2014 Trends From Achica: My New Obsession

Hi guys,
One of my main resolutions for 2014 (certainly my main shopping resolution) is to finally get to work on our house. We have so much decoration and renovation to do, and I have a vision for how I want the place to look: we're just not there yet!

We've christened 2014 the year of the house. And so all of my shopping focus is on shopping for things I need to get the place kitted out and looking perfect. That's why Achica is my newest obsession: it's like BrandAlley, but for incredible home furnishings! They sent me over their 2014 trend report this week, and I genuinely went weak at the knees with excitement. If my house could look like their catalogue then I would be one very happy bunny:


The geometric-style light fitting is on my immediate hunt and find list! I've bought an incredible chandelier for above my dining table, but don't want to get an electrician in to fit it until I have one for the living room too, so it's a matter of urgency. I also love the pastel room, and am going to use that picture as the basis for my office decoration!

So far, the only rooms we've completed are our bedroom (which we've done in various shades of grey with a vaguely Parisian feel) and Wilbur's nursery (which has a full-blown circus theme). My next project is the bathroom, which we are decking out in a water coloured blue and accessorising with Cath Kidston's rubber duck print. Then it's time to tackle the living room - gulp! We have Sanderson's dandelion clocks wallpaper for the feature wall and then need to get to work with the sander on all the fixtures and fittings. It's going to be the mother of all jobs, but we're looking forward to getting stuck in!

Do you have any interiors resolutions for 2014? And are you using the new year as an excuse to have a proper spring clean? Or are your resolutions far more fashion than home based? I'd love to hear all about them!

Love Tor x

Guest Post: Affordable Shopping for New Season Trends

Everybody has that one friend who can waltz into a shop and return after five minutes with bags full of the season’s latest trends...then you hear how little they paid for everything and you’re left bemused and, in all honesty, pretty damn jealous. Well hopefully this guide will give you a head start on kitting your wardrobe out with must have garms for AW13 without the designer price tag!

Animal Print
Just when we thought it was time to trade in that leopard print coat, Burberry rock up at London Fashion Week with a whole host of animal print designs to bring the trend back to life. For those who dare trying, combine various prints into one outfit. When done right, it’s the ultimate style statement for the fashion gurus out there.

1. Iron Fist Leogir Leggings (£25.59) 2. Vila Chee Mini Skirt (£21.99)
3. RVCA Moon Safari Shirt (£27.49) 4. Vila Colorado Shirt (£24.49) 5. DC Bristol Mid LE shoes (£54.99)

Winter Floral
Who said flowers are just for Summer? Next season we are set to see an explosion of wintery floral prints to bring some colour into our dowdy December wear. Ultimately feminine and full of fun, a versatile floral with brighten any outfit.

1. Jorge Gypsy Floral Cut Out Dress (£35.99) 2. Jorge Dream Lover Leggings (£24.99)
3. Loreak Mendian Bahamas Dress (£53.18) 4. Only Shaded Flower Leggings (£12.99)
5. Louche Bali Flower Pastel Floral Shirt (£34.99)

Oversized
Next season is all about slouchy, oversized clothing. Apart from being incredibly comfortable, oversized items can channel a multitude of looks depending on what you wear them with. Keep an eye out for apparel inspired by the days of punk and grunge. Although this was big last year, a more subtle approach to this look is set to be at the forefront of fashion next season.

1. 55DSL Dadrap Dress (£54.99) 2. Traffic People Tribal Dress (£34.98)
3. Cheap Monday Melinda Short Dress (£20.98) 4. Religion Clark Long Sleeve Shirt (£59.99)
5. Ichi Knur Top (£19.99)

Bold Prints

It seems the trend next season is to incorporate exotic Summer colours and eye catching prints into your Autumn/Winter attire. Geometric designs are always popular, and when accessorised with a large statement necklace will give you an outfit to get those fellow fashionistas hankering for your style flair.

