Orla Kiely Love Heart Purse from House of Fraser

Mother's Day this year is 30th March and House of Fraser are currently running a promotion whereby customers can get 20% off selected gifts.  These include bags and purses from Radley, Biba, Dickins & Jones and Ted Baker amongst others, smellies, clothing and homeware.  It's a great opportunity to get something gorgeous at a discount!

My favourite (no hints, of course!) is this Orla Kiely love heart purse.  I think the love hearts are really sweet but the colour combination stops it from being cutesy and twee.  It's also got plenty of room and compartments for all one's needs - cards, coins and notes - which is what one wants from a purse!  As it's Orla Kiely, it's still not cheap - with the discount it's £55.20 - but it's gorgeous, it's quality and it will last.

Diana Coat from Boden

Amazingly, there are still plenty of items left in the Boden sale and, with up to 70% off, one can't really go wrong!  I'm quite amazed as usually, products in the sale get snapped up really quickly, so there is definitely still time to take advantage.

It is the perfect time to invest in a great quality winter coat and I'm coveting this wool blend 'Diana' coat in a rich ink blue colour. The shape is classic and flattering and will last season after season, without going out of style.  I also love the gorgeous grosgrain trim on the collar and cuffs, to give a pretty, unique embellishment to the coat.  It's been reduced from £179.00 to £152.15 which is 15% off.  Other colours are also available: black, forest green and sandstone, as well as a range of different sizes.

Beautiful Bag: Spot Weekend Bag from Cath Kidston

One of my favourite sale events is the Cath Kidston sale.  They always have a great variety of items at a discount and it's easy to stock up on 'essentials' without going too overboard with spending.

This green spotty weekender bag has caught my eye in the latest sale.  The colour is vibrant and gorgeous and the spots are fun.  The size (48 x 33 x 15 cm) is perfect for a weekend away, not too big but not too small.  The handles are long enough to put over the shoulder, so easy to carry and it's oilcloth that can be wiped clean, so easy to keep looking (hoho, no pun intended) spotless!  Originally £60, it's been reduced by a third to £40, which is great value for a bag like this.

Nifty Knitwear: Intarsia Jumper from Joules

There's nothing like a cozy jumper as the weather turns and Joules have a fantastic selection at the moment.  My favourite are from the Intarsia collection, which have all sorts of cute animal prints on them.  There's seven different versions for women and it's so hard to choose just one - so I have picked a few that I love the most!  They will all look fab with jeans, perfect for a casual, restful day or a walk in the country.

First up is this navy and white striped jumper with a bluetit motif.  Stripes are always great and the bluetit is unique and makes it really interesting.

Then there's Mr Fox on a sage green background.  Less subtle than the bluetit, I think Mr Fox is sophisticated and suave!

Finally, again a sage green and perfect for Christmas is this duck patterned sweater.  Look!  They have Christmas hats and scarves and everything - so cute!

Other animals are a dog, French hens, a partridge and a Christmas dog.  Simply sweet!  Each of these jumpers is £69.95 but, until the end of today, Joules are offering a discount code as follows:

• AFT20 - £20 off orders over £100
• AFT30 - £30 off orders over £150

Lace Shirt Dress from Madam Rage

The weather may have turned, but there's always a place for lace!  Wear with a jacket and tights for a feminine, autumnal look.

This mint green lace shirt dress is available in sizes 8 to 16 from Madam Rage.  Shirt dresses are so versatile and can be worn for daytime, work or even dressed up for an evening out.   The colour of this one is delightful and will look fab with a brightly coloured belt to accentuate the waist.  I also love the buttons which are cute, silver bows.  However, best of all, it's been reduced from £28 to just £10 - an absolute bargain!

Costella adele Miami Handbag from Bottica

I suspect this is more of a clutch than a handbag, but how fabulous is this adele Miami bag by Costella?  The neon colours are amazing, and it will look great with almost any outfit, day or night.  It's superior quality, being handmade in Los Angeles from lambskin with a waterproof lining.  It's also limited edition - there's only three left!  Totally an investment piece at £104 - although you could make an offer.  It's available from online site Bottica, and new customers can sign up to get £30 off their first order, so even better!  Gorgeous.

