Moroccan Ballet Flats from TOMS

Well, it's been a while but I am hoping that I am back up and running, ready to find lots of beautiful bargains for Spring.  And the first thing I have spotted is a new range of ballet pumps from TOMS. Not only are they comfortable, practical, pretty and great quality, with every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

I particularly like these pink suede shoes with a cutout design and the elasticised edging will ensure a great fit.  The colour is gorgeous and will look lovely with skinny jeans - or if the weather continues to improve, with a floaty dress or skirt.

Until the end of March, customer can get £5 off purchases of £25 or more with the code NEWSPRING or £10 off £100 spends with the code SPRING14 so it's definitely worth a look!

Alternatvely, they've just sent me an email offering 15% off with the code MARCH15 so do figure out what works best!

Riviera Heels from Hotter Shoes

Hotter Shoes aim to produce stylish, good quality shoes with comfort built in.  They do great shoes for work but design more casual footwear also.  And their sale is now on with up to 50% off.

I spotted these great Riviera heeled brogues on the site at the moment.  They are available in black, coffee, dark brown and navy blue and are just perfect for work, day time or on the go.  The heel height is just right to give a little lift without being too high and the rubber sole means that they will fit well and feel great on; for an even better fit, they come in half sizes from a 3 to a 9.  They are fantastic quality being made from suede or leather.  And they're reduced from £80 to £60!

Fantastic Footwear: Ash Jalouse Suede Ankle Boots from Allsole

Ankle boots are the boots of the season.  They look fab with anything, but for AW13 an easy, casual look is to pair them with some skinny jeans and a chunky jumper.

I have found some gorgeous and classic Jalouse suede ankle boots by the brand Ash.  They are perfect for pairing with jeans, but would also look great with shorter skirts, plus they're smart enough to be worn for work.  The vintage cowboy style makes them unique - but they are contemporary too!  The heel is 6cm, so not too high to be impractical but high enough to look good.  They are 100% suede leather too, so great quality that will last.

By far the best value ones can be found at Allsole right now - there's currently 20% off with the code MIDSEASON and they come in wood ash dark brown (pictured) for £135 or a topo tan/light brown for £149.  However, with the code, the wood ash pair is just £108 and the topo tan is £119.20.  The code ends on 22nd October 2013.

Fantastic Footwear: Whistles Barbara Ballet Shoes from Atterley Road

I do love a quality ballerina pump and these black suede Whistles ones with an ankle strap are simply divine.  They are stylish and elegant, but will be comfortable and practical for wearing during the day - perfect for the office teamed with a smart skirt suit.  I think they could also be worn with ankle skimming jeans for a more casual, but still chic, look.  They are available from Atterley Road in sizes EU 36 to 40 for £110 and, until midnight on Monday, customers can get 25% off with code PAYDAY25, meaning they're £82.50.

Fantastic Footwear: H by Hudson Horrigan Suede Ankle Boots from Office Shoes

There is 25% off at Office Shoes with a code in this week's Grazia magazine so I've been perusing the site for something wonderful!  I've gone for a great quality, year-round staple, that will work for any season - a fabulous rust brown suede ankle boot with a wrap-around strap.  Ankle boots work well with skinny jeans when the weather is cooler, but once it warms up they can be teamed with denim shorts or dresses for an edgy, chic look.  The heel is not too high either, so practical as well as fashionable!  These are usually £145 but with the discount are reduced to £108.75 with free delivery, and come in sizes 3 to 8.

A savvy way to do this might be to go through a cashback site to Great Magazines and take advantage of one of the offers available for Grazia.  At present, not only is there a discount on the subscription, but there's also a free gift of  Makebelieve Self Tan Beauty products worth £44.50.

The Look for Less: Summer Wedding Chic

Finally, the weather is improving and my thoughts are turning towards summer parties and weddings. I've been inspired by the lace dress from Planet that I spotted the other day to create an outfit on Polyvore that would be gorgeous for such occasions.  I believe the lilac accessories I have chosen compliment the delicateness of the lace but still add an elegant pop of colour.

Casadei high heel shoes from Zalando.  £5 off £50+ spend plus free delivery with code ZALANDO5DIS until 31st May.

Eastex oriental floral print clutch bag from Debenhams.  10% off and free delivery with code TK94 - expires today.

Konplott earrings from Zalando.

Konplott necklace from Zalando.

Konplott ring from Zalando.

Oyster lace dress from Planet.  There is 20% off full-priced dresses until 13th May - no code needed.

Putting my money where my mouth is: Rose Corsage Ballerina Flats from Accessorize

So once again, I have taken my own advice and saved money on some fantastic, fabulous shoes.  As I said in my original post on these ballet pumps from Accessorize, these shoes are so comfortable and well-fitting.  They go with so many things - I have worn them with jeans, dresses, leggings and skirts, both casually and to work.  The beige ones are older, but have lasted really well, even though I forgot to spray them with any sort of protector.  Definitely well worth the purchase and even better for the discount!

I've signed up to Instagram to highlight my savvy purchases, if you would like to have a look.  There's not a lot there at present but I'm hoping to add photos with money-saving advice when I get a chance.

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.

The Look for Less: Savvy Office Chic

I've just discovered a site called Polyvore where I can find clothes, shoes and accessories online and put them together in a collage, to see how they work together.  Here is my first attempt:

As you would expect, it is a combination of sale and discounted items, so you can get the whole look for less.  In this collage I have included:

• French Connection Natsue jacket and shift dress - reduced in the House of Fraser two-day brand event where there's up to 25% off branded items (ends Friday).
• Episode Gratitude ankle strap wedge sandals - also in the House of Fraser event.
• J by Jasper Conran navy mini tote from Debenhams - currently with 20% off in the Blue Cross sale, plus there's an extra 10% off with the discount code HK73 (ends Sunday).
• Spike and flower necklace from Dorothy Perkins which has 30% off everything till Sunday.

I'm thinking that for the future, I can focus on specific gorgeous pieces as I have been, but every now and again do some outfits this way to give an idea to update one's wardrobe!  So I suppose my question is, is this the sort of thing that you would like to see?  Would it give you inspiration and ideas - as I hope!

Find me on Polyvore by clicking here!

Stunning Shoes: Gucci Black T-bar Peep-toe Heels from Secretsales.com

Secret Sales is a private sales website that offers high end products from leading brands at affordable and discounted prices.  Six new sales are launched every day and categories include fashion, accessories, beauty and homeware.  Sales last between 2-4 days and items can be discounted by up to 70%, so you need to be quick to snap up the best buys.  Brands they have hosted include Chanel, Maurice Lacroix, Gucci, Victoria Beckham and Dior.  You have to register for the site - either via the normal way or through Facebook - but once you do, you'll get an early daily email of what sales have launched. Additionally, if you successfully refer a friend, you'll get a £10 credit to your account which is always handy!

Speaking of Gucci, there's some fab shoes available on the site. I adore these suede t-bar heels with an RRP of £661 but can be bought from the site for £319.  Timeless, quality, gorgeous and 52% off.  Brilliant!  Unfortunately (or fortunately?) there's only one left and it isn't my size.  But there is still a decent range of Gucci styles and sizes still there....!