What I’ve Been Buying – Jan and Feb

I had been meaning to write a post on items I had bought/ lusted after in the January sales but never got round to it and now it’s almost the end of Feb! Does anyone else find January feels like the longest month and then February always goes by in a flash?! Anyway, I thought I would write a little post about my Jan/ Feb purchases (and maybe some gifts/ prizes I was lucky enough to receive). The winter sales are one of my favourite things about January (okay, probably the only part of January to look forward to), but due to being in between jobs, I actually had to try and limit myself and not go too mad this year!

One of my favourite January sales purchases was my big, fluffy fur hat from Guinea London. It is massive and makes me look like I have a little pea head but I LOVE IT! It will be perfect for the races or cold country walks! I probably won’t be wearing it in the rain which may be quite limiting in Scotland but who cares when it looks so fabulous. Unfortunately, the hat is now sold out but there are still some amazing pieces in the sale including this gorgeous Tara Cashmere Coat which I would have snapped up immediately if I had the budget!

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Another clothing purchase I made was from my all time favourite sportswear brand Sweaty Betty. I nabbed two pairs of leggings in the sale which, in my opinion, were a bargain! I tend to stick to dark colours as I am very self conscious of my legs but took a risk and went for a pair of high shine leggings in “Crown Blue” which is a very pale blue…unfortunately the risk didn’t pay off and although the leggings were gorgeous and fitted perfectly, all I could think about was how big my legs looked, so back they went. I would still recommend these and I’d just go for a darker colour next time…there are very limited sizes in Crown Blue left but you can find the full range here. I also went for a less risky option and ordered a pair of tried and tested Power 7/8 Leggings in “Deep Lake Camo Print” which are nice and dark with a bluey, green splatter pattern. I loved these immediately, they fit well, suck you in and look great (also bum sculpting!!) I can’t recommend the power leggings enough and these are now my third pair. Again, these are very limited in sizes at the moment but you can find the Power range here and they come in too many colours to mention! I really don’t need any more gym leggings but I am now lusting after the Zero Gravity High Waisted 7/8 Running Leggings in the “Black Tonal Snake Print” and they are currently in the sale! Must try and resist, must try and resist…

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Sticking with the sporting theme, I had been searching for some thermal riding leggings to keep my legs cosy in the cold winter weather. I was given some for my birthday in December but unfortunately I didn’t like the fit or the thin, slippy material, so the search began again. I was recommended a brand called Eqcouture which I hadn’t heard of before but I went for the Winter Bodyforming Siligrip Riding Tights and I am so glad I did! These are made from nice thick material with a grippy bum for when you need a bit of extra stick! They were slightly pricey at nearly £50 but definitely worth it for the extra warmth. You won’t be surprised to know that these are no longer in stock but I’d definitely recommend making a note of these for next winter and there are still plenty of other options available on the website! You can now get £5 off your order with this code http://i.refs.cc/UqSHFV4h?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo3MzQzNjY5NTZ9

Another purchase I made in January wasn’t a sale purchase but at only £29.99, I couldn’t resist this Cable Knit Sweater from Zara. Big, baggy and oversized – perfect working from home attire! It was love at first sight and I didn’t hesitate to order this bad boy. Unfortunately it seemed to get lost in transit and I had almost given up hope of it ever arriving but thankfully about a month later it appeared at my door. It is so soft and cosy and if it came in other colours I would absolutely have bought some more! I feel like a broken record here but this is no longer in stock…it sold out super quickly, but there are a couple of similar styles from Crew Clothing and I especially love this Cable Heart Jumper which has little red heart patches on the elbows!

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The final fashion purchase I made, and I thought long and hard about this one as it was quite pricey (although I did get it for around half the original price), was the Karen Millen Military Wool Melton Cape in the camel shade. I have nowhere to wear it (hopefully this will change soon!) but it is utterly divine! Made with thick wool and a structured shape, this is one item I don’t think will date. You can’t get your hands on the camel, but you can still get the incredible red version here…and it’s in the sale so you may need to be quick!

