Humpday Hello!

This week’s muchos respect goes out to the beautiful and thrifty Pretty Much Penniless.

Every time I read this blog I'm jealous of her amazing jumbling skills, everything she owns and her sense of personal style - she always look pretty, fresh and vintage-inspired. Keep it up lady! She also does a lovely mix of outfit posts, beauty reviews and lovely objects she's collected, parties she's attended. Simply put it's a lovely blog.

So, a few more reasons I love it... (just in case I didn't sound enough like a stalker freak!)

 She's such a pretty lady! Check out the print of that dress, and that lippy - perfect look Mrs!

She owns a phone shaped like a piano - that she found for a pound.

These amazing thrifted maxis...

Keep up the good work! x

Does he brush up?

Why, when I already have all these brushes, do I want this so much?

Gah!

Britain's Next Top Morons

Shame about the footie hey? Watched the game with my matey Bethan, fuelled by much Pimms (minus the strawberries and cucumber - sometimes it's just too hot to chop).

Popped out in half time for some humid air and outfit pics... think I'll be sticking to sober photoshoots in the future - looked either manic or surly in all of them. Oh well, Beth looks cute!


Me: Sunglasses - Topshop// Playsuit - Kimchi & Blue at Urban Outfitters last year// Necklace - vintage// Belt - boyfriend's// Cuff - Primark// Watch - Michael Korrs// Sandals - Topshop// Lippy - Marks and Spencer Geranium//


Beth: Sunglasses - Primark// Dress - Primark// Bracelet - Cambodian market// Satchel - Topshop// Sandals - Office (I think).


Extras: Jug - Laura Ashley// Tumbler - Morrisons// Studded bag - ASOS// My nails - Barry M Neon Pink with Barry M glitter on top.

So there you have it. This is my favourite playsuit ever and if it had come in more colours I'd have snapped them all up.

In the pink

So my quest for a highlighter-pink polish continues, with the old faithful Barry M.

My bestie Bethan spotted this treasure in ToShoOxo and snapped it up for me as a gift -- it's Neon Pink (obvi!)

Now, it's bright alright - more so than the above picture suggests (always the way) and also more opaque than it looks here. This is three coats with Seche Vite (I just can't stop at two, it's a sickness) but those with less time or attention span could certainly rock two. It goes on really smooth and not at all streaky.



It's got a slight pearlescent, ever-so-purply sheen, which I like. It's pretty damn close to that ultra-neon I covet... but the search for highlighter nails continues.

At some point I'm going to try it with a coat of OPI Alpine Snow underneath to see if that takes the colour to the next level, so stay tuned!

By the way, has everyone seen the mood nail polish NastyGal blogged about? I need it in my life!

Humpday Hello!

There's nothing nicer in the blogosphere than connecting with a fellow blogger, so I thought I'd launch a weekly feature I'm calling the Humpday Hello.

It gives me a chance to profile someone whose blog has caught my eye, and I'm starting with the lovely Gem Fatale

Lady is fabulous for a number of reasons... she does some bitchin' DIY nails...

She has fabbo hair...

She has a jumper with zebras on...

And she's also running the most immense competition in all of blogland - there are seven seperate giveaways! Get yourself over there to check it out.

Happy humpday!

Bit of boring blog stuff

As you were!

What Katie did...

I'm aghast - never thought I'd be blogging about a Katie Holmes outfit. But I'm loving the simplicity of this, matched with that 'fashion top-knot' that I covet so much... grow hair, grow!

Ok, so it's not like she invented this look... I've tried a whack at it myself in the last 18 months - but despite the slightly too short jeans and slightly 90s slim heels, it just seems to work on her, perhaps because she's so tall and slim. Keep it up lady!

All killer no filler

Hi guys - at Ma and Pa's for a family christening, so normal programming will resume tomorrow, but until then I've added a few excellent people to my awesome list - check 'em out! It was really nice to hear so many friends and family say they're dropping by here, so hi everyone!

If I ever reach 50 followers (bloglovin' or google) I'm going to have a fabulous giveaway -- so if you drop by do click the magic words!

OK, that's the last time I'll shamelessly ask for friends. What a loser...

Follow the pleader

Hey peeps - just a bit of Friday joy, which cleverly disguises a plea for more lovely followers... I have no idea how many of you are reading!

So if you have a google account, or Bloglovin', I'd lurve to see your little faces beaming up at me - and here's a musical accompaniment while you click. Only the GREATEST SONG IN THE WORLD...

Cringe

Agh... here goes, my first outfit post. It's scary putting yourself out there on the internets, especially after roping in my poor mate to take a million pics before I realised I wasn't going to like any of them, whatever she did.

