Selfridges celebrates the Great in Great Britain

Hi guys,
Did you notice that this year is probably a good year to be feeling patriotic? No? Where have you been, hiding under a rock! With the Jubilee and the Olympics, apparently there's no better time to be British. And to celebrate Selfridges is about to launch the biggest display of retail theatre and in-store excitements of its 103-year history.

From Friday 4 May and running until the end of August, Selfridges will present The Big British Bang, a mash-up of British culture, history and tradition, from iconic to eccentric and from royals to rebels. Spanning the Jubilee-Olympics period, Selfridges’ British Big Bang will collide exclusive products, events and special initiatives together to celebrate all that Great Britain does like no other nation on earth including etiquette, humour, customs, fashion, art, sports, food – even marmite! Exciting much? Yes. I bloody love marmite!! 

So what else can we look forward to? During the event the Concept Store will be the ultimate destination for products ranging from fashion to food, irresistibly loaded with British character especially created for Selfridges by some of the most iconic British brands. From Union Jack-lined Barbour jackets, to a new range of Fred Perry polo shirts designed by artist Peter Blake and bespoke navy blazers with Union Jack embroidered motif by Gieves & Hawkes. Also included are hand-knitted striped hunting socks by Emma Willis and her hand-finished, proper British boxer shorts. Many traditional British wares with flair and impeccable pedigree will be available.

However, modern Britain will be there too. From Mulberry with a Union Jack-embellished version of its Bayswater hit bag, to Rupert Sanderson’s red white and blue strap heels or Nicholas Kirkwood’s crazy pearly queen six-inch heels and even Ted Baker offering an accessories collection with typically English halcyon days references.

Many more brands including Penhaligon’s, Mr Wingate, Tom Dixon, Emma Bridgewater, have created special designs for the Selfridges’ Big British Shop. Vivienne Westwood completes the starry line up of British fashion designers by designing a series of windows for the store. Selfridges windows are always my favourite ones: whenever I have a meeting near Oxford street I always walk the long way round so that I can check them out! 

As well as shopping there will also be events including afternoon tea parties and entertainment lineups. As if I ever needed any excuse to hit the shops, now I can say its my national duty. Let's shop for our country!! 

Want to find out more? Then visit selfridges.com

Love Tor xx

Bicester Village goes vintage

Hi guys,
I fell slightly in love with the vintage styling of this new Bicester Village campaign. It makes me wish I had the kind of decadent life that involves long summer holidays spent lounging around the pool indulging in deliciously expensive cocktails, wearing hand-delivered couture, and looking moody! And lets face it, any ad campaign that has a dog in its finale is always a winner with me!

I am long overdue a trip to Bicester Village: I really want a new Vivienne Westwood scarf (preferably the same as my red one, but in black) and I always spend far too much money in the Cath Kidston and French Connection stores. In fact, it might be the perfect activity for this weekend, given the rainy weather!

For a little vintage inspiration for your next Bicester Village trip (and gratuitous cute puppy shots!) check it out:

Viral video by ebuzzing

Love Tor xx

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Spring cleaning for money saving!

Hi guys,
This weekend I spent a glamorous Sunday wearing my rubber gloves and spring cleaning our house. Everything was cleaned from top to bottom. But more importantly, I also de-cluttered every room to create space in our overstuffed cupboards and draws. And now that process is over (thank God!) I want to make a little money from the things that otherwise would be thrown away. Whenever I spring clean I clear out clothes, shoes, books by the hundreds, and take them to our local car boot sale. And now car boot sale season is starting up again (hurrah!!) there’s no better time to spend an afternoon sorting your cupboards out too!

Here are some top tips for clearing out your clutter and making some cash in the process:

-Check for duplicates! Mike and I have similar tastes in films and CDs. Which means when we moved in together (all those years ago!) we acquired duplicates of nearly everything: something I only realised when I was having our big spring clean this weekend! There are loads of sites you can sell your old multimedia to quickly and easily. Or why not box them and take them to your local car boot sale, or sell them on eBay?

