Discover Something You

By Culver Square shopping centre. The contents of this blog are my own personal opinions and recommendations, they are not endorsed advertising.

[culversquareshopping]

Fond Farewells

I am sad to say that this is the last time I will be posting for you all as it is time for us to part ways. I have officially graduated and will be moving back to Kent. I have to say I’ve had the most enjoyable time in Colchester for the last four years and it’s been an amazing second home. Culver Square has been significant in my time here, whether that’s working in retail or shopping for shopping for fancy dress outfits for nights out. Although this part of my journey is ending I want to welcome the thousands of students that will soon be moving in! Congratulations on everyone receiving their A Level results and good luck! Just know that the town you move into will play a huge part in this chapter of your life. I’ve been lucky enough to stick around for the Superdry Summer Event as I’m sure you’ve all heard about as it’s pretty much a big deal, it’s basically unheard of for Superdry to have a sale, so this event is cracking with as much as 50% off and I know some of you like to plan early, so I certainly wouldn’t judge if you purchased some slightly early Christmas presents. I also managed to grab my sister’s 21st birthday present before leaving as it’s my nearest Pandora, honestly the service in there is always second to none and they take such care in helping customers. I left with the ‘moments single woven leather bracelet’ in black plus the ‘21st birthday’’ charm of course. It’s a classic bracelet, which can be worn with anything and I think the charms look great on the leather as they contrast brilliantly. One happy customer and one very happy sister! Whether you’re shopping for the kids new stationery or even preparing your collection of fancy dress for University yourself Culver Square has something for everyone and I hope your next resident blogger shows you the many ways Culver can help! Lauren Betts signing off for the last time with a very appropriate photo...

Dress: Topshop @ Debenhams

[culversquareshopping]

Lace up, look sharp

I've been on the hunt for a new pair of trainers. When I say hunt, I meant perilous pursuit. I decided I needed a brand new pair of kicks for my feet and I needed them to be perfect because we all know they ain't cheap and I’m trying to live a student life here. I have been on the lookout for at least a few months now and that’s not even a joke, scouting around because this kind of purchase needs in depth planning and justification. I've had a pretty good idea of shape and colour for a long time now and this has got to be a fashion thing because I've got my running trainers and they aren't exactly pretty things so it’s time to upgrade. I need to look good in case I want to work out in them as well as doubling up as an everyday pair, dual purpose is what we like. I wanted to keep it simple, therefore black is key. So there is one BIG question left, Nike or Adidas? There are plenty of other trainers lurking about that may take your fancy but for me it’s between the two, call it personal preference. I have sourced my final two to Culver square thanks to JD Sports and Schuh. JD being the core foundation of our search and for those of you who are interested in the fashion forward bright patterned trainers then Schuh is definitely your best bet because they have the same trainers but more of a choice when it comes to wanting to make your feet stand out. The undecided question remains between the Nike Air Max Thea and the Adidas Zx Flux, both in black of course. Black body with an understated white sole. It’s certainly a time like this we thank Schuh for that 10% student discount and with their 365 day returns policy it certainly makes me feel better about such a big purchase. As the days go by I’m more swayed by the Zx Flux because I feel like it’s the underdog choice and I might even be tempted by the powerful patterns. As I continue to deliberate get thinking about holiday shopping because I’ll be bombarding you with bikini and beachwear thoughts in upcoming weeks.

Behold the bold:

[culversquareshopping]

The fashion factory

A few weeks back there was a unique event held in Culver Square which I’m sure caught more than your attention. It’s very likely that you found yourself in the midst of it without even realising that you were actually a part of it! Blue tags pinpointing items of clothing in all the shops lead a trail of excitement around the retail outlets of Culver on this weekend of fun, I definitely took joy in trying to locate them in each shop! If you think back, your curiosities may well have been drawn to the giant inflatable pod claiming Culver Square.

