A few weeks ago I travelled up to the Darling Downs in Queensland – more specifically to a beautiful area called Mt Tyson (30 minutes from Toowoomba), which is home to friends of ours that are more like family.
You all know how much I love travelling (especially up to Queensland), and I am lucky enough to be able to travel up north quite often throughout the year.
However, one area that I wish we could visit more is the Darling Downs.
A farming region on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland, the Downs are one of the major regions in Queensland, and is an area of Australia that I highly recommend you take time to visit.
We have been travelling up to the Darling Downs ever since I was little, and each time we head up there I always feel at ease, relaxed and I am able to re set my mind.
The beautiful landscape is extremely fertile agricultural land and is home to a number of pretty, historic towns and several wineries.
Whilst on this particular trip, we were lucky enough to do a little bit of travelling around the area, to visit some unique and beautiful boutique shopping spots.
We made trips into Pittsworth, Toowoomba and Dalby, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that each of these towns had some great shopping experiences!
Visiting these small towns, and the local businesses got me thinking just how important it is to have these unique, boutique shopping experiences – and how even more important it is to support local businesses in the regions that we visit!
Generally, 9 times out of 10 when you visit local boutiques you end up finding a particular item that you just can’t imagine heading home without.
Am I right?
For me, this one particular item was from a gorgeous shop in Pittsworth called Lilly Pilly Place.
It was here where I found this super chic gingham style shirt with ruffle sleeves.
It really was love at first site. We all know how much I love a good ruffle sleeve!
What I adore about this top (besides the dramatic ruffle sleeves), is it’s high neckline and the fact that it’s long enough to tuck in, just like I’ve done here with this Levi’s Denim Skirt, and tied it all together with this cute Gold Buckle Belt (which comes in a pack of two!).
To tie the look together, I decided to give the “baker boy” hat a go!
I will be honest, I’ve been searching for a while for the best style of baker boy hat for me, and have finally settled on this one. I love that it’s a wool – mix fabric style with flat top and a curved peak.
And, the rope and button detailing just tops it off!
I think you’ll find me wearing this hat quite often… I love it!
So, the message from this blog post? SUPPORT LOCAL BOUTIQUES!
Forget your H&M’s and Zara’s when travelling interstate, and instead go hunting for smaller stores that offer unique brands and products.
You never know what you might find, AND you know exactly where all your pennies are going when you make a purchase.
Get the look!
Gingham Ruffle Shirt – Everly Collective, bought from Lilly Pilly Place / Denim Skirt –Levi’s / Shoes- Seed / Baker Boy Hat – Asos / Belt – Asos
Photography by simonarphotography.com
