Hot on the Highstreet Week 57

This Monday, with the sales well under way I thought I'd indulge in showing you all a few of my favourite designer buys, all of which have mercifully slashed prices. Working very close to Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Selfridges, the sales are an inevitably tempting time for me. Lunchtimes are spent pining after reduced garments, debating and trying to justify how and if I should buy those (usually unattainable) items.

Of my many favourites, here are my top five:

Marlene Birger leather waistcoast: Danish designer Marlene Birger takes inspiration from the classic styles of the 50’s and 60’s for her timeless, elegant and easy-to-wear designs. The waistcoat, pictured above, is now selling in certain retailers for a snip of the full price. This gorgeous, sleeveless, studded jacket is an absolute steal and will last you forever - only improving with wear. I bought the last one in Harvey Nichols, with a few studs missing - they sold it with a staggering 70% off. Buy online on the M.B website here for £389, originally £635.

T by Alexander Wang collection: if you haven't checked out the Outnet website yet I would urge you to. Their selection of designer clothes and accessories are permanently discounted - mostly half price but often you can find a very reasonable 70 % off bargain! T by Alexander Wang is the fabulous diffusion line devoted to the ‘model off duty’ look, with relaxed tees and slouchy urban style jackets and trousers. It is cheaper and more comfortable than Wang’s main collection. I love the zip-up hoodies and thin racer back tops - they dress down an outfit and are very snug.

Tibi silk outfits: another point to the outnet for their variety of Tibi clothes. Tibi is a New York based designer that focusses on bright colours and vibrant prints. I particularly love the lemon yellow carnival silk shorts, loose and soft for the summer, but with a vital injection of colour, they are now reduced to £82.50 from £165, but here.

Paul Smith ties: thanks to Liberty’s colourful flowery prints, it is now cool for guys to wear feminine patterns... and where better to adopt this look than Paul Smith, the eccentric menswear icon. Last season’s beauties can be found at many department stores as well as the P.S outlets, with some ties selling at half the original £75 pricetag. The perfect gift to give your man a little bit of flower power. Buy in store at Harvey Nichols.

Missoni for Havaianas flip-flops: always fancied yourself a striped piece of Missoni but never had the cash? Your luck might be about to change...Missoni have teamed up with the popular flip flop company Havaianas to create a few pairs of must have summer sandals in wacky techicoloured prints... I am desperate for a pair. There are not in the sale, but at £45-60 I doubt you’ll find Missoni anywhere else cheaper. Buy on Net-a-porter here.

Resist the temptation of designer all season so that you can reward yourself in the sales. I think these items and designers are worth investing in.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 47

I’d like your opinion on WILDFOX, the American vintage-inspired women’s knitwear brand. Childhood friends Emily Faulstich and Kimberley Gordon felt that things had got too serious in the fashion world and started the Wildfox brand inspired by dreams, fairies, sleepovers and having fun. Since opening in 2006 they have had huge success and have extended the reach of their designs as well as introducing Littlefox, the new kids division, in 2009.

Celebs seem to go crazy for Wildfox, and images of them in their favourite tees and jumpers have been cropping up in magazines for a while now. My first impression was that the clothes were tacky, covered in bright patterns and quotes. After visiting the Wildfox section in Harvey Nichols my mind began to change. The clothes are well made, soft, comfortable and incredibly fine fitting. All the tops I tried sat perfectly and were surprisingly flattering.

But for £60 a t-shirt and £95 a sweatshirt, I wasn’t going to splash out on something I wasn’t 100% sure on. I left empty handed and tried not to think of Wildfox’s alluring designs anymore. Then a few days later, while browsing on the King’s Road, I noticed Adhoc’s eclectic display, which includes Wildfox garments. I went into this colourful madhouse to discover they have a permanent Wildfox sale on in the shop and online, selling the classic designs from last season at up to a third of the price! I bought a super soft, white baggy t-shirt, with a simple peace symbol design, costing £20 rather than the original £65!!

The other shop assistants assured me that new Wildfox stock would be coming in every week, so pop along and have a look. You’ll be killing two birds with one stone: checking out Wildfox’s exuberant collection and experiencing the wacky wonderland of Adhoc.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 34

I’m excited about this week’s Hot on the Highstreet. After discovering my featured items in last Tuesday’s Metro newspaper, I felt inspired by the article to investigate further and blog about it.

The familiar brown, orange and yellow striped material must surely bring one thing to mind? When I spot this pattern it screams London Underground. It is iconic of London’s subterranean upholstery and although we rarely sit on it now (only the oldest, most retro tubes and buses still have it) it is part of our capital’s heritage; it is the design dominating London travel throughout the 1970s and 80s.

Most things come back in fashion at some point or another, and right now, this vintage print is super chic again. Squigee, the innovative surface design company, were invited to add a distinctive edge to the original London Transport moquette textile design. Moquette is a uniquely serviceable, natural wool-based material used by transport providers because of its durability and texture.

Remember your commute with one of the pieces from the collection: oven gloves, apron, tea towels, cushion covers, even an ironing board, and your kitchen will be the trendiest around. All items are on sale with prices ranging from £2.99 to £15.99. Visit the TFL website here, and get your very own piece of memorabilia.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 33

You may have seen pictures of attractive couples dotted about the city, on the sides of taxis and buses. ‘The Kooples’ have been around for quite a while now, and I thought it was about time to check out what these funky adverts are all about. This rock’n’roll company has been going for two years, a French brand that has the same backing as Comptoir des Cotonniers womenswear chain. The clever advertising campaign comes as three new shops open here in the UK, with more apparently on the way.

The his and hers hipster style is a much yearned for idea on the London highstreet. The Kooples offer both boys and girls clothes and some lovely accessories. Characterised by body hugging dresses, skinny jeans and chic leather detailing, but also with a wide range of pretty basics - everything you need for that rockstar lifestyle.

I was particularly struck by the leopard print scarf that has an uncanny resemblance to the very desirable McQueen accessory. The McQueen skull scarves are usually priced at £220, unless you are lucky enough to get one for a fraction of the price tag at the sample sale (like I did). The Kooples item is now in the sale, reduced from £100 to a staggering £60. The scarf comes in two colour options: dark grey and cherry and is made from 100% wool – guaranteeing maximum warmth. I’m impressed with how generous they are; it’s always nice to have a scarf that can double up as a blanket if needs be.

You can find The Kooples in King's Road, Carnaby Street, St Christopher's Place and Selfridges in London. thekooples.co.uk