New Bag Alert! ILEX London Tote

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Even though I love autumn, it can get a bit drab. Oranges, browns and yellows are lovely, but sometimes you want a pop of colour! So when ILEX London asked me to select a bag from their range, I immediately went for this gorgeous Samantha tote in a luxe cobalt! It’s such a great size and goes really well with the autumnal shades – as you can see above, where I’ve paired it with some pretty Joules Westbourne Chelsea boots in ocelot (find them here  – I also LOVE the leopard version here!)

There’s just something about blue and animal print that I love – and you can also incorporate another pop of colour alongside it, too! Check out these pretty Mrs Alice for French Sole flats (find them here) – don’t they just look perfect with this tote?!

Check out ILEX London here, and the Samantha range here. To see all their bags in cobalt, check here! And, thank you to ILEX for sending me such a beautiful bag – it’s going to get used a lot this season!

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Bag ‘n’ Shoes: Next Sludge Boots and Zatchels vs Jacky Tsai Skulls Saddle Bag

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I thought it was about time I did another bag and shoes post – especially considering that the bag in question is a limited edition design, only available for another week or so! I bought this bag late last year from Zatchels – it’s part of a collaboration with the Chinese artist Jacky Tsai, and the range consists of satchels and saddle bags with three designs on; the iconic floral skulls design, the psychedelic virus pattern, and the purple and lime green petrol motif. As soon as I saw the saddle bag with the floral skull design, I knew I had to add it to my collection!

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As you can see, the leather is printed with a beautiful pattern of skulls crafted out of silver flowers. Here’s what Zatchels says about the design: “Instinctively recognizable, Jacky Tsai’s skulls print designs take inspiration from one of his most well-known pieces of art, the iconic Floral Skull design he created for Alexander McQueen. The placement and positioning of the skulls show a 360 degree view of this unique piece of art. A deep black background sets off the metallic skull shapes.”

Alexander McQueen = right up my alley! You can purchase this design for a limited time at Zatchels’ site here for £85, along with the other designs here (satchels are £165).

The boots I’ve been wearing pretty much all winter – they’re no longer available from Next, but you can purchase a similar design here. Simple, basic, flat heeled boots are the perfect addition to my winter wardrobe, so this was a definite no-brainer purchase for me!

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What do you think – will you be picking up one of these beauties whilst they’re still available?

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Bag ‘n’ Shoes: Primark Snakeskin Clutch and Jonathan Kelsey for Mulberry Cropped Booties

I accidentally did a bit of high/low fashion melding for this week’s Bag ‘n’ Shoes post, pairing a cheap as chips Primark foldover clutch with some gorgeous Jonathan Kelsey boots. These were part of Mulberry’s first foray into the shoe market in 2008, where they teamed up with Kelsey to create a capsule collection that included these rather beautiful cropped, polished, gunmetal booties.

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(This was actually for my Medusa outfit for Halloween – which was pretty uninspiring, to be honest, but I did go all out on the accessories!)

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I have to say, the more I look at these shoes, the more I love them. They’re not so high they’re impossible to walk in, and the colour is phenomenal, but they are a tad battered, poor things! In the end, I thought they went pretty well with the snakeskin clutch – I’m not a huge fan of snakeskin, so I wasn’t prepared to spend much at all on the bag. Primark to the rescue – this was just £6!

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Autumn Approaches: Time for Wellies!

I’m not even going to pretend I’m not excited that summer is over and autumn is on the way! Autumn is easily my favourite time of the year and it always feels like coming home to me. Crisp country walks in the chilly air and bright sunshine, brand new winter coats, the first hints of red and brown leaves… There’s not a lot I don’t love about autumn!

Of course, I love the accessories that come with autumn and winter – hats, scarves, boots – more importantly… Wellington boots! Here are my picks for the most fashionable wellies on the market, for every budget, from Next to Burberry!

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As you can see, Hunter still really has the market cornered when it comes to luxe rainy-day wear for your feet – but Joules has some amazing offerings. I think the Evedon wellies with the ribbon are my favourites! Do you have a special pair of wellies for splashing about in the puddles?
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My Bargain Buy: Hobbs Boots for £15!

Do you remember back in November when I told you I visited the Isle of Wight to see my family, and happened to stumble across a very interesting shop? Cameo of Cowes is a second-hand retailer with a difference – it sells lost property from places like sorting houses, cruise ships, railways stations and the like. I’m sure we’ve all experienced the misery of losing something at some point or another – allow karma to gift you back something special, because this little gem is packed full of plush gear at low prices, and it’s all just waiting for you to drop by and treat yourself! I managed to bag a Reiss cardi for £8, a pair of strappy L.K. Bennett black heels for £9, and these amazing, immaculate Hobbs ankle boots for £15!

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As soon as I saw both pairs of shoes on the shelves (believe me, they jumped out right away) I felt that mix of elation and fear that all bargain hunters experience. First – the happiness of seeing something that looks perfect for you. Second – will they be in the right size? Will they be the right price? By a miracle, both shoes were my size (a clumpy 7… Sigh), and I’m sure you’ll agree, for that price, it would have been rude to have left them in the shop!

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Has anyone had any amazingly bargainous purchased they’d like to share? I love hearing stories about great finds!