A Rare Double French Sole Purchase

It's been a while since I've popped to Bicester Village so I had a rare day off with both my girls now in school and had a good browse.  I knew French Sole had 'moved in' and the range they had to offer didn't disappoint.  I know there are so many other flat style shoes about that are a lot more on trend however for me, the classic ballerina stye works and if it ain't broke.......

Their styles do vary, some show a lot of toe cleavage which isn't for me but I found the above in my sizes, £80 for the metallic and £60 for the animal.  I have the animal already but it's a darker base coloured fur and a red trim.  I love them and they have worn so well being at least 5 years old.  It was a tough call as I loved the metallic however after a few wears I felt the leather would show my toe mark more (which hasn't happened on my current fur ones).  

Not being one to rush into a decision I had them both held then went back at the end and settled on the animal print pair.  As you can see above, my current ones have loosened up a lot.  They do come up small so I go up a size in them and they are still tight.  I got a further 10% off with my VIP card (AA customers - make sure you use this additional offer as it's not known that well!) so at £54 I thought they were a bargain.  They RRP at £135.

Dress; Topshop
Top; Boden
Shoes; French Sole (Bicester Village)
Bag; Prada (Bicester Village)

I wore them the very next day and although they pinched a little, I know they will loosen up.  I am so pleased with them, I love how a little animal print can just add a touch of glam to an outfit.  The sun shone so I wore them with one of my favourite purchases this year, my Topshop pinafore dress.  

My Bargain Buy!

Sometimes I do believe I have a way of sniffing out those bargains.  It does pain me to pay full price for things but I think that always ensuring I have a wardrobe with the basics allows me to not have to 'need' items.  I do therefore tend to buy a few random pieces based on what I like at very good prices.  Shopping out of season is always a staple of mine, sandals in the winter and snow boots in the summer - I make my pennies go far!  So when I saw these Nike trainers below at the Swindon outlet centre, I knew I didn't really need them but thought they were quirky and I pretty much live in flats.  On top of those quick 'pro these trainers' tot up in my head was the £13.50 price tag.  I kid you not.  The back wall was full of trainers all at 50% off the last marked price.  Seriously, our lunch cost more than these!

They are called the 'Genicco' print but aren't readily available online so possibly a discontinued line.  Schuh have a good selection in at the moment and I really like these (not as good as my price tag I know!).

Nike £46.99

Brantano also have these which are pretty similar in style just a little brighter!

Nike £58

Office also have a good range of Nike (including my much loved Thea's - a few colours in their sale) but I rather like these burgundy ones seens as we are heading towards Autumn now!

Nike £48

If you are just getting into the trainer game I would possibly start with a black pair.  My Thea's are 2 years old now and still look great and I love wearing them.  I really like these at Asos which are reduced from £55.  Black just seems to fill the gap between a shoe and a trainer nicely.

Nike £38.50

One last note about trainers, I would size up.  All of my trainers are half a size bigger than my normal shoes.

Denim Pinafores & Leopard Joggers!

I'm home and back in the land of good wifi!  The Topshop pinafore dress I talked about back in this post arrived and stayed straight away.  The black didn't as it was out of stock but that's fine, I'm happy with what I have.  It's been the most versatile piece, so easy and different from my other Topshop denim dress that had short sleeves, I love that I can wear things underneath from t-shirts to long sleeved tops.

I can't find this one online now so it's probably best to check your local store.  It was £38 however this one for £35 is very similar.

Topshop Pini Dress £35

In the same order came some joggers.  I love clothes, I really do but truth be told, I am at my most comfiest with my jogging bottoms on at the end of the day.  I've never paid too much attention to them, they just have to fit and feel comfy.  However it's been pointed out on a number of occasions,  the 'saggy bum' that the ones I have give me.....major fashion fail!  So until my freshly planted red robin bushes are high enough to hide me from my neighbours whilst watering them I thought it best I purchase something a little less eye watering.

Leopard Print Jogger £30

No full on shot in these yet, just a late night long road trip to Cornwall!
Bit of an animal print lover me.....

These have done a great job.  They sit slightly higher up than my others - quite possibly why they don't have a saggy bum affect and the print ticks all the boxes for me.  Time will tell what they look like after a few months as the fibre composition isn't great but I took a chance.  I'd even say they look good enough to quite happily pop to the shops in without feeling too disgraced!

Don't forget to check the last of their sales dregs online, I have managed to grab a pair of shoes which are a little marmite; I love them, the rest of my house think they are one of my fashion choices which majorly don't work.  At £20 from £59, suede (my favourite for shoes) and leather lined, I just love the little quirky style of them and think they are worth a gamble.

Top; Topshop however now sold out online I'm afraid.  It was called 'embroidered flute tee' in case you wanted to keep checking.

