Hurrah for 6 years of blogging!




Hello and welcome to my 6th anniversary blogging post!




I can hardly believe that I've been sharing my life with you all for the past 6 years. Has it been fun? Yes, enormous! Has it been challenging at times? Yes, and sometimes I've considered packing it all up and slinking off over the horizon. But here I am, still dressing up and gadding about for your entertainment.




Fiona and I spent a couple of hours at the Tresco Abbey Garden on Sunday taking the shots for today's feature and we did laugh a lot along the way. There couldn't be a better backdrop for my anniversary post when you consider how many plants were in bloom that day. It was a true colour-fest of almost every shade possible - perfect when you consider that my style motto is "Let's bin the beige and have fun with colour!"




Before we go any further let's talk about this beautiful vintage maxi dress shall we? A recent purchase from my mainland trip, I bought it in a retro shop in Penzance, called Black Jacket Vintage. This was its first outing and oh my goodness what a lot of lovely compliments it got! The orange and lilac colours work so well together and the fit is fabulous. The satin edged fluted sleeves are such an elegant touch too; I did feel that I was wafting about in a happy, hippy haze. I'm so pleased to have this in time for summer. I'll be wearing this a lot over the next few months, that's for sure!




 In true hippy chick style I've added a huge bangle and big rings in orange. 




I've continued the retro vibe with these oversized orange sunglasses from Zara along with the shiny orange perspex necklace which was a boutique find at least five years ago.




The gold and orange sandals were a happy find when Steve and I were on holiday in New Zealand a few years ago. 




I'm going to rest up for a moment and allow my followers to take centre stage next. As you'll know I do love to have conversations with my readers, allowing me to build up blogging friendships over time. 




This is Susa from Cologne who has been chatting to me for some time now. She was kind enough to respond to my prompt to take part in this colourful feature. Susa says that Anna's Island Style has inspired her to shop her closet in an expressive way, using colours to brighten her mood and day. She's echoed my love for charity shop rings, wearing a pre-loved glass one and another gifted from a friend - sooooooo very Anna, she says. Susa looks wonderful in her orange and yellow outfit, a combination that I'd happily wear myself.  The lime green foliage of the Beech trees compliments her ensemble perfectly too. Thank you Susa for joining me with your burst of joy!




My blogging friend Hilda of Over the Hilda has submitted this fabulous red trouser suit to the feature. In her words: I love your colourful aesthetic and though I am not as adventurous as you I too find colour mood enhancing and uplifting. She has recently been inspired to dejunk her wardrobe and pass on the hardly worn pieces that were clogging the works. Anna's Island Style has helped her to venture into the world of vintage and charity shopping too. Great news Hilda, I'm delighted to have helped!




Jacqui (of Mummabstylish) and I met up in London in 2017 (see here) and have been good friends ever since. It was inevitable during our time together that day we would talk about clothes and I remember she told me about her three colour rule being her guideline to dressing. She said that she felt out of her depth when it came to pattern play. Well, four years on and look at her now - pattern play is no longer a mystery to Jacqui!




Not only has she dipped a toe into the world of clashing patterns, but she's inventing outfits and inspiring her readers to play along too. These aren't baby steps Jacqui - more like huge strides from a confident pattern mixer - hurrah and very well done my dear!




Kezzie runs a blog too (see here) which was the foundation of our friendship, but then she turned up on Tresco one day and boy did we talk! See my blog feature here. We have similar quirky tastes in fashion and she recently confessed that she'd bought some joggers like mine, although hers were charity shopped. She says this outfit is her homage to Anna - Brights like Anna was her post about these colourful trews and bright orange top. Again, another outfit I'd wear in a heartbeat. 




Let's continue with the tour of the Abbey Garden, shall we? I'm draped in front of the Shell House, created by Lucy Dorrien-Smith. Her mosaics are to be seen throughout the whole island of Tresco; the combination of shells and pottery add a vivid splash of colour to our school building, to Smith Square and most recently in the garden of the Lighthouse Cottage.




