The Colours of Autumn

This post is long overdue but it's hard to find the time to keep up writing regularly! As an autumn outfit post I had the perfect location to take some good pics, somewhere that defines autumn: the forest.

A few weeks back I visited the popular family holiday location Eleveden Forest, Centre Parcs. About an hour and a half out of London you reach the outskirts of Suffolk leading to Norfolk, where the forest is located. Centre Parcs, I feel (don't know if this is just me), is often stereotyped as a cliche English family holiday. I have visited a few times before in the past but only when I was younger, and always thought this; in reality it's really not. 

On returning you realise what a nice getaway place of natural beauty it is. The forest is a very homely place and the accommodation also feels as if it's your own. You are surrounded by nature not as in just the golden-coloured forest but the rabbits and even deers. There's many things to do as well including hiring your own bike, playing sports, shopping and all that jazz. I mean once you've done that there's not much else - that's why it's best to go with a big group of friends/family so there's a lot of people doing all different activities at once...not really a getaway-for-two type of place. Despite the array of activities that make it such a popular family location, the best part is definitely having a lodge that's hidden away between the rows of trees, overcrowded in nature. 

Anyways check out some photos below of my autumnal outfit and hopefully it gives you some inspiration to wrap up warm and add some colour to the nearing dark winter months.

Checkered coat: Primark 

Dark brown polo neck: Primark 

Light blue jeans: Zara 

Block-heeled boots: Zara 

-apinchofsaffron x

Town of Kotor and the Caves of Montenegro

Montenegro was the last stop-off of the Adriatic cruise. A speed boat trip took us around the coast  line of the miniature country viewing the clusters of identical villages that sit on the edge on the mountains. The speed boat trip led us to the caves similar to the infamous Algarve caves but on a smaller scale. We swam in the water of caves which was a great experience that I'm so glad I did; because of how deep the water was it would normally hold me back (not a strong swimmer ha). The rest of the speed boat trip took us to one of the popular beaches which was peaceful to relax similar to  those in Croatia: crystal clear waters and sea life.

The port we stopped off at was near to the town of Kotor. This is a very old traditional town that has welcomed tourists with its culture despite it's close-knit community. Many shops were selling original pieces of artwork and jewellery prided by the local artists that I myself bought which pictures the typical homes of Montenegro as illustrated in the images below. 

Overall photos do not do any justice to the beauty of this country. It is breathtaking to be surrounded by mountains wherever you are and I thought my book (see image below) that I was reading was fitting to the location. Excellent book by the way but who am I to recommend books, read Emily's blog for that ;) 

The Caves of Montenegro

The old town of Kotor

Beautiful Coastline and Homes

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Thank you for reading! -apinchofsaffron xx

Krka National Park & Islands of Music, Croatia

The Krka National Park is one of the most stunning natural places I have visited and is a taste of paradise. We travelled from the port of Split in Croatia to the National Park which is open to the public either to walk about or take a dip in the waterfalls. The Krka Waterfalls is the jewel of the national park as you can literally swim under the waterfalls yet it was packed with locals, tourists and there are strong currents therefore you can't get too close. The currents may pull you along the refreshing (but slightly mucky) water and the surface of the floor is very rocky however, that does not sidetrack from the natural beauty and enjoyment at this National Park.

The second day in Croatia was spent in Dubrovnik on a tour of the Elaphite Islands: Lopud, Šipan and Kolocep Island. The tour was named Islands of Music as we travelled by pirate boat, (looked like one) with traditional Croatian music playing sailing the seas: an idyllic scene. The islands, as illustrated in the images, are truly beautiful. The waters are crystal clear so as to see the minute fishes swimming nearby the white sandy beaches. The islands are an extremely calming place to stay as it is not packed with people, due to the size of population, nor packed with cars. As the islands are relatively small your legs are the main transportation or alternatively, bicycles with a small crate attached for storage (or smaller passengers). Šipan Island provides the most undisturbed atmosphere yet it is not a place of affluence. The houses often lack a lavish appearance because in the past it was thought to ward off pirates as they appeared not to be worth stealing from! Overall these islands are a tranquil escape from the city life, only 30 minutes from Dubrovnik, worth a day-trip or longer.  

Krka National Park 

Krka Waterfalls 

Kolocep Island Harbour 

Šipan Island Harbour 

Šipan Island Homes 

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Black, White and the colours of Burano

Printed Playsuit: Primark 

Leather Backpack: Accesorize 

Leather Coral Sandals: Primark 

Circle Sunglasses: Matalan

-apinchofsaffron x

Murano, Burano and St.Marks, Venice

Firstly, in the beautiful Venice, we went to the island of Murano; famous for the traditional Murano glass making. I witnessed the art of the glass-blowing in the showroom of a family-owned, yet established, shop that showcased the finest pieces of glass from delicate jewellery to golden encrusted vases. If you are interested in this art and want to buy the Murano glass the best place to get it is definitely on the island. The certified stamp of Murano confirms it is the 'real deal' and is often cheaper than buying it in St. Marks square!  

