Monday, 13 August 2012

Warehouse A/W 2012 campaign: Perfect classic coats

Hi guys,
My coat addiction is a well-documented fact. As soon as the A/W stock starts landing in store my new coat(s) are the first thing I go looking for! My theory for lazy winter dressing is that it doesn't really matter what you're wearing underneath as long as the coat you're wearing on top looks fabulous.

But if, unlike me, you don't have or want a coat in every colour and style to go with every outfit and prefer instead to opt for something a little more classic that will go with everything then I heartily recommend you check out the new season coat drop from Warehouse:
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Beige coat, £95, Warehouse
Stud detail coat, £120, Warehouse

Belted military coat, £90, Warehouse 
Faux fur cocoon coat, £90, Warehouse 

I particularly like the faux fur cocoon coat and the black masculine style coat with the stud embellishment on the shoulders: both nod perfectly to this season's coat trends whilst being versatile enough that you could wear them everyday, and with everything. The beige coat is also simple but statement-making, though I dislike the zip up front (It's just a personal preference!)

I will admit that Warehouse isn't a store I've ever thought to go coat shopping before: truth be told, I don't normally rate their style. But these classic coats  are gorgeous, and definitely worth popping in for!

Love Tor xx

Fabfrocks at home: The guide to making bunting

Hi guys,
I am what could officially be described as a bunting making addict. For my wedding I made 10 meters of the stuff. And now I'm at it again, with a bolt of gorgeous Cath Kidston fabric and a mission! Photobucket
Bunting is perfect for the summertime. You can use it to liven up your patio or garden if you're having a BBQ, and it looks great (and girly!) in bedrooms too! Even better, it's stupidly simple to make, and you could whip up a small strip in around an hour. Here's how:
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-Draw a triangle on some cardboard and cut it out to use as a template, so all of your flags are the same size and shape. Your triangle can be as big or small as you want your flags to be: mine is 23cm long by 17cm wide for a point of reference.

-Pin the template to your fabric and cut out your triangular flags; cut out twice as many triangles as you would like final bunting flags.

-Take two triangles and place them together so that the pattern on each triangle is facing inwards (so that you can't see the pattern when you are sewing) Using a simple stitch, sew around the two long sides of each triangle.

- Turn the sewn up flag inside out, and iron flat: you should now have a bunting flag with your fabric pattern on either side. Repeat until you have as many flags as you need.

-Take a length of pretty ribbon and stitch your flags to it: I fold my ribbon in half and sew the bunting flags in between this, so that you can't see any of the stitches, or the scruffy ends of the flags. And that's it! Simple, easy, super-pretty bunting that will last forever and that you can use over and over again!

Have you ever made bunting? And did you find it easy? If you have any tips to improve on the way I'm currently making it, I'd love to hear them!

Love Tor xxx

Friday, 10 August 2012

Havaianas competition: And the winner is....

Hi guys,
You may remember that I have been participating in a great campaign with Havaianas where I created a video showing how I would style their sandals, then invited you to enter a competition showing me how you would style the sandals for a gorgeous summertime look.

Well, the competition has closed, so if you entered it's time for your excitement to reach fever pitch - because it's time to announce the winner! Thank you so much to all of you guys who submitted your fantastic entries, but sadly there can only be one!

I am very jealous of the winner who will receive a blog post dedicated to their look on the Havaianas blog, see their look on the Havaianas Facebook page, and their choice of three pairs of sandals from the Havaianas store! Here's the winning look:
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And the winner, as chosen by the Havaianas team,  is....LucyB. Congratulations to Lucy, who will have an email from me waiting in her inbox telling her how to claim her prize! I can't wait to see which amazing sandals she'll choose!

If you're looking for a little sandal inspiration, I can heartily recommend the Freedom sandals in black: my favourite pair of the pairs I tried out (And coincidentally, also the pair featured in the winning mood board shown above)! I took the red versions with me to Venice and not only wore them around the pool, I also wore them sightseeing with my sundresses because they were so comfortable!