The path through the veg garden is lined with lavender, heavy with the buzz of bees as they gather their nectar. The enormous variety of flowers are pollen heaven for the local bee population which in turn create the much sought after Tresco honey, sold exclusively through the Garden Visitor Centre. 




I think Mother Nature wins the prize for being the most colourful!




Thank you for dropping by for my special feature today. I'm quite proud of my 6 year milestone, especially as my readership has continued to grow over the years which is very heartening. Your input is so welcome - it helps me to know that I'm hitting the right spot. Your feedback also fuels and inspires me to be creative, to constantly reinvent myself and keep finding new ways to engage you in Anna's Island Style. Thank you so much xxx

                                                                                    Anna x

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15 comments

  1. Tried to post a comment earlier, but couldn't log in! Now on the laptop so firstly thanks for featuring me! I love both these outfits and you can take all the credit for me finding them - thanks my friend. Secondly congratulations Anna, you've created a marvelous haven for fashion lovers similar to your gorgeous haven at home! Love to see what you share each week and am always in awe of how well you do it. Happy celebrations my friend, and let's hope we can meet up again this year. Jacqui x

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    1. Thanks for your comments and support over the years Jacqui. The blogging community have been warm and welcoming to me and I do feel it's like an extended family. Dressing up is and always has been about pleasing myself and making myself feel good. It's an absolute bonus to find that others enjoy what I wear and what I do in my island life.

      It would be grand to have a bloggers meet up again Jacqui xxx

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  2. Happy blogaversary Anna and many happy returns of the day!!I think I read somewhere that most blogs fizzle after 2 years so well done for keeping going. Thanks for all the inspiration and new ideas that I have picked up and tried. I love colour and what a wonderful place to waft, my most favourite garden. Looking forward to visiting soon. I love the sandals.
    Tessa xx

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    1. Thanks so much Tessa. It's been lovely to have your feedback over the years and to meet you in real life too! Tresco is teeming with visitors currently, all of whom are so grateful to be back, enjoying their holidays. I look forward to seeing you soon! xxx

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    2. And you too Anna. xxx
      PS I love Jacqui's pattern mixing.

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  3. Happy Blogoversary, Anna! Congratulations on your tenure of 6 years! Wow! Love the amazing vintage dress - it's stunning on you!

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    1. Thank you Sheila x

      The vintage dress was a wonderful find - I'm so pleased you like it!

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  4. Dear Anna,
    late, hopefully not to late, I congratulate you to six years of happy blogging. You made and make a great job. But job is maybe the wrong word, nevertheless it is time consuming. I feel the passion you have! Thank you for sharing. And thank you for showing my snapshot. I had fun...
    Hugs from Cologne, Susa

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    1. Dear Susa, I'm delighted to hear from you again. It was great to be able to include one of my readers who isn't a blogger - thank you for taking the time to get involved. You look amazing x

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  5. Congratulations dear Anna, six years is an amazing feat. What I love most about you blog is seeing your smiling face three times a week. Keep going, keep shopping and keep binning the beige! xxxx

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    1. Thanks so much Bo. What I love is the fact that I only post twice a week and yet you feel my presence so much more. Thank you for your unending technical support darling xxx

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  6. Happy Anniversary Anna; you look great in your celebratory dress.
    Thank you for the inspiration that you provide to us blog readers; for your great style ideas, your pattern mixing and encouragement to ‘bin the beige.’
    You have really helped me to look at different ways of styling my clothing. X

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    1. It's so lovely to have you as one of my cheer-leaders Phyllis. Thanks for your regular comments and kind remarks xx

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  7. Ah, many, many congratulations on your 6 years Anna! That is a fantastic achievement and your blog is such a happy place to visit! You, your clothes and beautiful Tresco make it feel like a lovely holiday coming to your blog!xx

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    1. How very kind of you Kezzie. I'm delighted to have your comments and support. I do hope to see you back on the island again one day xx

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