In the opinion of the Clotheswhores the best way to start the New Year (especially if you happen to live in the Southern Hemisphere) is with a new swimsuit. Happily the stunning swimwear label, Flamingo Sands, is having a sale of all their stock on Estile. Check out this hot little one piece that I have my eye on, and there are heaps of beautiful bikinis up for grabs as well. And never fear, if you’re half as broke as I am after the holiday season you’ll be relieved to know that they are all on sale reduced from $150 down to just $53, which is just ridiculously cheap!

Head to the special login that has been setup just for readers of Clotheswhores at www.estile.com/clotheswhores and be sure to signup, as their sales rock!

You have to hurry as well, as this sale only lasts for three more days.

But I don’t care.

I’m sick of winter, I’m sick of being practical in my purchases and I think we all need a little bit of whimsy from time to time.

Today, I bring you beautiful whimsy with a big fat dose of summer, courtesy of We Are Handsome, which is a simply gorgeous Australian swimwear label.

Their prints are just dreamy and their shapes are stunning. Do yourself a favour and brighten up your day with a hit of pure sunshine from www.wearehandsome.com I promise it will make you feel a teensy bit happier.

P.S. they do list stockists all over the world on their site, as well as some online stores, so I’m sure you’ll be able pick up one of their fabulous one-pieces without too much trouble.

Thanks to the fabulous invite-only online designer store Estile, Clotheswhores readers have access to the gorgeous knitwear of Twitchett & Tonge.

Twitchett & Tonge is a Melbourne-based label that was established in 2006 by Olivia Twitchett and Claire Tonge, hence the name. The pair produce unique pieces in high quality Australian wool resulting in sleek and stylish designs… not words you would normally associate with knitwear. This gorgeous Repunzal vest is just one example of the items they have for sale.

For those who don’t know Estile’s online store, then you should be aware that it’s normally invite-only, but luckily for us Estile were nice enough to setup a link just for Clotheswhores readers so that we can access their exclusive sales.

Check them out at www.estile.com/clotheswhores and say goodbye to chunky nanna knits.

Coco Lee, have both AM eyewear (they’re so hot right now) and Pink Corp handbags on their sale site, and as usual the discounts are huge; up to 60% off. I have my eye on these stunning sunnies, and this softer-than-babies-bottom bag.

Since my mortgage now prohibits me from shopping for the forseeable future, I really need to live vicariously through everyone else’s credit card-melting habits, so please ladies, indulge for me!

You can find these gorgeous items on the Coco Lee website, which is at www.cocolee.com.au

You will need to become a member to shop the sale, but please trust me on this, it is sooooo worth it.

Happily for you, and me, it’s now even more affordable with their entire online store being 40% off until Tuesday 23rd February. You can find their online store at www.nookie.com.au and then click on the ‘SHOP‘ link. They have great shapes, colours and fabrics and everything is truly unique. I have my eye on this Double Trouble Drape dress, but there are so many pieces that are just as gorgeous and different.

Jump onto www.nookie.com.au and have a rummage around, you won’t regret it!

I love Runway Girl, they’re not always the cheapest, but they always get great quality Aussie and some international designers and often have great sales and discount offers. I’ve always been impressed with how quickly they ship their products and they give you lots of images of every item on the site.

Right now I’m loving this low-back navy chain dress by This is Genevieve. The cut is flattering and the cute little half-sleeves are guaranteed to coverup any bingo wings you’ve accumulated over Christmas, plus it’s reduced from AUD$275 to just $165.

You can find Runway Girl at www.runwaygirl.com.au

Happy New Year and Happy Sale Shopping!

Not only can you buy Mimco online, but they also have a Sale tab where the vast majority of their gorgeous leather is half price.

Sadly, nothing in their new Barbie loves Mimco line is on sale as yet, and I would quite like the entire line for Christmas (please?). However, if I had to narrow it down I would settle for the Pandemonium Platform, which would go perfectly with my new bright pink jacket.

All I want for Christmas…

You can find Mimco online at www.mimco.com.au. It’s expensive, but their stuff is truly beautiful, amazing quality and they ship internationally.

Witchery are offering $50 off when you spend $150 or more, and $100 off if you spend $300 or more. So basically, the equivalent of a 33% discount off ANYTHING in the store, as long as you spend a certain amount.

The even better news, is that a heap of other stores have decided to follow suit. I know for a fact that Portmans have, and wouldn’t be surprised if Country Road and Sportsgirl have also jumped on the bandwagon. Actually, on a side note, Portmans now have a new Creative Director and their clothes are seriously 100% better, more colourful and funkier; definitely worth a look.

The offer is currently slated to end this weekend (Sunday 22nd November) so make sure you hit the shops this weekend… If you’re anything like me, you’ll go home and tell your partner/boyfriend/lover/mother/husband that you saved money!

The one piece was once the domain reserved for women with too many wobbly bits to pull off a bikini, and only came in the traditional speedo racer-back style. Happily times have changed ladies, and you can now find a whole range of extremely cute and sexy one pieces, which are not only great for the pool and the beach, but also look great with a pair of shorts at cocktail hour.

We Are Handsome is a new vintage-style, one piece, swimwear brand who specialise in retro shapes and graphics. Their cossies aren’t cheap, at $180 a pop, but they really are pieces of art. The brand is a result of a collaboration between two creative businesses; Oscar & Elvis Swimwear and People Like Us, giving you the perfect blend of swimsuit know-how and cool, retro fashion.

The other great thing is that you can buy online and they ship all over the world. You can find We Are Handsome at www.wearehandsome.com

The key to bikini shopping is to do it when you feel good about yourself, and the first step to make this happen is to go and get a professional spray tan. We all know that the mirrors and lighting in ALL swimwear stoes is appalling, so do yourself a favour, avoid an emotional breakdown and head to your nearest beauty salon for a spray before you head for the fitting rooms.

In my opinion, bikinis are just getting better and better every year. And speaking as someone who needs a little more support than some, I have to say that the designs have definitely become more wearable for those with a larger bust. My personal favourite for the last two or three years has been Jets by Jessika Allen, and I’m still loving their shapes and fabrics this year. The best thing about Jets is that you can buy the tops and bottoms as separates, which I love because I am definitely not the same size on the top as the bottom. I’ve always been puzzled as to what to do about that with bikini sets; do you split the difference and end up with a baggy bum and too tight top?

For those of you who don’t have this problem, and your top and bottom match sizes, then you should definitely check out the Flamingo Sands online store. They have some gorgeous shapes and beautiful prints, like this stunning ‘Land of Sunshine’ classic bandeau bikini. Bring on the multi colours!

You can find Flamingo Sands at www.flamingosands.com and follow the links to ‘Buy Stuff’.