Shopping Archives - With love from Lou

Solo Travelers Guide to Shopping in London

25/07/2019 by Louise Leave a Comment

London’s many sights and attractions make it one of the most popular travel destinations in the world.

However, these are not the only factors that make it a hub for travel enthusiasts around the world. London, as a global city, also has some of the best shopping opportunities. That means that shopaholics visiting the British capital will find an endless number of stores along the streets, from unique boutiques to vintage shops to well-known luxury brands.

Whatever shopping you’re in the mood for, London has you covered and below you’ll find just some of the best shopping spots in the city.

BOND STREET

Bond Street is known for having the largest concentration of designer shops in London. If you have money to spend (or are keen to window shop) this is the place to go.

Some of the biggest names on the street include Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Versace, Ralph Lauren and Armani and there are Mulberry and Burberry stores that stock classic English styles. If, after shopping, you’re still in the mood for a British experience, head on over to Montcalm Hotel for afternoon tea.

And, if you aren’t shopping for clothes or designer bags, you can check out the antique stores on the street. Here you’ll find one-of-a-kind pieces, perfect for an unexpected souvenir. In the area, you’ll also find an auction house called Sotheby’s, selling some of the best second- hand items at low prices.

KING’S ROAD

King Charles II used this road to move from the White Hall to the Royal Courts and now, it’s home to some of the best shopping in the city.

You can find virtually anything here, from edgy, punk clothes to more classic garments. Brands range from Jigsaw to United Colours as well as a handful of vintage shops such as the Johnson’s, which stocks fashion dating all the way back to the fifties and the sixties.

COVENT GARDEN

Convent Garden is home to high-end stores, a bustling market and an Apple store, making it an incredibly versatile destination.

Whether you are going shopping or just want to step out of your hotel near Paddington Station, Convent Garden is a must-visit. Clothes and fashion boutiques are all scattered throughout the area, with some of the biggest brand names present such as Hobbs and Urban Outfitters.

CARNABY STREET

Times magazine used to refer to this street as ‘swinging London’ backing in the 1960s.

The street has since grown to become home to some of the best designer shops in London as well as many trendy bars, restaurants and cafes. Stop off at shops like Puma for a new pair of trainers or Urban Decay for some new make-up. There’s something for everyone here!

This is arguably one of the busiest streets in London, with over 300 shopping outlets and hundreds of millions of visitors every year. It’s virtually impossible to list all the world-class names who have storefronts on this street, meaning you’ll have to pay this famous strip a visit to really understand what you’re missing out on.

Have you ever been shopping in London before?
Where is your favourite place to shop while you’re there?
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How You Can Streamline Your Christmas Shopping This Year

16/11/2018 by Louise Leave a Comment

Christmas shopping. The thought of it makes 50% of people want to hibernate, and 50% of people want to go out in santa hats jingling all the way as they make their way from store to store. Whether you dread Christmas shopping or you’re truly excited for it, there are ways you can streamline it so that it doesn’t take nearly as long – and you might even save some cash in the process.

Let’s take a look at how you can streamline your Christmas shopping this year below …

Plan Your Christmas Gift List in Advance

Always, always, always plan ahead. Start planning now. Make your Christmas gift list in advance so you know who you’re buying for. Write out some ideas next to their name, and perhaps a budget.

The key is to stick to your list and your budget so you don’t end up overspending. When you start early, it can be all too easy to buy too much!

Review bargain sales sites first to see if you can find any of the gifts you wanted to buy on there. Keep an eye on prices and see if you can find any sales online – some sites will publish dates of upcoming store sales.

Don’t Forget About Black Friday

Black Friday is coming, and this is one of the best times of year you can hope to buy gifts for people. Take advantage of it! Some stores even have sales for a whole week, taking it right through to ‘Cyber Monday’.

By planning ahead and waiting for this week to roll around, you’ll be able to spend the entire week doing your Christmas shopping and hunting for gifts at bargain prices. You’ll seriously save a fortune if you do it at this time rather than closer to the big day.

However, Black Friday shopping in person is stressful. It isn’t unusual to see people getting into fights over heavily discounted electronics. Instead, see if you can do most of it online. Things usually sell out fast online, so make sure you get there early and know exactly what you want in advance. Free shipping will sweeten the deal and help you to save even more money. You may only be eligible for this once you have spent a specific amount, though, so it could be a good idea to see if you can plan to buy multiple items from one place. Even if you’re not too sure what you’re looking to purchase yet, it shouldn’t be too hard to find unique gifts for men and women.

Only if something is sold out online, do we recommend going to get it in person.

Pay A Little Extra For Gift Wrapping

Some people enjoy gift wrapping, usually those who are naturally gifted at it. Others absolutely hate it, and it shows when people are given their poorly wrapped gifts with tape all over the place and creases and rips where there shouldn’t be any. No, it isn’t about the wrapping, but a well wrapped gift can make the excitement of giving and receiving all the better! Plus, it takes away stress from you.

Many stores offer this now, even online stores. The only downside with having a gift gift wrapped when you order online is that you won’t be able to inspect the gift to ensure it’s suitable, so bear that in mind. If you can stretch your budget to pay a little more for wrapping, you’ll save money on your own paper, tape, and other wrapping essentials, plus, you’ll save so much more time!

