Did I hear sale? Six of my best finds

The winter sales began before Christmas and February is nearly upon us, but this hasn't stopped me from continuing in my hunt for a hard-earned bargain. I much prefer the January sales to the summer equivalent: it is a chance to invest in staples that will last for more than one season; cherry-pick home accessories to complement existing decor without the price tag; and nab SS16 inspired pieces that only dropped a few weeks before being discounted (trends lingering around include cold shoulder pieces and glam-geek midi-length skirts).

In what remains of the sales, I thought I'd share some of the gems I've unearthed after hours spent trawling department stores and online shops.

Seoul life

I was lucky enough to live in South Korea for a year, where I worked as an English teacher. I categorically do not miss teaching, but one thing I do miss is the shopping, so much so that I wish I could teleport there right now. I can’t overestimate how good it is – the clothes are affordable, beautiful and current. I wrote this shopping guide for a London-based website shortly after returning to Scotland and I’d like to share it with you.

The Red Door Gallery

Nestled between Victoria Street's myriad of independent boutiques and eateries is a cute little gallery brimming with pretty prints alongside homewares and fashion accessories. With 100-plus illustrators to choose from, the Red Door Gallery's prints of Edinburgh are especially eye-catching and would add a touch of design to any home.

Portfolio: The future of travel

Illustration: White Light Media

It’s the year 2024. You are travelling from Zurich to New York for a business meeting with a new client. Your Digital Travel Buddy sifts through all the data of your previous business trips to provide you with a tailored itinerary and book your travel. After checking in using your smart-watch, you arrive early at the airport to shop its virtual walls before a holographic staff member informs you that your flight is ready for boarding and guides you to the gate. There’s no line at security as the latest biometric software scans people from afar. On the flight, your seat becomes a virtual office and you have a quick meeting in 3D with a business colleague. Arriving in New York, your favourite music is playing when you check in to your hotel room. After a quick Vitamin C shower to recover from jetlag, you then leave for your meeting.

It may sound far-fetched, but Skyscanner’s vision for the future of travel is much more realistic than you would at first think. The global travel search engine recently collaborated with industry experts and futurologists on a report exploring how travel will become richer, easier and more intuitive within the next 10 years. As Director of B2B, Filip Filipov, explains, business travel will likewise be transformed by technology.