Westfield Shopping Haul

Way back in May I went on a successful shopping trip to Westfield in Stratford City. It is one of my favourite places to shop because everything is under one roof and there is a huge variety of shops there. I think the atmosphere of the place is brilliant too and there are so many shops there that aren't anywhere near where I live such as MAC and Pull & Bear. Before I went I had a small list of things to buy so I thought that I would show them along with the other bits and pieces I picked up too.
The first shop I went in was Primark. Although there is a two storey store near where I live it doesn't even compare to the huge three storey store inside Westfield. Although you can find some amazing stuff in there I do find it a bit overwhelming and definitely need to be in the mood for shopping in there. On this day we decided to head in there first in order to get it out of the way. I wasn't looking for anything in particular in here but came out with two items. 
 At the end of August I am going to my first ever festival and so when I saw this bag I thought it would be perfect for putting all my essentials in without having to lug a huge bag around. Although I know 'bum-bags' aren't that fashionable or popular I think this will be really useful for the festival and was a bargain at only £6.
  The other thing I bought from Primark was this geo-print bomber jacket. It is not really the type of jacket I would usually buy and I wasn't sure about it when I saw it  on the hanger, but when I tried it on I actually really liked it. I really like the print and the fact that it is something different to the stuff I already have and was very reasonably priced at £12.  
 After a successful trip into Primark we opted to go into Pull & Bear. The closest one to where I live is actually in Stratford so I had to make the most of it. I ended up buying three items although in reality I probably could have ended up buying most of the shop. 
 Probably my favourite purchase from Pull & Bear was this denim hooded jacket which was £40. It is a really lightweight jacket that comes down to just above the knee and I love the cord used for decoration. It is perfect for the Spring and the warmer weather because it isn't heavy and I really like it because again it is something different to what I've seen before. Since buying this jacket it has been a huge part of my wardrobe and I have got a lot of wear out of it already.
 Next up from Pull & Bear I got this light acid wash denim shirt with rose gold detailing. I had been looking for a denim shirt for a long time yet hadn't found one which I liked and so I was so happy when I tried this on and fell in love with it. I like the fact that it is long sleeved because it means that I can roll up the sleeves if I want to or just wear it as it is. I think the colour is also interesting because it is such a pale denim that it is almost white. This shirt ended up costing me £20, which I think is reasonable because you would pay at least this if you were buying from somewhere like New Look.  
 My final purchase from Pull & Bear was this simple striped navy and white t-shirt. This is so soft and just the perfect length for me and thought that it would be a brilliant basic to keep in my wardrobe for seasons to come. It is short sleeved and round necked. I feel so comfortable in this t shirt and it can be paired with a whole variety of different items which is great. Costing only £10 again it was so well priced and I wish that they had other colours in this top because I probably would have bought at least another.
 It is no secret that I am obsessed with River Island bags. My collection is slowly growing and now when I  would like a new bag I automatically go to River Island first to see what they have to offer. I think although they are quite expensive the quality of them is brilliant and they last a long time too.
 Of all my bags from RI, a lot of them are big and are made up from block colours. When I went into the River Island in Westfield I went straight to the bags to see if any caught my eye. Admittedly I was disappointed and nothing in particular caught my eye. I then went over to the jewellery to see what was on offer. As I was just about to leave the store a bag caught my eye. It had just been put on the shelf and I knew this was the bag that I had seen a few weeks before in Lakeside. To my surprise it was also on sale, reduced from £45 to only £30. At this point it was sold to me and I bought it straight away. This bag is exactly my taste. it is big and has a lot of pockets inside to store things and I love the unique straw detailing and also the colours.  
  The only other thing I got in River Island was this nail polish by Barry M. I was looking for this shade in Superdrug in Lakeside but it was sold out so when I saw it in RI I bought it. It cost £4 and is the shade 'Sugar Apple' which is a gorgeous blue/green shade.
  I've never bought something from Urban Outfitters before and so when my sister and mum went in there I was having a good look round. Although none of the clothes or shoes really caught my eye I was intrigued by their candles. In particular the one called Berry Bellini really interested me because I thought it smelt amazing! I also really like the packaging of this product and the metal tin means that I can burn it as it is and not have to worry about mess. Although it was slightly more expensive at £6 than what I usually pay for a candle I was hooked by the scent at this point so was happy to pay it.
 The final two products that I bought in Westfield were products that I had been thinking of buying for a long time. I have recently really got into MAC products but because the nearest store to me is in Cambridge it makes it hard to decide on products to buy because I can't see the products before I buy them.
 However, I have been wanting to expand my lipstick MAC collection since buying the shade Crème Cup and so I decided to do some research before going to Westfield.
 Once I got in store I tried out the two colours I knew I was going to buy and loved them instantly so ended up buying both, with each lipstick costing £15. In the end I got the shade 'Ruby Woo' which is a bright red but has blue undertones in it so it suits all types of skin tones.
 The other shade I bought is a very dark matte red/plum shade called 'Diva.' I loved the consistency and finish of these lipsticks a lot and have loved wearing them since buying them in May.
 I had such a great day at Westfield and although my bank balance suffered a wee bit we ended the day with a delicious pretzel from Mr Pretzel. Yummy.

