Sale bargains!

January usually means three things.

Cold weather, post-Christmas-blues/exhaustion, and of course, SALES!

As we all know only too well, sales are synonymous with large crowds which, in turn, can sometimes make it incredibly difficult to source the real bargains hanging on the rails. Fortunately however, the Claregalway Hotel website has taken the hard work out of the bargain fashion search by featuring some of the most stylish looks to be found on Galway’s high street.

When it comes to sales, we’re all guilty of buying items that we will never wear. If however you have promised yourself to be more money-wise this time around, then might I suggest this particular look?

Blazers and jeans for instance are never bad buy’s as they can be worn with a multitude of items in your current wardrobe. For this look, I have paired them with a stylish t-shirt which, for an added edge, can be twinned with a dramatic necklace.

- White phone print embellished vest – River Island - was €18 now €7

- Caroline smart denim short jeans – Monsoon - was €50 now €15

- Grey smart blazer – River Island - was €65 now €30

- Cropped tailored jacket – Oasis - was €163 now €88

- Clean collarless jacket – Oasis - was €88 now €62

- Black pearl and chain necklace – River Island - was €40 now €20

This is wonderful multi-tasking outfit in that it can be made formal enough for the office but yet stylish enough for an evening event. All you have to do is slip off the blazer and change the handbag for a clutch. In literally seconds, you’re ready for a night out!

- Jay dress – Monsoon - was €95 now €33

- Grey bag – Mála (Tuam) - was €12.99 now €9.99

- Black diamante trim satin clutch – Oasis - was €20 now €14

A warm sheepskin aviator coat is one you’ll get plenty of use out of considering the year-round cold weather we get. Admittedly, this particular one from River Island is still a bit expensive however given that it previously cost almost €300, it’s definitely a bargain if you’re in the market for a good quality jacket. To complete the look, I have paired it with light beige skinny trousers from River Island and a gorgeous brown tote from Tuam’s newest handbag shop, Mála.

- Khaki sheepskin aviator jacket – River island - was €275 – now €100

- Light beige skinny trousers – River Island - now €30

- Brown tote bag – Mala (Tuam) - €25

Christmas might be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to resign the sequins and feathers to the back of the wardrobe! This feather-embellished dress is a brilliant item to have in your wardrobe for when you need something that’s quite dressy but not overly so! Hold back on the accessories when wearing this dress, and keep the jewellery and footwear very simple. If you want to inject some colour into the look, do so with a clutch bag. To keep the cold at bay, opt for a plain blazer.

- Feather embellished shift dress – Awear – was €69 now €50

- Charm bracelet – Oasis - was €12 now €8

If you love colour, you will love this striking next look! Gold and purple work beautifully together and with this halter neck dress reduced to €12, its an absolute steal!

- Contrast edge jacket – Oasis - was €62 now €50

- Metal halter neck dress was – Oasis - was €19 now €12

Whether it’s a day shopping or an evening at the cinema, this look will work. Even if you don’t buy the cape top or the belt, I would strongly suggest that you get your hands on these stylish jeans which are available for the incredibly low price of €15 from Monsoon. Hats are set to make a comeback this year so if you want to get ahead of the trend, you could do so with this cream mohair trilby for €5 from River Island!

- Carmaine cape top – Monsoon – was 45 now €30

- Caroline smart denim short jeans – Monsoon -was €50 now €15

- Gold tone chunky circle chain belt – River Island - was €20, now €5

- Cream mohair trilby hat – River Island - was €20 now €5

Without doubt, Oasis have the best selection when it comes to the January sales. I particularly love this next look, which costs a very reasonable total of €43! Of course, if you don’t want to wear a tank top, you could always go for a white shirt instead. I would recommend pairing it with subtle gold sandals.

- Twist neck vest top – Oasis - €25 now €12

- Gold tweed A-line skirt – Oasis – was €37 now €25

- Sequin skinny scarf – Oasis - was €10 now €6

If you like wearing soft feminine styles, then you will definitely get your moneys worth with these items! Grey trousers are always worth investing in given their versatility, however unless you pair them with the right top, your outfit will be at risk of looking too office-like. Try if you can to only pair them with bright colours, like this pink cardigan for instance.

- Light pink ribbed cardigan – River Island – was €32 now €12

- Grey wide leg trousers – River Island - was €25 now €10

- Double metal tassel and bead earrings – Oasis - was €8, now €4

A tank top inside a pencil skirt is a look that will never ever date. (The same goes for a white or black shirt tucked inside a pencil skirt). If you want to give this style an extra edge, then how about accessorising with a faux fur snood or fur scarf? The brown snood compliments the brown belt on the herringbone light grey skirt, while the light grey fur scarf works against the dark grey tweed skirt.

