Monday 16 July 2012

How to Sale Shop Successfully

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Cloud leggings from Urban Outfitters c/o Voucher Codes
H tote bag from Urban Outfitters c/o Voucher Codes
Dress from Topshop
Faux leather jacket from Primark
Flatfroms from River Island

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Shirt from ASOS c/o Voucher Codes
Skirt from Oasis via eBay
Studded pumps from Topshop

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Shirt from River Island c/o Voucher Codes
Denim jacket c/o Tesco
Denim shorts from American Apparael
Sandals from Topshop

When VoucherCode.co.uk offered me the chance to take part in their Secret Sale Challenge I jumped at the opportunity because online sale shopping is definitely my forte. I live in London and have a Monday to Friday job which means the only time I get to hit the shops is at the weekend i.e. when they're at their most busiest which is why I'm a big fan of online shopping. When it comes to sale shopping I try to stick to a few simple rules:
1. Would I buy this full priced?
2. Does the price justify the amount of wear I'll get it?
3.When will I wear it?
4. Do I actually need it?

As the years have gone on I am trying to be more frugal with my shopping but my wardrobe would suggest otherwise, however as the recent sales are starting to pass I haven't gone too mad because I've stuck to my rules.

In outfit 1 the cloud leggings and tote bag were bought from the online Urban Outfitters sale where there also happened to by a free P&P code floating around (always look out for extra discount codes). Now you may think cloud leggings break a lot of these rules i.e. I definitely wouldn't have bought them full price (£52 reduced to £25) and I probably won't get that much wear from them BUT I have been after some cloud print jeans for quite some time now so these filled the spot nicely. As for the bag, a tote with my initial on is never going to stop being useful and at £10 it's instantly brightens up an outfit without breaking the bank.

In outfit 2 the pyjama style shirt is from the ASOS sale and at £15 it is a welcome addition to my wardrobe. Yes, the silk pyjama shirt trend probably isn't going to last that long but this top is fun yet not too outrageous so can be worn time and time again for work. One thing I love about shopping at ASOS is that you can save stuff in a wish list style so when a sale comes along you can see if any of your previously coveted items have been reduced in priced. I tend to do this and hang out from buying them for as long as possible. The website also tells you what's in low stock which is perfect when deciding what to buy now and what can wait until later.

In outfit 3 the ombre Hawaiian print style shirt is from the online River Island sale. This was £20 and whilst does seem a little much if I'm honest this item will be perfect for my summer holiday to Marrakesh. I may not plan to wear it that much now but it's definitely an items that will get a lot of wear when it gets hotter. It's a good item to brighten up a holiday wardrobe plus it can be worn so many different ways such as casually with shorts, tucked into a floaty skirt or funked out with more prints for a crazy festival looking making it very cost effective.

So there you have it, my guide to the sales. Sale can be a good time to try something new if the price is right but if you stick to my rules of only buying stuff you'll get a decent amount of wear out of you should be fine.

What do you like to get in the sale x

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Monday 9 July 2012

Festival Style



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Tshirt c/o George at Asda
Shorts c/o George at Asda
Denim jacket c/o F&F at Tesco
Cycling shorts from H&M
Bumbag from Thailand market
Socks from Monki
Sunglasses from H&M
Converse from Macy's

I like to think of myself as a music festival veteran, I've been going for years and it's one of the things I love about the summer. I've had my fair share of highs and lows including torrential rain at Glastonbury, scorching heat at Reading and a ton of amazing bands and camp fire stories in between. The bad weather and mud doesn't get to me that much as it's all part of the experience. The first year I went to Glasto it was so muddy and I spent the entire weekend trying not to fall over but by Sunday evening I gave into gravity and fell all over the place getting covered from head to toe. It was messy but it was a laugh and to me, that what festivals are all about. However, I would of course prefer there were dry conditions as it makes manoeuvring across camp sites and awful lot easier! This summer I am waving farewell to Reading and Leeds festival which have given me plenty of great memories for sunnier skies and heading to Rock en Seine in Paris for the bank holiday weekend. France is a bit far to travel for a festival but my favourite band in the entire world are headlining the Sunday evening. That would be Green Day if you didn't already know. A day ticket at the Parisian festival is only £40 compared to the £100 mockery Reading and Leeds charge so it's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Of course there are Eurostar and hotel prices on top of that but I get a long weekend in Pairs as a result so it's completely worth it in my opinion.

With all my festival experience I've become a dab hand at knowing how to stay cool and comfortable and still get into that festival style. For me it's about mixing patterns and wearing something fun that you might not normally feel comfortable wearing at home. Pairs is going to be hot so I don't need to worry about waterproofs which also means I can ditch my Hunters for more comfortable footwear i.e my trusty Converse. I'm a big fan of shorts at festivals, it get windy and there's a lot of sitting on the floor involved so it's best to have your derriere covered. I was sent these clashing shorts and tshirt from the George at Asda to put a festival outfit together and with my trusty denim jacket, a pair of ridiculous sunglasses, silly socks and my bumbag for hands free dancing I'm all ready for the festival season to begin.

What are your festival style tips x
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