Accessories: Helen Rochfort Handbags

Hi guys,
This bag from Helen Rochfort is very aptly called the 'Oz TV' bag. The central image is a vintage print of the ruby slippers from the original Wizard of Oz film: one of my faves! I love this grainy vintage print, which makes me want to wear red shoes and point my toes.

The bag isn't the usual thing I'd carry at all; I'm a soft tan leather satchel kind of gal. This bag by contrast is a hard case with a solid metal frame, shiny silver body, glitter detail and diamante fastener. That description doesn't make it sound very covetable, does it? But it is! I defy anyone to see this bag and not smile:
It's accessories like this that remind you that fashion is supposed to be fun, and we shouldn't take it all too seriously!

It isn't a big bag, so I couldn't carry it every day: you wouldn't fit more than your phone, purse and some make up in it. But I have a couple of weddings coming up this summer that I will be taking this to (and teaming it with red shoes, obviously!) and if I were ever to leave the house in the evening again - a girl can dream - then this would be the perfect bag for that too.

This particular bag comes in at £65, and if you love it too, you can bag your own here. Oz not your thing? There are also bags inspired by Willy Wonka, Unicorns, and even Fish and Chips!

What do you think of my new handbag? Is it the kind of thing you'd carry, or are you yet to be convinced?

Love Tor xx

* I received a handbag for the purpose of this review.

Fall Fashion: Structured Cross Body Bags

Ditch your slouchy oversized bags and frumpy totes for a small, more structured looking bag this fall! Boxy cross body bags are showing up in stores everywhere and are definitely must haves for this fall. Not only are they durable and convenient, they can also help make you look professional and put together in no time at all.

1. & 3. Urban Outfitters | 2. L.A.M.B. | 4. Top Shop | 

5. Michael Kors | 6. Fossil | 7. Anthropologie | 8. ASOS |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Claires Accessories Press Day

Hi guys,
For me, Claire's Accessories is a tween brand that sells cheap (mostly plastic jewellery) to pre-teens who love boybands. I had my ears pieced there, for the second time, when I was fourteen. You remember brands like Claire's, when you get a tiny bit older, with the same fondness I remember Just 17 magazine and Top of the Pops. So I promise you, i'm as surprised as you are that i'm writing this. But....There was much at the Claire's Accessories press day to lust over, and plenty I would definitely buy!

Claire's are trying to reposition themselves at the minute, and move away from their teenybopper reputation, and instead compete with the adult costume jewellery market. Their new collections are inspired by tribal, insects, and British heritage. Here's what it looks like:




I love almost all of the jewellery in the third picture, in particular the owl cuff, and the oversized gemstone ring. Can you believe this is Claire's and not Topshop or Accessorize?! No, neither can I.....
Love, Tor x

Lulu Guinness Press Day: Lippy Lust!

Hi guys,
Well, Press Day season is officially upon us: my inbox is bursting with all of the press days coming up, and trying to organise them makes my head hurt. I started my morning with a Press Day crawl, spending a couple of hours fingering lovely silks and soft leathers. And the most exciting one of them all was the Lulu Guinness press day. I'm a massive fan of Lulu Guinness (i'm on my second bird cage umbrella) and I especially love the lips bags: I have no idea how something can be so quirky and so sleek at the same time, but they absolutely manage it!

Here are some of next season's bags that i'm already lusting over:





I love the studded bow bags, which are the hero bags of the season: they're the perfect mix of feminine and girly, and the rock chick look which is my staple. I am also completely obsessed with the doll face bag: with her cherry red hair and look of wonderment I just want to take her home and look after her! My final pick? The vibrant yellow lips clutch. You cannot fail to be noticed with this tucked under your arm, and its the perfect piece for black addicts like me to brighten up their evening looks.

Love, Tor xx

Etsy obsession of the week: Triccycat's jewels

This week etsy obsession ties in with another of my obsessions: leather. It's the one thing I couldn't live without. I love the way it feels, the way it smells. And Triccycat's jewels immediately appealed to the leather (and handbag!) lover in me.

Looking at these you know you're looking at real craftsmanship: the bags are built to last for generations. Each bag is all hand-cut, hand-stitched, buckstitched and hand-dyed. They aren't cheap (the bag with the handle is $545) but you know you're making an investment in a piece that will last forever, and the styles and designs are timeless.