-Don’t take any jewellery to a car boot sale or eBay though! You’ll get much more money selling it elsewhere: a cash for gold website is a good first port of call for any gold jewellery you have that you don’t want any more, and would rather have the cash for (think twice before selling any family heirlooms though!)

-Wash all your clothes first! OK so this isn’t a money saving tip, but if you’re going to take bundles of clothes to a car boot sale, please make sure they’re all clean. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been pawing through a pile of clothes only to be immediately put off by a stain and not be able to buy any of it!

-If you have kids, get them to have a clear out too! The stalls that always seem the most popular are those that are full of toys and baby clothes.

- Have a goal in mind! This isn’t essential, but it always helps me when I’m going to the effort to get rid of stuff to know that I’m doing it for a good reason. At the minute, that’s buying our first house. But it could be anything, no matter how frivolous: a night out, or even the Mulberry handbag fund!

Love Tor xx

PS - Want to find your closest car boot sale? Check out carbootjunction.com: they're a great carboot sale listings website!

Sponsored video: Merino, no finer feeling

Hi guys,
In case you hadn't noticed (ha!) it's pretty nippy out there. Which means wrapping up is absolutely essential. And when I'm wrapping up, I like to do it in fabrics that look and feel fantastic: no acrylic wool here! I'd much rather wear natural fibres: as well as feeling softer, they also don't make you smell the way acrylics often do (is that too much information?!) Not to mention the static. My favourite pink cardigan is made from a pretty cheap wool blend, and every time I wear it my hair sticks out like a hedgehog! Not a particularly fashionable look..

I thought about my winter knitwear addiction, and some of the terrible acylic mistakes I've made, when I saw this video. It's for the Merino: No finer feeling campaign. And it makes you never want to have cheap fabric next to your skin ever again:

Merino wool is my preferred wool for workwear, because it looks more sophisticated and professional than a body-bulking chunky knit. It's natural, biodegradable, and renewable (if you care about that sort of thing). If you don't, it's also super soft, and the favoured wool of some of my favourite designers (yup, I'm thinking about Mark Fast)

I actually think wool is an underrated fabric, relegated to cozy jumpers and casual weekend wear, when actually it's a much more versatile fabric that can look fantastic whatever the occasion...and right now that occasion is keeping me warm and snug whilst still looking stylish and put-together for a long day of meetings!

What do you where to keep warm at work when the weather is this chilly?

Love Tor xx

*This post is sponsored by Merino

Themed wedding ideas: Alice in Wonderland, Casino Royale and more...

Hi guys,
Apologies in advance that this piece is slightly off topic, but I want to talk about weddings. Yes, again! Since I shared my wedding photos last year, and the theme for the wedding the year before, I have been inundated with emails asking me to share some of my ideas on how to have a themed wedding on a budget. Given that that's exactly what we did (big wedding, small budget, buckets of creativity) I thought I'd write this post. Here are some of my favourite wedding themes, and how you could make them work on a budget:

Yes, all of these photos are from our wedding!

I loved our Alice in Wonderland wedding and with the help of my trusty team (read: my mum and sisters) we managed to do alot of it ourselves. If you're looking to throw an Alice themed bash on a budget then make your local carboot sale and vintage shops your friends: this is where I sourced all 60 of my teacup favours, and all of the tea pot centre pieces. The best investment I made though was to spend £12 on two stamps: one of Alice and one of the Mad Hatter. I used these to personalise everything! My invitations, menus, table plan, and even sweet buffet all had a visit from those stamps!


If we hadn't chosen the Alice in Wonderland theme for our wedding, then we were also toying with a circus themed wedding. Again, simple ink and stamps would have been key for making this theme consistent. I am a sucker for the circus font type face too: you can download this and use it to make your own stationary.


