My 60's style

Hi there! Are you well? Hope you're doing fine. All's good here, busy of course, now that it's July, but that's as it should be. This was yesterday's work outfit, homage to the 60's, first seen here on my birthday. Bright colours and psychedelic prints were popular in the 60's just in time for me to find my first influences. I cut my fashion teeth on Mary Quant and Pan's People as I grappled with mini skirts, flares, skinny rib tops and fringed waistcoats in suede.  

 

I love the soft pastel shades of this two piece (from Asos). I've added a simple white vest top and pink stretch belt to the outfit plus my pink and orange cowboy boots to give the look a bit of an edge. See the boots here.

White sunglasses are the ultimate accessory for this 60's look - these are a charity shop find, for the bargain basement price of £3. I remember saving up my pocket money to buy the perfect pair of sunglasses in my early teens, mine had orange frames and I thought I looked fab wearing them.

Steve and I had just returned from a drinks do and so I cashed in on the fact that he was a bit tipsy and asked him to take my blog photos. I plonked myself on our front wall and he clicked away, regardless of whether I was actually in the shot or not! Luckily he captured me a few times.

Necklace is from Zara, this season and rings are both old.

Looking back at my birthday shots you may notice that my hair was a bit shorter. I've decided to let it grow this summer although am still having it trimmed to try to maintain some sort of style. I thought I'd try something longer for a change. What do you think? The wind did make it look a bit scruffy didn't it?

                                                                                Anna x

This is 65!

Hello and welcome to my birthday post! Yesterday I turned 65, a proper grown up birthday it seems (although not yet an OAP), but it feels like a fairly significant number. To age is indeed a privilege and I for one am very grateful to reach this particular milestone. 

 

If you're a regular here then you'll know I've been laid low over the past couple of months with virus after virus, a chest infection too followed by strep throat, so today's post feels like another kind of milestone as I was up and dressed (to the nines) for a birthday trip with my dear husband. He drove me to this fabulous vantage point on Tresco aka King Charles Castle so that we could enjoy the beautiful sunny day. He packed a picnic, found a blanket and off we went for a jolly outing. When I had appeared in this psychedelic trouser suit his response was 'Wow!' quickly followed by, 'But will you be warm enough?' Moments later I returned with this cosy extra layer, which was very much needed as we sat on the very top of the island. Gone are the days when he questioned if my choice of outfit was appropriate, thank goodness.

My ensemble comprises of this pink, peach, orange and white psychedelic trouser suit (reduced now on ASOS), bought for my birthday by my son, worn with a white top (charity shopped) and white patent boots which Steve gave me for my Christmas. My orange fun fur was a TK Maxx buy from a couple of years ago. 

This 60's look resonates with my younger self who, on the cusp of her teens, became aware of the fashion of the day, finding it a source of joy and excitement and very much a place where I felt I could express my fledgling self. Mini skirts, midriff tops, bell bottoms, knee high patent boots, shaggy fur coats and suede fringed waistcoats were all I longed for. Pans People on Top of the Pops wore psychedelic hot pants, doe-eyed Twiggy was my first girl crush and my bedroom walls were covered in posters of Marc Bolan, David Bowie and David Cassidy. My Jackie-reading prepubescent self ached to be grown up, to shop at Bus Stop and Biba, be part of this rollercoaster ride of pop music, Woodstock and Beatlemania. Oh what memories!

And now this trouser suit encapsulates all that I'd hope to be at 65. The older I become the more comfortable I feel in my skin. I don't have to rely on anyone to tell me I look okay. If anything, I feel a rising sense of urgency that I may not have enough time to try out everything I still want to play with. Working full time and salting away money into my pension pot is important, but I don't want to miss any fashion opportunities along the way. I'm not driven to spend lots of money on designer clothes as I may have done in the past, but to simply enjoy personalising choice items that I come across. The Sewing Bee has been a lovely distraction recently during my time at home, and also a wonderful source of inspiration. I feel a sewing urge coming on and am about to set my sewing machine up in the spare room to make it more accessible.

I've had to make a few adjustments to the trouser suit which I'm pleased with. I've taken four inches off the trousers, lined the jacket, taken a couple of inches off the sleeves and most scary of all, I made three button holes as the jacket came with four randomly placed buttons but no button holes. Just this little bit of sewing has been so enjoyable that I'm keen to get back to it again. A summer linen dress is on my wish list and I have the pattern, but no fabric as yet...

So, back to the outfit. My gilt 60's belt was a Primark find last year, the gilt necklace a Christmas present and the resin rings are both pre-loved. My retro sunglasses were from River Island many moons ago.

And here's my white patent boots (on sale here at Deichman). 

This laid back birthday celebration couldn't have been more perfect. Later in the day I opened cards and gifts from family and friends as well as receiving three lovely bouquets of flowers. I felt very spoiled. I'll leave you with the view from our picnic spot. What a beautiful day it was!

From here, Steve and I watched a large shipping container in the distance as it rounded the islands gradually changing course to head North to Ireland or beyond. Its journey along the horizon was slow and steady, transporting containers of goodness knows what from one part of the world to another. We observed its passage, musing over the days when we had sailed to other countries by cruise ship, reminiscing about ports visited and sights seen. Happy times! 

                                                                                 Anna x