So, the run down, top to bottom: Necklace - old ASOS; dress - River Island (It's not actually as wide as it -- or I -- look in th picture, the 'Tyra booty tooch' I was attempting distorted the whole darn thang!); jacket - vintage Earl jeans; cuff - h and m; bracelet - gift; ring - random jewellry shop in Greece; sandals - Topshop.

Phew, I will now crawl into a cave and be embarrassed about uploading pictures of myself onto the internet... oh, and apologies for the return of the shiny head and general dog's dinnerness of this whole thing... I'd just got back from Oxford Street, and it was 10pm.

Get stoned

There was a recurring theme among the fash pack at the Isle of Wight festival, where stonewash denim reigned supreme.

I think I own the shirt top-centre -- if it's from New Look -- and have some Levi 501 cutoffs rather similar to that fab belted pair top-left, which makes me think I do have something to wear to the Kings of Leon gig I'm off to next week (my only bash at a festival this year).

Though, in some ways, these pics are partly making me want to run far far away from this look, as it may be pretty ubiquitous in Hyde Park next Wednesday... ponder ponder...

Pics from Vogue.com see here

Grotbags

So, the minute I clapped eyes on this bag (oh, about five and a half years ago) I wanted it more than I'd ever wanted anything in my life...

Obviously at the tender age of 20 - who am I kidding, even at the slightly riper age of 26 - I don't have the dough for a Balenciaga, but thankfully, the lovely people at Lush came up with 'their own version' (read total rip-off) which some amazing people bought me for my twenty-first.



It went everywhere with me... even to the fancy-dress party I'd just been to above, where I was inexplicably dressed as a Guns 'n' Roses groupie. After reading how Mary-Kate's was stained with red wine, Marlborough Red burns and the general markings of a good night out, I became a little devil-may-care with its welfare, and it bears the scars today.

When the picture of Mary-Kate popped up on Olsens Anonymous last week, it made me dig out the little charmer, and vow to start taking it places again. It deserves to be seen. Now I just need that amazing neon pink nail varnish I've been coveting for years - any suggestions?

Bloglovin'

Hi guys - you can now follow me on Bloglovin' - please do, it would mean the world to me!

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Money's too tight to mention

So what started life as a fashion blog has become a bit beauty heavy, mostly due to a clothing embargo until July. You see, I have the other half's birthday, nephew's christening, sister's birthday and father's day this month, so all available funds are being benevolently spent elsewhere... but there's always a few coins for a new product.


Actually, this discovery came because, and not in spite of, my penny-pinching ways, because my beloved Touche Eclat ran out this month, and as we all know, that's not cheap to replace. 


I decided to try the often-recommended and much cheaper No.7 version - Instant Radiance Concealer.





So, at £11.50 it's less than half the price of the Yves Saint Laurent gold wand, and the amazing thing is, I actually like it more! The consistency's creamier, the colour matches my skin better (it comes in three shades, I, II and III -- I went for II) and it just covers my terribly dark circles really well.



(Left - No. 7 Instant Radiance Concealer. Right - no make up, a tiny bit of eye goo and a wayward eyebrow... oh, and please excuse the shiny forehead - it's been a long day!)


So these products never totally conceal my dark circles - I can sleep for 12 hours a week and will still have panda eyes. Must be genetic. But check out the difference... speaks for itself really!

What a tart

Yo yo yo homies... I have circa seven seconds to write this post, so forgive the brevity. Just wanted to show you my new nails.



It's essie's Tart Deco, and I love it! Couple of quick facts - you need three coats or it's streaky (not a problem with Seche Vite!) it looks pretty much exactly as in this picture, but just for a quick comparison here's the bottle... (I forgot to bring the bottle into work to take the obligatory grasping the bottle pic)



So that's about it - I love it. And now I need the essie resort collection in my life - STAT!

Lip service

So, I'm obsessed with red lipstick - especially during the day - on other people, but the problem is I don't own a red lippy.

You see, the last time I sported this bold look was about three years ago at my uni final fling, where I got so drunk I lost the brand new Mac lippy I'd bought especially for the occasion (Russian Red, I think) and could never bring myself to fork out again, until now.

This is that fateful night... (Hi Callum!)



So now I think I'm going to go for the same again, or Ruby Woo. I want a matt, bold, opaque red, but one that's not too brassy, al la les Olsens. Wish me luck!

Just in case anyone but my nearest and dearest are reading this, thought I’d do a quick Q&A thing… in the style of Adam Buxton.

For all who don’t know, Adam Buxton’s Big Mix Tape is a 6music show where the legendary comedian/presenter/beardface compiles a playlist on a theme, such as a break up tape. It’s fabulous Sunday fun.

In his inimitably whimsical way, Adam asks his weekly guest a series of questions, which I’ll attempt to answer here…

Who are you?

Tory Frost

What do you do?

I’m a magazine editor in the internal communications industry (WAKE UP!)

Who do you do?