Giving out style advice by the bucket load, this temple of enlightenment included a number of stations that you could participate in to get some help on what looks good on you, including colourists and personal shoppers! One of the key features inside this giant inflatable arena was the body scanner! You heard me right! They had their very own body scanner! You stepped inside something that looked like a giant photo booth, which then scanned and measured every nook and cranny of your body. Based on your measurements, the system would work out your body type and classify it as rectangle, hourglass, inverted triangle or round. This information is then what you use on your quest of the blue labels in the shops of Culver Square, many of the clothes were matched to a blue tag to help you find your perfect style. Not only was their body shape advice which helped with future clothing decisions but hair therapy! A stylist from Hair by Chloe was present giving colour and style advice for your luscious locks ready for that beach ready look that we all know is key in summer, hair gets lighter and shorter! Making my way around the event I noticed Flawless Nails and Scannelli’s were both present giving away goodies which was perfect for those who love a pampering day. So many exciting things are happening within Colchester and you really want to get involved, trust me! For those X Factor fans, Stacey Solomon was actually at HMV in Colchester for signings not long ago, I'm not such a huge fan myself but think it's really great that it happened right here in our very own Colchester store. Keep your eyes peeled for events like this because Culver Square is on the rise and you heard it here first!

[culversquareshopping]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

I've been missing for quite some time now as you may have noticed and I must say crazy things have happened. I’ve been on holiday, handed in a dissertation and attended a wedding, whilst travelling backwards and forwards from home. Amongst all this I’ve been running around Culver Square like a headless chicken looking for supplies, outfits and presents. I went to Spain on tour with my University Rounders team, all in all spending around 48 hours on a sweating coach listening to drunken sports chanting, it was certainly an experience that I will cherish and something I never wish to do again! Swiftly moving onto my dissertation which I blame solely for the lack of presence from me as in that stressful period of my life I associated my laptop with work and couldn’t possibly go near it without breaking down in a frenzy. Finally, the wedding which involved spending HOURS shopping for the right card, present and outfits. I don’t wish to share how many hours exactly I spent looking for a dress but I found the perfect one in Warehouse, situated in Debenhams. It was just formal enough, floral of course, spot on for a Spring wedding and with student discount at 20% off I couldn’t say no! A number of the hours were in fact spent tie shopping, because it is in fact harder than it seems to match a tie with a dress, Debenhams was once again VERY helpful in wedding attire shopping, however we managed to snap up a Ted Baker tie in TK Maxx which more than complimented my dress. Paperchase was spot on as always for a cute wedding card. I’m currently in the midst of my exams so when I’m not revising I find myself window shopping for the next set of holiday clothes as I’m off again in June! You’ll be seeing a lot more of me from now as there are plenty of exciting things happening in Colchester so keep those eyes peeled as Summer is coming!  

[culversquareshopping]

Rainy days will never be the same

Everything is so fast paced right now, apologies for my brief absence but I journeyed back to the land of Kent for a week to be reunited with my family and gorgeous pooch. Before leaving for this trip I managed to pop in TKMaxx for a dog toy. I take Rosebud a toy every time I go back to visit just so she knows that I still love her and I remain the firm favourite. I wanted to mix it up and try and find one that was different to her existing collection. She loves her big, soft teddies but also anything squeaky. I found an amazing plush owl, and here was the selling point...it rustles. I was chuffed and taking it home to her and seeing her play like a wild beast was a treat. I’m convinced it’s now her favourite toy, so shopping around worked in my favour. I like to look in every shop for dog toys because I love looking for different things and I find a lot of shops only stock the same ones over and over. ‘NEWS FLASH’ So I got the Original Short Hunter Wellington boots in navy and of course I HAD to couple them with the red short hunter boot socks. I’m back in Essex, so I’ve had no reason to wear them as of yet, but watch this space because I cannot wait to get them absolutely covered in dirt! I don’t know if any of you noticed, but there was a great big bus FULL of cheese in Culver Square for one day only. I’m sorry to say it’s too late if you missed it but this was a fabulous day for all the cheese lovers of Colchester! I hope you’re all VERY aware that Mother’s Day is swiftly approaching, make sure you check back here for present ideas next week!

