Cheap Thrills for Under £30

Monday 11 November 2013





As I was browsing online, I came across a few bargains - all under £30 and I just thought I'd share.


A classic. For those who have been itching for a reefer, peacoat or anything else you want to call it,  how about this one from H&M which is 50% wool and currently on offer for £19.99? What I did notice when I popped it in the basket and went to checkout, the price automatically dropped to £14.99! How nice :o)  For those girls who are not getting on with the Zara fits, this might be the one for you. I personally am not so keen on bright gold buttons - antiqued finished buttons would be subtler and upgrade your coat in an instant.


This is actually from A/W 2012 but it's still stocked on their outlet. I personally preferred their knitwear selection last year to this year's. Yes it's predominantly acrylic but I'm going to overlook that small detail because I love the asymmetric front which adds detail to an otherwise plain jumper. They have it in navy too. Why not have both??


This one squeezed in just under £30. But hey it's cashmere and it's going to be lovely and soft next to your skin. One thing I have really come to appreciate - you cannot beat a cashmere scarf around your neck and why not make it a red one to make you feel all Christmassy? Compliment it with a red lipstick - that will brighten up your day! Or you could just go for classic grey :o)


I don't have really have much in the way of bags for evenings. So maybe this one might be a good starting point. It might be horrid in real life but from where I type, it looks good. I'm loving the gold lattice work detailing. Bling bling.


I love these. They don't love me but I couldn't not include them. How elegant for a flat shoe for an evening out. Why oh why don't they love me? Oh yes - I have fat feet. But if you don't - these are pretty aren't they? Yes sometimes I do, do pretty.


Yes it's from the kiddie's section but they have small, medium and large and the large actually fitted my large head and didn't make me look mental. It has enough looseness to be flattering on the head - I find a lot of beanies are quite tight and serve to make your round face look rounder. This one isn't bad. It's only £7.99 and even has a little matching scarf which you could buy and you would still come under £30. Again, it's acrylic but at £7.99 - what did you expect? But it fits my head and some of the more expensive ones don't. 


Anything grab you? And who's snaffled any bargains recently which are worth sharing?




37 comments

  1. Okay I can't get over how cheap everything is, like those shoes, and the cashmere!

    By the way, if you're keen on the Seed espadrilles I'm happy to help you buy a pair, only thing is you won't be able to return them if they aren't quite right. They have a black leather and mesh pair - which I'm hoping to snap up tomorrow during the VOSN for 20% off.. oops.

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    1. The no returns policy scares me Jamie-Lee but thank you very much for the kind offer. I will admire yours from over the pond and the new pairs you are about to get :o) It's not a brand I'm familiar with so am a little unsure what they are like fit wise. I ordered a pair of beautiful burgundy satin espadrilles from &other stories earlier this year and I had to return them as they were so tight yet the backs kept slipping off. Shame as I was really quite enchanted with them.

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    2. I'm used to not being able to return things as I often chance it with mail forwarding - although I just onsell it. Shoes can be a tough one though, especially with a label you don't know.

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  2. It is amazing what you can find when you look, I am on a very tight budget at the moment so will be on the look out this weekend when I go shopping and will have to go into H&M, love the coat and bag, love a bargain! x Dawn

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    1. The H&M coat will probably be full price at £40 in store but they put special offers up online every now and then and sometimes you can grab a coat like this for under £20. Not bad considering it's 50% wool. I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase - I should say it's only available at this price online.

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  3. Ooh, love all these picks! I'm actually going back and forth between that navy coat and another navy coat that's on sale at H&M: http://www.hm.com/gb/product/09469?article=09469-A&variant=040. The second one has subtler buttons...hmm...I don't know! Also, the code 1304 takes £5 off. :)

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    1. I don't love shiny buttons either so I think I'd spend the £5 saving on some new buttons :o) But for anyone who wants a navy peacoat - I think it's worth a look. I did find it more flattering than the Zara fit but it was a while ago when I tried it and I sized down to an 8 so the shoulders were neat and didn't make me look all boxlike. You probably have to try both of the ones you like to really see what works best for you. And navy coats are kind of classic aren't they?

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  4. I have noticed the Uniqlo cashmere scarves last time I peeked into the store. They had great colours like anthracite grey and oatmeal... I hesitated so much between each colour that I didn't buy any. And now that the temperatures are freezing I kinda wish I did haha. Thanks for sharing these :)

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    1. I've not had the chance in a while to get to a Uniqlo. The only one I would get to visit is in London and I'm not going there till next year. And I was trying to break myself out of the rut of grey scarves actually as I seem to have a plethora of them and was giving in to the oriental red. But I still think I'm more likely to go with a darker and safer palette. Some habits are hard to break.

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  5. I can't get over the price of the coat - what a bargain - I'm now engrossed in the H&M website (not good), trawling through jumpers and also dresses for the Christmas do! I like that hat (a lot) I always have difficulty finding hats that sit correctly - think my head is a weird shape! :)

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    1. Well I don't have much luck with beanie hats generally. All I know is they need to be a loose weave or just on the big side so they don't squeeze my head too much and make my face look rounder than it does already. So did you buy anything?

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    2. I resisted but then went instore and somehow still resisted. I must be ill!

