Daily Wear: Va-va-voluminous layers for a day at the zoo!

Hi guys,
Well I think the title probably explains where I've been today: we took a family trip to the zoo! In typical British fashion, excuse me for a minute whilst I talk about the weather! Although it's sunny the day started really coldly, which goes some way to explaining all my layers: I decided it was the best way to keep warm in the zoo during the early morning, without having to carry a jacket or bulky cardigan around with me all day. All that volume doesn't make for the sleekest or most streamlined look but nonetheless, here's how I wore it:
 Although they're only from George at Asda these are my new favourite jeans: I love the dark indigo colour and they have enough stretch to be insanely comfortable whilst still holding their shape. On top I am wearing a chiffon embroidered blouse with a peplum from Zara, a cotton kimono jacket from Primark and my new favourite scarf from Topshop: it has an incredible insect pattern all over it.  Finally, these Georgia Rose metallic sandals from Sarenza have been on my feet nearly constantly this summer. They're stupidly comfortable, and their bronzy metallic shade goes with absolutely everything.

This is the perfect jacket for this transitional weather, as when the temperature heated up a little I just removed the kimono and the scarf, and they both folded neatly into my bag: Simple!

What have you been doing with your Saturday? And what are you wearing today? Any tips for transitioning smoothly from your summer to your autumn wardrobe? I'd love to hear them!

Love Tor x

Something for the Weekend: A list of lust!

Hi guys,
It's Friday morning, which means I've taken a little break from my freelancing work (despite having three deadlines looming!) to do a little virtual shopping instead. Rainy weekends like this one are perfect for hitting the shops, and there are new season collections landing in nearly every high street store right now. Here are the pieces I wish I had in my wardrobe right now:

1. I love this draped Vivienne Westwood bag from Sarenza (£337.50) which would be the perfect statement piece for autumn/winter. I'm such a Vivienne Westwood addict, but I actually don't have a bag, so this is definitely the next big-purchase item on my wish list. The burgandy and brown tones would look great and match almost everything.

2. My insect obsession continues, so this oversized dragon fly T shirt from Topshop (£20) has got me feeling really excited. There's still time to enter my competition to win a £100 voucher to spend at Topshop (click here!) and then you could add this to your wardrobe too!

3. Everything I want at the minute is from autumn/winter collections: hang the summer, I'm an autumn lover at heart! At last count I had over 30 different coats, but as soon as they start landing in the shops they're all I want! This leather mix wool coat from Mint Velvet (£199) is next on my hit list.

4. I love statement necklaces, especially at the minute because I seem to spend my life wearing skinny jeans and basic tops which are really livened up with jewellery. This J Crew statement necklace from Net a Porter (£138) is such a great piece, and perfect if (like me) you're trying to avoid the dreaded green of high street jewellry!

5. I actually just ordered these Melvin and Hamilton boots from Sarenza (£119.50). I love the Missoni-style stripes that will match my Marc Jacobs change bag perfectly, and the leather is so shiny and supple-looking. These are really delicious and practical autumn boots!

Have you got your eye on anything new? And will you be hitting the shops this weekend? If so I'd love to know what you're looking for and what treasure you find!

Love Tor x

COMPETITION: Win a £100 Voucher to spend at Topshop!

Hi guys,
Good news! In honour of the beautiful and sunny weather, I've teamed up with Appliances Online (ao.com) to do a give away of a £100 gift voucher to spend on lovely summery things (or anything you want really!) at Topshop! Ironically before they got in touch I had been checking out Appliances Online this week - we need a new cooker, and then I got sidetracked by looking at SMEG fridges (my current object of lust!)
HOW TO ENTER: To enter all you have to do is leave me a comment in the comments section below telling me what you would spend your voucher on, then email me using the subject title COMPETITION (here's my email address!) so that I have your contact details to get in touch with you if you win! It's that simple!

The competition will close one week from today (that's Friday 9th August) at 12pm, and the winner will be chosen at random.
Good luck everyone!

Love Tor x

(You're email address will only be used to contact you if you win, and your details won't be passed on to anyone else!)

