Fabfrocks reviews: Isabella Oliver 365 Shirt Coat

One of the best things about ordering something online is the anticipation of the package arriving. And the second best thing about ordering online is opening the parcel. In my experience, the better the quality of the packaging, the better the quality of the treasure inside. This was certainly the case with Isabella Oliver: the packaging was beautiful and had me excited before i'd even seen the coat: I was delighted when Isabella Oliver told me they were going to be sending me their Shirt Coat for review because its the perfect coat shape for me: a little fitted at the top but loose and masculine below the bust.

The sleeves are bracelet length, perfect for showing off pretty leather gloves or, when the weather warms up a little, a bracelet in the evening. The coat is made of 95% wool, 5% cashmere, and it's so soft it leaves all my other coats in the shadows. The buttons are metal and have a subtle military detail which I love: the devil is in the details! I love the swing shape, and the way it drapes longer at the back (like a mans shirt!) But because of this i've teamed it with skinny leggings and fitted boots: I think if you wore anything loose on your legs underneath this you could risk looking like a bag lady! Other than that, there's nothing not to love about this coat: unlike my other "fashion" coats this is simple, good quality, and could be a wardrobe staple for years to come. In fact, it makes me think it's time to have a clear out of all the others stuck hiding at the back of my wardrobe!

You can get your hands on your very own Shirt Coat from Isabella Oliver for £186.15 in their sale (was £219).

Love, Tor x

Pretty versus Beautiful: some musings

Today someone told me that I looked beautiful. A compliment, sure, and they don't come that often, which is why it got me thinking enough to write this post. I don't think of myself as beautiful. But I do think i'm reasonably pretty. (Passable, as my boyfriend would no doubt say!) And I think there is a very clear difference between being beautiful and pretty, i'm just struggling to define what it is.

With its turned up nose and rounded cheeks and chin, I would say my face was typically British. And that twee Britishness to me is pretty. Kate Winslet, Lily Cole, Samantha Janus, Katy Perry: these are all pretty women.


But they aren't beautiful. Beauty to me is looking striking, unusual. Having the kind of face that can make someone stare. Strong cheekbones, defined jawlines, thick set eyebrows and straight noses are beautiful to me.

Is this definition universal? Do we all have the same ideas of what beautiful and pretty are? Or do I admire in others what I don't have in myself? Do I perceive strong cheekbones and defined noses as beautiful precisely because they are the polar opposite of the feautures I have on my own face?

According to a recent study, North Americans and Brazilians identify beauty differently, especially around where your features are placed. I am also aware that perceptions of beauty change over time: women used to pad out their clothes to achieve the perfect hourglass figure, but now long and lean is the order of the day. Surely this must apply to facial beauty (or prettiness) as well? On some god-awful reality TV show I was watching an "expert" said that symmetry is very important in determining whether someone is perceived as attractive. But to me a symmetrical long nose will always be beautiful and a symmetrical little turned up nose only pretty. And it could just be semantics, but as far as i'm concerned, pretty will always be inferior to beautiful.

How do you define beautiful and pretty? Do you think there's a difference and, if so, what is it?


Love, Tor xx

Sale review: Topshop

I've come to the table a little late with the sales this year, what with moving house and spending Christmas in deepest darkest Lincolnshire. I'm sure this means i've missed a lot of the best deals in the sales and all the good stuff will be sold out. The bonus of this, however, is that everything has gone even cheaper in the past couple of days, so there are more bargains to be had!!

I walked past Topshop on my lunchbreak today, and couldn't resist a little peak inside to see what they had on the sale racks. There is always considerably more available in a size 10 than there seems to be in a size 14 (I think this is true of London stores in a way it isn't in the regions) but nonetheless, here is the best of what was available:

I love the haunted house top and the stripey dress looked much better in "real life" than I managed to capture in a photograph. The first cardigan is a little too masculine for my tastes and the second cardigan just didn't seem to fit very well!

But my favourite piece of them all was this one, which was sadly too small for me to try on. It's very very heavy and covered in sequins with sharp shoulders and double zip details. It is an absolute bargain at £40, having previously been £150.

Love is this jacket! It's also worth noting that all of the feather-fur jackets and coats I spent the back end of last year lusting after have been reduced to £40. It took more will power than you can imagine not to buy one, but I definitely don't need a new jacket. If you're in the market for one though, it is definitely a good place to look!

Love, Tor xx

Daily wear: feeling a little bit French!

This is the outfit I wore to work yesterday: I put on a proper skirt to symbolise the move from lazing around at home mode to "back to work" mode. This outfit makes me feel a little bit French for two reasons, and only one is because I am wearing a cropped breton tee. The other is that this looks just like an outfit worn by my favourite French blogger; le blog de big beauty. She really is one of the most beautiful plus sized women I have ever seen! (For some reason blogger is struggling to add links, but you can find her in my blog roll to your right!) She has her own distinctive way of wearing everything. Here I am wearing her look my way!


The obligatory full length shot: A close up of the new skirt:
The jewellery:
Fur deer stalker, Matalan £2, Mohair coat, Warehouse £60, Navy skirt, Matalan £2, Cropped breton oversized tee, Newlook £8, Boots, Evans 20. The leather gloves are from primark the bag is from Joy and the necklaces are from all over the place!

Although I am wearing a skirt and top here and usually I wear dresses, when I saw myself in this outfit this morning I felt that it summed up my overall look; a little bit smart, but a lot scruffy, a nod to trends, and lots of dark colours, but not worn in a gothic way. Oh, and Coco Chanel's idea that you should always take off a piece of jewellery obviously passed me by: I prefer to pile it on!

You may notice a new location for my daily wear pictures too: this is taken in front of the balcony of my new flat (it was too cold to go outside!) But I think this will prove to be a regular spot for taking my pictures when it warms up!

Love, Tor xx

New Year, New You: Power plating

I know it's a horrible cliche, and I too cringe when I hear the phrase "new year, new you" but it's true that now is the time when a lot of us are thinking about changing our diets, or getting fit and healthy.

In December I tried powerplating for the first time, and I enjoyed it so much I intend to combine twice weekly visits with a less chocolate intensive diet for a healthier happier new me.

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Powerplating is basically vibration training: the classes last just 25 minutes during which time you stand on your vibrating powerplate holding poses such as lunges and crunches. The sessions are lead by specialist instructors (mine was very nice and explained everything clearly) Your muscles contract and relax 30-50 times a second, hence the high speed training. 10 minutes on a Power Plate is worth an hour in the gym. As I got of the machine my legs were shaking and the following morning I had the comfortable ache that comes with a decent work out: but without any of the hard work (I barely broke a sweat during my session!)

If you want to give it a go then Good Vibes (the company I used) offer free trial sessions for first time users. They also have great packages (one guarentees that you'll drop a dress size!) and discounts for off peak users. It doesn't seem like going into a gym; it has a more cozy and personal feel. And the classes are a maximum of 5 people, so even the session feels intimate and you get plenty of attention from the instructor who can tell you whether you're doing it right!

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The price of powerplating is really the main con to giving it a go, as if you choose to pay as you go then each session costs £20, but when you think about how much you waste every month on gym memberships you never use, it could well pay to try it; at least then you've in control of how and when you exercise and how much it costs you as well!

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I am hoping to lose a stone and a half but i'm not rushing myself: all at my own pace! I'll let you know when I reach my target!

Love, Tor xx

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*Images taken from Good Vibes website.