Hey kittens, today’s blog post is pretty
exciting and has got me feeling all festive! This weekend I was invited over to McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks to do my Christmas shopping. Y’all local readers will know exactly where I mean (it’s pretty much a big deal for fashion bargains in the North West), but if you’re from further afield, Cheshire Oaks is an out-of-town shopping centre dedicated to outlet stores, mainly of major fashion brands with over 145 different ones to choose from!
Shopped ’til I dropped!
Cheshire Oaks invited me along as part of their #HappyGiftGiving campaign* (I was even greeted by a friendly Father Christmas!) where they set me the challenge of buying three different gifts for three different people. Well, needless to say I didn’t struggle at all – there was so much to choose from that it made Christmas shopping so easy! Watch my new YouTube video to see exactly what I picked up and why, but keep on reading this blog post to hear all about my experience on the day…
The UK’s Largest Christmas Tree is at Cheshire Oaks
Anyway – on to more about my day there! I arrived at Cheshire Oaks at around 10am and I didn’t leave until 7pm; I had only planned to stay ’til lunch time but I got totally carried away shopping and having such a lovely day out! You might be able to see my pictures get gradually darker – and that’s why! Cheshire Oaks is 3 miles long, and I ended up browsing that circle several times, so I like to think I got some pretty good exercise done at the same time. Shopping is my cardio.
I started off my day by looking in my favourite fashion stores, to see how they compared to my much loved high street alternatives. It’s pretty common to think of designer outlet centres as having ‘cheaper’ stores with sale items piled high, however Cheshire Oaks set a requirement to each store to have their items as one portion current stock, one portion discounted items, and one portion older stock, from last season for example. It’s also a requirement to have each store looking just as a ‘normal’ store would, and that was certainly true for Ted Baker – I felt as though I was shopping at my favourite store on Cathedral Street, Manchester but with a bonus of cheaper prices. Result!
As I moved around the stores, I concentrated on the brands that would usually be a little more ‘out of my price range’ to see how they compared to their usual prices. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most stores were actually a lot cheaper than buying in store or online. Almost every item I picked up was discounted and there were definitely savings to be had. This was the first time I had visited Cheshire Oaks since being a proper grown up adult who earns money to spend, and I certainly took advantage. I would recommend visiting if you are looking for designer items you may not usually be able to afford (I certainly usually can’t!)
At 1pm, we took a well earned stop for lunch. A great tactic to rest your tootsies if you are on a mission to shop ’til you drop. There were a whole host of restaurants to choose from (12 to be exact) and with a range from sushi to pizza to donuts there should be something for everyone. I took the opportunity to pig out at Ed’s Diner as I had never been before. With a huge veggie burger and chips, I enjoyed refuelling in a fun environment over a natter and chocolate milkshake. Yum! I was also impressed that there were vegetarian options to choose from, as sometimes it can be struggle to find something that tickles my fancy.
After lunch, I took the chance to branch out and explore stores that I wouldn’t usually have chance to visit. I indulged a little in the Carbury Outlet Store – what gal doesn’t love chocolate?! – and I’m not ashamed to say that I took full advantage of the factory bags of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Segsations! Afterwards, I also visited Yankee Candle. I had never been in a dedicated Yankee Candle shop before and apparently this is one of the most popular stores in Cheshire Oaks, we even had to wait in a queue to get in.
Before heading home, I wanted to stop by Reiss to see if there were any investment pieces I could justify myself buying for a discounted rate – and there were! Reiss is a store I usually never get the chance to buy from, but everything I picked up in there was considerably discounted, with tons of it being current stock. Note this stunning this season camel coat I’m trying on above – it may or may not have made it’s way into my shopping basket… Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep your eyes peeled for a video coming up soon on the designer bargains I bought!
Over all, shopping at Cheshire Oaks turned out to be even better than I expected. It left me wondering why I hadn’t visited in so many years, as I was able to get all of my Christmas gift shopping finished in just one day. Besides from present buying (and picking up a couple of treats for myself whilst I was at it), I had a really lovely day out – there were Christmas markets, restaurants, lunch and coffee shops, making it way more than just a shopping trip. If you’re struggling for Christmas gift ideas, definitely check our Cheshire Oaks or your local McArthur Glen shopping centre – you won’t regret it.
PS my very festive fluffy jumper in this look was a bargain from LessThan10Pounds.com* :)
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.
You've shopped til you dropped there haven't you!!
Anoushka xx http://www.Anoushkaloves.com