Sunday 20 January 2013

Bargains to be had Good and Bad.

Last weekend Soo came over for a much needed catch up and a trawl of the shops (charity and high street).
Couldn't have done it this week because it has snowed, and is indeed still snowing even as I type. As anyone knows the U.K grinds to a complete standstill at the sight of a snowflake. I only just got home from work on Friday for which I was eternally grateful, visions of being trapped at work fill one with despair I can tell you.

Soo had Christmas money burning a hole in her pocket and she spent it wisely and well on all manner of wonderous Charity Shop bargains. I on the other hand had no Christmas money and a strict budget because I spent far too much money in December and am skint. Thankfully there weren't rails full of bargains to tempt me into blowing my budget and I snaffled a few bargains with money to spare.
Comedy moment was when we were both cooing over a very unusual and cute wooden chair and the guy behind the till having overheard us felt he was duty bound to come and point out said chair was actually a commode!



So what did I buy??

                                          A lovely pair of Clarks shoes for £3.99
                                 An elasticated belt and a leopard print head scarf £3.


                                        An unusual brass and copper cuff for £1.50

                                             and some knitting patterns for 20p.

 I remember my Mum having the lamb pattern when I was little and the sailor duck spoke to me in a 'Isn't it about time you started knitting again and made me?' kind of a way.

 I learnt to knit when I was 7 and knitted right up until my 20s when I suddenly stopped. I haven't knitted for the best part of 15 years now, indeed I don't even have any equipment, I left it all behind at my parents house when I moved in with Himself 11 years ago. High time I got my knitting mojo back I think! 

After tea and scones we did a quick browse round the other shops. I have fallen in love with a forest green jumper in New Look but it wasn't in the sale so it stayed on the hanger and I even put a leopard print dress that was in the sale back because I couldn't justify it.

Don't worry I am in no doubt this new found resolve will vanish very soon! It did impress Soo though :)

I did splash out in Clarks on a pair of boots in the sale. As you may recall ( I have wittered on about it for a while) I need a new pair of black boots suitable for work. I had a £50 budget and these came in at £54 so slightly over but pretty much what I was after.

 Of course I am bound to see the perfect boot everywhere now I have finally bought these!
and talking of work the consultants have finished PRAISE THE LORD and I survived to tell the tale.....just.

As I did not spend all of my designated £20 (the £54 doesn't count as that was on the credit card.) I took to the bay of E and came up with a beauty which I'm not sure I have the balls to wear and a disaster of the first degree.

Firstly I just fell for this slip/dress, I can't even explain why, it's not a style or colour I would usually go for, I don't even know if it will fit/suit me hmmm. I shall have to channel my inner Desiree 
I think. The thing is it is so very flimsy and see though....

as for the disaster. It only had one picture and absolutely no description at all which probably should have rung warning bells, but I liked the fabric, I thought the style would do for work, it was by Oasis (apparently) whose dresses I like and it was starting price 99p. I won it for £2.70 and when it arrived not only was it NOT by Oasis grrr, it also had a huge cut out at the waist at the back and the bodice at the back was just 2 flaps of fabirc held together with a button!?! It's pretty horrible and I can't understand why you would have all these 'holes' in a long sleeved heavyweight winter dress. Bizarre.


 See looks alright doesn't it?

Bizarre back! Obviously the cutout is much bigger when worn yuck. Maybe I should wear it the other way round and show my flabby belly off to the world hahaha er no.

Finally I did one other bit of sale shopping and when you think I usually go mental in the sales this level of restraint is unnerving.

I had to go to the post office and the bank so I called into Debenhams on my way back to work as their sale had increased to 70%. As ever it was mostly nasty stuff left at this point but I had seen a make up palette by Ruby Hammer in there at Christmas and decided to check if there were any left on the off chance. There were indeed a couple left and they were massively reduced. Both palettes for £9 now that is what I call a result.

So yesterday I sorted out my make-up instead of going out into this.





11 comments:

  1. What a shame that the dress wasn't quite what you thought it was going to be! I do love those bargain shoes, though. Good luck with the knitting.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  2. Get the knitting bug! (What do you need to get started? I have tons of stuff and could sort you out an emergency starter kit if you're skint.)

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    1. Bless you I may just take you up on your offer. I'm going to get my Mum to hunt out my knitting bag and bring it over first and see what I have left in it(that she hasn't pinched!)

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  3. You unearth such terrific treasures, dear lady. I adore those Clarks shoes, they could be styled to work for looks spanning the 1920s to the 70s (and of course work with modern styles, too).

    ♥ Jessica

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  4. Yay, great shopping skills!
    The frocks are fab,I love the shoes and the boots are PERFECT! I could do with a pair like that!
    X

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  5. Gorgeous shoes! I love having a sort through my make up and experimenting with new things.

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  6. Looks like you had a great day. Love the yellow and red flower dress and your clarks shoes. dee xx

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  7. Yeswas I love a make up bargain! Shame about the freak dress, is it worth complaining to eBay? Love those boots, they're totally you ! Really love the Clarks shoes and the Desiree dress xxx

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  8. AHA!!!! Now the see-through aspect of that GLORIARSE frock is easy to sort - start scouring eBay for vintage silk or rayon slips while it's FREEZING, as no-one in their "right mind" will be thinking of buying for spring while there's snow on the ground. You're bound to win some bargainous auctions that way - Etsy is good too, look out for sales in the Vintage category. Love, love, love the shoes - they'll work with the "Desiree frock" don't you think? Thank you for thinking of me darling xoxo

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  9. Ha! It's a running joke in India, they all laugh when Britain grinds to a halt in the snow and ask how we ever managed to build an empire, I've got to agree!
    Love your finds, the shoes are great and the Desiree dress is a beauty! xxx

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  10. Top finds lovely! Gorgeous shoes and I reckon they'll go a treat with the Desiree dress. The other dress is a bit of a challenge! Ebay...gotta love it.
    Ooooh yes, take up knitting again and then I can pick your brains for knit tips. My gran made me one of those donkey knits and I am feeling the urge to have a go at making some toys.
    Have a lovely weekend.
    xxx

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