Shopping the sales

Tell me, was I the only one not excited about the sales this year? I of course had a snoop, but nothing really excited me. There are so many sales and offers pre-Christmas now (hello Black Friday and Cyber Monday!), the January sales aren't quite what they used to be. I'll be honest, I didn't buy anything until the other week. Being this far into January you would think that all the good gear would have gone already... but nope. If there's one thing I've learnt... there's always time!

The slogan sweat

Long time readers will know that I love anything French. The Reiss French sweaters are my faves <3

I was in town the other day and noticed:

1. my local Gap Outlet was holding a sale event
2. this navy blue loveliness in the window

I tried it on and it was like the jumper was made for me. In a I-can't-believe-it-fits-so-perfectly kind of way. Thanks to the Gap sale, I paid less than £20 which is amazing value considering that Gap knitwear is such good quality and always lasts the test of time.

Silent Night Hotel Luxe bedding

The boring one! I was after a spare duvet for when friends come to stay but when I spotted that this duvet was 50% off, I selfishly decided to keep for myself! Straight from Silent Night's Hotel Collection, it does what it says on the tin. It's luxurious, cosy and like sleeping in a super fluffy cloud. I also bought the matching pillows which are extremely satisfying sinking into. It has made such a difference to my sleeping patterns and quality of sleep. There are some things in life worth investing in, and bedding is definitely up there!

Christmas cards

Yawn, Christmas cards. But hear me out. How about a box of cards for... 24p? No joke, I went to my local Card Factory and they had some amazing deals on boxes of cards that were only 99p in the first place. I bought two boxes (the second was a box of 30!) for the grand price of 48p and look how cute they are:

Anthropologie

Remember last year when I got super spendy in Anthropologie? I must admit, I did get lured in the other day by an extra 20% off all sale fashion. That old chestnut. But this in itself warrants it's own post. I could literally spend all day browsing the Anthropologie website! <3

Did you pick up anything nice in the sales this year?

The best of the Anthropologie sale

You know me. I like Anthropologie. A lot. And shopping the Anthropologie January sale has become some what of an annual tradition. Unlike some other sales which only reduce things by a few pounds (*cough* Zara *cough*), there are always some decent savings to be had at Anthropologie. This year I wasn't quite as spendy as last year (post here), however I did found some incredible savings on the website. Here are my top picks of the sale this year:

Off the shoulder dress - £98 £28.95
I'm not usually the biggest fan of pink, but the velvet detailing is beautiful and catches in the light to create the illusion of more red / burgundy tones. This looks like the comfiest dress and off the shoulder doesn't just have to be for summer!

Blue printed skirt - £148 £37.95
Anthropologie are at the top of their game with skirts at the moment. I loved everything about how this skirt was styled (those strappy shoes though!). Sadly my size sold out before I could get my hands on one :(

Denim shirt dress - £118 £37.95
You can't go wrong with denim and this looks like the slouchiest, comfiest dress. Perfect for those days when you don't know what to wear, you can just throw a dress like this on and be ready to face the world. This was on my wish list but again, I was late to the game and my size sold out :(

Navy embroidered coat - £378 £188.95
What a coat! The most perfect over-sized coat with pretty gold embroidery around the hem and cuffs which would elevate any outfit. I would wear this draped over my shoulders cape style.

Gold print skirt - £108 £53.95
If you like gold and copper, then this is the skirt for you! This metallic print livens up an otherwise simple black skirt and gives it added warmth. Pair with a plain black knit or tee to keep the print the star of the show.

Blue off the shoulder dress - £118 £34.95
Yes, perhaps more of a summer dress... but it's never too early to build up your summer wardrobe right?! My size sold out in record time but I wait with baited breath in the hope that someone returns one!

Velvet slip dress - £158 £49.95
The most beautiful dress with rich jewel tones. And such a versatile piece. Wear with jumper on top to highlight a seriously dreamy skirt. Or with a white tee or long sleeved top underneath for clever layering in this cold snap we're having.

Layered knit dress - £148 £29.95
On the website it says this dress is grey but it looks more pink to me? I love the marble effect. The beauty of this piece is that on the site it looks like the dress and knit aren't stitched together so you can mix and match them with your own clothes.

Blue pleated skirt - £198 £58.95
Another beautiful blue skirt. A skirt like this should take center stage. Pair with a plain white tee and statement necklace.

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I would seriously buy all of the above if I had the funds (I don't). So I limited myself to the two velvet dresses, the dusty pink layered dress and the embroidered coat. Their current extra 20% all sale clothing was a nice touch and is still active if you want to take advantage!

Which items are your favourites?

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!

