What I picked up in the sales....

I wasn't actually planning to shop the sales this year. I was away travelling at Christmas, so had a bit of a digital detox and refrained from all temptation online activity. I came back to London the following week, fully aware that the best of the sales had probably already all been scooped up, so there'd be no point in even looking. But you know how it is. A curious little peek here, a curious little peek there. And voilà, there were actually plenty of good things left. Or maybe it was just good timing of when the more organised sales hunters start to return their goods. This year I chose quality over quantity. It may seem massively 'spendy', but I'm justifying the means in that I'm moving into my new home this year, I can't take all my clothes with me, so I'm trying to cull the existing and refine my wardrobe to the basics. It was a pricey way of doing it admittedly, but definitely a good start into achieving my capsule wardrobe!

Embellished blouse - £90 £51.95

The classiest and comfiest of white blouses. Annoying this one has been reduced even further since I bought it, but that's life! But I loved it enough, and was relieved to pick one up before it sold out!

Bronze pleat skirt - £130 £50
This was a bit of an impulse purchase as I hadn't tried a midi skirt before, so wasn't sure if the length would suit me. But I love how they look paired with chunky knits and heeled ankle boots on the catwalk or in fashion week street photography. I went for one in this lovely bronze sort of colour. It is the skirt of dreams.

Floral Oxfords -  £138 £54.95
This was another in-store find, and another incredible saving. They are the marmite of the shoe world - kinda pretty, also quite alternative and weird - but I absolutely love them.

White boyfriend shirt [not pictured]
This was another in-store (Anthropologie), which I can't find online anywhere. I love wearing knits with a collar peeking out of them and this textured, and for lack of better words... "embossed dot" collar is a lot more interesting than a standard, stiff white collar. It's the sort of shirt which would also look great worn under a pair of dungarees or a jumpsuit.

Kitten heel boots - £49.99 £39.99 £19.99
I love the playfulness of knee high boots worn with a little skirt. I'd been on the hunt for some for a while, but never found any that were quite delicate or dainty enough. I think I may have found them!

Velvet stud blouse - £49.99 £25.00
I also found the most incredible black little sheer blouse with velvet and stud detailing which makes me feel like a boho cowboy/girl. This one sold out and is no longer online so can't link to this one - sorry!

Twill Tulip Shorts - £68 £19.95
Weirdly enough the XS were more expensive (£26.95) whereas S and upwards were cheaper! These sold out really quickly so I didn't get my size unfortunately and had to size up. But you know what? These are actually better with a more relaxed fit. They are more flattering on the leg, and these shorts look divine peeking out from under an oversized knit. These shorts have definitely been my wardrobe staple lately.

Camel coat - £120 £84
Sadly this coat had sold out in the River Island online sale, but by chance I found one here. I'd noticed and loved this coat back when it was full price, so pretty chuffed to find it in the sale. It did sell out in record time though. So I was stoked when casually I went onto the site one day and saw they had one more left in my size!

Maple trousers - £100 £29.95
I live in jeans and have always wanted some smarter and comfier trousers. These were an absolute bargain and I was amazed by such a generous saving. I love the leaf print, very autumnal

Scallop shirt (also available in petite) - £80.00 £22.95
Be it food or fabric, I do like a scallop. This offering is slouchy, comfortable and so much more interesting than a bog standard shirt. You can never have too many white shirts!

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So as you can see, my wardrobe basics are coming along nicely! Of course a few non sale items worked their way in too ;) but that's always the way!

The best of the Zara sale

When it comes to the Zara sale you have to act fast. The girls at work mentioned its impending arrival the night before, and wanted to go there the next day at 1 ish. But experience has taught me that you can't wait that long. People burst into stores first thing in the morning and all the good stuff goes within hours. So if you have something in mind that you want to catch in the sales, you need to get in there early. Fortunately I had a spare few minutes whilst eating breakfast the morning of the launch so managed to pick up some gems online. Here are my top picks from this time around...

Cropped white cami £17.99 £12.99

Blue striped skirt £25.99 £17.99

Blue shift dress £39.99 £29.99

Nude lace dress £39.99 £29.99

White lace dress £69.99 £49.99

White star cut out dress £59.99 £39.99

Tie die sweatshirt £25.99 £15.99

As always, the money off in the Zara sale isn't that great. £10 off? Gee thanks Zara for your being oh so generous. But seeing as Zara notoriously doesn't offer promo codes, this probably accounts for why people get so excited about the Zara sale in particular. Money off is money off, right? And a few pounds off here and there may not sound like much, but when you add everything you saved on your shop, it really does add up. I calculated that I saved £83 off my shop compared to if I'd paid it full price - every little helps!

