Online UK Stores That Deliver To Australia

When we first emigrated to Australia we moved to a regional part of the country far away from even a David Jones or Myers store.  We had to drive two hours north to visit such a department store.  I really struggled with this at first as in the UK I was used to popping into town every weekend and hit the high street stores and pick up a few bargains.  I think I found it more of a pain as we were expecting our first baby the same year we emigrated and I wanted to get everything prepared for his arrival.  As he was our first child, I couldn't wait to go shopping for some gorgeous little outfits but found it very difficult in the remote part of Australia where we were living at the time.  Apart from the odd bits and pieces I managed to find at Big W's and Kmart there wasn't much else available.


So, I decided to have a look what was available online.  I was so, so pleased to find that there are a number of UK high street stores that now deliver to Australia and worldwide.  So I got clicking away!

UK Stores That Deliver To Australia

What's great at the moment is that our Australian dollar is very strong so its a great time to be shopping online! That's my excuse anyways!

So here goes, I was early into my pregnancy when we first arrived in Australia so as well as some 'normal' clothes shopping I wanted to do, it also made sense to prepare ahead and make a few maternity purchases while I was at it.

• Topshop - My favourite UK high street store delivers to Australia for just 9.00 GBP (around $14.40 AUD) and delivers within 5-8 working days. What's even better there is always a sale on and the things in the sale will be our next seasons clothes. At the moment all the UK winter sale stuff is online just as we are going into our autumn/winter season. How cool is that? www.topshop.com
• New Look - Another of my favourites at reasonable prices and also always have a sales section. New Look deliver to Australia for 9.00 GBP (also $14.40 AUD) with delivery between 8-10 working days. www.newlook.com
• ASOS - As Seen On Screen, the popular online store offering lots of different brands and designer clothing now also delivers to Australia. At the moment they are offering free delivery worldwide on all orders, everywhere! There is also a clearance section on their site offering lots of bargains. www.asos.com
• Marks and Spencers - As any english girl will tell you, the underwear section in Marks and Spencers is like no other and they offer the best quality! They deliver to Australia for 15.00 GBP ($24.00 AUD) and will deliver within 10-14 days. www.marksandspencer.com
• Debenhams - I was in this department store every weekend in the UK. They always have a sale on womens/mens clothing and shoes online and also offer lots of designer brands. Debenhams deliver to Australia for 14.00 GBP (approximately $22.40 AUD) and will deliver between 10-14 working days. www.debenhams.com

UK Baby Stores That Deliver To Australia

So as well as purchasing for myself and since having my two children and now live in New South Wales where I am surrounded by the best shopping centres and only one hour drive away from Sydney city centre where you can find the most awesome shops, I still sometimes place an order online for some kiddy clothes as well as myself.


At the time of emigrating though I was restricted to shops, so had to order most things online for my babies. Only the best would do!

• Marks & Spencers - Are great for baby and childrens wear. There are some gorgeous little outfits and the best quality clothing! They deliver to Australia for 15.00 GBP ($24.00 AUD) and will deliver within 10-14 days. www.marksandspencer.com
• Mothercare - A very popular store in the UK stocking anything and everything you need for your baby. Mothercare stores are now available in Australia, which is great! They have various stores located in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria and now also an online store, so great even if you live in a regional part of the country. Delivery prices will probably vary depending on which part of the country you live. www.mothercare.com.au
• Debenhams - This popular UK department store stock lots of gorgeous designer brands of baby and childrens clothing and shoes. Debenhams deliver to Australia for 14.00 GBP (approximately $22.40 AUD) and will deliver between 10-14 working days. They also have a sale on! My favourite designer at Debenhams at the moment for my children is Ted Baker, they have the most gorgeous little outfits! www.debenhams.com

The only other store that I miss and wish would deliver to Australia is Next. There is a Facebook group available at the moment, in which I've personnally joined, to bring Next to Australia, so the issue is being raised at the Next headquarters. Watch this space!

