Small Post: New Sunglasses

This is just a small post to share my new little purchase, as I am very pleased with it. Although it is technically the wrong time of year to be thinking about buying sunglasses, I am a terrible sunglasses murderer, and mine are often left missing limbs or eyes. I desperately needed a new everyday pair, because although it's getting colder, the Autumn sun is still very bright!

I popped into the Accessorize outlet (looking for slippers for my impending hospital trip rather than anything exciting or yummy) and found that, no doubt because of it being all the wrong season, all of their sunglasses were 70% off. I love Accessorize sunglasses, so I was like a kid in a sweet shop, trying on hundreds of pairs and looking for the best ones.


I settled on these, and with the 70% discount they were just £3.60!! They are a very yummy subtle leopard print with unusual silver trim and the shape suits my face perfectly (even if I do say so myself!!) I also got the long white lace gloves which the sunglasses are nestled on. The were reduced to £3 and I can see them being layered with everything this Autumn!

I know I often rave about outlet stores, and I am prepared to admit that they are often quite hit and miss, but at the moment the Accessorize one is definitely worth checking out!

Love, Tor xx

Fabfrocks reviews: The little guide to vintage shopping

I don't usually do book reviews here (other than occassionally insist that Nell Dunn is a queen and you all go and read Up the Junction immediately!) but maybe I should: fashion and literature are my two biggest passions and I spend my BA and MA dissertations combining the two. I don't know why I haven't done it before, but i've decided that (very occassionally) I will: only books about fashion of course (or books with interesting fashion overtones). I'll leave the serious book reviews to WendyB!


When the little guide to vintage shopping by Melody Fortier arrived on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago, I was immediately impressed by how it looked and felt. I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but if you could then this one would be a winner: it looks like the cover has been made from a very beautiful vintage fabric which has been embroidered: the photo really doesn't do it justice!
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Melody Fortier is a lifelong vintage enthusiast, as well as a vintage buyer and seller, and her knowledge and passion for the subject is immediate from the very first page. She has a shop, a website, a blog, and is clearly in love with what she does!
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I love buying vintage and owning unique pieces, but because of the long and busy hours I work, I find I rarely have the time to do it. (Note to most London vintage stores: please don't close at 5.30pm when most people are still slaving away in their offices!) I also find that I struggle to value the pieces i'm looking at: is that dress really worth £50, or is it a 80s piece from Marks and Spencers (still good, but plentiful on a car boot sale for a couple of pounds!) This book answers all those questions and more. The knowledge the book imparts ranges from how to decide how old a garment is to how to tell if it will fit you; how to care for the garment once you've purchased it to how to alter and modernise your new purchases.


The text is also interspered with some fabulous illustrations of any kind of vintage garment you can imagine; from shoes and hats to underwear and jewellery.
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The book is informative as well as a pretty good read (particularly if you have an interest in history and the history of clothes - it isn't a novel!), and perfect for dipping in and out of whenever you need to know anything about your vintage shopping: The measuring illustrations and guides for prices and eras in table form are particularly useful. There is also a pretty useful section on buying on eBay: perfect for webheads like us (well, like me at least!)
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Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in shopping vintage and wants to know more or as a go-to guide for somebody already dabbling in the vintage game. As it is an overview though, I wouldn't recommend it for someone who is already serious and knowledgable about their vintage! As a casual vintage partaker, it is definitely a book I am happy to have on my shelf.
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Love, Tor x

What's your front row look?

Hi guys,
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I think I was dead right when I said after my first LFW last year that people either go to fashion weeks to see, or to be seen. I am definitely in the first category: my look is far too generic and mainstream to interest any of the street snappers, and after spending day 1 dying in what would be considered "mild" heels, I soon resorted to wearing leggings and pumps, safe in the knowledge that noone cared one little bit what I was wearing anyway!
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However, if I were rich and famous/influential and important/the editor of Vogue, then I know what front vow look I would go for: I would go for the off duty rock chick that I often try to sport with varying degrees of sucess! Although i'm not her biggest fan, Peaches Geldof is pulling this off to perfection at the Unique show sporting a new season TS Unique playsuit (naturally!) Jean Charles de Castlebjac shoes which I am fairly in love with and a mulberry bag. Because everyone in London fashion seems to be having a love affair with Mulberry this month. I'll have to investigate this further!


