Lemon Ricotta & Almond Cake

I'm not sure where I got this super delicious recipe from originally as it's written on a scrap piece of paper that has been kept inside one of my most used cookbooks for a few years. So apologies for not crediting the original recipe writer. So, if like you me you love lemon, ricotta and almond then this is the cake for you. Not too sweet and tastes even better a few days after you've made it. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

120g unsalted butter, softened
240g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/4 cup lemon zest 
4 eggs, separated

240g almond meal
300g ricotta
Flaked almonds, to decorated
Icing sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 160°C.

Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.

Beat butter, 165g of the caster sugar, vanilla seeds and lemon zest in an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until fully combined (scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition). Add the almond meal and beat to combine. Fold in the ricotta.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a third of the egg whites into the cake mixture. Repeat with the remaining egg whites.

Pour mixture into the prepared cake tin and decorate the top with flaked almonds. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked and firm to touch. Allow to cool completely in the cake tin. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whether you're five or forty-five choc-chip cookies are always a hit. This recipe is super easy, quick and made in one bowl so cleaning up is minimal. They're great for breakfast, lunchboxes or with a cup of tea or glass of milk.

125g butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Beat butter and sugars until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Stir in flour and chocolate chips.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on the tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly before moving to a wire rack.

Ultimate Chocolate & Raspberry Tart

To celebrate World Chocolate Day (arguably my favourite day of the year) on Saturday 7 July, I thought I'd make Jamie Oliver's Chocolate Raspberry Tart. This recipe is delicious and super rich so goes a long way, and it's surprisingly easy to make. Seriously the best chocolate tart EVER.

Chocolate Pastry:
200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
25g cocoa powder
25g icing sugar
175g cold butter
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Filling:
500ml double cream
75g caster sugar
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
2 eggs

250g raspberries, plus extra to serve 

Pre-heat oven to 200C /180C fan-forced.

For the pastry, add the flour, cocoa powder, icing sugar and butter to a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and process until the mixture starts to stick together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Remove pastry from fridge and roll out thinly on a lightly dusted surface. Line a 25cm loose-bottom tart tin. Trim the edges and chill in the fridge for a further 30 minutes.

Line the pastry case with a sheet of baking paper and rice or baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and rice/beans and blind bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Turn oven down to 170C / 150C fan-forced.

For the filling, add the cream and sugar to a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring gently until sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly, add the lightly beaten eggs and mix well.

Scatter the raspberries into the tart case, pour over the chocolate filling and bake for 20-30 minutes until the filling is cooked but still slightly wobbly (it will continue to firm as it cools). Remove from oven and cool until set.

Serve with a few extra raspberries and cream.

Baby Essentials

Sofia is almost six months old - where has the time gone?! Foolishly, I thought I'd have more time at home with a baby, I thought I'd be taking photos and be blogging but I haven't had time, and any time I have had between our feeding/playing/sleeping routine I've found myself cleaning, preparing meals (although most of mine are eaten sitting on the floor) or reading up on things like 'sleep regression', 'starting solids', 'how do you get poop out of carpet' etc. I have LOVED every second of being a mama, it's more than I ever imagined, and I revel in seeing Sofia grow and experience new things.

Six months in and I've also realised where I wasted money (on cutesy, unnecessary things that remain unused) and discovered a number of things that I'd recommend for all new mama-to-bes. These have made our lives much easier in the last few months so I thought I'd share my 'essentials' with you.  Note, we've just started solids so I'll do a separate post on this as Sofia has taken to it like a duck to water.

Ubbi Nappy Caddy
This has been so handy - providing convenience and access to all our nappy supplies in any room in the house. There are two main compartments for nappies, wipes and creams and a draw for smaller items. It also comes with an easy clean change mat. I'd be lost without this.
Ubbi Nappy Caddy RRP $79.95 (currently half price on The Stork Nest).

