What I wore today & a Bargain Lust of the Day

Miracles do happen, I actually made it to the gym again today.  Not that I broke a sweat mind you - a rather sedentary pilates class.  However, preferable to sitting on my butt drinking coffee ,which has been known to happen one or 100 times on my gym visits.  


And it kept me out of the rain.  Strange old weather today.  Started off not that badly (hence I have sunglasses on in my photo which was this morning - I'm not a complete lunatic) but went downhill pretty rapidly.  Resulting in changing cardigan for a mac.  Due to the trauma of after school activities, picking up kids, dropping them off, supermarket smash and grab, them expecting dinner (really?), I didn't get time to do a photo.


Earlier though was wearing 

Khaki longline ribbed vest - Joseph (one of my favourite and most useful pieces.  Gutted they don't do them anymore, shall be blogging about where to find decent basics.  Once I've done the research that is!) 
Mink and fuchsia hooped jumper - Dorothy Perkins (bargain One)
Stone skinny jeans - Dorothy Perkins (bargain Two)
Tobacco drape front fine knit cardigan - Day Birger et Mikkelsen 
Khaki leopard print scarf - By Malene Birger
Tan ankle boots - Acne
Sunglasses - Tom Ford 
Fuchsia Roxanne tote - Mulberry


More on Bargain One and Bargain Two - the Dorothy Perkins bargains.  I will admit that it's not a shop I frequent that much.  Coming back to what I've said a number of times, I've found over recent years it does pay to invest in better quality fabrics that invariably cost more.  Plus I have my favourite shops that I will always head to, and seeing as I don't spend all my time shopping or surfing the net for clothes (contrary to popular belief), I've become very lazy at heading off piste.


But I saw something from there in a magazine that caught my eye and so went for a mooch on the Dotty P's website.  And lo and behold, up pops a 20% discount.  In for a penny, in for a pound - what could I order? (diddly squat on tv, The Husband not in from work = fatal fatal combination)


For a starters they had a Tall section and, as any other Gulliver out there will tell you, these are like rocking horse poo.   I had been looking for ages for a stone/beige pair of skinny jeans.  Check.  At £25 pre discount, it would be rude not to give them a go.




Then I noticed that it was free p&p if you ordered over £75.  Being a total sucker for a give away (ie I'm cheap) and given the excuse for more "free" shopping (I wasn't going to be keeping it all.........) I was determined to find more to put in my basket along with the jeans (in a size 8 and a size 10.  A girl can dream.)


The fuchsia scarf was next (which I posted the other day about).  Which I honestly would have kept if it wasn't the exact same shade as a scarf I already had.  (I should put that bit in bold so The Husband might see it, shouldn't I? I sent something back)


To go with the scarf (obviously) I thought I'd give this jumper a go.  For £23, I expected it to be on the nastier side of acrylic but was pleasantly surprised to find it's a majority cotton mix.  And it feels like it as well.  






By this point I was getting carried away, The Husband had arrived home, which just left me enough time to bung another jumper in my basket and check out.  


Next day, package arrived (boy do I love home delivery.  Especially next day delivery.  Your very own Santa, bringing gifts, any day, any season.  I have thought about buying Mr DHL a hat but, as smiley as he is, I'm not sure his conviviality would stretch to a red velvet hat with a white fur trim) 


To be honest, I was expecting it all to be a bit rubbish.  Big shock.  Ok so it's not Joseph quality but it's a country mile away from Joseph prices.  And I have to say, the jeans especially, aren't actually that dissimilar ones from the Joseph (dry clean only grrrr) twill skinny trousers that I've had in the past. 


I do have to mention that I did put the trousers on straight away (the 10) as I was so impressed with them.  Unfortunately within a couple of hours, to say they's stretched was a slight understatement.  I looked like I was on a Weight Watchers advert, demonstrating how many sizes I'd shrunk, by dragging out the waistband of my trousers.  An exceptionally bad look for a pair of trousers that I did actually want to fit.  However took them back to DP's, explained what had happened and that, if I could shoehorn myself into the 8, within an hour or two they'd fit perfectly.  They refunded me for the 10, admitting themselves that yes they do stretch and the 8 would be fine.   V impressed with their Customer Service (and the fact I have a size 8 pair of trousers.)


Plus a big thumbs up to the jumper.  This time I sized up and kept the 12.   I do have giraffe arms and was more comfortable with this size.   It's not what I'd normally go for if I'm honest, but it does slot really well into my wardrobe - I already have a matching bag and matching scarf for it - and for verging on thruppence ha'penny, I'm very pleased. 


Link to jumper 


Link to jeans  (if you do order, order a size down)


Which brings me to my Bargain Lust of the Day which is the other jumper I ordered.  As I'd said to myself I wasn't going to be keeping everything I'd ordered,  I ummed and ahhed about which jumper to keep.  Since one of my New Year Fashion Resolutions had been to have more colour in my wardrobe, I kept the striped one. 


But I do really regret not keeping this one as well, as it would be such an easy piece to wear in the Spring and for cooler days in the Summer.  And would go really well over my raspberry jeans........  One can never have too many neutral basics.  Oh I'm so going to reorder it!


You definitely need to wear a vest underneath it (unless bra on view is an acceptable dress code where you live and work - not so much here) Again I would say size up as I think it looks better on the looser side and it's not particularly generously sized. 


Link to jumper 


       


My Dotty P's experience has really made me think that there is so much of the High Street that I don't look at, partly due to lack of time, partly due to lack of inclination.  However I think I shall be making time (hard hard life - having to make time to go shopping) as I've no doubt there are bargains out there to be had.  Will be reporting back as and when I find a bargain I think is worth shouting about. 


In the meantime, if you do want to give Dotty P's a go I have found a discount code for 25% off.  Enter  "DPVIPE" into the promotional code box.  Delivery is £4 if you're not as tight as me and don't do an order to get it over £75.  I also take no responsibility if what you get delivered is a pile of tut.  Order at your own peril but hopefully you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was.    It's free returns or you can return to store for nothing as well.  


Go forth and shop!  (but do let me know what you buy!)