[culversquareshopping]

Share the love

This past week has been one big blur, work mixed with University, mixed with rounders and all my birthday activities in between. As I had things planned it was of course necessary to treat myself to a new outfit and boy did I find one. I had to quickly rush around the day before my plans as I had work in town so I thought I’d try H&M as I didn't want to blow my budget too much and thankfully H&M served me well. Not only was it bargain cheap, it was 20% off for students through the ‘unidays’ app which was a grand surprise once I got to the till. I purchased a cheeky mesh cut out little black dress, coupled with the most beautiful kimono, which was an ‘out there’ choice for me. It was a done deal and all for less than £20. I also went perusing into Paperchase for birthday cards but happened to stumble upon Valentine’s Day cards whilst I was there which made me chuckle, they have an extremely clever ‘Fifty Shades Of Earl Grey’ theme going on which I really like, cards that keep it light and fun. Not such a big fan of ‘V-day’ as it’s not a holiday for everyone but it does give me an extra reason to spend time with the boyfriend so I’m more than happy to partake. Keep your eyes peeled on the Culver Square Facebook page for giveaways this week as it’s seasonal theme for the holiday is ‘Share the love’ so get involved by liking and commenting to win!

[culversquareshopping]

Let the countdown commence...

Anyone that knows me knows that once the New Year is behind us, it automatically switches to the countdown to my birthday. Just bare in mind that my birthday is in February and yet, if I had my own way we’d all be counting down before December. Apparently Christmas is more important... So anyway, I planned my route around Culver to locate things that I've quite possibly had my eye on for a while. My first stop was Pandora, I can’t describe the feeling of stepping into the shiny new shop because it genuinely makes me picture what heaven might be like. A shiny, sparkling, shimmering jewel filled heaven. I’ve got my heart set on a charm for my bracelet from the new Essence collection. The ‘Aquarius’ charm which is in fact very fitting for my birthday. It’s a sterling silver zodiac charm with cubic zirconia stones in the decorative zig-zag shape to represent water. I’m not particularly into horoscopes but I’m really drawn to this charm. Something else I’ve been hunting for and excuse the pun, is a pair of Hunter wellies. This would be perfect for walking my darling dog, Rose, in the muddy fields where I live, plus they would prove extremely helpful in keeping me dry in our weekly trip to the beach. Much to my surprise I found them in TKMaxx, a new stand of hunters, at record low prices. Anyone after a pair, I would say head straight there because this is amazing value and you’d be pushed to find them anywhere else that cheap. So that’s my top two on my wishlist, both I’ve managed to locate, so feel free to purchase either of those for me and I’ll still be surprised, I promise. Next week you should prepare yourself for lots of Valentine’s day help, after all that’s what I’m here for!

[culversquareshopping]

Happy 2015

I welcome you into the New Year with fresh minds and lighter wallets! Now that Christmas is behind us for anotheryear we can focus on something more important, the January sales. So, I have to come clean and admit it, I don’t usually get as involved as I probably should because Christmas has usually ruined me by this point and I award myself a calming break from retail. However, an amazing thing happened to me this time around. I set my sights on the most beautiful coat, because up until this point I didn’t own a waterproof coat and being a dog walker it’s really not the best idea for trying to keep myself dry and warm. So this coat was £125 and I was thinking of a million and one ways to justify spending that much money on something as a student and a miracle occurred. The coat went into the half-price sale at Fat Face and I cannot describe the ultimate joy that I felt. That coat is now mine and I even braved the Boxing Day sale to get it. 100% WORTH IT. I didn’t realise just how many great sales there are in January, another shocker in the retail world was Superdry.For the first time ever, SuperDry has had a winter event in January with products up to 50% off online and instore, considering they never do sales this is pretty big for those fans of the brand! Onto the very relevant topic of resolutions, which I’m more than sure you’ve all broken by now, right? I’m not a big keeper of the new years resolution. However, I did receive some beautiful Nike Dri-Fit running tights for Christmas from JD, so I guess that’s decided it for me, time to get fit! 

[culversquareshopping]

There's no time like the present!