Sales shopping: My Topshop jumper is Great!!

Hi guys,
It's sale season, and the Topshop sale has started! I never 'pop in' to check out a Topshop sale without buying something, and this season was no exception. With a better than 50% discount, I picked up this (probably Kenzo inspired) tiger motif jumper. And I think I look, in the famous words of Tony the Tiger, grreat: I know it's not technically the right time of year to be buying jumpers, but with the small amount of summer we've had so far I think it's probably a safer and more wearable investment than a floaty frock.  My jumper was reduced from £38 to £18, so it was a total bargain.

Want a tiger jumper of your own? Here's the clicky link!

Have you checked out the Topshop sale yet? And have you done any other sale shopping? If so I'd like to know where you've been shopping, and what stores you'd recommend I check out next!

Love Tor x

Daily Wear: Like a preppy bumble bee!

Hi guys,
The title of this post is what my husband said when I asked him how I looked today! I'm pretty sure it wasn't intended as a complement. Nonetheless I'm quite happy with this simple but sunshiney outfit, which is just perfect for looking stylish, but not like I've made too much effort when I pop to the shops this afternoon:
The jumper is from Gap (Just £13.99 in the sale: total bargain!), the jeans are Topshop, and the blouse is H&M. The dainty flower necklace is from Cath Kidston. The heels are Steve Madden via Sarenza and the bag is via Hotter.

I usually shy away from bright colours because I'm not sure how to wear them and, truth be told, I don't really like drawing attention to myself which you're bound to if you wear a jumper like this. But this vibrant yellow looks great with my trademark black and new love of denim. And wearing heels helps too: it forces you to carry yourself tall and adds outfit confidence!

How to you wear bright colours? What's your comfort zone, and how do you force yourself to step outside of it sometimes? I'd love to hear your tips!

Love Tor xx

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Daily Wear: Just a walk in the park!

Hi guys,
Isn't it amazing how much the weather can change your mood? After a miserable week stuck in the house with Wilbur last week (mostly wearing jeans and baggy tees) I woke up this morning to find the sun shining and the birds singing, and my immediately reaction was Hurrah! It's the perfect day to throw on a dress and go for a walk around the park!

So that's exactly what we're going to do today, complete with rides on the swings and sandwiches under a shady tree. And here's what I'm wearing to do it:
The dress is years old (like, I got it when I was at university old!) and is from Topshop. The vintage bag is just as old (I was 19 when I got this bag and I'm 29 now. That's some serious wardrobe longevity!). The necklace is the Black Lily one I showed off last week. And the shoes are from Mellow Yellow via Sarenza. I actually ordered these months ago in anticipation of Spring, but today is the first time I've worn them. I'm seriously excited to take them for a spin, as they're so cute, with their little heart cut out details!

Oh by the way - you may have noticed the new background to my last couple of outfit posts: our new garden! We spent much of this weekend mowing the lawn and weeding the patio: my next job is to paint the fences. It's so much nicer to take photos here without passers by on the street gawking. I feel much happier and comfortable posing too: cue lots more outfit posts to come this summer!

What did you get up to this weekend? Did you do anything nice, to make the most of the sunshine? And do you find the change of weather affects your mood too?

Love Tor x

Daily wear: London Fashion Week AW13

Hi guys,
Getting ready for day one of London Fashion Week was something of a harried affair for me - not only did I have to get up and leave Norwich at the crack of dawn, I also had to dress, feed, and settle the baby at the same time. Nightmare! However I did manage to throw some semblance of an outfit together, and I actually think I looked alright. Even if we did take the photos at the back on an NCP car park, because we were running so late!
Coat, Stella McCartney. Trousers and boots, Topshop. Blouse, H&M. Necklace, All Saints. Sunglasses, Rock and Replublic via TK Maxx. Bag, BCBGMaxAzria via TKMaxx.

The patterned trousers were a big move for me, as I'm so self conscious of my thunder-thighs, I never wear anything other than black tights/leggings or jeans on my legs. But I loved these when I saw them in the Topshop sale, and at £10, how could I resist?!

