What Aussie would look like if it were a frock!

Ok, so here are the things I know about Aussie: It smells really good. It makes my hair incredibly soft and shiny. It contains Australian ingredients. Did I mention it smells really good?

This means that when putting together an Aussie outfit it has to be sweet (but not sugary sweet!) lightweight (i've never seen a picture of anyone in Australia wearing a far coat) and full of lots of different textures, like all the different hair textures the brand looks after.

There are lots of different Aussie girls (from goths to glamour models) but i've decided to style the outfit to what would suit me because a) i'm an Aussie girl and I use their products and b) i'm constantly at my own disposal! So here it is:


The outfit is a party outfit because I reckon the Aussie girl is a party girl: so first off she gets killer heels. Office £50.
Then i've used the feather skirt I tried on last week because the colour reminds me of the colour of the Aussie conditioner I use (could I be more literal!?) Topshop £75
I've teamed it with wet look leggings (wet like my hair after a shampoo, you could say!) Topshop £20.
Then i've added a simple rock-chick top from River Island £34.99, and a sparkly clutch from New Look.
For jewellery I went simple with earrings (to draw attention to the hair of course!) from New Look as well.
Oh, and dont forget the obligatory kangaroo and pint of Fosters: I couldn't do an Aussie outfit without it!

This was fun! Think you can do better? Then enter my competition here to try this yourself!

Love, Tor xx

Aussie Competition: Enter now, you know you want to!

Being an Aussie Angel has been so much fun, and i'm so glad they asked me to get involved! The best thing is the little suprises, like this biscuit tin that arrived in the post this morning.

In it was a Tim Tam (which I am munching on as I type!) and a personalised card inviting me, and all of you guys, to take part in a competition!

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I think this could well be one of the most fun competitions I have run on this here blog, because it involves us all getting creative! Here is the blurb, from the Australian horses mouth itself:

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"We know you're really a clothes horse (not a hair horse) and we want to know what Aussie really means to you. What beyond the Mmmmm, the Aaaaah? What if Aussie were an outfit? What would it look like? What would the care label say? Show us what an Aussie tailor would produce. Ask your community (that's you guys!) to do the same. Revel in your collective awesomeness"

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So there you have it! All you have to do is be a follower and let me know what an Aussie outfit would look like in the comments. You can either describe it in words or upload a link to a picture; i'm working on mine now and will reveal all this afternoon. I think this could be a whole lot of fun!

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In the usual Aussie cryptic way, I have no idea what the prizes are, but they're sure to be awesome! The competition closes on the 30th November, so get creative now!

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Love, Tor xx

Shoes that are good for the Sole

Although expensive (so expensive I don't actually own a pair!) French Sole pumps are the most comfortable, prettiest shoes I have ever had on my feet. Because I am more of a flats than a heels kind of girl (comfort is king!) I have lusted after a pair for a very long time- and in Tor world lusting means frequently trying on! I was thinking about them because of this gorgeous pair I saw in Look magazine today:These ones however say "I love you" across the heart, where the ones in the magazine simply say "French Sole". Perhaps they're too new to be on the website yet?
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I really am trying to have more investment pieces and less Primark in my wardrobe (although I still love Primark very much!) But I am trying to have Primark for my trend-led buys that I don't expect to last more than a season or two (sequinned party dresses for example) and spend a little more on 'the classics' that I know I will wear over and over. Like new pumps. The problem is I am always drawn the crazy colours and patterns rather than the cute patent black pair that I could actually talk myself into buying as an investment piece.

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Here are the ones I fancy:

Maybe this means that i'm just not ready to be sensible and buy investment pieces yet. I still fancy a pair of these pumps though - here's hoping the January sales will be kind to me!

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That's definitely what I will be looking for in the sales: decent shoes are always a sensible investment even if I never go for the sensible pattern! It's a discussion I have everytime another pair of Primark pumps has to be thrown away. "I could have had a really nice pair of pumps the amount i've spent on these over and over again". The problem is, of course, that you can find the fiver needed to replace the above mentioned shoes, but finding £100 all at the same time for the nice pair is more difficult.

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Love, Tor xx

Love of the day... Soap and Glory

So the whole of the soap and glory range is one 3 for 2 at Boots at the minute, and their gift sets are also on 3 for 2 in the Boots Christmas gift range. What better excuse did I need to buy 3 things (paying for only 2 of course!) when I popped to Brent Cross on Sunday afternoon??

I got the body scub, the anti-cellulite gel (it's nearly Christmas - time to panic!) and the convenient spray on moisturiser. Except of course they all have much better names that that (thing no1 I love about Soap and Glory) such as Mist you Madly, The righteous butter, clean on me, and my personal favourite, sexy mother pucker. The lovely man at the counter also gave me 2 of the free gift bags (it must be my winning smile!) which the bf is going to use for my sisters Christmas presents: he isn't one for wrapping paper!

I was given two wonderful Soap and Glory gift sets last Christmas having sampled some of the shower gel ala Becky's house, and I have been hooked ever since.