If Mike had his way, the wedding theme would have been casino. Think card tables, poker games, dancing girls, and a Vegas-style carberet. Although it wasn't right for us, I actually love this theme idea. Your invitations could include casino chips (which could then be used as drinks tokens at your bar) and the feathers from a show girls frock would make great table decorations! This theme would probably be harder to do well on a budget though: you'd need to hire croupiers, entertainers, and all of the games tables too. I would also have wanted an Elvis impersonator! On the DIY front though, you'd be amazed at what you can do with a pack of cards. Make that the centre of the theme and get creative. I also love the cookies and cupcakes above, if you know anyone who can cook...

Would you have a themed wedding? Or do you think they're a little tacky (I won't be offended I promise! I love tacky!) I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Love Tor xx

Frugal February activities: Movie parties, poker nights, sunday lunch...

Hi guys,
As part of "Frugal February" Mike and I have been organising lots of free and fun activities at home. Just because you're saving money doesn't mean you have to live like hermits and never see your friends, right?!

First we had a couple of friends round for Sunday dinner. Aside from the cost of the joint of meat, Sunday lunch is a surprisingly inexpensive meal to make: and easy to do too! It was a great and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours catching up with friends, which is something we'd usually do at the pub, but at half the price!

This weekend we organised a small poker night, using up all of the left over beer and wine we didn't drink at Christmas. The slight flaw in the otherwise-cunning plan, of course, is that I don't actually know how to play poker. In fact, the closest I get to even thinking about poker is when I'm humming along to Lady Gaga's poker face. Mike has tried to explain the rules to me several times: what risks to take, what makes a good hand. But I just don't get it! (I do however play a mean game of Pontoon!) So what really happened is that other people played poker whilst I sat in the corner drinking wine and gossiping: a great night had all round!

Next weekend my little sister is coming to stay with my nephew. This means that we can't go out anyway (without finding and paying for a babysitter). So I am going to organise a movie night: Clueless, Ten things I hate about you, Never been kissed....the list of chick flicks we want to watch is almost endless. The left over Christmas candy will come in handy here (yup, I still have loads) as will my rarely-used popcorn machine.

Are you taking part in frugal February? Or are you on a money saving drive? What have you changed or tried to do differently to save some cash? All tips welcome!

Love Tor xx

Little black dresses: Yes, I’m an addict!

Hi guys,
I love little black dresses: I have a wardrobe full of them, and I just keep adding more!

I have a black dress for every occasion. There's my black dress that I wear for work meetings (guarenteed to make you feel good when you're having a fat day), my favourite black party dress, my staple black dress that looks good when it's accessorised to the max, and even my slinky black dress that I wear when I want to go dancing or to an online casino (not that I'm one for gambling). Seriously: there's nothing the right black dress can't do!

Spotted: LBD's from London Fashion Week.

And I refuse to accept that black dresses are boring: they may be classic, but they can also be fashion-forward. Just think about the all-black collections that Gareth Pugh sends down the catwalk every season!

The key to choosing the perfect black dress is getting the fit right: it needs to hug your figure in all the right places, and emphasise all your favourite bits of your body (whilst minimising the bits you want to hide, of course!) Choosing the right fabric is important too. Satin can be unforgiving on anyone without a model figure, whilst jersey, cotton, and tulle are my favourite fabrics for the perfect LBD.

I intend to dust down my favourite French Connection black dress this month, and take it out for a spin! I've never been to a UK casino before, but I am going to a casino night with friends during that funny bit between Christmas and New Year: obviously I will have overindulged, but hopefully I will be able to slip into that slinky little black dress and a stack of costume jewellery (whilst insisting Mike wears a tux, of course) and party the night away!

