Budget Christmas Partying

I think it's fair to say that most of us love a good party and let's face it, at this time of year you're unlikely to slide through the month without at least one invite to someone's festivities. But whether you love to party or not, Christmas time is probably the most financially unforgiving with the presents, the food, the parties and all the other little extras that come with making that last week of the year something spectacular.

In recent years, since donning my Mummy hat, I've had to cut back extensively on the Christmas party spending. Four years ago I thought nothing of dropping £100 a time or more on one outfit for one party, but now with two children, a heap of household outgoings and maternity leave this year...I'll be lucky if I spend half of that on all of my parties combined! The old me would've been horrified but I would much rather spend that money on my children or my family than on myself, and let's be honest...is anyone likely to realise that you wore that little black dress last year? Can you remember what they wore last year?

So here's a few tips to make a megre party budget go further, whether it's out of choice or necessity, you can be the belle of the ball on a budget!

Bargain Beauty.

Beauty is an expensive habit and it seems that every time I swing through Boots, more prices have edged just a little bit higher. With that said, there are more and more low-priced brands coming forward to offer make-up at mini-prices. Long-gone are the days where a small price meant 'pocket-money', you can now buy fantastic, pigmented and long-wearing make-up from as little as £1 from brands such as MUA, Barry M, Collection and Sleek. Everything from your basic lipstick and eyeshadow to more professional tools such as primers and brow-kits.

Smokin'.

A smokey-eye is a classic for the party season. It'll give you a great pop of colour and open your eyes up. If you have three shades of the same colour lurking in your vanity table then you can create this look easily with the help of thousands of online-tutorials ranging from subtle to dramatic, depending on the look you're after. If you don't think you have anything suitable, you can pick up a vast range of eye-shadow pallets from the make-up departments of Boots and Superdrug for well under a tenner. Models Own even have a small pallet designed exclusively for a smokey eye which comes complete with brushes and a photo-tutorial, retailing at around £5.

Supermarket Superheros.

The supermarket clothing brands have come on leaps and bounds in recent years and party-wear is no exception. Both Tesco and ASDA have a large range of festive-appropriate frocks online and in store for a fraction of what you'd pay on the high street. Try to resist loud, statement dresses if you want to get a lot of wear out of them, using accessories to change up an outfit from party to party. 

Viva the video.

Stuck for hair inspiration? Not quite sure on that cat-like flick? One word; YouTube! With hairdressers, make-up artists and brands flooding the channels with tutorial after tutorial, you're bound to find a video that'll give you that helping hand that you need! I've even cut my own side-swept fringe using a YouTube video (NOT for the faint of heart)! If the products they use seem a bit on the pricey side, try googling dupes for them as a lot of beauty bloggers will often review and offer a dupe solution for those of us not willing to pay £10+ for a texturising spray!

It's a deal!

I love a deal and at this time of year 3 for 2 reigns supreme!! If you have an award card such as Boots Advantage card, check out what offers you can get before you spend. You often can get vouchers and money-off of certain products that might work out cheaper than buyingt hem on a multi-purchase. My best friend and I like to split a 3 for 2 offer when it comes to a party. We'll buy an item each and then share the third (usually a nail polish), we've then got two new products for the price of one! If you have older daughters, this is also a great way to keep them cheery!

Clare

#youreinvited

Uhm...I don't wish to alarm anyone but it's less than six weeks until Christmas. Did you catch that? LESS THAN SIX WEEKS!

So with tins of biscuits and more bath-time-gift-sets than you can shake a stick at (where does that saying even come from?) filling the shops, I'm sat here quietly smug that I finished my Christmas shopping ages ago. In fact, all I have left to buy is Moo and Bear's festive outfits...yknow, their super smart, best-behaviour-no-moo-get-off-the-table clothes that say 'Its Christmas, I'm cute, take a photo and give me chocolate'.

My first (and often only) stop is always Monsoon because their elegant, sleek designs and soft palette are just what I think is appropriate for a big family christmas dinner at your Grandmother's (well, my husband's). I have always found Monsoon clothing to be spot on for what I want when dressing my children; rich, attractive colouring with flattering cuts that allow plenty of movement and child-like behaviour without taking away from the biggest fact of all; they're children. No matter what time of year I shop there, their collection is always fashionable but age appropriate with top-quality fabrics and craftsmanship.

This Christmas is no exception and I'm already biting my nails in nervous anticipation over what I'll pick for my snoozy baby and girly-but-spacially-unaware toddler.

I love the Poppy Shift dress (far left) and I know Moo would too. I'm also head over heels in love with the Velvet Beaded Estella dress which the little girl is wearing at the beginning of the new Monsoon Christmas ad (it's also available in navy which is possibly even more stunning). 

I can have all three, right?

Take a look at the beautiful new television ad below, the imaginative (and incredibly brave, I wouldn't let children in my office) people at Monsoon turned their working space into a 'winter wonderland' for their children to explore, play and get down with the festive spirit, showing the beautiful party-wear range which you can shop here.

