Shopping the sales

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

The slogan sweat

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

I was in town the other day and noticed:

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

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

Silent Night Hotel Luxe bedding

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

Christmas cards

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

Anthropologie

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

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

The best of the Anthropologie sale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which items are your favourites?

Say hello to Bailey and Tia!

Things here have been a little quiet on here lately and I can only apologise. It was quite the year. There were a lot of publicised deaths in the press (still massively in shock that Alan Rickman and Victoria Wood have gone), as well as one a little closer to home whereby I lost a member of my family. Any loss is horrible, but one where it's unexpected and someone just dies in their sleep and never wakes up... I was in pieces. I didn't take any time off from work to grieve properly and then amazingly work took a dramatic u turn and transformed 2.5 years of happiness to making me feel like nothing. It really hurts putting your heart and soul into something and then finding out it has all been for nothing. That you are invisible and undervalued because you are a woman. This in itself warrants its own blog post, but I'll save that for another day.

I don't want to dwell too much on the negatives as there was also plenty good with this year. One highlight was buying and moving into my first property after waiting almost a year. It's starting to feel more like a home now there's a dining table and chairs. But the main reason it's starting to feel more like a home is starting my own little family. A family of the furry variety. Say hello to Bailey and Tia!

Those of you who follow my Twitter or Instagram will have seen their adorable little faces already! One weekend I went to my local RSPCA but never imagined I would be putting my name down for two eight week old kittens that very day! With this particular rescue shelter, it's very rare that they have kittens that are still available or even that young / small. But as soon as I saw them, I knew.

They came from a litter of four and they were all named after drinks. Tia (Maria!) was the only girl, and their two other brothers were called Brandy and Bourbon (one pure brown tabby, the other identical to Tia). It was heartbreaking to separate the gang, but Brandy and Bourbon were more independent and preferred their own company, whereas Tia and Bailey were inseparable, following each other around everywhere - so it was an easy decision which two to adopt!

I am still really happy with my decision to adopt not buy. Although cash was obviously handed over, being a charity, I see it as a donation for the good work that they do and the care they give the animals there. But also the money paid towards the chip, registering, flea and worm treatments, neutering etc etc. - additional things I would have had to pay for on top of if buying from a pet shop or breeder. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on people who buy from pet shops. Everyone is their own person and makes their own decisions. But I liked the idea of rescuing a homeless animal rather than handing money over to people who have intentionally bred an animal for profit. For example, a local pet shop were charging £400 for a kitten and that sort of money is madness. I don't know how anyone can justify that.

But back to Bailey and Tia. They are growing fast but have great chemistry. They follow each other around everywhere and I can sit and watch them for hours playing and darting around chasing one another. Both have very different personalities. Bailey (black and white) is more shy around people, but is slowly becoming the biggest softy of them all. He sits up close to me most evenings and loves rolling over to have his belly rubbed. Tia (tabby) LOVES people and knows damn well that she is cute and takes it to her advantage! She purrs whenever she is picked up, chirps when she is looking for you, and loves hitching a ride on your shoulder / back. She has the cutest tail which she walks with all curled up like a husky.

Every day I look at them and they melt my heart. They seem to have that affect on any visitors we have too! They are cheeky little things and typical curious kittens who must see / do / play with everything. But so, so loving. And I can't imagine life without them.