Love Tor x
*Contributed by casinotop10.net

Festive fun at Bicester Village

Hi guys,

Well my love of Bicester Village is well documented. Some of my favourite things are from there; including my Vivienne Westwood scarf (which I've worn every day for the last 3 months, making its cost-per-wear almost zero) and my Mulberry notebook. Last time we were there I went knitwear crazy, buying a lovely metallic cardigan from Karen Millen and a jumper with fur sleeves from French Connection. And don't even get me started on the Cath Kidston outlet: it's like heaven!!

Mike and I have already made our festive trip to Bicester, and picked up fab presents for everyone on our list. (Sadly those people read this site, so I can't ruin it by sharing more details!) It's such a lovely place to go at Christmas: they have lights, late night opening, and The Christmas Tree House, which is serving warm mulled wine: Yummy! I think the right Christmassy atmosphere is so important when you're doing your Christmas shopping: it helps keep you motivated when your feet start to get tired!

For the festive period, Bicester Village are launching a new campaign called Festive Secrets. This is an online competition where you can win 3 different types of prizes (by completing tasks associated with bronze, silver, and gold reindeer). I found a gold reindeer, which meant I was entered into a competition to win a shopping trip to Fidenza Village in Italy. If you share the Bicester Village Festive Secrets competition on Facebook you earn your bronze reindeer, which enters you into a competition to win one of 10 £100 Bicester Village gift cards. And you earn your silver reindeer by recommending the site to a friend: this gives you the chance to win gifts from some of the Village's most popular boutiques! Why not give it a go? As the old saying goes, you have to be in it to win it, and it would be a lovely Christmas treat to win one of the prizes (fingers crossed!)

Love Tor xxx

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The great big surgery debate

Hi guys,
Everyone has body hang ups. I have good days and bad days, but I’m not unaware of the fact that I am round in the middle and I have bingo wings that still shake long after my arms are still. It’s just that I’m accepting of them, if not actually in love with them! Which I think is why I find debates about plastic surgery so interesting (especially those infamous and judgmental stories you read on the Daily Mail).

I’d like to say I’d never consider cosmetic surgery but it’s not quite true. Just before my wedding I spent hours researching laser liposuction, only to ultimately make the decision that it just wasn’t for me. Aside from the expense (which would have meant I would've had to have a much smaller wedding dress) and my wimpish fear of any pain, I made the decision that I want to be happy with what I’ve got, flaws and all, no matter how hard that seems some days! That's in part why I started this blog: to show that people who love fashion come in all different shapes and sizes.

Everyone creates fantasy surgery lists (or at least, my friends and I do after we've had a couple of drinks!) A spot of lipo here, a chin implant there (just me?!), rhinoplasty, and more work on boobs than you can bear to think about!

Of course, that's all it is: a fantasy. Everyone says they'd have all the surgery in the world, but in reality, I don't actually think I know anyone that would go through with it.

But that doesn’t mean I’m anti-plastic surgery. I think for some people, it’s the right decision to make. If you spend your life being so unhappy with something about your body that it affects your relationships both with other people and yourself, then what's the harm in changing it? If you can afford it, and it will enrich your life in some way, that's an individual decision. Unless you get addicted and start to look like Katie Price, of course. That's a whole other story....

How do you feel about plastic surgery? Is it something you would consider or definitely not for you?

Love Tor

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Clinic Compare

In love with: The La Redoute Christmas collection

Hi guys,
Last week I was invited to Paris for the La Redoute press conference next week and I was gutted (truly gutted!) to have to say that I couldn't attend. Sob, sob, sniffle! But getting and rejecting that invitation did make me have a little peek at the La Redoute website for the first time in a little while, and for that I am a very grateful young lady, as I've just fallen in love with the La Redoute Christmas collection.

It's so refreshing to look at a brand's Christmas collection and not be confronted by an array of cheap sequins and lurex dresses. Whilst they definitely have their place (and the big Christmas dress post is coming!) actually, the festive period is about so much more than just parties: think cozy lunches, walks in the snow, and eating chocolate until you feel sick. And the La Redoute Christmas collection definitely reflects that.

