The Clothes Show Live 2014 | What I Did

If you follow me on my social media channels (@pixipicks) you will know that on Sunday I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Clothes Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham with the ladies from Good Results PR. I did so much during the day that I am splitting it into three posts which will come out this week: What I Did, What I Saw and finally What I Wore.

So first up is what I did, along with some tips if you plan on going next year.

I had to get up super early to hitch a lift with my mum up to Birmingham but if you fancy getting a train from London it costs about £20 for a return. When I arrived I checked myself in at the Bloggers Lounge, collected my ID badge and hit the stalls.

I ventured over to the Olympus camera stall first and the lovely people kindly lent me one of their new PEN cameras for the day and I have to say it is one of the best compact cameras I have used, along with being super stylish! Top of my wish list for 2015. So after playing around with my toy for a bit I went off to meet my lovely photographer Lianne.

After walking around for a bit I went to the fashion show in the main arena and got pretty excited about our front row seats. I will have more on this in the What I Saw post later. Hint: topless hunks!!!!

I loved the atmosphere of the Clothes Show Live, buzzing with activity and people out for a day of fashion bingeing. There are lots of sales guys shouting out promotional offers and I warn you not to get sucked in by them all. They are super charming and often it is so fast paced that before you know it you have paid £25 for a foot scrub! There are some deals that are actually good so remember to take your time and look around. I went to the Lauren's Way stand to check out her Sleep In Rollers and before I knew it had parted £20 for a Christmas set, fingers crossed they are worth it. There are loads of stands with the majority now in the beauty section, always a plus for me, so I was in heaven and ran around like a headless chicken grabbing at lipsticks and stuffing nail varnishes in my bag. 

There are also a lot of fashion stalls, some designer and some more Camden market, but all worth a visit. I wasn't prepared for the crowds that swarmed around the stands grabbing at sequin hot pants and being a  bit crazy! I did find some super cute skirts that were a bargain, 2 for £15, they usually sell at Topshop for £35 each!

My Clothes Show Live Tips:

1. Make sure you take cash. The cash machines charge you £2.50 each time you withdraw and the queue is a little ridiculous.

2. Be prepared to over spend on food. They hold a monopoly on where you can eat and although there is loads of choice it is quite over priced. I spent £8.00 on a jacket potatoe! 

3. Invest in the Platinum ticket. It may cost a little more but it saves time on the queue for the fashion show and it also gives you access to the cloak room where you can leave your shopping throughout the day. This is a god send! 

4. If you think you are going to buy loads take a small suitcase. You wont need anything bigger than hand luggage size but it saves having to haul millions of bags onto the train. Plus you can keep it in the cloak room till the end of the day.

5. Set yourself a budget. This is one I can never stick to myself but if you know what your limit is you can seriously think about what you are buying and make sure you don't come home with the £25 foot scrub.

6. If you are a Youtube super fan be prepared to be disappointed. There are always going to be reality and Youtube stars at the Clothes Show Live and whilst there are lots of organised photo opportunities there are often stupidly long lines. Appearances often get cancelled or moved about so make sure you have an itinerary if you are serious about getting a snap with your favourites. Also be considerate when they are walking around the show. I saw a gaggle of pre teens screaming after a male Youtuber and security had to get involved. As much as I know they would love to stop and have their photo taken with you there often isn't the time. 

7. Lastly, have fun! It is an awesome day out for a group of girlfriends and there is so much to see and do, so make the most of it. 

Have you been to the Clothes Show Live? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Stay beautiful

xoxo

P.s Don't forget to enter my huge Christmas giveaway for more than £300 worth prize! HERE