Terrific Top: Jaeger Embroidered Blouse from John Lewis

The John Lewis sale is always phenomenal; with up to 70% off designer brands, it's the perfect place to pick up a high quality, fabulous bargain!  And unlike some other stores, John Lewis seems to retain the tradition of having proper seasonal sales - and it's now time for the summer sale.

As ever, it's been tricky to pick just one item that stands out, so today I have focused on finding a smart and pretty but versatile top that I can't find elsewhere on the web and that has been discounted massively.  With that in mind, I found this embroidered, Peter Pan collared Jaeger blouse that's been reduced from £150 to £60.  It could be worn with jeans or cropped trousers for a smart but casual look, or it could be teamed with a smart skirt and heels for the office.  I don't think it would need much extra accessorising - maybe a lovely watch or bracelet?  It's still available in sizes 8 and 12 to 16.

Summer Staple: White Broderie Anglaise Dresses

Following on from my blog post last night about Ugg wedges, I wanted to find the dress that I felt would go perfectly with them.  My criteria was straightforward: classic, white, 100% cotton, broderie anglaise and on sale at a great price.  It also needed to be in stock and available in a range of sizes.

I have found two versions what I was looking for, in two different price ranges, both of which will go perfectly with the Lucianna Ugg wedges!  Both have a gorgeous, broderie anglaise pattern which is elegant, feminine with a hint of vintage.  Both are simple enough to wear during the day, every day - but could easily be dressed up for the evening with some colourful accessories and shoes.  And they're both totally gorgeous, classic and should last season after season.

The first is this white cotton skater style dress in the Dorothy Perkins sale.  The capped sleeves and fitted waist will flatter, as will the flowing, flared skirt.  It's quite a young style, so not only would it work well with the wedges, but it could be dressed up with some neon accessories - I'm thinking a bright pink necklace, bangles and/or nail colour!  Originally £24, it's been reduced to £15 which is an absolute bargain for a dress that should stay on trend for years to come!  It's still available in sizes 6 and 12 to 22.

The second is this Jaeger broderie anglaise dress which is available on sale at House of Fraser.  The keyhole neckline with ruffles is very pretty and quirky and the tie waist will be amazingly flattering.  The length on this one is slightly longer than the Dorothy Perkins dress, if one wishes to be more modest.  This dress is available in sizes 10 to 14, and has been reduced from £180 to £85.  Although this is slightly more pricey, it's an investment piece which will last and stay chic year after year.

What's your favourite summer outfit? Do you like a cool, cotton dress like this - or do you prefer cropped trousers or shorts? Let me know in the comments below!

Putting my money where my mouth is: Annie Pintuck Linen Tunic from Phase Eight - update!

My Annie Pintuck tunic has just been delivered from Phase Eight!  I am impressed with the speed of delivery, seeing as I did only order it a few days ago - three days from placing the order to the delivery.

The tunic itself is amazing.  It fits beautifully and the fact that it does tie around the waist means that it flatters my body really well; some tunics just hang shapelessly and this one certainly doesn't.  The fabric is the great quality that I was hoping for: lovely, soft, cool linen.  Sometimes I find that linen can be scratchy but this isn't.  It is a modest length, in that it falls to my hips and completely covers my bottom; some tunics are a bit short on me and make me feel a bit self-conscious so I'm glad this one is long enough to keep me decent!

This is perfect and I am really pleased with this purchase.  Well done Phase Eight and hurrah for sales!

Are you taking advantage of any of the sales?  Tell me about your favourite and most savvy purchases!

Putting my money where my mouth is: Annie Pintuck Linen Tunic from Phase Eight

It seems the sales are upon us once more - lots of stores have announced them in the last few days and I suspect a few more will be doing so over the next week or so.  There has also been quite a lot of new voucher codes released, so do check before you buy online that any savings are being maximised.  I've added a new contact form to the bottom of the page, so if you do have any questions or want to check if there's any new codes for a particular store that I know about, do get in touch.

Back to the review...  I've taken advantage of the Phase Eight sale which started today.  I have been coveting this pintuck linen tunic for ages - there are plenty of pintuck tunics out there, but I felt that this one was the best in terms of cut, quality, material and style.  However, at £65, I couldn't justify the cost despite the fact that this would be a well-worn, investment piece for me.

But it's in the sale at just £39 so hurrah!  I've bought it!  I'm expecting this to be utterly perfect: high-quality linen fabric to keep me cool (if the sun ever returns), a great length to throw over skinny jeans or leggings and a tie waist to make mine look smaller.  I'll add a blazer, scarf and some sandal wedges and it will be perfect for a casual day out.

What sale are you most excited about?  Is there something you have also been coveting that you're hoping will be reduced?  Let me know in the comments below!

Delightful Dress: Pippa Dee White Lace Dress from Amazon

I think one of the prettiest and easiest Summer outfits is a simple, white lace dress.  There are so many ways to wear it: with bright accessories and heels, with strappy sandals or with a denim or leather jacket or cardigan when it's cooler.  So versatile, it can be worn casually or dressed up for a special occasion.

This Pippa Dee white lace dress, available from Amazon, is just perfect.  A classic shift dress shape that should never go out of style, the lace fabric is delicate and feminine and the contrasting belt flatters the waist area.  The length is fairly modest too, finishing just above the knee.  It's available in sizes 8 to 18 and is just £15 instead of the recommended £28.

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?

Delightful Dress: Project D London Carnegie Strappy Dress from Simply Be

A feminine white cotton day dress is a must for the spring and summer months, classically elegant, simple, cool yet practical.  I've found this gorgeous designer 'Carnegie' one from Simply Be, which is great quality, a superb, flattering cut and comes in a wide range of sizes.  It's by Dannii Minogue and Tabitha Somerset Webb's fashion label Project D London and is simply delightful!  The broderie anglaise pattern gives a hint of vintage chic, the straps are wide enough to wear a bra and the length is respectable for every day wear.  Wear with wedges and a floppy hat for a perfect summertime look.

Simply Be are offering 20% off selected dresses at the moment - including this one - so originally £90, it's now £72 in sizes 14 - 32.

Delightful Dress: Blue Cutwork Skater Dress from Warehouse

There's 20% off dresses at Warehouse today and tomorrow (ends Friday at midnight) so it's a good opportunity to find something pretty!  There are so many fantastic dresses on the site, but I have gone for a skater dress in this season's shade of royal blue.  The pattern is not quite a broderie anglaise design, but it's certainly headed in that direction and I love it - this makes it a bit more interesting and delicate than the average skater dress.  The capped sleeves, cut of the dress and the scalloped hem all contribute to a flattering silhouette.  It's available in sizes 6 - 16 and is usually £95 but with the discount, it's £76.