in three colours. This is yet another success from B.A.I.T Footwear- what did I do before I discovered this amazing brand?! 

I've worn so many pale blue dresses this summer it's remarkable. I keep unintentionally choosing them and thinking- wow I'm wearing yet another one. This is probably good since blue used to be one of my least worn colours. 

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Kitten D'Amour Holly Heatwave Bustier Dress
Kitten D'Amour Miss Kiten Pink Bag
B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie Heels in Blue
Alannah Hill Baby, Baby, Chips and Gravy
Kitten D'Amour Orchid Clip (similar) 

Outfit

February 7, 2016, 5:00 am

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Here is yet another outfit involving my pale blue lace pieces from Kitten D'Amour, what can I say! The skirt is one of the best purchases I have ever made due to it's extreme versatility, I keep reaching for it again and again when I don't know what to wear with one of my tops. It's the perfect match for the Aye Aye Kitten top which I'm wearing in these pictures. I love pairing current Kitten D'Amour pieces with those from older collections. I acquired this shirt from the Buy, Swap and Sell group on Facebook. It has been so amazing discovering this group as it's you can find some amazing treasures and it's such an effective way to sell what I no longer wear. I've sold so much that my additional outlay on clothes isn't actually that much at the moment. This top is was released before Kitten D'Amour even came to Sydney. The print is so adorable with seagulls, light houses, boats and anchors. I'm not usually a fan of the brand name being printed all over the shirt (I've discounted many KDM pieces in the past for this reason) but this one is rather small and cannot be seen easily. The key hole is definitely a different design from the other tops in my wardrobe. The red accessories were an obvious choice with the top. I thought my Frou Frou umbrella which I received for my birthday was the perfect accessory for the outfit too. Although, there was actually a point to the umbrella given that it's been raining on and off in the last couple of days. This is the ultimate umbrella and so much better than any I have seen before. It's so adorable and a great size, in Sydney's week of wild weather last year it was literally the only umbrella not to fall apart.

















LOL...covered by the umbrella


Kitten D'Amour Forget Me Not Skirt
Kitten D'Amour Aye Aye Kitten Shirt
B.A.I.T Footwear Gloria Flats
Kitten D'Amour LouLou Red Handbag
Boston Frou Frou Umbrella 
Kitten D'Amour Petite Bow Belt in Red

My B.A.I.T Footwear Collection

February 10, 2016, 5:00 am

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I've wanted to create this post for awhile and finally got around to it. Here is my collection of shoes from B.A.I.T Footwear. As you can see I have a habit of purchasing the same pair of shoes in multiple colours and now I've started I feel like I have to keep it up for my collection! One of these styles I even have in three versions as I couldn't resist them when the sparkly colours came out. I wish I could buy the gold, the red and the cream version but that would be rather excessive! My experience with B.A.I.T Footwear started when I saw the red and white pointed flats on Modcloth. I admired them for ages and eventually  bought them in one of the amazing Modcloth sales at only $35. Ever since then I have been in love with the brand. The shoes are so adorable, vintage inspired and the perfect match for my style of outfits. There are so many varieties of styles, although I don't like all of them, that they are very popular. The main benefit is the comfort and this certainly can be hard to find with a shoe. The most well known styles from B.A.I.T Footwear appear to be the Ida and the Ione. I never actually owned the Ida as there have always been others I like better. I used to have two pairs of the Ione but ended up selling both as they were half a size too small. It would be great to add them to my collection again. The only downside to the brand is the postage costs when purchasing direct from the website. In the absence of many stockists in Australia (and the ones that do exist have a very limited range and are more expensive per item), almost all of my purchases have been direct. Usually my desires for the shoes means I pay it anyway but it certainly isn't ideal. Overall I highly recommend B.A.I.T Footwear- you will not be disappointed.



Robbie Heels 

Gloria Flats (most used pairs, even had the repurchase them as I'd worn out both colours)


Sindy Flats (newest addition, got these at Christmas) 


Everline Flats


Are you a fan of B.A.I.T Footwear? What is your experience with the brand? 

Outfit

February 14, 2016, 5:00 am

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Hi everyone! I did some shopping a few days ago because the One, Two, Buckle My Shoe was finally releasedat Kitten D'Amour. I've been looking forward to this collection for awhile and heard it would be one of the best so I saved up for it and sold many clothes I don't wear anymore. I'm finding this very helpful because, despite buying many new clothes recently, the outlay isn't actually that much due to reselling and moving pieces on. I actually got four pieces from this collection when I'd usually just get one.  It's super adorable with the sweet print, the velvet ribbon and the lace. It's a large collection and each dress is different. The bag is literally the most incredible I've ever seen.  I had lots of fun trying on the new collection in store. Isn't it time Kitten D'Amour gave me some free clothes or pay me to promote their products hahaha.  I feel like it's got to the point where it's all I wear which doesn't give my blog much variety. But I want this to be an accurate representation of my life and this brand is what I like at the moment. I wore this today to go out for lunch with the husband. It was so incredibly hot and sunny today but that's always a good thing! I love the weekends at the moment which is great because I used to hate them back in my early days of having a full time job. This year I have a life outside work which is enjoyable and fun. Gerald came on the outing with us again today, he's the best giraffe ever. 















