Sunday, August 31, 2008
Another Day... Another Dress
I don't need a good excuse to go shopping, especially as I work in town. However, I got one this week. Looks like red is my lucky colour, because at the ball last week, wearing the dress in the last post, I somehow came away from the mock casino with the highest number of chips for the night (I was playing roulette whilst the other people at the party were dancing and drinking - neither of which interest me too much). My prize was a £50 Debenhams voucher, and as I had an invite to a colleague's wedding reception, I decided it was time for another dress. Even with some free money to spend though, I stuck by my principles and set out on another quest to find a bargain.
Sifting through the remaining dregs of the Debenhams sale, I was highly tempted to buy the apple-coloured version of the Minuet dress that I'd got last week. However, it was priced at £10 higher than the red one and they didn't have my size in, so that went out of the window. After about 45 minutes, I didn't really find anything that fit or I liked, so I started resigning to just getting a nice cerise floaty top (£7 (was £25) Dorothy Perkins) and pairing it up to a pretty skirt or some smart pants instead. So I headed back to the DP concession to see if there were any decent skirts in the Petite section. There weren't any, but what I did find was a black satin dress that had fallen off its hanger and was stuffed in between the rails. I pulled it out and it looked ok and was pleasantly surprised that it was in my size! Then I checked the price and it was just £12, reduced from £35. I wasn't really keen on getting a black dress for the occasion, but when you get a find like this, then I didn't want to miss out.
I got another £2 off when I got to the till and found that the floaty top was down to just £5. Don't you just love pricing errors in your favour? Another successful shopping trip and still another £33 to spend next time!
There were a couple of gaudy black flowers on the waistline of the dress, so again following the advice of Gok, I took them off to make the dress a bit simpler. Then married it to my little pink Coast shrug (that cost twice as much as the dress!!) to lift the tone of the dress a bit. Sorted!!
I don't need a good excuse to go shopping, especially as I work in town. However, I got one this week. Looks like red is my lucky colour, because at the ball last week, wearing the dress in the last post, I somehow came away from the mock casino with the highest number of chips for the night (I was playing roulette whilst the other people at the party were dancing and drinking - neither of which interest me too much). My prize was a £50 Debenhams voucher, and as I had an invite to a colleague's wedding reception, I decided it was time for another dress. Even with some free money to spend though, I stuck by my principles and set out on another quest to find a bargain.
Sifting through the remaining dregs of the Debenhams sale, I was highly tempted to buy the apple-coloured version of the Minuet dress that I'd got last week. However, it was priced at £10 higher than the red one and they didn't have my size in, so that went out of the window. After about 45 minutes, I didn't really find anything that fit or I liked, so I started resigning to just getting a nice cerise floaty top (£7 (was £25) Dorothy Perkins) and pairing it up to a pretty skirt or some smart pants instead. So I headed back to the DP concession to see if there were any decent skirts in the Petite section. There weren't any, but what I did find was a black satin dress that had fallen off its hanger and was stuffed in between the rails. I pulled it out and it looked ok and was pleasantly surprised that it was in my size! Then I checked the price and it was just £12, reduced from £35. I wasn't really keen on getting a black dress for the occasion, but when you get a find like this, then I didn't want to miss out.
I got another £2 off when I got to the till and found that the floaty top was down to just £5. Don't you just love pricing errors in your favour? Another successful shopping trip and still another £33 to spend next time!
There were a couple of gaudy black flowers on the waistline of the dress, so again following the advice of Gok, I took them off to make the dress a bit simpler. Then married it to my little pink Coast shrug (that cost twice as much as the dress!!) to lift the tone of the dress a bit. Sorted!!
Labels: shopping
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Gok Would Be Proud!
I've been shopping again!!
This time, I had an excuse as I have been invited to a work event tomorrow evening, where the dress code is on a black, red and gold theme. As the only red dress I currently own is from about 10 years ago when I was just a slender size 8 and the black dress that fits was worn for the last work event, I felt that this justified a visit to the shops... and anyway Debenhams has a sale on.
I checked out all my regular haunts on the first floor, but didn't spot anything, so I did a round of the other part of the floor that I usually skip, because the dresses there are either for old women, or they are designer stuff that is way way out of my price bracket. There I came across the Minuet Petite section, one of the more expensive labels, and there was a pretty red dress that was on the end of the sale rack that caught my eye. The design was quite simple, but I felt the material and it was a beautifully soft and slinky silk linen. A bit posh, but I checked the price label anyway and found that it had been reduced several times, from £120 all the way down to £29 - bargain! When I tried it on, it fit too! Wuhoo... dress sorted!
I also found a black cardigan from Principles (one of my favourite shops, when they have a sale on) for £15.50, reduced from £35. The cardi had a ribbon belt on it, which I thought looked a bit odd on the cardi, but would be ideal to jazz up the dress a bit, so it planted an idea in my head. (Yes, I have been watching too much of Gok Wan's TV series...) Then I nipped over to Primark to look for a little black flower brooch to really make the dress a bit different. I didn't manage to find a black one, but there was a perfectly matched red flower for just £1.50! Jackpot!! Also picked up some sparkly and jangly Indian bangles in red, black and gold - £3 for 30 of them!! Don't worry, I don't plan to wear them all to the ball.
Anyway, here's my final creation - and in true Gok style, total outfit cost £49!
I've been shopping again!!
This time, I had an excuse as I have been invited to a work event tomorrow evening, where the dress code is on a black, red and gold theme. As the only red dress I currently own is from about 10 years ago when I was just a slender size 8 and the black dress that fits was worn for the last work event, I felt that this justified a visit to the shops... and anyway Debenhams has a sale on.
I checked out all my regular haunts on the first floor, but didn't spot anything, so I did a round of the other part of the floor that I usually skip, because the dresses there are either for old women, or they are designer stuff that is way way out of my price bracket. There I came across the Minuet Petite section, one of the more expensive labels, and there was a pretty red dress that was on the end of the sale rack that caught my eye. The design was quite simple, but I felt the material and it was a beautifully soft and slinky silk linen. A bit posh, but I checked the price label anyway and found that it had been reduced several times, from £120 all the way down to £29 - bargain! When I tried it on, it fit too! Wuhoo... dress sorted!
I also found a black cardigan from Principles (one of my favourite shops, when they have a sale on) for £15.50, reduced from £35. The cardi had a ribbon belt on it, which I thought looked a bit odd on the cardi, but would be ideal to jazz up the dress a bit, so it planted an idea in my head. (Yes, I have been watching too much of Gok Wan's TV series...) Then I nipped over to Primark to look for a little black flower brooch to really make the dress a bit different. I didn't manage to find a black one, but there was a perfectly matched red flower for just £1.50! Jackpot!! Also picked up some sparkly and jangly Indian bangles in red, black and gold - £3 for 30 of them!! Don't worry, I don't plan to wear them all to the ball.
Anyway, here's my final creation - and in true Gok style, total outfit cost £49!
Labels: shopping