Islington is one of London’s central boroughs; it is within sight of the capital’s financial heart, the City of London and only minutes away from London’s West End. More and more people have found that Angel Islington is a great place to visit. Unlike many central areas of London, where visitors overwhelm obvious destinations, Islington’s attraction is subtler.

After a short tube ride to Angel station, Islington high street is a modern, town like place, it almost feels as if you’re not in London as the streets aren’t crammed with tourists and you can actually wander around without feeling like a sheep being herded. This is one of the things I liked about shopping in Islington. You can take your time looking around the shops and scouting for sales, there is a very relaxed feel to the place.

There is a variety of shop selection in Islington, from the N1 shopping centre and the Chapel Market to Camden Passage best known for its enormous range of antique shops, there really is a lot to choose from.

The N1 shopping centre has all the favourite high street shops, Oasis, Gap, and French Connection to name a few, and is the place where the best sales are happening.

If you are an avid shopper then you can head to Gap where there is now 60% off all sale items, or Oasis where the mid season sale is happening.  Shops like Boots and Superdrug have their fab 3 for 2 offers on and you can get some great free gifts when you spend £25 at The Body Shop.

Once you have finished looking around the half price sale at Fat Face, the 3 for 2 on hair accessories at Accessorize and the 30% off at Sunglasses Hut, you might fancy taking a look at Chapel Market, which has lots of amazing offers on clothing, it’s practically maxi-dress galore for as little as £8!

If you are after a huge variety of shops then Islington may not be your cup of tea so to speak. If you are used to the crowds of Oxford Street and the shops that come along with it then I wouldn’t suggest Islington to you. However, if you fancy a wander around some high street shops and market selling clothing, accessories, fruit, crafts and other things, and partaking in a scrumptious lunch at Wagamama or having a drink in one of the many bars in the sunshine then Islington may be the place for you. It is an ideal shopping location for those who love to shop but don’t love the crowds.

If you know of any Sales Gossip about Islington do let me know @ emmalouise@salesgossip.co.uk

XoXo

Emma Louise Ingham

For any student living and studying in London, we all know that it’s an expensive lifestyle…and that’s just to live and study. What about those that love to shop and love that feeling of buying themselves something new, or the latest trend on the catwalk. How do they afford to buy these new fashions, and how is the high street making this easier?

The high street is possibly one of the best things in the U.K, we have an amazing sense of high street fashion, so great that even all the celebrities in Hollywood are buying Topshop, something that we have grown up buying with our pocket money. What’s even better about the high street is how it’s helping students to afford to purchase the new fashion trends of the season. Many retailers in the U.K offer student discount, usually about 10% off items with a valid student i.d.

However at certain times in the year, many retailers offer extra for students, for example at the moment, Monsoon and New Look are offering 20% off everything with a valid student card.

It is often difficult to know where these offers are taking place or which retailers are taking part, so this is where Salesgossip comes in. Here at Salesgossip we list all the sales, and help you find where you can get these extra offers to help not only your budget but also to help you update your Spring wardrobe.

Here are our five favourite stores that offer great student discount at the moment and also all year round:

1. Topshop- Get 10% off everything all year round with a valid NUS card.
2. New Look- Get 20% off for a selected time only. (Usually 10%)
3. Monsoon- Get 20% off for a selected time only. (Usually 10%)
4. Republic- Get 10% off everything all year round with a valid NUS card.
5. Schuh- Get 10% off at Schuh, perfect for new term, new shoes.

So take a look at Salesgossip and we’ll do all the research so you don’t have to and we’ll help you find the best student deals in London.

Emmalouise@salesgossip.co.uk

Being an avid reader of fashion bibles aka Vogue and Elle, it is obvious to see that the majority of these magazines show designer pieces that leave us all in awe. From the numerous advertisements of Chanel, Armani and Dior it is clear to see what these magazines are trying to do… entice us to spend our month’s wage on the latest Dior handbag or Louboutins. It appears that designer purchases are a guilty pleasure, something that we can’t help but hide our receipt from our other half, but not an every day buy. This is why the majority of us girls buy high street, for two reasons, a) it’s cheap and b) because you can stay in the loop with what’s happening in fashion without the extravagant costs.

High street fashion is based on what has walked the catwalk; it is for example H&M’s interpretation of the chinos that were on display. It is so the average person who works a 9-5 job can afford to follow this ever-changing trend without not being able to pay their rent for a month. So are these people we see carrying the latest Louis Vuitton getting six figure wages or are they living on Tesco value products every month so they can afford to show off these pieces? This got me to thinking, why should fashion be a sacrifice? Surely it makes more sense to buy from the high street, where in reality you can get something a) that is cheaper and b) almost a whole wardrobe for the price of 1 item? It almost seems a no-brainer.

 When fashion trends change so frequently and in this day in age where the recession is just getting worse, buying our garments from outlets like Primark, Zara or spring sales at stores, seems a more economical choice? With such a huge focus on keeping up to date with what’s in so to speak, Primark and Zara for example are generally fantastic places to shop. Yes, it may not be the best quality, but for the price that it is and the ever-changing trend, surely its worth to buy from here cheaply and have an entire collection of springs look, rather than one item that cost hundreds of pounds hanging in your wardrobe?

However, for those of us who are completely in love with and obsessed with fashion and designer pieces, there are ways around this extravagant cost, and this is where Sales Gossip comes in… Although we might not be able to afford the designer items at full prices, we can aspire to buy one or two pieces on sale for example at sample or flash sales like Chic & Seek where you can buy fantastic designer pieces at discounted prices.

This seems like an easy decision to make, but for many fashionistas, seeing that black chiffon D&G blouse in InStyle, and then seeing Zara’s version, sometimes there’s just no contest. Designer labels emphasise the elegance and beauty of fashion design, they highlight passion and worth in society.

In my opinion, different types of people view designer clothes differently to others. Victoria Beckham and other stars are so used to receiving or buying designer labels. For them, running out to buy a new Mulberry bag just because it’s a new colour is just an every day thing for them, almost like us running out to buy a loaf of bread. Fashion exists differently in people’s lives and for some, fashion is just something their PA has advised them to wear, but to others fashion is where deep passions lie. It’s the excitement of picking up the new Vogue, or looking at the new collections in shop windows.

 Sometimes it’s not entirely about whether the garment is high street or designer, it’s what works for you. If you can only afford to buy one designer piece in your lifetime, but then a whole new wardrobe each season because you’re shopping high street, then so what? You can still afford to pay bills and secondly you will look on trend each month so you’re winning.

Maybe the solution to this problem and on going battle between the two is just to combine high street and designer and end the conflict. Fashion after all is an empire and even if you’re not a follower, you still are with every piece of clothing you select in the morning being a part of it. At some point or another that jumper will have been selected for you by a designer and would have been in style. So in a world where everyone is focused on fashion and what looks good, surely we can all agree that whether its designer or high street, if its on trend then its good enough for anyone, I mean if Topshop is good enough for celebrities then its sure as hell good enough for us!

Emma Louise Ingham
emmalouise@salesgossip.co.uk