Fancy having a go at winning a cool Christmas wardrobe worth £200? Send in your festive party wear look to competitions@monsoon.co.uk then pop on over to their Facebook to vote for the winner!

Do you think I'll fit in that poppy dress...? If I hold my breath?

Clare

Please note this is a sponsored post. Sponsored by Spreaditfast.com

Winter Warmers

Hooray! It's officially autumn, time to bust out the bobble hats and the cinnamon candles!

As I'm literally always harping on about, the supermarket fashions are seemingly coming on leaps and bounds with every season so today I'm showing you my pick of the best winter warmer fashion that won't break the bank!

Crochet Shoulder Patch Jumper £16 George at ASDA

Wide Fit Two-tone Riding Boots £22 F+F at Tesco

Wax Coated Skinny Jeans £16 George at ASDA

Knitted Fox Scarf £12 TU at Sainsbury's

Swing Coat with Faux Fur Collar £30 G21 at ASDA

Owl Character Bag £16 TU at Sainsbury's

Ribbed Cuff Gloves £9 F+F at Tesco

Sausage Dog umbrella £6 TU at Sainsbury's

So there we have it, my pick of the best! Gosh, I love a bargain!!

Clare

Tesco A/W13 Collection

It's no secret that I love a bargain and growing up in south-east Hertfordshire you're never short of one as it's the homeland of supermarket giant Tesco! I have, for many years, bought clothing from across the brands that Tesco stock, in fact one of the best winter coats I ever owned was from my local supermarket back home in Cheshunt (a textured, black wool number A/W 2006). 

I find the quality of F+F clothing to be incredibly high; it maintains colour and shape when washing as well as lasting far longer than your typical 'budget' high street equivalent. As an example, I have a black cardigan that I again bought in 2006, I adore this cardy, it is the perfect shape for my hour-glass figure with three-quarter-length sleeves and is a great all-rounder for dressing up or down. I've owned it for seven years, wearing it typically at least once a week...I am yet to replace a button, mend a hole or confine it to the 'clothes that have shrunk and I will one day fit in again' drawer and it's STILL black. Not grey. Not off-black. Black. Black black. Not bad or what I think at the time was £8!

So you can imagine how giddy with exitement I was when they got in contact to ask if I'd like to give some of their children's clothes a whirl (and maybe a little something for myself). So I browsed the easy-to-use site (I work pretty much exclusively online using just my tablet, some websites don't work well) for a variety of items for both Moo and Bear (Bear it being born at the time).

Starting with Moo I wanted to get her a little outfit that she could wear to a variety of places (such is life for a busy three-year-old) such as soft play, nursery or visiting relatives. She also needed new wellies and I happened to find the perfect pair.

Bunny Wellies £8

Which I paired with these super-cute faux-pocket leggings(£6-7) in dusty pink and soft, lace-front sweater(£8-9). The leggings are a really skinny fit (which is great for us as Moo is really skinny), however her great-grandmother struggled to pull them up for her so perhaps the fit could be a smidgen less snug! I cannot praise the sweater enough! Despite the fact that it is cream and has delicate detailing on the front, it washes up a dream! Moo covered herself in marinara sauce whilst wearing it and I almost cried, thinking it ruined. Nope. All came out in the wash, first time. Phew!

Tesco also stock a wide range of character-wear, including Disney and Peppa Pig (they've got lots of Sofia and DocMcstuffins) which is great for toddlers and at a much better price than if you were to go direct to the brand stores themselves.

Please forgive the dribble...

For Bear, I got a couple of little outfits; turn-up chinos(£6) and a elbow-patch, waffle-knit jumper(£7) as well as ribbed-waist jeans(£4) and a skull-and-cross-bones long-sleeved t-shirt (because in case you missed the memo, we're all about the rock'n'roll here at Casa Teacup). Sadly the skull top seems to of sold out so here's the same but bicycle-print(£3) which I actually like slightly more (and just purchased). All of these items washed and dried wonderfully, however I will say that the neck-hole on the jumper could be slightly wider as the smallest button fastens it a bit too tight for my liking.

I picked up this three-pack of little socks(£3) to keep his tootsies warm; he wore the skulls with the skulls (sorry, overkill) and the oh-so-adorable sneaker-print pair with his snugly jumper!

Finally I treated myself to this beautiful, maroon bird-print snood(£5) which I've had loads of compliments on. I usually team it with a broach, cardy and ballet-pumps.

I can see already that a vast amount of my winter-wardrobe will be coming from F+F this year, and some of the children's stocking-fillers too. I'm a super for good-value for money and to know that I can still get great quality and long-lasting fashion at a very reasonable price, reassures me that I can have that little bit extra cash to spend on other things like food shopping and rising utility bills.

Do you shop supermarket chic? Do you think it offers better value than certain 'budget' high-street retailers?

Clare

Please note I was sent all items mentioned for the purpose of review, however all opinions and finings are 100% my own.