I was planning on wearing my studded leather jacket (which looked great with this outfit, even if I do say so myself!) but when I got to London it was so cold that I threw on my Stella McCartney mac, which was luckily on the back seat of the car. Not as on-trend as I would have liked, perhaps, but at least it's a style classic and I was definitely glad to have it when the wind started biting whilst I was queuing for the shows! And this was another bargain - I got this last year from the Stella McCartney sample sale for £90!

Did you stream or see any shows at London Fashion Week yesterday? Or are you avoiding the LFW circus altogether this weekend? And if so, what are you doing instead? I'd love to hear all about it!

Love Tor x

Topshop Sale: Jewellery final clearance

Hi guys,
I know I said I wasn't going to do any more sale posts, but this one is just too good a bargain not to write a little mention of! The Topshop final clearance sale started today: they have added new lines to the sale, and reduced many of the items originally in the sale too. But when I popped into my local store today the thing that got me really excited was the jewellery: almost all of the sale jewellery has been reduced to £1.50.

I spent the grand total of £6 and got four pieces of jewellery that would have cost £45 full price. In terms of percentage discount, that's got to be my best sale bargain of the season so far! I'm still not buying costume jewellery rings (because of the dreaded green finger) which is a shame, because there were loads of tempting ones. But I did get two great bracelets, a leather strap necklace, and then impulse-bought a studded headband too!
The Topshop sale is also available online if you can't get to a store, but of course the delivery charge makes this super-cheap jewellery more expensive per piece. The other huge bargain worth popping into your local store for were thick (120 denier and 80 denier) tights in a variety of colours for £1-£2 (depending on the colour and thickness). I only wear black tights, but if you are a fan of the brighter ones than they were definitely worth picking up!

Are you still checking out the sales? Or are you focusing on new season shopping now?

Love Tor


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Daily Wear: Sale shopping at Westfield London

Hi guys,
On Thursday I went for my final sales shopping trip to Westfield London: and there were still plenty of bargains to be had! It was also my first trip into London with Wilbur, and I would say it was a very successful trip all round! I love Westfield, so it was great to be shopping there again: regional shopping to good, but you really can't beat London shopping, can you?

I hit up all of the usual high street stores, and after toying with a Balmain-style jacket in Zara, I picked up this coat, reduced from £95 to £50 in Topshop:

Coat and boots, Topshop. Jeans, Miss Selfridge. Hat, Urban Outfitters sample sale. Satchel, car boot sale.

I fell in love with the super-soft fur and the pleats at the back. There's a lot of fabric in this coat (it's soo heavy!) so it was a damn bargain! I also picked up a dress and some towels in Debenhams and two Little Marc Jacobs outfits for Wilbur. Westfield London hands down has the best selection of children's clothes shops I have ever seen: definitely worth the drive down just to dress the little man. And definitely worth it for my new coat: I love it!

Have you had any final sales bargains this weekend? If you're nearby and looking for something to do, I heartily recommend a trip to Westfield London. I'm hoping to get down again before the sales are over: I didn't get to check out nearly as many of the stores as I wanted!!

Love Tor x

*I received a gift voucher from Westfield London to help me write this post


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Shoes: The perfect studded boots from Topshop

Hi guys,
Am I allowed to change my mind and have a new favourite purchase from the sales? Because if I am, it would definitely be these studded boots from Topshop:
And they were a serious bargain! The original price was £80. They were reduced to £50, and having tried them on I decided to snap them up straight away. Then, when I got to the till I discovered they'd been reduced again and I ended up paying just £30 for these babies: you wonder if that even covers the cost of the leather!

It just goes to show that even though the sales are dwindling down, it's definitely worth popping in to some of your favourite shops to see what they have left and further reduced: you could be pleasantly surprised.

