Like sample sales? Then you’ll love Designer Sales UK! 

Here’s something to cheer you up after your snow-disrupted morning… Designer Sales UK will be holding a sample sale at the Chelsea Old Town Hall between 2-4 March, where you can get your mitts on big-name brands including the likes of Emporio Armani, Viktor and Rolf, Vivienne Westwood, Emilio Pucci and many more.

We personally think you should head down on Friday 2^nd March, as between 11am and 12pm, you’ll get the chance to browse and shop like a VIP, with a complimentary glass of champers in your hand and a goodie bag worth over £75!

Admission is just £2 (£1 for students) but all details with full opening times, prices and terms and conditions can be found on the website.

Will we be seeing you there?

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So summer’s come to an end (we think) and winter’s just around the corner: it’s too late for a last minute summer holiday, and too early for a winter wonderland venture. You know what’s better than a seasonal sojourn? A trip you can take whatever the weather.

We took a trip to the West End courtesy of our friends at Rain PR recently to sample some of its finest fashion delights, so whether you’re after documented must-sees or undiscovered local gems, we’ve compiled a little black book of the best things to do when you’re there.

Let’s cut to the chase – every girl loves a spot of shopping, and having been rated the number one destination for high street fashion in the world by Drapers, Oxford Street is certainly a superb place to start.

House of Fraser
With two newly-refurbished womenswear floors and a frankly brilliant pop-up shop by Mary Portas, House of Fraser is a must-visit for any fashion fan. Make sure you check out the brand new Biba makeup collection, exclusive to House of Fraser, on the third floor, too. 318 Oxford Street, W1C 1HF. www.houseoffraser.co.uk, 0844 800 3752.

Topshop
You can’t take a trip to Oxford Street without visiting Topshop‘s flagship store. The biggest retail space in Europe, expect to find every piece this fashion favourite has to offer, including exclusive designer collaborations, limited edition collections and one-of-a-kind vintage. Hey, if Beyonce can spend £9,000 in 90 minutes, we’re sure you can muster as much. 216 Oxford Street, W1D 1LA. www.topshop.com, 0844 984 0264.

Liberty
For the best big name designers and undiscovered talent, Liberty is a hotbed of creative energy exploding inside a traditional mock-Tudor exterior. Discover need-to-know collaborations from the coolest names in fashion, as well as clothing and accessories, bespoke furniture for the home and super cute stationery to boot – the most exclusive examples of everything you’ll ever need under one roof! Great Marlborough Street, W1B 5AH. www.liberty.co.uk, 020 7734 1234.

Swarovski Crystallized
A stone’s throw across the road from Liberty lies all the sparkle you’ll ever want. With designer collaborations from the best names in the jewellery business alongside world-famous crystals, Swarovski Crystallized is the place to refill your jewellery box with classic and contemporary creations. What’s more, you can make your own jewellery, too (more on that later). 24 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7HU. www.swarovski-crystallized.com, 020 7434 3444.

St Christopher’s Place
Want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy high street? Just off the beaten track opposite Bond Street tube station, St Christopher’s Place is a haven of hot shops sitting at the top of every fashionista’s to do list. In a gorgeously intimate square, take a trip down its many lanes to experience Whistles’ flagship store, Kurt Geiger‘s biggest in-store space, Mulberry‘s oldest boutique and Lady Gaga‘s favourite Lungta De Fancy (where she recently bought a pair of denim heels). Alfresco dining is a must here, too. www.stchristophersplace.com, 020 7493 3294.

Psst, don’t miss our guides on where to go for afternoon tea, where to eat and drink, and where to stay for a fabulous fashion-packed weekend!

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We’re clearly loving the website launches today! Another glorious place on the World Wide Web is MeeMee.me, a website which pretty much revolutionizes online shopping.

We all know that clothes don’t always look the same off the hanger, so MeeMee.me lets you, the shopper, try before you buy with an avatar. Not only is it great for letting you see what clothes look like on, but it makes accessorising, mixing and matching a whole lot easier.

If your favourite and most essential part of clothes shopping is friend approval, MeeMee.me has that covered too.  If you want to run an outfit by your nearest and dearest, the website lets you save everything into a private wardrobe where you can then invite your friends to give you their opinion either on Facebook or the site itself.

The Style Me section is also genius – once you input your measurements, the site suggests the best pieces to suit your shape and size, whether it’s an 8 or an 18.

MeeMee.me features top brands as well as new, up and coming designers, with particular favourites including Motel, Religion, Junk Food and Sugarhill Boutique to name just a few.

