Style

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)

Porto Conte

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After our brief stop to explore Castelsardo, we continued on to our next destination.

For the second part of our trip we stayed at the Corte Rosada resort near Alghero. The hotel had a private beach and it was a haven for local wildlife. I spent most of my days here making more fishy friends and pretending to be Dr Dolittle.

Porto Conte itself isn’t more than a few houses grouped along the shore. It has a private harbour – but we got around that by hiring a pedalo so we could go and admire the boats.

Yellow Bikini: F&F

Little White Dress

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For the first part of our trip to Sardinia we stayed in the beautiful Hotel Relax Torreruja. Located on a rocky outcrop in the north of the Island it’s surrounded by stunning views – but be warned it can get a little breezy up there!

It’s a moment away from the small-but-perfectly-formed town of Isola Rossa. There isn’t a huge amount to do, but quite honestly that didn’t seem to matter as the days slipped by easily. I spent them laying out in the sun overlooking the sea, reading a few good books and slipping into the sea to make friends with the fishes whenever I needed to cool off.

I packed a lot of summer dresses for the trip and the Topshop one below is an oldie but a goodie. It’s very girly and flirty – perfect for sunny summer evenings. As it’s one from way-back-when it’s no longer available in stores but there are similar options 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)

The Great Yorkshire Fashion Show

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As promised here is a peek at some of the glorious outfits I got to witness at last week’s Great Yorkshire Show. The Fashion Show took place in the Fashion Pavilion and featured a mixture of graduate designers, high-street brands and couturiers.

With so many beautiful dresses on show I was hard pushed to say which was my favourite (though I think James Steward’s gowns may have just swung it!) Which do you like best?

Designers and Collections:

Batley College of Art and Design
Sheffield Hallam University
Charlotte Lucy
Phase Eight
Hull School of Art and Design
Hobbs
James Steward Couture
Beth Hirst (Millinery)

Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University
Charlotte Lucy
Phase Eight
Hull School of Art and Design
Hull School of Art and Design
Hull School of Art and Design
Hull School of Art and Design
Hobbs
Hobbs
Hobbs
James Steward
James Steward
James Steward
James Steward

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)

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

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!)

Soft Focus

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Self-shooting is hard. Sometimes, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t come together like you hoped it would. This is one of those times… I struggled with the exposure and focus on all these images, but I’m taking comfort in the fact that in the 1950s all the images of actresses were in shot in soft focus, on purpose. It was considered flattering. Today people expect more and more of the images they consume. Well… here’s hoping you find this nostalgic and not annoying…

I’ve been investigating and investing in more and more tall clothing recently. This super snuggly cardigan is from New Look’s Tall range (via ASOS). Unfortunately it came out a little oddly coloured in each image – the close up (5th image down) gives a more accurate idea of the colour and material.

But the tall item I love most at the moment has to be my long length skinny jeans from M&S (the unsung hero of many an outfit of mine). In addition to being tall, I’m also pear shaped – so finding a pair of jeans that fits both my waist and my hips is a tricky business… somewhat like self shooting…

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This is my unimpressed face (after seeing the last image)

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And this is my ‘well this clearly isn’t working’ face

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Cardigan: New Look Tall via ASOS
Black Top (worn underneath): F&F
Skinny Jeans/Jeggings: M&S
Boots: Debenhams
Necklace: unknown (gift)
Ring & Earrings: Orelia
Nail Polish: Chanel ‘Pirate’ 08
P.S. If like me you find yourself struggling with your camera, I’ve done a bit of research now and would recommend having a read of Elizabeth’s Tips over on Delightfully Tacky.