A tall, thin, handsome chap called Jonathan Calvert Lowe

Faves?

My nephew Gabriel, my Steve Madden biker boots, Anna Sui Dreams, sea foam green, spooning, oat-based cereals, Le Creuset teal, Singstar, pyjamas

Worsties?

People eating fruit in public, Crocs, people who say ‘the boy’ , the Daily Mail

Jedward?

No thanks

Got no sole

thxthxthx.com is a refreshingly different blog where lovely Leah writes a thank you note to something every day... and yesterday's entry made me wish, for the first time, that I was a little bit more lazy!

You see, I donated a big bag of clothes a few months back to my local charity shop. Inside was a once-worn pair of mint green seventies-style platforms from Primark that I gave away as I had NO MORE shoe space and the other half had enforced a one-in, one-out policy.

The problem is, they would go perfectly with the maxi dress I've just bought for my nephew's christening and an up-coming wedding, and now I'm going to have to buy another pair of shoes instead... and the only ones I can find that I like are about £50. Damn my charitable nature! I could kick myself.

Oh well, I hope the shoes and whoever bought them from Stoke Newington Mind are dancing though life very happily together...

The last straw

So, summer’s here and I want an appropriately beachy holdall.

The nude satchel I’ve been toting is great and all, but I fancy something a little more laid back for afternoons at Broadway market, and it needs to be big enough to stuff a few thin layers in, to cover up when the sun subsides.

So I’ve settled on straw. There are a few options out there, but I think my favourite is the lovely h and m shimmery holdall… shame I haven’t seen it anywhere in London…

From left to right: Cath Kidston at ASOS £30; h and m £12.99; Tesco £11.25

Hair to dye for...

I'm currently growing out a longish bob to long luscious locks (I wish) so I'm stuck in that middle phase, where I hate what's hanging on the top of my head. The frustration of 'neither nowt nor summat' hair has led me to consider some cheeky colour.

Throughout my teens I died my hair many different shades of red, then jet black in my last years of uni, but haven't touched it for a few years, so it's back to my natural shade, dark brown.

I love the ombre looks above, and think it would be a perfect beachy look for summer... but do I dare? Help, people of the blogosphere, i need guidance!

Top pic courtesy of fashiontoast, Alexa courtesy of justjared (obv) and erin... can't remember!

Give me those bright lights, all night...

 Reasons I love The City:

• Whitney's style (although perhaps not in the pic above)
• Olivia's glossy, glossy hair
• Erin's "bitch please" facial expressions
• Kelly Cutrone's no nonsense ways. The woman's amazing.

Watched the first episode of season two last night and found it genuinely moving when Kell shed a small tear... I need to get a life.

When will Kell on Earth come to the UK people?!

PS - Can't believe Whitney blogged about her work-out style just two days after me. That would have made my picture research much easier! I'd love to think she read my blog and copied me. Dream on.

My lovely lady lumps

So, the number one hurdle to dressing for summer, when you're a lady who likes to lunch, is boob room.

Pretty much everything designed for dreamy sun-filled days is flimsy, spaghetti-strapped or halter, leaving large-breasted old me unsupported. So God bless the ladies at Evans for these beauties.

The retailer for women with wiggle has launched a lovely line of summer dresses with Ruby Belle, and they are perfect for picnics and summer parties.

Evans ladies, where were you last year when I spent internet hours trying to find size 14 summer dresses that would accomodate a bra?

Sadly, I think I did this look to death last year, and still have the pretty patterns to prove it, so this time, I can't allow myself to invest. But I certainly day-dream about prancing through a hazy fun fair in the beautiful checked number -- it's so Allie from The Notebook!

Do I need to offer style tips here? Probably not but I will -- team with a washed out denim jacket and strappy colourful flats on the weekend, and enjoy a comfy, breezy look, with LIFT!

The A/W2010 looks freaking awesome. Check out fatgirlslikeniceclothestoo for a preview.

I must say, I've never actually invested in Evans before; their clothes were always pretty tame and uninspiring. But ladies, this might be your year!

The highest form of flattery?

So it's time for my first splurge or steal effort, and it comes in the voluptuous shape of Miu Miu's bejewelled beauties... (and inspiration for the nails I blogged about here.)

River Island (or as my mates and I like to call it, Diamante Island) have done the first high street take on the most theatrical shoes of the season... to a mixed reaction from me.

The jewelling is pretty, and not a million miles away from the original. The shape is not bad, but I would have liked a higher platform for less clump-factor. But the print... cherries? Really RI? Is that not a bit... naff? An elegant tulip or perhaps a palm frond would have been a less-tacky, more evocative nod to the sweeping shadows of these much-loved swallows.

Anyway, these puppies will give you change from a fifty -- more than you can see for the originals.

Bottom pic courtesy of thecherryblossomgirl