Sicilia Outlet Village | Shopping Guide & Haul

Sicily is a popular shopping destination with us Maltese, most especially the Sicilia Outlet Village. A couple of weeks ago, we went with a couple of friends for a weekend in Sicily to shop around for furniture and of course, me and my friend were not going to let the opportunity to visit the Sicilia Outlet Village go amiss. Here I will be sharing my experience with you as well as some tips to consider if you plan on visiting and of course, a haul of what I bought!

Before you go

Sicilia Outlet Village? There's an app for that! Before you head to Sicilia Outlet Village, make sure to download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. The app has everything you need to make your visit a breeze - international size converter, currency converter, village map as well as an offers section among other features.

Plan on wearing a comfortable outfit - you'll want your hands free to be able to scour the sales so a cross-body bag or a backpack is your best bet. Moreover, make sure you wear a pair of comfortable shoes. You don't want to have to stop shopping because your feet are aching, do you?

Find out which shops you want to visit first so you can buy the things you want from them before spending all your allocated savings on other buys. The map will come in handy to see where our favourite brands are located.

Lastly, when do the sales happen? Although there are heavy discounts all year round, the best sales periods are in May and also in August and they last till the 15th of September. 

Opening hours are as follows:

Monday - Friday 10:00am - 8:00pm

Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 9:00pm

While you're there

So you've made it to the Outlet Village what's next? Shop around for the best deals on clothes. Shops usually have discounts from 30% up to 70% and most of them carry a section of heavily discounted goods too. We got the best deals at Calvin Klein, Furla, Polo Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors which was fantastic as they were the shops I really wanted to get something from in the first place. If you're keen on high end brands, Harmont & Blaine is worth checking out too.

There's the luxury area housing brands the likes of Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana to name a few. I couldn't take pictures of the shops here so I guess it's up to you to go and experience them :) The items on sale here cost less than what you would normally pay for but do stay realistic - a D&G dress will still cost upwards of €600 here so I just thought I'd give it a mention.

Besides clothing, there are household shops, beauty shops (including KIKO) as well as a Lindt Chocolate World which everyone knows is chocolate heaven. I highly recommend their ice creams too - almost any Lindt flavour is available and they don't disappoint!

It took us around 6 hours to go round the shops at Sicilia Outlet Village so do allocate time for it if you plan to visit especially if it's your first time. Parking doesn't like it's a problem as there are ample spaces all around. We found that the best times to visit are early in their opening hours but it could also be the fact that it was raining that kept people from visiting early.

If you need a break, there's a handful of delightful cafes and stops where you can rest your legs (and arms from shopping bags) and grab a bite to eat before getting back to your shopping :)

All in all, I think this is a wonderful experience for a shopping addict like me and of course I cannot conclude this post without showing you what I bought. I am only going to quote the prices I paid for the items as I don't have the tags showing the original prices any more.

The only buys that cost the same as online and the other stores around Italy are the KIKO products. Here I got some of their new masks from the Mask Parade collection which were on a 3+1 offer, a Magnetic Eyeshadow in the shade 02 Earth Challenge from the Fall 2.0 Collection and an Instant Colour Matte Liquid Lip Colour in the shade 09 Rosy Mauve. I also got a fluffy blending eye brush which is by far my favourite eye brush. They have revamped the look of their brushes and I must admit they look much more sophisticated. This particular brush was previously known as Eyes 200 and it now goes by as 56. I'm curious to see if it's as good as the old one as the new one seems to have less bristles. The KIKO purchase totalled €44.70.

As for clothing, I got this beautiful dress from Michael Kors (€129). I also scored this bright orange cardigan from Polo Ralph Lauren for €44.95. I also got two bags - the red one is from Coccinelle (€145.50) and the Julia bag from Furla (€159) which is Mario's birthday gift to me along with the cardigan :).

I highly recommend visiting this Outlet Village as  you really can get some good bargains even though most of the shops carry past collections. The helpful staff at all the outlets make for an even better experience and it is just a little shopping heaven!

What I got for Christmas & Munich Haul

I haven't done a haul post in a while but Christmas gifts and the things I bought in Munich provided the perfect excuse for me to finally sit down type such a post and of course take lots of pictures to show you the items in the best way I can :)

Starting with Christmas gifts, I got some of the best gifts this year, most of which had been on my wish-list for quite some time. Here I will be showing you the fashion and beauty related gifts as I don't think it's any use to show vouchers and such.

