Start Saving! My Favourite Fashion and Beauty Bargain Websites

Ever since I began this blog back in September, I have to admit that it's taken its toll on my bank balance. I'm not complaining in the slightest because there's nothing else I enjoy more than purchasing new products and reviewing them, but it does get quite difficult at times - especially now that i'm interning and only working part-time on weekends. So i've compiled a small list of my favourite websites that I use to snag fashion and beauty bargains, and hopefully you guys will save a few pennies too!

1. Buyapowa

I was introduced to Buyapowa through various twitter accounts, and was immediately sceptical due to the reduced prices on well-known brands (Your first thought is: "They have to be cheap dupes, right?"), but this has quickly become one of my favourite places to purchase beauty items.
Buyapowa is a site that bulk buys items (Not just beauty, but that is what features mostly) and then gives people the opportunity to purchase the items at a lower price - the actual price determining on how many people join in on then co-buy. Essentially, it is: The more people get in on it, the lower the price gets. Recently they have featured items from OPI, NARs, GHD, and Morrocan Oil - read my review here. The only problem is that there are limited items available to co-buy, but you can put in request for what you'd like to see featured, and even haver the opportunity to recommend the co-buy to others (The person who recommends the product to the most people gets the item for free!). This is perfect if you have your eye on a particular product, and you can save up to 50% off of the original retail price. It's so much fun to see the price drop, and I love browsing the items to see what I can save money on next!

2. Studentbeans

Studentbeans is a discount website aimed at students, if you didn't guess! It's packed full of special offers, freebies and discounts from practically every store and service imaginable. Gyms, restuarants, cinemas, shops and adventure days, but what I like the most is the beauty section that is jam-packed with offers of free samples and codes for discounts off of both full price and sale items. It's great to have a browse and try and snag some freebies, however I have found that some of them are outdated and you sort of have to sift through the rubbish to find a good one - but i've found discount codes for stores such as Topshop, The Body Shop and New Look, as well as samples from brands such as Maybelline.

3. Shop It To Me

This is a website that specialises in being an online personal shopper. I personally cannot stand the sales in certain highstreet stores (River Island, i'm sorry, but you need to sort it out!), so this website is perfect for me as you can be sent through via email a personalised list of sale items from your favourite stores. Ranging from designer to highstreet, you can complete a short questionnaire online which helps customise the search, meaning that you'll only get sent the brands that you love. Obviously I can't shop on a daily basis, so i've chosen to have my Shop It To Me email  sent once a week, but you can choose to have an email sent daily or monthly! It's great being able to sift through the rubbish and shop the sales from the comfort of your own home, without having to scroll through endless pages and navigate through various websites - it's all there and waiting.

I know there's probably plenty more, but these three are my most used. I'm always on the hunt for more, so feel free to comment below with your favourite bargain websites!

On a more personal note, i've recently had my bedroom turned upside down and been bought a new bed for an early 21st birthday present - hence why I haven't filmed my Cosmopolitan Blog Awards video like I said I would on twitter. Now it's back to normal, i've decided that i'm going to start filming some vlogs, to add a bit of versatility to my blog :) I have no idea what i'm going to talk about yet, so if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to contact me!

P.S.: I've been asked repeatadly to give a shout-out to Mattie, who actually suffered injuries whilst putting my bed together for me yesterday, and is also a frequent reader. So there you go, HI! :)


Be sure to vote for Sophie Says for the NEXT Newcomer Blog Award at this years Cosmopolitan Blog Awards HERE!

Wishlist (1)

(Clockwise)

Leather Jacket

YSL Arty Ring

Jeffrey Campbells

Studded Bowling Bag

White Blazer

Ciate Caviar Pearls

I'm not usually a fan of bloggers wishlists, especially when they change from week to week - almost as if they'd just put it together for the sake of a post. However, this has been stuff i've had my eye on for a long time, and i've decided to put them together as a couple of these are wardrobe staples that I think everyone will admire. The nail caviar will be more within my reach than the other items (The YSL arty ring will have to wait for a few months!) but trust me, they will be mine eventually! I'm absolutely dying to get hold of the white blazer for when I start my internship, blazers are such a essential part of my wardrobe so it's sort-of necessary! Winning the lottery right now would be perfect :P

What's your favourite thing from this wishlist? 

