My Autumn/Winter basics: Major high street shopping haul!

It's officially Autumn with Southampton parks now covered in leaves and never ending rain, but the change in temperature/end of summer does mean one good thing: WINTER SHOPPING!

Back to uni shopping has pretty much been my mission for the past week - Surely that's the best thing about the change of seasons? Reinventing yourself? Aaannyway, with my new dark hair (which is even darker now since blonde patches appeared earlier this week) I needed some new looks. 

First of all, I fell in love with this Dorothy Perkins scarf with an over sized crown print - and at only £12 its an affordable way to give a royal spin to any outfit while being chunky enough to provide some warmth in the cold - I've been rocking it over plain dresses and t-shirts. 

Next, a lovely thick burgundy coloured fine-knit cardigan from H&M. Priced at £24.99 and comes in a range of colours, the cardigan is what H&M does best: lovely affordable basics. A knit cardigan is an absolute must for this colder weather! 

Yesterday I picked up this black blazer pictured bottom left from River Island that I have completely fallen in love with. A slouchy fabric with cable pattern on it, this comfy blazer is an essential for smartening up an outfit. I'm actually wearing it today with a t-shirt dress, leggings and my new DP scarf! The blazer is slightly more expensive at £35, but its one of those pieces that can go with everything, so is definitely worth it. 

And finally - I know I do A LOT of shopping, I'm a fashion student! - I fell in love with this city bag from Zara that I had to have. With long and short straps, a zip and flap to seal the bag it's the perfect black chic handbag - something I was in desperate need of. Zara are amazing for doing beautiful but affordable handbags and this is no exception at only £29.99. I've been rocking this to uni every day the past two weeks and I'm completely in love (although the flap can get annoying if you don't like fiddly things or are clumsy like I am.)

High end to high street: Mulberry Taylor's high street twin!

I think this just shows how much of a Mulberry addict I truly am. Checking out the New Look sale with all the busy Saturday shoppers today and I rather embarrassed myself, making some sort of unexplainable animal noise (I tend to do this when I'm excited) at some bright green monstrosity. I then realised the reason I was so drawn to it was the similarity to Mulberry's Taylor satchel.

The price is however, shockingly different from the Mulberry satchel that sells for £875, at a tiny amount of £8 (reduced from £14.99). High street copy cats are every student on a budget's best friend and I'm completely in love with my latest handbag addition!

That new bag feeling...

Grown up shopping. I don't mean home shopping or even sexy shopping, I mean the time when your mum stops shopping for you and you get to do it on your own. Not to go all Confessions of a Shopaholic on you, but shopping gives me a massive buzz. The exciting feeling in my stomach, like a first kiss, but better. Finding a piece that you simply adore, whether it's Primark or Prada is an unmistakeable feeling to a fashion girl. 

I don't get this feeling often; I think the best case of it was finding some Vivienne Westwood Melissa silver heels in the Selfridges sale for under £30 - I do remember there being actual squealing. And again with my Urban Outfitters flatforms and now my latest purchase - the oversized tote. 

The pale Zara tote I blogged about recently unfortunately was not meant to be on my last trip to West Quay, but after a terrifying - I'm not even kidding, I nearly kissed the ground when I got off that thing-  bus ride to the next town in Tenerife I found myself hunting the bag down once again. Not available in the original colour I had fallen in love with, but in black (too grown up) or a nude with orange colour blocking and red handles there, I found myself drawn to the nude version with, yep, that excited schoolgirl feeling. 

Hence why I've been strutting around like the cat that caught the cream the past few days with my lovely new bag in tow. I. love. shopping. 

I have fallen in love!

You know when you see someone wearing something on the street that you love and you actually consider hunting them down to find out where they bought it? I've had that for a while...

A lunch date with a friend led me to the solution to my problems, the bag is not ridiculously overpriced and is available ON THE HIGH STREET. God bless Zara and all it's loveliness.

This gorgeous leather shopper is my absolute new favourite and will work great as a transition piece into A/W.

£39.99 from Zara. I. Am. All. Over. That.