 

Alternative Australian Stores

Since emigrating in 2006 we have moved a few times, the last move being an interstate move to New South Wales. As I said earlier we now only live an hour from the many, many, many shopping centres that Sydney have to offer. So although, every now and then, I still order some bits of clothing online from the above UK stores, the majority of shopping I do is now in Australia. My favourite stores at the moment are:

• Sportsgirl - I think which is very similar to Topshop with all the latest fashions available and plenty of discounts offered throughout the year in store.
• Dotti - Is also quite good and reasonably priced with the latest fashions being offered.
• Cotton On Body - I mainly buy my pyjamas and slouchy pants and singlets (vests) for around the house. Great prices!
• Peter Alexander - My favourite pyjamas in the whole world!!!
• David Jones - Great designer brands.
• Superdry - Great casual t-shirts.
• Myers - Great department store.
• Ed Hardy - Great designer gear.
• And many, many more stores available.

So, I can now say, that I buy more clothes here in Australia, well probably because of where we now live.
I hope that this blog will be of some help to anyone who has just emigrated or who is living in a remote/regional part of Australia. I know at first it is daunting and you don't know where is good so I hope I have helped in some way.


Please, drop me a question if you would like any further advice as to where I purchase certain items, I'd be more than willing to help as I was once in your shoes.

Saying Goodbye Is The Worst Part

Myself and my husband emigrated to Australia in 2006 and have had many visitors from family and friends since then.  We love having visitors and the excitement is unbearable driving down to the airport.  I always take an esky full of welcome drinks to welcome them to the country.  Watching their faces when they walk through the arrival gates and watching the children run up to them and give them great big kisses and cuddles is the most special part!

Once our visitors have had time for a shower and to get over the jetlag, its so great showing them around our house and the area we live in at the time.  We have moved four times in the past five years, so love the excuse to do the touristy thing with our visitors when they are here.  Our trips have ranged from Margaret River, Busselton, Bunbury and surrounds, Swan Valley, the wonderful city of Perth, Darling Harbour, Circular Quays, the ever expanding shopping world that Sydney has to offer are amongst many of the places we have visited with family and friends alike.

When we first emigrated, I was pregnant with my son, so you can imagine the excitement and urgency for our family to visit us.  Then since the birth of my little girl, family are eager to visit, sometimes they visit twice a year.  So, as you can imagine, I love every single visit and love showing off my two gorgeous babies and just let them spoil them rotten. 

The only problem with visitors I have found is saying goodbye!  Its SO SO terrible waving them off at the airport.  It is just so depressing!  It sometimes takes me a week to get back to feeling normal again from a somewhat depressive state.  You go from having a house full of guests who help with the children and chores, having something to do each day, showing them around, shopping, trips down the beach, having the husband at home on his annual leave etc to going back to being on my own with the kids in an empty house.  :(

I'm sure one day we'll get used to it!

How Hard Is It Getting Out The Door With 2 Kids

Every morning is SO hard to get two kids dressed and myself out the door at a reasonable time.  Its worse on a Wednesday when we have to get to swimming at 8.30am.  I don't know why it takes us so long and we always seem to be late even though we have like 2 1/2 hours to get ready.  My four year old wakes up REALLY early at 6am and then loves to wake up the rest of the house, much to our annoyance.  So you'd think by getting up this early we'd be ready and out the door by 8.15am the latest, right?  Wrong!  We are always late!

I was very surprised this morning when we were actually all suited and booted by 7.50am.  Don't ask me how or why, we just were!

So, we wake up at 6am and all have breakfast and I hopefully manage to squeeze in my two cups of tea and check whats been happening of late on Facebook, well since yesterday.  Then the dreaded teeth clean!  My four year old hates cleaning his teeth.  It may be due to my obsession with it, but he likes to give them a clean himself and then I check over them, this is the part he hates!  But I have to make sure they get a good once over.  So last week I decided to buy an electric toothbrush, of course, a spiderman one.  I can't rate them enough now, its transformed teeth cleaning time.  He loves it and even lets me give them a little check.  So this has helped us with this area and manages to save a little time and my patience of a morning.