It's the bags that excited me the most, but the shop also does some really lovely leather notepads and stationary (and we all know how I feel about notebooks and pens!) And the rugged leather journal (above) is only $40: much more affordable!

I hope you're all having a wonderful bank holiday! As is the tradition in our fair isles, lets all go and have BBQ's in the rain!

Love, Tor xx

Cute clutches!

We figured we would start off our blog with items that are pretty much as girly as it gets - purses! Clutches and coin purses, to be precise. Whether for yourself, or as a gift for a friend (or bridesmaid!) clutches are not only incredibly feminine and adorable, but they are also very practical and versatile! Here are some unique ones that we found:

The above is Jen's favorite clutch, the Nelle - Midnight Cherub. This would be a beautiful clutch for the bride-to-be and comes in 13 gorgeous colors so you can get ones to match your bridesmaids too! They have just the right amount of frill, creating a luxurious combination texture, and are so fun and romantic that we wish we had one for every day of the week! 

This handmade clutch, above, by etsy.com seller Tulip Couture, would be a cute accessory for the off-beat bride! It has the perfect muted color, romantic pattern, and the inside may just be that subtle "something blue" you were looking for! And at $45.00 it will certainly not break the bank!

Not into a color splash? How about adding some unique texture?
This adorable coin purse from sewlola is perfect for any girl with a vintage style and would especially suit a bride-to-be with the beautiful shade of cream and romantic doily pattern! Be sure to check out her other items, they are all equally as unique and beautiful as this one.

Of course, it's always a good idea to have a neutral, yet stylish clutch that you can pair up with your little black dress, or just to run out to the store with. This clutch from Mod Cloth has it all: it's simple but chic, it's casual enough to wear with jeans, and who doesn't love an accent bow. And, most importantly, it's vegan! So not only do you look fabulous, but you're also a friend to the animals. 

If you're looking for something slightly more romantic, Top Shop has a dainty floral print that fits the bill! With an optional strap and glitter detailing, this clutch is a perfect way to soften an outfit and put some spring into your step! Think cardigans, a full skirt, and kitten heels, oh my!

This clutch, by Jessica McClintock, is Saira's favorite. It's elegant and modern, but with a vintage feel to it. It's definitely a must-have for wedding or holiday seasons, because it will compliment practically any ensemble. It comes in black and bronze as well, but the pewter color is just so clean and classic, with a little bit of an edge, that we can't help but want one for ourselves!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Three's a trend!

Hello again,

My posts are like buses this week: you wait around all week for one and then two come along at once! I'm writing again because a wander around the shops at lunchtime made me have a funny thought that led to the photography of some rather lovely bags. And who am I to deprive you of lovely bags!?

I often raise a smile and wonder which high street shops have the same suppliers, as they all seem to have their stock arrive at the same time. I wonder if they all come off the same ship from China and actually land on the shelves on exactly the same day? This was all I could think about as I saw more and more of the exact same things in nearly every shop! In a future life I will shop every single day to test this theory!

Anyway. This week there has been an influx in all the stores (straight off the boat!) of fringed and studded bags, all affordable and all rather lovely actually.

River Island:

New Look: TopShop:

Despite my self-confessed topshop addiction, I actually think they've photographed worst. The new look ones look great but the faux suede fabric feels a little flimsy so I don't think they'd last long (which might not matter given that this is such a "trend"!) The best for me were the river island ones. It's just a shame they were so tiny I wouldn't even fit a third of my current handbags contents in them!!
.

If you see a big leather studded and fringed bag (like the river island ones!) when you're on the highstreet then let me know because i'm definitely on the look out!
.

Lots of love,

Tor

Look bags some bags!

Evening all,

I'm going to start this with a quick note to say that I am going to be blogging in the evenings instead of the mornings from now on, but don't worry; i'll still be updating at least once a day!

As I had my weekly flick through Look magazine on the bus this morning I was overwhelmed by the quantity of quality arm candy: bags bags and more bags!

Mostly too small for carrying my mountains of day time supplies, these are evening bags and therefore I can't justify buying them all but oh oh oh how I wish I could:

Sadly I didn't get any shoe-piration from this weeks look, but the aztec and mexican style bags are definite purchases; i'm going to update all my fail safe black dresses (yawn as you will, I love them!) and bring them up to date for this season without spending a fortune. Or at least more than i've spent already; I have a cunning plan, as Baldrick would say, and it can't fail!

Speak tomorrow!

Love Tor x