January sales

So many great bargains to be had this year. While the Topshop sale was a disappointment, my new favourite brand Monki offered up some sleek and simple Scandinavian beauties at Primark prices. I even snapped up a Monki dress in my local charity shop for under a fiver!

Elsewhere, I unashamedly indulged in dresses, picking up a very cute book print sheer shirt dress with bow tie detail from the Urban Outfitters online sale, a great all year round midi dress, slashed from £175 to £50, and chunky cats eye shades for £20 in Whistles, as well as that Pearl Lowe for Peacocks bow dress - just £10.

What did you pick up in the sales?



Red poncho, striped boxy top and black mini skirt - both Monki



Whistles tiger feather midi dress and Pearl Lowe for Peacocks bow dress

NYE outfit

NYE was a cheap and cheerful affair this year: the husband and I went for dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and then enjoyed a few quiet drinks back at the home bar - a perfect way to see out what has been a perfect year.

It was a good opportunity to wear out my new Elizabeth Lau 'Sherlock' cape coat and white Urban Outfitters shirt with black velvet collar and cuffs - both self-picked Christmas presents. I teamed them with a black cord mini, wooly tights, shearling boots and a leather satchel, for a look that, in hindsight, had me look a little like a school girl, but not one who goes to foam parties...

Urban Outfitters opens in Brighton

After months of shielded building works, Churchill Square's old Borders store opened up as Brighton's first Urban Outfitters today. And it's well worth the wait.


The layout and offering of the huge upstairs women's section makes next door's H&M, and all of the other high-street chain shops in Brighton, look shabby and tired by comparison.

Boutique collections, a vintage section and homewares, books and gifts (check out this mini sewing machine) are presented as if in an eclectic designer bazaar, brought together by those with apparent excellent taste.

The dressing rooms are equally grown-up and spacious, and I spent an enjoyable ten minutes trying on some of the cutest Peter Pan collar pieces.


Left to right: t.b.a velvet antique collar dress, £150, Pins and Needles velvet collar blouse, £45, Cooperative school boy blouse, £42.

The shirt in the middle (currently sold out online) is so soft and versatile that it was swiftly added to my Christmas/January sales/whenever I have the money hit-list.

And to go with the 1960s/school-boy look I spotted some stunning box bags and satchels, such as the metal handle lady bag, flower tooled bag and old school olive satchel.

Of course, Urban Outfitters is that bit more expensive than its high street competitors, but the store experience and the unique pieces are worth saving up for.