UPPABaby Cruz Pram
We looked at almost every pram on the market. The Bugaboo is always a popular choice but didn't have a large shopping basket underneath (priorities) so we decided on the UPPABaby which has a huge, easy to access shopping basket underneath. Our next decision was choosing between the VISTA and the CRUZ models. The VISTA is designed for growing families as you can add another seat and the CRUZ is designed just for one baby. Given the struggles we had trying to get pregnant with Sofia, we decided to buy the pram for the baby we were having, not for future babies that may or may not eventuate, so we settled on the slightly more compact CRUZ model which is sturdy, looks great and can navigate over anything. We also bought the bassinet which was great for the first 5 months as she slept in there a lot and it prevented me from feeling housebound.
UPPABaby Cruz Pram
UPPABaby Bassinet

The First Six Weeks - Midwife Cath
This book literally got me prepared, and through, the first six weeks with Sofia. As a first time mum it provided guidance about caring for our new baby, from feeding to sleeping and everything in between. With over 40 years experience, Cath provides a wealth of knowledge into babies, establishing routines and a lifelong loving bond. I read it before Sofia was born and then read each week (it's set out in weeks) as I was going through them and found it really got me through the challenges of the first few weeks. If only Cath could write one for the first 6 years!!
The First Six Weeks by Midwife Cath $29.99

Love to Dream Swaddle UP
Sofia didn't want to be 'traditionally' swaddled with her hands down from birth so we were thrilled to discover the Love to Dream Swaddle UP. They've provided both Sofia and us with a great nights sleep - something all new parents need.  These also make the perfect baby shower gift!
Love to Dream Swaddle UP Original $39.95

White Noise Sound Machine
This goes hand in hand with the Love To Dream SwaddleUP in promoting sleep. It plays white noise that calms and soothes and also drowns out other household noise whilst baby sleeps. This one is great as it's portable so can be taken on holiday or fastened to a pram or car seat.
Marpac Hushh White Noise Sound Machine $31

Stokke Tripp Trapp
I knew without question I wanted the Tripp Trap highchair as I had one as a kid - they grow as your child grows and you can choose a colour to work with your decor (we got white). We also got the additional newborn set so we could bring Sofia to the table at mealtimes from early on. That way she got used to being at the table and it's made her transition to solids much easier.
Stokke Tripp Trapp Highchair $329

Baby Bjorn Bouncer
I wasn't sure if we needed one of these at first, so held off a few weeks and then I realised I need to put Sofia somewhere when I was having a shower, going to the toilet or making dinner. Portable and light you can move it around the house so your little one can see you at all times.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer $219

Baby Sleeping Nest
People either love or hate these and there was some controversy about using them as I believe some people use them inside the cot which isn't great for SIDs. We however, just used ours for day naps in the first 4 months or until Sofia's head was touching the top. I kept ours on our lounge room floor and Sofia LOVED sleeping in it, and it meant I could keep an eye on her during the day whilst I went about with my chores.
Cam Cam Baby Nest $159

Moroccan Cauliflower and Freekah Salad

This salad is a firm favourite in our household - we enjoy it on it's own, as a side and we often take any leftovers to work for lunch.

1 Cauliflower, leaves discarded 
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander (or you could use Moroccan Spice in place of these two spices)
1 Lemon
1 cup Freekah
1 teaspoon Vegetable stock powder (optional but I think adds a little flavour to the freekah)
1/3 cup sultanas or raisins
1/4 cup Flaked almonds, toasted
1/4 cup Pepitas, toasted
1/2 bunch mint, finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
3 Spring onions, finely sliced 
1 tablespoon Olive oil
Splash of red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 200C. Place the whole cauliflower on a backing tray, sprinkle with cumin and coriander and roast for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and squeeze over juice of the lemon. Once cooled slightly break into florets.