The New Leather Bag & A Gentle Reminder To Myself

I am only a little blog, I don't do this full time, it's purely a hobby that sits alongside my styling business and being a Mummy so I still get excited when I'm approached by a company to review a product.  It's a novelty that never wears off (and apologies in advance, for some reason they've come in a flurry so expect a few more over the coming weeks).  Mandy's Heaven contacted me to see if there was anything I fancied reviewing from their online store, naturally I went straight to the handbags.  I was even more excited that the one I homed in on was leather and made in Italy.  Result.

Sweater & Jeans; Topshop
Bag; Mandy's Heaven
Shoes; Timberland
Cat; My Own 

Unfortunately this bag is now out of stock but they have some other fabulous ones in, in particular this suede one that like mine, can be used as a clutch as well as a cross body bag.  It's also available in other colours.  Have a look here to see their collection.  

£32

So the little reminder to oneself - have you guessed it yet?  You know I always harp on about fibre compositions (check the Italian leather handbag reference?!?).  Well I haven't been 100% true to myself and bought two sweaters in the last 6 months from my beloved Topshop that I really shouldn't have.  I love this one I'm wearing in these photos but without planning it - I was thinking about the handbag close up, the picture below shows the true extent of buying a sweater that isn't made to last.  Insert a sulky face there if I could.  Now for some, they accept it, it doesn't bother them but me, I like my pennies to go a long way and pride myself on buying well made, stylish clothes to remain in my wardrobe for a good few years at least.  I got carried away with the sweatshirt trend and as you can see below, the jumper is now matted and not as fluffy as it was a few months ago.  It is made from 66% polyester, 22% cotton and 11 % viscose.  My other one is 76% polyester and 24% cotton. The cotton content was just not enough to stop them looking tatty in less than 6 months.  Such a shame.

I'm sorry Topshop, you are absolutely still one of my favourite shops on our High Street and I fully support you and all the hard work you do.  You provide on trend pieces for a wide variety of age groups, I just got this one wrong.  It wasn't pricey at under £30, I'm just a hard working Mummy not a frivolous teenager and I expect a lot for my buck.

Readers - don't ever say I'm not honest in my own little blog space on the World Wide Web!

Another Topshop Gem - The Animal Print Shoe

I featured these as a 'Bargain Buy' a while back but then I saw them in the flesh the pictures on line don't do them justice!  They come up big and there aren't any left online so head to a store to hunt some down.  At £30 for a leather shoe and some animal print, they will be a great addition to any wardrobe.  

Topshop £30

I tried on a 3 and they were too big!  My feet are shrinking I fear but I'm definitely not a 2 so they do come up big. 

If you can't find them but are still in need of a court shoe with a little something else, I love these red suede ones with tassels at the back.  A great shoe to dress up a jean or add something fun to a formal outfit. 

Topshop Tassel Court £52

The Gucci Bargain

A quick little lesson and a post I have kept meaning to share since the start of the year!  Sales shopping is the ideal time to invest, especially in brands that are usually well out of your reach and don't be put off by the scraggly pieces as they are often the gems.  Cue this purple number from Gucci.  They had a very small rail with something like a 'special price' gold sign below - very discreet!  Some odd items left on Boxing Day (yes, I braved Bicester Village on Boxing Day!) and this top jumped out at me.  It clearly needed a good iron but the cut looked stunning - especially around the sleeves, it was made of cotton and silk, it was a beautiful colour and the price, well it was £400 down to £45!  I took a snap of the ticket just to remind me what a bargain it was!

Even pre an iron it was a no brainer and more so as my sister offered to buy it as an early birthday present for me.  

A tad naughty but I wore it before my birthday as we were off to our friends for New Years Eve and I just wanted a nice new top to wear.  I kept the rest of the outfit simple as once the bow was done up that really was the focal point.  I did add a tiny additional piece of fun with an animal print belt.  I love this top, I can see it staying in my wardrobe for years.  Don't be afraid to go into the big designer stores - you just never know what you may find!

Top; Gucci
Belt; J Crew
Trousers; Topshop

I am always rushing to get out the house, especially when my girls are also on a mission to get their outfit sorted...Hence the grainy shots and the only full half decent shot included them!

Shoes; Boden (Alice flats and my real life Alice to the right!)

Urban Outfitters Finds

I was in London for my husbands birthday the other week and he wanted a stroll around some shops (who am I to say no that that).  I don't often go into Urban Outfitters so it was a great chance to have a browse.  I loved this sweater with 'Saturdays & Sundays' on by brand 'Truly Madly Deeply', it was a lovely shade of grey and a terry towelling, casual material too.  I have a slight sweater problem (amongst others; faux fur, stripes and animal print to name a few) so I showed some restraint and held back on it. 