This past week has been a blur for me. University has finished for the holidays, festive fever has hit work and the countdown till I go home has begun. So basically I had one single free day to get all my Christmas shopping done, so where did I head to? Culver Square of course. I got there at 9.30am and spent a full day until the shops closed but managed to tick off my entire list, which I was extremely impressed with as I’m not known for my patience. My two best friends this time of year are TKMaxx and Debenhams, they are like havens for presents, especially if you have a lot of people to buy for. I reckon you could literally find everything in there if you had to. So those places proved extremely helpful in my mission this week. But then I needed specialist items, I couldn't possibly disclose the items I've purchased in fear of the family members stumbling across this blog, however I stumbled across an amazing service this week. I needed a product from Schuh and I’m frantically checking the night before I go shopping at gone midnight, worrying whether they will have the item in store and I actually managed to search and reserve the item in the Colchester store for the next morning, so as the doors opened at 9am I marched in and collected them with no problems. It truly was a Christmas miracle. Mission accomplished on the Friday and so I was very happy to savour some toasted marshmallows on the way to work on the Saturday knowing I was all ready for Christmas. I hope you’ve all sorted your shopping ready for the festivities and you have wonderful family filled Christmases! See you on the other side! 

[culversquareshopping]

Festive greetings

The leaves have fallen, the rain is upon us and all in all it’s certainly beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Culver Square was taken by storm last weekend as the festive fayre came to town, which included the switching on of the lights, bringing a sack load of seasonal cheer with it. The Christmas makeover means constant twinkling and the smell of warm food sweeping the streets of Culver which is great for everyone at this time of the year. On my voyages to town over the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed vast transformations in the shops, all of which include masses of sequins and dazzling window displays. I’m sure everyone knows by now but I have to tell you again… Costa have launched their fabulous Christmas themed cups as the countdown begins. So if you’re in town, ticking off the shopping list and you need a break, you pretty much have to try something from their festive range to get you in the spirit of things. A Brownie hot chocolate will wash away the stress of present shopping and it goes down more than a treat, I can almost guarantee it. On the note of seasonal treats, Culver Square are going to be giving away free festive food every Saturday in December for all you shoppers that need a pit stop and some Christmas goodness in your stomachs. I popped by myself on Saturday but gave this week a miss as I’m not the biggest fan of chestnuts, but I can almost taste next week’s warm spiced apple drink. The excitement of all the Christmas food is making me think I need to get cracking on my Christmas shopping so I’m gathering my thoughts and planning my route around town ready for the upcoming weeks of madness. Let the countdown commence! 

[culversquareshopping]

Allow me to introduce myself

The name’s Lauren and I’ll be your new resident blogger, fresh fashionista and your go-to girl for all your shopping needs in the world of Culver Square.

A few quick fire facts about me; I’m 21 years old. I’m not originally from Colchester. I am actually from a seaside town in Kent, however I study at the University so I’ve lived here for a few years now and as you can imagine, I know it like the back of my hand. I study Media and Sociology which is a pretty interesting concoction of disciplines which nicely aligns all of my interests including an over enthusiastic love of film. I adopted a dog over the summer, her name is Rose and she’s two years old. You’ll be hearing all about her because I’m constantly searching for new places in town to buy her presents for when I go back home to visit.

Keep an eye out for my weekly posts to see what’s going in and around Culver Square. Winter is well and truly coming which means layers of knitwear, tea and hot water bottles all of which I am already utilising. I will make sure you know exactly what’s going on and where to get all your winter essentials as well as all the best places to shop for Christmas presents this year. Same place, same time next week. See you here.

[culversquareshopping]

September favourites

It’s my last blog post as Culver Square’s student blogger, but it signals the start of a new chapter in my life – University! So, I can’t be too sad now can I?

Anyway, it’s the beginning of September, which is a perfect month to treat yourself and snap up a few bargains! I’m talking about bikinis and swim shorts at the fraction of the RRP price. I wish I could tell you what’s on the sale rails, but they’re constantly changing, I’d be sure to give H&M and Monsoon a scan though.

In September I love to treat myself to a new bag or new shoes. And, with the items on offer in the shops at the moment, why not treat yourself to both? I love the bags in Accessorize right now, perfect for work, uni, college or school.

If you’re like me and usually head straight for the black bags, (black goes with everything, it’s the failsafe option!), then maybe this month is the time to step out of your comfort zone and with a beauty like this one– the ‘Hannah Work Tote Bag’ (pictured below), you cannot go wrong I promise (it even has a touch of black on it)! Definitely going on my wish list! However, if you’re not ready to switch your style up a bit yet, there are plenty of bags in store right now, so I’m sure you will find one which takes your fancy.