Going from left to right, first is the Tommy x Gigi small felt pouch in navy and white which my boyfriend got me :) This has been on my wish-list as soon as it was released and he had already bought it for me for Christmas. It also features a grey felt anchor and a navy pompom and of course the Tommy x Gigi logo in gold metal. The chain strap and hardware are also in gold. My brother also gifted me with a very chic clutch bag from Accessorize which features embellishments, embroidery and a satin lining on the inside. You will soon be seeing more pictures of these beauties in outfit posts I have planned.

My parents were kind enough to buy me a pair of new Dolce & Gabbana spectacles from Optika as I needed a new, stylish pair. You have already seen them multiple times of course. and I have gotten many compliments on them from friends, family and even people on the street.

Lastly, a pair of double stud of earrings from I AM thanks to my boyfriend who had to gift me a secret santa gift :P Here's the story behind all this...every Christmas, my boyfriend's family have this little secret santa 'do where each one of us gets the name of the relative they have to buy a gift to (the usual way this works). Anyhow, the names are drawn by an outsider (a colleague of his cousin) so they really don't know anything about relations or so and as luck would have it, my boyfriend had my name drawn :P Luckily for me, he remembered I had shown him these earrings and he got them for me like the fabulous boyfriend he is :)

Now, I shall move on to the things I got from Munich, starting with clothing. One of the first shops I look for when I am abroad is H&M just because we still don't have any of their stores open here in Malta. I was mostly interested in the beauty section (I shall show you what I got from there later) but of course, I did have a quick browse in the clothes' department. I bought mostly tops as it was too stressful to keep removing layers and layers of clothing just to try on the new stuff. Left to right, a basic green short sleeve top, black lace top (came with a black silk cami), grey merino wool mix sweater, ruffle printed blouse. I also got a pair of leggings to use during my pilates classes.

Next up is Zara, from where I picked up this super comfy pair of flat Chelsea boots, this green roll-neck knit and this printed pair of trousers. Lastly, for clothing, I have this Tommy Hilfiger blouse which my boyfriend bought me as a vacation gift. I just can't wait till summer to wear it!

Of course, I couldn't resist getting a few accessories seeing that most of the shops were already at 50% sale. I got the biggest scarf of all from H&M and the best thing is it was only €3! I love the colours and prints on this one - of course expect to see it soon in an outfit post ;) I also got some hair ties. From Mango I got this set of silver and marble bangles and from Accessorize, I got this gold clutch bag which will definitely come in handy when wedding season hits. Another one of my favourite stores abroad is & Other Stories. While I love their style, most of their designs fit me too big but their accessories section is to die for. I picked up this little pochette which I can see myself wearing with so many different things!

Finally, the makeup and beauty items! As I told you before, I really wanted to go to H&M for their beauty section. I had first tried their products earlier last year when I visited Barcelona and I found them to be of very good quality so I quickly compiled a list of the things I wanted to get. H&M nail polishes are some of my favourites around. This time I picked up Olive Grove, Rock Oyster, Tender Greige and Prismatic. Next I got two blushes - Cameo Brown (cream) and Cameo Pink (powder). I also got an Overnight Lip Rescue and a Clean Canvas Lip Scrub which smells absolutely delicious! I was really curious to try the Glitter Glue and the Do-It-All BB Cream Leave-In Hair Perfector so I got those too as well as this travel sized brush and some makeup sponges.

Lastly, I have two products which I picked up from KIKO - Glossy Dream Sheer Lipstick 206 and the Unlimited Double Touch Lipstick in the shade 119. I'm really curious to give these a go and see how well they last of course.

I really enjoyed shopping in Munich especially with the really good sales they have going on at the moment but I am really looking forward to visiting Milan in two weeks from where I hope to bring my first pair of designer shoes home :)

Which were your favourite items?

Brand Spotlight | KIR ROYAL

When one thinks of Kir Royal, what comes to mind is a simple cocktail with the refined taste of champagne. For me, the name has now taken another meaning - when I think of Kir Royal, what comes to mind is an exclusive men's clothes shop in the very heart of Valletta, right on St. Paul's Street.