Wedding vibes // Wedding outfit

Life lately in two words: Wedding Season. Every year for the last few years I've been honoured to be asked to be bridesmaid, but this year I had a little break from bridesmaid duties. Before now I've taken for granted the ease of knowing what I'll be wearing on the big day, and now fully appreciate how bridesmaids dresses can save you from weeks of indecisiveness about colours, lengths, strapless or not... Every time I found the perfect dress it would go out stock / not be available for home delivery or collection / potentially not arrive on time. Initially I was excited to pick out my own dress and choose a colour that I liked... but it seemed like fate was against me. Until I found my ideal dress from Miss Selfridge through the Debenhams website.

Light blue, strapless, not obscenely short AND in the sale. It was a sign. Then I noticed that frustrating word... "petite". Tall, curvy and proud of it, I am in no way petite. But the thought of letting the perfect dress slip through my fingers was too much to bear. I did a risky thing. I went ahead and ordered the dress - knowing full well that it would almost certainly be far too short on me. When it arrived and I found it wasn't a knicker flashing affair, it was a very special moment. Perfectly versatile for every day wear as well as weddings, this dress has already had lots of wear. With the added bonus of being quite so cheap in the sale, it saved me a fortune that I could have splurged on new wedding outfits.

If you like the look of the dress, it has now reduced down even further in the sale. Initially £25, it went down to £17.... then £12.50.... and now is £10.

I paired with a Forever 21 blazer, a New Look clutch (recycled from my previous bridesmaid duties!) and New Look peep toe heels. All of which were already in my wardrobe - so no further spending required!

The best of the Urban Outfitters sale

What constitutes a good sale? Is it scoring a huge discount and a basketful of cheap items? Or is the quality of items (things that you would actually buy even if not in the sale. And new recent ish stock rather than cast offs from two years back?). A few years ago I would have said the former. Back then I was all about getting something as cheaply as possible. That student life though. Nowadays I work full time and am more open minded about price - if it's good quality, won't go out style in a heart beat and will last, then that's reason enough for me to invest. Nowadays I only gravitate towards pieces I was already eyeing up before the sale. I tend to play it safe with nothing too out there -  so a basket of basics that will last as opposed to spending a lot more and taking a chance on odd quirky items just because they're a bargain. Urban Outfitters had some pieces that I'd eyed up a while ago but hadn't got around to ordering - so I was delighted to see some of the items from my wishlist come into the sale.

Navy pleated skirt £39 £25

I live for pleated skirts. I wear a lot of black so felt it was time to branch out and get some new colours in the wardrobe. I also found this very same skirt in an Alice In Wonderland blue (below) for a further £5 off.

Blue pleated skirt £39 £20

Berry jumper £35 £25

This lightweight sweater is perfect for this weird in-between weather where it can't seem to decide if its summer yet or not. And also a great way of subtly introducing a bit of colour to the darkest of wardrobes.

Stripe tee £58 £40

I'd eyed up this sweater long ago on UO but couldn't justify the £58 price tag. It's not a massive saving, but £40 is more my sort of budget at the moment (house hunting very much still in progress!). I thought they were blue and white stripes based on the product photos, but just read they're actually green stripes which is disappointing. Will still be chancing as I love how it's different to the traditional black and white Breton stripe.

Sleeveless blazer £59 £35

I've been after a sleeveless jacket for a while as they're a great cover up when it warms up a bit and you don't want to carry a massive coat around with you. Up until now, I've only ever seen these sleeveless duster type coats in white and I was after a warmer colour. This one in taupe fits the bill perfectly.

In the meantime I'd love to hear about any sale bargains you've found lately, the stores you recommend for the best sales or what you feel constitutes the perfect sale. Leave me a comment below - I always reply to all comments I receive - or alternatively Tweet me @Lucy_Angele

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!

New Year bargains from Forever 21

With the January sales no longer strictly starting in January - most start in December and it seems to be earlier and earlier every year(!) - I never really find anything when Boxing Day swings around. To get the best bargains you need to start looking early. And according to this year's papers, some people were queuing for the sales from 7pm on Christmas day. This I just can't get my head around. Christmas is a day to be spent with your loved ones, indulging in enough cheese to sink a small battle ship... right?! I ventured out to the sales on 27th December but nothing decent was left. Online wasn't much better either. However Forever 21 was an absolute cracker. All the below, at those prices, you'd imagine to be in the sale. But I've got news for you: everything below is non sale and full price.

Boxy stripe tee - £6.50

I love a striped breton tee as much as the next person and for £6.50 you just can't go wrong! I love how it's been styled with a pleated skirt - I own one just like this and this whole look will look amazing with knee high socks.

Collared sweater - £15.00

I love collars. Peter Pan collars. Lace collars. Shirt collars, Those collars that you can just clip onto a jumper for the effect. This collar and sweater combo is a mere £15. Forever 21 does have the sweater in other colours, but I'm boring and I like black. How awesome are the tweed jacket and loafers?! This is definitely the sort of look I tend to gravitate towards.

