December is always a good time to shop. I had deliberately done all my Christmas shopping in November (which is why there was no November Shopping article) and was thus free to take advantage of all the Christmas bargains- the first being the sample sale that was being held just 15mins walk from my house…

I also went down to Cambridge for a wedding, and decided to have a shop in Hamilton as it would be the last time I had an excuse to be in the city. Out of all the places I went to The T-Shirt Studio was my favourite. It’s a cheaper version of Mr Vintage  to appeal to the tourists but still has some great designs- and you can make your own shirt if you wish.

So in Hamiton I bought the skirt at Trendez but I’ve already had to throw it out because it was poorly constructed and the elastic unravelled after the second wear. The Indian-made chandelier earrings on the left are from Max in Hamilton Dressmart and are extremely light (which is a great relief for my earlobes). The bow earrings are from Wildpair and are very feminine (yet flimsy- so I have to handle them delicately) .

I’ve been buying quite a few T-shirts lately, because I threw out my flimsy synthetic Cotton On Tees and started buying 100% cotton tees instead. The two shirts on the outside are Lennox Tees that I bought from Ruby Square Market. The one on the left I bought in grey, and the one on the right has a sky-blue tiger lily print instead off the moss green colour shown. The trompe de l'oeil shirt in the centre left is Guy Harris: I quite like that Mr T layering necklaces look but I’ve never been able to pull it off- until now. The Freshjive ‘sexploitation’ tee on the centre right is actually a Men's shirt but it’s great to wear when I’m hanging around the house or going to the gym…the other three are for throwing on over a pair of jeans when I do my morning shopping. Not pictured is the Cybele T-shirt I bought from Glassons to support breast cancer. Usually I don’t buy those T-shirts, but they redesigned the neck and made them longer so they look quite flattering now. And how can I not support a good cause?

And the last piece of clothing I bought in February was the Kirrily Johnston Loves Maxshop Empire Cardigan. It’s from last years winter collection and was a really big thing for Max, but I wasn’t really into it as the cardigan was very expensive and the fabric was only 10% wool. Even now I can tell you the cardigan is fussy and high-maintenance to clean and dry, and it’s quite long (I ended up having the hem taken up a few inches so it wouldn’t drag on the floor). But put it on and you will feel and look stylish- I’ve already worn it out for after-dark activities and it kept me warm all night. I can’t wait for those terribly grey winter days- while everyone is shivering I'll be snug (and chic) and will have no need for a stupid Snuggie to keep me warm…

The Red Kimono ring in the middle is from Cherry Blossom- a New Zealand online store that buys vintage Japanese kimono silk and turns them into jewellery, bags and other accessories. I love how they’re turned a scrap of fabric into a ring with a fiery abstract design, but I think this will be the last statement ring I buy for a while. My collection is getting so big my tiny jewellery box can’t house them anymore!

Sticking to my resolution of being eco-conscious, I needed a moisturiser that wasn’t from the supermarket and a travel set. I was going to buy the Trilogy range but Evolu had almost identical products for less, so I bought their Organic Rosehip Oil, the 6 in 1 Travel Tower, and the Refreshing Face+Body Mist. The Travel Tower is my favourite as it’s perfect for travel (no huge toiletry bag!) and it’s refillable.

And at the end of the year I try to clear out most of my partners old skincare products and then replace them with new ones- and it was quite nice that I got a free gift set as well from Dr Lewinn's. I also bought a gold nail polish (as I already have one in silver) and a vivid fuchsia lipstick from the L.A Girls range.

So that was approximately three months of shopping in one article- I’ve left a few things out but you’re sure to see them later on in the year. I don’t see much shopping happening in March, but you never know…