Charabia Moonshine Trousers from Anthropologie

Anthropologie stocks a gorgeous selection of high quality and unique clothing, accessories, homeware and gifts.  I was browsing their site for Mother's Day gifts and came across these fantastic metallic trousers.  Tailored metallic fabrics are on trend for SS14, as seen on the catwalks of Lanvin, Christian Dior and Issey Miyake, and I think these trousers are a perfect way to embrace the style.  I'd team them with a silk top and heels and some colourful accessories for a chic, futuristic look.

Originally £148, they are now £43.95 and available in sizes extra small, small and large.

A savvy tip for Anthropologie fans is to sign up for their loyalty programme, 'Anthro'.  Customers who do so get advance notice of sales, a birthday discount, at least two free delivery periods per year, invitations to special events and more. 

Best of the Sales: French Connection

At this time of year it's hard to not be savvy when it comes to those post-Christmas sales.  This year, most stores are offering at least 50% off items and I suspect it will get even better after the New Year, if one can hold on!

With that in mind, I have been developing another website that looks at what's around - in less detail but more quantity.  It's still going to highlight great value and great quality items but with a wider range.

My first attempt is the French Connection sale.  I've found six items that I really love, that are bargaintastic or are investment pieces.  I think my favourite, for sheer uniqueness and value for money is this Disco Leopard flared skirt.  Originally £95, it's just £28.50 right now!

So please have a look at my new site and let me know what you think!

Jaeger Metallic Stripe Breton Jumper from John Lewis

A cute Breton striped shirt or jumper is a classic.  However, I do find that the standard black and white stripe is a bit clichéd and looks a bit like it ought to be paired with a beret and a necklace of onions.  So it's often good to go for something a little different, in varying colours, like this Jaeger jumper available through John Lewis's clearance offers.  I love the sparkly, metallic stripes which are quirky and attractive - but not too obtrusive.  I'd wear it with skinny jeans, a scarf and flat pumps for a chic, Parisian look (without any onions or berets!) but it could be smartened up with a blouse underneath and skirt.  Still available in all sizes (small to extra large), it's been reduced from £120 to £75.

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?

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!

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!

Splendid Skirt: Melita Metallic Skirt from Coast

There are some fantastic items in the Coast sale and I have spotted this on-trend Melita metallic gold skirt, reduced from £75 to £45, still available in sizes 8 - 18.  The colour is subtle and can be worn with similar, neutral colours to create a really chic style for a posh occasion, or it can be teamed with a colourful top, shoes and accessories to create a fun and vibrant look for a more casual party.  The cut is flattering - skimming but not clinging to the hips and finishing just above the knee.  All in all, a great savvy way to wear SS13's glamourous metallic trend, without going overboard!

The Look for Less: Simple yet Elegant Tailoring

For this look, I've started with a wardrobe staple of an oversized, classic, versatile white shirt.  This can be worn with anything - shorts, jeans, trousers - but I have chosen to give it a little sparkle with a metallic cocktail skirt for some simple yet elegant tailoring which gives laid-back style.

As usual, everything is currently on offer as follows:

• MiH Jeans oversized white shirt from Atterley Road.  It's £146 but there is currently 20% off with the code SUMMER20.
• Julelle metallic cocktail mini skirt, £75 also from Atterley Road.
• Van Peterson 925 sterling silver amethyst earrings (£24) and necklace (£36) from Debenhams.  The Blue Cross sale runs till Sunday for these prices, and the code HK73 runs till Monday 29th April and will give an extra 10% off.
• DKNY silver metallic cork wedges from my-wardrobe.com.  They are £145 but if you can get your shopping basket up to £200, there's £50 off with the code SS13SPRING01 until the 30th April.
• Ali suede shoulder bag, on sale for £56 from French Connection.