We arrived at Moy Castle on a blustery day. I had been wearing hiking gear to this spot, but finding it empty expect for a few fleeing sheep, changed into this long dress for a quick shoot. After unsuccessfully trying to tame my hair in the wind I thrust it up into milkmaid braids without the benefit of a mirror or reliable witness. "How does it look?" I asked Thomas. "Fine," he replied. It was only later when we returned to civilization that I discovered my serpentine part and mass of errant hairs that had never made it into the braids at all. Oh well, the braids kept my hair from becoming too much of a tangled mess and the style does look half decent in these photographs. A windswept hairstyle to go with the windswept long dress perhaps? Let's pretend the dishevelment is intentional and focus on the romanticism of these shots. It's funny how many pictures we took exploring castles in Scotland when we have many castles down the road from us in Ireland. But you always seem to have so much more time to explore and hike out of your way on holiday than you do in your normal routine at home. We might take the occasional weekend away or day trip to somewhere nearby, but we certainly don't pack as much adventure and crumbling architecture into our usual schedule. This trip has inspired me to attempt more dramatic shots in my own backyard though; there's still a lot of Northern Ireland left for me to explore and I'm excited to venture forth camera in hand!  

The first time Thomas took me to Scrabo Tower, we couldn't find it. If you've ever been you know that Scrabo sits high on a hill, usually visible from miles away--it's a striking landmark in the region. The day I first ventured there however it was so foggy the tower was completely hidden. So we climbed fences and wandered through prickly gorse for ages trying to find the tower and only eventually by chance managed to stumble close enough to see it like a ghost through the fog. Our next visit wasn't quite a memorable, the tower was immediately visible from quite a distance, but we went on a stormy day and were quickly chased away by rainclouds. This day was slightly less wild, though the wind did blow us about a bit, the skies were blue and the sun even made an appearance. A fitting location for some pretty new jewelry I received from Aliquo; a line of handmade jewelry made on the Emerald Isle in Dublin. This is a brand I've featured a few times before on the blog and it's still a favorite; I love Aliquo's feminine, vintage inspired pieces that are often injected with a cheerful dose of color. Her new Sunset collection is no exception featuring delicate waves and setting suns. The simple gold disk of the waves necklace, makes for a perfect layering piece, while the sunset pieces with bright enamel half moons in a variety of colors are perfect statement pieces. I couldn't resist the saffron pieces in the perfect shade of yellow for my wardrobe and have already been wearing the earrings loads. I love how bold they are while still being remarkably lightweight; I like large earrings but usually they're so heavy I can't wear them for long, but this pair is so light I forget I'm wearing them. Like Scrabo Tower, Aliquo is a pretty discovery I've found since moving here.
P.S. Use my code "aclotheshorse" to get free shipping on your order at Aliquo.

Not Another Happy Ending is a charming little film with great intentions that occasionally falls flat. It tells the story of an aspiring author (Jane Lockhart) who is discovered by a dashing, but hot tempered editor and the two seem to make magic together. Her first book is a hit, but with her second she gets writer's block and her editor knowing she writes best in tribulation, starts scheming to ruin her life...It's a comic and sweet little story and one of the highlights of the film for me is Jane's wardrobe. It's a quirky mix of mixed patterns, awkwardly cropped sleeves and trousers, and cozy knits. Everything has a look of vintage or thrift store chic from her beat-up loafers to her faded paisley shirt in the above look (my favorite from the film--that tam!). She sticks to a fairly strict color palette of teal, mustard, and reds; in a lot of ways her style reminds me of Annie Hall if Annie wasn't afraid of color or pattern! Jane isn't afraid of either creatively mixing bold colors and wild prints; another stand-out look is the briefly glimpsed outfit featuring a large check jacket, plaid trousers, and patterned blouse! To mimic Jane's style look for vintage-inspired prints and knits, especially those with awkward crops at the ankle or wrists, and a good waistcoat wouldn't go amiss either. For accessories keep them to a minimum--no fussy handbags or jewelry, instead go for retro/nerdy watches, vintage-inspired berets, and loafers or oxford shoes. I'm definitely going to be taking a page from Jane's style this autumn.       

We can't let Scotland get all the glory for epic locations and memorable structures, there's plenty of history and beauty to be discovered in Northern Ireland as well! One such place I have explored with my family on several occasions, but never took pictures at before is Mussenden Temple. Briefly glimpsed perched on a cliff above Downhill Beach in a previous post, here is the striking Temple in all its glory. In season it is a popular spot to explore and we ended up dodging many a fellow tourist as we snapped these pictures--one even stopped me to ask if I "worked here" seeming to think my polka dot outfit was a period costume! With a bit of patience and a few awkward looks in our direction, we did manage to snap some lovely pictures around the dramatic Temple. It was completed in 1783 and originally designed to be a library and refuge for Frideswide Bruce, but on her death in 1785 it became a memorial to her. Perched at the sea's edge with stunning panoramic views it's a striking building that would have made for a memorable library. You can imagine the walls lined with books and seats pushed up against the windows for a quiet afternoon read. As lovely as it would have been for a solitary reader, I do love that places like these are now open to the public. There's so many gorgeous manor houses and properties I have been able to explore and enjoy because they are no longer reserved for the elite, but open to the public. It does mean you occasionally battle a crowd, but how grand that we all can see what used to be reserved for a privileged few.