Merry Thriftmas - The Guide to Christmas Party Outfits on a Budget

I have been selected to take part in a challenge set by VoucherBox, to find a jingle-worthy Christmas party outfit online for under £75. Well of course my reply was "challenge accepted!". I'm always up for a bargain hunt, especially when it involves celebrating my favourite part of the year.

First thing's first, I'm going to share my number 1 saving secret. When I'm buying anything online, I check Topcashback to see if there is any cashback or special saving codes for the sites I am planning to buy from. The percentage of cashback is usually quite small, but if you're a big online buyer (like me), over time you'll have enough in your Topcashback account to buy a new pair of sparkly shoes (and gain some more cashback!). I urge you all to sign up. I use it for everything, from fashion purchases on ASOS, to concert tickets on Ticketmaster, and even my online grocery shopping.

Another little money saving trick I have for online buying, especially for fashion, is to do a simple internet search for store voucher codes, and more often than not, this lovely challenge host VoucherBox, will show up in the results. All year round different brands offer different codes for anything from 10% off to free next day delivery. It's worth a quick search before you buy as it's always really frustrating finding a discount after you've already made your purchase. I also find it is helpful to subscribe to the mailing lists of your favourite stores so you get emails whenever there are special discounts available.

Now, back to finding something special for the Christmas party on a budget. There are a few ways to go about this. As it's Christmas and you'll want to stand out, it might be worth while spending a majority of your budget on one statement item of clothing, along with cheaper subtle accessories, like so...

This simple black Monsoon dress with embellished neckline and cuffs, means you can worry less about jewellery. Go glam with these pink New Look heels.  You can get 2 for 1 on all jewellery from New Look too! Add a decorative cocktail ring and some colourful stud earrings. Or if you're not a heels type of girl, how about these mint green studded flats from ASOS. Add a simple pink clutch to break down the black a bit more. Both of these options also come with free delivery. Monsoon offer free click & collect from your nearest store and so does New Look with a spend of over £19.99. You can also get free delivery from ASOS when you spend £15 or more.

Another way of going about this is to even out your spending, so 1/3 each on clothing, accessories and shoes.

Before you tell me to go back to maths class, I haven't totaled this wrong. I managed to find a great code over on VoucherBox which entitles you to £10 off a £50 spend at New Look. That means more money to spend on sparkly accessories (and with their buy one get one free deal on jewellery, that's double the glitter!). This beautiful playsuit would look great paired with these cute silver heels. It's cold out there so wrap up warm in a faux fur cape. Finish this Christmas look with ink blue false nails and 2-for-1 silver jewellery (bangles and earrings).

So there you have it, my guide to party outfit shopping on a budget. If you really wanted to save your pennies, why not rummage through your nearest charity shops, or better yet, don't spend a thing (well maybe £5-7 entry) and instead take some of your unwanted items from your wardrobe (maybe last years Crimbo party outfit) to a Swishing event. Swishing is the name given to clothing swaps. Be sure to check out Swishing.com to find your nearest event. This idea is a bit more risky as you're not guaranteed to find the perfect item for your Christmas party, but it is definitely worth a shot!

Get The Look - Sally Field's 2013 Oscar Dress

It seems everyone is talking about Sally Field's red Valentino dress from last nights Oscar Awards. She looked absolutely stunning but unfortunately we don't all have the life style which gives us the opportunity to walk around in a trailing gown. Captain Charghley to the rescue! I've found some alternatives that don't require an invite to a prestigious awards ceremony.

This cute little red number by Jarlo is currently on sale for just £21 over at Coggles. The vibrant colour of love and sweetheart neckline would make this a great dinner date dress. You can see how I have styled the dress over on ASOS's Fashion Finder here.

ASOS offer a wide range of sweet and girly red dresses, including this adorable balloon embroidered collar dress by Nishe. Or how about this super cool skater dress with embroidered stud shoulder detail.

Proving red isn't just for Valentine's Day, why not add some romantic chiffon to your outfit!

Get Some Colours On!

Hello all!!
Sorry for my lack of posts, I've had my life on hold whilst I finished my 2nd year of uni. Now all my coursework has been handed in and my exams finished, I'm back! And so begins my summer. One key look that I have seen cropping up is colour - the brighter the better. Now if you're like me and have a wardrobe dominated by mainly one colour (I'm a sucker for navy), then here are some essential pieces to spruce it up.

The orange floral dress from Dorothy Perkins is a must for anyone invited to a summer wedding. I fell in love with this dress the moment I saw it and have actually tried it on. It's very flattering on the more leggy of us. Another must for summer are block coloured jeans. Those cropped ones from Topshop are also available in electric blue, hot red, baby pink and deep purple. Lastly, brightly coloured brogues can heat up any outfit. I love these purple suede brogues from ASOS, also available in brilliant blue, bright green and sunshine yellow.

If all that colour wasn't enough to get you into the mood for summer, how about some Patrick Wolf? 

Absolutely loving his new single 'The City', so put on your most colourful outfit, turn it up and let your summer start. Hope everyone has an excellent Bank Holiday and I'll be back very soon.