1. Numph Emma Dress (£38.99) 2. Vero Moda zigzag leggings (£14.99)
3. Motel Rocks Hollyanna Print Dress (£34.99) 4. Ted Baker Keicon Kaleidoscope Bag (£27.99)
5. Yumi Printed Top (£17.49)

And remember it’s not always the clothing that makes an outfit, accessorising is the key to a successful style. Use an oversized handbag or bold coloured shoes to make a statement. Team plain clothing with large jewelled necklaces or an extravagant headpiece to add a quirky edge to your look. Don’t forget it’s not always designer or high street stores that hold your every fashion need, having a rummage in charity shops, boot sales and vintage fairs could result in you finding your favourite piece of timeless treasure!

Natalie Gale  is an online content writer for Surfdome.com. Surfdome specialise in the latest fashions and best equipment for extreme sports such as skating, surfing and snowboarding

SS13 In Primark this week: Heading to a festival

Hi guys,
I suspect that, as everywhere prepares for the arrival of the new season (despite the fact we haven't actually enjoyed this season yet: where is the sun?) this will be the last SS13 Primark post. I've already seen a couple of the autumn jackets that will be appearing in store next month, and based on that, I think next seasons offerings will be quite exciting. Bring on AW13!!

In the meantime, the latest arrivals into Primark are just perfect if you're heading to a festival or two over the next couple of months. From practical duffle bags to hold all of your clobber to the now ubiquitous floral festival headband, if you want something new to give you that off-duty rock star look, Primark is the place to be this week.

Everything on the product picture has either landed in Primark over the past couple of days, or is due to arrive by the end of the week: Blue candy stripe barrel bag, £6
Belted floral maxi dress, £13
Acid wash Aztec skinny jeans, £13
Flower headband, £2.50
Box chain spike necklace, £8
Studded skater skirt, £10
Aztec flap satchel, £9

All you need to add if your favourite band tee (which will look perfect with that studded skater skirt!), a lightweight mac and a pair of wellies, and you're ready to go! Being festival ready has never been so easy!

Are you heading to any festivals this season? If so, which ones are you going to and what will you be wearing? I'd love to hear all about it!

Love Tor x

PS - Did you know you can now buy a selection of Primark clothes online, over at ASOS? Perfect if there isn't a Primark near you, or you just can't face heading into those messy stores! My only concern is that because the quality of the fabric in Primark varies so wildly, you wouldn't be able to check that until the product arrives, and could end up spending a lot of time on returns. Still, if you're interested, here's the link!

Daily wear: How to wear a sweatshirt

Hi guys,
Like most trends, the rise of the humble sweatshirt took a while to grow on me. It seemed too casual, too understated, too damn young! But having bought one I've done a 360 on the sweatshirt trend, and will definitely be giving it a go this spring. Here's how I made it work for me:
Sweatshirt- Gap. Necklace- Warehouse. Jeans- Topshop. Shoes- Jeffrey Campbell c/o Sarenza. Handbag- River Island.

- Add a chunky necklace. I'm a huge fan of oversized necklaces anyway, but they're almost essential partners to the sweatshirt. They stop it looking too casual and give a grown up, fashion-forward feel.

- Keep everything else streamlined- you need to balance the volume of the sweat. I've seen several other bloggers really make theirs look amazing with pencil skirts and even sequinned minis. But for my lifestyle, a fitted vest and skinny boyfriend jeans were the order of the day.

- If you're sweat is plain, add a little interest somewhere. I tried this outfit with my black boots and gold pumps first. But the best fit was when I added some pattern via my feet: these slipper shoes from Jeffrey Campbell.(Available here with 30% off)  Heels would have looked even better, but I can't really go to little mans messy play class in heels!

This neon orange sweatshirt was a bargain from the Gap half price sale (I paid just £14.99 for it) and their sale is still on instore and online now if you want to pick up one of your own. I chose this one because it nods to two trends at once- neon and sweats- with mininal effort. But I'm actually thinking of going back for the grey and lilac ones too- outfits for this awkward seasonal transition period, done!

