French Summer Sales - A Guide

 

Les Soldes d’ete (the summer sales) started today! They'll end on the 29th of July. The dates are fixed so get you bank cards at the ready.

There are many French brands which haven’t been exported to the UK that offer quality and style similar to brands like Sandro and Maje, for a reasonable price! Here’s my list of smart-casual brands and retailers along with delivery prices.

 

1.2.3
The overall aesthetic of the brand is chic from head to toe. Perfect for the office.

Good for: EVERYTHING. But especially blouses, blazers and jackets. Stock your wardrobe and buy a couple of clutches while you’re there. They have a lot of muted print blazers on sale, easy to wear from desk to bar.

UK delivery: 12,00 €
Returns: within 14 days of receipt

Cyrilius
This is where your mum would shop for the whole family. They clothing for women, men and children. The brand is all about French simplicity, everything feels like it could be tied together with a foulard (cigarette optional).

Good for: Silk blouses, leather belts and sleeves blouses.

UK delivery: € 9.90

Returns: within 15 days following the purchase date

Etam
This shop is aimed mainly aimed at teens but don’t be fooled ,it can be your smart-casual goldmine if you know how to look. It’s similar to H&M. You can turn street wear into office outfits with a few adjustments.

Good for: bright printed blazers

UK delivery: € 9.00
Returns: within 30 days following the purchase date

Monshowroom

The online store hosts brands such as Tara Jarmon, Pablo by Gerard Darel and Sud Express.

 Good for: Everything, once again. Think of this as the ASOS of France. There is a huge amount of brands to choose from.

UK delivery: € 10.00, express € 20.00

Returns: within 14 days following receipt of your parcel
 

Edisac

Bags, bags and more bags.
 

Good for: Bags! Think of this as the ASOS for bags of amazing quality at every price range. There's a big variety of French and international brands too. My favourite is Lancaster. Their Adele rang uses saffiano-effect leather – like Michael Kors *cough cough*  but for half the price!


UK delivery: € 15.90 or express € 17.90 

Returns: within 30 days following the receipt of your parcel

 

 

HAPPY SHOPPING!!

 

(Image source: www.la-praille.ch/offres/soldes-chez-123)

Simple Blazer and Trousers

Blazer - French Connection (old) // Shirt - Cyrillus (similar)  // Jeans - New Look // Shoes - Clarks (old)

Keeping it simple with a classic black blazer, a cotton blue shirt and super skinny trousers.  I found the trousers in the jeans section but they're not made out of denim so I'm offended when people accuse me of wearing jeans to the office.  I would never! 

But they are so comfortable. I was never a huge fan of New Look but these have made my smart casual wardrobe a lot better. They exist in navy and are only £22.9p.  The bonus?  They're high-waisted!  'Weekend Dora' gets to look all hip in a pair of black high-waisted trousers.  I feel like its two-for-one. I might even get a second pair because I wear them so often.

On another note, THE FRENCH SALES HAVE BEGUN. They started at 7am and I think I managed to get buy a bag but haven't got my confirmation email yet. I'll post a guide to the French sales later in the day. It's great to buy from shops that aren't on the highstreet. There’s less chance of wearing the same outfit as someone in the office

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! 

Meeting Claire Sulmers + The Sales

 

Well this week has been eventful. I bumped into Claire Sulmers from the Fashion Bomb. The lovely Claire is the creator and editor-in-chief of the multicultural Fashion Bomb Daily blog. I spotted her on the train into Wimbledon and the blog reader/sort of stalker in me ran after her. It was more like a fast paced walk, so not too bad.

Claire was lovely.  She stopped and we took a photo together. I managed to say a few awkward sentences and then she elegantly walked off into the distance. SHE LOOKED SO GOOD.  I was having a hobo day. So my outfit isn't great. But I learnt a lesson, always be prepared because you never know what's going to happen or who you're going to meet. So dress to impress or have those business cards ready.

