Livingston Designer Outlet Mall, West Lothian, Scotland

A Shopping Date at Livingston Designer Outlet Mall

navy and pink floral maternity dress

Livingston Designer Outlet Mall, West Lothian, Scotland

Livingston Designer Outlet Mall dome

Livingston Designer Outlet Mall

candy at the mallI love shopping.

I mean, I’m not going to say something cheesy, like “shopping is my cardio” or anything, but guys? Shopping is totally my cardio. And I realise this will come as absolutely no surprise whatsoever to anyone who knows me, but while it’s true to say that I do most of my shopping online these days (One of the consequences of moving to the sticks…), it’s also true to say that malls are my happy place. And yes, I’m well aware that that ALSO sounds pretty cheesy, really, but it’s true: I’ve always loved wandering around malls: the smells from the food courts and perfume halls, the music playing in stores, the feeling that with just one visit to a really good mall, you could totally change your life/look – or, at the very least, you could buy a really great pair of shoes. Which is pretty much the same thing really, isn’t it?

Anyway, such is my love of shopping that when Livingston Designer Outlet (Which is, unsurprisingly, located in Livingston, West Lothian – just 20 miles outside of Edinburgh) invited me to come along for a day’s shopping, I was ALL IN. Livingston Designer Outlet is Scotland’s largest outlet mall, and, until we moved, it actually used to be my local mall, too, so it’s a place I’ve spent many a happy hour in over the years, and the only thing I really miss about living in this part of the world. (Fun fact: I was actually one of the first people to walk round the building – in my capacity as a local journalist, I got a private tour right before it opened to the public. It was one of the highlights of the job, actually…) Since we moved away, my visits have been a little more sporadic, so I was really keen to take a look around and see what had changed.

But first: coffee…

Starbucks at Livingston Designer Outlet

[Dress: Dorothy Perkins Maternity]

… or, in my case, caffeine-free Strawberries and Cream frappuccino in Starbucks, where we made a pit-stop shortly after we arrived, to fortify ourselves for the gruelling shopping session ahead. While I was working my way through my frappuccino, plus the cake pops you can see on the table in front of me, Terry did this:

Terry does colouring. Is a big boy.

I was so proud.

The outlet is absolutely huge (Walking all the way around it was the most exercise I’ve done in about two months now, and I really wish I was joking about that…), and has everything from fashion to homewear, cosmetics, restaurants – you name it, you’ll probably be able to find it. There’s a full store list here, if you want to take a look, but I knew exactly where I was going, so as soon as we’d finished our drinks, I headed straight to Kurt Geiger… while Terry headed straight to a handy bench opposite, for what he knew would be a lengthy wait:

Kurt Geiger shoe sale

Kurt Geiger at Livingston Designer Outlet

He wasn’t wrong, either – sorry, Terry! As this is an outlet, the prices are incredible (If you were following the Instagram stories I posted from the Outlet’s account, you might have seen me swooning over an amazing pair of heels for just £24. Twenty. Four. Pounds. Seriously.), and I spent a happy few minutes running around frantically grabbing shoes like a contestant on Supermarket Sweep, before reluctantly putting them back down again, because there were still other stores to see. Including this one:

Lindy Chocolate Store

The Lindt chocolate store. OMG.

Next on my list, though, was The Cosmetics Company Store:

Clinique Skincare

Smashbox lipstick

Estee Lauder Doublewear

When I lived in this area, it was always a source of disappointment to me that there wasn’t a MAC counter nearby. This store, however, had tons of MAC – and also brands like Smashbox, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, etc, which I really enjoyed swatching to my heart’s content. The bottom photo shows the price-tag on a bottle of Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation: while I was looking at it, I overheard a girl next to me complaining to her friend about how she’d just spent over £30 on the same product elsewhere, and it was all I could do not to immediately race to the register with it. I resisted, though. Because I am strong. And also because I knew this was waiting for me just a little further down the mall:

Ted Baker at Livingston Designer Outlet

Ted Baker at Livingston Designer Outlet

Ted Baker outlet store

I gotta admit, this was a bit of a tough one for me. I LOVE Ted Baker, and I saw SO MUCH STUFF I’d have bought in a heartbeat (Again, these are outlet prices, so a lot of the skirts and dresses were around 50% off…), but, alas, none of them will actually fit me right now, so I had to content myself with just looking at them. For now.