I currently have a leather addiction, so I love the tan leather skirt, and have a minor obsession with the slightly shiny leather jacket: it's actually leather so smart you could wear it for work, as well as at the weekends - what's not to love?!

Grey cashmere jumper for £47.40? Erm, yes please! If I don't have one of those in my Christmas stocking next month, I will be a seriously disappointed girl! The orange Merino wool sweater is even cheaper at £31.50. It's amazing that you can find such incredible quality garments for such low prices: it just goes to show you don't always have to spend the big bucks to get the best quality.

Realistically, of course, if I was going to write a post about what we really wear at Christmas it would be full of pajamas. But when I make the effort and dress to impress over the festive period (whilst still being comfy and cozy of course) these are the kinds of outfits that I will be wishing I was wearing.

The thing about La Redoute is that it's accessible and desirable. My personal sense of style is at least ten degrees scruffier, but this is definitely the kind of look I aspire to. It's just so damn chic and French! Sigh....and if I were going to Paris next week, I'd be able to tell you about all things French first hand.....

Love Tor xxx

Competition: Win a trip to New York with BIC Soleil

Hi guys,
BIC have got a new razor on the market - called the BIC Soleil Bella. I know it's not something we ladies talk about a lot, but unless you're really lucky (in which case I curse you!) we all have to deal with our unwanted body hair.

I'm going to come clean about my routine: I use a hair removal cream on my upper lip, I have my eyebrows waxed, and for everything else I use a razor: admittedly I normally steal Mike's, so maybe it's time to invest in one of my own! And apparently the BIC Soleil is tailored to be more comfortable on a woman's curves, so it might be a good place to start.

I know it's considered much more trendy to have regular waxing appointments, but I just find it the quickest and easiest form of hair removal. No planning, no appointments: just jump in the shower and go!

In order to encourage women to 'Just live' (without worrying about their body hair all the time) and promote their new razor range, BIC are running a competition over on their facebook page. The star prize? An amazing Trip to New York!! Plus as well as the grand prize, they are offering a load more prizes on a weekly basis! This could be a theatre outing, a day-trip or a similar experience for you and a friend.

Want to enter the competition for your chance to win? Then head over to the BIC facebook page now and whilst you're their check it out: The page is pretty cool, and has weekly beauty tips and blog posts from a monthly-featured blogger!

Love, Tor x

*This is a Sponsored Post

Viral video by ebuzzing

My hooded secret!

Hi guys,

I have a secret confession - I own a hooded top. Shhh, I know it's not very cool or glamourous. And a supposed fashion blog probably isn't the best place to admit it. But when i'm slouching about at home, or popping to the supermarket, or strolling on a Sunday morning, there's nothing more comfortable.



When I was a student you couldn't get me out of my UEA hoodie, which I wore with skirts instead of jeans, to be more 'fashion'. Yup, I was sooo damn cool! Although in my defence, everyone else on campus had one too!



Nowadays though there's more choice in the hooded top department than horrible sports brands or university logos. These hoodies for women are actually pretty cool, especially the Pauls Boutique ones, which I definitely wouldn't be ashamed to bump into my boss in Asda wearing, on a cold Saturday morning. Although nowadays I would definitely be teaming them with jeans and pumps, not dresses!



Hoodies are never going to be high fashion items, but they are wardrobe essentials. I don't know anyone that doesn't have a couple for rainy slouchy days: so why not make the couple you own cool ones?!



I'm definitely going to replace my fraying grey one with one of these considerably less embarrassing examples! Admit it - you have one and it's the comfiest item in your wardrobe! Am I right?!



Love, Tor xx



PS - Don't forget to scroll down to enter the COMPETITION to win an Aussie hair kit. It closes at midnight tonight!!



*Written in association with Bank

Question: How do you like to shop?