Kitten D'Amour One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Lace Dress
Kitten D'Amour One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Handbag
B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie Heels in Blue Glitter
Alannah Hill Cardigan 

Linking to: How I Fall Linkup,

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Latest Obsession: Rich Tones

February 18, 2016, 5:00 am

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Burgundy, maroon, wine, rouge noir...whatever one wishes to call it... is an amazing, classy and beautiful colour. I love how rich and regal it looks. I am especially loving the tones with a red, rather than purple, undertone at the moment. Ever since the middle of last year my love for this colour has increased. It was many of the pieces I purchased last winter in this shade, such as my Forever New coat and Wheels and Dollbaby Dita Cardigan, which converted me into loving this colour. Now in the middle of summer, my love for this colour certainly has not diminished. I've never really understood why certain colours are associated with particular seasons. I think burgundy can easily be worn all year round just as black can be worn in summer and pastels can be worn in winter. I recently purchased the flats displayed in this post (unfortunately not the kitty cat ones) from Forever New and it renewed my love for this shade. There are some more pieces coming into the store in burgundy shortly. As the cooler weather approaches, I expect more of the stores to do the same. I'm always looking out for this pretty jewel tone. 

Are you a fan or tones in this realm- burgundy, maroon, wine, rouge noir?

 Photos from: Nelly, ASOS, Michael Kors, Forever New, Kate Spade, Wolf and Badger, 1st Dibs, Charlotte Olympia via net-a-porter

Outfit

February 21, 2016, 5:00 am

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What could be better than an entirely pink outfit?! I didn't realise how pink it was until it all came together. I first wore this outfit to work and it really brightened up a Monday.I always feel very lucky I can wear my usual outfits to work- there isn't much I wouldn't wear to work. I'm especially lucky given that I studied law and accounting and these careers obviously do not traditionally align themselves with all pink outfits. The dress is from the relatively new Kitten D'Amour collection called Havana. It also comes in blue and in a playsuit version. For some reason I didn't really like the blue version on me and I don't know why. I can never resist a bright pink dress but as is often the case with this brand, I had to get it hemmed. It looks much better now despite loosing the white trim at the bottom- I deemed it wasn't worth it to sew it back on. I thought it would be fun to add in a couple of lighter pink pieces being the glitter heels and the orchid cardigan. I tried to be matching with the buttons on the cardigan to the buttons on the dress. I like the way this outfit turned out. This is also the first time I've shown you my new Swarovski Key Necklace. I'm planing to do a separate post on it later. I've wanted a Tiffany Key for so many years now but would never spend $500 on a necklace. At the same time I didn't want a key that's too cheap or a completely unknown brand either so the Swarovski version is absolutely perfect. I'm quickly developing an obsession with the store.

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Kitten D'Amour Havana Dress in Pink
Kitten D'Amour One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Handbag
Wheels and Dollbaby Orchid Cardigan
B.A.I.T Footwear Robbie Heels in Pink Glitter
Kitten D'Amour Orchid Clip
Swarovski Balthazar Pendant 

Outfit

February 25, 2016, 5:00 am

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I've been wearing so many pastel shades lately so today's outfit provides a little variety. The leopard print cardigan is the newest addition to my wardrobe and has quickly become one of my favourite pieces. It's from Wheels and Dollbaby and I have been very impressed with all the five cardigans I have from that store. I'd wanted this cardigan for ages but wasn't sure if it would be as good quality as my other W&D cardigans given that it cost substantially less. I'm so pleased I have it now because the quality is excellent, the velvet buttons are beautiul and the print is totally amazing in person. I've wanted a leopard print cardigan for years but couldn't find the right one until this pretty came along. Wheels and Dollbaby is an interesting brand for me. I love the cardigans, and of course the Dita Cardigans are amazing, but the rest of their pieces are not really my style. The non sale prices can be excessive I believe. In this outfit, I'm also wearing a skirt and top from the Kitten D'Amour's range of basics. Some of these are usually too basic and plain for me, but the two here are very much my style. The top comes in five different colours so it was hard to narrow it down as I liked them all. I'm very pleased with the skirt as it can be extremely difficult to find a decent black skirt. I've literally been looking for years for a version which is good quality, fined and a full skirt silhouette. I had to make it substantially shorter as is often the case- Kitten D'Amour need to make their dresses and skirts less long! 