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I also received a couple of items from one of my favourite brands, Mackenzie and George. The M&G Keyring was given to me as a belated birthday gift with my initals embossed in gold foil…I got the tan leather version and it’s definitely the nicest keyring I’ve owned, compared to the chipped, googly eyed doughnut it will be replacing! I also got the new M&G Iphone case as a Valentine’s gift *heart eyes*. I chose the tan leather and plain embossing (I love personalisation if you hadn’t noticed) and it looks amazing! It’s also very soft and velvety leather and I’m hoping it will last as well as my belts have. To emphasise how much I rate this case, I’ve also ordered it for my Mum as a Mother’s Day gift so we will be matchy matchy (she already knows so it doesn’t matter if she sees this post). Both of these items are currently in stock and you can also get £5 off with this code http://i.refs.cc/s59qfJZZ?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo1MzgxNTE5MDl9

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Moving on from fashion to beauty, I ran out of my favourite Beauty Pie Japanfusion Toner which I can’t live without…and seeing as I was puchasing that, I felt the need to add a couple of extras into my basket. As well as the toner I also bought the Footopia Super Softening Foot and Heel Cream (it’s nearly sandal season ya know), the Super Healthy Skin Nourishing Body Polish and restocked my trusty Wondergel Longwear Lip Liner in Vanilla Nude. All of this for just over £30 (members prices) and well worth it in my opinion. I haven’t found a toner I like as much as this one and the lip liners are so soft and buttery! As for the foot cream and body scrub, I haven’t tried them yet but I am sure they will live up to expectations. If you have any doubts about how much I love this brand…I’ve added some pics of just two of my purchases below…there have been many, many more). If you haven’t tried Beauty Pie yet, you can get your first month free with this code –https://share.beautypie.com/x/dMFhVP

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I also had a few gifts to buy at the beginning of the year (engagements, new babies…all the things that make me feel far too old and grown up) and my go to site for said gifts is Biscuiteers! They offer beautifully decorated biscuits for pretty much any occasion and I think it’s something a little bit different…there are also options to add personalisation to some of the designs which is perfect for the likes of an engagement. I think I’ve purchased from them three times since the new year and I will definitely be sending more when the occasion arises…although I do wish someone would send me some of these *hint hint*. There are also some rather lovely Mother’s Day offerings at the moment including this Emma Bridgewater x Biscuiteers Time for Tea Biscuit Tin which includes biscuits in the shape of a tea set and decorated in the recognisable Emma Bridgewater style. You can get 15% off your first order with this code https://biscuiteers.mention-me.com/m/ol/kl9rt-kirsty-arnott and feel free to send some my way!

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Sticking with the food theme, I came across The Farm at Pilsley last year and I am now completely obsessed with their flavoured vinegars. I first tried the strawberry vinegar last year and when I ran out in January, I immediately ordered more. Now, I liked the stuff so much I didn’t just order more strawberry, I literally ordered one of every flavour. That’s right, 5 bottles of vinegar (Elderberry, Raspberry, Elderflower, Blackberry & Strawberry)…and I don’t regret it for a second! This stuff is amazing and actually makes salads not just bearable, but enjoyable. You can find the full range of vinegars here but there are also plenty of other goodies to choose from including jams, chutneys, pickles and hampers. If this is your sort of thing, go now!

Last but not least and definitely the most random purchases of the month were some Famous Five books from eBay. Yep, I know they are children’s books but I have a collection from when my Mum was a child which has a couple missing and I managed to find them on good old eBay. These were only a couple of pounds each so I figured it was worth it purely for nostalgia value (and I’m not even going to lie, I will 100% be reading these).

I was also lucky enough to win a couple of competitions which was a very nice start to the year. My first prize of the year was a pair of pyjamas from a brand I had been eyeing up for ages called Chelsea Peers NYC, so I was pretty over the moon! I love their satin print sets and so I went for the Leopard Satin PJ Set which is a turquoise blue/green colour. I was not disappointed…these pyjamas are amazing! So comfy and they look really f**king cool, I am 100% going to be getting more of these! At £48 they are more than I would usually spend on pyjamas but I can confirm they are definitely worth it. They also come in short sets too…perfect for the warmer months that are hopefully on the way. *Update* – You can now get £5 off your order with this code http://i.refs.cc/RybHX3lo?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo4MzY5Mzg1OTh9

The second competition I won was by Sally Day Stationary and I received an incredible print which was much bigger and even more amazing when it arrived! The print itself is a pheasant mixed with pink flowers (sounds very strange but just look at the picture). I am over the moon with this picture and can’t wait for shops to open up so I can get it framed and onto the wall! You can find the print here as well as lots of other fabulous goodies…I for one think that this Highland Cow print would look great alongside the pheasie.

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So for someone who was out of work for the majority of December and January, I managed to purchase quite a lot of stuff…however, I did save up some pennies especially for the sales (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it). I did also received some lovely gifts and competition prizes which I am very, very grateful for. Since the pandemic I have been spending a lot less on going out clothes and make-up but have definitely been making up for it with gym gear and skincare. Fingers crossed the restrictions ease soon so we can go out and socialise in some way soon, although I think I may have forgotten how to interact with people in real life now. What have you all been spending your pennies on? I love to hear what everyone else has been buying (and also getting some inspiration along the way).

Until next time,

Kirsty x