Sale Time at Dorothy Perkins

Hi guys,
The summer sale season is upon us, with the first sales of the sales season starting today: first I'm going to look at Dorothy Perkins, where all sale items are currently up to 50% off. Here are some of the highlights:

If pastels, ladylike lace, conservative fitting blouses and pencil skirts and plenty of jewel embellishment are all things on your summer wish list then there really isn't anywhere better than the Dorothy Perkins sale right now. If you like to plan ahead and are already thinking about your autumn/winter wardrobe then you will also find some lovely pastel teddy bear jumpers, and even a coat or two at amazing prices. Shop the Dorothy Perkins mid season sale with up to 50% off, and find out for yourself. You can shop online and get an extra 10% off if you sign up to the Dotty P's newsletter too.

Other sales that started today are GAP and Topman: I suspect the rest of the Arcadia group will be following suit shortly. And for Londoners the Selfridges sale starts tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the Next home sale (I need a new light fitting for my lounge, and am clearly showing my age!)  It's the summer sale season, and I can't wait to hit the shops!

Have you got any sales on your hit list that you've been waiting for?

Love Tor x

Love by Julien Macdonald at Matalan

Hi guys,
Could Julien Macdonald be the king of high street collaborations? Not content with having womenswear, kidswear, homeware and beauty collections at Debenhams, the dancing designer has now launched a swimwear collection with dear old Matalan. The new collection is inspired by Julien’s favourite holiday destinations with two beautiful trends ‘Tough Luxe’ and ‘Floral Fusion’, both designed with real women in mind. And the price points are incredible! Here is a behind the scenes video, and some of my favourite pieces:

The collection really does stick to Julien's signature style: lots of bold colours, leopard and zebra print, and glamorous dresses. The shoes are inspired by the ones from his mainline collection and, as standard, there is lots of shimmer, diamante, and assorted other bling! If you like the over the top Julien Macdonald style of dressing then you'll love this collection.

Prices range from £8 for a pair of bikini bottoms to £35 for a pair of embellished sandal boots. Shop the new collection here, it launched today. What do you think? Will you be getting bling-tastic in the new range for a little pool side glamour?

Love Tor x

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