Shoes are a good buy in September as well because this month signals the start of Autumn, meaning darker evenings and cooler weather – time to say goodbye to comfy flip-flops and summery flats and start embracing boots and more hard wearing flats. I recently treated myself to a pair of absolute beauties, the Dr. Martens ‘Siano 1-Eye Shoes’ in ‘stone’ (a creamy white colour). Expensive, but absolutely perfect for the autumn and super comfy as well! Look out for them in Schuh – they’re also available in black.

Accessories are also a great favourite in September as layering can begin again; H&M have a fantastic range of silky scarves and affordable jewellery to get you started. I’m tempted by a set of 5 gem stone metal rings, especially seeing as adding a touch of glitz to your everyday outfits is a quickly growing fashion trend.

Hope you enjoyed my top things to buy this September! I can’t tell you what the post will be next week, but I’m sure it’ll be a good one! Thank you so much for reading my posts, I’ve had a lot of fun writing them!

Harriet

x

[culversquareshopping]

Schools are back!

Some schools may already be back and others may only have a couple of days to go! So, are you all back to school ready?

I’ve created a checklist of those essential items, just to make sure you can be as prepared as possible:

School Shoes (Check out Clarks, Jones the Bootmaker or Schuh)

School Uniform (Debenhams stock your essentials)

Pencil Case (Paperchase, TK Maxx or Accessorize are always a good bet)

Pencils and Pens (Paperchase pens are sure to help you make friends, check out my favourite below)

Notebook (Accessorize wins for me this time, so pretty!)

Hair Ties and Scrunchies (H&M, chic but cheap)

Folders (Paperchase have a range of colours and designs, you’ll be spoilt for choice)

Lunch Box (Debenhams or Paperchase if you want super duper cute ones complete with matching cutlery)

Water bottle (Looove this one from Debenhams)

Coat (The weather seems to be closing in, but luckily H&M are prepared for the youngsters and the older teens. Have a look at this one below, super cozy!)

Alarm Clock (Sounds silly, but especially for secondary school an alarm clock becomes a must have – early starts day after day. Maybe one like this from Debenhams)

Wallet/Purse (My purse from Topshop has lasted me a long time and still makes me smile whenever I get it out, I’d definitely check out Topshop Debenhams. Or alternatively Superdry have a good selection for the boys)

School Bag (Superdry, H&M, Paperchase, Accessorize or even TK Maxx – the choice is yours)

Phone (Take a sneaky peek in the EE shop, a phone is a lovely first day of secondary school present)

There you have it – my check list for the back to school rush with shop suggestions – it’s never still not too late to be back to school ready!

Join me next week for my last blogpost before I leave to go on my next adventure - to university, I can’t wait but I’ll be sad to leave my position as Culver Square’s student blogger! The blog post will be on my favourite things to buy in September. Don’t miss out!

[culversquareshopping]

Just a quick update:

We all know fitting shoes can be a bit of a pickle at times, either too tight or too loose, so what’s going wrong? Luckily I have just the video to solve these issues featuring Jones the Bootmaker. In this bite-sized video the low-down on how to fit the perfect school shoe is given - no cutting in at the ankles or slippy shoes allowed! I’d definitely give it a watch so you can be sure your children will get not only the comfiest shoes but also that they’ll last long as well. Good luck fitting (and choosing) the perfect shoe!

 Check it out above...

[culversquareshopping]

Style it up!

Apparently the sunshine is going to return, which is good because this muggy and changeable weather we've been experiencing really doesn’t do much good for my hair! So that means a new hairstyle is in order, plus with the schools going back in September, it’s never been a better time to change up how you wear your hair.

Now, I don’t mean any drastic cuts or colour changing, I just mean how to style it. Braids are a personal favourite of mine at the moment as there’s just infinite possibilities. A half up, half down secured by two plaits round the back has always been a firm favourite. Try using this clip from Accessorize; trendy but won't break any uniform rules! Also, it keeps your hair away from your face, which is much needed when jotting down notes in class or working out those tricky maths questions!

However if you want all your hair out of the way then a basic plait down the back or to the side can also look super chic! Add a scarf as a headband like this patterned brown and gold one from H&M to switch things up a bit and inject a bit of autumn (if you go to secondary school though you might need to check if scarves are okay, I’ll never forget when I got my bandanna confiscated!).

