I audibly gasped when I clocked these in my local TK Maxx, for I am a sucker for a good bit of ruching. Just look at those buttery folds of leather *le sigh*

They are by All Saints, a brand that I never quite got until recently. I used to think why?! would anyone want to dress like a zombie cowboy/girl and pay £££ for the privilege.

I’ll be honest I still don’t get most of their dresses/ shirts etc for that very reason but what I do get is their leather appeal. They do leather so well. Like no one else on the high street. So soft, instantly worn in, uber flattering ♥

These little babies ooze sex appeal to me. A flash of toe, a glimpse of heel. I know my man will be a fan.

It’s still slightly too cool to perhaps be wearing these outside yet, but it won’t be long. Another month or so and I have a feeling these will be surgically attached to my feet. In the meantime I need to get my tootsies ready for the public. As is always the case in Winter I tend to neglect everything from the knees down.

So let the foot scrubs, filing and pedicures commence with gusto!

I thought I’d pop in a few pics of today’s outfit while I’m here. No full length I’m afraid as I can’t find the doo daa (technical term) that connects my camera to the tripod.

First tho, make-up. My foundation is Jemma Kidd Light As Air, a recent purchase from here. I opted for shade Light and it’s quite a good match. Slightly too dark (and I mean slightly) but will be perfect once I catch a spot of Spring sun. For reference I wear no 52 in Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum.

I’ve wore it 3 days in a row so far and these are my very early opinions. It’s a little too matt for my liking. It accentuates my dry t-zone. It oxidises throughout the day. Now that all sounds a bit negative. The pro’s. It smells nice, perhaps not important to some but I rate this as important. It applies like a dream, hardly any blending required, so nice and quick and easy. A little goes a long way, in terms of coverage. It lasts all day.

At this stage I wouldn’t repurchase due to the drying aspect but it may fare better as the weather improves and in turn my skin with it. I’ll keep you posted!

Lipstick is Revlon Pink Pout, probably the most drying lipstick I own but I just adore the pinky mauve colour. If anyone knows a more moisturising dupe please leave a comment xo

Lace trim vest – M&S. Technically this is underwear but I thought it went well with my Chanelesque cardigan which is from Miss Selfridge (sale). I was going to accessorise with a single strand of pearls but I have vowed to stop saving my “good” jewellery for special occasions. What if that day never comes?

I will therefore be doing the school run sporting my Vivienne Westwood Bas Relief Pearl and Crystal Choker. Mine is the gold version and originally purchased from Hervia. I’m not sure they sell it anymore though and their site appears to be under maintenance. If you do ever get the chance to own it, grab it. It makes even the most mundane outfit look put together xo

Leather Jacket – All Saints via eBay (the style is Mahonie)
Jeans – Topshop Jamie
Oversized White Tee – River Island

Plaited Chain Necklace – Kate Benjamin via Accessories Direct

I just adore this chain as it feeds into all my current jewellery loves; statement, layers, mixed metals. It’s also a dream to wear as it is deceivingly light. I highly recommend checking out their sale, brilliant reductions and so many stunning pieces.

Next on my want list is this Jacey Withers Ship Pendant. It’d make a lovely Valentine’s/ Birthday/ Just cos it’s a Tuesday present…. oooh and it’s currently reduced as well… (take the bait Matthew…).

Watch – Swatch
Bracelet – eBay
Faux Fur Bag – H&M

Boots – River Island Sale (the style is Shifty Herit)

So delighted with these boots as I had been giving longing looks over in the direction of the laid-back Banddit Boots but they were just too pricey. These were just twenty tiny pounds and have satisfied my urge for a less structured boot. The studding is just an added bonus

Oh and yes, blonde. Well actually for the past fortnight I’ve mostly been bright orange as I couldn’t decide whether I was going to take the plunge with the “obnoxious red”. I got cold feet though and so I’m blonde. Forever fickle… that’s me folks xo

P.S In answer to Why no face?! COLDSORE SIZE OF BEN NEVIS

Wearing my festive jumper/ sweater dress. It would be indecently short on me as a dress so I pair it with lace trimmed cycling shorts from Topshop, dotty Primark tights and sparkly Zara shoes (purchased on my Summer holiday).