The Burano island is widely known for the lace-making and the distinguishable colourful houses upon approval. The unique colours of each individual house is so that fisherman would be able to navigate in thick fog when primary industry, fishing, dominated and was the main source of income for the Islanders. Many pizzerias can be found in Burano but the recommendation would be to try the local pastry 'bussolà', a sweet lemon-flavoured biscuit.

St. Marks square is really worth all the fuss. Aside from the jam-packed streets, the architecture in the square is magnificent in its structure and history. Sadly there was not time for gondolas (they're a fortune anyways) but I wish we had longer in Venice. We rushed to see the iconic Pier Rialto but ended up on the bridge, getting one photograph with the scaffolding in and rushed back again. A weekend trip to Venice, personally, would be enough time to explore the sights more fully which I hope to do soon, in the near future. 

Murano Glass-making Showcase 

Coloured houses of Burano Island 

St. Marks Square

Hidden Canals 

Pier Rialto Bridge 

Thanks for reading! -apinchosaffron x

City of Ljubljana and Lake Bled, Slovenia

Firstly upon flying from Gatwick to Corfu, we sailed for a day on the cruise ship until reaching the port of Koper in Slovenia. In Slovenia, we took a coach to the capital city of Ljubljana which looked deserted upon arrival. However the town square was full of life: picturesque cafes, restaurants, and shops with the Ljubljanica River flowing around the busy streets. Later we travelled to Lake Bled which we observed from the highest point of the medieval Bled Castle exhibiting the beautiful view of the lake surrounded by mountains and the town. The Lake is open to the public for recreation such as rowing as well as fishing. The photographs don't really give any justice to the beauty really but I did my best of capturing the moment. Of course, though, the best way to visualise it is to go and see for yourself! 

The Heart of Ljubljana - An artist's work

Lake Bled from Bled Castle 

Port of Koper

Thanks for reading! -apinchofsaffron x

The Adriatic Explorer

 Recently I went on a cruise around the Adriatic Sea exploring multiple European countries in a short space of time.




Although we had a limited time to explore the various locations it is undoubtedly an exciting (and hectic) way to visit different countries. We spent seven days away with one day at sea and five days in a new location everyday. I will be posting more details and hopefully give you a glimpse into these stunning places!





Day 1 - Day at Sea
Day 2 - Koper, Slovenia
Day 3 - Venice, Italy
Day 4 - Split, Croatia
Day 5 - Dubrovnik, Croatia
Day 6 - Kotor, Montenegro

The weather on the ship was windy yet, there was still direct sunlight and therefore summer clothes could still be worn. These flared trousers were the perfect accompaniment to this black halter neck top as it provided not too much cover up and both items are light to wear in the heat. I fell in love with these 70s-style flares as I had been looking for a funky pair that don't swallow up the shape of the body and this pair from H&M for £9.99 (bargain) met the requirements! The accessories worn make it look like I've made more of an effort with this outfit ha.





Wide-rimmed hat: Primark
Black halter neck top: Vintage
Printed flares: H&M
Sandals: Primark

Thankyou for reading, stay tuned for the rest of my photographs during my travels.
-apinchofsaffron x

The Perfect LBD

LBD: ASOS

The classic LBD must be elegant, flattering and obviously black! I found my perfect match at ASOS during the summer sales with this lacy asymmetrical number. The wraparound style with asymmetric hem makes it up-to-date and instantly upgrades the dress from simple to sophisticated. The lace acts as a light cover up of the arms and back for modesty and also distinguishes it from other styles; it adds an extra element to the details of the dress. 

Based on my personal opinion I also think the dress looks much more expensive that I got it for, the material is of a good quality and overall fits the body well. Previously it was £65.00 but is now £19.50 an extremely reasonable price for an classy dress that can be worn to a variety of different occasions. The dress is still available currently on the ASOS site but in a limited amount of sizes. 

Thanks for reading! -apinchofsaffron x

Blue Bohemian in Dubai

Printed top: Primark 

Culottes style shorts: Asos 

Wide-rimmed hat: Primark 

Sandals: Primark

Due to the 40 degree heat in Dubai I was able to bust out some of my old summer clothes and also was obligated to buy some new ones. One of the outfits I wore is shown in the pictures above. 

This top caught my eye in Primark with its patterned boho vibe and the cute bobble fringing. Although the material is not the best quality, I was won over at the price of only £6! 

I love culottes shorts as they aren't tight or short, have a modest length and are straight cut. Therefore they can suit a classier evening look with heels and keep you cool in those summer nights. I got these in the sale a few years back so they won't be available on Asos sadly, however, the top and hat were recent buys and should still be available in Primark. 

The wide-rimmed hat is wearable in winter and summer, providing good protection from the sun or cold weather but still instantly transform a simplistic outfit. 

Thanks for reading!
-apinchofsaffron