Hi guys,
How do you do your shopping? Are you a "I have to touch it before I can buy it" type shopper (i'm afraid that's the category I fall into - I just love physically going shopping) Do you prefer to do your shopping online? I meet so many women that are online shopping addicts - and I admit there's something appealing and convenient about having everything you want to try on delivered to your door. Or are you a catalogue shopper? Catalogue shopping seems so old fashioned to me (it's something women used to do a lot in the 60s and 70s, and a lot of my research for my fashion/fiction of the 60s Masters degree focused on the catalogue phenomenon) but the Womens clothing catalogue is making a comeback. Every time I turn the TV on I see another new catelogue launching, and women are raving about them.

All this got me thinking: what are the pros of catalogue shopping?

1. It still feels physical. I prefer to read tangible magazines rather than look at their websites for exactly this reason. You can curl up on the sofa with a catalogue and read it in the bath or even on the tube: this would make shopping feel like more of a relaxing leisure time activity (especially if you spend your whole day online, like me!)

2. Delivery is almost always free: so are returns. You rarely get that with online shopping, but you still get to beat the queues of physically going instore. Marisota offer next day delivery as standard: and it costs just £3.99 (compare to the ASOS next day delivery charge) making it perfect if you need a new frock in a hurry.

3. You get more variety of sizes and colours in a catalogue than you would ever get in a store: that's because catalogues have their whole warehouse as their stock room!! Also (and this might not be a pro for everyone) you can do it in your pajamas! I'm a massive fan of any activity that you can do without having to change out of your PJs.

What do you guys think? Have you ever shopped from a catalogue? How did you find the experience? Would you recommend it?

Love Tor xx

*In association with Marisota

Viva la comfort: Viva la Diva!!

Hi guys,

As I mentioned in my last Sarenza post, my shoes swell up like baloons in the hot weather. You should've seen me on the honeymoon in the 44 degree heat: I only had one pair of sandals I could actually wear! It's not pretty or glamorous, but it's a sad fact of summer life for hundreds of poor women like me. Which is why I am newly addicted to the wide fit shoes at Viva la Diva.

Please don't click away yet! I know wide fit shoes have a reputation for being frumpy and ugly - but these shoes surprised me by not being ugly at all: actually they're pretty, feminine....and just like normal shoes! I don't wear wide fit shoes every day, I don't really need them: I just wear them on the really hot days (about 5 a year in the UK!) when my feet need comfort, and a little extra wriggle room to grow beyond all control!

But if you do need a wider fit, I would definitely recommend checking out Viva la Diva: their shoes come in four different foot widths, and you can even request a free foot measuring kit of their site. And noone would ever know you're wearing a wide fit shoe: there's none of the tell tale orthopedic-looking soles, or excessively chunky heels. These are just normal, beautiful shoes for normal beautiful gals!

In fact, having just started my annual perfect winter boots hunt, there are actually several pairs to covet! I know the warm weather makes it feel like now is a terrible time to think about boots but believe me, if you don't start sooner rather than later you'll end up with the generic ugly boots that most high street stores make at the beginning of winter and run and run....you have been warned!

Love, Tor

*In association with Viva La Diva

The power of the Little Black Dress

Hi guys,
If you had to choose just one item from your wardrobe that you had to wear everyday for a week, what would it be? I know some people (most people!) would say jeans. But my answer would have to be a little black dress. In fact, i'm wearing one right now (teamed with a tan belt and brogues).

Black dresses are my wardrobe staple, my go to item in any situation. I have black dresses for work, black dresses for dinner, black dresses for big nights out. I even have slouchy casual black dresses that I wear at the weekend: such is the strength of my addiction! It's the one item of clothing I would recommend every woman had in her wardrobe: think about it, what can't they do?!