Lakeside Shopping Haul Part 1!

A few weekends ago, four of my friends and I decided to have a girls shopping trip. As we don't live in a very big town, shopping is very limited to a New Look and Dorothy Perkins and so we decided we wanted to go somewhere with a bit more variety. A 90 minute car journey with the help of my Australian voiced Sat Nav and a playlist of music later we turned up at Lakeside. I had never been shopping there before so I was really excited about our little shopping trip. It is fair to say that I went a little overboard on the shopping and was definitely feeling spendy that day so I thought that I would share all the bits and bobs I picked up.
 One of the first shops we went in was the massive Primark. I think it actually covered at least two floors and so it was a bit overwhelming when we went in. However we had such a laugh trying on the funny hats, sunnies and clothes and we also found some bargain buys. I never seem to have much patience with Primark and it doesn't take me long for me to become bored of shopping in there and so I was really pleased when I found a few things I liked. 
The first two things I got were these shorts. I actually got a grey pair and purple pair for my holiday last summer and they were so handy for going to the beach and pool in and were comfy and light enough to wear sleeping too. So I was so thrilled when I saw these have returned this year. At only £3 a pair they are a fantastic buy and so I got a red and a beautiful royal blue pair too. Each pair has the white detailing around the bottom and a logo on the right leg and these will be perfect for chilled summer days even if I don't go on holiday this year.
 The next thing I bought in Primark was this bright pink pillar candle. I've really been into candles recently and wanted a few to accompany my scented Yankee candles. The colour really appealed to me and although these are scented I actually like the Mango & Citronella scent as it is different to what I usually go for in a candle. It really is a fresh, uplifting summer scent and this was another bargain at only £2.
 My final purchase in Primark was picked up whilst I was waiting to pay for my items. I hate the fact that shops put little items around the queuing area because it makes you want to buy pointless stuff that you don't necessarily need. On this shopping trip this is exactly what happened to me because I picked up this huge pot of Tic Tacs for only £1. To be fair they were rather refreshing and different to the typical mint or lime and orange flavours I'm used to and plus I hadn't had Tic Tacs in a long time so this justified buying them.
 Another shop that we went into on our trip was Forever 21. Up until this day I had never really shopped in Forever 21 or even been interested in the clothes they sell. I don't think I had even ever looked on their website but as soon as I walked into the Lakeside store I knew I had been missing out.
 They have some lovely pieces in there from their dresses to tops to bags and jewellery that I kind of regretted spending so much money before I went in this shop. It was so hard to resist buying from here and I had my eye on a gorgeous pair of sandals and a necklace but in the end was good and only bought two things.
 The first thing I got was this casual logo vest costing £9.50. I love the print of this top and the text of 'Fortune favours the brave' and I think the cut and shape of it is really flattering too. It is cut quite deep at the sides and so my second purchase was a little bandeau top which I thought I could pair with the vest. I thought the hot pink would contrast well with the navy blue and make it look more interesting.
 The bandeau itself is a really pretty lace floral print and was a really good price at £3.15. Overall I was really impressed with the prices of the items in Forever 21, as they were much cheaper than I expected them to be.  