Over the Top: Maycroft Trench Coat from Joules

Indeed, one can tell it's a Bank Holiday weekend - it's chucking it down here!  We even had thunder and lightning earlier.... such fun!  So I guess it's time to dig out the waterproofs and see what's new online.

There's some great autumn and wet weather wear new in at Joules.  I love this dark chino trench coat which is perfect for when it's not so cold, but super wet like today.  It's a classic, stylish shape that will never go out of fashion and the colour is just right.  All macs like this need a belt, so that's that box ticked too.  I also like the traditional element of it, with the rain shield on the back, gun patch detail and lapels.  And, as it's Joules, it's got the gorgeous printed lining.  It also comes in green and is available in sizes 8 to 18.

This coat is £129 but, until tomorrow, customers can use code AFT15 which will give £15 off £90+ spends.

While I'm at it, it may be time to invest in some new wellies.  Joules always has a superb selection, but my favourite at the moment are these brown boots with a hare pattern - which, incidentally, will go very well with the trench coat!  The length is great; I prefer longer wellington boots to the short or mid wellies as I feel safer jumping in puddles!  The hare pattern is cute without being too sappy and they are practical.  The price isn't too bad either, being £39.95.  They are available in sizes 3 to 8.

Delightful Dress: Maxi Dresses from Yours Clothing

Maxi dresses are a wardrobe staple for the warmer months, but they could also be worn when it's colder - just team with a great denim jacket for an offbeat, pretty look.  And what better time to stock up on maxis than the end of summer sales, especially when so many companies are slashing their sale prices even more.

Yours Clothing has been having a sale for a while, but there is now a further 20% off sale prices so there are some real bargains to be had.  They've got quite a few lovely maxi dresses and I've picked out two that I especially like.  The first is this mint green bird print dress.  The colour is lovely and the print feminine and delicate.  The shape, with the elasticated, cinched waist and flared skirt, is flattering and it will be so easy to wear.  Originally £35, it's been reduced to £19.20 but unfortunately it's only available in a size 16.

The second comes in a better variety of sizes and is a fantastic colour combination and shape. It's this feather print maxi dress in fuchsia pink, yellow and turquoise.   The empire line flatters most shapes and will make the most of the bust!  And the colours are simply stunning.  It's available in sizes 20, 22 and 30-32 and again, has been reduced from £35 to £19.20.

Delightful Dress: Plaid Pinafore Dresses from Urban Outfitters

Pinafore dresses have been making a bit of a comeback lately.  However, I've steered a bit clear of them as I do worry they look a bit schoolgirl if they are the wrong colour, pattern or styled too young.  The key to looking like a grown up when wearing this, I think, is to layer it with some mature pieces, such as a crisp blouse or some funky accessories and avoid school uniform grey!  Another trend emerging for AW13 is a tartan or plaid pattern and so I have found a couple of lovely pinafores in such a print from Urban Outfitters - I couldn't choose between them so I'm highlighting both!

The first is this red Vintage Renewal plaid pinafore dress, which is £38 and comes in sizes medium and large.  It's got a real Sixties retro look and feel to it, and is fun and playful, without being juvenile.  I like the way they have styled it, with the long-sleeved cotton blouse and I'd team it with some dark tights and Doc Martens for autumn and winter.

The second dress is this Cooperative pinafore dress in Black Watch tartan print.  It's £52 and comes in sizes extra small to large.  Again, it could be styled as the dress above and look great!

Until the end of the month, customers can get 10% off at Urban Outfitters with the code AUGUST10 and for a limited time, delivery is just £1.

Beautiful Bag: Patent Clutch from Banana Republic

I love Banana Republic for its great value, quality wardrobe staples, its amazing collaborations with some fab designers and also the fact that they frequently offer discounts, so it's often easy to pick up a good deal.