While the Cauliflower is roasting, cook the freekah. Add freekah and vegetable stock to a small saucepan with 3.5 cups of water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until water is absorbed (you can drain any excess). Transfer cooked freekah to a bowl or serving plate to cool slightly.

To assemble, add sultanas, pepitas, almonds, cauliflower, mint, parsley and spring onion to the freekah. Drizzle with the olive oil, splash of red wine vinegar and season to taste. Toss and serve. 

Chocolate Dipped Nougat

This is the most simple sweet treat to serve at Christmas, after dinner or just when you need to whip up something quick ahead of time so you can stress less, sit back and celebrate. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, plus time for chilling.

Store bought nougat
Dark Chocolate, melted
Freeze dried raspberry powder*

Cut the nougat into 2cm pieces, dip into chocolate half way and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with freeze dried raspberry powder and refrigerate until set.

*Most good delis/speciality stores sell freeze dried raspberries. If you're in Melbourne, Essential Ingredient stocks it.

Dressing a Bump

During pregnancy I haven't wanted to waste money on bump-friendly maternity clothes that would only last a couple of weeks (I've preferred to waste money on impractical baby clothes and accessories that will be covered in poop and vomit in no time!). I have however bought a few key pieces that have really got me through.

Topshop Maternity Jeans: Topshop Maternity Jeans are fabulous. I grabbed two pairs - Jamie and Leigh styles - both over the bump and super comfortable. I found my normal size was fine as they have lots of stretch. They looked just like my old jeans that no one know I was even in maternity jeans and some of my friends thought they looked so good that they were even eyeing them up! It will be very hard to go back to normal jeans.

Midi Tube Skirts: Whilst I would never have dreamed to wear a tight tube skirt pre-pregnancy, I have found them perfect for pregnancy as they hit my leg at the thinnest part and hugged in the expanding belly and bum.

Cos Shirts: Cos has become my new best friend. I've found their pieces, even in my pre-pregnancy size, not only flattered a growing bump but I'll be able to wear them once (if) my waistline reappears.

Fancy Flats: Gone are the days of wearing high heels (I still sneak a few in sometimes) and in came the flats. I found a few statement flats really elevated my wardrobe. I have worn my Valentino rock studs to death (and while pricy my cost per wear is right down) but I also wore a lot of ASOS flats that were $28 or less.

Maternity Tees: I have lived in maternity teas that I've simply warn with jeans/trousers (and a fancy pair of flats) or knotted above my bump with a tube skirt. I didn't spend a fortune - ASOS had 3 packs for $30 and they've seen me through 9 months.

Nursery

With the baby less than five weeks away, we're frantically pulling the nursery together.  All the furniture, with the exception of the bright pink armchair, which we've moved from our living room, is white as I'm a big fan of using accent colours to bring a room together. Knowing it's a girl we've got lots of girly pink items but we've also gone with some aqua and blues to tone it down a little and the result is fresh and feminine without being to in your face pink. Once we're done I'll share some photos.

1 Incy Interiors Georgia Cot | 2 Monique Lhuillier Rug from Pottery Barn Kids | 3 Marcelle Wide Dresser which will hopefully see her into her teen years | 4 Numero 74 Canopy from Leo & Bella | 5 Ollie Ella Lidded Basket | 6 Ilka Flamingo Mobile is made to order and just divine | 7 Various Cushions to add a pop of colour | 8 Pink Velvet Chair (old) | 9 Super Rural For Like Ever Print which I've had for years but it fits perfectly in her room | 10 IKEA MOSSLANDA Picture Ledge  saw these on Pinterest used as book shelves which is ideal as they don't take up any floor space

Catching Up

I started this blog a few years back as a creative outlet and to share the things I like - recipes, fashion, home inspiration, DIY, mood boards and anything else that took my fancy. I stopped blogging a few years back when I lost my father as I just didn't have the time, nor the inspriation, however a lot has happened in the last couple of years and I feel like I'm ready to pick it up again...in some capacity.