Do you own a sweatshirt? And how do you style yours?

Love Tor x

If you buy one thing this Spring, make it neon!

Hi guys,
One of the emergant trend from this month's spate of Fashion Weeks for A/W13 is neon. We saw it at Henry Holland,  and neon detailing (even for nails and make up) was everywhere.

So this season's neons aren't going anywhere: meaning if you buy seasonless pieces, they're the perfect investment that you can wear now, and still be wearing this time next year.  Think neon jewellery, ballet pumps and lightweight, layerable shirts and tees.
Pink jumper, Gap. Perspex and orange necklace, H&M. Pink lipstick, Dior.  Bracelets, both Topshop.

The best thing is, the current love affair with neon isn't even a new Spring/Summer one. It actually started last year, which means there were, and still are, plenty of fluro neon items to be had in the January and end of season sales. I picked up my neon pink jumper from the Gap sale at the end of January for just £15. And I just ordered a great pair of neon detail sandals from Sarenza to keep me on trend all summer too.

Make up-wise, I think neon is difficult. I certainly wouldn't feel brave enough to wear a neon eyeshadow or (gulp!) neon mascara. But neon lipstick can look great: this neon pink lipstick from Dior has a high gloss shine that makes the colour pop even more, and really draws attention to your lips.

Admittedly, it isn't a trend for the fainthearted. But the benefits of wearing neon are multiple! It instantly makes you look tanned (I don't know how, but it does!), appear on trend with very little effort, and a little bit goes a long way: even a neon cuff is enough.

What do you think of the neon trend? Would you wear neon, or is it just a little bold for you?

Love Tor x

SS13: Candy colours from La Redoute

Hi guys,
There are some trends that you can pretty much guarantee you will see as certain seasons approach. Fur and leather for winter. White for the summer. And just as nautical has been synonymous with spring for more years than I can even remember, over the past few years, candy and pastel colours have become just as big a Spring/Summer trend.
The Brightside of this is that you can spend that little bit more on your pastel pieces because it isn't a flash in a pan trend: you'll be able to wear them again and again. There's no need to pop to Primark because you know you'll only wear whatever trendy pieces you need once or twice! And if it's good quality staples at a reasonable price you're looking for you could do a lot worse than check out La Redoute, who seem to have really thrown themselves into a candy coloured explosion for this season! Row 1: Jacket £69, Bag £39, Tshirt £19, Trousers £59.
Row 2: Blouse £55, Top £29, Bag £99, Top £49.
Row 3: Top £29, Shoes £75, Trousers £55, Sweater £27.

With my new mint green blazer from the Matalan sale, and a couple of pastel blouses that I picked up last summer I will definitely be embracing the candy colours trend this Spring: perfect for teaming with skinny jeans and nude coloured pumps.

What about you? Will you be wearing pastels this spring, or do you think that it's a trend that's been overdone?

Love Tor x

Sneak Peek: The Motel S/S13 Look book

Hi guys,
The January sales aren't quite over yet (I can't wait to show you some of the amazing bargains I picked up when I went on a spree today!) but even more excitingly than that, Spring/Summer is coming.

I've started getting emails containing some of the new season look books from a couple of my favourite brands, and despite my love of all things winter, it's got me feeling quite excited about the warmer weather and a new summer wardrobe. So I couldn't resist showing you a sneak peek of some of the new season pieces from Motel: mostly because I just loved the bright, vibrant, youthful photography, moreso than the clothes.




Summer means flashing the flesh, trips to the seaside, vibrant colours and fun. Obviously Motel is a brand aimed at girls much younger than me (if I'd ever had bare midriff days, they'd definitely be over!) but if I were ten years younger it's definitely a brand I would look to for eveningwear: in fact, I'm tempted to give that leather peplum pencil skirt a go anyway, and risk looking like mutton dressed as lamb! Motel is like a mecca for gorgeous frocks and separates just perfect for a night on the town.

