My January Sale Challenge was –
Jaymee,
A new year calls for some new additions to your wardrobe. Treat yourself to some timeless bargains in the January sale which will see you through the year. Think classic white shirts, a bag which goes with everything or some brand new jeans which make you feel gorgeous and can be used for day and night. Remember, you must spend as much of the voucher on yourself as possible and don’t forget the fabulous retailers down Westgate Arcade!
Good luck and ENJOY!
Me and clothes shopping really do not go hand in hand, I love buying clothes but finding something that fits and is flattering can be really tiresome. So I tend to leave clothes to online only. I do however love shopping for accessories, and I was really excited to be able to buy a lovely handbag and fill it! Well, that was my idea and what I had set out to achieve. Turns out that not many shops had handbags for sale well, not ones that I think would go with everything and more importantly that I LIKED.
That is the thing with sales though isn’t some of it is just end of line stuff that they couldn’t shift. Think novelty Christmas Hats and wrapping paper but then you come across some bargains that are must-haves! I was hoping that I would find a nifty little bargain hiding somewhere. The Challenge mentioned Westgate Arcade and the retailers which reside there. On my last #Qblogger challenge I didn’t get to go into Westgate Arcade so it was our first port of call.
Westgate Arcade
Westgate Arcade is full of lots of retailers many of which are small and independent. I think with the world leaning to online shopping it is important to remember the smaller shops. Afterall they all have families etc to feed too. Walking down Westgate Arcade at just coming up to 10 am it became apparent that not many of the shops were actually open, one was closing down (which is never happy to see) but there were shoppers coming and going. The staff within the shops were more than happy to help us answer any questions we may had and even managed a quick stop in at Pulse too! I think a nose piercing is going to have to wait though.
Pretty much all the shops within Queensgate were having a sale of some sort. After what seemed an age walking around trying to find a handbag that I liked we ended up in Hotter Shoes. Over the past year, I have really come to love the shop. Nothing like what you think it will before I walked inside I thought it was for the um more older female generations. When I was invited to the VIP event and asked to come back later in the year to help with Fit Fortnight campaign I began to really like the shoes. They are literally the comfiest shoes I have worn and apart from the odd occasion where I have worn wellies I have worn them every day.
What did I buy?
Photo most certainly does not do it justice! Thanks to pretty poor lighting and a horrible cloud outside that meant zero chance of natural light too.Okay, so the big question is What did I actually buy? Well, I did buy a handbag but I also managed to buy a scarf! annnnnnd also an umbrella! In total, the items should have been £135 altogether and I paid exactly £50. Not a penny under or over. I was super happy to be able to find a bag that I liked.
The Bag
The Handbag is called Dahlia, (I didn’t name it by the way) and is made from genuine leather. It has 2 front pockets which secure by magnetic fastenings (not the buckles). It is pretty big inside too! I do like a big bag and I wanted to buy something that would fit all the essentials of what I need plus my DSLR camera. This bag can do all of that too! I also love that I can keep my phone separate as I do tend to loose it.
Original Price – £85
I paid – £39
Saving – £46!
The Umbrella
I had no idea that this beaut also had a shopper bag attached to it! Which is perfect for keeping inside my new Dahlia Handbag! At least as long as i remember to put the shopper bag back into my handbag I should never be without one. The Umbrella has a beautiful rose flower print and also a cute duck shaped handle too! Once folded it doesn’t take too much room. With the glorious British weather too an Umbrella is an essential part of anyone’s wardrobe.
Original Price – £25
Sale Price – £6
Saving – £19
The Scarf
I was given one of these scarves in a goody bag at the VIP event and it had since become my favourite. It is beautifully soft and rather long too! so although it is rather thin once bunched up together around your neck it does keep you lovely and warm.
Original Price – £25
Sale Price – £5
Saving – £20
Great purchases Jaymee, I would have bought all three of those but I especially LOVE the bag, it is definitely something I would use daily.
I’ve come to love Hotter too, I got some biker boots in the fit fortnight and I hate it when my outfit doesn’t match with them! I’d never have thought to go in hotter for a handbag, what great bargains too!