Maybe Peaches has been taking tips from her galpal (and one of my minor obsessions) Alexa Chung? That's a lady who always looks gorgeous so effortlessly.
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Another look I think I could pull of with aplomb is the magazine editor look: head to toe black in interesting shapes (and obviously painfully thin!) Chic and understated and glamorous and a little too cool for school: thats the fashion editor look! I already have a wardrobe full of black clobber, so i'm probably halfway there! One magazine editor I wouldn't want to look like though is Anna Wintour. Wouldn't mind her job of course! It always amazes me that the high preistess of fashion would dress so badly. So much lilac on a woman of her age and complexion is a recipe for disaster! And am I the only one that thinks her severe bob looks a little like a wig?!
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Anyway, enough of my obsessing about celebrities: I have important fashion things to be doing! I'm so busy and important and influential! Cough! OR I'm scurrying off to have lunch with my sister and a quick peek in topshop. You decide!
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Love Tor xx

PS - did anyone else drink a truck-load of that free vitamin water during fashion week? And kind of miss it now? And wonder if Peaches was clever/vapid enough to deliberately choose her berry bottle to draw attention to her new berry coloured hair? It's a question overload!!

I found another outlet store!

I accidentally did it again! I was wandering down Oxford street (i'd been on a specific trip to buy a new jacket that i'll share later!) when I walked into that little shopping complex halfway down near Tottenham court road (I wish I could remember what it was called!!) and found another outlet store: this time a Warehouse one! Yes, I found a warehouse outlet store!

Everything in store is discounted, with prices starting at £5. I actually didn't buy anything, but I tried on loads of stuff! There was lots of summer dresses and skirts, as you'd expect in this kind of store when the seasons are all confused, but there was also a small collection of winter coats and lots of gorgeous party dresses!

I was tempted by the white graffitti print dress, but as I had just bought my new jacket (yes, it gets two mentions, it's that good!) Still, I can definitely see this store being added to my visit list whenever I visit Oxford street! Like all outlet stores, it isn't the place to go if you're looking for something specific, but it is great for browsing and spontaneous purchases without breaking the bank!
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Love, Tor xx

Pop! Pop! (up store)

Pop up stores are popping up (see what I did there?) everywhere, but this is the first time i've heard of a beauty pop up store. Skincare brand RoC are opening up a pop up store in 18 Maddox Street, Mayfair tomorrow.

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Visitors to the boutique, open from 11am to 7pm, will get to sample the new RoC© Wrinkle Correxion range before it hits the shops in October 2009 and will also have a chance to receive a free skin analysis and personal RoC product recommendation, enjoy a 10 minute mini-facial with the new RoC ranges, participate in make-up masterclasses with Ruby Hammer at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 and receive free RoC samples!!

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As you know I love pampering my skin and getting stuff for free, so I will definitely be popping down (I just cant stop can I!?) to check it out! What better why to prepare your skin before the weekend!?

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I am heading to Norwich this weekend to visit the fabulous (and soon to be famous performance artist, just so you know!) Miss Becky Wigmore. I will be baking her a cake and descending on her armed with birthday gifts. And hopefully, thanks to RoC, I will be doing it with skin that glows like the sun! Pop down and check it out tomorrow, or if you don't/can't get there I will be reporting back tomorrow night!

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Love, Tor xx

Cooperative designs presentation

Hi guys,

At the cooperative designs presentation, the presentation hall was turned into a Bauhaus giant black and white chess set against which the clothes were beautifully displayed. Bauhaus black and white was the theme of the day: even the staff were wearing monochrome, and as you can see, the presentation drew quite a crowd, including uber blogger Susie Bubble (I always feel nervous when I see her!)





Overall I was incredibly impressed by the quality of both the knits and the jewellery (by Corrie Williamson.) The knitwear designs were beautiful draped and made me think about the way that I view knitwear altogether. It's not something I own very much of, and I usually only wear knits over slouchy jeans on lazy days, but these designs were innovative and figure forming and above all very feminine. Knitted dresses are now definitely something firmly on my fashion radar.

Oh, and a definite added bonus of the presentation was the Lilli Vanilli cupcakes: i've never had a cupcake more moist and delicious! Never get in the way of a hungry blogger! Yum!!

Love Tor x

PS-Scroll down to the next post to enter my magical mystery competition!

