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Alghero, Sardinia – Part 1

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Alghero may not be the largest place to visit in Sardinia but it’s certainly one of the prettiest.

The old-town is by far the most picturesque part – and can be reached via little archways leading off the harbour. Be warned though – the streets are made up of pebble-stone cobbles and therefore not somewhere you should venture in heels.

On our first night we headed for dinner at Il Pavone – a restaurant the guide book recommended. We got there a little early, which was a blessing as we managed to catch the sun setting over the sea in the harbour – a little bit of pink-tinged magic.

Almost everywhere you go in Sardinia dinner is made up of 4 courses: Antipasti, Starter, Pasta/Risotto course and Dessert. Il Pavone did not disappoint on any level. I’s been owned and run by the same man for decades and he took the trouble to introduce himself to all the diners that evening. The waiter had been there for 25 years and between them they helped us pick the most amazing selection of food. However, our guidebook had advised us to ask for ‘black gelato’ for dessert and it wasn’t on the menu. Nevertheless we asked …and were provided with the most amazing gelato I have ever tasted.

I didn’t take my camera to dinner so unfortunately can’t show you this wonderous dessert on the blog. I did manage to snap a quick picture on my phone so if you follow me on Instagram you’ll be able to see it for yourself.

Dress: Mango (similar here and here)

Castlefield Market

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Last weekend when the rain was pouring down and my stomach was rumbling, I headed into Manchester in search of something to eat. I’ve wanted to visit Castlefield Market for ages but it’s only held on the first weekend of the month and for one reason or another I’ve never been able to make it before. And I have been missing out!

The indoor market is full of handmade crafts and homemade produce. With plenty of street food stalls providing sustenance along the way. I loved the relaxed vibe – a DJ was playing music in the corner and everyone ate along big communal dining tables while making new friends. 

It was a hard decision, choosing where to buy lunch from, but in the end I went for a jerk chicken sandwich with the most amazing mango salsa from The Blackbird Pantry. Followed by what has to be the best brownie I’ve ever eaten. The stall holders were all enthusiastic and happy to chat about their products. There were lots of ‘tasters’ on offer too – an added bonus!

Outfit: Blazer – Zara | Top – Warehouse | Jeggings – M&S (exact ones here) Shoes – Primark | Clutch – Dorothy Perkins
(Note to self – take a bigger bag next time!)

Jewellery – Handmade by Emma
Cards, etc – Mint to Be
Bread – Hunters Artisan Bread
Cakes – Glamarang

(For a full list of stalls appearing each month see the Castlefield Market Website)

Mirror Mirror

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I fell for this dress the moment I put it on. It’s the kind of dress that makes you love every bit of your body the way you should. The bold yet intricate print is cleverly designed to draw attention to the body’s curves in just the right way.

However, while the mirrored print is bold, the colour palette is understated – which means you can be very flexible when choosing accessories to pair it with. I stuck to neutrals for this post but it works equally well with metallics and pastels.

I have been meaning to photograph it for ages. Sadly I left it a bit too late and this dress is no longer stocked on the ASOS website. However I did manage to find some similar options here, here and here.

Dress: ASOS
Shoes: Next (Similar here)
Bag: H&M (Similar here)

Introducing Indi

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Last weekend we had another uncommonly good burst of sunshine, so I decided to put my previous troubles with self-shooting behind me and photograph a post on my new ASOS Tall shorts. Unfortunately Indi had other ideas.

I’ve introduced my dogs once before on the blog but Indi is not the sort of girl who likes to be outshone – so after my last post she took matters into her own paws.

You would never know it but Indi is actually a senior citizen. The problem is, in her head she’s still 10 months old, rather than 10 years. We called her Indi after Indiana Jones, and she likes to live up to her name. 

Top: F&F (similar here)
Shorts: ASOS Tall (exact ones here)
Shoes: Primark
Sunglasses: Accessorize

I Love Lucy

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This little lady belongs to a friend of ours and recently came to spend her holidays with us. She’s a golden retriever and she’s super cute.

With the heatwave the UK has had this week, we’ve had to keep the dogs inside or in the shade most days so that they don’t over heat. So when evening rolled around the other day, we headed out into the sunset to let Lucy stretch her legs. This dress is perfect for a summer evening stroll.

Dress: Therapy at House of Fraser (similar here)
Sandals: F&F (exact ones here)
Sunglasses: F&F

Pictures by: Rachel Orritt

Thank you to Lucy’s owner for kindly allowing me to use her in these photos.

Live in Levis

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The last few weeks have been so fun-packed that I’ve not had much chance to shoot an outfit in a while. This post is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time though, so I decided not to put it off any longer. I read on The Elgin Avenue a while back about the #LiveinLevis marketing campaign and realised that I’d never actually owned a pair of Levi’s. 

Jeans shopping for me is always a trying experience. This is largely because I’m pear-shaped and my legs measure 35″ – which is an exceptionally awkward length to find. But after a LOT of experimenting in the Levi’s store (and no small amount of patience from the store assistant) I managed to come away with this pair: a demi-curve with a 34″ leg. 