Of all the shops we went into that day, I was expecting to come out of New Look with some serious damage to my debit card. As it happened I only came out of the shop with one thing. This however, was a beautiful kimono that since buying it, I haven't stopped wearing. It is made from a sheer material which makes it so light and wearable for summer and the floral pattern is interesting yet not too in your face. The colours are also lovely and I am especially liking the royal blue shade in there. Costing £24.99 I wasn't sure if it was a little overpriced but I knew I couldn't leave it on the shelf.
 My next purchase was in River Island. After scouting the bag and purse section as is tradition when I go in there and having nothing in particular catch my eye, I thought that I would have a peek at the jewellery.
  Although I am a huge fan of rings, I don't own that many necklaces, especially statement pieces. I was attracted to this silver piece because of the beautiful detailing and the slightly 'tougher' look it has. I also thought it was reasonably priced at £7 and this had been a welcome addition to my wardrobe. So far I've worn this with the above kimono and a plain white tee and it has worked really well.  

My final clothes/accessory buy during this shopping trip were these aviator styled sunglasses from Dorothy Perkins.
 I have always been a fan of this style, yet have never found a pair to suit my face. I have loved wearing the retro styled sunnies for the past few summers and bought a new pair from RI at the beginning of the season but I was still looking for the perfect aviators.
  I was actually about to buy a different pair of sunglasses when I saw these and I tried them on just by chance when my friends said they suited me. I agreed and so these are my first pair of silver aviators costing me only £8. They have a grey graduated tint in them which I think looks great and they even came with this beautiful floral case to keep them safe and clean.
Although this is the end of all the fashion and random things I bought on this shopping trip, I did go a bit over the top on the cosmetics and beauty items and so will be posting a part two of this shopping trip over the next few days. I had such a good day at Lakeside, not just because I went shopping but because I got to spend the day with some of my favourite people and catch up with them because I don't get to see them as much as I used to.

Saving Money Whilst Shopping

It's no secret that I enjoy shopping on a somewhat regular basis. However over the past few months I have been trying to save and reduce the amount I spend each month on shopping. At first I tried to extreme cold turkey approach where one day I just stopped spending altogether.
 Although this was quite effective, I've now found that I have started to slip back into old habits and the spending is mounting up again. Therefore I have put together some tips and tricks and although they don't stop me spending money, they do help me to save some money which is a good start.

1. Use points/reward systems in stores and online
Many stores nowadays use a number of different reward systems, which in the long run helps consumers save money.
 Drugstores such as Superdrug and Boots have their own versions of an advantage card, where you collect points dependant on the amount of money you spend. In Superdrug it is 1 point for every £ spent and each point is worth 1p. You scan the card everytime you spend money in store and then you can use your points whenever you like to either pay for a full transaction or to put money towards your purchase. I recently used 400 Superdrug points to pay for some of my purchases but that does mean that I have spent over £400 in store which is very scary.
  The Boots Advantage card is very similar but you collect 4 points for each £ spent and each point is worth 1p. However unlike Superdrug you can only use your points to pay for a full purchase and cannot use points to pay for part of your purchase. However using free reward systems is a good way to save money in the long term.

2. Vouchers/Promo Codes
Another way to save money whilst shopping is to make full use of vouchers or promotional codes. 
 Vouchers can be found in multiple places and can be used in a huge variety of different stores. They can be found in magazines or brochures, on receipts and places like Boots often give away vouchers such as money of No.7 makeup when you make purchases. They can entitle you to free things, money off or a multitude of different offers.
  Places like Prezzo usually have offers running from Sunday to Friday varying from 2 main meals for £12.95 to 20% off your food bill. Superstore Morrisons also have a Morrisons Miles scheme where you collect points when you fill up your car and once you reach 5000 you receive a £5 voucher to spend in store.
  Promo codes are similar in that they entitle you to money off your spending, but these are usually found online. There are so many websites nowadays offering codes to type in at the checkout stage of buying online. Many clothes sites such as H&M and Asos usually have promo codes available and can be found on websites such as www.vouchercloud.com and www.vouchercodes.co.uk

3. Offers instore/online
In addition to collecting rewards and points, both online and in store there are usually a whole range of different discounts and offers. Some of these may include 3 for 2 or Buy One Get One Free to 20% off or free delivery for spends over x amount (online.) I know Superdrug and Boots have recently both had a 3for 2 offer on all of their makeup, which means you save money on your third product.