Getting dressed, I know its SO wrong and I shouldn't be doing it, but I still dress my four year old.  I know, I should be teaching him to do it himself to help him get ready for doing so when he starts school next year but it would take him like an hour.  So yes, I dress him still.  I got in trouble from his preschool teacher a couple of weeks ago as he couldn't put on his Nike trainers himself for play time.  He actually can put on his own shoes as he can also get himself dressed but why does he need to when mummy always does it for him.  I must admit I did feel quite embarassed and he actually should dress himself and put on his own shoes but it saves so much time and nagging from myself for him to do it himself.  Our kids are only young once too so thats why I love doing everything for them as one day they will be independent enough to do everything themselves and wont need me anymore.  Surely at 18 years old he won't need me to put on his shoes?  Ha ha!

Getting Your Mojo Back!

If you're a stay at home mum like myself you will understand how hard it is to feel like a woman again and not just a mum.  Its so easy to get lost in motherhood and forget who we once were before these gorgeous creatures entered our lives.  I can remember going through a similar thing in the first year of my son being born.  I think it was around 12 months after his birth I started thinking that I needed some me time.  This time around my little girl is 9 months old and I'm trying to get back into feeling like myself again.  I think its at the stage when you are feeling happy and content about being a mum and sort of getting to know what you are doing, you actually have time to think about something else other than the precious gift of a baby.

So I thought I'd share with everyone how I'm getting to feel like myself again this time around.  Its just little things and gestures but it makes me feel good.

Attend a Fitness Class - I chose Zumba.  Its great!  It makes you sweat but makes you feel good about yourself afterwards.  You do feel a bit of an idiot dancing around but in a way makes you feel free and alive again.  Get yourself along to your local zumba class, they are held everywhere!  The class I attend is $10 a class and all you need to take along with yourself of course is a bottle of water.

Get a Beauty Treatment - I went to my local salon for a massage.  OMG, it feels so so good!  Saying that, I've only been twice so far, but absolutely love it!  Its actually new to me, I've never been for a massage before in my life, so it was a little different and I was quite nervous as I always am at trying new things.  I am definately going to keep this a regular thing!  Say every 4 weeks or so.  I just get the normal all over body massage but next I'm going to try the hot stone massage.  I've heard great things about that one!  Will share once I've tried this.

Get Your Nails Done - Now I have had a manicure before but never had false nails and always thought they looked awesome.  As I usually bite my nails, gross I know, I thought this would help me stop this and transform my nails and make me feel grown up again!  Ha!  So I popped along to a nail salon one Saturday in our local shopping center and my husband looked after the kids whilst I popped in a nice looking salon to get my falsies.  I chose the one I went to because it had nice wallpaper and looked quite modern.  I got white tipped french manicured acrylics done and love them!  I've had them about two weeks now and only now do they need filling in a little.

Get a Fake Tan - Either go to a salon or do it yourself/friend/husband to do it for you.  I exfoliated last Thursday night and got my husband to apply my Ambre Solaire spray tan for me.  I wouldn't recommend this and will next time go to an actual salon that specialise in this area unless you do it yourself or get a friend that knows what they are doing to apply it for you.  Haha!  He did try his best bless him but it was quite streaky to say the least.

Get Your Hair Done - I've found an awesome salon in Sydney to get my hair done, its booked for this Saturday and I'm so excited!  We are making a weekend of it and will be staying in a hotel Saturday night.  I always love going to the city, that in itself makes me feel sane again.  So the husband will have the kids while I have 2 to 3 hours of salon bliss.

I know this post might make me sound like I'm vain but its what helps me keep sane!

I hope it helps any of you stay at home mums to keep your sanity too! 

Preschool Tuesday

Today, my four year old is at preschool!  Yay!  That sounds awful but it truly is a godsend for both him and myself.  He gets to play and interact with other children and I get to recharge a bit.

I have also arranged for a cleaner to clean the house on a Tuesday and she starts next week.  Yay for me!  I can't wait!  This means on my days that my boy is at preschool I can spend doing what I like and the cleaning will be taken care of.