Gigging Outfit on a Budget

With Autumn now approaching and my body being a baby-free zone once more, my thoughts have turned to the colder months ahead and the plans that the husband and I have; we've got tickets to a few concerts coming up and I am looking through my clothes thinking 'its time'. You see, I don't buy clothes often. In fact, for me to buy myself anything is pretty unusual...I'm not a martyr, I just don't buy unless I need; this can have it's downsides as I often wear things to death.

It's not that I don't enjoy shopping, I love shopping and I love spending money, it's the guilt that sets in after...the 'I should've put that towards xyz for Moo'.

But I've just had a baby, I'm feeling un-body-confident again (in pregnancy I tend to embrace the bump but outside of it, I'm quite self-conscious) and I think that it's high time I bought myself a few basics to update for this A/W. So I started shopping...and I only got as far as H&M...

What can I say about this season other than...damn. It's beautiful. Women's and children's wear had me salivating so I've thrown together this little number which I think is suitable for travelling and gigging...

Super-stretch treggings £12.99

Crinkle scarf £4.99

Oversized top £6.99

Loafers £14.99

Bag £19.99

Braided belt £1.99

iPhone case £3.99

Lip pencil £2.99

Nail polish £2.99

If I were to buy this entire outfit (little accessory and cosmetic treats included) it'd cost me £71.91. How often can you say that you can buy an entire look for under £75? Not too often. Oh, and yes...I know treggings don't actually require a belt, but it's cute and you can always sling it around your hips for a bit of texture!

And because I'm not 100% selfish (and my children are equally as rock and roll as I am), here's a couple of on-trend children's looks suitable for rocking...or playing, yknow...whichever they prefer (in Bear's case, sleeping and looking cute).

Denim jacket £14.99

Dress £7.99

Ballet pumps £5.99

Leggings £3.99

Bows £1.99

Chinos £5.99

Shirt £5.99

I'm loving Autumnal fashion at the moment, how about you?

Clare

Please note this is not a sponsored post but something I stumbled upon independently whilst shopping. All images belong to H&M United Kingdom.

Saturday Savings - Vertbaudet

Hello all! It's Saturday so time for some savings, hooray!! Today for you I have a fashion deal for you that I stumbled across by chance.

I've never shopped with Vertbaudet before, though I'd heard of them from the television and I vaguely remember reading something in a Bounty (ooh...probably shouldn't say that word at the moment) magazine. However a friend of mine recently brought her daughter round to play in the most gorgeous little top I have ever seen! When I asked where it's from, she told me Vertbaudet and that first time customers get quite a bit of money off. Me being be (I prefer the term frugal but you may call me cheap), I love a brand that gives you a discount on your first purchase. This is because I'm very careful about how and where I spend my money and trying new brands can be daunting when you are on a tight budget. If you don't get on with it, for whatever reason, it's money that you won't get back. So I love if I get offered money off to effectively try a brand out for size (quite literally with clothing).

So I popped over to the website and sure enough, they were advertising an impressive £15 off of your first order over £20. A maximum saving of 75%. Amazing! On top of that you get a free bath toy which if you have older children could be given away to a younger child or donated to a charity shop (please note that charity shops are not allowed to sell items which state they were a free gift). So I read on to read the fine print which says that only full price items were valid. Seemed fair enough so I started to browse.



The thing I liked most about Vertbaudet, especially their girls clothes, was that they were so child-friendly. The cuts, the patterns, the shapes...we're all dreamy and care-free. I am a massive fan of children looking like children. I hate to see babies and toddlers dressed fashionably like teenagers and so I love a brand that designs clothes that are visually appealing, exciting and yet still age-appropriate. And of course, from a brand who's strap line is 'Children First'.

Soooo...I digress, somewhat. Whilst browsing I realised that they're in the midst of a huge sale. This is due to it being a French brand and over there at the moment is one of their two annual sale periods. There are massive savings in their sale but I instantly saw a problem. If near-everything was in the sale then would I be able to find enough to even reach £20. I took a gamble and loaded up my shopping basket with things in the sale just out of curiosity, popped in the code and bingo, I got £15 off!

Here's what I chose to give a try from Vertbaudet.

Convertible dress for Moo. Starting price; £23. Sale price; £9.20. After discount; £2.65.

Polo Shirt and Trousers set for Bear. Starting price; £19. Sale price; £9.50. After discount; £2.75.

Baby socks for Bear. Starting price; £6. Sale price; £2.40. After discount; £0.70.

Once you've chosen your items, the code to get your £15 off is 4614, your free bath toy will be automatically added to your shopping basket. Please note that shipping is £3.99 on top of your discount, however if you spend over £60 (which can be so, so easily done) it is free!

If, like me, you decide to give it a go, happy shopping and happy Saturday!!

Clare

Please not that I was not compensated for this post from the people at Vertbaudet, it was a saving that I stumbled across myself and chose to share with my readers.