Follow me....i know the way to a great competition!!

I love running competitions on the blog; not only is it fun, it's also great to share some of the lovely samples and freebies i'm sometimes given with you guys. After all, I wouldn't be given them at all if you didn't keep reading!

Sooo...this giveaway is for a bumper pack of little freebies trinkets: mostly make up and jewellery and suprises! Which I will happily ship anywhere, so you can all get involved!

I'm not going to show you what's in the pack because it is going to be a massive super-cool suprise, but it will be wrapped with love and will also include a personalised poem about why I like your hair in it; i'm sure you have great hair!

All you have to do to win these great prizes is be a fabfrocks follower (if you aren't you can sign up using that little box to your right!) and leave me a little comment. Say absolutely anything you like (it can just be hi!!) but I am a big fan of jokes (innapropriate or otherwise!) and being told how lovely my hair is. I jest!

So get involved. The winner will be selected randomly from a comedy hat on the 4th October. You have until then....

Good luck!

Tor xx

PS - I'm hoping this has that 12 year old excitement of receiving a package from a penpal; I might even sprinkle glitter and sequins into the envelope!

London Fashion Week SS10: William Tempest

Queueing outside waiting to go into the William Tempest show there was a great crowd of fashionistas and, once inside, the hall was heaving with people desperate to get in: a massive success for Tempest before the first note of the catwalk music had begun and the first dress had made its way down the catwalk.

The theme of the show was a view to a kill and the collection was very sleek and glamourous with a 1940s feel. Bunny suits and boleros hint at 1940s advertisements for lingerie, which is where the collection, in part, draws its influence. As the title suggests, the main influence for the collection was the glamour and sophistication of the James Bond found in Ian Flemings novels.






This collection will be the first in which Tempest is branching into accessories, and the oversized butter soft bags would be perfect for any potential Bond girl needing somewhere to put her overnight kit and spy supplies. I immediately lusted after the giant black bag shown above: definitely one for the want list!
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Again shoulders were exagerated with angular shapes and one shoulder structures, and oversized boleros making a welcome return. The colour palette was rich but muted with monochrome as the main focus alongside greys, soft corals, and metallic copper for the glamorous eveningwear.
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The rapturous applause from the audience made it clear, if seeing the clothes wasn't enough, that this collection will be a massive success and it was a pleasure to be in the audience to see it in the flesh.

Love, Tor xx
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NB - It is 1 am and I can barely keep my eyes open, so I will review this tomorrow for sense and grammar etc. I'm too tired to do it now! If any of this read inappropriately then i'm sorry, but it is definitely time to find my bed: I have to be up at 6 in the morning to put in some hours in the office before more shows in the afternoon. And i'm STILL behind with my write-ups. Grrrr!!!!

London Fashion Week SS10: Belle Sauvage

Hi again,
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As you would expect, the prints at Belle Sauvage were bold, bright and brash. But in a good way! As well as their signature graphic prints and lipstick prints (which look even better in the flesh when you see them move in fluid silk) the collection also featured bold block coloured dresses in strong geometric shapes. It was also the first collection I had seen this week that featured swimwear and I was very impressed with the high waisted patterned bikini bottoms.









I was also really impressed with the futuristic spikey plastic jewellery that formed a part of the collection: the oversized cuff in the third picture was one of my favourite pieces. The collection also nodded heavily to the 90s with subtle conical breasts featuring on some of the dresses and sharp exagerated shoulders continuing to be in Vogue next season both in this collection and lots of others i've seen: that shoulder isn't going anywhere!
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I'm heading into town now to go to today's shows and parties, so the rest of this weekends shows will have to be written up tomorrow alongside the shows and parties i'm going to this afternoon and tonight: I haven't decided what to wear yet, but it's now day 4 and i'm so tired i've kind of stopped caring. I have also more than given up on heels- i'm not exagerating when I say there is a massive gash on my right foot that hurts every time I move. Beauty really is pain!!
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Love, Tor x

The world went crazy for Vivienne Westwood

At the Vivienne Westwood show the crowds were so crazy that I couldn't get in to see the show, but the crowds were so vast and exciting and fashionable that I felt glad just to be standing outside for ten minutes. As always, all the celebrities turned up for the Westwood, including Alexa Chung, Peaches Geldof, and Gerri Helliwell (?)