Dinner was at my Mum’s house and as usual she outdid herself with the fabulous table decoration. My Mum and I are very similar, in that we are drawn to the more bright and childish Christmas ware. If it doesn’t feature a Santa/ Snowman or Ruldolph then it doesn’t say Christmas to us!

Noah (6) sharing his seat with two of his new friends, Bruno the Dog (Build-A-Bear) and Mosh & Chat Katsuma. Well done Santa

Dinner was particularly tasty. I rarely have seconds (unless it’s the Chinese Buffet… then I have seconds, thirds and fourths…) but I couldn’t get enough of the turkey this year. Scrummy!

My mother (60) and Izaak (10). Pray to goodness that I’ve inherited her ageing genes. I think she looks fab!

One looking at the lens… other looking at the display screen #fail but YAY for matching Christmas jumpers!!!

My brother even made dinner this year which was great. Fingers crossed 2012 is a good one for him cos 2011 has been pretty sucky tbh

ATTACK!!!!

…..until an impatient Izaak can track Santa again

All in all Christmas was everything I could have hoped for and more. Hope yours was enjoyable too xo

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NOW on to the Sales. I really didn’t buy much this year. Well…. definitely a lot less than previous years but still probably too much *shrugs*

First up is this light from NEXT. I think this is my top sale bargain as it was just £20 and will look amazing in our dining room. WIN!

Then these mid heel leopard booties from M&S for £15. Ridiculously comfortable and I totally fell for the little ruching detail.

Also this colour block scarf from M&S reduced to £12 from I believe £29 (say whaaaaat?!). I live by the sea and you can NEVER have too many scarves, hats and gloves. Also my beloved multi-coloured one from Tesco is starting to look a bit shabby so this is a nice replacement.

That’s it for now, I’m waiting on a few online purchases arriving but nothing too mind-blowing.

What’s been your pick of the sales? xo

<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2372237/dressjunkie?claim=6kmncsafsah”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Jacket – Zara £119 (Sold out online)
Boots – Next £78
Bag – Bimba & Lola (Past season)

Dress – Pearl Lowe @ Peacocks £20

What a busy little weekend I have had! Yesterday I ventured into the city for lots of Christmas goodies and ended up in Build-A-Bear for OVER AN HOUR. If you don’t know what this shop is, it’s basically hell disguised as something fluffy and fun. Long queues, lots of screaming children having Build-A-Bear parties and loooooong queues. Plus add-ons, so a bear that initially costs £15 at the start (of hell) ends up ringing in at an eye watering £38!! once it’s been dressed and given a heart. Did I mention the never-ending QUEUES?!?!

Ugh, anyways… hopefully there will be one very happy little boy on Christmas morning and my measly hour of delirium will all have been worth it. Oh and you know how you’re not meant to shop for yourself while buying presents for others? Yeah well I failed, multiple times… oops…

While making one such purchase (chunky mustard circle scarf) in Accessorize I met one of my lovely blog readers. I was so chuffed! She has a YouTube channel about Plus Size Fashion which you totally need to check out here

Saturday night my Mum took the kids so that Matt and I could have some (much needed) couple time. We hit up the Christmas Market in Belfast for currywurst, macaroons and crepes ♥
Then today we spent the day eating out and doing the last of Santa’s shopping. It’s been a lovely 24 hours

xo

]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2011/12/18/oh-buoy/feed/ 6 http://dressjunkie.com/2011/12/15/tally-ho/ http://dressjunkie.com/2011/12/15/tally-ho/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:15:03 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=4355

Hands up who has a faux fur addiction? *raises both hands*

This gilet was reduced to just £30 in River Island a few weeks back. It’s sold out online but check out your local branch as mine still had a few even up until yesterday. It’s extremely cosy as you would expect and I just love the sixties vibe it has going on. I’d classify most fur as sexy but this one is definitely cute!

The hair has been scraped back into one of those ridiculous 2″ ponytails that I always ridicule others for. Frankly it’s this or the chop right now as I am totally fed up with my unruly barnet.

My boots are from Next and cost £78. More than I would have liked to pay but I think this design is a forever classic and I wanted to invest in a comfortable, quality leather pair. I tried SO many on, including most notably the Topshop Dashing ones, which are around the same price but imo really uncomfortable and badly sized.