They are also having a sale at the moment and I've found this bargaintastic mint green patent clutch, which has been reduced from £49.50 to just £14.99.  Perfect for day or night, it's simple and and sophisticated and will go with almost any outfit!  It's also available in an orange 'autumn leaf' colour.

Summer Staple: Raoul Piped Geometric Print Silk Shorts from My-Wardrobe.com

During the summer sales is the perfect time to stock up on shorts, which are classic, practical and will last year after year!  I've found some fun, cheap ones at Boohoo.com and now I'm focusing on some gorgeous designer ones from My-Wardrobe.com.  These green, abstract patterned silk shorts by Raoul are divine.  They can be worn to the office with a crisp white shirt and posh, wedged sandals but equally can be teamed with a simple t-shirt and pumps for everyday casual.  Originally £185, they've been reduced to £92 in the sale.  And until midnight tomorrow, there's an extra 25% off with the code SALEEXTRA25 - bonus!

Delightful Dress: Fever Babylon Shift Dress from Amazon

There is up to 70% off in the Amazon fashion sale and there is a lot available at present.

I've fallen in love with this Fever Babylon jersey dress.  The pink, mint green and white colour combination is really pretty, as is the intricate floral embroidery on the skirt.  Shift dresses flatter most figures, skimming the body but without clinging and they are so versatile.  I'd wear this to the office, as well as when I'm out and about.  A lined, cotton mix, this dress perfect for summer.

Originally £84.99, it's currently between £44.83 - £47.07, depending on size.

Delightful Dress: F&F Limited Edition Jacquard Prom Dress from Tesco

Prom dresses are gorgeous and versatile.  They can be dressed down with a casual leather jacket and wedges or glammed up for a night on the town with some amazing accessories and killer heels.  They are super-flattering by holding in the waist but skimming the hips to create a lovely, feminine shape.  Bigger busted women should look for prom dresses with round or v-neck necklines and smaller busted women can go for dresses with a higher neckline.

Tesco have a great range of dresses at the moment, and now is a good time to shop there, as they are doing their clubcard exchange promotion.  This means that every £5 in vouchers can be exchanged for £10 worth of vouchers for particular products - including clothing!  So essentially, customers are getting double something for nothing*!

I spotted this F&F Limited Edition Jacquard prom dress on the site, and it was also featured in Grazia magazine's Fashion Charts.  The neon green floral pattern is quirky and fun as well as being totally on-trend at the moment.  I'd wear it in the day and accessorise it with a belt to create the illusion of a small waist and team with some smarter sandal wedges and cream cardi.  The dress also comes in black and white and is available in sizes 10 to 20.  It's £35.

* Of course, there needs to be an initial spend to get the vouchers in the first place but hey ho.

Delightful Dress: Dakota Maxi Dress from Darling

There's 20% off everything as standard at Darling Clothes this Bank Holiday weekend (until midnight tonight), and there are some really gorgeous and pretty items available on the site.

I love this Dakota maxi dress which is available in white or cobalt blue in sizes extra-small to extra-large.  Maxi dresses are a key staple for the warmer months and this chiffon, Grecian-inspired sleeveless gown is fabulous.  The vertical stripes of charming applique, v-neck, tie waist and pleated details along the top of this fully lined piece will flatter enormously.  It's stunning for daytime and has major glam factor for the evening.  Team with wedges for the perfect look.

With 20% off, it's £60 instead of the usual £75 with free delivery.

Delightful Dress: Emilia Dress from Coast

So I was scrutinising dresses from the BAFTA Awards last Sunday and was very taken by Sienna Miller's box pleat long-sleeved dress from Matthew Williamson’s Fall 2013 collection.  I particularly love the aqua colour, but the cut, length and pleats in the skirt make the dress just perfect.