The funniest moment I saw was when the lady above in the purple arrived. As you can see, the photographers went crazy and then half of them started shouting "Rihanna! Rihanna!" I turned to look, and even I could see it wasn't Rihanna; how embarrassing! They then started calling her Michelle and barking at her to turn left, right, over her shoulder: it must be so scary! I still don't know who it was! Any ideas?



Everyone walking past stopped to see what was going on, and all the arrivals stopped traffic: it was insane but I couldn't stop to watch any longer because I had more shows to get to. Reviews coming up!!
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Love Tor xx

London Fashion Week SS10: Louise Amstrup Presentation

Morning everyone,
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I seem to have misplaced all the images I took from LFW Day 2 (I know they're on this computer somewhere, but in my sleep deprived state I can't remember where I put them!) So in the meantime, i'm going to jump straight to day 3, where I saw a particularly good presentation and an exciting show.
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Entering the Louise Amstrup presentation was like entering a photoshoot, with pouting models and jumping photographers everywhere. Installation and fashion were combined perfectly. The models had wet-slick hair and excessively black smokey eyes and nude faces and lips - the make up was very dramatic. Smoke and mirrors if you will: there were mirrors of all shapes and sizes everywhere!




Angular geometric shapes and dramatic black teamed with muted prints in shades of grey were the order of the day. The prints, though muted, had a futuristic space age feel. The oversized exposed zip detail that we have seen everywhere this season is also not going anywhere during this presentation. The show stopping piece for me was that in the second image: the leotard with the spikey angular shoulder details. I have seen a lot of dancewear-style leotard this week - that there is a trend I can't see myself sporting next spring/summer!
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Overall I really liked the collection, particularly the black chiffon tops and the dramatic satin trimmed skirts which on the whole were very wearable.
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More posts to come soon!
Love Tor xx

PS - thanks to Kristabel who helped me out with working out how to enlarge my images: they look much better now!!

Like shoes much??

After a very quick wander around the exhibition at London Fashion Week I realised that I think I have a problem with shoes: instead of taking photos of some of the wonderful and unusual garments on display, I managed to take pictures of shoes I wanted to buy:

Yes, apparently the LFW exhibition is just a massive superstore for bloggers to go fantasy shopping in!!
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Biggest hellos to Nicola of F.A.B and Kristabel of I want you to know who I finally met properly to walk around the exhibition together. They are lovely funny fashionable girls who write great blogs: check them out now!

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Love, Tor xx

PS - I'm taking some great pics and I want them to display here BIGGER! Does anyone know how I can make that happen? I can't work it out!

VFS Ones to Watch: Keep Watching!!

I dont think i've ever hated my camera more than I did at the VFS Ones to Watch show yesterday, when it refused to take photos of the moving models, or did take the photos, but they came out like a formula one racer blur. It was hands down the best show of my day in terms of design, innovation, and pure spectacle.

There were four designers: Dean Quinn, Ada Zanditon, Hermione de Paula, Marko Mitanovski and they were all fabulous, but the one that made me stand out of my seat determined to get some photos now, dammit, was Marko Mitanovski.

Earier in the day I was explaining to a friend skeptical about the fashion industry and the "pointlessness of the catwalk shows due to the unwearability of the clothes" that they aren't all built to be wearable; that the best catwalk shows are those that seem like a great theatrical preformance art piece. That make you gasp at what can be achieved with fabric and creativity. This was that show, as the models paraded down the runway to gothic string versions of Nirvana hits.

My photos are terrible, but at least if gives you an idea of what it was all about:

The models hair had been fashioned to look like antlers, their faces were deathly white apart from the additional of sculptural plastic (?) eyebrows and crazy-long false eyelashes. And the clothes? The clothes were amazing! Oversized collars and shoulders and ruffs, leather everywhere, manipulated into shapes I didn't know it could make. The whole collection was almost entirely black but it still had a richness and texture that you wouldnt believe could come from one colour. And it was eerie: each model was wearing claw like leather gloves and the haunting music got louder and louder.
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It was perfect: everything a good fashion show should be. You can read more about Markus and the other ones to watch winner (particularly check out Ada Zinderman whose geometric shapes you have to see to believe!) on the vauxhall fashion scout website.