To catch you up, 2015 was a momentous year from me - I got engaged, bought a house, got married and had a sensational honeymoon in Italy and France, all in the space of 8 months. The wedding was definitely THE highlight and we had the most amazing photographers, Erin & Tara who captured all the magical moments and (I think) made us look like absolute superstars. Below are few photos of their photos from our special day.

2016 saw us settle into married life and we started trying for a baby. In February 2016, after only a few short months of trying, we fell pregnant and we were absolutely overjoyed. Sadly, a few weeks later I miscarried which left us devastated but eager to try again - we knew miscarriage was extremely common (20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage with 80% of them usually in the first few weeks) and  we believed it would happen again pretty swiftly. A year later we were still having no luck so sought the advice of a fertility specialist - I wasn't getting any younger, at 37, so they suggested we try IVF. Lots of friends and family had had success with IVF and other fertility treatments so we signed up immediately and commenced all the pre-treatment testing. In March 2017, I started my first cycle and by April we got a positive.  Initially, we were pretty apprenshive and found it difficult to get too excited, miscarriage still played on our minds and we honestly felt getting pregnant on the first cycle was just too good to be true (we weren't that lucky) but as the weeks went by, seeing and hearing the heartbeat and the growth from appointment to appointment we relaxed and started to enjoy the pregnancy and the excitement of starting a family. Now our little girl (who we affectionately call Colin right now) is due the first week of January 2018. 

So that's the last couple of years in a nutshell and here I am, 35 weeks pregnant and back to sharing my life. Posts may be random and pictures may not be very slick but I'll still try to get a few hair tutorials up as these proved very popular, particularly on Pinterest, and there will definitely be lots of 'mummy' posts (I'm obsessed with baby anything and everything), food and fashion related bits and pieces. Watch this space...

Pineapple Pants

The second I saw these Gorman pineapple print trousers I knew I had to get my hands on them. I did wonder if I'd wear them enough, however I've worn them with other prints, stripes, plain tees and I even wear them to the office - probably not appropriate but I wear ice cream print shirts so perhaps it's not unexpected of me. Anyway, I've certainly had my money's worth.  They're currently half price so get yourself a pair.

Gorman pants | Gorman tank (also half price) | Zara flats (old) | Mulberry Bag

Quinoa Salad

I started a few, for want of a better world 'resolutions' this year. Nothing too fancy - drink more water, no chocolate before 12noon, 2 chocolate free days a week (yes, I love chocolate!!), eat lunch every day (I used to skip lunch most days and then binge on whole bars of chocolate in the afternoon). These might sound easy but I was wanting something achievable so I'd stick to it. So far so good. For lunch I've been taking salads from home and this one has become a firm favourite. Apologies for the poor quality photo, it's from my phone.

1 butternut pumpkin, cubed
Olive oil
Mixed dried herbs (oregano, thyme and rosemary)
1 teaspoon Paprika
Salt
1 cup of quinoa
1 lemon
A handful of coriander, chopped
1 head of broccoli, chopped into segments
1/3 of a cup of pine nuts, toasted
12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Place the pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, dried herbs, salt and paprika. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and soft.

While the pumpkin is roasting, make the quinoa. Add quinoa to 2 cups of boiling water, the juice of one lemon, some dried herbs and salt and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add coriander and broccoli and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer quinoa to a serving bowl, stir through the pumpkin, pine nuts and cherry tomatoes. Squeeze on a little extra lemon and serve.

Floral Shirt

Well I have had a  week like no other but have somehow kept my head above water. Thank God it's the weekend - I'm catching up with old friends, lunching with mum and shopping for a week away next week.  Wearing this out tonight for dinner. 

Zara Shirt | Zara Trousers | J.Crew Heels | Mulberry Bag

What's in my Make-up Bag?