Are you looking forward to summer yet? Have you started thinking about your spring/summer wardrobe? Or are you still firmly focused on hats, gloves, and wrapping up warm in your winter coat?

Love Tor xx

What's new in TK Maxx this Autumn/Winter?

Hi guys,
Last week I was invited along to TK Maxx's bloggers dinner, where they showcased all the trends and key pieces we'll all be able to find instore for Autumn/Winter this year.

You guys know I have a lot of love for TK Maxx. My inner bargain hunter just can't resist a rummage through their rails, and the Gold Label section is like a designer treasure trove! But I think a lot of people are mistaken and think that TK Maxx is nothing but last season's designer clobber: Actually, they also have a mountain of on-trend new season fashions, and their buyers always cherry pick the best pieces available. Yup. I'm not afraid to admit that I love TK Maxx! Which is why it really wasn't hard to pick out my favourite pieces from their Autumn/Winter collections:

Blue coat with fur collar and cuffs, £69.99. RRP £195
Green tweed coat with fur collar and cuffs, £99. RRP £450.
Glitter heels, £19.99
Tan and leopard print bag, £69.99
Sequin jacket with bow tie, £49.99. RRP £149.99
Sunglasses, £49.99

The key trends TK Maxx are championing for this season are: Folklore, English Heritage, Pastels, Modernist, Bourgeois, Empress, and Military. It's the heritage-style tweed coats that I'm most in love with: my coat obsession is well-documented. And there is a checked Moschino coat on their website that I have my eyes firmly planted on! Looking at all of the gorgeous TK Maxx campaign images (full of wonderful coats) only makes me wish that I could wrap up warm and see my breath when I walk through crisp fresh snow. Bring on the cold and frosty mornings:




By the way - Have you seen the new TK Maxx advert on TV yet? I love it, I think it's great! Apparently TKMaxx didn't cast models for the ad; everyone that appears is a 'real person'. And the super-cool woman in the green coat and turban? (AKA the woman I want to be when I reach my dotage) is 76 years old!

What do you think of TK Maxx? Is it a place you shop? And have you picked up any amazing bargains instore recently?

Love Tor xx

More from Primark's A/W Campaign: The party edition!

Hi guys,
You guys couldn't get enough of Primark's A/W casual campaign images, and if you loved those, you're going to love what Primark have coming up for the party season!

I never spend a great deal of money on my party dresses: if I'm going to buy something designer or high end I want it to be something I can get a lot of wear out of. And as party frocks are something I tend to only wear once or twice, Primark is the perfect place to buy them from.

They have gone overboard with the sequins and the glitter (my favourite things, when it comes to getting ready for a night out) and it still amazes me that you can buy a whole outfit, including jewellery and shoes, for less than £50. And you'd look phenomenal!  God bless Primark, and their truly reasonable prices. Here are some of my picks from what they've got coming up:




Picture 1: Sequin skater dress £20 beg Oct.
Picture 2: Sequin mini £12 mid Sep, Stud shirt £13 end Oct, Gem bow black £20 beg Sep.
Picture 3: Sequin short £16 beg Oct, Sequin jacket £25 beg Oct, Gem bow platform nude beg Sept.
Picture 4: Lace dress £17 beg Oct. 

I need that sequinned flapper-style skirt and the metallic sequinned blazer in my life immediately. And if I had the legs to pull off shorts, those matching sequinned shorts would be joining them!

What do you think? Would you buy an occasion frock from Primark? If not, where do you shop when you need something new for a party?

Love Tor xx

Matalan A/W Look book:New season trends

Hi guys,
I always get excited when new season look books arrive through my front door. I love planning my new season wardrobe, and seeing what trends are going to be everywhere as soon as the weather turns a little cooler.

The Matalan look book is divided into six sections: what Matalan considers to be the key trends for this season. They are: Gothic Glam, Masculine, CyberJam (You can see my take on the CyberJam trend here) Heritage, 60s Gamine, and Wild Craft.