Avoid Going Shopping When Everybody Else Will Be Shopping

If there’s a day you can go Christmas shopping in the week, do it. You’ll be able to skip the crowds and get things done with minimal stress. When paying, try to find the least busy kiosk so you can just pay and get out of there. Items will be lined up by the till in the hopes that you make an impulse buy, and if you’re standing there too long, chances are that you will.

Check Out Various Sites For Your Gifts

Browse eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, and other websites for merchandise at less-than-retail prices. You may be able to find brand new items that were simple an unwanted gift, or something that has been barely used. Why buy brand new when buying second hand is better for the environment and often saves you money/gives the same result?

Give Your Time And Talents

Give away something you’re good at. For example, if you’re a mean baker, why not bake people a basket of muffins, or a box of delicious Christmas cookies? Maybe you’re a great artist, and you can give people your art as gifts. Making things can often mean more to people than simple going out and purchasing things.

Use A Cashback Site When Purchasing Online

If you want to save even more money on your Christmas shopping, make sure you use a cashback site when purchasing online. At the very least, you should be looking for a coupon code so that you can save a bit of cash. Apps like Honey will automatically check codes at a store for you and apply them if there are any, automatically saving you time and money! If you find a cashback site you can use, you might be surprised at how much cash builds up there once your Christmas shopping is complete – although you should be aware that it usually take a while before you can access it.

Are you ready to streamline your Christmas shopping this year? The ideas above will both help you to save money and get your shopping finished early, so you can enjoy the holidays with your loved ones with minimal stress.

Do you have any ideas that you’d like to share?
Perhaps you have a technique that always allows you to finish your Christmas shopping on time and on budget?
Let us know below!
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Shoe Shopping Tips for Beginners

06/04/2015 by Louise 8 Comments

Shoe shopping is one of my favourite things to do, but I have to admit that over the years I’ve made many mistakes when trying to find the perfect pair of shoes. It’s safe to say that there’s a stack of shoe boxes hidden at the very back of my wardrobe, each one containing a pair of shoes that I regret buying because they turned out to be either too high, really uncomfortable or practically impossible to find an outfit to wear with!

In this post I’m going to be sharing my top tips for finding the perfect pair of shoes on your next shopping trip, and I hope it will stop you guys from making the same silly mistakes that I have …

Choose the right size
One of the most common mistakes I’ve made when shoe shopping in the past is buying them in the wrong size. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but sizes can vary from shop to shop. These days I always start by trying on the size that I usually am, and then ask to try on half a size up or down depending on whether they feel a little too big or small. Sometimes I find that the design of the shoe causes an issue with sizing, and other times it’s that the brand in general runs bigger or smaller than average. Places like Clarks also offer a foot measuring service, so you get the correct size in their shoes every time, and these days their styles are very on trend!

Ensure the shoes support your feet
When shopping for everyday shoes, check that the fabric or structure around your heel and lower ankle is rigid and offers some support to your foot. This will support your ankle and help avoid any serious problems in the future. It can also help to improve your posture – something I find really important due to having Scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine. You don’t really need to worry about this sort of support for occasion shoes though, as you won’t be wearing them for long periods of time.

Only shop for shoes in the afternoon
It’s a well known fact that feet tend to swell as the day goes on, so the best time to go shoe shopping is in the afternoon. This will give you a better chance of finding a pair of shoes that fit you well and will be comfortable enough to wear on a daily basis.

Pop a pair of socks in your bag
If you’re shoe shopping for something that you intend to wear socks or tights with, but you’re not wearing any that day, make sure you pop a pair in your bag to use during your trying on session. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve not done this and then ended up finding that the shoes or boots I’ve picked up have ended up not fitting properly once I’ve got them home.

Walk around the shop in them
Remember when your parents took you shoe shopping as a child and the shop assistant would make you walk around the shop a couple of times? Well, there was a reason for this! Having a walk around in a pair of shoes for a couple of minutes can really help you decide just how comfortable they are. If you can’t walk well in them in the shop then you won’t be able to walk well in them once you get them home. Trust me on this one guys, I would be rich if I’d had a pound for every time I’ve said “They’ll be fine once I get them home” and they haven’t been!

And last but not least, don’t buy if they’re too high
I think most people I know have been guilty of doing this at some point in their lives. They see a pair of unbelievably gorgeous shoes that they just have to have in their collection and, despite having an exceptionally high heel that they just know they won’t be able to walk in, they’ve bought them anyway! I was once told that a good way to test whether or not you’ll be able to walk in a pair of high shoes is to try them on, and then try to balance on your tiptoes. If your heels lift off the back of the shoes, they are fine. If your heels don’t move, then they are most definitely too high for you and no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to walk properly in them. I’ve given this a try with several pairs of shoes that I can and can’t walk in from my own collection and I can tell you honestly that this trick does work!

I hope you find this guide useful if you’re planning on going shoe shopping this year. And I’ll be back with another ‘for beginners’ post soon.

Do you have any other shoe shopping tips you would add to my list?
Why not leave me a comment and let me know?

Thanks for reading.

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