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  6. How is that coat so cheap?! That is ridiculous. Did you get it? Have you seen it in person? How is this even possible... The one that I'm really attracted to though is that sweater, I love that hemline detail! Like you said, the composition is a major strike against it, but I'm a sucker for innovative details like that.

    www.nomadicd.com

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    1. Well I thought it was good at £40 and to get it for half price was ridiculous and then to get another £5 knocked off was definitely mad. It's actually quite a nice wool - the buttons are a bit bright but the fit was better than the Zara ones and I thought I'd just give it a home assessment by ordering it and I can take my time to see if it's all I thought it was. And as for the sweater - I wear such a lot of plain stuff and again this is plain but the hemline just makes it doesn't it? I have to say the oatmeal colour is nicer than the navy as there is alpaca in the mix which makes it look a little like it's been fluffed on - as is always the trouble with dark colours. In other words - go for the oatmeal!

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  7. Great post! Love those shoes.....I am going to investigate and try, will report back. X

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    1. Definitely can see you in the sparkly girly shoes. Very chic. Do report back. Shame I have such fat feet.

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  8. Some great finds Sue & what a bargain for the H&M coat, great idea about replacing the buttons x
    www.mymidlifefashion.com

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    1. I like taking things and tweaking them a little. I can't imagine you would need another coat in your extensive wardrobe. Or have you got one of the Zara ones?

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  9. Some great tempting pieces here Sue......it's so hard being so strict with myself budget wise when there are so many lovely things about! I am having to satisfy my purchase cravings by getting on top of the Christmas pressie shopping instead! x

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    1. Oh Michelle, you have been so good. I applaud your efforts. I would have failed ten times over by now. Is this challenge ongoing and for how long?

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  10. Gorgeous picks - I love the shoes. I just bought a 100% cashmere beanie from Nordstrom for $30!! It was a mens - I'm sure women's prices get hiked up because they know women will pay more...xx

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    1. I actually have a lovely grey cashmere Brora beanie which the Grumps bought me but somehow seems to have claimed. He says it's nice and soft for his bonce :o)

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  11. Loving the peacoat, thanks for the heads up Sue if we order now we might actually have it in time for Xmas ha ha xx

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  12. The price didn't drop, I just went to buy it!

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    1. Just might :o) Luckily it won't date. I'm not sure why the price automatically adjusted on mine but you could try the £5 off code which is 1304 and see if it works?

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  13. That scarf will be finding its way onto my Christmas list, I believe - my scarf collection is an acrylic graveyard and badly needs updating.

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    1. I think every lady should have the luxury of one cashmere piece in there wardrobes and you don't always need to break the bank to achieve it. I actually have an acrylic scarf in my collection which looks horrendous and as luck would have it - it is the most perfect damson shade. Bog. Now if I could find the equivalent in cashmere or a good wool, I would be made up :o)

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  14. What a spot!!! A cashmere scarf and in grey for under £30, well, that is most definitely going on my Christmas list and will make a lovely present for some of my girlie friends! I tried the h&m coat on earlier this year and loved it but couldn't justify another coat but I think I can at £15!! Xx

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    1. Too many colours to choose from but grey is always good in my eyes. I don't think I dare get it in red but it looks so eye catching that sometimes I think I should stop playing safe and go with it. And it's a silly price for a coat isn't it? But I'm not complaining.

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  15. Just when I needed you!........I have been looking for a pea coat everywhere, and liked the look of the Jigsaw one!. But at £200 plus, I was hesitating, so I shall have yet another ferret around H&M and try and find this great little bargain....thanks Sue! xx

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    1. Yes but the Jigsaw ones are pure lushness. I go in to Jigsaw just to stroke them as they are just so soft and yummy and gorgeous. Oh if I had the extra pennies, one of those would be in my wardrobe now. Like the plummy damson coloured one. Yum yum.

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  16. Ooh I love love love a pea coat! They are such a classic design. I've just fallen in love with a green Joules one - http://www.joules.com/Women/Jackets-Coats/Fairdale/Womens-Fur-Coat/Dark-Green?id=P_FAIRDALE|KHAKI

    As well as a recent blog post Atlantic Pacific has made wearing a gorgeous navy one with some Chanel (#weeps) ballet pumps.

    A girl can dream :-)

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  17. Completely agree with so many other people - it is insane that the coat is so cheap?! MADNESS. xx

    http://thestylecrusader.com

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  18. Right that's it! I need to return to H&M (swerving past the remaining bits of IM!) and find that pea coat. Rdiculously cheap. But I truly LOVE the thought of a cashmere red scarf - divine!

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  19. fab picks! I love those shoes :) So cute!

    Hannah xx

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  20. I'm all about the cheap thrills, fashion wise!! Re the H&M clutch, it's cute in real life. Not as good as the Zara and Reiss ones of past seasons, but it's cute. And likely to be used in low lighting (as its an evening bag), so should be fine. Re the Uniqlo cashmere scarf, it's beautiful. A little skimpy (I am going to buy the Zara one), but really lovely. Have you seem the M&S men's ones? They have a gorgeous rich red, and are £35.

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  21. Ha! I ordered the coat in Khaki and the jumper :-) I love the Mango jumper I already have but previous H&M coats (women's) have been no good at all so I'm not too hopeful. Anyway, thanks for the heads up!

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Susie So So