Next isn’t somewhere I would normally shop but they’re definitely on my shoe-radar now. If you likey too then check them out asap as these appear to be selling out fast!

xo

Dress – H&M £14.99

Boots – Topshop Ambush £75

Coat – TU Clothing @ Sainsbury’s Sale £17.50
Scarf – Florence & Fred @ Tesco £8
Lipstick – Studio Make-up Really Red

Necklace – Urban Outfitters Sale (donkeys ago)

Well how are we all doing? I’ve finally moved (again….) and although there are still a mountain of boxes to unpack I’m trying to be upbeat. Not sure whether it’s a subconscious thing but this past week I have found myself dressing head to toe in black which perfectly matched my mood, well… barr Saturday night when I wore a red dress to an Xmas do *inserts grainy phone pic*

What is a very conscious realisation though, is that wearing bright colours makes me feel sunnier. So this is my excuse for dressing like a real life rainbow today, and I think it’s working. That smile almost reaches the eyes… no?

Loving

• Wrapping up for Winter. Hats, scarves and mittens. I adore them all and feel happiest when bundled up in all of these things walking the dogs on a windy evening ♥
• Statement necklaces – Think big & mutiple layers. They dress up the simplest of outfits with minimal effort
• Primark Super Cosy Tights – Loved these last year and once again they get a massive thumbs up from me. Who couldn’t adore fleece lined tights?! ‘MAZIN!
• Sweet Potatoes – Let me count the ways I can cook thee… Delicious, nutritious and ready in a flash!
• Getting up early – Say whaaaat? No but seriously. Hear me out. It’s 13 miles drive to the boy’s school and I like to leave around 8am to get there in plenty of time. This means I now rise at 6.45am (previously I got up around 8 as boy’s school was 2 minutes drive up the road). I don’t know why but it’s invigorating getting up earlier. Everything is less manic and more organised. I need that in my life

Not Loving

• H&M returns and general customer service. I had to hold for over 15 minutes just to ask for a Royal Mail return label. This should be included as standard with Northern Ireland deliveries as unlike the mainland we cannot ring the Hermes courier direct to book returns. Not impressed
• Unpacking – nuff said
• My hair – I’m not sure whether the water is different in County Down but it’s not been behaving itself at all this past week. Soooooo tempted to hack it all off again but chanting “persevere, persevere, persevere” whenever the dark thoughts come

xo

Sugarhill Boutique Deery Me Playsuit – MyLabel £35
XO Necklace – Farah M Designs £8
Horn Necklace – CC Skye @ HoF (Past Season)
Boots – ASOS £37.50

Just a quick outfit post. I first spotted this Playsuit on TOWIE and was immediately drawn to the adorable pattern and the fact it had long sleeves (season appropriate…ish). It retails at £54 which personally I think is waaaaay over-priced but happily I found it on sale at MyLabel. For size reference I am wearing a Medium (UK 10-12). I think it’s a fun little outfit and I was relatively warm even without a cardigan, although when I went out later in the day I added my leather jacket and a chunky scarf.

On the down side it creases like a mutha so it’s definitely not for smart wear. Oh and THIS happened *blushes*

My boots are my latest loves from ASOS. I’d been stalking them for a while and was delighted to find them in the sale selection last Sunday. Again for size reference these are a narrow fit. If you don’t have narrow kebs like me I think you would most likely find them uncomfortable. However they suit me down to the ground and my feet feel really well supported, comfy and warm in them ♥

xo

P.S Did you spot the difference…..?

Black Jeans – Topshop Jamie £40
Black Cardigan – H&M Basic £9.99
Navy Faux Fur Gilet – H&M £29.99
Boots – M&S (Past Season)
Brooch – Topshop Sale
XO Necklace – Farah Designs £8.00

Safe to say that I’m not looking my freshest at the minute. Could be something to do with the fact I am constantly in pain after my recent car accident. I don’t mean ouch sharp pain either. I mean constant ache, hurts to hold the weight of my own head pain. And sleeping? Well that’s been intermittent. When I can get comfy it’s fabulous but I’m afraid those times are few and far between *grumble*

I’ve also had one of those gurny weeks. For anyone that isn’t familiar with a good gurn it’s basically where you cry your eyes out. A lot. My poor little Mini was wrote off by the insurance company as the suspension damage was too great to warrant repair. I loved my car. I’m aware many can’t relate to that (most people I know for instance). But I did, I loved that car like a pet and saying goodbye to it was really hard. I know… I know, there are people with REAL problems but I feel how I feel and that’s allowed.