4. Discounts
Another great way to save money if you are a student is to use your student card or apply for one to use. These give great discounts of 10% or sometimes even 20% purchases in store such as New Look and Dorothy Perkins. Student discount also entitles you to a free burger, fries or mcflurry at McDonalds.

5. Sale
Instead of heading straight towards full priced items, shopping in stores sales saves you money and also allows you to find a bargain at a reduced  price. Many stores and online websites have big sales after Christmas and Summer but they also have smaller sales throughout the year to get rid of stuff from the season before. A great way to find some great stuff for a snip of what it was originally priced at.

6. Research
If you are really set on saving some money but still feel the urge to go shopping, I highly recommend researching and planning before hand. Some stores nowadays are starting to sell items that are very similar. If I find something I like, I look at different websites or stores to see if they have something similar that is cheaper.
 Also planning what you are going to buy also helps because it makes you less likely to overspend. If you are set on just buying one top and one pair of jeans you are less likely to come out with the whole collection of scarves they've just put onto the shop floor as well.

My final tip would be to pay for as much as you can with cash. Paying with a card is so easy because it doesn't feel like you are spending money and you don't physically see the money leaving your account. If you pay with cash you can see exactly what you are spending and you are less likely to break into that £20 note which is sitting in your purse.

If I Had £100 to Spend: Shoes

In case you didn't know, it would be fair to say that I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with shoes. I've counted that I own over 30 pairs, which did surprise even myself a bit.
 In an attempt to try to stop buying new pairs I've decided to compile a list of the shoes that I would buy if I had £100 spend, similarly to the post I wrote a few months back about makeup.
 I have to admit, it didn't take me very long to create this list, which might be quite worrying, but oh well!



From New Look: http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/mint-green-patent-platform-court-shoes_303787937

 

1. Mint Green Patent Platform Court Shoes: £22.99

The first pair of shoes that I would buy are from New Look. I've recently had my eye on a lot of mint coloured fashion items and the only reason that I haven't already bought them is because I know I wouldn't wear them very often. They are so beautiful though, and I would be surprised if they don't make their way into my collection in the future.



2. Black Aztec Print Slipper Shoes: £7.00 (Was £15.99)
I am a complete sucker for Aztec print. Since last summer I have been building a nice collection of Aztec items and actually bought a similar pair of shoes like these last year. However they are a bit worn out now and so these would be a perfect replacement. As an added bonus, they are currently in the New Look sale for only £7!





From New Look: http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-aztec-print-slipper-shoes-_300471209

3. Floral Ballet Pumps: £7.99

The next pair of shoes that I would purchase would be these lovely floral pumps from H&M. I think they would complete a simple causal outfit and could also be paired with something a bit more formal for the evening and are perfect for the summer. They are also a complete bargain at only £7.99. 



 From H&M: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/19060?article=19060-H

 

4. Platform Court Shoes: £24.99

The next pair of shoes that I would buy would be these black wedges from H&M. Out of all the shoes I own I don't actually own a pair of heeled wedges like these so I think these would be a classic addition to my collection. These shoes would be so versatile and could be paired with so many different outfits.

 

From H&M: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/18438?article=18438-A



 

5. Pilmsolls with Logo Detailing £25.99

The next pair of shoes that I would buy are these casual trainer type shoes from Pull & Bear. These would be perfect for casual wear and I've had my sister already buy two pairs of shoes similar to these and she has loved them. I would probably go for the grey because it is something a bit different as opposed to black or navy.

 

From Pull & Bear: http://www.pullandbear.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category/pullandbeargb/en/pullandbear/29059?t=1#/3671875/PLIMSOLLS%20WITH%20LOGO%20DETAIL

 

6. Red Ballet Pumps £7.99

The final pair of shoes that I would buy with £100 would be these gorgeous red ballet pumps from H&M. I've been recently loving the red trend that has been going on and I feel as though these would be a great addition to my collection of shoes. These would also be good for summer and to add a pop of colour to a simple casual outfit.