The NEXT big thing

At work the other day I read an article written by one of our journalists about how the British High Street fared over the festive period. I don't know if you've noticed, but more and more retailers are starting their sales on the lead up to Christmas ahead of Boxing Day. However Next held off until the New Year - a strategy which paid off and as a result, they came out on top. Reportedly their sales were up 7.7 per cent and their online sales, up 21 per cent over the festive period. But having seen their key trends Christmas catwalk, this does not surprise me in the slightest as they had such a strong A/W campaign. Right before Christmas I popped into my local store and found the perfect winter warmers:

NEXT soft to the touch cream jumper

NEXT jumper styled with Boohoo necklace and Zara coat

This cream furry jumper is something a little bit different to the fluffy eyelash sweaters which seem to be everywhere at the moment. Plus I find some of those knits really itch and irritate my skin. White / cream personally isn't one of the most flattering colours on me, but when I touched the material in-store, I fell in love. Softest material ever. I got in my usual size - 8 - but it's a little over-sized so I probably should've gone smaller. It's over-sized, comfy and long line so you can even wear with leggings. It's been perfect for layering with on long commutes and for trips to the cinema where I always feel a bit nippy.

NEXT faux fur collar cardigan

NEXT cardigan styled with Zara coat

The faux fur trim cardigan is similar to one I saw in Topshop once and is nice and cosy layered under my khaki Zara miltary coat. I wore it to Clothes Show Live here and it kept me nice and snuggly when I was coming home from Birmingham and waiting outside in the cold for a very delayed train. Whenever I wear it I feel like a Game of Thrones extra. WINTER IS COMING

I've been really impressed with both items so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Next has to offer in the coming year!

WORLDWIDE WARDROBE

Approaching the end of the financial year is always a busy time for our office. Early starts and late finishes mean that when I leave work, I rarely switch off. My mind is always buzzing and thinking ahead to tomorrow's tasks. Gawd, I need a vacation. Once July swings around, I'm free to travel. I dream of:

• escaping my desk
• sight-seeing
• actually having the time to sit and read a book from cover-to-cover
• having the chance to take my new DSLR out

But where to go?

Clutch (£15 - now out of stock) // Dress // Earrings // Ring // Shoes // Nail polish / YSL lipstick 

When going out for cocktails, I don't think you can ever go wrong with a LBD. I loved this lace high neck version from Lipsy as this is very "me" and the sort of style I usually go for. With that incredible lace detail, I wanted the high neck to remain the focus of the outfit - so would pull my hair back and instead of a necklace, would accessorise with statement earrings, a red lip, and nails of a similar shade. And obviously when going out for cocktails, a cocktail ring is a necessity! :) I fell in love with these heels as the embellishment reminds me a little of that beautiful Zara necklace that the whole world snapped up before I had the chance to! To inject some colour into the outfit, I chose out a neon lime clutch to compliment the gems in the shoes.

Trench coat // Lace dress // Ballet pumps // Rose gold watch // Bag

The French get the city look so right - effortlessly chic, yet comfortable for spending the whole day on your feet. Paris in particular brings out a romantic side to me where I am attracted to neutral colours. This lace dress from Next fits the bill perfectly. I would wear this Zara trench coat on top as weather wise, I find Paris to be a lot like London - there's sure to be a spot of rain here and there. For a day on your feet, flats are essential. I loved the lady-like quality of this bag and it's a good size for carrying everything around with you all day. Rose gold is a big love of mine and this Michael Kors look-alike from Next would ensure that I get to the Eurostar terminal on time! I would use some of my spare change for a very French accessory - a baguette - which I would sit with in my favourite park, Buttes Chaumont, watching the world go by.

Playsuit // Ring // Clutch // Jacket // Boots // Nail polish // Bag

Although I live in London, I feel so out of touch with the city. There's so many touristy things I'd love to do - like see the Tower of London - and I rarely get the chance to go shopping (I think I've only been to Westfield once!) I love a print, so this paisley playsuit from AX Paris really caught my eye. Also, playsuits are so easy to get out of in the changing rooms! ...pretty much naked in one swoop! ;) My look is usually quite monochrome so I paired the black and white print with... quelle surprise... a black and white jacket. I loved this one from Missguided as it's different to a standard leather jacket. I live in ankle boots because they're just so comfortable for all occasions - whether it be shopping, going to gigs, etc. Urban Outfitters do lots of cute wallets at the moment which double up as phone holders - very handy for clubbing as well as shopping. I chose this design in particular as I love a bit of Aztec print! I always wear rings and the more unusual, the better! I was stunned at how amazingly priced this one from Boohoo was. Lastly, so that this outfit wasn't too monochrome, I added this bag and a glittery nail polish for a splash of colour.