It’s all the more sore as I had 3 days to find a new car before the courtesy car had to be returned. I didn’t feel ready really but needs must and a new car I now have. I’m sure in time I’ll grow to appreciate it just as much.

Definitely time for a little positive, right?

I totally heart this H&M Gilet. £29.99 normally but I had a code (sorry now expired) and picked it up for £14.99. It is thee cosiest happy-making piece of clothing ever. It even has pockets and we all know how much I love a good pocket! I love the colour too, tones of black, brown and navy. Refreshingly different to faux furs that do the rounds every Winter. You need this one in your life! xo

I was delighted when I learned that the recent #ASOSsavvysunday was going to be 50% off Winter Coats. I am big into my outerwear. Living in these chilly climes you can be sure that a good coat will never go to waste.

My first choice was this Aztec number. Normal RRP £100. Sale Price £50
I cannot describe how disappointed I am with this coat. It ticks so many boxes for me in terms of colour, pattern and material but sadly it’s let down by sizing and fit. The sleeves are meant to be full length but they hit that really annoying wrist point on me, which I’m guessing would only be exasperated with knitwear worn underneath. I’m positive that I would constantly be trying to tug them down. The other issue is that this is the size SMALL. Now I realise that there is a certain amount of balloon design to the coat but it really is just utterly shapeless from the front. All the more annoying as I love how it looks from the back.

So my dilemma is this. Do I see if I can let the sleeves down slightly and re-sew or is it really doing nothing for me? Honest opinions please. EDIT: My lovely fashionistas have spoken and it is unanimous that the jacket should be returned

Next up is this shaggy faux fur. Normal RRP £80. Sale Price £40
I saw myself channeling my inner Rachel Zoe in this one. It’s a nice fit and length on me, the arm length is acceptable but again far from generous (and my arms are not above average in length I assure you). What’s with the stingy arms ASOS?! The material itself is soft but I dislike the colour tone (almost like dirty snow in good lighting) and it looks very plastic/ shiny IRL. *le sigh* This will definitely be returned.

On the plus side I’ve just saved myself the guts of £100

The only success from my order was the 2 Models Own Nail Polishes from their new Beetlejuice Collection. I opted for Pinky Brown (with this being my stand out fave so far) and Purple Blue (jury’s out)

xo

I’m in hiding. It’s that time of the month. So you’ll find me under my Lululemon hoodie, clutching a hot water bottle and mumbling something about how everything sucks…

…apart from my new PINK faced Michael Kors watch. Picked it for an absolute steal (£99) in The Watch Store, Belfast. Just looking at it makes me feel brighter xo

]]> http://dressjunkie.com/2011/10/09/lemonhead/feed/ 12 http://dressjunkie.com/2011/10/04/absolutely-frilled/ http://dressjunkie.com/2011/10/04/absolutely-frilled/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:19:47 +0000 dressjunkie http://dressjunkie.com/?p=3975

Why so sad?

Black Bodysuit (not seen) – River Island
Black Blouse – F&F @ Tesco
Shorts – H&M Sale £6.99

This is my little toe-dip into the sheer trend. I picked the blouse up in Tesco of all places and although I’ve searched for it online I’m unable to find a link, so please accept my apologies (as it’s a pet hate of mine when bloggers don’t link to where they’ve purchased things).

This pic also shows off my highlights quite well (…probably helps that my hair is also clean and not drenched by days of rain for a change), I’ve had them for about 3 weeks? now and I’m still digging the lighter side. Perhaps I’ll get more……

xo

Don’t they just!

I think it’s the best bit of PR I’ve seen from a cosmetics company in a long time!

The premise of the deal was that if Models Own got to 100,000 likes on their Facebook page then they would throw a 50% off sale for one week on their website.

They reached that number last Friday and I don’t think that even they were prepared for the sheer volume of traffic the site would receive. Since then it’s been constantly falling over but with perseverance and a hell of a lot of patience orders can be made! Trust me!

I placed my order late Friday and it arrived this morning. Tbh I didn’t expect to see it for a few weeks so kudos to the staff. I’m very impressed by any company that doesn’t just fold under the pressure of a big sale.