My handbag contents is pretty boring - sunglasses, keys, iPhone, make-up bag so I didn't think a 'what's in my bag?' would have been any fun so thought I'd share a what's in my make-up bag. This is my day-to-day make-up bag that I use on work mornings and keep in my handbag for any random touch-ups.

Clockwise: Tender Love & Carry Make-Up Bag $12.16 (on sale), Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil $48, Chanel Powder Brush #1 $65, Paul & Joe Lipstick Refil in Pret-a-porter $25.34 & Paul & Joe Lipstick Case $14.19, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm $46.20, Geurlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder 02 $52, Lancome Effacernes Longue Tenue Concealer $53, Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm $30, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara $11, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation $45, Paul & Joe Lip Pencil Duo $26

I Scream for Ice Cream

This fun ice cream print shirt has been on serious rotation all summer. Probably not entirely work appropriate but very me so I wear it into the office anyway.  I discovered it on Sheinside, a very new to me website that I wasn't sure to trust given the too good to be true prices (this shirt was $23 less 15% discount for signing up to the website). Yes my order took over a month to get to me from China, and the quality isn't fabulous, but for fun cheap fashion I'll shop from them again.

Sheinside Shirt | Vintage Skirt | Canape 770 Heels  | Mulberry Bag

Beetroot, Chickpea, Orange & Quinoa Salad

I've started a few, for want of a better word 'resolutions' this year. Nothing too fancy - drink more water, no chocolate before 12noon, two chocolate free days a week, eat lunch every day (I used to skip lunch most days and then binge on whole bars of chocolate in the afternoon). These might sound easy but I wanted something achievable so I'd stick to it. So far so good. For lunch I've been taking salads from home and this quinoa salad has become a firm favourite. 

I've actually been eating a lot of quinoa, but find if I don't cook it with lemon, herbs and salt it can taste like polystyrene. Adding these ingredients at the beginning with the water makes for a much tastier quinoa without adding a noticeable flavour to the rest of your dish as it just seems to absorb.

1 bunch baby beetroots, trimmed and quartered
Olive oil
Sea salt
1 cup quinoa
1 lemon
Dried herbs (I used parsley and oregano)
3 tablespoons cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 fresh orange, peeled, trimmed, cut into bite sized pieces

Preheat the oven to 190ºC.

Place beetroot on baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Bake for 30 minutes.

While the beetroot is roasting, make the Quinoa. Add quinoa to 2 cups of boiling water, the juice of one lemon, some dried herbs and salt and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the beetroot from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the dressing, combine olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and honey in a glass and whisk. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the warm, cooked quinoa, chickpeas and baby spinach leaves. Pour in the salad dressing and toss lightly. Season with sea salt and pepper. Gently add the beetroot and fresh orange pieces. Don't over mix or your salad will go red.

A Little Leopard

Sportsgirl Tank (on sale) | Vintage Skirt | Balenciaga Bag | Zara Flats | Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Ridiculously hot in Melbourne, sleepless nights, swims down the beach and not much else going on this week.

YouTube Obsession

This is more like a confession but I am OBSESSED with youtube!! What started as me looking for online reviews on hair curling wands a year or so ago has grown to a full on addiction to the lives of 'youtube beauty gurus' and sadly sometimes their boyfriends (Jim Chapman). I started watching Tanya Burr as I couldn't believe how she could transform her face with make-up. Don't get me wrong she is a beautiful young 20-something but with some eye make-up and careful conturing she looks like a sexy vamp. To be honest, I am more fascinated at the amount of product these fresh faced young women are putting on their faces and how much older they appear than I am about learning how to apply liquid eyeliner but I do pick up some great tips and beauty recommendations. My recent favourites are Vivianna Does Makeup and Essie Button and both of these girls have led to my recent purchases of Alpha-H Liquid Gold (A-Mazing!!), Hourglass Arch Brown Sculpting Pencil ($48 but is the perfect powder/wax consistency, I swear) and Dior Creme de Rose lip balm. Ok, so at $30 (for lip balm!!!) I probably didn't need this but the packaging is so darn cute and my initials are CD...yep, this YouTube thing is not good. Prior to this I've changed foundation to Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (thanks Fleur De Force), bought a Clarisonic Mia, Shu Uemura eyelash curlers, Bumble & Bumble shampoo and conditioner, Oribe Texturising Spray and the list goes on. Seeing how their reviews can obviously influence a 30-something women, it's no surprise that these young ladies are doing this 'Beauty Guru' business full time, turning a hobby into a career and raking in the cash. Check out their youtube videos and try not be influenced, I dare you. I'm off to go see what the SacconeJoly's got up to yesterday. That is a story for another day...