From H&M: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/08433?article=08433-M
 



Total Spending: £96.95
Total Remaining: £3.05
After imagining spending £100 on shoes, I think I have chosen a variety of different shoes and styles. I purposely avoided choosing boots as I bought a lot of these during the winter and I thought it would be better to pick shoes ready for the next season where I would get more use out of them. Although all these shoes won't be making it into my collection, I think from making this post a few of them will have to be bought because they are so gorgeous. Oops. 

My Shoe Collection (An old, forgotten post)

Back in the Summer of 2013, I was managing to write posts every day for the good part of 1 and a half months. However, since then the posts have been rather few and far between and whilst trawling through my 'drafts' I found that I I had started to share my collection of shoes. Even though I wrote this 6 months ago I thought that I would share a bit of the past because it seemed like a bit of a waste to just delete it! So enjoy!

I will be the first to admit that I have an unhealthy obsession with shoes. I own too many pairs, so many that they no longer fit in the wardrobe dedicated to their storage and I am having to put them in other places. My thinking however, is that we will always need shoes. We will always need them as long as we go outside and travel and so I always find myself looking at new ones on various different websites. My collection of shoes vary, some are formal, some are high heeled and some are casual but I love every pair I own. 

This first pair are my newest addition to the collection. They were a present from my sister when she went on holiday to Turkey and although they look as though they are Converse, they are a cheaper knock off brand. However, they still do the job and were much needed as my other 'white' converse type shoes were getting rather grey/brown. 

These shoes haven't been put into any particular order, they are just in the order that I took them out of my wardrobe. The second pair of shoes are my summer sandals. These were a new purchase this year from New Look at only £12. They were a bargain and although I am not usually a massive fan of gold, I loved the studs and the colours of this sandal. I also like that they have a zip off the back so they don't fall off my feet and these were an essential shoe which I've worn a lot throughout the summer.

Next are probably one of the most expensive pairs of shoes that I own. These are my wedges from Next which I brought at the beginning of summer last year and they cost me £45. I fell in love with them when I saw them and knew that they would have to come home with me. I love the colour of them and every detail such as the buckle around side to secure them to your feet and the fact that they are surprisingly comfortable to wear.

Next up are my black biker boots which must be around 3 years old now. I have had a lot of wear from these boots and it will probably be the last winter I will be able to wear them. I brought them from Pilot for around £30 at the time and they have been so good for the weather during the winter! They've survived the snow and the ice, and I can even wear thick fluffy socks with them when it's cold. 

Another new pair of shoes this year are these heeled boots from New Look. They cost £29.99 and found them really interesting as they were different from the plain black boots that they were selling also at the time. I was also loving studded things at the time and just thought these were amazing. I haven't worn them as much as I had expected because I think they will be better for autumn or winter but I really do love them. 

I am a massive fan of comfortable trainer type shoes for everyday wear. These two pairs of shoes are exactly the same apart from the colour, but I had to buy the white/grey pair after having the brown because of how comfortable they were.
  The brown pair I got as a Christmas present, costing £30 from Next. I then bought the grey pair from the Next sale after Christmas and I think they only cost £14 which was a complete bargain for me. 

Another pair of heels that I own are these black patent ones from Dorothy Perkins. They cost around £30 but I actually think I 'borrowed' these off my mum and they've been in my wardrobe ever since. They aren't the highest heels I own but they are classic and quite comfortable to wear on a night out and they don't rub my feet either.

This sandal typed shoe is also from Next. These are fairly old in my collection but I don't wear them half as much as I thought it would. Partly because I forgot about them and partly because I've found them to rub my feet near where the buckle is. I think I picked these up for about £6 because they were in the sale at the time. 

Oh look another pair of high-tops. This pair were a Christmas present last year and were from a shop called Pull & Bear. Again, my like of studs are shown here and this is what attracted me to the shoes. They cost £25.99 and I've had so much wear out of these shoes.

I was so excited when I brought these wedges from New Look about 2 or 3 years ago. I really liked the shape and style or them and because they weren't too high I could easily walk with them. Fast forward to the present and I've hardly worn these shoes, maybe once or twice. They cost £19.99 and I haven't got the most out of these at all. 

