Sale finds under $100 from Forever New, St Frock and The Iconic
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| Come unbox with me my recent sales haul! |
Today's post is big one sharing my not-so-mini haul from recent sales, including 30 to 40% off at The Iconic, extra 30% off sale items at Forever New and 30% off selected items at St Frock. All of these finds are under $100 or much less. I've been busy planning outfits for my trip to Paris later this year, and this was a good opportunity to snap up warmer pieces from our autumn/winter season just passed. I've also been wanting to update my look with a few new wardrobe additions. As usual, links to items where available are highlighted in pink, just click and it will take you there.
1. Forever New - use code TAF30 for extra 30% off sale items
First up is this gorgeous fire engine red knit dress that will likely stop traffic while you cross the street! It is on sale at $109.95 with extra 30% off. This would make a great investment dress, such as Christmas time in winter on the other side of the world. It also comes in other colours, including this elegant cream, which would make a beautiful winter wonderland dress or a winter engagement/bridal outfit.
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| Forever New dress (sz 6), paired with blue suede heels |
The top part is a snug fitting knit and will keep you warm. It has a mock neck, though I plan to wear this rolled down to enlongate the neck. The knit continues into a chiffon pleated skirt that is lined. The dress is meant to be midi length but fellow petite ladies will find this more of a maxi and may need heels. A quick hack to shorten the length is to hike up the skirt at the waist and tie with the attached waist belt. Because there is elastic at the waist, it hasn't slipped down for me. However, I intend to wear this as a maxi length to maximise the floatiness of the skirt. I can't wait to wear this in Paris and can just imagine the bright red popping against the city back drop.
Shoes to pair with this stunning red include white, gold or silver, nude, brown (including boots) or black. You could go for extra drama with pops of colour, like the pale blue I'm wearing, or yellow, purple/lilac or grey. Try green and you will be the most festive person at the Christmas party. Or for a bit of a splurge, these glittery sparkles from Jimmy Choo have been on my wish list for a while.
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| Forever New Kate double breasted blazer (sz 6) |
The second piece that I am most excited about is this tailored blazer. I had been on the hunt for a checkered blazer last winter. A blazer like this would easily slip over a plain black top and pants outfit and smarten up the look. I also like how the houndstooth pattern gives me professorial vibes and makes me feel smarter by 10%. If only that really happened in real life!
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| Forever New Kate double breasted blazer (AU6), Abrand jeans (25), Jane Debster heels, Coach bag |
In terms of the style, I found my usual clothing size (AU6) a perfect fit. It is neatly tailored at the shoulders and slightly nips in at the waist. The length is meant to be a longer one, covering the hips. The only downside is that the sleeves are too long, but this is a common problem for me. The material is warmish, a polyester/wool blend. I was looking for something warm to wear for winter anyway. You can wear this with jeans, work pants or pencil skirt too. Or even over a dress. Down below, I'm wearing them with black skinny pants.
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| A different look with same blazer and black acessories. |
*Update 12.10.2023: Blazer is currently out of stock since I last shared it on my Instagram feed yesterday! I'll still leave the size and fit details here for reference, in case it is restocked or you find it on another platform. I've also seen many Forever New items pop up on second hand marketplaces. The $79.95 sale price with extra 30% off was too good to resist!
2. The Iconic - 30% off selected items
The next three items would be wardrobe staples. First is a pair of jeans from Abrand. I've been getting into straight leg jeans recently (like everyone else) and already own a few pairs. After a few wears, I realised I had bought wrong jean sizes. I had always been a size 26 (equivalent to AU8) for skinny jeans but for some reason was too loose in straight leg styles. Has anyone else noticed this? Anyway, I thought I'd give these ones from called '94 high slims in the size 25 a try and so far I'm loving the new look and the better fit.
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| Abrand '94 high slim jeans in Y2K vintage blue wash (sz 25), one side folded up to shorten; Jane Debster heels |
The length is somewhat longer than I like despite the shorter 67cm inseam. Here you can see the original full length on my left leg and how it looks when I fold the hem in on the right leg. Once I decide what length I want the jeans to be, I may cut excess material off to shorten and end up with a raw hem effect (or I could just take it to the tailors). I like the material, made of 99% cotton and 1% elastane. It comes in a variety of washes. I'm wearing the Y2K vintage blue.