Thanks again for all your entries, and if you weren't the lucky winner then don't worry - there's another fantastic competition coming up soon!

Love Tor xx


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Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Get excited: New season news from Sarenza!

Hi guys,
The seasons, they're a-changing. And that can only mean one thing: autumn clothes and shoes, my favourite season of all, are starting to land in store! My excitement about this was cemented when the Sarenza A/W lookbook arrived in my inbox, and I got to see all of the amazing goodies they have instore for us over the coming months: including a host of brand new designers! Here are some of my highlights:
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Snakeskin heels, Ted Baker, £160
Bright shoes, Kate Maconie, £215 and £230

Fur boots, Chie Mihara, £489
Heart heels, Moschino Cheap and Chic, £379


And here's all the hot news:

-Betsey Johnson is coming to Sarenza! I think I have mentioned before that Betsey is one of my favourite designers: the first designer item I ever bought for myself was a cowboy-style leather Betsey Johnson hobo bag, and my parents tend to buy me a new addition to my collection every christmas. I can't resist her, and can't wait to get my hands on those shoes!

- Adjustable shoes from Tanya Heath! Tanya Heath has designed the first multi-height shoe with an adjustable heel. These clever (and gorgeous) little beauties can go from a glamorous stiletto to a smart and practical low heel in one click. The best idea in shoes I've seen since the folding pump!

-In more gasp and squee about designers news, Vivienne Westwood is also coming to Sarenza for the next season. Another one to look forward to.

- Finally, what trends are Sarenza predicting will be hot next season? Well, look out for patchwork suede, structured heels, snakeskin, and ankle straps. Last year's Chelsea boots and loafers aren't go anywhere either, so if you bought a pair, hang on to them!

Sigh! I just can't wait for all of these goodies to land on the site, so that I can start planning my winter wardrobe. Have you starting thinking about your Autumn/Winter looks yet? Or is it a little too soon?

Love Tor x

Monday, 6 August 2012

Holiday guide: Fabfrocks does Venice

Hi guys,
We are now officially back from our holidays, and normal life (and blogging schedule!) can be resumed again. But first, of course, I have to share some pictures from our trip, so you can see how amazingly beautiful Venice is! I was obsessed with the canals and the gondolas, so managed to take hundreds of shots of them:
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Outfit-wise (because all things must be about fashion, right?!) I opted for plenty of simple and easy jersey dresses both because they're light and fold to nothing, and they don't need ironing. Perfect for travelling! My tan Pucci bag was my constant companion, as were my white, yellow and tan sandals from River Island and my Rock and Republic sunglasses. Keeping it breathable and simple was key!
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My top must-sees in Venice?

-The Guggenheim gallery is top of the list, both because the art is fabulous and because it's set in Peggy Guggenheim's former house. I'm nosey-in each room are photos of how the place looked when she lived there!

-The glass island of Murano is also definitely worth a trip. It's approximately 40 minutes by boat from the centre of Venice, and if you go on either a Tuesday or a Friday you can see the artisans blowing glass whilst you're there.

-As cliche as it is, the Basillico san Marco is absolutely gorgeous: the most opulent and intricate cathedral I have ever seen. Once inside I spent so long with my neck craned back to stare at the ceiling I made myself feel dizzy!

-We stayed at the Hilton Molino Stucky hotel, and I can heartily recommend it. It has a pool on the roof with the best view of the city (which you can see whilst you're swimming) and the breakfast buffet included the usual continental and full English options, as well as smoked salmon and champagne. Delicious!

-Finally, my most favourite thing about Venice? Getting lost! There's something new to find and see on literally every street, so leaving our map behind and wandering off the beaten track to see what we would find was the best thing about our whole trip. Definitely my top recommendation!

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Have you been on your summer holiday yet? Where did you go, and would you recommend it to others? I'm always looking for new places to go on holiday!

Love Tor xxx