Here are some of the best sale offers still on right now:
Debenhams Blue Cross Sale -Up to 70% off (also available online)
Boots 75% off all Christmas gift sets
Matalan 70% off (also available online)
Warehouse 70% off
Topshop: Further reductions (discounts vary)

These boots are going to look great teamed with my gold studded leather jacket. And the best thing is, they look just as good when they're worn with tights and skirts as they do with jeans and trousers. Could they be a contender for the crown of my new favourite boots? It's too early to tell. But lets just say my beloved H by Hudson boots should sleep with one eye open....

Love Tor x

Daily Wear: Feeling Foxy!

Hi guys,
Well it's snowed. Which is nice/terrible, depending on whether you have to trek to work or not. But it's also leading to some interesting sartorial decisions from the general public: it snows and I'm always amazed by the things people think it's OK to wear!

Meanwhile, I have obviously been watching too much Jeremy Kyle, because writing that title immediately made me think of the foxy bingo ad at the start of the show. (Sign of a woman watching daytime TV on maternity leave, methinks?) I am, in fact, not referring to bingo but to my gorgeous new Topshop fox scarf: a Christmas present from hubby. Simply put, it's a scarf that looks like it has a cartoon fox-fur stole on it. And it's just perfect for wearing in this terrible weather:
Fox scarf, mittens, and studded boots - all Topshop. Cocoon coat - H&M. Jeans - Miss Selfridges. Snakeskin blouse - French Connection.

I've teamed it with my new studded boots (which will be getting their own post shortly), cozy knitted mittens, and my rust coloured cocoon coat, which coincidentally matches my foxy scarf perfectly.

I love winter accessories: they're so much fun! When else can you wear faux fur on your head, mittens on strings like you did when you were a kid, or a hat scarf and glove set that all look like pandas?! It's like winter arrives and all bets are off: child-like colours and patterns become the norm. I think the snow brings out the kid in all of us, and I love it!

How are you keeping warm in this terrible weather? What are you wearing, and are you wrapping up in any unusual winter accessories?

Love Tor x

Simple fashion maths for winter dressing

Hi guys,
I'm starting to think more and more about how I can simplify and streamline my wardrobe, so that I am always looking slick and well put together as easily as possible, whilst still making the biggest impact. Long gone are my days of having hours to plan outfits: instead I want to look good with low impact and then throw on some lipstick (my fail safe tip for looking like I've done my make up when I haven't!)

With these pieces getting dressed in the morning couldn't be easier: just pick one item from each row (I've chosen them all so that they can all be mixed and matched), throw it all together, and you're ready to leave the house in minutes.The perfect mathematical formula for low impact casual winter dressing:


Black leather look sleeve biker jacket, River Island, £75
Ombre faux fur coat, Topshop, £89
Contrast sleeve drape jacket, Warehouse, £85
Owl print skinny sleeve Tshirt, New Look, £9.99
Stud shoulder jumper, New Look, £27.99 
Silk ombre blouse, Warehouse, £55
Ultra soft jeggings, Dorothy Perkins, £23
Leigh khaki skinny jeans, Topshop, £38
Bleach mom jeans, Topshop, £40
Red suede boots, French Connection, £100
Black biker boots, Office, £60
Brown ankle boots, Jeffrey Campbell, £120

I'm a big fan of this new, understated look. I'm starting to come around to thinking that simple basics are the way forward. I already own the leather sleeve biker-style coat from River Island and the black jeggings from Dorothy Perkins. Both are definitely going to become post-baby wardrobe staples. And my favourite jeans in the world (and I'm very fussy about jeans!) are the Leigh skinny jeans from Topshop. So many of the items listed above come highly recommended by me!

Do you tend to find yourself wearing similar outfits over and over again? Could you put together a formula for creating your perfect casual wardrobe?

Love Tor xx

Shopping: Wishing for my wishlist

Hi guys,
As my due date draws closer and closer (we're now just three weeks away!) my fantasies about wearing normal clothes and shopping in all of my favourite high street stores are increasing dramatically. I want heels, dresses with waistlines and chunky rings I can actually squeeze my swollen fat fingers into!