Body harness // Playsuit // Sunglasses // Headband // Wedges // Rose gold cuff // Clutch // Nail Wraps

I wanted to keep this look quite simple, so went for white as the main theme with gold accents from the accessories (gold looks amazing with a tan!). The clutch is perfect for going out but wouldn't look out of place during the day either. I loved the neckline of the playsuit so didn't want a necklace to distract attention away from this. During the day, I would wear this playsuit as it comes, with the sunglasses (how cool are these?!). Later when heading to a club, I would mix up the playsuit a little by adding this body harness - it isn't too "out there" so you can still see the cut out aspects of the playsuit through it. When clubbing, I also like to be wearing some sort of statement accessory which is why I chose out the Grecian style head band. I guess you could even wear the sunglasses in the club too! I chose wedges rather than heels because it's far more feasible partying until the early hours in wedges. Rather than appearing too monochrome, I added a splash of colour with the nail wraps. With £60.82 left over, that's useful extra funds for club entry and drinks!

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The above is my entry for Travel Supermarket's latest competition where a holiday for each of the above cities is up for grabs as well as £200 to purchase your winning outfit! To enter, you need to create a look for as many of the categories as you like, with a budget of £200 per outfit. To find out more, you can read all about the competition on their website: www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/worldwide-wardrobe/ 

Which of my looks is your favourite? 

Autumn/Winter #PassionForFashion

Autumn / Winter is my favourite time of the year for fashion, so when I was contacted by Money Supermarket inviting me to take part in their Passion For Fashion campaign, it was a no brainer! I was asked to create five different Autumn / Winter looks – party, casual, office, outdoor and first date – with a budget of £200 per look using UK online fashion retailers. The aim being to locate good value products and make savings where possible. 

My outfits took me absolutely ages to create but it was really fun!
Please read on to see my take on all five looks....

Playsuit - Urban Outfitters - £38

Jacket - Republic - £30

Necklace - H&M - £34.99

Wedges - Republic - £20

Bag - Zara - £19.99

Lashes - Matalan - £3

Lipstick - Topshop - £8

Nail polish - Topshop - £6

Lace socks - River Island - £4.50

TOTAL: £164.48

I felt like this playsuit was excellent value for money because of its potential versatility in the autumn / winter months. Not only can it be dressed up, but it could also be used as shorts for a more casual look when teamed with an oversized knit. I have chosen to keep the colour palette fairly simple for this look with a black and white theme. Rather than just wearing the wedges as they are, I would pair them with these lace socks. I really like the socks and heels trend at the moment and feel these lace ones completely change up the look – simple wedges suddenly look like lacy shoe boots. All for a mere £24.50 in total for both the wedges and socks (I found this to be cheaper than most pairs of shoes when scouring the web). The wedges were a bargain sale find from Republic where I also found this lovely jacket for a mere £30. I was really shocked by this price as I feel that it looks a lot more expensive. Every party outfit needs a statement piece of jewellery. I saw this H&M necklace – which is a little pricier than I’d usually pay for H&M jewellery – but it is well worth the investment as it would be perfect for December party season and New Years (it would really transform a simple little black dress). The Zara bag was just £19.99 and is another versatile product for this season – I would have plenty of use for it day time too and it wouldn’t look out of place in the office either. And being a party look, fake lashes, lippy and a splash of nail polish add to the look subtly without outshining the main talking points of the outfit: the playsuit and necklace. 

Dress - H&M - £34.99

Bag - Accessorize - £35

Jacket - Boohoo - £35

Heels - H&M - £29.99

Nail polish - Topshop - £6

Underwear set - Topshop - £26

Necklace - ASOS - now reduced to £16!

Stockings - Tesco - £9

TOTAL: £191.98

For a first date, you want to make an effort (after all, it would be nice to score a second date) but not go too overboard. I feel that this outfit encompasses the smart casual look well. The dress could be worn everywhere – meaning that you will get your money’s worth in no time at all – and it is a great transitional piece as not only does it look wintery, but it also wouldn’t look out of place in the spring / summer months. I feel a bit naked without jewellery and loved the simplicity of this ASOS necklace which has been reduced down in the sale since the first time that I saw it. In this country we can’t really survive autumn / winter with bare legs, so I chose out these lacy stockings to give my make-believe date a nice surprise. I always feel so much more confident when wearing a nice underwear set – plus it’s fun knowing what’s underneath when he doesn’t! ;) For a splash of colour, I added a floral handbag, H&M heels and some nail polish in a closely matching shade. I love the berry red kind of colour – especially around Christmas time. So that the outfit didn’t appear too girly – or too formal for a first date – I toughed up the look with a leather jacket. I couldn’t believe that this jacket was only £30 from Boohoo! It looks so much more expensive and would get so much wear across all months – not just the autumn / winter ones.