They aren’t *quite* long enough if the truth be told, but that works for me as it means they avoid the mud (and in summer I’ll just roll up the cuff and wear capri-style). Unfortunately Levi’s don’t sell anything longer than 34″ which is a real shame, because these are hands-down the comfiest pair of jeans I’ve ever owned. Maybe one day they’ll cater fully to us leggy folk… a girl can dream hey?

(Side note: I also bought a pair of men’s 501s – I wanted something more robust as I spend a lot of my spare time outdoors/working with animals and I needed something that would last me a few years. They’re not quite as flattering as the jeans pictured but the fit was good enough. I’d also recommend trying the 501CT if you have a similar body shape to mine.)

Jeans: Levi’s (exact ones here)

Vest Top (worn underneath): Primark

Sheer Top: Zara 

Shoes: Converse

Sunglasses: F&F

Photos by: Rachel Orritt

Beauté

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I was discussing my make-up routine with a friend at work recently – mainly because I don’t consider myself very skilled at it and I was hoping to pick up some tips. We agreed that most girls learn about make-up from their mother, but that wasn’t really the case for us. Make-up for me has always been very much trial and error.

There are a few products I’ve tried in recent years that I’ve stuck with and they are nearly all French brands. So when a sudden fancy struck me the other weekend to try a slightly bolder look and invest in a properly-red lipstick I went to the one French brand I hadn’t yet tried: Dior.

The Dior counter at House of Fraser were incredibly helpful – and very patient with my trial-and-error approach. They picked out the perfect shade for me and taught me everything I needed to know to apply it properly – I’d been doing it wrong all these years – quelle surprise! (For some equally useful tips I’d also recommend this article.)

Here are some of my best French beauty buys:

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Lipstick: Dior Rouge in 999 shade
Eyeliner: Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in 88 Noir Intense
Concealer: YSL Touch Eclat in Number 1
Mascara: Lancome Hypnose in Noir 1

T-shirt: Rare (seen previously here)
Cardigan: Love

I tend not to use foundation too often, and I’m currently still experimenting with blush/bronzer – if you have any recommendations I would love to hear them!

Pretty Prints

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I’ve been re-discovering my love of Pinterest recently and it led me to thinking about mixing and matching my prints more. I bought this skirt last summer and I love how the lace border works in conjunction with the busy print on the skirt.

There’s something about lace that just makes me think of summer events and this would be the perfect outfit for a garden party. There are lots of gorgeous little details that just make it feel so feminine and fun.

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Top: F&F (similar here)
Skirt: Darling
Clutch bag: Yumi
Shoes: Primark
Sunglasses: F&F

Photos by: Rachel Orritt

 

Cinderella

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One of my earliest memories is of Cinderella. When I was little my Grandma would often mind me while my Mum and Dad were at work, and sometimes – if I was lucky – I’d get to spend the weekend there too. It was the weekends I looked forward to the most. My grandma knew my favourite movie was Walt Disney’s Cinderella, but she’d only rent it from the VHS shop as a special treat for the weekend. My love for the film has stayed with me (and yes I’ve seen the live action remake and it’s wonderful).

When I pulled this outfit together I couldn’t help feeling it was pulling more from the ‘Drizella’ colour palette than Cinderella’s. Then when we were shooting this post the BEST thing happened.

This path is one of my favourite routes to walk and it’s usually fairly deserted. However, I’d forgotten about the Easter Hols. We were soon passed by a family of 8 (including a muddy and excitable dog). There were two little girls (about the age I was when I discovered Cinderella) with their Dad at the back of the procession…

“Go on just ask her.”
“No don’t Dad”
“Just ask, she won’t mind.”
“Don’t it’s embarrassing.“
“Excuse me, the girls would like to know if you’re Cinderella?”

I should have been cooler about it. I really should have been. But that family totally made my week.

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T-Shirt: Mango (Similar here and here)
Skirt: Vintage (via The Vintage Emporium at Pear Mill)
Clutch: ASOS (Similar here)
Sunglasses: F&F

Photos by @RachelOrritt (see www.rachelorritt.com)

All Black, Everything

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Way back when I was a student, I spent most of my spare time binge watching ‘The Hills’ and desperately wishing I could move to LA and get a job working with LC and the gang. Then they brought Kelly Cutrone into it and I changed my mind – I wanted to be a tour de force like her.

I’ve always thought her ‘all-black’ dress code at fashion week was a stroke of genius. It’s smart, yet unobtrusive and it’s quick and easy to achieve.

I love this shirt dress from New Look Tall at ASOS. In fact ASOS is doing a stellar job lately of catering for us leggy lovelies.

However, if I’m going to be honest, this is one ‘tall’ item that falls a little ‘short’. In the tall blogging community I’m a bit on the short side at only 5’10” – and this dress only just fits me. But it does fit. Just.

Yay!

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Dress: New Look Tall via ASOS (exact one here)
Tights: F&F
Boots: XTI via ASOS (exact ones here)
Four Leaf Clover Necklace: Orelia
Earrings: borrowed from my mum (sorry mum!)