On the way home from work I’m normally a shadow of my 9am self. I tie up my hair, take of my belt and get into relax mode. But no more! Well, not every day. I'll take baby steps. The first is to get a new pair of tube shoes. The ones I have are a mess.


On another note: THE SUMMER SALES ARE ON.

I was a bit behind because unlike in France there are no set dates for the sales in the UK. In France the sales dates are published online, great for someone who loves planning ahead. But I caught up.

I saved all my ‘wants’ to my bookmarks and will be opening them one by one. Weekend plans sorted.

 

Colourblock Green Dress

Dress - Pied a Terre (from House of Fraser) // Hat - H&M (bought last week)

A block of colour at it's best. This is the first time I've work a dress this shape. I've always been worried that a sack-like/cocoon dress with no shape wouldn't suit my shape (yes, I'll be saying shape a lot in this post). I'm a curvy girl and found that loose shapes would hug me in all the wrong places: baggy on top but tight around the hips. I could never get a dress that would hang off me like it did on the mannequins. But then my cousin (a fashion graduate!) said something which made sense. She designed a cocoon dress similar to the one I'm wearing in this post. I told her that you have to be stick thin to make it look good but she said all you need is a size bigger. And that's what I did!

After I brought it home, I still wasn't sure. Trying something new is weird. I even tried to put a belt round it to show my waist, but the looked awful. So I wore it as pictured and loved it. It's so different from my usual fit-and-flair dresses. It also gave my wardrobe the injection of colour I've been waiting for.

The moral of the story: try something new!  

I also got a cute summer hat for the city. So let's hope the sun comes back...

Karen Millen Midi Skirt - Review

This was meant to be a comparison with the Warehouse midi in a similar colour from my dilemma post. I didn't know which one to pick. But I searched Westfield high and low and after an ice cream brake, gave up. So this I this is my review of the Karen Millen midi.

 

 

 

I LOVE THIS SKIRT. It's verrry flattering. High-waisted, it flairs slightly as it goes down to give an extra umph and shape. There's also nude lining which complements the acid coulour and gives the skirt a summer feel. And the pleats! These are my best friend. They make everything look more elegant and smooth. I wanted to do a spin in the changing rooms to get the full effect but I thought that would have been weird.

 

 

The waist of the skirt is quite thick so it acts as Spanx, giving you extra help with a flat stomach and defined waist. I think the fit and cutwork lace pattern justify the price. I don't think I've seen anything like it before. It makes you take a second look. The colour is office-bright (enough to get noticed but not enough to get weird 'why did you buy that' looks).

I just want this skirt! 

And now, I wait for it to go on sale.

(Apologies for the top. I had to grab something random and it wasn't flattering at all.)

If this colour is not for you, the skirt is also available in navy and black. Happy decision making!

Back in the Wooly Coat

Coat - Helen Berman (similar) // Dress - French Connection // Loafers - Dune

This week has been cold. So cold. Wool coat and scarf cold. I really can't believe it's June. I heard sunny summers in London are short, but a winter coat in June? I feel like I have hay fever and a cold at the same time.


If you're still looking for a cocoon winter coat - which won't look like your coat's trying to eat you - definitely have a look at my Helen Berman. I'm vertically challenged bit this fits like a glove (in an edgy, baggy way of course). AND it's on sale. What more could you want?



HAPPY MONDAY

Midi Skirt Dilemma

Left: Warehouse  //   Right: Karen Millen

It's the battle of the acid midis. Dilemma: I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE! My bank account says warehouse but my heart says both.

Mid-length skirts make my office life so much easier. After sitting down I don't have to do that awkward 'pull my skirt down dance' that I do with minis. During meetings I don't worry that someone is seeing a little too much of me - we always sit in a semi circle with no desk to hide behind.

Both skirts are great but each have different styles. I don't know which one to go with.

My goal at some point this weekend is to try both of them on. Update to follow...