The packaging is amazing and brightens up your bathroom with its witticisms and vintage bathing beauties (thing no2) and thing I love about Soap and Glory no3 is that each item in the range has the same rich distinctive scent. This means that the more of the products you use the more that smell is layered, and once on it lasts all day. It also compliments every fragrance on my shelf. Oh, and to answer the most important question, in my opinion at least, it works! I user the sexy mother pucker lip gloss on every night out for a magnificent pout and the body butter and moisturiser soften and moisten my skin. If it wasn't so close to Christmas I would be heading down for another 3 for 2 bargain, but i'm hoping santa has another gift set in his sack!

In other news:

• There is no Jimmy Choo @ H&M post because by the time I got there on Sunday nearly everything had sold out
• I saw a poster this morning saying that Brent Cross had started their Christmas opening hours: they're now open until 10pm on weekdays. Woo!!
• Watch this space, because in the next few days I will be launching a competition in collaboration with the lovely folks at Aussie hair.

Have a great day!

Love, Tor xx

PS-I just realised that the pictures I used make this look like an advert but it isn't! I paid for all the products and just wanted to share!! And I felt too lazy to take pictures of my own products - my laziness will be my downfall!!

Need to do some Christmas shopping? Head to Debenhams!

Now I must confess that the only time I ever go to Debenhams is at Christmas because I like their Christmas gift range. And now they've added even more incentive. Debenhams has today announced that is launching a £250 million Christmas spectacular price cutting campaign a massive 6 weeks before Christmas. Tens of thousands of items across all stores and the online site will have their prices slashed.

A similar pre-emptive strike by Debenhams last year was so successful that it forced many big name retailers to cut Christmas prices: I'm sure its not good for the economy, but it is good for me getting the hundreds of presents I have to buy every year without going bankrupt!!

In the press release they sent over they included some examples of the discounts on offer, and I have to say I was impressed:
Vera Wang Rock Princess Eau de Toilette 30ml reduced from £32 to £16
J by Jasper Conran fur trapper hat from £20 to £10
Guess polished diamante bracelet from £100 to £50

I am hoping there will be discounts on the jewellery boxes because I was going to buy one for my sister this weekend! And so that all this shopping doesn't interfere with my very busy and important life (ha!!) stores will be open from 8.00am until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday (18 and 19 November) from 9.00am to 10.00pm on the Friday (20 November) and 8.00am to 7.00pm on the Saturday (21 November).

I can only actually think of one thing to say: On your marks, get set, go shopping!
Love, Tor x

Party dress week. Day 3: Topshop.

No self respecting party dress week would be complete without a trip to Topshop; it is the place most 20-somethings head to when they know they need a new party frock, and i'm no exception to the rule.
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The theme of the Topshop Christmas collections seems to be a luxe rockchick. Everything is either black or nude with feathers, shaggy faux fur, sequins, and stud embellishments. The black sequin detail dress may be quite understated, but it is the favourite one i've tried on this week. I felt very pretty and also very thin! Here they are:

The black dress is actually from the tall section, which seemed to work because it meant there was a longer bodice for my bust. The feathered skirt is gorgeous although not neccessarily with the lace waistcoat I teamed it with. At £75 though, it doesn't come cheap and its cost per wear ratio can't be good! I adore the floral dress and although not dressy enough for a Christmas party, for £35 I think I will pick it up for other dinners and drinks that always pop up around the festive period. The nude dress was beautiful, but didn't work on me at all.

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I'm hoping to get to Brent Cross for a peek at the Jimmy Choo for H&M collection tomorrow - if I do i'll report back!

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Have a great weekend.

Love, Tor xx

Party dress week. Day 2: Dorothy Perkins

On the recommendation of Make Do Kate, today's picks of the party dresses will be from Dorothy Perkins. Like Kate, i'm a big fan of Dottie P's and although it doesn't have a reputation for being as fashion forward as its trend-led sister Topshop, I think the tables are turning. Dorothy Perkins nods at the trends without sacrificing the important things, like how the garment will fit on the body of a real woman.

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For those of you that liked Monday's little history lesson (I really am a geek when it comes to anything from the 60s!) here are some Dottie P facts. Dorothy Perkins was founded in 1909 and named after a rose. In the 1960s, Dorothy Perkins was controlled by the Farmer family and was best known for its underwear, tights and PJ's (like the M&S of the 90s, some might say!) The stores never really got to grips with sixties boutique culture. Author Margret Geraghty who worked there for a while in the late sixties remembers that all the sales staff had to wear nylon uniforms: 'They were cerise with a zip up the front. Forget dolly birds. They looked more like canteen assistants.' The exception was the store manageress, who was allowed to wear her own clothes.

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Leap forward half a century and Dorothy Perkins is a different proposition altogether. Here is my pick of their Christmas party dresses:

No trying on today, as I simply haven't had the time because of lovely mummy coming to stay. But I will be back to trying on tomorrow (I already have some pictured lined up and ready for editing)! As you can see, I have chosen dresses with sleeves today, for ladies (like me!) that aren't especially keen on showing off their upper arms; you can cover up and still be ready to party! Dorothy Perkins seem to be sticking to the Arcadia group's festive mix of sequins and jewelled embellishments, and electric blue is a key colour on their pallette, complimenting the obvious choice of black.
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Definitely a stongly contending collection from Dorothy Perkins. Tomorrow I think I will step away from the Arcadia group (although Topshop will get a mention as well!!) Where would you like to see me go now?

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Love, Tor x