A selection of dreamy LBDs from freemans.com

Picking the right little black dress is another matter though: and much harder than it looks! With that in mind, here are the three rules I follow when picking (another!) LBD to add to my collection:

1. Pick breathable fabrics. Yes it costs a little more, but either you're wearing it to a wedding or to a meeting, polyester gets sticky, sweaty, and doesn't feel good for anyone!
2. Ask yourself if you'd wear the style in another colour. I am often tricked into thinking black dresses look good because the colour is flattering and hides a multitude of sins. But the fit might not be the best! If you can try the dress in another colour (which will make it easier to see the shape and cut) then do!
3. Finally, is it versatile. Yes, it looks great teamed with those leopard print platforms. But how would it look with pumps and a big bag if you wanted to wear it to head to the office? If you're looking for a dress with a good cost per wear ratio, make sure you can wear it everywhere!

Love, Tor x

*This is a sponsored post from Freemans.com

Discover Cocosa - And get £10 off!

Hi guys,

I'm probably behind the times with these great new sites as usual (Net a porter had been running for months before I checked it out!) but I have just discovered and registered for Cocosa: The newest fashion destination from Bauer Media

Cocosa is an invitation-only online-only discount fashion store, offering its members exclusive access to an array of private sales on brands like Vivienne Westwood,Tom Ford Sunglasses, Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, and many many more. It's like designer heaven for anyone on a tight budget! Each sale event runs for a limited time only so you have to be quick!



There are currently eight sales on the site, including one for Manoush, which i'm particularly excited about as I have an obsession with their knitwear (yes, i'm talking about knitwear when the weather is like this!) I've got my eye on a wide collared knitted jumper, and an ethnic-looking beaded tunic.

If you like the sound of this then click this link to register on Cocosa for a Cocosa account. If you do, you can get an exclusive £10 off your first order over £50 when you enter the code 'luxurystyle' at check out.

This week has been a deal fest, hasn't it?! Between this and the amazing sales on the high street at the minute, i'd be surprised if any of you had any money left!

Love, Tor xx

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Viral video by ebuzzing

Making a rented home your own

Hi guys,
When I was a little girl dreaming about getting married, and living in my own house with purple walls (I wasn't much of a feminist was I) I didn't really think that practically. It didn't occur to my that my 'own house' would be rented, rather than owned by me, and the purple walls wouldn't be an option (With hindsight; Thank God).

With less than a month to go until my wedding, I am already thinking about my next project, which will be sorting out our rented house. And that got me thinking about all the ways you can make a rented home feel like your own, without painting the walls, changing the fittings, or doing anything else that might damage the structure of the place. For what they're worth, here are my tips:

Hello Kitty bathrooms might not be for everyone but at least it's unique!

- Shop around for your furniture. Having everything from Ikea (or any one store) gives a really identikit feel, and emphasises that a home is rented. Instead mix up furniture from different stores, and if you're that way inclined, throw in some vintage or second hand furniture too, to give a nice lived in feel. My living room furniture is 70% Ikea (a hangover from everything we brought from there when we first moved in together) and 30% vintage/second hand. The room really didn't start to feel like home until we added in the older pieces.

My living room: yup, it's an Ikea fest!

- Change the curtains and light fittings. Almost all rented homes come with horrible cheap white ones: it costs very little to change them, but makes a massive difference to a room, and really brightens it up!

I wanted an American diner style kitchen: i'm working on it!

- Finally, make some stuff yourself! The bunting that hangs above our bed and half of our living room cushions were made by me. My next projects are to paint the dark wood chair and foot stool I got as extra tv viewing space. It feels so good to know that noone else will have those individual pieces I made myself, and its loads cheaper than buying stuff new, if you've got the patience.

Love,
Tor

*sponsored post

Slightly obsessed with heels (No surprise!)

Hi guys,

Well so much for my talk of lovely weather on Saturday: it looks like the rain in back with avengance, and set to stay, which might well make today's post obselite. I've been looking for a pair of shoes for summer that are fancy enough to wear with dresses for evening events, but comfy enough that I can wear them to work all day first, without having aching feet! (my sarenza clogs are perfect, and so comfy, but a bit too chunky to wear for evening events)

I decided what I needed was a low heel with a peep toe (for comfort) with some embellishment and detailing (for style). A harder shoe to find than you'd think! My search led me to Zalando. Here are my shortlisted shoes:

Gianni di Firenze red shoes: £114.95, Paco Gil tan shoes: £179.95, Vagabond wedges: £59.95, BF leopard peep toes: £110.

