RIP Pike River miners

I hope they were killed in the initial explosion.

I hope they didn't suffer.

My heart goes out to the families and the community.

RIP, Pike River miners.

10 of 30: Short skirt on a windy day

I've worn this dress before a few times, but always with leggings or jeans underneath. Today I decided to go outside my comfort zone (again) and try this dress on its own with tights.

I like the look, but I've discovered the dress has a bad tendency to bunch up in the front when I'm walking — not a good look when it's already got as short a skirt as this does! And when the day has any wind in it — as today did — I keep instinctively pulling my skirt down, even if it didn't need it. The skirt is so loose and light I barely feel it, which is a bad thing — I was paranoid all day that my skirt had ridden up/flown up in front of/behind me and I just couldn't feel it!

I do still like the dress — it's warm and bright — but I think I'll look for a new way to wear it.

And please, ignore my hair — Dan took this photo of me at the end of the day, by which time my hair seems to have gone rogue.

9 of 30: Broken button

What do you do when you put on a shirt and the bottom button breaks off?

You hide it. A use for my high-waisted skirt — plus I get to wear my new skirt ("new" = bought a couple of weeks ago). I think the overall effect looks similar to a dress. It's a bit short for my comfort — but I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone lately! Another way this worries my comfort zone is the extreme brightness of the orange shirt. I am not a bright colours person — they don't suit me at all, I'm far too pale. But as I say, trying to branch out... and wearing the high-waisted skirt (and a black blazer) hid nearly all that orange!

4 of 30: Dinner with the in-laws

Well, they technically aren't in-laws, but Dan and I went out for dinner with his mum and sister.

Dress: Pagani; heels: Overland.

I look really angry — at the sun, for shining in my eyes and blinding me!

This was the first time I've worn this dress, which I got a few weeks ago — and also the first time I've worn those footless tights properly. Granted, I have technically worn them before, but usually with socks under boots; I was never quite brave enough to wear them as footless. I'm not quite sure why not.

I've been wanting to wear this dress for a while, but couldn't find a necklace to go with them. I found a necklace a few days ago and tried it on with the dress - it's not perfect, but it'll do!

Oh, and Dan's mum commented on my outfit and said I looked very sophisticated. (The photo does not reflect any sophistication, but it does show you shouldn't take photos staring into the morning sun.)

My normal clothes are safer (and cover more leg), but my 30 for 30 outfits have just attracted a couple more comments, and compliments. It's nice — for someone who doesn't usually take much interest in what I wear, I like it.

3 of 30: Day at the office

I know this may seem like I've skipped straight from 1 to 3, but trust me, there was a 2 in there. There were even photos, but I took them myself, and the photos were all so dark and fuzzy — and I looked, for some reason, so angry in all of them — that I couldn't face putting them online.

Just a nice simple professional look for work today. I don't think my trouser-legs are quite as wide as they look in this photo, though! It's not a beautiful photo, but I did like the outfit.

Top: Pagani; trousers: Glassons; jacket: Ezibuy; sandals: Hannahs.

It was a beautiful warm day today, and tomorrow's meant to be even hotter. Yay summer!

1 of 30: Visiting the aunts

Today I was excited to be going round to visit two of my aunts — my mother's two sisters — whom I don't see very often. It's a couple of months since I've seen the one; a couple of years since I've seen the other.

As I also had to go to work today, I wanted a look that was professional enough for work, but which also looked attractive. My trousers were too boring; my high-waisted skirt too formal; my mini too mini; my jeans too casual. That left me with my charcoal skirt, which was warm enough for a semi-cold day and still looks nice, but has (I feel) a bit of character in it as well — maybe it's the asymmetrical belt. I actually wanted my sleeveless white shirt for this outfit, but it was in the wash, so I remixed the skirt with my red and black shirt — a mix I was really dubious about, but which I loved in the end. It's such a simple mix! Yet it's not something I would have done if I had had more choice.

Top: Pagani; skirt: Ezibuy; boots: Number One Shoes; singlet: no idea.

I had a great time with my aunts, and one of them commented I looked very sophisticated.

"Oh, I just came straight from work," I laughed. Entirely true.

But also nice to get the compliment. :)

30 for 30

It's been a little while since I've done a challenge (apart from the New Authors Challenge, which I'm still doing), and when I saw this one, I couldn't resist. The difference is that it isn't a reading or writing challenge!

The rules are: choose 30 items of clothing from your wardrobe (including shoes; not including underwear, jewellery and accessories), and remix those items into 30 different outfits over the following 30 days. No shopping allowed; no other items allowed.

It's an unwritten expectation that you also photograph yourself in each of these outfits and post them on the blog, and to be honest it's this that's the sticking point for me. I'm not too much of a photo person, I barely ever wear makeup, and I never do anything with my hair. Most of the other people who have signed up for this have style/clothes blogs; most of them are, I assume, stylish people. I... am not. I love clothes, but I'm unimaginative with the way I dress, and I want to change that.

I've expanded the rules a bit for myself. I'm counting scarfs, tights and belts as accessories; I'm counting socks and singlets as underwear. I'm also not including gym clothes in the count, because I have no particular desire to jazz up the shorts and old tees I wear to the gym.

But I've chosen my 30 items — and wow, are my clothes unremixable!

Three skirts

Two pairs of trousers, a pair of leggings, and jeans

Two jackets, a dress and a tunic

Heels for work, three pairs of sandals and two boots

Three shirts for work

Four knitwear tops

Black and white: reliable fallbacks

A bit of colour for the wardrobe