My two favourite trends from this look book are Gothic Glam and 60s Gamine. I want to look like an off duty 60s model during the day, and a Studio 54-loving groupie at night....well, a girl can dream! Here are some of my favourite looks from the book:

Don't you think Matalan have upped their game?! I'm really impressed both with the look book, and the stuff I saw instore when I popped in last week. Really trend led, well cut, wonderfully affordable! What's not to like?!

Do you remember the style challenge I took part in for Matalan last week? Well, this is now live on their site, along with takes on the same trends from other bloggers. Check it out here! I'd love to know what you think of all the looks!

Love Tor xx

Obligatory Olympics fashion post - they're here!

Hi guys,
Tomorrow I fly off to Venice and will therefore be completely missing the first week of the Olympics. But that doesn't mean that, like nearly everyone else in the country, I am not very excited to see the Opening Ceremony tonight. Because I am!

But the Olympics isn't just the greatest sports event on earth; it's also a great big fashion spectacle. Stella McCartney has designed the Team GB kit. Ralph Lauren waved the flag for the American teams. And Giorgio Armani created the Italian teams uniforms. But what about us? Of course you can buy the Stella McCartney pieces, but if you're not really the sport type there have to be some options for showing your patriotism during the Olympics, and looking stylish at the same time. Well, here are some of the ideas I've come up with:

Union jack lips clutch, Lulu Guinness, £475 
London soldiers print skirt, Cath Kidston, £35
Union jack holdall, Accessorize, £40
Union jack teacup keyring, Accessorize, £5
Ashish I love Sports sweater, Topshop, £50
Union Jack floral top, Next, £16
Union Jack dessert boots, Clarks, £53
Vivienne Westwood armour ring, Asos, £185

Am you excited about the approaching Olympics? Will you be flying the flag and donning your red, white, and blue? Or are you a little bit fed up of all the hype? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Love Tor x

Primark's A/W Campaign: I'm stocking up!

Hi guys,
I know August hasn't even arrived yet, and the height of summer is yet to come (if the hype is to be believed) but after falling in love with the Autumn/Winter collection from River Island last week, I just couldn't resist a peak at what Primark has in store for us.

No matter how much I try to focus on buying high quality items which will have longevity in my wardrobe, I just can't resist a rummage in Primark! They always manage to pick up on the hottest seasons trends but at the cheapest prices possible. If I want to experiment with something different I always look in Primark before I look in Topshop because I want to make sure I'm going to like a new look before I invest in it: new looks on a budget! What's not to like?!

Here are the outfits I'm coveting right now. And as soon as they hit the stores, I'll be stocking up:

The trend I am most loving from Primark from A/W is the boyish, casual 1960s trend. The sixties are by far my favourite style decade - and although I don't have the coltish figure of Eddie Segwick or Twiggy, I love nothing more than teaming flats with minis and oversized boyish coats. This is the drop I am most looking forward to in Primark, and I imagine I will spend a small fortune!

I also really want to get my hands on that khaki parka jacket with the leather sleeves. It's just £25, and apparently it should land in-store at the end of July. 

Do you shop in Primark? And what do you think of the new season collection?

Love Tor xx

Supermarket love: George at Asda s/s press day

Hi guys,
I don't mean to get all Gok Wan on your asses, but it really is amazing how damn good the fashion offerings from our British supermarkets are. We really do high end and fashion forward trends at affordable prices better than anyone else. I have several pieces from Clothing at Tesco and George at Asda that I have worn season after season without any signs of wear and tear. And with prices generally below £10 for separates and below £15 for a frock, it's a great way of injecting new trends into your wardrobe of staples every season, without it costing a fortune.

This morning I popped down to the George at Asda press day, to see what trends they would be offering us for this Spring/Summer:

The three main trends George seemed to be focusing on this season were similar to the rest of the highstreet: pastels, acid brights, and conversational prints. The conversational print section was the one I was most impressed with: I loved the Victoria Beckham-esque cat print top, the bird print dress, and the gorgeous crown print cardigan, which would be perfect for a kitsch Jubilee celebration. Obviously Jubilee themed pieces (in red, white and blue) are hot property for them, because they're such a cheap option if you need a new outfit for a themed party: think T shirts with corgis on them, union jack print dresses, and bright coloured jeans.

