Voucher Me Pretty

Yes- it's that time of year again you wonderful catwalk-loving lot! No, no- I'm not talking about London Fashion Week, (although I know that's what everyone else is tweeting/texting/blogging in anticipation of right now)- I'm referring to the Vouchercodes.co.uk London Fashion Weekend Challenge.

Us thrifters get a little excited about this premise for a competition- it means we get to put all of our favourite finds into one outfit and not feel like we're bragging about our sixth-sense for jumble!

My outfit was inspired by this recent chilly spell which I refuse to yet call Autumn- fur collar, thick tights, chunky knits with skinny belts and the warm colours of the coming season- cranberry and burnt orange.

From head to toe-

Flower grips- Crown & Glory- Gift
Vintage Fur Collar- Islington Junk Shop- £11
Red slip dress- Let's Get Ready to Jumble sale 50p
Black slip dress (just seen)- Charity Shop- £2
Black beaded waistcoat (just seen)- ThriftstoreUK- £5
Shoes (just seen)- Bertie- Gift
Chunky Knit Cardigan- Car boot sale-£3
Skinny Belt- Primark- free on another dress.
Agate pendant necklace- Oxfam- £1.25

Outfit Total= £22.75

Most of you have heard my general top tips for nabbing a bargain but here are a few others I've come across recently-

1) If you see accessories you like in a high street store, try to be strong and not buy them then and there. Pop home, jump on the computer and do a little searching. You can find almost identical jewellery and hair accessories to what's in the shops on sites run by independent sellers on Etsy or eBay for sometimes half the price. It also means you're supporting hardworking crafters which, in my experience, is always mega rewarding.

2) Sign up for online forums, community's and message boards. Even if they aren't specifically selling related, often the huge ones will have a section dedicated to sales and you can nab a bargain from anyone oblivious to the online world of eBay et al.

3) Yes, I know- I succumbed to the topknot. I never wear my hair up and thought I would try it and actually kind of love it now. Changing your hairstyle, even in the most minor way, can make you feel like a totally different person and change the impact of an entire outfit. Check out hair orientated blogs like Kel's Hair Advice & All Things Nice and You Tube channels for examples!

4) This also goes for tutorials on ANYTHING. I literally mean anything. I recently wanted to know how to stretch shoes, as I had a pair that were slightly too small. Off I popped over to You Tube thinking 'Well, if they have this I am gonna be impressed!' and then my search yielded 1,440 results and I was a little dumbfounded. I saved myself the cost of buying a new pair of shoes and learnt that the internet really is insane. Try it next time you're facing a conundrum, be it fashion-related or not!

So, fancy entering the Vouchercodes.co.uk competition yourself? Just blog about your thriftiest outfit and link to the vouchercodes.co.uk website in it so they can find your entry! You can win tickets to London Fashion Weekend (1st Prize) or Topshop vouchers (2nd & 3rd prizes). BUT you only have until tomorrow- Thursday 16th September- at midnight to get your entries in, so go go go!