Tag: bicestervillage

Chapter 29; Twenty Nine & Feeling Fine

January 28, 2024

Friday 26th January 2024, my 29th Birthday and entering the final year of my twenties!

Waking up on Friday morning, it was a gloriously sunny day with clear blue skies and a crisp winters chill in the air as I took my morning walk.

I was working from home for the day, so I decided to move to the sofa for the afternoon and put ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ on as I enjoyed my coffee and answered emails.

Once 5pm rolled around and work was wrapped up for the week, I got myself glammed up and ready for an evening of celebrations.

My Birthday fit was a pair of flared tailored black trousers from Zara, a dusty pink bandeau also from Zara, my silk Le Scarf neckerchief, a cropped nude cardigan with gold buttons, my ASOS lace up maroon heels, plenty of gold jewellery to accessorise, a vintage Jaegar green oversized blazer to keep me warm and my Sandro velvet green handbag to complete the look.

At 6pm I went to our local pub for a drink with my Dad, where they gave me a glass of bubbles on the house and even brought out a Happy Birthday brownie.

We then had 8:30pm reservations at The Ivy Asia in Guildford, so my boyfriend kindly drove me and my parents there after we finished catching up with friends at the pub.

I always love visiting The Ivy Asia with its opulent interiors and buzzing atmosphere, especially on a Friday night.

We started with duck pancakes for the table before ordering a number of their smaller sharer plates.

We had all sorts of dishes from spicy tuna sushi rolls and king prawn skewers, to Korean fried chicken bites and claypot chickpea pepper curry. Every mouthful was so delicously flavoursome and my parents even said it was the best Asian meal they’d ever had!

Saturday morning we got out early to go to Bicester Village designer outlet in Oxford.

The shopping day cute and cosy look was a pair of Stradivarius blue flared jeans, an off shoulder brown jumper, my platform Ugg boots, an earthy tone wool scarf which I got for my Birthday, my Coach signature print cross body bag, a faux fur black Ugg coat and my favourite khaki baker boy hat from Mango.

Being a weekend, the shops were quite busy and unlike my previous visit to Bicester, there wasn’t much that was particularly jumping out at me.

We couldn’t leave empty handed though and I needed a Birthday gift from my boyfriend, so I was thrilled to find a the perfect gold ring from Monica Vinader to add to my jewellery collection.

Later that evening we were invited over to my parents house with my brother, his wife and my adorable niece Layla who I had lots of cuddles with, I just love being an Auntie!

My mum cooked her famous Spaghetti Bolognese and I did what I do best making a big salad of rocket, cherry tomatoes, avocado, parmesan shavings and balsamic vinegar. Good company, home cooked food and divine red wine, this made me a very happy girly.

Before I knew it, Sunday was here and I spent the afternoon with more family including my other darling niece and my wonderful Grandma. This card from my sister was brilliant, it’ll be a right laugh trying those poses next time I’m having a cocktail.

So that concludes my 29th Birthday celebrations and I couldn’t be more grateful of where I am at this time in my life. I want to embrace this final year of my twenties and look forward to another 12 months of growth, learning and achievements; cheers to chapter 29 ❤

Bicester Village Designer Outlet; Let’s Shop!

October 22, 2023

When it comes to shopping, I tend to do most of it online these days as the high street just isn’t what it used to be anymore. Designer outlets however are always great for finding a good deal whilst offering a more premium level of shopping experience.

So having eyed up some designer handbags online, I decided it was time for a trip to Bicester Village and I invited my bestie along too, because I know she can’t say no to a shopping trip 😉

It’s just over an hour drive from home and parking is free which is always a bonus. With it being a Saturday, the shops were busy but this didn’t effect our shopping experience too much, there was just a short queue to get into a few of the stores.

My first purchase was this gorgeous green velvet handbag from Sandro. This was totally different to the one I had my eye on in Coach, but this colour and style couldn’t be more me and will be the perfect accessory to see me through the festive party season ahead. Original RRP was around £450 for this bag, but I only paid £176.80 including an additional discount with my Bicester Village membership.

There is a number of big fashion house outlets at Bicester including YSL, Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Mulberry, Celine, Coach and Chloe to name a few, as well as premium highstreet brands like All Saints, Reiss, Ugg, Acne Studios, Lulu Lemon… the list goes on.

My next purchase was a little something in Prada. Given I’d spent less on the handbag than expected, I treated myself to a Prada card holder in this classic stone grey leather with gold lettering logo. Previously £450 I purchased this for £240 at outlet price.

I’m thrilled to be owner of my first Prada item, a timeless piece that will never go out of style.

My fit for the day was a pair of Stradivarius vintage style flared jeans paired with a simple Brandy Melville black tank, Grenson platform boots, vintage Jaegar green blazer, a silk neckerchief from Le Scarf and my brown knitted beret to complete the look. Comfortable yet stylish, I think this ensemble echoes Parisian Chic vibes.

After queuing at the Ugg store in hope of finding some platform Ugg boots which were sold out, instead this fluffy black borg jacket caught my eye. The perfect fit and so very cosy for those cold winter days to come, this was the perfect addition for my winter wardrobe. Original RRP would’ve been about £170, but I only paid £87.

The afternoon went so quickly, it was already getting dark before we knew it and Bicester Village began twinkling as the fairy lights came on at twilight.

Our final stop was Astrid & Miyu, currently a popup at Bicester Village until March. Everything was half price or less, so I got a gold ear cuff and a cute gold chain bracelet, whilst my bestie got three items for £90, fantastic deals.

On the whole a very successful day of shopping and I was over the moon with my designer purchases. I went with the intention of treating myself and I did exactly that!

I’m keen to visit Bicester Village again soon perhaps before Christmas, although I’d definitely try to go on a weekday to avoid the queues. I’d also recommend signing up to their membership as it gets you further reductions in selected stores and it’s free to join.

What a fun day indulging in some much needed retail therapy with my bestie. In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, ‘I prefer my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet.’ ❤