I gladly made my way to KIR ROYAL last Thursday morning where I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Ludwig and we spent a couple of hours chatting away about fashion of course! I asked Ludwig what drove him to open a men's shop and without hesitating he answered that fashion is his main interest apart from his EU-related work, so while he is back in Malta on sabbatical, he decided that opening this shop was the way to go forward. He also stated that he wanted something exclusive; something that would give shoppers an experience rather than just rushing in the shop get what they need and rush back out again.

As for choice of place, Ludwig states that each time he walked down St. Paul Street, he always saw this abandoned place and it was only natural that once he made plans to open the shop he would choose that particular place. I must say he did a very good job at renovating it and now it houses an exquisite collection of formal and some more casual male attire.

What struck me the most in KIR ROYAL's little setting, is the way Ludwig manages to exude exclusivity even in the way he displays his stock - the feel of antique with a modern, fresh touch from the décor of the shop to the garments themselves really makes you want to return over and over again.

At KIR ROYAL one finds everything a refined man could ever need - from suit jackets to shirts, pocket squares, collar stays, shoes and even skin care. It is important to note that stock is limited to maintain exclusivity and one can also find that perfect little something for the dapper man in their lives. Ludwig personally curates the stock at KIR ROYAL and imports garments mainly from Italy as well as USA and Ukraine. In stock are also some high end skin care products for men.

I urge you to pay KIR ROYAL a visit the next time you are in Valletta and who knows, maybe you can start your Christmas shopping there! It may not be on the busiest street but to me, that further contributes to making your experience there worth while!

KIR ROYAL is also on Facebook. Alternatively, you can have a look at their website for more information about their Image Consultancy Service.

November Collective Haul

November just flew by me in a whiff and so it is time for the mandatory end-of month collective haul. This month it was more about cosmetics and just a few clothing items so it will be quite a short post. Enjoy :)

First up is the Essence Merry Berry limited edition collection on which I have got quite a few pieces and you check them all out here including swatches. This Christmas collection is one of the most anticipated this year and I really urge you to go out and get it!

I had to make a separate trip to get two more products out of this collection after seeing more reviews about them and I managed to find both the highlighter and the nail polish in the shade 02 Purple With A Purpose. The highlighter was €3.50 and the polish was €2.10. I also bought some of the stuff from their permanent line including a gel eye pencil in the shade 05 Gunmetal for €2.30, a nail art designer set for €2.10, an express dry nail spray for €2.60, a light reflecting top coat for €2.10 and a black nail polish for €1.70.

Also from Essence I got the Liquid Ink eyeliner and another gel eyeliner in 01 Black Blaze. They cost €2.40 each. From Roseberry, I got a backup of the NYX HD Concealer which is my favourite concealer ever for my under eye area and it cost €9.99. I also bought the 2015 limited edition i-Divine in Enchanted Forest for €13.99 and you can check out all swatches here.

As for clothing, I placed an order on the River Island website where I got this tassel fol-over bag (€26), a khaki patchwork wallet (€22) and these black tassel front loafers (€35) which I cannot wait to wear. 

Lastly, from Orsay I got this black top and green faux leather skirt which were €19.49 each (with a discount) and I also got this denim skirt from Stradivarius for €22.95 which has been on my wishlist since the Pink Fashion Show.

Event | New Orsay Store Opening at The Point Shopping Mall

If you follow my collective haul posts, you would certainly know how much I love to purchase new clothes and accessories from Orsay, thus it goes without saying that when an email came through my inbox with details of the official opening of another flagship store at The Point in Sliema, I was beyond excited!

As it turns out, the event was held last Saturday and I only had so much time on my hands before heading to Gozo with my better half for the weekend, but I just couldn't miss this event. So I made my way to the store early and had enough time to snap a few pictures and even make a sneaky purchase ;)

This year, Orsay, a brand that is well renowned for their corporate clothing range, is celebrating it's 40th year - the brand was born in 1975, and very aptly, this year's collection pays homage to it's birth decade. Flared jeans, fringe details, suede materials and paisley prints bring back the laid-back 70's vibe. 

