Affordable Accessories - including one of my most-used bags...

(and it’s £14 from Sainsbury’s!)

I’m of the opinion that fun, summer accessories aren’t usually worth investing a lot of money in, because fun, summer weather in the U.K. might (at best) be a couple of weeks a year. The rest of the time it’s varying degrees of autumn / winter (thus where I tend to invest more in coats, boots & bags that will last the rest of time). So, for this blog, I’m going to show you some pieces that I’ve purchased for summer, which are super affordable but WAY better quality (and more useful) than I was expecting…

For example: I’m not sure when Sainsbury’s started upping the quality of their TU collection, but the last couple of years they seem to have been knocking it out of the park. 

TU Quilted Black Crossbody Bag: £14

I got this TU crossbody in a slightly differing style last year, and loved it so much, I purchased this one a few months ago as a backup. They are lightweight, easily popped into a suitcase for travelling, wipe-clean, roomier than you think with useful pockets, plus the bag straps are interchangeable with any you might already own or want to buy in the future. Oliver Bonas always seem to have a good selection:

(Personally, I have my eye on the orange stripe version from Oliver Bonas: £15.)

FatFace Lara Utility Crossbody Bag, now £35.50 (RRP £75)

While we’re at it with Sainsbury’s and bags, they also sell other brands online, and it’s worth checking out their sale. I spied this v expensive-looking (it’s giving me Rick Owens vibes) leather bag by FatFace. I love the slubby, slightly grunge-y rock & roll look of it, the two front pockets (pockets in anything, as we know = joy), and the fact the strap can be changed. [It’s definitely not summery, it doesn’t exactly fit the theme of this blog, but this is how my mind works, and the kind of rabbit holes editors usually have to neatly bury / tidy for me...]

I have a love/hate relationship with Zara clothing, edging towards hate, because their sizing is so random as to be rendered ridiculous. I have friends who are size UK 10 who have to buy XXL, and that right there is LUNACY. Literally, online, you might need to buy the same item in four sizes, because any (or none) of them might fit. Therefore I usually head to the accessories, and specifically the jewellery, which I think they’re excel in, especially in summer. 

Zara 3 Multi Charm Necklaces: now £9.99 (RRP: £35.99)

Every year, recently anyway, Zara seems to bring out a charm range, and I’ve managed to grab a couple in previous years. Be warned: they sell out really quickly, as did this online I’m sorry to say. BUT, you might be able to find it in-store if you’re lucky (you can use their stock check online, though I’m never sure how accurate that is). 

This is the necklace I got this summer, and it is most certainly not for the shy and retiring. Luckily I’m neither of those things, and it’s actually three separate necklaces sold together, so you could split them up if you feel it’s a bit overwhelming en-masse. I have to say, within minutes of wearing this first time, I got about six compliments with people asking where I’d got it from, and assuming it was designer. So, if you can’t find one this year, be on alert for next! I certainly will be. 

Zara Raised Flower Earrings: now £3.99 (RRP £7.99)

At the same time as grabbing the necklace, I purchased these HUGE golden flower earrings. I love the drama (I’d wear them without a necklace, and with an outfit that was otherwise really minimalist), but they’re also incredibly lightweight, like wearing an accessory cut from paper, (perfect for me, as I dislike wearing heavy earrings that feel like they’re going to pull my earlobes off). 

I think these are my happiest summer accessory purchases to date this year, and I will hopefully get some use out of them when I’m in Florence at the Pitti Fragranze trade fair in September (for work), and finally on holiday - likely at some point in December! (Which feels about five years away, currently). So although these may seem fleetingly seasonal, I reckon I’ll be wearing them in the coming months, too. 

What’s been your favourite affordable summer accessory so far this year? Please share!