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