Dresses from Autograph Australia

Hi everyone! For any readers who are looking for dresses online in sizes 14-26, then Australian fashion brand Autograph have a lovely selection of dresses which are perfect for day or evening wear and also ideal for Christmas too.

 

 

 

Red bandage style dress $90.30

 

Black lace dress $90.30

 



 

Animal print mesh dress $55.99

 



Multi print tier dress $62.99

 

 

They offer free shipping, easy returns and take paypal too-if you are after some stylish plus size dresses then they have a great selection of outfits to choose from!

Valentino: Master of Couture

Hi everyone!! You may already be aware that master couturier Valentino has an exhibition currently on at Somerset House in London. It is celebrating his life and work and showcases over 130 iconic and exquisite haute couture designs worn by the likes of Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Sophia Loren.

The exhibition is split into 3 sections and is accompanied by a series of talks, screenings and events- without doubt, Valentino: Master of Couture is a journey into the secretive world of Italian couture and should be a must see event for any die hard lover of style and couture.

 

Tickets for the event should be prebooked if possible and are £12.50. The exhibition runs until 3 March 2013, so if you can't get there before Christmas then this can be a New Year's treat!!

 

 

 Of course, a Valentino red dress would be the most coveted item to own and wear, unfortunately unless I stumble across one in the future I shall have to just dream of owning one. However, I was very fortunate last year on my of my boot sale trips to find this stunning Valentino black tuxedo, which has lace detailing around the collar and fits like a glove-thats proper tailoring for you. The icing on the cake was that I paid less than £5 for it and it definitely is a piece that I will keep forever:

I am really looking forward to seeing the exhibition and marvelling at Valentinos extraordinary works of art.

 

Check out what the grand master of couturier has to say on all things Primark in Vogue yesterday too!!

Designer watches at T H Baker jewellers

Hi everyone!! It's the time of the year where I am busy drawing up my 'Christmas list' for my nearest and dearest with the intentions that I will have happy, satisfied bunnies on Christmas Day.

 

I also drew up my virtual Christmas wishlist and at the top of it would be a designer watch from family jewellers T H Baker, who celebrate their 125th anniversary next year.

I have always loved quality designer timepieces and I thought I would show you my favourite current picks any of which I would be happy to receive in my Christmas stocking-well, you never know!!

 

Gucci rose gold watch, £635

 

 



Gucci silver and bamboo style watch, £650

 

 



 

This would be a real treasure to receive!! Omega Ladymatic 18ct gold watch £11730- a girl can dream huh!!!

This would look amazing with ANY chosen outfit- Tag Heuer Formula One watch, £1550

 

 



 

I can't leave DH out, he would adore this- Tag Heuer Monaco watch £5500

 

 

What's at the top of your virtual dream Christmas wishlist- will it be a nice watch or item of jewellery or are you hoping for something else to be under the tree on Christmas Day?

Have you got your High Street loyalty card........charity ones of course!!

Following on from my Give More post previously, I thought I would share with you how I show my loyalty AND get rewarded for it through my local charity shops.

I have used the Sue Ryder loyalty card scheme for years now and for every £5 you spend in their shop, you receive a stamp-collect 10 and you get a whopping £5 to spend on anything in their shop!!

For a die hard charity shopper like myself, this is a must have in my purse and I always seem to get at least 3-5 freebies a year!! I would really recommend you sign up for one-if you can't get in to a shop, then you can apply online for one here

 

Another loyalty card in my purse is from the Salvation Army which not only does a similar scheme but it also rewards you if you take in your unwanted items too! I've got all my stamps on my card now, so my next visit will be to choose my free item!!

 

 

A couple of days ago I also used up my stamped up Sue Ryder loyalty card so I thought I would show you my latest buys. I chose this Gap 1969 denim shirt for £3.75:

 

 

 

I also chose a Marks and Spencer dark olive and black snakeskin digital print blouse for also £3.75:

 

 

So both items came to £7.50 and  with my loyalty card discount I only paid £2.50 for both items!! That is what I call rewarding loyalty and these cards are a real incentive to shop at your local charity shops as often as possible.

 

 

Do you hold any loyalty cards for your local charity shops-if not, why not sign up as soon as you can!!

Source: WomensPersonalFinance.net

Give More Time-Money-Energy

 

I have just been made aware of an organisation called 'Give More', which is a growing movement of thousands of people within our communities who are pledging to give more time, money and energy to the causes they are passionate about.

In their own words, the need in our communities is going up and charities and community groups are struggling to cope. The facts are stark – 83% of teachers have seen a growth in the number of children arriving hungry at school. At the same time there’s been a 100% increase in the number of people being fed by foodbanks, with 4 new outlets opening up every week. 5.4 million households are living in fuel poverty, almost half of those individuals are over 60.

 

In response to this, thousands of people from every corner of the UK are uniting to fight escalating need by each giving more time, money and energy to the community or cause they care about and inspiring others to do the same. Give More is an independent, privately funded initiative that asks you to stand up and be counted – join the movement and be part of something vitally important. We rarely talk about giving, but if we don’t shout about the good work going on up and down the country, many charities and community groups may cease to exist.

 

There are many ways you can join in and help the Give More movement grow:

You can Sign up – show your support by signing up and learning more about Give More

Make a pledge – make a public pledge, and add your cause to our face wall

Inspire others to join in – invite 3 friends to make a pledge, and help the movement grow

Spread the word – use your networks to help us raise awareness of Give More via Twitter and Facebook

Encourage your organisation – encourage your organisation to become a Give More partner, and help us reach more people.
Get the Give Guide-The Give Guide is a free, tailorable resource packed with simple ideas for helping charities or good causes this Christmas.

 

Read Wayne Hemingway's story- like many of us, he is a big charity supporter and if you don't necessarily have time to be a volunteer, then by regularly donating unwanted clothes to your local charity shop and also choosing to buy your purchases from them is a fantastic way of supporting your community. I do so hope this has inspired you to take part-whether its by social media or down at your local chazza!!