And why am I so keen to find these magical glamourous-looking low but comfortable heels, I hear you ask? Because my hen 'do is less than a month away (We're going to see Pricilla Queen of the desert, then food, then a night of dancing and drinking in my favourite cocktail bar) and because it is a day to evening affair (culminating in dancing the night away) I want to shun my usual killer stilettos in favour of cute summer shoes that won't leave my crying half way through the event (and ruin my night/feet). It all sounds perfect, and idealistic. And I really hope I find the low heels of my dreams. But knowing me, i'll end up throwing on those killer heels that look so good and dancing around my hand bag in them anyway: using the well-known anaesthetic of cocktails to ease the pain!

Love, Tor x

*This is a sponsored post

Saving for a rainy day. Even though the sun is shining!

Hi guys,

I have a secret confession to share with you today: I love saving money. I’m totally terrible at it, and seem to spend my entire pay check every month, but I have three different saving accounts and I use each one to save for different things. One is primarily used as my fashion savings account: if I see an incredible handbag or pair of shoes that I just have to have then I filter off some of my wages into the fashion account every month until I can afford what I want. And it feels really really good! Better than having something pretty when the pay off is debt, any day of the week! I also have a savings account which I call my teeth account: I’m pretty paranoid that one day something really terrible is going to happen to my teeth (it’s a recurring nightmare!) so I have a little cash put aside to get them fixed, should that terrifying day ever come.

I wish I was a better saver. I wish I could save “for a rainy day” or for my distant retirement. But I have to have a specific savings target to keep myself motivated. Right now of course, all my saving efforts are going towards the wedding: its amazing how much easier it is to save for something you really want!

As soon as the wedding is over (the finishing line is in sight!) I’d like to upgrade my car, buy a Mulberry handbag, and have a really great cashmere winter coat that would last forever. Ahh, the shallow targets of a fashion blogger! Ultimately of course we’d like to buy a house, but that is a saving situation bigger than I can comprehend right now!

Are you guys saving for anything at the minute? And how is it going?

Love, Tor xx

*This is a sponsored post

New Website: Your Fashion Jewellery

Hi guys,

If I had to list my fashion obsessions, then the list would look like this: 1. Dresses, 2. Shoes, 3. Coats and Jackets, and 4. Stacks of gold jewellery (see today's stack below as evidence). Today's post will focus on no. 4, and my new website discovery: yourfashionjewellery.

Similar to ASOS back-in-the-day, the jewellery is divided into categories by celebrity, so you can pick the star who's jewellery you'd like to imitate, and choose the piece you like. But what I really love about the site is considerably more simple: I love the the charms and trinkety costume jewellery, which is massively wearable, and has the added bonus of being cheaper than Freedom @ Topshop (my usual jewellery haunt).

I don't really wear quality real gold/silver jewellery: I still love to layer my fashion jewellery and stack it high! I don't tend to wear earrings, and have abandoned most of my rings since I got engaged (it seems weird to wear a cocktail ring next to an engagement ring) so my jewellery obsessions are bangles, bracelets and layerable necklaces.

My favourite pieces from the site are: the 6 row gold chain necklace (£7.99) and the studded bangle (£5.50) See what I mean? I told you it was cheap! But the quality and finish looks really good: I can't wait to see a piece in the flesh and check it out!

The website also sells fashion accessories: hairbands, silk scarfs (perfect for wrapping around your head if you're creative, or tying to your handbag if you have monkey fingers like me!) but it's the jewellery that's caught my eye....as if I needed any more bangles, I have a feeling i'm about to go shopping!

Love, Tor xx