Also loving that each polish was individually bubble wrapped. To me this says Models Own are a company that care about what state my purchases reach me in. I like!

On to the haul….

Well… initially I had 4 polishes in my basket but OBVIOUSLY the lure of 50% was just TOO much of a bargain. I ended up with 8.

Total was £20 inc free p&p. Now that’s flipping fabulous! I already have several Models Own polishes and I believe that even at £5 they are ridiculously good value for money. £2.50 each is just a steal!

I got:

L: Pearly Queen R: Snow White

Pearly Queen is very subtle pretty pink and the name is apt. It’s pearl earrings in liquid form.  The Snow White swatch is a bit pointless but basically I got this as a base for the blue glitter.

L: Champagne R: Nude Beige

Going on sight and swatches alone Champagne is the stand out beauty, a rich pearly light gold. Nude Beige on the other hand is slightly disappointing, definitely not as nude as the site swatch. Much more minky than I was expecting. Jury is OUT!

L: Raspberry Crush R: Tickled Pink

I love both of these. Raspberry Crush is much more cerise than it’s appearing here, really vibrant and it’ll make a great toenail colour. Tickled Pink is a great glittery rose. Super feminine.

L: Blue Sparkle R: Silver Spangle

I’ve wanted both of these for an absolute age but I probably wouldn’t have bought them unless the sale was on. Why? Well crazy glitter polishes always seem like a bit of a waste. Lets be honest I’ll rarely wear these. I am looking forward to experimenting with them though.

Initially the glitter seems like it will be easy to place on the nail. If I had to pick a negative I’d say that these took almost twice as long to dry on my swatch card. Definitely not ones to be apply if you’re in a hurry.

Overall I’m delighted. I really hate spending big bucks on nail polish, unless it’s something super special, because quite honestly it’s not my favourite beauty product. However I’m well chuffed that I have eight new shades to play with and they didn’t break the bank.

You can still take advantage of the offer here up until midnight Friday the 27th of August. Make sure you add in the code FACEBOOK50 at the checkout

xo

you overindulged at the weekend?

*raises both hands*

I love red wine. I love Indian food. Sadly my insides disagree.

Today I am STILL recovering after a fun Saturday night out. Bread and muchos water please!!

Outfit wise I had planned to wear a frock on Saturday night, but absolutely crazy weather put an end to that idea. I ended up heading out in straight leg jeans and a white blouse from Warehouse. Absolute bargain at £7.50! There is another 50% off their sale prices in store.

This was a bit out of my comfort zone, so I did spend a large proportion of the night pulling at it and feeling the need to smooth it down. However it was very comfortable and cool to wear so it’s definitely opened me up to the idea of a shirt and jeans as alternative going out attire.

Both necklaces are from River Island. I think my favourite high street jewellery comes from there. It’s always a bit different and the pieces I have already have lasted well, unlike Primark bits n pieces. I’d rather spend a few quid more and not worry about it falling off my neck halfway through a night

Shoes were another sale bargain from the fail that was Faith. £10 in the Debenhams outlet. I thought they were really cute but classy, and they even have a little cone kitten heel. I can see these getting a tonne of use!

Speaking of fashion I’m currently lemming a hacking jacket… you know the type. Fitted tweed with elbow patches? I’ve tried a few on in Zara but not been overly happy with the fit and at £79.99 I expect to be! Anyone seen anything similar? Link me up please

xo

I had the wantsies for a Sydney Evan Disc Necklace as worn by the lovely Lorraine Stanick but what I didn’t have the wantsies for was parting with $1020 to get it. Eeek!

I searched everywhere for a cheap dupe online, but I just couldn’t find one that was big enough/ sparkly enough/ dirt cheap enough.

So I set about fashioning my own.

I took one pair of drop disc earrings from the current Oasis Sale £4

These were good because they had a fixed eyelet already soldered to the top of them, meaning adding a chain would be wee buns (easy peasy)!
I just used a pair of pliers to detach the bar from the disc. Then took an old unused necklace and fed it through.

Voila!

I think it’s really classy, although I would like a finer open link chain but that’ll be easy enough to pick up for a few quid in Accessorize or the like. Most importantly it has satisfied my want. When I get bored of it I won’t feel guilty tossing it. Especially for £4.