He attends preschool twice a week so on these days I can get other things done that is a nightmare when he is with me.  I'm not saying he is crazy or anything but four year olds get very bored doing mundane chores like grocery shopping etc and his favourite thing whilst we do groceries is pick up anything shaped like a cucumber and pretend its his 'winkie' as he calls it.  I just can't help but laugh when he does it, which is probably why he does it every time we're in Coles or Woolworths.  I laugh because you have to admit it, its funny and because of everyone elses faces that look on, some look in disgust and probably think I'm a bad mum for letting him do such a thing but the majority laugh. 

So Tuesday and Fridays I go grocery/clothes/make up shopping and catch up on my recorded foxtel shows, my favourite at the minute being all the reality stuff.  I particularly like The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Orange County.  I just love the extravagance of these ladies lives and seeing how the other half lives.  I've also previously watched The Real Housewives of New York and loved Bethenney from the show, she later brought out her own reality show following her through her wedding plans and up until she gave birth to her baby.  I have also watched The Real Housewives of New Jersey and am really loving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills at the moment.  The women in these shows are so funny and can be quite bitchy to eachother, which is always good to watch the drama.  I really think an australian version of these shows should be made in each state.  It would be so good to watch The Real Housewives of Sydney, The Real Housewives of Perth, The Real Housewives of the Gold Coast etc etc.  It would be such good viewing!  How do we get tv producers to listen to our ideas?  One of these shows could also be filmed in the mining suburbs of Western Australia, say Kalgoorlie, it would be so good to see how these women live and what they spend their mining cash on.  Don't you think?  The city housewives out lunching at Darling Harbour and the Surfers Paradise mums chilling on the beach. 

It also means on these said preschool days my nine month old baby girl gets to have her full twice a day naps without being rudely awaken by a grumpy, bored four year old!  She is so happy to see him at the end of the day though and must miss him in her own little way.  If we're out shopping and she sees another little boy resembling her brother she gets so excited and waves her arms and legs, its so funny to watch!  To be honest, I do miss him myself towards the end of the day and always love walking through the preschool gates and sneak a peak at what they are up to and love it when he spots me and comes running for a big kiss and a great big squeeze cuddle!

At the beginning though, I made a rod for my own back, as when I first left him at daycare the first time I always returned to pick him up with a 'surprise' in the car, that being a small toy or sweets.  This was probably just to make me feel better as he was fine and loved daycare straight away but I felt guilty.  Even though I don't work I just thought at the time he was eighteen months old, he needed some other kind of stimulation other than just being at home alone with me all day.  I think this is a good age to start a child in daycare or nursery as they need other kids to play with and be around.  Its a good thing to get them used to.  We also attended our local playgroup and mothers group once a week, but I think he needed just that extra little bit of time apart from me to grow more independent.  So, yes, getting back to the 'surprise' he now expects a little something every time I pick him up from preschool.  I've got no one else to blame but myself!

Monday Blitz

Before you know it, its Monday again!  After a weekend of fun and trouble the dreaded Monday morning is upon us.  Once I've packed the husband off to work and fed the kids their breakfast and dressed them for the day, I start on my mountain load of housework.  I start tackling the washing basket full of dirty baby clothes and paint encrusted preschool t-shirts, then load and unload the dishwasher with dishes left over from the whole weekend, sweep and wash the floor and then clean the toilets.  All the while keeping a four year old entertained and keeping the eight month old baby in her almost there routine.  I know it sounds like I'm complaining, which I probably am, but I wouldn't change a thing, as this means that we've had a great time!  Who wants to be doing chores over the weekend?  We are too busy having fun with soccer practice, shopping, at the beach, saturday night cocktails once the kids are in bed and of course our come dine with me date night.  Cleaning is what my Mondays are for!  It sure beats going to a mundane office job!  No offence to anyone, but I never did feel comfortable in the office, I much prefer my stay at home lifestyle with the kiddywinks even though they do drive me up the wall at times!