           Wire collar necklace - £3.50                                              Blogger PJ set - £10.65

£3.50 for a necklace... Toppers, please can you take note?! I oddly like the fact that it doesn't go entirely around your neck - it reminds me a little of headphones. Subtle and delicate, it's exactly what I go for in jewellery. I've enthused about Forever 21 pyjamas before, and found these incredible blogging pyjamas! I fell in love with the shorts which have little coffee mugs and laptops on them, and are the perfect shade of blue.

Did you find any New Year bargains?

#1 Currently Coveting: ASOS

Oh ASOS, you had me at “sale”. 

But up to 50% off? Oh you do spoil us.

Here’s what I’m currently coveting:

Toile de Jouy print dress - £28 – non sale

Oasis Cutwork shoulder bag - £40 – non sale

Motel Lucille dress - £40 - £20

River Island cat print skirt – £22 – non sale

Statement necklace - £40 - £32

Seriously tempting. Particularly as I can get an extra 10% off and cashback because of work.

The Motel dress looks better in motion in the weird video thing that ASOS do. It’s my birthday in less than a month’s time and I’m thinking birthday outfit right there. The Toile de Jouy print dress is so versatile. Perfect for the winter-spring transition but also great for festivals, gigs, and balmy summer nights spent in beer gardens. And screw designer handbags, this Oasis bag is THE BAG to have. Decisions, decisions...

Have you picked up any bargains in the sales lately?

Sales? What sales?

Those of you who have been with me right from the start know my thoughts on sales. This year was another disappointment. But January isn't over yet. And most places seem to be slashing their prices even further. I however refuse to call them January sales - most started pre-Christmas after all. 

I went to Watford to try my luck and found so little, I'm not sure it was worth the trip. Although saying that, I was pleasantly surprised by the Watford Primark, finding things that I couldn't possibly have got online:

... I grabbed some reduced cards in Clintons ready for next year:

... and then spent a mere £3 on a mini satchel in River Island:

Is it a key ring? Is it a mini purse? Who knows!

This thriftiness is very unlike me. But then sales weren't all that this year. I had better luck online with the likes of Zara:

... and two pairs of Jeffrey Campbells that have YET to turn up on my door step. Impatient much? I'm still seeking out a reduced pair of Dr. Martens / Timberlands / both

Did you pick up any sales bargains?

Forgive me, for I have sinned

Somebody please take my card away from me. Save me. The sales are too tempting. I am ever the sales sceptic (they’re usually rubbish) but this time around I have actually been really impressed with what the High Street has to offer.

Here, have a nose of my recent naughtiness:

ASOS bag: This bag caught my eye ages ago as it is so me (I get through a disgusting amount of cake). I was never going to pay £50 for it though so the 50% discount is a nice touch!

River Island men’s sweater: It’s way too big on me and I don’t care. It’s warm. It’s fleecy inside. It has galaxy print AND a dip dye effect. SCORE.

River Island shorts: After seeing Giselle’s post on DIY dip dye shorts, I’ve been keen to do some DIY of my own. However I spotted these shorts in the sale and took the easy way out! They will really spice up some of my black items of clothing.

ASOS shoes: I loved all these when they were full price… but £60 for a pair of shoes?! Honestly! Now these prices have been slashed, I am breaking my flatform virginity and braving these scarily high looking wedges.

Illustrated People blue glass tee: The pattern is dreamy and blue being my favourite colour meant that it was a no brainer!

River Island dress: Drop waist dresses don’t really suit me as I already have quite a long torso so they don’t do me any favours! I couldn’t resist this print though. The dress itself is so light – perfect for hot weather (if we ever see any in the UK!!)

River Island lace blazer: Hands up, I have blazer prejudice. I like them short and well cut. Something about this long line one called out to me. I’m guessing it was the lace… *lace fan girl right here!* Words cannot describe how amazing this looks worn. This will also be perfect for weddings and other formal occasions.

So there you have it. I have sinned. A lot. 

But as Jean-Paul Sartre said:

“If I satiate my desires, I sin but I deliver myself from them; if I refuse to satisfy them, they infect the whole soul”.

Good old Sartre!

What are your sins / guilty pleasures?

ASOS | River Island

The early bird gets the worm

The Topshop sale is now on!

I must admit, I was a little sceptical about their up and coming sale based on yesterday previews. That email promising you exclusivity and to “shop the sale before anyone else” gives you a little wave of excitement. The reality: a very poor selection and any useful sizes had already sold out.

This morning however is a whole other ball game. They have flippy skirted dresses. They have lace. They have pleated skirts. They have knitwear left, right and centre. Here’s a selection of what I picked up:

Have probably ordered more than I should have done...

But I blame morning tiredness and it being so damn early. 

The tiredness can only explain the madness of why I also ordered these:

Everyone needs an obligatory what-the-hell-were-you-thinking purchase in their basket, right?! Whilst I probably wouldn’t brave these as shorts, I’d happily team them with a long tee. I love the foil effect and the I’ve-got-in-a-paintball-fight-whilst-on-acid feel to them!