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| Witchery cotton ribbed tee (XXS), Abrand jeans (hems folded up), Jane Debster heels, Coach Studio 19 bag in canyon |
The second piece from The Iconic is this cute little dress for just over $30. It is a navy dress with white polka dots and I think it would come in handy for lots of occasions.
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| Atmos & Here Jenna dress (sz 6) on sale under $40; also comes in short sleeves |
The style is simple with a round neck, elastic waist, fabric waist tie, long sleeves and would probably be a mini length on someone tall though very respectfully touches my knees. The dress is unlined but because of the dark navy colour, no issues with seeing underwear lines. You can swap the waist tie with your own belt. I would pick a belt in tan brown or white to pair with navy.
The third item is a pair of loafer flats. I have never ever owned a pair of loafers before but love how the metal hardware here reminds me of the Gucci horsebit. The other interesting point about this pair of shoes was the material, made of leather upper and leather lining. It's becoming more and more rare these days to find affordable shoes with actual leather in it! My mum drilled into me from an early age the importance of quality shoes (for comfort and durability) and now it's engrained in me to look for quality shoes.
I quite like the mature masculine look that loafers give. Best of all, it's easier to wear no-show socks with loafers than with ballet flats. Word of caution: check the sizing chart. I ordered an AU6 (EU36), my usual size, without second thought but it turns out for these AU6 is equivalent to EU37. The loafers were one finger breadth too large for me so I'll be exchanging for AU5 (EU36).
I've also snapped the same outfit with my rockstud look-alike flats for comparison. I'm not sure why I'm smiling so much here:
Another notable find are my old Sandler Neddy ankle boots, currently down to $99. Last year I ended up collecting all three colours (black, brown and taupe). I found these boots comfortable to walk in despite the 7cm block heel and all three colours go with everything.
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| Sandler Neddy ankle boots in brown, now on sale $99 |
If you need to narrow it down to selecting only one colour and you don't have a preference, in retrospect I would recommend black. This is the colour I wear most often for work as it blends with my black pencil skirt and work pants. My second most frequently worn is taupe. If you already have a pair of black ankle boots then choose either the brown or taupe. I would suggest taupe for beige lovers like me, and brown if your style is more boho and laid back. I've previously shared a detailed review on these Neddy ankle boots in this blog post here.
I also stocked up on skin care and make up items that are nearly running out at home. The 20% discount on beauty when I made my purchases is no longer available and I would suggest to wait for another one. Beauty sales occur regularly throughout the year across different websites, such as Sephora, Myer, David Jones, The Iconic, and especially with Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day coming up, I'm sure the next sale is just around the corner.
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| Lancome Genifique serum, Benefit eyeliner (black) and Goof Proof brown pencil (shade 4 dark brown, but I might try shade 4.5 or 5 next), Estee Lauder day and night creams. |
3. St Frock
While browsing bridesmaid dresses from here, I discovered many pretty dresses but resisted the temptation at the time, saving my fashion budget for our wedding. I promised that I would come back after. The first one is this gorgeous white and blue puff sleeved dress. I first saw this on Tina from Trashtotreasured (now @tinaabeyseakara) and it was sold out in my size for a good year. I was super excited to see it finally restocked! I've also seen it on the lovely Theresa from @thelifeof_mrs.t who has a dress collection I wouldn't mind having!
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| St Frock Amira shirt dress (sz 8) |
This dress is absolutely gorgeous and gives off Greek holiday feels due to the the white and blue paisley. It has dramatic balloon sleeves and comes with a removable belt. This dress is white but is fully lined and not see through. St Frock seems to only stock size 8 as their smallest sizes but luckily all size 8 items were a good fit on me. There is room for extra so I would say it would suit ladies who are normally sizes AU 6 to 8.