If you're not a fan of any kind of plait then a low pony is very much in. Keep it plain and simple with a basic hair tie from Accessorize. This pack has an assortment of different colours and textures.

So, what are you waiting for? It's time to get creative with your hair and embrace something a little different!

Join me next week, when I help you with last minute back to school shopping. I’ll have a checklist of the basics, so you won’t forget a thing.

[culversquareshopping]

Last minute festival shop!

I’m heading to Reading Festival on Thursday, which means I should be organised, but I’m a last minute girl, so I’ll be going to the shops to grab all the things I’ve forgotten about!

However it’s not easy for anyone to be organised when the weather is so unpredictable, will it be sunny? Or is going to rain non-stop? Which makes deciding what to wear each day sooo difficult!

But, for a festival, I honestly think you can’t go wrong with frayed high waist denim shorts like these ones by Quiz at Debenhams and if it’s too cold you can pop on some basic black tights from H&M or grab a couple of pairs of leggings.

Crop tops are also a favourite for festivals as they pack up small and are lightweight. It’s always advised not to take anything that you’d care if you lost it or it got ruined which is why picking up cheap basic items is important. I love the 90s style crop tops from Miss Selfridge at Debenhams or these simple ones from H&M (only £3.99)!

I’ve had to borrow a pair of my brothers’ old wellies, but if I hadn’t had that option then I might have splashed out on these JuJu Jellies 'kigu duck wellie boots' (excuse the pun) from Schuh. Super cute and fun!

Luckily with festivals it’s more about having a good time than looking good, that being said it’s always nice to have a pretty scrunchie on hand to do something with that unruly mess your hair will turn in to! I adore this 'Vintage Floral' one from Accessorize. Makes a change from flower crowns!

And finally, don’t forget to invest in a bum bag; I’d give TK Maxx a check!

So, a few basics for a festival sorted! Join me next week for a post on hairstyles and accessories!

[culversquareshopping]

Get a head start in back to school shopping!

Schools go back in less than a month, which means that there’s no time like the present to start thinking about those back to school essentials! Whether it is primary school, secondary school, college or university, Culver is here to help you get organised!

On Monday I went shopping with my 11-year-old twin cousins, who are just getting ready to start secondary school, so naturally I asked for their opinions on bags, notebooks, pens and shoes. They found it too difficult to choose just one favourite item, which definitely goes to show Culver Square offers a lot of choice!

School bags are an essential and when starting secondary school one that’s relatively big (to fit in textbooks and exercise books) but not so big you end up looking like a turtle (collapsing from the weight of it)is advisable! Accessorize seem to have ticked all the boxes this season though and have some lovely ones for the girls. My cousins and I especially liked their London inspired rucksack collections (see image below) or this one online. Superdry also have some nice ones for the boys, like the ‘True Montana Rucksack’, which is available in a range of different colours! Oh and of course, Paperchase offer a tempting range of satchels as well so you really are spoilt for choice!

Stationary is also an essential when going back to school and quite honestly I can never have enough of the stuff (I have a whole draw full of pretty notebooks which have never been used… oops!). That being said, notebooks are incredibly handy in school, college or university- perfect for jotting down important information or even as a space for doodling! The ‘Green Stripe Wood Effect Notebook’ from Paperchase is just the ticket, plus it’s from their eco range so you’ll be doing your bit for the environment! I’ve put together a little pen and jotter combination below, which would go perfectly with Accessorize’s pink London rucksack, completing a chic and girly back to school look! 

Shoes can’t be left out though and with Schuh, Jones Bootmaker and Clarks all in Culver Square I would be highly surprised if you didn’t find the perfect shoe! Jones’ collection included some miniature versions of traditional men’s shoes for boys, which looked super comfortable but also super smart, however if you wanted more of a play around at school look then the classic boys shoes were available as well! (Check out their display in the picture below).

I’ll be back closer to the time with some more back to school ideas and last minute buys, so if you’re not ready to start buying for school yet there’s still time!! Stay tuned for a post next week on how to get festival ready, as next week is Reading Fest and I’ll be there!!