In other news, on Tuesday, I completed my first run in 10 weeks. After having so much time off for injury (including two other periods last year in addition to the 10 weeks) it meant so much to me. I am not completely back to normal yet and I'm still doing physio and a lot of ankle exercises. I have a slow plan for coming back- only 1-2 runs per week and no more than 3km. I wish I was back to full form but overall I am extremely thankful to be able to run at all. Other than that, swimming is taking up pretty much my whole life and I wouldn't have it any other way. The motivation and positivity I get from improvement and best times is beyond words! I wish I could quit work and alternate between swimming, running and sleeping all day. 

















Wheels and Dollbaby Leopard Cardigan
Kitten D'Amour Full Skirt
Kitten D'Amour Stripe Lace Top in Red
Kitten D'Amour Lou Lou Handbag in Red
B.A.I.T Footwear Everline Flats in Red
Bow Belt (eBay)

Fitness Goals Update- February

March 3, 2016, 2:52 am

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To put this post in context, see my Fitness Goals 2016 post here and my update for January here. For the second month in a row, February was all about swimming for me. 

Here are my swimming stats for February:

...and for running:

From my list of goals for 2016, I have achieved the following but won't cross them off because I hope to improve more
-return to running after injury (still recovering but did my first run last week)
- swim or run at least 3 times a week (exceeded this by far) 
-improve personal best times for swimming

Here's what else happened for the month:
-participated in another four swim club nights (eight in a row now)
-continued with 5.30am swimming training for each Friday of the month
-participated in first 50m butterfly race since resuming swimming
-continued working towards the million metres award with Masters Australia. I've completed 10% of the total distance required so far. 
-participated in two inter club carnivals between RSL swimming clubs. 
-raced in an ocean pool for the first time
-completed my first run after being sidelined with injury for three months. My ankle is still not completely back to normal but I started slowly getting back into running last week.

Here is my most unexpected achievement for the month:
- I won the 50m freestyle open championship race at the Western Metropolitan RSL Swimming Carnival. I brought home this amazing trophy for my club. To be fair, it was a small carnival without much competition and I'm still a couple of seconds off where I want to be for this event. But I'm very happy (I didn't know this carnival even had prizes as many of them don't) and it's not bad for the first 50m freestyle I've entered in over 12 years. Unfortunately I don't get to keep the trophy but it's going to be engraved with my name and will remain in trophy cabinet at my club pool for the next year. That's such a cool concept- wherever the trophy is, it will have my name on it. 


Of course I had to take some pictures with the trophy:

I've never been the sort of person to have a high opinion of myself so I'd hate to give the impression of talking myself up here. I still have so much I want to achieve. I definitely think sports are about personal bests. Any personal best and achievement is worth celebrating. I think there's no better feeling in the world. Swimming has been so positive for me and given me a sense of purpose for the last two months. I know my life would be so different right now if it hadn't been the focus recently. The combination of my best friend leaving work last month, my general low opinion of myself and my substantial decline in motivation for my job, mean that in the absence of swimming I would be struggling and feeling very low all the time. I'm fortunate to have found swimming when I did as this would have been an otherwise harder time for me. I highly recommend getting into a sport and it's wonderful that achievement can be gained from any small improvement.  


Finally I purchased some new running shoes. Being the shopaholic I m, my recent love for sports mean I'm now rather obsessed with colourful sportswear. My swimsuit collection has grown rapidly. I decided to buy some new running shoes. My other shoes weren't bad but I'm trying to do everything I can to minimise injurt so that includes having the right equipment. I've never had Nikes before and the colours are so beautiful! I am very happy with them.

What did you achieve this month? 

Outfit

March 6, 2016, 7:30 am

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Today I am demonstrating my love for florals by wearing double. This outfit came together by chance- I was wearing this dress a couple of weeks ago and quickly needed to grab a cardigan on the way out as I knew it would be cold at work. The floral cardigan was the first I could find. I tried them on together, not expecting the combination to work, but it did! I have never been one to shy away from pattern mixing or a bold outfit. It has easily become one of my favourite outfits and I always receive many comments on it. The dress is an old favourite and will be recognisable to many as I've seen quite a few bloggers with this dress over the years. I first posted it on my blog here when I attended the races a couple of years ago. These days I incorporate it into everyday wear. I think it will always be a favourite. For me, the most important part of this outfit is the shoes because they are new and I'm totally in love with them at the moment. As my ankle is getting better, I'm not only running but I am slowly incorporating some high heels wearing into my life again too. I don't think I'll ever wear them as much as I used to because the unnecessary strain on my ankle is not worth it and, during my time injured, I developed a love for the flats at B.A.I.T Footwear. However, I'll still have lots of times to wear heels, it'll just be more of a balance now. Improvements, no matter how small, must be recognised and celebrated!

















Wittner Reece Heels
Bernie Dexter Cherry Print Lane Dress via Modcloth
Alannah Hill Floral Cardigan 
Swarovski Balthazar Pendant