So to satisfy my shopping cravings, I've put together a little wishlist of the things I have been most lusting over this week:

1. Fuschia knuckle ring, dollybowbow.co.uk, £12. 
Yes, it looks just like the YSL Arty ring, which is the ring I would actually like to add to my wishlist. (I'm obsessed with it in this colour)  but at £180 it's every so slightly out of budget. This dollybowbow one is one of the best replicas I have seen though, and a snip at less than a tenth of the price!

2. Floral and lace mix dress, Topshop, £60
This has all the makings of the perfect Christmas time dress. Unlike a sparkly/sequinned dress which you could only wear for a Christmas party, this one is versatile enough that you could wear it for almost anything: dress it up for a party, down for lunch! Note how I'm justifying this purchase to myself: I'm having this dress!

3. Vintage Chanel drop earrings, ASOS, £795
Nope, that price tag isn't a typo. But what kind of wishlist would this be without something outrageously expensive on it?! Besides, they're so purty!

4. Blue print ankle boots, River Island, £65
Who says winter boots had to be boring? Or match your coat? Or easy to walk in? For these beauties, I'm prepared to throw all of my boot buying rules out of the window!

5. Digital jewel clutch, ASOS, £15
Attending a wedding last month drew my attention to the fact that I only actually own 2 clutch bags (one red, one blue) and I just don't think that's enough! Yes, I accept I won't fit many nappies in this beauty, but it's too pretty to let practical concerns get in the way!

6. Polka dot sequin jumper, French Connection, £62
This is another one that I think will be just perfect for Christmas: all the coziness of an oversized jumper, but with sequins! I love polka dots, so this jumped straight out at me when I saw it instore yesterday. I'd like to pair it with coloured heels and skinny jeans.

What's on your current wishlist? Is there anything you're lusting over, and what's holding you back from picking it up?

Love Tor x

Daily Wear: The swan dress

Hi guys,
I saw this swan print dress on the Topshop website, immediately fell in love with the print on it, and scurried to the Oxford Street store to snap it up! Topshop seem to have gone slightly crazy with this print: you can also buy it in a standard and petite non-maternity tea dress, shorts, jacket, jumpsuit, and blouse.

The great thing about a printed dress like this is that you don't have to do to much to dress it up. I went minimal with accessories, and just kept everything else black. Here's how I wore it:



Eeek - please excuse my chipped toe nails (must rectify immediately!) As I said, the swan print dress is from Topshop, Marc Jacobs handbag, belt from Primark (but doesn't it look like Moschino and it only cost £3?!), Primark sandals, Rock and Republic sunglasses and Marc Jacobs watch.

This is the first time I've worn sandals this month, and just putting them on really makes it feel like summer! I wore this outfit to meet Mike from work and head out for pizza: we decided we needed a treat before coming home and continuing operation Paint the Whole House. I keep finding paint in the most obscure places, and we're not even half way through yet! I know how I'll be spending my evenings for the next fortnight...

What are you wearing today?

Love Tor xx

The Fabfrocks maternity wishlist

Hi guys,

Another glorious Monday! Monday is my favourite day to create shopping wishlists: it's amazing how a little harmless Monday lunchtime browsing can make the week suddenly seem manageable again, isn't it? All of my virtual shopping this week has been pregnancy related, and as I'm guessing you don't want to see which moses basket or crib I'm thinking of buying (and frankly, who can blame you!) I've decided to filter this down to all of my  current fashion wants.

In terms of my growing girth, I have reached the point where I can no longer zip up my fitted dresses/skirts/jeans. Which means it's time to hit the shops and check out some maternity clothes. Gulp. So here's everything I'm currently wishing for. Apart from my waistline back, of course:

Coral ruffle dress, New Look, £39.99
Swan collar dress, Topshop, £38
Sequin tunic, Isabella Oliver, £104.50
Aztec tshirt dress, Topshop, £28
M by Missoni maternity cardigan, Blossom mother and child, £278 
See by Chloe yellow camoflage tunic, Blossom mother and child, £377

Actually finding pretty maternity clothes on the highstreet is really hard. If you like jersey or plain t shirts you're in luck! But if you want anything like my normal wardrobe (tea dresses, lace tees, leather leggings perhaps) then you won't find a great deal. And if you do, tell me where, because I'm getting desperate! Topshop seems to be the best I've seen so far, in terms of sticking to the same styles/patterns as their mainline range. But frankly, I can't afford a whole new wardrobe from Topshop that I will only be able to wear for 5 more months! Time to look at my existing wardrobe and get creative, I think...