Elegant fabrics, cool leather looks and fluffy jumpers make up the urban-chic range which also incorporates pencil skirts to further add a classy touch. There is also a huge variety of over-sized cardigans for a more relaxed yet feminine feel as well as a variety of stylish ponchos that take your look to the next level! In fact, I bought one myself along with a pair of stylish gloves that will come in handy for my next trip to London in December, and besides, 20% was being offered on all purchases during the day!

The handbag collection caught my eye for there is quite a huge variety to complement every outfit. The brand also offers a nice selection of accessories such as shoes, scarves, belts, hair accessories, sunglasses and jewellery to finish off any look.

Lastly, the work-wear collection evokes an ever chic vibe with a very palpable Parisian flair in the exquisitely tailored garments that are bound to get you the 'most stylish worker' title at your place of work!

I would like to thank the management for the handbag, scarf and VIP card us bloggers were given. I know I will get a lot of use out of mine!

Orsay stores are located in Valletta, Birkirkara, Sliema and Arkadia Gozo. Like their Facebook page to keep updated!

* I had more pictures in my camera but my brother took my SD card and USB cable with him abroad and there was no other way I could transfer the pictures to my laptop*

London Haul

Last week was one of the best so far for 2015 as I got to spend it in London with my boyfriend and his family for graduation. It was my first time in London and it definitely won't be the last! There's so much to see and do! 

It goes without saying that a trip to London is not complete without a little shopping so I planned out a full day of shopping in the most popular districts and streets of this magnificent city. My visa was definitely not happy with this but I really did enjoy myself and that's all that matters ;) Here is what I bought for myself.

The first hop we hit was obviously Primark. All Maltese nationals love Primark and I could now see why myself. I mostly grabbed myself a handful of polishes, a lipstick, face and hair masks, foundation sponges to use for nail art and a cute three-row necklace. I have already swatched the polishes and happen to really like the Angelica ones for they have a very nice formula and brush. My favourite thiugh is the spherical one which smells of orchids when dry and has a perfume bottle shape. Keep your eyes peeled for more nail polish and nail related items that I got online in the next haul post.

At the bottom of the picture is Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in 005 Nude which I have been looking for forever and I managed to find at Boots. The Balance Me lipgloss and Garnier moisturiser sample were free with a Glamour magazine issue.

From Primark I also scored this fringed cover-up which I will be taking with me on a cruise come July and a dirty green sleeveless loose shirt with lace details on the shoulders. The other two tops and shirt are all from H&M, another store I look forward to visiting while on holiday. I think they have good quality clothes at reasonable prices and I just can't understand why they won't open a store here :/ I also found a cossack hat at Camden Market and it really does keep me warm :)

Moving on to the luxury purchases, I was in awe all the time while we were browsing Harrods. It is by far my favourite spot of the whole trip, especially their shoe heaven! I just couldn't stop oohing and aahing over all the beautiful Choos, Louboutins, Manolos and Sophia Webster's creations to name a few but I only had a day of shopping so I had to re-compose myself to get what I wanted.

First up, I bought a Michael Kors Jet-Set Tote that I have been wanting for ages and I chose one in a dark blue colour so it matches a lot of outfits. I also got the Rouge Louboutin nail polish which I can say is a very beautiful red and I really love the packaging of it! Also from Harrods, I picked up a few things from MAC for Marija from Pocalocca and while I was there I got the Mineralize Blush in Gleeful and a Retro Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up which my boyfriend chose for me. The blush is very pigmented and you have to be extra careful to use a light hand with it but I really love it for it stays on all day.

I finally got my hands on the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette from House of Fraser which I cannot wait to use! I've swatched a couple of shades and I could see what all the hype is about. They have excellent pigmentation and I'm really looking forward to creating makeup looks with them!

Lastly, I got a London shot glass and a London Eye glass souvenir to add to my personal collections.

April Collective Haul

Hi my name is Lara and I am a shopaholic...

 

I have been very naughty (read extremely naughty) this month to make up for last month's lack of shopping :P Hey who can blame me with all the fabulous new collections gracing shop displays and River Island emails finding their way to my inbox?!

 

Speaking of River Island, I have placed two rather large orders on their website this month, however they were all stuff I needed in my life (not making excuses here. Honestly, I'm not :P). So here's what the postman had to carry all the way to my house.