I wasn't as impressed with their accessories selection (it's the one part of my outfit I don't like to scrimp on: only real leather shoes and good quality bags for me!) but if you're heading on holiday this summer and need a beach bag or a couple of pairs of disposable flip flops or sandals, it's definitely worth checking out.

Do you shop in your local supermarket? Or do you tend to think they should stick to vegetables, not fashion? Love to hear your thoughts!

Love Tor xx

Trend: Ice lolly legs!

Hi guys,
I'm trend obsessed. I don't really have my own deeply ingrained sense of personal style, I see myself as more of a chameleon. I just unashamedly love to follow trends, and make them my own. But I also know what works for my shape and fits into my current wardrobe, and what doesn't. And sadly, currently on top of that 'what doesn't' list is this season's hot obsession with bright and candy coloured jeans and trousers.

If only real life was as happy as a GAP ad!

I bought a pair of red skinny jeans from Topshop, and wore them just twice. I really wanted the trend to work for me, but in reality I just ended up wearing outfits that made my (already bigger than the rest of me) look disproportionately large and, well, bulbously bright red!

If I could rock the trend though, here's how I would be wearing it: in bold block colours teamed with equally attention grabbing masculine blouses and pared down accessories. Feminine, understated, and fashionable. Live the dream:

(All of the model pics are from Primark) Pink skinny jeans with belt, Select, £22. Yellow jeans, Topshop, £38. Green jeans, Oasis, £40.

Of the bloggers I regularly read and love, Jen (A Little Bird Told Me) and Reena (Fashion Daydreams) are the two that rock the coloured jean look in a way I can only dream of. Leaving me in my selection of black jeans (my favourite!) hoping that the darker denim look will be back on trend in no time!

What trends do you love but can't wear? If you really loved a look would you wear it anyway, even if it didn't suit your figure?

Love Tor xx

Guest Post: TKMaxx's hottest winter trends

Hi guys,
If I could list ‘designer-bargain-hunting’ as a hobby, it would probably be right up there, which is why, when TK Maxx asked if they could write a post about some of their favourite winter looks in store right now, I could hardly resist. So, are we in for a treat this season? Let’s find out…

TEXTURE CLASH
From snuggly faux fur jackets to shearling coats, knitted gloves to the softest suede boots, this season we’re teaming tactile textures and layering up in winter’s warmest.

Foxy feet
Contrast fierce black leather and buckles with super-soft shearling or add a seventies vibe to your look with a pair of suede and faux fur knee-highs.

Keep toes toasty with the warmest winter boots.
Brown knee-high suede boots, £99.99. Black wedge ankle boots, £79.99.

Hands up
Look-at-me gloves in a Fair Isle print or classic leather and faux fur will add some winter chic to your wardrobe.
Gorgeous gloves in touchy-feely fabrics – yes please!
Leather and faux fur gloves, £19.99. Black and white woolen mittens, £9.99.

Bag it
Boring bags are a big no-no, up the fashion stakes with interesting prints, textures and embellishment.

Studs, prints, knits – this bag’s a total trend-ticker!
Leather and knitted shoulder bag, £19.99 (RRP £45)

Under wraps
Brrr! Beat the big chill with this season’s chicest take on cosy. Pop on a shearling number or a bright faux fur for maximum warmth, maximum wow.


Make some sweet savings on hundreds of winter coats.
Shearling coat, £79.99 (RRP £199). Purple faux fur jacket, £19.99 (RRP £55).

The items featured in this blog were found at the TK Maxx store, Charing Cross Road. Remember, there are fresh deliveries every day, so you’ll always find something new every time you visit. Go to tkmaxx.com to find your local store and to shop online for more of this season’s fashion.