Tanya Burr before and afters 

Banana & Raspberry Bread

While I was recovering from my surgery last week, and getting really sick of tea and toast, my gorgeous mother made me this delicious banana and raspberry bread as an alternative for when I needed a little something extra. Although I didn't bake it myself, it was too nice not to share the recipe.

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 caster sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/3 cups self raising flour
1/3 cup macadamia nuts, toasted, roughly chopped
125g fresh raspberries
1/4 cup white choc chips
1 tablespoon icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin and line the base and 2 longest sides with baking paper. Combine the banana and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Add flour, macadamia nuts and store until combined. Gently fold in the raspberries and whit choc chips. Pour into prepared tin, smooth the top and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the top comes out clean. Stand in the pan for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar.

I'm Back

Hello lovelies, or anyone that is still reading since I haven't done a post in over 2 months!! Apologies but I needed a little break from taking my outfit photos, from taking photos of my food before I eat it, from life in general really. I had a minor health scare (all good now) and my father is very ill which has and continues to knock me for six. So I just spent some time close to home doing not too much at all. I don't think I've really spoken of my father's illness as I try to keep it light on here but he has dementia and has no idea who I am anymore. At 63 he's far too young and the sadness of seeing him vanish into dementia has been heartbreaking for me and my family. The loss of love has been unbearable, I was his favourite person, and he mine, we were extremely close and I miss him everyday. I'm often scared I can't remember what he used to be like - his laugh, the sound of his voice, his smell, so I've adored spending time with mum, drinking wine, cooking food I don't photograph (although there has been the odd instagram snap...I can't help myself), crying, laughing and talking about how he used to be. Anyway, I'm back and I promise to post more regularly.

So anyways, above is a photo I used to enter the recent Red Magazine Denim Challenge with the hope to win two pairs of jeans for me and a friend at Selfridges Denim Studio. Was my first foray into boyfriend jeans - wasn't sure how they'd go with my short legs - but my friend pushed me into the purchase and at $39 on sale at Zara I wasn't too concerned if they didn't see light of day.

Zara Top | Zara Boyfriend Jeans | J Crew Everly Heels | Vintage clutch

Blue Vintage Dress

This dress is an old favourite and it was a steal on eBay at $15 - no wonder it's a favourite.  I get asked a lot how I always seem to find 'good' vintage dresses so here are my thoughts/tips:

1. Know what you like, and more importantly, what suits you. (I gravitate toward 'knee-length' styles that nip in at the waist and 'pleated skirts'). Key words will definitely help when shopping online; refine a search and save you time.

2. If looking online, take note of the model's measurements (and don't be afraid to ask if they're not listed) as vintage sizing can be very different to today's sizing.  I find working with a model's measurements is a much better guide.  

3. I've mentioned before (see here) and I cannot recommend it enough, get a good tailor. Then you won't be too discouraged if you find something in a beautiful print that may be a size too big or too long as a good tailor can make anything work for your shape.

4. Give yourself time to look.  I can trawl ebay and etsy for hours on end to find a hidden gem. If shopping in stores, don't think you'll find something immediately, or even every visit - allow both time to sift through the racks and to try things on.
   

Vintage Dress | Sportsgirl Belt | Madewell Heels | Balenciaga Bag