Topshop outlet: A peek inside

Hi guys,

Today I headed into Edgware to pick up my final Christmas presents and some wrapping paper, which gave me the perfect excuse to pop into the Topshop outlet for my last visit of the year. If you're looking for Christmas Party heels, the Topshop outlet is your best friend right now: on trend clogs, wedges, and metallic ruffles all jostled for space for less than £40 a pair (less than £20 a pair if you factor in the buy one get one free) I realised i've never shown you pictures of what the outlet looks like on the inside, so I took a couple of sneaky pics today:

There were loads of amazing belts to tempt me (when I am on a strict accessories ban!) but I was strong and buried myself in the dresses rail instead. Here are the four I tried one:

My favourite dress by far was the third one: I loved the wintery floral pattern, the nipped in lace-detail waist and the deep neckline. I also really loved the twist on the checked shirt of the final dress: it was this great, light chiffon fabric, although it looked a little boxy on my bust. The first two dresses weren't the best shapes on me, although I loved them in theory: the heart print pattern and the mix of cotton and lace were gorgeous. All four of the dresses were £15, buy one get one free.

I know I am absolutely obsessed with this shop, and I write about it all the time. But who can afford to shop in Topshop when they need a quick fashion fix? I know I can't, and the prices just keep going up and up. The outlet gives me my perfect Topshop fix without costing me a fortune. This week my picks to look out for in the Topshop outlet are the jersey maxi dresses (ranging from £7-£15) and the heeled clogs in tan and black (£35)

Love, Tor xx

Still stuck on shoes!

I think i'm running the very serious risk of being a shoe obsessive, without even meaning it - I think i've mentioned shoes in every post for the last week!

Although I actually need flats (my one pair fits all occassions black ones broke yesterday) heels are so much more fun to wear and to look at. When I saw these Jeffrey Campbell ones on the Free People website, my heart literally did somersaults of lust as I worked out all the devious (and illegal) ways I could make them mine!

My heart longs for the tan ones to make my sun kissed legs (hopefully) look long and lean-ish:

But I also love the tough bondage black:
Its a quandry- which ones to imaginarily buy!?

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They're so slouchy they're guarenteed to make even the chunkiest of legs (ie mine!) look good and slimmer. I also love the long laces and the cross seasonal height versus backless dicotomy.

They are 100% leather (in keeping with my new 'no more cheap shoes' rule) and, erm, did I mention I want want want them?!

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Jeffrey Campbell is, in my opinion at least, a bonafide genius. Just five minutes on his website had me in shoe raptures with its artsy, gorgeous, shoe filled gallery. There is also a blog where I discovered, to my endless joy, that we brits can buy the spring collection on bunnyhug.co.uk which is excellent news for all of you who, like me resent extortionate postage and packaging costs (Well! It ruins all the fun of bagging a bargain!)

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Just for the record, I also want the fringe detail platform sandals and the leather cut out whole ankle boots. Why oh why did I have to fall in love with a computer programmer, when I could've held out for a shoe maker who used me as his muse and lavished me with shoe shaped trinkets?!

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Just my luck!

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Love Tor xx

Lesson of the day: don't buy cheap shoes!

Now I am a big fan of Primark. In fact I often think I run the risk of being their most vocal cheerleader. But I am about to give a piece of Primark advice I hope you'll all take heed of: think twice before you buy the shoes! Want to know why? This is why.... What a perfect start to a perfect day- this happened just as I got to work! I only bought these shoes 6 weeks ago. And this is the 5th pair of primark pumps i've owned that have failed to make it past the 6 week shelf like. I actually once owned a pair that I ripped the soles from the first time I wore them (although it was a drunken night out..) You think you're saving money with these £5 pumps but your really not; the way i'm getting through them I could've had a gorgeous French Sole pair by now! Of course, if you want to buy a pair of lime green shoes you know will be out of fashion in a month but you have a great dress to wear them with right now, thats different. I'm talking about shoes you're going to wear again and again. And primark is not the answer!

So what do you do instead? Well if your anything like me and you've got the time but not a lot of money you hit the sales. If you've got the time and energy to watch the sales, wait for the right time, pre plan what you want and so on (and so on!) you really can pick up a bargain.

House of Fraser have an amazing sale on at the moment. See!!Shoes for as little as £15! Its mostly on boots (you could pick them up for next year) party shoes (leave them on the shelf, you'll never wear them no matter how cheap they are!) and winter heels. It is the latter category that i'm most interested in; winter heels also make great spring and summer shoes if you get them in the right colour. I fell in love with these chunky Bertie Mary Janes that came in black, red and brown.

I ended up buying the brown pair. How much like Doc Martin Mary Janes do they look?! They're going to look great toughening up leggings and girlie dresses now, but they'll also make great summer work shoes (sadly, open toed shoes aren't really appropriate workwear) And how much did I pay, I hear you all crying? Just £15, reduced from £85. In actual fact, that's cheaper than the last pair of heels I got from Primark anyway. And these have the added bonus of being 100% leather. Which is more than I can say for their pleather (although super stylish!) offerings.

I'm converted- I shall wear primark shoes no more! My poor battered feet are in for a real treat with these real leather goods - they aren't going to know whats hit them!

Love Tor