By this point, we were both starting to feel a little hungry/tired, so, after a quick look around the rest of the mall (plus a rather lengthy sojourn for me in the Gap Outlet, while Terry, once again, selected a handy bench outside…), we decided to stop off for lunch. The outlet has a pretty big food court, plus a range of different restaurants: Terry, however, had some vouchers for Pizza Express which he’d been saving up, so we headed back to the mall’s entrance, under the amazing glass dome, to refuel:

Oh, and if you’re wondering what I actually bought after all that shopping, well, wonder no more: I obviously bought shoes, didn’t I?

new shoes cure the bluesThese were both from the Kurt Geiger outlet, and I’m actually pretty proud of how sensible I was to resist all of those gorgeous heels and get myself a couple of pairs of semi-practical shoes instead. I should hopefully get plenty of wear out of both of these by the end of the summer, whereas the glittery heels I was admiring probably wouldn’t have gotten any wear at all, no matter how much I like to try to convince myself I have the kind of lifestyle that requires sparkly stilettos. Still, I can always go back for them, right?

[This post was sponsored by Livingston Designer Outlet]

Livingston Designer Outlet Mall

Related: How walk in stilettos

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books by Amber Eve
COMMENTS
  • Terry is a great colour-in-erer! We visited two other outlet malls in England last year which were great, if I’d known there was one so close to Edinburgh I’d have been there in a flash!

    July 10, 2017
    • It’s nice to have my high skill level appreciated 😀

      July 10, 2017
      • Myra Boyle

        REPLY

        Your colouring in is top notch Terry

        July 10, 2017
  • This place looks fantastic! I love a good designer outlet. I wish we had such a good one close by x

    LuxeStyle

    July 10, 2017
  • I have been trying to convince my SO to take me there for ever, but knowing me and my love for anything heeled, he keeps making excuses like “Do you really need another pair of shoes?” and “Where do you plan to store all these shoes?!” and his favourite “Seriously, I can’t see the TV over your shoes.” Pfft, men ?

    July 10, 2017
  • Sharon

    REPLY

    I haven’t been there in a few years but very interested in the Lindt store. Hope you’re keeping well. x

    July 10, 2017
  • Amber DeSadier

    REPLY

    Wish I had stuff like this near me. I want to go to that Ted Baker Store!!!

    Also, Malls are definitely a happy place for me.

    July 10, 2017
  • Justine

    REPLY

    Terry’s drawing skill is going to make him a very enviable Daddy, little children are enchanted by things like that done especially for them!!
    Quite liked the mall too.

    July 10, 2017
  • Hope the colored in page is on the fridge now! Your ability to resist so many items is amazing!

    July 10, 2017
  • Myra Boyle

    REPLY

    Very sensible shoes for the pregnancy summer. Livingston Mall is huge and I couldn’t have gotten past the Lindt store. Marsha bought a Ted Baker dress for Max’s communion last summer and looked fab in it (same flower pattern as in the dress in your photo). Do they have baby stores, might be worth a return visit shortly.

    July 10, 2017
    • Myra Boyle

      REPLY

      She paid full price for hers (had to have it) and how she loves a bargain.

      July 10, 2017
  • D

    REPLY

    Love, love, love your shoe choice! Happy walking while infanticipating.

    Now go get Terry a box of colors!

    July 10, 2017
  • Have you ever been to Bicester Village near London? When I lived there it was a regular haunt.

    My favourite malls ever are in Japan. The one near my work had a great kimono shop with obis (kimono sashes) and traditional shoes called zori as well as lots of little bits and bobs. I want to go back there with an empty suitcase!

    July 10, 2017
  • Miss Kitty

    REPLY

    I really wish we had Ted Baker stores here in NZ! Or maybe not, I would spend even more than I do now 🙂 Shoe shopping has to be one of the great frustrations of my life. I LOVE shoes, but I have very small size 5 feet size (35EU) and most shoe shops start at size 6. Of course. 🙁 There is nothing worse than seeing a pair of shoes you absolutely love and can’t live without, only to find they are not available in your size :'(

    July 11, 2017
  • D. Johnson

    REPLY

    Here in the States, in you ever find yourself in New England (Boston should be close enough), check out Kittery Outlets. They are not enclosed and I forget whether there are three malls or four. Check it out online! What has kept me from big properly dressed has been: 1) my figure/weight 2) no job/need 3) health issues. I can relate to the mall-as-fitness venue. I wish I could have an assistant to fetch me different items or sizes when I’m in the dressing room, and to give me great advice on fit and coordination. My roommate was GREAT at this, but he no longer wishes nor is able to do it. Yes, HE! He has a true talent with his sense of aesthetics re: fashion, interior design and haircuts. With all the nonsense I keep hearing about stores closing because of competition from online, I don’t understand why salespeople do not provide a higher level of service. Probably because they have already cut staff. The last time I shopped, the few salespeople I saw were scrambling to do chores like restocking or pitching the credit card and coupon offers. It always amazes me that you can be all the way over in Scotland and still shop at stores I’m familiar with (Clark’s, The Gap). Congratulations on your self-control!

    July 11, 2017
  • Stef

    REPLY

    Right you have made up my mind. If my husbands wants to travel down to IKEA we are also stopping past the mall!! ? Thanks! (I have memories as a teenager travelling down on the bus from Aberdeen with my friend for a day here ?)

    July 18, 2017
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