My top is from Tesco, I think it was around £12. Just really loved the slogan and print

Not much planned for today, we have all 4 kids all weekend so that should be …….. fun?

I also have a tonne of housework to catch up on. Thankfully Noah has decided all things cleaning related are AMAZING!?! So I have a little helper today!

That's my boy!

Mr Mop

You could eat your dinner off it!

Have a good weekend whatever you get up to, and much love to all you kind and wonderful people. You know who you are

xo

Well it’s a bargain if you happen to like Uggs. If not… move along… nothing to see here

Now this isn’t perhaps the most seasonally appropriate post, what with it being July and apparently the British Summer Time. However unlike the mainland, us Northern Irelanders aren’t experiencing this fabulously warm heatwave. Instead we’re dodging rain clouds and bullets ( I jest).

So I think you’ll forgive me when I tell you that I just purchased a new pair of Uggs. To wear. Like now.

I’ve always fancied a pair in the “Cardy” style. I just didn’t fancy paying £125.00 for them. So I didn’t!

I shopped savvy and picked them up for £64.00 in Cruise Clothing. I bought mine in store but they’re also available here in pink, grey and light brown. The black is not reduced. Remember the “Don’t you hate when clothing shops reduce like that, by popularity of colour?” Errr well yeah I do… again. Grrr

Anyway definite bargain to be had, even if it’s not for yourself! I’m gonna order the pink for my besties Xmas pressie. I know she’ll LOVE them.

Word of warning or maybe advice though in regards to Uggs. Even the authentic Uggs are bad for your feet with prolonged wear. Due to the design and composition they simply can’t offer the kind of support that a trainer or laced shoe can.

Like a lot of people my feet naturally over pronate, meaning that my foot tends to roll inward at the arch area. A shoe without support at the arch area ie Uggs, flip flops, slippers will aggravate this and ultimately cause pain in the shins/ knees and in my case lower back.

So what can you do about it?

Well personally what I do is still buy the footwear I like the look of but I adapt the support offered by inserting my own gel insoles. I wear these in almost ALL my shoes now, and I’d say that 90% of my knee & back pain is gone.

You can pick them up in most sports stores these days. Shop around though as they can be pricey. I paid around £10 in DW Fitness for a pair, and then on holiday got a few pairs for 7 euro!

Hope this helps someone

xo

Hmmmmm… note the House of Fraser slogan….

They aint lyin!! I was lucky to get out of there with some change in my purse!

Now I’m not sure if it was nationwide, but the Belfast branch of House of Fraser has been holding a 2 day Sale which ends this evening. With discounts of up to 30% off the majority of fashion brands, and 10% off beauty. Hooray!

I went in with the sole purpose of buying a clutch sized bag, and ended up with not one but two bags (…well you DO don’t you?).

In my defence it is entirely NOT my fault. If places like HoF are going to reduce bags by one of my favourite designers by 25%…. and then on sale day by a FURTHER 25% I’m going be pretty bloody helpless in saying no, …. right?

Disclaimer over….. and I got my small clutch

It’s a beautiful butter soft black leather one by Badgley Mischka , almost pouch like. The big selling point for me was the fact that it features a long thin strap enabling cross-body wear. This is a must for me on a night out. If the bag is not physically connected to me in some fashion I WILL lose it. Trust me, after 31 years on earth you get to know yourself quite well, and I lose clutch bags… a lot.

Bonus too that the strap can be doubled up, which shortens it and means you can wear it underarm. Cute AND versatile!

I also fell in love with this Badgley Mischka tote. I admit mostly because of the stunning colour.It’s so unusual! Almost peach.

This also has a detachable strap and therefore can be worn in a multitude of ways, although it won’t be getting any wear until June as I’m saving this for our Summer holiday

Beauty Hall purchases were strictly limited to skincare for a change. I’m just not “feeling” make-up at the minute. I’m more than satisfied with what I already own tbh so I just picked up 2 things from Origins.

The “Make a Difference” Ultra Rich Rejuvenating Cream. I’ve been on the hunt for a really rich night cream and the sales assistant directed me towards this one. I didn’t argue, felt rich, smelt unoffensive and wasn’t ridiculously expensive. Sold.

She was actually really enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the Origins range (as she should be) which is probably how I ended up with “refreshing eye cream” that I didn’t know I needed (… until I’d bought it) but I was in one of those carefree shopping moods this morning, open to trying new things and being easily influenced. Sometimes that’s the best kind of shopping.