Topshop Buys: Spikes and Mesh!

After looking at various fashion blogs recently, and from my regular window-shopping trips to my local shopping centre i've come to the conclusion that Topshop have some amazing clothes and accessories in recently! So I decided to spend some of my hard-earned cash and pick up a few things:

Mesh Insert Skater Dress - £45

If you've read my previous post on skater dresses, you'd know that they are my favourite style of dress. Flattering and on-trend, they're my go-to when I go shopping for outfits for a night out. That is what drew me to the dress at first, and then I saw that neckline. Plunges to just above the belly button, this dress is not for the shy. The mesh also covers the back, which means you'd either have to wear an invisible back bra, or just go without! It's great if you're self concious about a part of your body (Me with my hips and thighs in particular!) as it draws attention to the neckline. This dress is also sold in nude, but I find it washes out people with pale skintones. The structured shoulders are a great touch too! 

 Layered Spike Necklace - £14

I love this necklace so much! After seeing it on a post by llymlrs I knew this necklace had to be mine! To be honest, i'd seen it in Topshop a few times but never thought about picking it up. I've got a few things coming in the post over the next few days that will go perfect with this, so I can't wait to wear it! I also have a similar silver one coming too :) 

Earrings - £6 approx

First of all, apologies for not being able to remember the exact price of the earrings. But I can tell you that they cost no more than £6-£7! I love the Aztec pattern on the earrings and the length makes them suitable for both day and night wear. I don't usually wear dangly earrings as I already wear a watch, ring and bracelet on a daily basis and I don't want to over-do it so I am excited to try these out! 

Like I said, I have more purchases from Topshop/Topshop from Ebay, Etsy and jwlry, so stay tuned! :)

My mini H&M and vintage haul!

I don't know if I told anyone on here that i'm going on holiday in 4 weeks time, and being a curvy girl i'm not a big fan of wearing hotpants and bandeau's  like most people seem to wear on holiday. So I decided i'm going to wear as many gorgeous dresses as possible :) I took a trip to Boscombe today to have a look at a vintage shop called What Alice Found after reading Shanae's post about how unique and interesting it was. So I ended up going there, as well as a few high street and charity shops, and made a day out of it! So here's what I bought on my mini haul today.. spending £66 (With the cheapest being only £1.50 .. the joy of charity shops!)

 

Dress - £14.99, Jumper - £7.99 both H&M

I love the rabbit print on the dress, and it has a 50's feel with the jumper on top. It's a comfortable length and the tie nips the dress in at the waist giving me a nice shape.

Chiffon Dress - £19.99 H&M

If you haven't read my previous post you won't know that i'm really into chiffon at the moment. It's floaty and feminine and great for the spring time. I love this sleeveless dress with a gorgeous retro polka-dot print, it will look great with a cropped cardigan or a cable knit jumper for cold evenings.

 Fruit Jersey Top - £7.99 H&M

This top is one of H&M's basic designs. A simple loose jersey top that I can wear with denim shorts or even leggings, as it's just the right length. However, because it's such a low back my bra is really visible, so i'll either wear another top underneath or wear it over a bikini top when i'm on holiday. 

 Jumper - £1.50 Age Concern

What a bargain at £1.50! It's a lovely peach colour and it's so soft. It's the cheapest item of clothing i've bought in a long time! 

 Jumper - £15 What Alice Found

Another gorgeous printed jumper to wear over some lovely tea dresses! It's actually a size 18 so it has baggy sleeves but I usually push them up to my elbows anyway, and it turns out it has a brown mark on one of the sleeves as if it accidently had bleach spilled on it! Other than that, I love this jumper and it's super comfy (I'm wearing it now with a pair of leggings lounging on my sofa!).

So it's safe to say I have basically all my clothing for my holiday, as well as a couple of new jumpers to snuggle up in at night! I'm wearing the bunny dress and pink jumper tonight, so i'll try and get a picture to show you what it looks like on.

