Fabfrocks at Home loves....Johan Potma

Hi guys,
When we are in Berlin last month, Mike and I interspersed our site seeing with visits to endless markets: both Christmas and otherwise. It was a wonderful way to spend a weekend, and I brought home far more than I should have.

One of the best things I brought home though was the picture above: it made me laugh, and I don't know about your house but in ours it's true too: we can never seem to pair our socks!

It's a print by Johan Potma, who is a Dutch painter and illustrator who lives and works in Berlin. Johan co-owns the Zozoville gallery in Berlin, and has worked with Pepsi, Playboy, and Nickelodeon. I love the way all of his illustrations have so much personality:


I admit they're a little geeky, and furry monsters aren't to everyone's taste. But I only paid 10 Euros for my print, which was a ridiculous bargain. And I like them so much, if I'd had the room and the wall space, I'd have brought home a couple more!

Want one of your own? You can see and buy more of Johan's illustrations on his website.

Love Tor xxx

Top tips for January Sales shopping

Hi guys,

Ahhh, it's that time of the year again! Not content with our Christmas consumerism, it's time to buy everything we didn't buy at Christmas, but at huge discounts. And use those Buy.com promotional codes before they expire! And who am I to argue with that?

In line with my money saving drive, I'm not hitting the sales in the mad way I usually do: instead I'm just looking for the perfect leather jacket at a huge discount (fingers crossed!!) But if you are looking to hit the sales with gusto, here are my top tips:

1. Make a wish list. Going into the sales without any idea of what you really want to buy means that you'll end up buying everything pretty thing you see, but probably don't need (and if you're anything like me then instantly regret it). Instead make a list of things you want and need. Make sure these are things you would buy at full price anyway, and fit in with your existing wardrobe. Remember that 50% off something you don't need it actually a waste of money!

2. Set a budget. And then stick to it! I know it's easier said than done, but when you hit the sales it's easy to forget how much you're spending, and spend much more than you wanted to. When I'm going sales shopping I take out the amount I'm prepared to spend in cash before I hit the shops: that way, I know exactly what I'm spending as I go (it's so easy to lose track with cards) and when it's gone, it's gone!

3. Don't forget to look online, but don't expect it to be simple. Sure, you don't have to queue to try things on, or wait for the shops to open in the rain, but you still have to be fast and organised. Once you've found something you want to buy, if you don't get to the online checkout fast enough, several stores will remove the item from your basket if another customer wants to buy it (I'm thinking of you River Island!) So being speedy and methodical are key: having accounts set up with the companies you want to shop with will make the process even faster.

4. Finally, don't give up! If you've got your heart set on something but it's sold out don't give up: just think outside the box. If you really wanted French Connection shoes but can't get them from French Connection, for example, try Sarenza or Zalando or any other website that sells big brand names. And for high street clothes, ASOS is a veritable gold mine of sale items that have sold out elsewhere: it's where I got that River Island dress I wanted last January that was sold out on their website!

And that's it! Happy shopping!

Have you been sales shopping yet? And did you get any amazing bargains, or have any more sales shopping tips to share?

Love Tor xx

Happy New Year! Let's make promises we won't keep!

Hi guys,

Happy New Year! I always like New Year: it feels like being reborn, and you get the chance to change your life and try again. Having said that, I make half-hearted resolutions every year, but they never last more than a fortnight. That probably means there isn't anything I dislike enough about my life to really make an effort to change!

This year though, I am making three small resolutions that will make a massive difference to my bank balance: helping contribute towards the bigger resolution of significantly bumping up our savings account in 2012.

- No more impulse purchases. I own more clothes than any three people would need in a lifetime. And I know I can't resolve to give up shopping: I love it too much and I don't have the willpower! But I am resolving to think about my purchases, and only buy things I need, will use, and will fit into my existing wardrobe. No more Primark sprees for things I don't need, or popping into Topshop at lunchtime when I'm having a bad day!

- Taking sandwiches to work. OK, so I know it's not fashion-related, but I would recommend this to anyone trying to save some pennies! Do you know I spend approx £150 a month on lunch? And I'm not talking fabulous lunches: I mean soggy sandwiches or soups, crisps and fruit from Pret or Eat. When you can buy more than a week's worth of apples for £1, why would you buy just one from a Sandwich shop for 50p? I reckon taking my own lunches can save over £100 a month! For inspiration, use cute, colorful food containers to pack your lunch, which are often on sale.

- Regular wardrobe clear-outs. Sometimes my wardrobe gets so overcrowded, I can't see the wood from the trees and it makes it impossible to decide what to wear everyday (because all I can see are the things that don't fit/I don't like). So I intend to make regular wardrobe clear-outs great not only for my sartorial style, I also plan on making them great for my bank balance. Think car boot sales, ebaying, and maybe even the return of the Fabfrocks Shop!

Are you making any New Year's resolutions? And how long do you predict you'll keep them?

Love Tor xx