Check it out today and sign up for a welcome voucher!

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Thought Beyonce’s 90-minute dash around Topshop was good? Try this – Angelina Jolie managed to splash £1,300 in 15 minutes at French Connection. 15 minutes! That’s, like, the amount of time it takes us to quaff a doughnut (or three) and a cup of tea.

The actress popped into the high street chain’s King’s Road store in London yesterday to stock up on new-season staples and a whole load of stuff for the kids.

So, let’s take a little peek at what she bought: A mustard silk vest, £42; a white three-quarter length sleeve top, £67; and a black midi skirt, £72, for herself, as well as armfuls of pieces from the children’s line, including a fur coat for Zahara.

They’re not the most exciting of purchases, it has to be said, but they’re available to buy online now if they float your fashion boat.

“She was really friendly and humble,” a customer, who was shopping in the store at the time, told the Daily Mail.

“She signed an autograph for some young girls in the shop, and wouldn’t let any of the staff help her to the car with her bags, joking that she ‘had people to do that’ for her. I was in the store at the same time and couldn’t believe it when I saw she’d managed to spend £1,300 in such a short time.”

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Now, I’m going to be completely honest here. There’s a hum-dinger of a fight going on inside my head right now. One side is telling me I’m not sure about these shoes, and the other is yelling: ‘they’re Louboutins you idiot, grab them quick, who cares if you knock your Grandma over in the process?’.

Whilst I agree that this side needs some taming, I look at these shoes and I see the iconic red lick of sole, the luxurious materials, the beautiful, dynamic, structure – yet it’s not setting off that fashion alarm bell for me.

Christian Louboutin shoes are the salivation initiators of the shoe industry and in an ideal world, women everywhere would have drip trays attached to their chins in order to not flood the country. So, yes, I can appreciate the allure of these Christian Louboutin Greissimo pumps with their ruched grey knot and peep toe hole.

I can see them strutting into the next season, perhaps teamed with a slightly androgynous trouser suit by Stella McCartney and a dynamic, oversized crocodile clutch.

However, for me they’re – dare I say it – a little bit too restrained. I’d like to think that if I’m going to spend big on designer footwear for the new season, I’m going to go for something classic yet suitably outrageous. A pair that are dangerously high, slick in their patent skin and which, perhaps, aspire to that key fetish trend of AW11.

Christian Louboutin Greissimo Peep-Toe Pumps, £550, available at Matches.

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We are still very much in love with the satchel. It’s one of those statement accessories in our wardrobes that we can rely on whatever the season. Proenza Schouler’s PSI medium leather satchel, therefore, should be right on the money for being a statement turn-to piece, and gain extra fashion kudos for its autumnal shade.

However, all that said, I’m not sure whether this satchel is as good looking as its price tag might suggest.  At £1,159, someone’s going to have to prove to me why I should buy this, rather than that iconic Mulberry satchel for example. The moss green may be an ideal investment for now and next season, but being the colour-bright person I am, the colour doesn’t seem to rock my fashion boat – not when you can find colour-popping satchels in pink and yellow around just about every corner by now.

And just as I was about to say that it may have its perks – cue the roomy size, detachable, adjustable, across-the-body strap and versatile style – I remember that so does the Mulberry Bayswater, the Polly Push Lock, and the Alexa – and all for nearly half the price.

If you want my advice (like you haven’t clocked on to it already), I’d head over to Mulberry and find yourself something in a classic, versatile tan or chocolate brown that will last you through the seasons, whatever year it is.

Proenza Schouler PSI Medium Leather Satchel, £1,159, available at MyTheresa.com.

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This handbag will literally be the cherry on top of your summer and winter ensemble. This beautifully structural Croc Frame Bag by Nancy Gonzalez will have you reaching for your credit card before you can say: ‘£3,455.00’ (which is, by the way, the price tag).

However, do not retreat back, heels tumbling, at this revelation. You’ve got to think as this piece as an investment.

You’ll be able to work this piece against your other glistening jewel tones next season. From glamorous garnet and sapphire, to emerald, amethyst and citrine – it’s like S/S’11 colour-blocking, but more luxurious. And you’ll be able to hold this handbag just the way the fashion-pack hold theirs: tucked in the crook of your arm and hugged closely to the body. Just remember to give it pride of place in your wardrobe – because this bag will last you a life-time!

Nancy Gonzalez Croc Frame Bag, £3,455, available at mytheresa.com.

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