Anyway, that’s my lot. I’ve been on a post shopping high all day!

Enjoy your weekend folks, whatever you get up to!

Me, I’ll be chilling tonight with the family, and then tomorrow night I’m hitting Belfast with one of my chums. It’ll be a heels, lipstick and champagne kinda night. Can hardly wait!!

xox

Just a few little bargains I picked up in Bangor this weekend.

First up, jewellery. I LOVE when Topshop have a jewellery sale as the reductions are nearly always 50% – 75%
That said, just because its a bargain doesn’t mean I should buy all the shit of the day. So initially I do tend to go a bit crazy grabbing everything in sight.

Then I take my haul to a mirror and try everything on (necklaces/ bangles/ rings) and hold earrings up to get an idea. Just by doing this I normally manage to whittle it down from about 12 pieces to 4 or 5…… ish

First up are two pair of heart earrings. Hearts are very “me”. I am very in touch with my feelings and a massive romantic. I’ve had my heart broken many times but I’d rather that than never having known what it’s like to fall in love…. So hearts make me smile

The stud silver pair were £5 down to £2, and the woven gold danglies were £7 down to £2

Then I got a bunch of silver bangles. I’ve been wearing a lot of gold over the summer, but my preference from young has always been silver. I thought these would come in useful over the festive season. £12 down to £2. Bargaintastic!!

And finally a sweet little owl, star and moon necklace. This wasn’t reduced but inexpensive anyway at £6. I bought this to wear with my Winter Coat from New Look as the owl has lovely emerald coloured eyes. Too cute!

Clothes wise the ultimate bargain was unearthed in my local British Heart Foundation Charity Shop. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but I practically squealed when I found this dress nestling in the rails. It is a velvet & lace vintage “Kays Catalogue” Bodycon dress. I’m too embarrassed to say what they were asking for it, but needless to say I rounded it up to a more acceptable amount to donate to charity.

To be fair, lying flat/ on the hanger it doesn’t “really” look anything special but…

when it’s on, I feel super sexy. I adore any kind of open or low back. This dips down in a very deep lace covered V. LOVE IT!!!

Last but not least I caved in and bought a pair of super tight sequin leggings.

I’ve hmmed and haaed over these a couple of times. Do I really need them? Am I not a bit old to be wearing sequins on my legs at 30? But at the end of the day, I just thought fuck it. Life’s too short.

Now… when I’ll actually get to wear them is another matter. When I do though I’m thinking I’ll pair them under a nice long jumper dress/ tee. Keep it all quite simple and let the sequins do the talking? Any suggestions would be great!

So thats it from me for now, I’m off to stick a white wash on….. oh the glamourous life I lead

xox

well it is for me anyway

As a full on brunette I have always been able to carry off black eyeliner/ mascara…. however in these bright summer days even I think its a bit harsh on someone of my colouring.

So when I spied the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Rope Collection on sale in Debenhams I jumped at it. Not only does this give me a spare Zero (their black) for Autumn/Winter but it also contains Bourbon, a brown I’ve been wanting to try out for quite some time. Plus 24/7 has always been a winner for me and my watery eyes! It stays put!

When you consider that just one of these pencils full size is £10 it really is a bargain, I already own the bright colours VIP collection and find that these last around 2-3 months anyway even if used daily

From L-R Yeyo, 1999, Zero, Bourbon & Stash

These are all very wearable, I’ll use the white in my inner corner on occasion, and 1999 will fit in perfectly with my new love of all eyeshadows plum. Stash is also an amazing green/ gold, not unlike Illamasqua’s Solstice Liquid Metal tbh. This would make a gorgeous base used all over the lid.

The result of Bourbon on the waterline is really quite refreshing. Much softer and more season suitable IMO. I’m even thinking of trying out a brown mascara now which is something I would never have entertained :-O

Any suggestions ladies?

xoxox

I know I do, and thankfully they were everywhere when I went into Belfast yesterday. Recession or no damn recession people were out in their droves and spending seemed to be the order of the day! It would have been rude not to join in…..

Heres a few of the highlights of my shopping trip

A gorgeous floral pashmina from M&S £14.99 A spring/ summer staple. I have several scarves but was holding out for a pretty blue toned one. This was love at first sight.

