Mixed Haul (Debenhams, River Island, Primark)

A couple of weeks ago when I popped through to Dundee to be colour-matched for the new YSL foundation, I did a small spot of shopping and picked up some bargains. Primark at the minute is doing my head in-I'm just back from there today actually and although they have new stock, I'm sick fed up of seeing entire rows of 8's and 10's and nothing else. It's new stuff, so it's not like all the other sizes have sold out. I'm not sure if they test items by putting out those sizes first, then adding bigger ones, because often I've gone back and found larger sizes later. Anyway, it's very annoying to see loads of things you want to buy and none anywhere near your size. I got these PJ's last time I was in, because you cannae go wrong with new pyjamas! At £5 for the bottoms and £3 for the vest, you really can't go wrong! They had loads of cute sleepwear/loungewear actually.

Next up was River Island and their sale had just started the day I was in, so it was rather manic. I managed to find this little gem of a sun-dress for a tenner. I love the little details around the neckline and pockets, it's so cute! It's elasticated at the back, so I found the 16 fitted fine (just as well because there wasn't an 18).

Now, I love pretty underwear-I'm an absolute sucker for it. So if I was able to fit my boobies into them, I would wear Floozie bras every single day! The entire range is absolutely to my tastes, it's super girly and pretty and the fabrics and trims are so indulgent and fabulous! Even if I were to slim myself silly, sadly my boobs would still never fit them (I think it's a D cup they go up to), unless I was maybe 3 stone! So I have to make-do by buying their cute pants every season. The brand is available in Debenhams and for anyone who doesn't know is by Sadie Frost/Jemima French. They've branched out into swimwear this year too (drop-dead, gorgeous girly swimwear!), there's nightwear (I got an adorable pair of bird print pj's for Christmas), beauty bits and even handbags! I'm thinking it's probably just as well I can only fit half the sets...could you imagine the money I'd spend otherwise! I tend to just buy when they're on offer as I need new knickers like a hole in the head, both of these were reduced in the sale from £8.50 to £4.25.

Another Debenhams and rather flukey bargain were these fishnet Alphabetights by House of Holland for Pretty Polly. I saw them on the mannequin at the H by Henry Holland range and then managed to find one random packet underneath with 70% off. They were £4.50 instead of £15!

Downstairs I bought these little flower hair clips for £2.50 in the sale. I'll wear them to death!

Then after my YSL consultation, I spied the super cute summer range by Emilio Pucci for Guerlain. The Terracotta Gloss in particular took my fancy in shade 12 (Porto Azzurro) an indigo blue! Swatched it's pretty sheer, so more wearable than the bold blue it looks in the tube. There's a stunning coordinating nail polish which I somehow managed to resist, but I couldn't leave without the gloss. Then I found out it was the last one! Eeeep, lucky, lucky! It was £21 and I had £15 of rewards to use, so it was mine for a fabulous £6. Also by luck, she took me to the Chanel counter to be served and the till jammed, so we had to head on up to the perfume counter instead. She threw a few fragrance samples in the bag too, which I'm sure I wouldn't have got at another till. They always seem to be super generous with their samples towards me in there, it's rather great! I was thinking that the Debenhams beauty department is to me what Tiffany's is to Holly Golightly! Nothing bad can happen to you in there (!) and the majority of staff 'know' me now and are always very kind.

So that's it. Nothing to show you from today's haul because I came home empty handed! I got soaked running across the road from my house to the bus-stop first of all. It took about half an hour for me to dry out! The bus driver then tried to shut the doors on me, when I was getting off the bus! Then as I said in Primark I struggled to find anything remotely close to my size. I did pick up 8 dresses to try though and after queueing a good 10 minutes for the changing rooms, I could only take 6 in with me (no problem as she kept the other two aside). She put me in the furthest away cubicle, so I had to walk all the way back to swap the two items, only to discover that she couldn't find them. Someone had put them back on the shop-floor!! She was going to get them for me, but in my frustration I couldn't remember exactly which two dresses it was, so had to walk all the way back and just left with nothing! There were some cute hair bows I was going to buy but the queues were a mile long, so I just headed home. It was a double decker coming back which are so uncomfortable for me to sit in (my knees were practically up round my ears!) and we got held-up in traffic for 15 minutes, so I was late home. A bit of a waste of time altogether really, but no major dramas and it's good that I'm trying to get a little independence and venture out on my own ; )