Sunglasses: Vintage style from Maui Jim

Hi guys,
I've had these sunglasses for two weeks and I've been waiting impatiently for a sunny day so I can show them off to you guys. However, as it hasn't stopped raining here in Norfolk since the day they arrived, I'm admitting defeat and showing you them indoors instead! I was sent these specs from the lovely folks at Maui Jim, and the quality is just as amazing as I expected: they manage to walk that tricky line between being sturdy and durable and feeling lightweight at the same time. They also have the added bonus of being seriously cool shades:

Kolohe Sunglasses c/o Maui Jim, £214. Pick up your own pair here. 

I'm disappointed you can't see these in their full glory (yup, full glory is what I'm referring to them as when they're on my face!) because they really do look fantastic on. I love their retro style and actually, the style of these sunglasses are taken from an original Maui Jim design: so they really are vintage-inspired!

Maui Jim sunglasses are well known for the quality of their lens, which do more than I thought it was possible for a simple lens to do: they have special filters to eliminate visual noise, and they feature a patented colour enhancing technology too. If you don't care about lens but it's celeb style you're interested in, they're also the favourite brands of celebs like Anna Friel, Reese Witherspoon and Zac Effron.

You will be seeing these beauties in an outfit post very soon: just as soon as we see a glimpse of the sunshine again! Then you'll see them in outfit posts again and again all summer long: these have been ceremoniously inserted in my handbag, and are my new go-to shades!

Have you bought new sunglasses for the summer yet? What style will you be looking for? 

Love Tor x

PS - As a little bonus shot, this is what happens when you try to take photos of things whilst the baby is in the house and feeling curious- carnage. You'll also note that the lens are covered in his finger prints because he just couldn't stop touching them: maybe Wilbur is a fan too?!

Lady-like for Spring from M&S

Hi guys,
Do you ever sometimes see an outfit that you like so much you immediately want to go out and buy every single piece? That's how I felt when I saw this grown up and lady like outfit from Marks and Spencer, which has got me all excited for the arrival of Spring.

It's much more grown up and chic than my usual everyday look (which consists mostly of jeans and blouses) but it would be just perfect for popping to meetings or even for when I take myself off for a days shopping. Let's face it, it isn't an outfit I would ever wear around the baby and his sticky fingers, which if anything only adds to its appeal!

Per Una Speziale Coat £149, Per Una Speziale Top £69, Per Una Speziale Skirt £69, Bag £129

I love the colour of that lightweight cocoon coat, and the oversized bag looks so buttery soft. I love oversized slouchy bags like this, which are perfect for just about any occasion as well as really practical. If I can only have just one piece though, I would make it that white pencil skirt with the sheer panels. Teamed with T shirts and chiffon vests in a wide variety of colours and a pair of boxy heeled sandals and I would wear this all summer long.

All of the pieces shown above aren't available on the M&S website yet: roll on Spring so that the new collections start landing online!

What do you think? Have you seen any outfits that have got you longing for Spring already? I ordered a pair of new Spring sandals yesterday - I must be getting desperate for a little sun on my toes!

Love Tor x

Accessories: Pretty in on-trend pastel pink!

Hi guys,
I am a gal that likes her accessories to match. If I'm carrying a black bag then I'm wearing black boots. If I'm wearing red heels then I'm clutching a red clutch...you get the idea! So when my parents bought me this cute-as-ten-buttons pastel pink Betsey Johnson bag for Christmas, I knew I had to find the right pair of shoes to go with it. I couldn't just carry around a pink bag teamed with black boots! Enter these pink suede loafers by Georgia Rose:

Fashion is having a love affair with pastel pink at the moment (it's set to last through Spring too, so pink pieces are definitely worth picking up at sale prices). At first I wasn't sure about it, but i've really come round, and now have a wardrobe full of pastel pink. Even my long winter coat is a marshmallow pink confection! It's a massive contrast to all the black I usually wear. I love the childlike nature of these shoes, which I chose from Sarenza.

They're like the grown up version of something a five year old girl would pick if she was let loose in a shoe shop. But the fact that they're suede and so clearly such well made shoes (they're really great quality) lends them a grown up feel too. The other thing I love about this shoe/handbag combo? The hardware on both is gold (my preferred colour) which means even the detailing matches. I won't be wearing these shoes now, as it's prime boot season, but I can see myself wearing them alot when spring rolls round: teamed with my delicious pink handbag of course!

What do you think about pink for Spring? Have you come around to the pink trend?

Love Tor x

The Perfect Way to Say Thank You!

Hi guys,
Christmas is the perfect time of year for giving and generosity: the spirit of the season means that people are more likely to do favours for each other and help each other out. Because of that, January is the perfect time of year to say thank you, especially to the people that showed you kindness and helped you over Christmas!

This month I've chosen to say thank you to my mum and dad. We spent Christmas with them this year and were treated like queens (and kings!) whilst we were there. Incredible dinners every day for a week without having to lift a finger, and they even babysat Wilbur so that Mike and I could have a very rare and very enjoyable night out. It was an amazing Christmas, and it was all thanks to them!

Now if you ask me there is only one way to say thank you: Champagne and cake! So when we popped by for a visit this weekend we took a bottle of delicious Waitrose champagne, a zesty rich tart au citron (which happens to be my favourite cake: saying thank you doesn't have to be completely selfless!), and some ridiculously decadent chocolate eclairs as well!

Want to say thank you to someone special in your life, or just enjoy a little luxurious treat yourself in this gloomiest of months? Waitrose launched a new ‘thank you’ campaign for its online customers with a complimentary bottle of champagne for orders placed throughout January. All you have to do is have your Waitrose order delivered before 31st January and they'll bring you a bottle of champagne with your order.

Not only that, they've also created a special champagne hub, where you can find tons of celebration inspiration and even recipes for meals you can cook with champagne and foods that go well with champagne (I'm guessing lemon tart isn't one of them, but the heart wants what it wants!)

What will you do with your free champagne? Will you have a little treat on your own or use it to say thank you to someone special?

Love Tor x

*I received a bottle of delicious Waitrose champagne to help me write this piece. 

Primark SS14: The First Images are in!

Hi guys,
Yes it's that time of the season once more: we're all freezing and bundled up in our coats, so it's time to start thinking about what we'll be wearing when Spring arrives. When it starts snowing i'll know it's time for me to buy my summer sandals! As we're in the process of booking our early-summer holiday (in May) I for one am particularly interested to see what spring/summer wear Primark have to offer. And their press images never fail to disappoint, even if they aren't always to my tastes.

There are a couple of looks in this initial that I suspect will look pretty cheap in the flesh, even if they photograph well. And when you can buy a whole outfit for under £20, what can you expect I suppose! But despite this, there are also a couple of outfits I definitely have my eye on:



Image 1: Coat £25, top £6, jeans £13, sandals £12, earrings £1.50
Image 2: Dress £20, earrings £1.
Image 3: Top £8, skirt £6, bag £1.50, earring £1
Image 4: Top £6, skirt £12, bag, shoes £13, hat £1.50
Image 5: Dress £20, shoe £12, sunglasses £3
Image 6: Top £8, skirt £8, bracelet £2, earrings £1.50

The drop dates for the selection above range from January to May, so if it's summer goodies you're looking for then it's safe to say you can start hunting now! I won't be running for the doors at opening time to get my hands on any of this particular range, but I do like the white dress with the white overlay: I think the fit would be really flattering!

Is there anything you've got your eyes on? Or are you hoping the next drop will be a little more inspiring, like me?

Love Tor x