Searching for something similar online, I found this powder blue Emilia dress from Coast.  It's not an exact match, but I think takes the best bits of the Matthew Williamson dress and expands on them.  I love the ruffle folds on the shoulders, which add an attractive element of interest that the original dress doesn't have and the belt ensures a flattering waistline.  Better yet, until 18th May, there's 25% off full-priced dresses at Coast with the code STYLE25 - so instead of being £160, this dress can be bought for £120 - so one can get celebrity catwalk style for even less!  Beautiful, savvy and canny.  What could be better?

Over the Top: Grey Spotty Jacquard Blazer from Warehouse

Warehouse have a time-limited offer of 25% off seasonal selections at the moment and there are loads of fantastic dresses, tops and shoes to choose from.

I've gone for a twist on a wardrobe staple, and selected this grey spotty blazer.  Polka dots continue to be a big hit this season and I suspect they won't be just a flash in the pan, as they are so fun and fresh and never date. This jacket will look fab worn casually with skinnies or it can make a pretty dress look smarter.  Usually £50, it's £37 with the discount and comes in sizes 6 to 16.

As a bonus feature, I also wish to highlight these amazing teal coloured opaque sunglasses.  They aren't on sale but they are the best sunglasses I have found this season and are only £16.  I love the colour, size and style and they suit everyone that I have seen them on.  Warehouse offer free delivery on orders over £75 so it may just be worth stocking up on a few essentials!

Awesome Accessories: Louche Three Stack Flower Rings from Joy the Store

It's not on sale, but this Louche three stack flower ring is a steal!  This trio of floral delights are in this season's colour palate set in gold-toned bands. They can be worn together or separately - or wear just one!  It's possible to get 10% off by signing up to Joy's newsletter but if this is all that's being purchased, it hardly seems worth it as it is such a bargain.

Putting my money where my mouth is: Review of SecretSales.com

So as I blogged at the time, I took the plunge last week and made my first purchase from private discount website SecretSales.com.  I have to say, I am very impressed!  My Lucky Brand sandals arrived today - they are superb and will be perfect for the warmer weather.  They fit beautifully, feel comfortable, look amazing and the quality is excellent - and I paid a fraction of the recommended retail price!  I'm also pretty impressed with the delivery time, as I was expecting it to take longer.  So thumbs up to SecretSales.com - highly recommended as a means for major savvy chic and canny style!

Beautiful Bag: Aldgate Medium Tote Bag from Radley

Radley is a British brand that sells high quality handbags and accessories.  Starting out as a market stall in Camden, it's now a global iconic British brand that epitomises refinement, style and quirky Englishness.

This Aldgate leather tote bag is a perfect size for work or play, being big enough to store one's essentials but not so huge to be unwieldy.  It comes in a good range of colours, from blacks and neutrals to a bright poppy red, but my favourite is this Kelly green.   It's a classic, elegant shape and, being Radley, will be fantastic quality, so should last for years no matter what trends come and go.  And it's got the cute Radley Scottish terrier as a charm - delightful!

This handbag is usually £169 but until 19th May there's 20% off full-priced Radley products with the code SUMMERSUN, so it can be bought for £135.20 (plus free delivery) - a great investment in future style.

Putting my money where my mouth is: Lucky Brand Covela Leather sandals from Secretsales.com

When I started this blog, I signed up to a variety of different 'private' discount websites as a way to keep an eye on what's available, what savings can be made and if they are truly as economical as they seem.  So far, so good, and I have been particularly taken with Secretsales.com.  They offer a good variety of items for men, women and the home - including designer goodies - and they do seem to provide excellent value for money.  I'd never actually bought from one of these sites.... until now.

I have made my first purchase from them, ready for the sunny weather and bought these Lucky Brand mint and silver sandals which were less than half the recommended retail price.  I also checked other sites and these were definitely a bargain in comparison.  The colours are perfect and I'm loving the metallic element, which brings them up to date for SS13.  I'll be able to wear them with almost anything, most of the time.  Items from Secretsales are dispatched once a sale closes - which is after the Bank Holiday in this case - so I should get them towards the end of next week.  I am very excited about these and will update as to progress!