So after yet another trip to Ikea......

... I can virtually speak Swedish.  Seriously, this is the third time I have been in less than a week.  Do. Not. Ask.  All I will say is that my dressing room will be finished tomorrow (I swear to god this is better than Christmas when I was little - believe me it has been a long long time coming) and next the utility (almost as exciting - said no-one ever)

So today after spending three hours there (can you believe they don't serve gin?) I had a spare 40 mins before having to head home and so in my quest for all things housey, I thought I'd bomb in to Matalan which is just around the corner. 

Now I was totally in kitchen, bed linen, towels, cushions, bed, mode so I didn't perhaps have the best look I could.  Plus I didn't have a plan - which I find always makes it really difficult when shopping.  Trying to find inspiration is much more tricky than it sounds. 

The majority of what was in there, I honestly thought for the price (it's not cheap cheap, that's for sure) - quality wise, wasn't that great.  Especially when you consider these days, if you're a timely shopper, then with the discount codes that seem to have become obligatory every couple of weeks, with 20% and 30% off more expensive shops, you can spend a very similar amount but get much better quality.  In my personal opinion. 

However fear not, I have the nose of a bargain sniffer god and I did find a couple of gems and gems they really are. 

Starting with this which is fantastic.  Exceptionally similar to a Me+Em one that I have been lusting over at rather more £££££.

Colour Block Jumper £22  And it's actually a wool mix.  Ok why didn't I buy this exactly? DARN those duvets blocking my creative flow. 

Plus this one - I think I might prefer the above one but they're both great for just over £20.   Lovely zip detail all the way down the back.

Colour Block Jumper £22 also a lambswool mix



Ok so it's not the same but it's definitely along the same lines - bung a shirt underneath and you're off (let's take bets at me heading back to Matalan tomorrow....)

Me+Em Colour block jumper £88



Next up - layers.  Now I really didn't expect these to be any good but their modal and cotton mix long sleeve basic tops felt great.  Lovely and generous in arm and body length in a wide selection of colours. 




Plain Long Sleeve Top in White £6



God forbid shopping online having seen something in a shop, should be easy.  Ever.  M&S, it appears you are in good company.  The tops I saw instore were £7 but the one above is only £6.  The white top I looked at was identical to the one above and 60% cotton and 40% modal - ie the same as the one I posted..

Yet this blue version appears to be the correct £7 but is apparently 100% modal.  Oh well, they all looked good. 

Modal Cotton Long Sleeve top £7  Also available in a very bright red on the link. 






The longline vest tops also looked great - a mix this time of cotton and elastane.  Perfect for under those oversized sweaters and great for keeping your bum warm in the winter. 

Great selection of colours instore.


Longline vest top £4  also available in grey, black and navy online.


Finally I made the first step into the murky world of the "practical coat".  I will tackle this in full another day but if I were to find nothing else, to be honest, I would absolutely wear one of these.   There were about 20 others in there that I wouldn't wear at all, but these two looked more than a little great.  

Starting with the slightly less practical, in that the fur hood isn't detachable.  Fine for a shower but chocolate teapot in full on rain.  However the lining is proper fabulous teddy bear fabric - seriously, imagine the softest, lushest, snuggly bear that your children own and this is what it's lined with.  It's not the faux fur thing you can see, it's a boucle type super soft lining.  I could sleep in this.  

Premium Borg lined Parka £55  Can I please point out the sleeves, whilst apparently being PU are in no way shape or form as shiny as they look in this pic.  I would say definitely more of a waxed look than a pleather look.  The body of the coat is a cotton but definitely an ever so slightly coated cotton - mac style, as opposed to a soft brushed cotton.  All clear as mud?



And here I am, looking slightly broken after my Ikea experience.  This is a 10 or a 12 - actually I do think it's a 10.  I would say very generous sized.




Lovely thing about this is the fur round the hood can be attached with a loop so it gives the creation of a fur snood.  Super snuggly - I'm back to sleeping in it for sure.




Now last on my list is my piece de resistance.  I don't care that the majority of Matalan didn't work for me - ALL is forgiven with this.

And.  And and and, I've just seen online that it's on Special Offer at the moment.  There'll be no trip to Matalan for me tomorrow (I have to pay £4 for the blooming bridge for a start), I shall be having a cuppa in my jamas and pressing send with the credit card in my hand. 

At the very least, I am going to order this so I have one in the bag.  The 10 yr old has just looked over my shoulder and said "ooh you really sophisticated in that photo" (ok so she doesn't get out much) but as a warm, practical coat goes, this is excellent.  And even more excellent for the money.  

Long Padded Coat was £45 now £35.  I'm definitely wearing a 10 as I thought it would be comedy small on me but the fit is perfect.  This also has a concealed hood which comes up over the fur so it's ideal for showers as well.   Absolutely love the rose gold detailing which I think sets it apart from the rest. 



I really am broken, aren't I?  And need to hoik my jeans up at the waist - the Dalek look is never good.



Just seen they also do this in a blue as well which they didn't have instore. 




Finally - the last gem that I found for the boys.  I am absolutely gutted (as I'm an unbelievably lazy moo and the idea of not having to find anything to match is bliss) that the 8 yr old refuses point black to wear a onesie.  As I could probably have bought two of these and had him just live in them for the rest of the Winter.  I could have got by with school uniform, sports kits and a couple of these.  But no.  And because he won't, obviously the parrot we own - sorry, the 6yr old - also pipes up "I'm not wearing that either.  Although I did like the Angry Birds one."  Yeah right.... (I'll get it for him from Santa, he can take the credit that I don't want!) 

Boys "Dude" Onesie £12 When my 8 yr old was a baby he had the most fabulous Duffer of St George sweatshirt that this reminds me of so it would have had sentimental value.  But it's definitely a no from him.  I think it's ace.  Please can someone else buy it instead?



Finishing with another find of the day that I nearly cried over in TK Maxx which is 50 yards from Matalan (so I may have been 5 mins late for pick up - my excuse was that I had to unload half a utility room first from the boot of my car which I did have to do in all fairness....) 

Bottega Veneta.  Yes.  Can you believe it?  THE bag of my dreams sat there.  In TK Maxx.  Thank the lord this time that I was still away with the duvet fairies as I walked away and left it sat there all lonesome on the shelf.  Obviously it has nothing to do with the £599 price tag it carried - which I'm trying not to remind myself is an absolute bargain for a BV bag - but am polishing my halo and thinking of the fridge/freezer/sofas/tvs/bed etc etc etc I need to buy instead.

See it and weep peeps.


From bargain jumpers, vests and coats to Bottega Veneta bags, all within one blog.  And I came home solely with Ikea purchases.  What is the world coming to?

On the upside though, it didn't rain today and I didn't get caught in it yesterday.   But Autumn definitely does seem to have to stay. 




Striped top - Whistles
Dark indigo straight leg jeans turned up - Earl
Cheetah print skater shoes - Next 
Trench - Banana Republic 
Scarf - Lily & Lionel 
Whisky medium marcie satchel - Prada 

And today for my day out to Ikea.



Wine and cream breton top - Massimo Dutti
Wide leg jeans - Whistles
Navy New Balance 
Navy blazer - Zara 
Charm necklace - Marc by Marc Jacobs
Camel bag - Prada

Tomorrow our new M&S opens.  Between that and my new dressing room, honestly this is better than Christmas Eve.  Maybe I'll have a mince pie to celebrate.