Hope you enjoyed the post, have a great day! x

February Obsession: Skater dresses!

Hi all :)

Hope your Monday wasn't too depressing, but it's now Tuesday which means ..... three days until the weekend begins!

I've wanted to do this post for a long time, but wanted enough images to be able to balance out what i'm writing. I don't know about you, but trying to squeeze my body into a tight bodycon or mini-skirt is near enough impossible and it is frustrating when it seems that everywhere you look you're faced with people wearing lacy leotards over the top of what looks like a bra and pants. I cannot do that. I was born with big hips and I am a natural hourglass shape, so i'm so thrilled that i've found a style of dress that's so flattering for my type of figure.

Skater dresses are gorgeously simple, structured up top teamed with (usually) pleated a-line style bottom, divided by a chic skinny belt that cinches in at the waist. One of the perks of being an hourglass shape I have found, is that we do actually have skinny waists but they are just unseen due to the more shapely parts of our bodies.

So here are my selection of skater dresses:

I bought this at a concession in New Look for £19.99, and it is by far my favourite dress. I love the contrasting colours and the mesh on the top is on-trend for this season. The black waistband is quite tight meaning that the pleated bottom kicks right out, skimming just over my hips.

First of all, I want to apologise for how horrible I look in this picture. This was taken at my older sisters graduation and I kept laughing when people were asking me to pose (I'm not the most comfortable person infront of the camera!). This gorgeous skater dress is amazing purely because it's leopard print. It was purchased from boohoo.com for approx £20 (This exact design isn't on the site anymore, but there are similar ones at the same price!) This print proved popular at LFW earlier this month, and having the print on a skater dress is great if you're not confident enough to sport something a bit more quirky like leopard print leggings. I teamed it with a black blazer and flats so it wasn't too dressy. The thick material of skater dresses are great for the winter months, and it also prevents the chance of your dress flying up in high winds!

Photograph taken from boohoo.com

This is the latest addition to my skater dress collection. I wanted to purchase this after seeing a number of people around my university wearing dresses similar to these, along with leather jackets and flats. I love the mocha colour, it's a simple garment that is so versitile. It can be worn both during the day, in the evening or whether you're going out at night! And at a bargain price of £15 at boohoo.com, i'm definitely going to be purchasing more (This particular dress comes in 15 different colours!).

I'm really happy that i've found a style of dress that is both flattering and slimming. It hides my unwanted curves and really draws attention to the waist, distracting attention away from areas of your body you aren't as comfortable with.

Boohoo.com is definitely the best site to use, however New Look have a few pretty designs. Happy shopping! 

February Obsession: Chiffon Shirts!

I noticed I haven't done a fashion post in a while, as well as an 'obsession' post, so I thought today would be appropriate after I spent far too much money buying chiffon shirts! 

A question often asked to people that are interested in fashion is "Where do you find your inspiration?", and I came to realise that my inspiration is found by people watching. This may come across creepy to some people, and I do admit that sometimes I get odd looks as it looks like i'm simply staring at someone, but i'm actually just admiring and trying to work out how their style could apply to mine. 

On the bus to university last week I saw a girl who wore a smart tailored blazer with a beige chiffon pussybow blouse, and since then i've noticed nothing but chiffon shirts and dresses in practically every shop I go in. I finally caved and bought these: 

(1) Black safari shirt - £14.99

(2) Village print sleeveless chiffon shirt - £16.99

Both New Look

*Images from newlook.com* 

I also bought a long sleeved cream shirt for £11.99 from H&M, but haven't managed to find a picture on the website. I love the double breast pockets on the safari shirt but it's the village print shirt that I can't get enough of! Not only does it feature a cute kitsch print, it also ties in well with this seasons pretty pastel trend. I wore it this evening with a contrasting black blazer, leggings and brown boots. They're definitely worth the money, and currently New Look are running a 20% off sale for students!

