Copy Cat: Kitty Flats Trend - £482.00, or £12.99?

Anyone who knows me, knows I am obsessed with cats. Period. So it's no surprise, then, that I saw these bad boys and loved them instantly. Brought to my attention by a fellow blogger FashionforLunch, the Charlotte Olympia creations are, it's fair to say, a little out of my price range at £482.56!!

Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats £482.56

So I took to Ebay, and there are some really cute, passable replicas - key thing - for less than 5% of the price. All the way from Hong Kong in either Red or Black!

Ebay's alternative for £12.99 plus £1.00 p+p

I know which ones I'll be getting!!

Love, JJ xo

JOY Sale - best picks Online Exclusives

Had to do a quick post to show off JOY's sale best picks after their email landed in my inbox this morning. Shop the sale now!

Jenny Confetti Floral 40's tea Dress. - £15.00 Online Exclusive!

Larue Bold Floral Pencil Skirt - £15.00 Online Exclusive

Why I'm not buying Benefit Cosmetics anymore: there's a new kid on the block (Cheaper & Better)

Some of the time, compromising on price means having to compromise on quality- be it shoes, clothes or technology.

Well, not in this case! Soap and Glory are mostly famous for their lovely smelly pink bathroom ranges, and skin care items, but I've recently become their biggest advocate in the make-up aisles at Boots.

I'm the sort of person who just cannot justify spending a lot of money on something that makes your eyelashes blacker-- let's be honest, that's all it does really! But I still like nice packaging -- I'm a marketing team's dream.

So enter Soap and Glory  with their Thick & Fast Mascara (left).

It's £10.50 - ok, so not much of a difference from Benefit's BADgal Mascara at £17.50 (right), I concede... But more often than not, Boots have Soap & Glory products on 3 for 2.

I've been continually impressed with Soap & Glory's lip colours - not only are they super cute shimmery colours, they smell like Cadbury's Mini Eggs. Seriously.

£9.00 each, vs £15.00 each for Benefit's lip colours. I might add that I've found Benefit's lipsticks don't last very long. So it's S&G for me!

I'd recommend Soap & Glory™ Super-Colour Fabulipstick™ Collagen Boosting Lipstick in "THIS MISSING PINK" an adorable bubblegum shimmer shade, and "RED MY LIPS" a terracotta block colour shade.

Also worth a shout are the fabulous Mini Egg scented "Sexy MotherPucker" lip crayons, in "FUSHIA-RISTIC".

Nails, Nails, Nails - Illamasqua polishes for £5.90 each

I am a bit obsessive when it comes to nail polish-- I have a whole drawer in my bathroom dedicated to all things nails. I can't get too complicated, with sequins or the like. I'm the sort of person who will take it all off again if I smudge!

For the risk averse, you can't go wrong with a bold shade that goes on well, and drys quickly. For those reasons, I cannot recommend Illamasqua enough, though at £13 a pop, its not going to be easy to build up a collection.

Unless you shop on Ebay that is...

Ebay shops like Topdrawdiscountstore2011 are selling them for £5.90 each! - and with FREE postage! (They are also selling other brands at buttons, but I would highly recommend you try Illamasqua out).

Shades like "Snap" - a gorgeous metallic pewter, and "Load", a creamy, almost lemon shade stand out to me. Or there's "Vice", a deep alluring burgundy with a rubber finish.

Cigarette Trousers - Smoking hot! £12.00

Cigarette trousers are the most flattering fit of trousers I've ever worn-- I own some crazy patterned ones, and the crazier they are, the happier I feel. 

Sometimes though you need to create a flexible wardrobe, so I'd suggest starting your collection with a plain and simple pair-- like these Boohoo examples, in "Berry" or "Black". at £12.00 a pair with free economy delivery, who can grumble at that?!

Pair with flats or some block heels and rock with a blazer (see my first post for some amazing pop colour blazers to match!!)

"Blowfish? Don't you mean LOW-fish?" Super cute bargain flats now £18.00

Morning Bargain Hunters, the Thrifty, and the Wise,

So heels are great, but you can't beat one of those days at the office where you slip on your favourite flats. If you're anything like me though, all my flats are usually black, or the uncomfortable cheap kind.

Blowfish are quite edgy at the best of times, but check out these super bright ballerina shoes on Ebay to brighten up your shoe collection for spring.

Currently available in sizes 3-7.

Love, JJ <3

Stunning Swarovski Earrings... Shop Etsy! £11.51 (plus P+P)

Visit MASHUGANA's shop on Etsy for these, as well as more beautiful handmade pieces you won't find on the highstreet.

I have a pair of these myself, but were purchased as a gift. Fraction of the price at £11.51 compared with the official Swarovski earrings , only difference being a small fee on top for postage (the Etsy store is based in the States!)

So if you can wait a little longer AND want a bargain, look no further.

<3 JJ

First Post - Marks and Spencer bright Blazers for £15.20

Hello Everyone!

Firstly, allow me to introduce myself-- I am Jess, a 24 year old Project Co-ordinator living in Manchester. I would definitely not class myself as a Dedicated Follower of Fashion. I just like new things- fabric, buttons, sequins, buckles... I adore texture and colour, and shape. I'm the sort of person who likes to feel everything in a shop, much to my boyfriend's amusement.

So why a fashion blog? They're two-a penny, surely? That maybe correct but... What I wanted to use this blog for, was to share my seemingly natural prowess at finding bargains.

Colleagues and friends have told me I should offer consultancy services- jokingly of course- because I can find items at a low cost, often still with the labels still attached, from well known high street brands. I'm not a student, nor am I particularly hard up, unless you  figure in that I am saving up almost every spare penny for my wedding in September this year... I just like getting value for money! Did I mention I was from Yorkshire?

My primary resource is Ebay of course, though I enjoy browsing vintage stores, both actual and virtual, as well as just the web in general. 

Keep an eye out for a bargain!

Pick number one
So here goes-- Mark's and Spencer, that well known British retailer, seems to have a stonking online sale on at the moment, but it's not blatantly advertised.

So top picks are these gorgeous, beautifully cut and wonderously bright blazers - In plum, pillarbox red, mustard, and blue. Limited sizes left, so grab a steal at £15.20! Rock one of these with jeans or a cute summer dress.

You're welcome!




p.s. Let me have your thoughts on this blog-- is is something that would be useful to you? Are you looking for something in particular that you want me to hunt down? Get in touch.

Love xo