 

First up, my Dorothy Perkins synthetic leather jacket needed replacement after taking up residence in my wardrobe for 6 years or so and this time, I decided to invest in a real leather one which will hopefully last a lifetime. This River Island number made the cut and it cost €100. Some may say it is expensive but I think it's worth investing in a good quality leather jacket especially if you know you will wear it a lot...I know I do!

 

 

I scored a bargain with this tailored high wasted shorts as it was reduced down to €14 from €40. I have already worn it with the Orsay blouse further down and it is very comfortable and the material feels nice too. The jumpsuit is the same material as the shorts and I had been meaning to buy one for ages now but I feared it might make my hips look more obvious. I opted for black as a safe option and I'm pretty pleased with how it looks on. The jumpsuit retails for €55.

 



 

Next up is this uber cute embossed leather luggage which will come in very handy for the weekend getaways I have planned this summer. I wanted something small but not too small and this one is just the perfect size with more compartments on the inside. The cute flower design is an added bonus. It comes a little pricey at €87 but the cost per use will justify the price tag ;)

 

Summer isn't complete without a new bikini right? I saw this Pacha Ibiza for River Island number and instantly fell in love with it. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be this bright but in summer you can get away with pretty much anything. It cost €44 for both pieces. The sunglasses were an unexpected find and I was delighted that I found a pair that actually fits and doesn't make me look like a bug. It only cost €17 and the black tortoiseshell design on the handles gives it an interesting edge. The flowery orange wallet is actually a travel organizer which will come in handy to keep passports and transport tickets in one place when abroad. This was €20.

 

 

The highlight of both orders has to be this gorgeous pair of shoes which were technically meant for Easter but I slept in and so they have to wait for another occasion to shine. They were €65.

Moving on to more clothing purchases, Mango is another of my favourite stores and I have bought some nice pieces from their new collection. First up is this pair of tailored trousers which look really nice on. Their neutral colour goes with just about anything in my wardrobe and since its material is very light and cool, I can see myself wearing this even on summer nights. I paid €29.99 for them including the stylish textured leather belt.

 

Mango offer some stylish basic tops and cardigans and I couldn't resist not getting one of each of these pink and mink coloured soft sweaters. They have cute little buttons going down the back and they have a slightly oversize fit...right on trend! The Aztec embroidery top is one of the pieces I am looking forward to wear come summer. The colours in it make for a very versatile piece that can be paired in a lot of outfit combinations. All tops were €29.99 each. The feather print scarf is actually a Peacocks find and cost a mere €4!

 

The last piece from Mango is this navy blue jersey dress which is quite a smart number. It cost €49.99.

 

As I said for the River Island shoes, I didn't go out this Easter and so the €139 Mexx jacket which I bought for the day had to stay in my wardrobe. The colour is more bright in person than it is the photo and it is a hybrid between lemon yellow and lime green. I like how it looks with white and navy blue items as well as neutral pieces so expect to see outfit posts featuring it soon.

 

 

From Orsay, I found this cute lace blouse with silk collar and cuffs. I paired it with the River Island high waisted shorts and they looked really good together. Best part is it only cost €19.99! Also from Orsay are these cure earrings that only set me back €5.95. 

The last clothing purchases of the month come courtesy of Stradivarius. I bought this white skater skirt and baby blue oversize knit from their new collection and I wore them together to the Coccinelle Winning Keys event. The top was €27.95 and the skirt €19.95.

 

On to beauty purchases. I had to buy a backup of L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray and this cost the usual €7.90. I also bought some polishes off Ebay from O.P.I.'s Muppets Most Wanted Collection (€20.86 for all three) and Orly Nailtrition for €9.56.

 



I have also placed a small order on the E.L.F. website as they have restocked on the Studio Lip Exfoliator. I decided to get some more items and they have also included Royal Mineral Eyeshadow and Pink Kiss Super Glossy Lip Shine for free with my order. This is what I got:

 

2 Studio Lip Exfoliators
Studio Lip Lock Pencil
Studio Moisturising Lipstick in Rosy-Go-Round
Nail Polish in Champagne
 

Lastly, I have bought two pairs of prescription glasses from Zenni Optical after I had a change in prescription. I opted for a pair that is exactly the same as the one I had before but this time I got the red ones as well as a tortoiseshell cat-eye pair. I paid €45 for both of them, shipping included.