Staple summer sandals. I can’t be doing with completely flat sandals, they just aren’t comfortable on my arches, so this mini wedge talks my kind of language. M&S £15

A few accessories, actually truth be told this was all I was shopping for initially… oops

The long necklace on the left is from H&M £3.99, middle and right are both from Miss Selfridge and were bargains reduced to £3 & £2 a piece. The floral one looks quite over the top and gaudy but its actually very pretty on. I think it’ll be gorgeous on a warm summers evening with a plain white skinny vest.

A cute biker jacket from Dorothy Perkins which had an additional 20% off sale stock. I’ve been after one of these for a while to throw on over casual dresses when out for a night, but I didn’t want to pay big money. The wait paid off….DP’s £12

Bargains reached fever pitch in Victoria Square, the House of Fraser shoe sale was AMAZING! I spent a whole hour just trying on fabulous shoes. In the end I opted for these classic Carvela black patent killer stilettos. Original price was £95 but after two reductions I got them for a stellar £29

Last stop on Sunday was Topshop. Now I love Topshop but I do think that their clothing is mostly over-priced. I tend to get the bulk of my Topshop bits n bobs during their sale and yesterday was no exception.

This jersey long line vest is very me. It clings in all the right places and skims and flatters in all the wrong ones I’ll be wearing this over leggings now and as a dress with sandals as it gets warmer. I love multi-functional pieces like this and I’m stocking up on my navy tops which replace black for me in the brighter days £10

This next item makes me smile big style. I am totally in love with it. I’m calling it my “Kirstie Allsopp” number! It’s my new spring/ summer coat and I imagine she would share my love of it.
I like fitted coats but truth be told these full circle style numbers suit me best. I feel like Audrey Hepburn in it, it nips me in at the waist (Size 12 Yay!!!!) and yet sits out like a flirty dress over my hips. I adore it. It was £75 (I’d have bought it at that price) but as luck would have it, reduced to £35

Final topshop purchase and definitely not in keeping or to be worn with the above coat is a soft grey hobo sac.
This is a gorgeous casual slouchy bag that will see me from now well into Autumn. I’ll wear it with jeans and flip flops and keys will go missing for days in the bottom of it, but I won’t care!

So thats it for yesterdays shopping spree. I think I did well and have some great new season staples now for my wardrobe. I’m sure Gok would approve!

A little additional purchase today was a Max C dress from Tempest, I’m intending to wear this out tomorrow night when I go to see Girls Aloud in concert. Can’t wait!!! It was reduced from £45 to £22.50. My husband has pointed out that it is a little “red, white & blue” which is quite funny in Northern Ireland (perhaps not elsewhere), I’m thinking it’ll be grand, and sure at least I have my outfit sorted for the 12th

What bargains has everyone else been getting in the sales?? xox

I haven’t had time to think never mind blog in the last few days, its just been go go go at this end.
My youngest son has been “especially” demanding lately but we seem to be coming out the other side of that little phase (thank god).

I managed to get out for a few hours on Friday night with friends and it was lovely to get glammed up, cute print dress from Topshop paired with red 40′s style Carvela heels (a dirt cheap Ebay purchase) that I adore and have got soooo much use out of.

Saturday I was meant to be at IMATs, but to be completely honest, I just couldn’t justify the cash that would have been required for flights, hotel, food and inevitably tons of make-up purchases. So I worked Saturday instead and earnt some more readies for the Hello Kitty @ MAC fund

Sunday I popped up to Forestside (a mall outside Belfast) and browsed for some bargain accessories. I completely refuse to spend money on expensive clothes at the moment, I just don’t see the point now that I am determined to shed the pounds. Therefore I have been focusing on the belts, scarves, bags, shoes and basically anything that adds to outfits I already have.
Below is a little peek at some of the deals I picked up including bargain boots from Clarks, the long ones were reduced from £79.99 and the short ones from £69.99!!! I love Clarks shoes, I have rubbish feet and their boots are unbelievably comfortable xo

Chainlink Hairband Blk & Gold New Look £4

Cream Leather & Chain Effect Hairband New Look £4

Chunky Waist Cincher Dorothy Perkins £5

Black Leather 3/4 Length Boots Clarks £23

Grey Leather Ankle Boots Clarks £23