Love Tor xx
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NB - There were lots of block colours (blues, purples, apple greens) at Ashley Isham in the morning in drapey floor length gowns with beading detail. Perfect for evening wear. But the fact that the collection didn't inspire me very much coupled with the absolutely appalling pictures I took of the show means that I wont be writing a full post about it.

Bernard Chandran SS10: A taste of the orient

I really liked the Bernard Chandran collection last season, so I had great expectations for his efforts for SS10. Although there were none of the coats and heavy sleeve details that I had fallen for last season (I guess this stands to reason given it's a spring/summer show) I wasn't disappointed. This is the perfect grown up collection; every piece could be tweaked into a sophisticated outfit. Except the facemasks and hats of course- not sure what you'd do with those!
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The first dresses to come out were fabulous fluid silk with an amazing bamboo print. The structure of the pieces was emphasised by the direction of the printed grain:

The headwear was beautiful, and at one point received a mid-show ripple of applause from the audience (for the fishes below)
Sadly, moments later this headpiece made a bit for freedom; the model kept her cool and just kept walking, holding it instead. This was the first of 3 blunders; a model stumble (I also saw one of those at Ashley Isham in the morning) and runaway boobies (nipple alert! nipple alert!) The model was a real trooper, and just kept walking!

The collection jumped from being very fluid to being very structural: on the one hand flowing silk and on the other stiff structured lantern skirts.
The colour pallette was very muted with lots of black and dove grey. This was broken up by the bamboo print and the occassional flash of orange.
Overall I really liked this collection; definitely worth the sweaty panting gross run to make it to the show on time!

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I have one more post to write and then it's time to get ready for today's shows: bring it on!!

Love, Tor xxx

Backstage at Georgie W Couture

OK, so in that special roundabout way that I always do things, i'm starting my round up of today's shows with the last show I went to. I'm doing this because i'm tired and they are the first pictures to come off my camera: the last show was Georgie W Couture. I was lucky enough to go backstage before the show and not only see the collection close up but also talk to Georgie, her team, and the models. Not only that but I also got to touch the dresses and finger the fabric too- gotta love fabric fingering!

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The collection was inspired by the 40s and 50s and the pieces looked like they had been handcrafted for the film stars of the era, whether they were at work or at play. I loved the overt femininity of the whole collection, and the beautiful mustard colour of the utilitarian jumpsuit and flirty fitted trench. There was a focus on silhouette and each dress or outfit in some way accentuated the natural female curves. The fitted pencil skirt was a popular shape, but full 50s swing skirts also featured, as did two pairs of beautiful patterned cotton shorts. The colour pallette featured a lot of dove grey (one of my favourites!) but the 2 silk evening gowns were monocrome: one in black and one in white.

I was suprised by the relaxed atmosphere backstage, especially given that it was Georgie's first solo show. It was also nice to see how excited the models were about the show and the collection; all taking photos of themselves in their outfits. The attention to detail was minute and impressive, with all the gowns pressed to perfection; i'm sure this is normal but I noted it because it was the first time I had been back stage!

The whole collection was really wearable and, as Georgie herself said, each piece represents an investment piece which will last forever: particularly important given the way the recession has affected people's spending. You can buy Georgie W Couture (not this collection, obviously, this one won't be available until next Spring) from Catwalk Genius. Check it out!

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More reports from the shows to come soon, but now I'm going to bed!

Love Tor xx

Would you like to see a fashion show this weekend?

It's not often that you can get something for nothing. It's also not often that fashion shows are open to any fashionistas that want to attend. But that is what's happening at the museum of london this weekend!

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Free catwalk shows and workshops are taking place at the Museum of London all over the weekend, run by Fashion Diversity in association with Mahogany Model Management & Untold Design CIC, with shows from emerging, established and honorary designers including

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I went to the preview last night, and I can tell you that if you don't have any other plans this weekend, it's definitely worth checking out (and if you do have other plans, they can always be cancelled, right?) These pictures should give you a sneak preview of what you'll get if you do:

See what I mean?! Definitely worth checking out some of the incredibly talented designers including choolips (who have a new topshop collection coming out soon), 21 things I love, and a very talented student collective. You can find out more about the events, which end on Saturday, here.
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Right, now i'm off to check out my wardrobe for the millionth time: I have to leave for my first show in an hour, and I still haven't decided what to wear!!!!

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Love, Tor xx