Here are some others that will shortly be making their way into my wardrobe:

(1) Bird Wire Top - £19.99, Miso for Republic

(2) Chiffon Shirt Dress - £24.99, New Look

(3) Motel Laurel Tarten Chiffon Shirt - £28.50, Motel Rocks

(4) Slit Back Chiffon Shirt - £36, Topshop 

Either worn bravely unbuttoned with a bandeau top underneath, or layered on top of a strap-top or vest if you're like me and don't like showing too much skin. If it features a drop hem it can be worn dressed down with leggings and boots, or dressed up with a high-waisted skirt or shorts and heels. I especially love the tarten print - I certainly haven't seen that before! 

These are perfect wardrobe staples for the spring time, just make sure you layer up in this cold weather, the floaty material will not keep the heat in!

My Newest Pandora Charm

Happy new year guys!!

Hope everyone had amazing holidays and got everything they wished for! Just thought i'd show you all my christmas present to myself, as i've been working so hard lately :)

I love Pandora. It started becoming quite popular where i'm from in around 2010 when a shop opened up in Southampton, but I know it was known before that. Inside the shop there are hundreds of charms lined in trays that you can pick up and try on with various bracelets. I got my sterling silver bracelet as a bridesmaids present, but they range from about £50-£75 depending on whether you buy silver or other kinds, such as the leather or 'friendship bracelet' type.

I was originally going to save the charms for special occasions. For example, my dad bought me a little silver stack of books charm for when I passed my A-Levels, and my best friend bought me a 'Love Hope and Faith' one for when I was going off to University. But to be honest, I can't wait for special occasions like birthdays etc. because they're too far apart! So I thought i'd take it upon myself to add to my collection.

My newest charm is part of the many coloured class charms that come in several colours and various patterns within it. It cost £35 (Pandora didn't have a January sale - Annoying!) and is gorgeous purple and pink .. purple being my favourite colour!

I recommend you take a look at the Pandora website here - They have a virtual bracelet builder where you can create your own unique bracelet and then purchase it. It's so much fun!
So that was my christmas present to myself in 2011, what was yours? Because obviously we all deserve it ;)

New Cath Kidston Purse + Free Delivery!

£25, Cathkidston.co.uk

Isn't this the most gorgeous purse you've ever seen?! Because I couldn't wait until Christmas day to open my present from my boyfriend Jason, he let me have it as soon as it arrived at my house :) As you can see the wrapping it came in was absolutely gorgeous, so much so that I can't bring myself to throw it away!

It's made from 100% oilcloth which makes it easy to wipe clean and won't get lots of marks on it from being at the bottom of my bag like the rest of my purses. The design is so sweet, with lots of little birds and flowers all over it. I absolutely love carrying it around with me, which I suppose isn't the safest thing to do!

Inside it has space for 6 cards (Which unfortunately is not enough for me, so I have to double up!) with two big compartments either side for notes or extra cards, and a zip pocket it in the middle for coins. It's spacious enough to fit my iPhone in aswell, which is great as I can have everything I need in one place! The only negative point I have to this is that the inside coin pocket zip obviously moves around so sometimes I have to move it so it doesn't stop the purse from closing.

Although £25 may seem a bit steep for a purse, I think it's worth it just because it's so adorable and practical. I know i'll use it for a long time, and it's square structure is sturdy and gives me plenty of space. I hate purses that are so small that you have to fold notes in half and you cant' find anything! This was originally bought with the limited offer of 30% off all orders so it was actually £26 (The 30% off came off the delivery charge!), but at the moment if you spent over £30 online you get free delivery. Sorted!

Thank you Jason :) xo

November Obsession: Christmas Jumpers!

(1) Fairisle Knit Jumper, £24.99, New Look (2) Hedgehog Jumper, £35, Chelsea Girl for River Island (2) Navy all-over Pattern Jumper, £40, Topman

Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit more than festive Christmas jumpers! That is why I had to go and have a little look around for the best jumpers on offer :) Here's my latest jumper:

Reindeer Jumper, £12, Primark Men's

What i've discovered is that the best christmas jumpers seem to be in the men's sections of popular shops. I found this one in the men's section in Primark, and even though the smallest size is a tiny bit baggy, if you like jumpers that keep you all cosy and warm then it's perfect!
I absolutely love the other jumpers from Topman, RI and New Look, especially the hedgehog print one! They're perfect because if you don't feel like dressing up you can throw one of these on with a pair of a leggings, and the festive print will cheer you right up! I'll definately be expanding my collection, Primark is definitely going to be raided first .. £12 is such a bargain!

