Now, it wasn't so long ago that I was quite convinced I would never wear a denim skirt again, but - as I'm learning these days - never say never.

Back in the 90s, I had an awesome A-line black denim button-through mini with white stitching. I wore it paired with a little white tee, a black cord waistcoat, knee-high white socks, black brogues, a black pork pie hat and a fake nose ring to the Laura Blue Light Disco, 1993 and I ROCKED it.

I don't have any photos of the look, sadly, but here's my quick artist's impression:


Bangin', am I right?

So when I saw very similar skirts making their way onto shelves this season, I was like "Surely I'm too old to wear those again?"

Then I decided I wasn't and went ahead and bought these in my recent haul from Mix Apparel. On my 37th birthday, no less.

Here's how I'm styling the look for 2015. The first is the Side Zip Denim Skirt and the oddly named Pop Over Knit Blouse from the Mix haul, worn with Converse, Kmart sunglasses and hat from Rivers.

The skirt is quite nifty in that it has working zips on both sides to create side splits.






And in motion:


Two looks with the Denim Button Front Skirt, the first with a knit stripe from Best and Less with Big W peeptoe booties:







And then for cooler weather with tights, boots from Target, a Big W knit and Zalora bag from The Iconic.








Also, if you want to see another take on this skirt, check out Em over at The Illusive Femme who bought the same one!

What is your position on denim skirts?

So . . . it's MUH BIRFDAY TODAY!


I am still quite happy to celebrate birthdays and have zero issues with my new age, which is 37. Apart from the fact 3 and 7 are both odd numbers and that doesn't sit well with me *shudder*. Ask me again when I jump into the next age bracket on surveys and questionnaires, however, this week it's all about the celebration!

One of the emerging trends of awesomeness is the birthday voucher from companies getting you in while you're all abuzz with celebrating and/or buying yourself presents on behalf of your spouse.

Here's a round-up of the birthday-related offers I've received:

$5 off next purchase at Chemplus
10% off code at ASOS
$10 gift voucher from Jeanswest
$30 gift credit at Mimco
Free pizza from my local place, Pizza Bite
15% off at Best and Less
$5 voucher from Priceline
20% off at The Iconic
Free burrito at Salsa's Fresh Mex

In related news, a month or so ago, in an effort to be better with my bucks, I switched my car insurance to Coles Insurance (despite their achingly irritating television ads) as they could save me over $20 a month and were offering a $100 Coles gift card as a sweetener. It arrived recently, and after the initial disappointment of it not being a Coles Myer gift card and wondering what I was going to spend it on (groceries for the family? As if!) I remembered Mix Apparel!

I've only bought from Mix a couple of times before and was reasonably pleased with the items I got but hadn't really bought anything else since; my local Coles doesn't stock Mix so it's a mission to get to one that does and I embarked on that said mission this week and was pleased to find they had all Womens Bottoms for $19. I'll leave you to make the lady bum jokes yourselves.

Side note: when fetching that link for Mix above, I was reminded of the floral shorts I bought last season and wondered where they were. I later discovered a whole bag of summer pants stuffed away at the top of the wardrobe so that was exciting! #rediscoveryourwardrobe

Back to the story at hand. With my $100 voucher printout at the ready, I tried on a million things and ended up with these items:

Side Zip Denim Skirt Usually $29 - $19 on special

Rib Cuff Soft Pant Usually $25 - $19 on special

Denim Button Front Skirt Usually $29 - $19 on special

Pop Over Knit Blouse (??) $19

Denim Moto Jean Usually $35 - $19 on special

Mandarin Collar Top $19

God, I love free money.

I also popped over to the Health & Beauty aisle and picked up a Maybelline Hyper Sharp Wing eyeliner as recommended by my friend Lizzie for 50% off, so it was a win all round. I then achieved a lined eye this morning before work! Can you believe it??

Bus selfie. Can and will.

Outfit posts will be heading your way in the future so you can see how I ended up styling these bits and pieces. I am in a state of shock that I suddenly own not one, but TWO denim skirts. Never say never, amirite?

Bought anything from Mix lately?

I've been needing to inject some freshness into my summer wardrobe after a ruthless cull of the shabby, the ill-fitting and the out-of-date. This has proved to have been harder than expected.

FAILS

1. A much anticipated double-dress parcel from ASOS was promptly returned when the contents within proved cheap and poorly fitting.

2. I bought this floral dress in Big W, tried it on and it looked fine . . . it wasn't until I got it home, popped the tags and cut the hanging straps off that I realised it had metamorphosised into a hot mess. I liked the fit enough to ask my mother-in-law for some sewing help rather than consign it to the Savers bag but even that couldn't save it.

Grrr.

I do like it though, so I'm saving it to wear with a cardi for cooler weather.

It's a common problem for me in summer, trying to get some updated hot-weather ensembles and being constantly let down by oversized arm holes, pulled forward by a bust that is "very full in the front, isn't it dear?" Thanks, Bras 'n' Things lady, for NOTHING.

3. Observe this stitching fail from Target that takes me back to my breastfeeding days.

Not cute.

4. Then we have this chevron Kmart maxi:

Come on, now!

Ridiculous. You might remember I alluded to this dress when I posted about shopping with toddlers and the resultant wardrobe malfuctions.

I viewed Coles' venture into fashion with deep suspicion. Surely anything you could buy in a supermarket would make Postie Fashions look like haute couture.