A toned down colour palette this week

Hello again and thanks for dropping by! Today's outfit owes quite a lot to the Traitors influence, namely that style icon Claudia Winkleman (again). There's no point in me apologising as I find myself loving an oversized sweater and leggings a la Claudia. 

This fabulous cream sweater is from M&S, purchased just before Christmas when I was in store. I'm pleased that I was able to try it on in the shop as I sized up to get the loose fit that I wanted. 

This is my second week of wearing cream and honestly it's such a surprise to find that I like it so much. The loopy knit sweater is warm and weighty (oh you know how much I like a weighty fabric). And of course, cream is very good to warm up a pale complexion like mine. I wear a tinted moisturiser and blusher to ward off the pale winter tone of my skin.

My black leggings are very old, from Primark and the cream boots (by Catwalk) are on repeat from last week. I found them in the British Red Cross shop in Truro, brand new and only £6! Aplogies for repeating myself, but clearly I'm chuffed with them as well as them being an absolute bargain.

Cream crunchy cotton socks join that no man's land between boots and leggings, plus they add a toasty layer around the ankles.

My rings are both pre-loved and the sunglasses are by Radley London. I have to mention that it's a total relief to me to be in February now. Despite having a January birthday I really don't like the post-Christmas slump that seems to happen to me most years. I think my body responds to January by throwing up some ailment or other and this year I've had bronchitis. I'm just emerging from that and it's left me washed out and weary. A bit of sunshine yesterday was just what I needed.

It's only a month now until the island re-opens for another season which seems incredible. I have so much to achieve at work and that will have to be somehow condensed as I've missed two weeks while I've been recuperating. I'm hoping I can wave a magic wand to bring all of the projects and restocking and setting up all together in time. Wish me luck with that!

                                                                        Anna x

Joyful January our Style Not Age Challenge this month

Many thanks for joining me and my fashionista friends for our monthly Style Not Age challenge. It was my turn to set the theme and so I thought it might be good to view this normally anti-climatic month as a positive. Let's dive right in to see how everyone approached this one...

Emma is embracing her Joyful January look with gusto! Her joyful jacket is by Jayley and the perfect handbag for today's feature is from Vinted. See more about this rainbow bright outfit on Emma's post on Style Splash.

Hilda has opted for a more casual look this month. Her barrel jeans are by Cos and jacket is by Zara. Shopping her closet still results in this on trend look for her. Catch up on on her news on Over The Hilda blog. 

Jacqui is looking joyful indeed in her new Damart jacket paired perfectly with the maroon faux leather midi skirt. Catch up with Jacqui's backstory on Mummabstylish blog feature.

My Joyful January outfit coincided with an outing for my birthday a few days ago. This is what it looks like to be 68 - well, when you're me that is! I'm happy to say that I don't know what the expectation is for the average 68 year old woman and how she ought to look nowadays. No matter anyway. I'm making up my own rules as I go and the journey is indeed a joyful one!

For our picnic lunch at the north end of the island I gathered together some of my favourite items to create this daytime look. My cream shaggy jacket may not say daytime to you, but my style ethos is always to look my best every day without needing a reason to dress up. I think the jacket works equally well with denim as it did with my sequin leggings from the festive season.

The fairisle jumper is a wonderfully cosy knit as well as being the perfect length for these high waisted paperbag jeans. My favourite style icon Claudia showcased many a fairisle sweater during the Traitors series - I'm sure all of the Scottish Fairisle knitters were applauding her stylist for that bit of promotion. I wore a cream thermal top underneath as the jacket is more fashion than functional, but hey sometimes one has to suffer for one's art!

Nothing new with my accessories: the belt was from Amazon years ago, the cream flower ring is a charity shop find and the other is my birthday ring by Emily Nixon from last year, and the sunglasses are by Radley London.

My cream Chelsea boots were a find in the British Red Cross shop in Truro in December, a wonderful purchase as they were brand new and only cost me the ridiculous price of £6. Sometimes I just find myself being in the right place at the right time!

                                                                    Anna x