Tag: letsshop

Monaco Diaries; Shopping Like The Locals

October 6, 2024

During our time in Monaco we dived into the Monegasque way of life and indulged in a spot of luxury shopping around the Avenue Des Beaux-Arts area.

It was in Dior that my boyfriend made his special purchase of the trip and treated himself to an awesome pair of Dior trainers.

I found myself also tempted by the glamorous boutique of Christian Dior and before I knew it, I was trying on the classic Dior printed slides I’ve always lusted after.

With our two months in Bali coming up in the new year, it seemed the perfect excuse to invest in a beautiful pair of statement shoes for the evenings.

The benefit of designer shopping abroad is you get the tax back on your purchases at the airport, which in France is 12%. I paid 690 euros for my Dior Slides which came to about £580, then I received £63 tax back when I returned to the UK.

It’s very easy to process the refund as the shop fills out all of the forms which you then validate by simply scanning at the machine in the airport, you just have to have your passport on you when you make the purchase in store.

I couldn’t wait to wear my new Diors and they matched my outfit perfectly, so changed into them straight away for a photo in Monte-Carlo Casino Square.

On our first day in Monaco, we needed some supplies and snacks to have at our Airbnb so we went to the local supermarket.

To our delight, the local Le Marche U was a brilliant store much like a Wholefoods market with numerous fresh food counters and wonderful organic fruits and vegetables.

We got plenty of goodies including a generous portion of homemade lasagne for my boyfriend and a pot of Greek salad which we had for lunch on our balcony at the Airbnb.

I also couldn’t resist some French cheese from the gloriously large cheese counter. A jar of fig chutney, rustic sourdough crackers and a pot of olives was the perfect pairing for our cheese.

I had to have a photo back at the Dior shop in my evening dress as they had a cute seating area just outside, complete with palms and statement Dior printed cushions.

I did browse a few vintage shops around Monte-Carlo too and there were some great, unique designer pieces, but I still couldn’t justify a Chanel handbag for 8,000 euros…!

We were chuffed with our designer shoes from Christian Dior and I can’t wait to match with my boyfriend on evenings out in Bali.

Cheers to experiencing the ultra luxurious and lavish Monegasque way of life ❤

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.’ ❤