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| St Frock Divinity midi shirt dress (sz 8) |
The second St Frock dress is probably my favourite of the lot. It is a satin shirt dress with a chain link pattern in gold throughout. It has functional gold buttons down the front. The gold highlights elevate the dress. It is meant to be midi length but flows to my ankles. It also has a removable belt, but I have yet to master the skill of how to use this type of buckle. It has two front pockets on the upper chest and side pockets too! I've already worn this dress to work and received a couple of compliments on the day. The satin material feels cool to the skin, and could be worn in summer despite the long sleeves, as long as you leave early in the morning, have air con in your workplace and avoid the midday heat.
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| St Frock Badlands faux leather pants (sz 8) |
The next item is a pair of bad ass faux leather pants adeptly named "Badlands". Similar to loafers, faux leather pants are not something I have ventured into, until now. I was deterred by the fact that they often look like leggings with a plasticky PU shine to them and made me wonder if I would feel like I was wrapped in a garbage bag.
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| I like the soft cream pearl sweater mixed with the edgy faux leather pants; H&M sweater xs, Atmos & Here loafers, Chloe Woody bag small (15% off here with code FALL15) |
These pants are not leggings but don't quite feel like pants either. The material is thin and has some stretch, but not as stretchy as leggings. It has a concealed zipper in the middle of the back, rather than on the side. I didn't immediately like the look of the faux leather when I first saw them, but after trying them on I actually quite like them. It is not as shiny as other faux leather pants I have seen. The Boy burst into a Grease song when he saw me try these on as it reminded him of the glammed up Olivia Newtown John/Sandra Dee at the end of the movie. The length is longer than I like, you can see a bit of extra material bunched up at the ankles but not too obvious. I do wonder if these pants need to be tighter, as you can see horizontal folds of material on the lower tummy and around the legs. I'd be keen to try on other styles of faux leather pants, so please do let me know if you have any recommendatios!
I quite liked the other colours that these pants come in, especially the slate grey paired with the animal print sweater - so cute! I'll be using this as future outfit inspiration.
The last item from St Frock is a bit of a dreamy one. I have been on the hunt to look for a 'fancy' dress to take to Paris and do an informal photo shoot with The Boy to commemorate getting married this year. I would have loved to pack my actual wedding dress (I love it to bits!) but the laws of physics meant there is no chance it would fit in my suitcase or leave any room for other luggage. So, I've been searching high and low for a bridal-esque dress that was packable and didn't break the bank (again).
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| St Frock Chloe midi dress in champagne (sz 8), also available in black |
I found this ballerina tutu-style cute, romantic and dreamy. It is a light nude pink but sadly doesn't come in white. It's meant to be midi length but reaches my ankles (the theme of today's post I think!). The layers of tulle is not overly poofy (you might have seen the photo in my last blog wearing a princess wedding gown with more poof than I could handle). The dress has adjustable spaghetti straps. I found the chest area a bit loose on me. I'm still thinking about whether or not to keep this one, since I don't think it's quite bridal enough and apart from upcoming Halloween where I can dress up as the tooth fairy in this, I am not sure if I will have an occasion to wear this dress soon.
As part of this haul, I also tried on about five different pairs of flat knee high boots to pick one to take with me to Paris. I'm anticipating walking 20,000 steps per day while travelling and comfortable shoes seem like a must. I'll share my finds in a separate post since I know that finding the right pair of knee high boots for petites is like finding the holy grail. A topic like this deserves a whole dedicated post.
What did you think of the pieces in this post? Let me know your favourite and feel free to ask questions. You can also DM me on my Instagram at @choco_petitestyle.
I'm also curious whether these types of posts are useful for you guys and would love some feedback and suggestions. If there are any other topics you'd be interested in, please let me know. I love a good fashion challenge and hunt for treasures! Meanwhile, for those of you keen on more wedding content, I've decided to alternate wedding stuff with fashion to break it up a bit. Hope that's okay! Anyway, let me know what you think and thanks so much for reading. Hope you guys have a great week!
Choco
All photos in this post are my own and are not be used without permission.
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