Yet another two pairs of converse styled shoes. The first pair in the background are a denim material by Lee Cooper and I think cost around £10. These were so different from the other shoes I already owned and I wore these a lot when I first got them.
  The second pair are another sale item from Next last year and cost £10 I think. I liked the colour of these and the fact that they were different and made from a suede like material. Admittedly I haven't actually worn these yet, but now it is Autumn I think it is the perfect time.

For Christmas two years ago, I received a lovely pair of brown brogues from New Look and I wore them until there were holes in the bottom. Once they were gone I missed them and so from the Next sale last Christmas I got these new brogues. They didn't actually have a brown pair so I opted for this grey and I love the detailing on them. I think they cost £14 but I'm not sure.

Before this post I didn't actually realise how many pairs of shoes I got from a Next Sale. These boots are also surprise, surprise, from a next sale and cost about £40 I think instead of their original price of £90. I love the two colours in these boots and that they are almost knee length as they are perfect for the winter. 

January Sale Shopping

 

It's no secret that the January sales are notorious for big deals and bargain finds. Due to overspending in the lead up to Christmas this year I didn't do too much sale shopping this year, but what I did do was buy loads of shoes. (This was whilst I was on a shoe buying ban, oh dear.)

 

 

 

My obsession with shoes is now getting a little out of hand, but once I aw these gorgeous burgundy chunky boots in the New Look sale, I knew that they would be going home with me. I persuaded myself that they were an absolute 'must-have' and I'm so glad I picked them up as I know I would have regretted it otherwise.

 

 

One amazing thing about these boots are that they have a zip on the inside of the shoe, which means that you aren't spending forever and a day unlacing them everytime you want to wear them. The laces are more of a decorative feature and I haven't even tied them whilst I've been wearing them.

Another bonus is that I can actually walk in them without looking and feeling like an idiot and a huge bonus is that I can safely drive in them! (It's always a pain when you have to take a flat pair of shoes to drive in when all you want to do is  wear heels.) These beauties were reduced from £29.99 to £22.49 in the New Look sale, but honestly I would have paid full price for them anyway! They also come in grey too I think.

 

This winter it is safe to say that I have gone a little bit boot crazy. However, I had my eye on these cut out boots from New Look from the moment they were released into stores. I love the cut out detailing on them and that they are a little bit different from other boots and shoes I owned. So imagine my delight when I spotted them in the sale in Cambridge, and I got the for a ridiculous bargain. Originally retailing at £30, I scooped these up for £12! Admittedly, I haven't actually worn them yet and I have no idea if I can sensibly walk in them, but at £12 it was worth it.

 

So, these heels pictured above weren't actually purchased in any type of sale, but as they are so gorgeous I thought I would feature them in this post. After realising that you can never have too many pairs of black heels (or shoes for that matter) I decided to firstly buy this pair to wear to my work's Christmas meal.

I think they look really sophisticated and I love the t-bar styled straps which give me a bit more support and doesn't make me feel like I'm going to fall out of my shoes every two minutes. Also I loved the price of these, only £24.99 from H&M. The only bad thing about the is that they aren't particularly comfortable to wear, but with some gel cushions in I can easily last all night in them.

 

A few years ago I received a pair of dark brown brogues from New Look for Christmas and wore them until there was practically nothing left of them. Since then however I haven't had the chance to repurchase some replacement brown brogues and so whilst buying other shoes in the New Look sale, I came across these. Originally priced at £14.99, they had been marked in the sale at £8 which was a great find for me. Even better, when I got them to the till I was charged £6 and I wasn't complaining! 

 

Finally, I thought I would add two pairs of boots which I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas this year. Above are my ankle boots from Topshop, which I actually got for £45 after they had been reduced from something like £70. These boots are so comfortable and go with pretty much everything and are so easy to slip on and off, they really are great.

 Below are probably my most worn and most loved boots this season. Similarly to the boots above, these ankle boots are black yet have this lovely buckle detailing on them to make them stand out just a little bit more. They are also my most expensive pair of shoes, costing me £60 from River Island. They are so worth the money though, and I think I've been living in them since I unwrapped them on Christmas day!

 

With January coming to an end, the sales are thinning out. However, this means that soon spring and summer clothes will be hitting the stores ready for my favourite time of the year! I can't wait to start shopping for summery clothes, although I will miss wearing my boots!