Love Tor xx

PS - Don't forget to enter my competition to win one of TEN St Tropez tanning sprays or lotions worth £26 each! 

Daily Wear: The Weight Watchers Weight Loss Wardrobe challenge, day 3

Hi guys,
Another day, another rainstorm, so sadly I was driven indoors for photos today. Now you guys all know how I feel about jeans (the blogs called Fabfrocks, for godssake!) but since I found these relax-fit skinnys in Topshop I wear them constantly. So I knew they would be the perfect fit teamed with this super soft coral cardigan from the Weight Watchers wardrobe: frankly, anything with a gold button, and I'm sold!

I teamed them with the green wedges, also from the Weight Watchers wardrobe (and chosen for their leg slimming potential) and a cute flower and butterfly headband from Topshop because, dammit, I like things to match, and it was the only thing in my wardrobe that had both coral and green in it. Overall I think its a pretty good casual, rainy day outfit:

Today I’m wearing:

Coral cardigan, Debenhams (from the WW weight loss wardrobe)
Green wedges , Faith @ Debenhams (from the WW weight loss wardrobe)
Long line necklace, Debenhams (from the WW weight loss wardrobe)
Relaxed skinny jeans, Topshop
Head band, Topshop
Satchel, Betty Jackson Black @ Debenhams 

You can view more detail pictures of the outfit over on the Play Weight Watchers website, including close ups of the outfit, jewellery, and shoes. And because this is all about Weight watchers, and feeling good while you're losing weight, here's a little fun fact you might find interesting: "While only 8% of women who are size ten said they had been made to feel overweight or insecure about their body shape by a server in a clothes shop, that figure quadrupled for women who are a size 20." Gulp. I can't be the only one that reads things like this, and things that things really need to change!

To find out more about the Weight Watcher Weight Loss wardrobe and why I'm taking part click here. 

Love Tor xx

Fabfrocks picks: The best rainy day rain coats

Hi guys,
It's raining, it's pouring, it's time to dig out your raincoat!

If, like me, attempting to dig out your mac made you realise that a) it doesn't fit you and b) it's not actually waterproof then it may be time to hit the shops and find a new one. Sadly, in a country as wet as ours, a raincoat is an essential piece of kit: more so even than an umbrella, which is 90% likely to blow inside out as soon as it's hit by a little wind. But if you're looking for a waterproof jacket (i'm not talking chic macs here!) it also isn't something you generally want to spend alot of money on: after all, you're only going to wear it when it's raining, meaning that no matter how great your outfit, your shoes will still be soggy, and your hair will still be frizzy!

With that in mind, here are my picks of the best affordable waterproof raincoats on the highstreet (only one is over £50!):

Victorian rose raincoat, Cath Kidston, £35
Yellow plastic rain mac, ASOS, £50
Clear plastic mac, Topshop, £35
Red rain jacket, H by Henry Holland @ Debenhams, £27
Metallic long jacket, Topshop, £45
Floral rainy day mac, Boden, £97

I always think rain coats should be fun: they remind me of being a kid and splashing around in puddles wearing wellies with frogs on them. Which is why I haven't chosen a single black rain coat: it's just not a garment that should be taken that seriously! My raincoat is a cag in a bag (or mac in a sac, whichever you prefer) from primark which is pink with a red cherry pattern all over it. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's exactly how a raincoat should be!

How are you protecting yourself from today's deluge of rain? Do you have a comedy raincoat, or are you more of an umbrella kind of gal?

Love Tor xx

Daily wear: All the old favourites!

Hi guys,
There is comfort to be found in familiar clothes. I have several outfits I know I can just throw on and will look and feel great, regardless of how many times I've worn them before. These outfits usually aren't trendy or particularly fashion-forward. But they look good, feel incredibly comfortable, and most importantly, don't take too much thinking about in the morning!