Blouse - Zara - £29.99

Mary Janes - Tesco - £15

Skirt - Urban Outfitters - £30

Satchel - Bershka - £25.99

Blazer - Yayer - £50

Tights - Topshop - £4

TOTAL: £154.98

Office wear is a difficult one. You want to dress smartly for work but at the same time, buying suits can only get you so far. A good suit will set you back quite a bit of money plus it’s kind of restricted to work and interviews. When adding to my work wardrobe, I always keep my eye out for pieces that I can wear outside of work too (this way the items get a lot more wear out of them). I chose out this skirt as it’s such a versatile piece. I feel like it can be worn across the year and dressed up or down accordingly. In this instance I would wear with simple black tights and these Mary Jane shoes that are a mere £15 from Tesco (I kid you not!). Normally my outfit of choice involves either a) a very long necklace or b) a shorter but very sparkly necklace. However when I found this Zara blouse with the amazing high neck detail, I knew that jewellery had no place here. To keep the Victorian neckline the focus of outfit, I would tuck the loose tunic fit of the top into the skirt. For those chilly autumn / winter months, bare arms are a big no no. I fell in love with this Yayer jacket which has a military aspect to it with the buttons, as well as a preppy “school” kind of feel. Keeping with the school theme, I added this satchel which is so much cheaper than other satchels out there (Cambridge Satchel Company, I’m looking at you!) and is a lot more unique with the floral detail. 

 Cardigan - Boohoo - £25

Boots - Boohoo - £40

Dress - Republic - £30

Fleece - Boohoo - £25

Backpack - Republic - £20

Umbrella - Matalan - £5

Mittens - Tesco - £5

Socks - Urban Outfitters - £8

TOTAL: £158

The outdoors is quite a tricky one in Britain because our weather is so varied. One minute it’ll be bitterly cold and pouring with rain, the other it will be quite mild. My outdoor look makes use of layering so you are prepared for all possible types of weather! Seeing as we can’t guarantee dry, warm weather I chose out these insanely cute cat mittens and lacy umbrella. At just £5 each, these items don’t break the bank and can be stowed away in the Aztec backpack when not needed. To keep my feet warm, I would wear these toasty looking socks with these long boots which are a mere £40 from Boohoo. I choose out this dress in particular as although it is used in a casual context here, it can also be easily dressed up with some of the items from my other looks. For the layering part of my look, I would wear this very soft and warm looking fleece on top of the dress and then on top of that, use this Aztec cardigan as a coat. Together, the fleece and cardigan come to £50 and are probably much warmer than a standard coat (which will most certainly be more expensive). 

Cape - Asda - £10

Top - Lipsy - £40

Shorts - Miss Selfridge - £39

Knee highs - River Island - £8

Nail wraps - Missguided - £6.65

Slippers - Republic - £10

TOTAL: £113.65

I took “casual” to mean the sort of autumn / winter look I’d wear when chilling indoors watching movies with friends. Normally around the house I’ll wear denim cut offs with long socks and a cape - so I tried to stay true to that within this look. When being casual at home, I always like to experiment with my nails – whether it be trying new colours or nail art. In this instance I’ve chosen out these very cute nail wraps from Missguided. The Asda cape is an absolute bargain for £10 as since it’s reversable, it’s like having two different capes! To play on the cape’s monochrome look, I would wear with black knee highs (perfect for layering under trousers in the colder months) and this loose fitting, comfy looking white Lipsy top. Normally I would wear a necklace with the top and a belt with the shorts, but I feel like the embellishment on both items already give the desired effect. And if you and your mates decide to go out after all, the glitzy top and shorts will see you through as they are a little more dressy. To go the whole hog with the casual look, I would probably wear some ballet pump style slippers. I was sold when I found these owl slippers online. Lots of slippers online at the moment seem to be wintery themed - what with reindeer print and snowflake print - which does limit you a little bit. These cuties won’t break the bank at only £10 and the best thing? They aren’t autumn / winter specific so can be used all year round. RESULT!

So there you have it. Those are my five looks.

Would you wear any of these? 

Which is your favourite look?