- Twist neck vest top – Oasis - was €25 now €12

- Sparkle tweed pencil skirt – Oasis - was €25 now €19

- Herringbone sculpture light grey skirt – Oasis - was €25 now €19

- Grey faux fur scarf – River Island - was €22 now €10

- Faux fur snood – Oasis - was €21 now €15

If you’re sticking to your New Years resolution of daily exercise, then show off your figure in this ridiculously-inexpensive blue satin dress!

To even further highlight the beautiful blue colour, I have twinned it with a vibrant pink clutch. Perfect for a girly night out.

- Cut out back satin dress – Oasis - was €50 now €31

- Large leather frame purse – Oasis - was €31 now €19

This amazing Sky Lark dress from Monsoon has been reduced from €160 to staggeringly low €48! If there are any weddings on your 2012 calendar, then this would be an ideal dress to wear to one! You can opt for either a dramatic necklace or a statement clutch, but never both! To complete this look, go for subtle silver sandals; any other colour or shoe style will just detract from the dress.

- Sky Lark dress – Monsoon - was €160 now €48

- Nantes chain layer necklace – Monsoon - was €22 now €6

- Pleated satin frame bag – Monsoon - was €31 now €17

At €17, you genuinely cannot go wrong with this dress. The best thing about this dress is that you can wear it two ways – either on its own or over white trousers! If you opt for the latter, I would suggest accessorising with this gold belt.

- Kimono sleeve shift dress – Oasis - was €35 now €17

- Gold tone chunky circle chain belt – River island - was €20 now €5

You should always have a ‘just-in-case’ dress in your wardrobe. This is the kind of dress that you know you can rely on should you receive a sudden party/wedding/etc invitation. I personally find the red dress to be  particularly elegant. If however, you still haven’t worn it come 2013, then simply have it shortened and wear it as a cocktail dress!

-Red cut out back maxi dress – River Island - was €45 now €20

- Mona dress – Monsoon – was €135 now €47

If stylish work-wear is what you’re on the look out for, then you may appreciate this next look. The sheer sleeves make this dress a very pretty feminine number whilst the high neckline makes it more than appropriate for the office. The jacket meanwhile is very Chanel in style and will make for an elegant addition to any outfit.

- Blouse fit and flare dress – Oasis – was €49 now €31

- Frill jacket – Oasis - was €81 now €37

If ever there was a time to go on a hunt for a good quality coat, its January. More often than not, people will balk at the idea of spending big money on a coat when they could be spending the same amount on a new dress or a pair of high heels, however what you need to remember is that you will more than likely have the coat for years to come. Furthermore, you need to forget the image of the coat being a boring wardrobe staple. As you can see from these items, the coat is a very stylish number and will more than dress up a plain outfit.

- Sequin princess coat – Oasis - was €100 now €75

- Collarless lace coat – Oasis - was €100 now €75

- Double breasted reefer texture coat – Oasis - was €119 now €81

If, like so many women, you are conscious of some extra weight on your arms or shoulders, then you need worry no more! This Mai Tai dress from Monsoon very discreetly covers the arm and shoulder areas without losing its dressy edge. Now you can enjoy your night out without being self-conscious! I would suggest pairing it with a black blazer.

- Mai Tai dress – Monsoon - was €140 now €42

- Feather purse – Awear - was €25 now €12

If you prefer to wear a smart long coat over your dress, as opposed to a short blazer, then you may like this black and grey longline jacket from River Island. Its colours are so neutral that it will work with almost every item in your wardrobe. As you can see here, I have paired it with a beautiful lace dress.

- Black and grey longline jacket – River Island - was €75 now €30

- Lavena lace dress (available in white and black) - Oasis - reduced to €49

There’s no point in stocking up on tops during the winter sales if you don’t have the right trousers to wear them over. All too often, we automatically pair out jumpers and t-shirts with blue jeans, when in fact, they would look much more stylish if worn with a khaki or beige trouser. I particularly love these three from River Island.

- Cream rope belt chinos – River Island - was €33 now €15

- Light beige skinny trousers – River Island – reduced to €30

- Brown straight jeans – River Island – was €42 now €25

Whether you have an event coming up or you’re looking for a stylish work dress, then these two River Island numbers may be to your liking.

I would recommend wearing them with nude closed-toe shoes.

- Blue / Beige cap sleeve ruffle front dress – River island - was €40 now €25

- Black pearl and chain necklace – River island – was 40 now 20

This is exactly the kind of design you should be going for if your mission is to hide the Christmas weight and appear slimmer. The dark panel in the centre of the two white panels slims the figure and immediately gives the appearance of a more defined shape. Its all in the illusion! This design is also available in the form of a top.

- Faux leather piped dress – Oasis - was €31 now €19

- Colour block ponte top – Oasis - was €44 now €25

- Large leather frame purse – Awear – was €31 now €19