Hands up if you like shopping? Hands up if you like bagging yourself a real bargain? I think it's safe to say that we're all guilty of loving to shop our favourite brands for less and for me there's no better or easier place to do so than at McArthurGlen's designer outlet centre, Cheshire Oaks! McArthurGlen  have exactly seven centres dotted all over the UK but with Cheshire Oaks only a 45 minute trip down the road from Manchester, this is definitely my personal go to. And with so many exciting new developments going on at Cheshire Oaks right now I thought it would be nice to take you along on a cheeky, little shopping trip and show you just how easy it is to shop all the latest, key trends at the lowest price!

So to summarise- Cheshire Oaks has managed to combine guilt free shopping (everything is reduced by a minimum of 30% against the RRP and up to 60% off during sale) with absolute convenience including a multitude of retailers from high street to luxury designer, free parking, late night Monday openings, as well as your favourite restaurants for when you need a mid-shopping lunchtime break. Thank you McArtherGlen for making all my shopping dreams come true! So I really wanted to show you guys just how diverse the brands are within the centre, how perfect it can be for grabbing key, staple pieces and more impressively how relevant their product is from last season right into summer 2018. You really can hit new season looks without accidentally, simultaneously hitting your purse too hard as well! 

I'm starting you off with one of my favourite trends at the minute- vertical stripes or my take on them would be more "retro" stripes. Think seventies chunky lines in burgundy, mustards or greens teamed with more fine stripes of pinks, cornflower or electric blue. Now when I think vertical stripes I think of one designer in particular who pretty much OWNS this area- Paul Smith and Cheshire Oaks has its very own pretty sizeable store. There were a few key pieces I spotted which really hit this trend on the head; from striped, vintage inspired cardigans to eye catching multicoloured blazer but it was one particular style of footwear which really stole my heart.

The Freda loafer from PS By Paul Smith is most definitely what you would call a wardrobe staple but with one pretty clever design feature- the back heel folds down to transform these everyday loafers into your new favourite pair of mules! Turning a classic footwear shape into one of this years must have styles. Currently this particular style is available full price for £175 but I grabbed mine from Cheshire Oaks for £95 in a burgundy colour way with a electric blue stripe. One of the joys to dressing retro stripes is it's all about clashing colours and embracing the garish- these loafers fit too perfectly into this aesthetic! Team with a simple white tee for a colour pop or style like me for a more seventies feel with extra vertical stripes and a flared jean.

Denim is yet another trend which I personally believe is lead by one particular high street brand- Levi's! They are the must have jean of right now and what's more, as trend lead as they seem they are a timeless classic you'll have in your wardrobe for decades! I adore denim, wearing it virtually everyday- it's easy, adaptable and effortless. For me personally when I think of the denim trend that's emerging right now I think of stonewashed and stripping your jeans back to basics. It's about picking out those classic denim looks- the straight leg jean, the denim shirt and the denim jacket. I couldn't believe my lucky when I managed to spy a classic Levi's shearling collared trucker jacket in the Chesire Oaks store and from £99 down to £69! Win/win! The nice thing about a shearling trucker is that it's the perfect transitional outwear piece for when you don't want to say goodbye to your winter coat but you're also ready to embrace spring. I've kept to retro with my styling of this jacket- teaming it with coloured denim culottes and more retro stripes (I did say it was my favourite trend).

The really great thing about the safari trend is it essentially consists of classic pieces- beige/khaki tailoring, linen shirts with utility style pockets and belted trenches. Pieces you can effectively carry through all year round! Now normally my first port of call for this kind of aesthetic within Cheshire Oaks would have been the Burberry store which offers it's quintessential, iconic trench coat at a reduced price BUT I found the perfect one in Jigsaw instead, down from £300 to £100! Who could say no? I absolutely love the outwear in Jigsaw, I always think it's amazing quality at a reasonable price point so when it's reduced by such a drastic amount, it's a no brainer. For me I felt this Jigsaw style trench was a little more suited for my frame, it's knee length so it doesn't drown me and it comes in at the waist making it super flattering. This is a really great piece of outerwear for summer and perfect for the safari trend teamed with earthy tones such as browns and greens. I've styled mine with a brown knit and brown suede boots with a touch of summertime from my basket bag which I think suits this look spot on!

This is one of the easiest trends to get right and it's an awesome way to brighten up your February wardrobe when it's often all to easy to succumb to greys and neutral tones! Whether you're daring enough to colour block contrasting tones such as reds and pinks, yellows and purples, greens with browns or you just want to keep it simple with one stand out bright piece- Cheshire Oaks certainly has you covered. I particularly loved the variety of colour available at Mulberry right now from purses, bags and scarves, this is one brand winning at colour pop. A personal favourite of mine was the classic Abbey shaped bag in burgundy with electric blue lining and a matching purse!... That said I definitely don't need anymore bags in my life so I resisted temptation even with a 30% off reduction. 

Instead I found my colour pop fix back at Paul Smith once more in his uber vibrant knitwear. I went for a really timeless cashmere crewneck in a burnt orange tone- down from a whooping £305 to £119! I particular love pieces like this because the orange tone is such a statement and yet the design is so simple, it's completely in your hands how you style it. This jumper would look perfect with a pleated midi skirt in spring/summer and I particularly can't wait to sport it again in winter with a classic khaki parka! But right now I'm styling mine with indigo, raw edged denim jeans and black patent victorian style boot- which highlight the stark contrast in my vivid orange knit. Ready to stand out in a crowd!

So there you have four key trends brought to you at discount prices from Cheshire Oaks! Whether you're looking for the ultimate high street bargain in retailers such as Monsoon or French Connection or you're searching for a touch of Luxury from The Kooples to Coach, Cheshire Oaks as such a vast offering you'll be more than happy to make an entire day of it. Treat yourself!

Happy shopping!

Sophia x