Anyone know of any other shops that sell gorgeous Christmas jumpers?

Gotta love New Look!

Okay, so you're probably thinking: "Why is this girl making a blog post about socks?" And to be honest, it is pretty sad. But just look at them! They were on offer for 3 for £4, so I decided to go all out and spend £8 on random pairs of socks! I love all the random patterns on them, and since it's now winter and it's getting impossible to wear dolly shoes, i've stocked up so I can wear them with my trainers and Uggs.

I'm so easily pleased :)

My Newest Topshop Buys!

Hello everyone! Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend. Just thought i'd share my gorgeous new buys from Topshop. There wasn't any reason for this spree, other than I didn't want to go home and spend the next 8 hours doing uni work, so i'd thought i'd have a wander round to break up the time.

I found the top from the dreaded sales rack. It was £7 down from £28 (Amazing!!!), and I knew I had to get it because for a change they actually had it in my size! Don't get me wrong, I love finding a good bargain, but unless you go to the Topshop sale on the day it starts, you're left with the clothes in awkward sizes and everythings basically hideous. But, I actually remember wanting to buy this top in the summer, but refusing to pay the £28 .. so, bonus! :)

The shoes have got to be my favourite. One of the sales assistants was helping me get down a pair of jeans, and had to end up getting a ladder. I was standing there waiting when her shoes came into my level. I could not stop staring at them, I loved them so much! And I cannot believe they only cost me £20! (And I had student discount to add on top of that!) I call them my wizard shoes, and they also have the same style but with red hearts instead of gold stars, which are on my list too. I couldn't stop staring at my feet while I was wearing them, almost causing a few head-on collisions. Oh well, they're worth it!

I also ended up spending far too much money in Mac, so expect a post about that :)

Enjoy your weekend xo

Wishlist, Christmas List, Shopping List: Snakeskin blouses!

1. Animal print side tuck blouse - £36, Topshop 2. Sheer snake blouse - £22.99, New Look 3. Sheer snake double layer blouse - £8, Primark


I love when this happens. The least expensive version of the blouse is the best, and you only pay a fraction of the price! To be fair, the Topshop blouse is gorgeous. I love the cut and the shape of the sleeves, although I wouldn't be able to justify spending £36 on it, even with my 20% student discount! I'm not really a big fan of the New Look blouse, but I can imagine with the sleeves rolled and stitched it would look a lot more appealing to me. It's also £22.99, which is also a bit pricey for me.

I found the Primark version last week when I was off draining the remainder of my bank account in Bournemouth town. It didn't look to appealing on the hanger; it seemed out of shape and I couldn't imagine it on me - so I tried it on out of pure curiosity. The second layer covers up my bra, but leaves my stomach showing due to the sheer fabric, so I wear it with black high-waisted shorts (New Look) to cover myself up a little.

Overall i'm happy with my purchase. It's light and somehow flattering, and I can't wait until I wear it again.

Day at the beach!

Top - £8, Primark Skirt - £28, Topshop Ring - £3.75, Miss Selfridge Necklace - £25, Urban Outfitters

First of all I will say, please ignore the 'face like a smacked arse' look on my face! To be honest if you could ask anyone I knew, they'd tell you i'm one of the smiliest and happiest people you'll ever meet so i'll try and work on my un-photogenic demeanor for the next lot of photos. This blouse was from my Primark spree yesterday, and i'm aware it is incredibly see-through but it is hot out and I don't want any more layers than I have to. Decided to pair it with my black flippy skirt that I bought just before I came to University. Along with the gorgeous rabbit ring that I bought in the Miss Selfridge sale last week, and the working wind-up clock necklace that my mum bought me as a present whilst browsing U.O in London.

Because i'm so pale I don't really want to be exposed to too much sun whilst at the beach, so this is the most covering up I can do under the circumstances!

Have a great day!

Sophie xo