Nothing I'm wearing today hasn't been featured on the blog (at least twice!) before:
The blouse is from Primark (the cost per wear on this must be down to about 20p by now!) The jacket and leather panel leggings are both from Topshop. The bag is from TKMaxx, and the shoes are from New Look. Jewellery-wise I am wearing all of the usual suspects: my tooth neclace (which I've now had for more than 8 years!) my Marc Jacobs watch, and two See by Chloe bangles.

My brogues have actually seen better days and definitely need replacing: I'm thinking about getting these Mellow Yellow ones from Sarenza instead. But even when they're old, dirty and smelly, it's hard to replace shoes as comfy as these!

Do you have a 'comfort' outfit you couldn't live without?

Love Tor xx

Beauty: A week in my finger nails!

Hi guys,
According to new research, the fastest selling beauty product right now is no longer the lipstick, but the humble nail varnish. The theory is that in the recession, where we can't afford to update our looks with new clothes right now, women are instead choosing to update their look by changing their nails.

I've always loved painting and looking after my nails, and generally I varnish them every other day: every day if they chip. So rather than look at what I wear in a week (because let's face it, you've seen almost every piece in my wardrobe before!) I thought I would show you a week in my nails:

Friday: You may have seen these nails in my post of what I wore for London Fashion Week, Day 1. I cheated with these and applied nail wrap: these are Nail Rocks. As you can see, they peeled really quickly though, and the ends didn't look great!

Sunday: The grey base colour is from Essie. The shade is called Then and Now, and was specifically designed for the new online shop of the same name. The mustard is from Topshop. I don't have any nail pens or fancy tools, so I applied the polka dots using the end of a lolly stick! I wore these nails with a simple grey dress and mustard heels: I love coordination!

Tuesday: I'm prepared to admit that I was watching My Big Fat Gyspy Weddings when I painted my nails on Tuesday, and that definitely influenced the results! To create this look I applied a lovely rich red Nails Inc. varnish called Victoria, and used my Barry M glitter varnish for the tips. It looks a little bit cheap (like badly applied acrylics) and I was definitely pleased when it started to chip and I could take it off!

Thursday: I went home to my parents house for my nephew's Christening over the weekend on Friday, so on Thursday night I applied a simple and glossy coat of this neutral looking brown Boujois varnish. I wanted something that I could touch up quickly and easily over the weekend, and this definitely fit the bill!

How do you update your look without spending a fortune? Are you a slave to your nails, or happy to let them chip?

Love Tor xx

It's not over 'til it's over.....

Hi guys,
Usually by now all of the sales are just about done and dusted. But this year, maybe because of the warmer than average weather and maybe because half of the country is flat broke, there are still a ton of bargains to be had. Some stores are advertising up to 70% off, and almost every high street store is offering further reductions. If you aren't in the flat broke half of the nation then hit the shops, because you're in for a treat! Here are my picks:

Metallic detail dress, Topshop, £40 (was £150)
Beige coat, Miss Selfridges, £30 (was £69)
Brogue ankle boots, Feaith @ Debenhams, £32.50 (was £65)
French connection bag, £64 (was £160)
Vintage apple ring, Accessorize, £1.80 (was £6)
Lanvin purse @ Harvey Nichols, £68 (was £170)
Marc by Marc mouse pumps @ Selfridges £149 (was £215)

Miss Selfridges has an amazing sale. I picked up this gorgeous leather (actually pleather) sleeved coat for just £30, and it's still available on their website. It looks so much better on than it does off - in a soft lightweight fabric and an amazing fit. I'll be showing it off soon!

As well as having up to 75% off all of their sale, all of French Connection's sale coats are now £89 or less. My tip would be to look for a classic style in a colour you love, so that you can buy and wear it now, but still wear and love it again next winter too: that way, you're actually saving money!

Have you had any amazing bargains from the January sales? Are their any other shops you'd recommend I check out?

Love Tor xxx