Hello summer, Hello ASOS. Break out the summer dresses!

Hi guys,
I can't be the only one that thinks they have summer sorted, until summer actually arrives. The sunshine and high temperatures today saw me break from wearing my jeans and reach for a summer frock instead, only to find that they're all either too short, too low cut, need too much accessorising or, for whatever reason, just aren't fit for purpose. I think the idea of dressing for summer is much more exciting and easy to romanticise than the reality, which calls for something simple and low key. That's why I've found myself browsing ASOS late at night in my PJs with a fan blowing in my face. And there is so much to love:



This is what I'm looking for! Simple dresses that speak for themselves: just add sandals and go! I think because I love to layer, I tend to favour simple clothes in simple cuts and fabrics, but without the layering potential these pieces simply don't work in the summer months. Time to go back to the drawing board, back to the wardrobe, and do a little more shopping: I currently have windows for ASOS, Boohoo and Dorothy Perkins open in my browser!

How do you handle high temperature dressing? Any hints and tips for looking chic and keeping cool at the same time? I'd love to hear them!

Love Tor x

PS - If you're frantically looking to update your summer wardrobe at short notice then you may like to know that Dorothy Perkins are currently offering 20% off when you spend £50. Excludes sale and selected brands.Just enter the code SUMMER20 at the checkout. The offer ends on Tuesday.

Life lately, according to my iPhone: May 2014

Hi guys,
I missed last month's 'life lately' post, but last month and this month have been very similar. Lots of visits to the farm, the dinosaur park, and sitting in parks and beaches on sunny days. Of course I also turned 30 this month (which was lots of fun) and went on our first holiday of the year, but I've already shared photos of that here. This post celebrates the mundane, everyday moments that seem so important you just have to take a photo: I love these kinds of photos and these kinds of memories. They're what makes everydays so special!

Our first picnic in the park, Wilbur going down the biggest slide in the park, acting like a tourist in the Oxford Street Disney store and eating pulled pork in Bodeans: Yum! 

Emptying the contents of my purse with his 'I didn't do it' face, making my own sunblushed tomatoes, dressed up for a night out, and the beautiful blue skies in Yarmouth on my surprise birthday picnic. 

Fun with paints, our first BBQ of the year, trying to have a bath whilst Wilbur insisted I play with all his toys, The chocolate fudge cake I made for my dads birthday. 

What have you been up to this month? Has the warm weather lead to BBQs, outdoor pursuits and other exciting activities for you? And what everyday activities do you want to celebrate?

Love Tor x

Shoes: My New Chunky Black Sandals

Hi guys,
I've made a slightly biased choice for this month's pick of the shoes, because I've actually already been and bought these gorgeous chunky Jonak sandals, and I'm delighted with them! Yes, I know they're ugly. But ugly shoes are a key trend for this summer: the chunkier the sole the better. In fact, these remind me a little of the chunky buckled sandal/shoes on the catwalk at Proenza Schouler. I'm not sure I'll be going the whole nine yards and wearing these with a girly frock, but I do think there's a time and a place for an ugly shoe, and these are mine:



I've had a couple of pairs of Jonak shoes before so I knew they'd be comfortable, and they definitely haven't disappointed so far. Although, word of warning: the black leather stained the back of my feet and it took days to get it off!

Dirty feet aside, these are my new go-to shoes for throwing on with my rolled up jeans and sheer chiffon blouses. Want to get your hands on a pair of your own? You can pick them up for £74.99. When you think about that on a cost-per-wear basis, I'm pretty sure I'm now only paying around 10p every time I put them on my feet!

Are you on board with the chunky, ugly shoe trend? What will you have on your feet this summer?

Love Tor x

*Post written as part of an ongoing partnership with Spartoo shoes

Collaboration: Ashish x Topshop (Again!)

Hi guys,
It is a little known fact that the first ever LFW show I ever went to was an Ashish show, meaning that I will always have a soft spot for the brand. And because their Topshop collaborations make the brands price point so accessible to me, it is also one of my favourite recurring Topshop collabs! I love the wearable sports-luxe finishes and the tongue in cheek slogans.

Beach, please! sweater, £50. My name is... tee, £40. Dirty beach towel, £45.
Son of a beach towel, £45. Not now eye mask, £30. Black contrast sunglasses, £35.
Please follow me tee, £40.

The collection is very much summer driven (with 'beach' themed word play the order of they day) and I know that those beach towels will be adorning sunbeds across Europe this summer. I also love the same monochrome and grey marl colour palette, which is a refreshing change for a summer collection and a break from the saturated colours we are seeing everywhere else at the moment.

The new Ashish x Topshop Collaboration launched instore and online yesterday and you can shop it now. That Beach, Please! sweater has got my name all over it!

Love Tor x

Trends: Saying Hello to Summer With Dorothy Perkins

Hi guys,
I have a huge soft spot for Dorothy Perkins (or Dotty P's, as we call it in my neck of the woods!) Its just as trend led as some of the other Arcadia brands, but the styles are more wearable, the cuts are more forgiving. Basically, Dorothy Perkins is where the Topshop addicts turns when she has a baby: or at least, where this Topshop addict turned once she'd had her baby, and I can't get enough of it!

I love the changing seasons for so many reasons, but the main one is that it gives us the chance to hit the shops for our new season wardrobes. Here are my picks of the very best of summer from Dorothy Perkins, most of them new obsessions after seeing them in their promo video:


1. 1. Banana leaf print jumpsuit, from £35 to £24.50
2. Floral double strap dress, from £20 to £14. 
3.Pink and White Floral Maxi Dress, from £30 to £27.
4. Floral neoprene dress, £28 to £22.50

I know everything I've picked is floral. I'm having something of a floral moment this summer: from ditzy florals to big blousy blooms they're all I want to wear. Luckily, Dorothy Perkins is the perfect highstreet store to scratch that flower-covered itch this season. There are so many different floral frocks on offer you're literally spoilt for choice! In fact, Dorothy Perkins is always my go to store for florals; they just always seem to get their prints spot on. (I can't be the only one that is still wearing pieces from their 2011 Floradita range!). They're on trend but always wearable, and they always seem to use colours that are flattering to my skin tone. It's like magic!

If you're a floral addict like me then do check out the video: there is a floral swimsuit and a floral bikini in it that I am lusting over so hard: I really wish I'd seen them before my holiday earlier in the month.

Need an extra incentive to check out the new summer ranges from Dotty Ps? You can now get up to 30% Off Everything at Dorothy Perkins in their huge May event: just don't leave it too late, as the promotion ends on the 1st of June (that's this Sunday).

Love Tor x