Truly Madly Deeply jumper £39

They have a few other pieces from this brand online but I especially like this one below.

'Bad Habits' jumper 

Predictable I know but I also naturally gravitated towards a breton.  This one is by 'BDG' - their own brand  and was a thick cotton, more than a t-shirt but less than a jumper thickness wise if that makes sense!  I was very tempted with this one as I love the pink for Spring but as with the sweater above, I held back that day and was a good girl.  

BDG breton £29

They also had it in navy.

Just throwing one last breton in their from them, a red and navy t-shirt one.  It is nice to add a little colour if you're a breton addict and the red is another great option.

BDG Bold Stripe £18

Black Friday - Keeping It Simple With M&S

I haven't gone mad like my inbox has with Black Friday, I am finding it all a little too much to be honest.  Some shops offering 10% over a certain spend when actually they hand out better deals than that with their catalogues - do they think we are that stupid?  It is hard not to get caught up with it all though but the one shop I salute to the way they've done it is good old Marks & Spencer. Keeping it simple with easy to navigate discounts in store and online, I headed straight to the 50% off sections - after all, this is about a proper bargain right - not a measly 10%.  Yes, things have sold out online but stores still have stock (my girls have got a gorgeous new winter coat at 50% off from my local store). Just to give you an idea - here's a few of my favourite half price deals online.  

Yes THIS skirt is half price from £199 down to £99.50 - all suede and featured in numerous magazines!

I've always been a fan of their cashmere, this one is £129 down to £64.50.  There is green online as well and quite possibly the grey was in on the deal - again, check your local store for more options

We all need an animal print coat in our lives - trust me, you will wear it more than you think!  This one is  £129 down to £64.50

Only certain colours left online but their classic crew neck cashmere is now £37.50 from £75!  

I wouldn't be without my fur hooded parka for the school runs - it's the best coat to have.  This one is £39.50 from £79 an utter bargain.

Finishing with another coat - because Winter brings out my coat problem, that literally is all I want to buy right now!  I fancied some Sex & The City mid week so I put on the first film.  When I saw this coat below it reminded me of Carries - yes, I know the outfits inside out!

This is £69 down to £34.50 and I actually think I would have to buy it if I saw it in my size and it fits!  Regardless of whether I need it or not as to quote Carrie; "it's not logical, it's emotional".

There's more so please go and have a look, I honestly think they've nailed it by making it a select amount and easy to navigate.  There is 30% off a ton more items but being the bargain hunter I am, those items will probably go down further in their sale which no doubt will start in a couple of weeks anyway, so I can wait.  Unless of course you are present shopping then go for it!

PS This is not a sponsored post by any means - I am just sharing the bargains!

Winter Warmers

Aside from the fact I generally don't do cold, the Winter months for me are a long drawn out process, I feel the cold terribly but the saving grace being that I do love knitwear.  We are so lucky to have a fantastic High Street in the UK that offers what we need in a broad range of prices.  Uniqlo always has great basics (and some quirky ones too!) at affordable prices.  Both of the jumpers below are 100% wool and come in a variety of colours. 

Uniqlo £24.90

Uniqlo £19.90

This star jumper from Hush has a mix of fibres but some cashmere and wool in it still for warmth.  I'm a big fan of prints like this, it just makes putting on a jumper that bit more fun and interesting rather than a block colour style. 

Scatter Star Jumper now £70

I haven't looked at BrandAlley for a while.  I used to use them a while back but got put off due to a few errors on their part.  A nice lad did sort it for me so I should really give them a try again.  They have a Joseph sale going on at the moment - be quick, currently one grey cashmere hoodie left - I'm wondering if it has my name on.....

Joseph Grey Hooded Cashmere Jumper £315 down to £89

Joseph 100% Wool Snowflake Jumper £295 down to £75

H&M's Premium Quality range has some timeless pieces in great materials.  Merino, cashmere, leather and suede, definitely worth a look here.  This grey Merino sweater is £29.99 and comes in dark grey as well.  They always have a promotional code floating about (currently 3169 gets you 25% off) which makes these a steal.

H&M Merino Jumper £29.99

This Cashmere and wool polo-neck comes in burgundy and dark grey. Burgundy is one of my favourite colours for this coming season.  These are also great for tucking into a skirt.

H&M Cashmere & Wool Polo-Neck £49.99

Finishing off with a classic favourite of mine - a breton jumper from Boden.  This Alexa jumper has a combination of fabrics but some cashmere and wool thrown in for good measure.  This version is currently on sale at £41.30 however there are cheaper colour options available in this style starting from £34.30.  Click on the link below the image to go through and have a look.  

Boden Alexa Jumper £41.30