Weekend wind down

Hello and how are you? How was your weekend? We had a mixed bag of weather and I timed it badly just missing the sunshine that I'd hoped would be the backdrop for my photo shoot. I tweaked the brightness on the photos as it was turning showery and grey. By the time I'd taken six shots the rain started!

I seemed to spend most of my weekend cooking, doing prep for meals this week and then catching up on laundry, so pretty much all that domestic stuff that just keeps coming. My outfit is super casual, but worth mentioning are these fab orange boots from Vinted, costing me £12 (River Island is the brand). Hubby thinks I've been influenced by all the workmen that are busy on the building site that Tresco is at this time of year as roads are resurfaced and houses are renovated. 

As you may already know, I love the colour orange, but also I do have a passion for a rugged, chunky boot. This look is not for the faint hearted, but what can I say? I love it!

It really excites me to be able to mix things up from a tulle skirt one week and camo trousers with builders boots the next. How wonderful to be able to change one's personna so quickly and easily. Thank goodness I'm living now and not 100 years ago!

My black puffa jacket has been a go-to this winter - it's so cosy and even has a tog value just like a duvet! The brand is Zara and I actually bought it (new with labels on) from the British Red Cross charity shop in Truro last year. They receive goods direct from Zara that are end of line or returns from online sales. It has a huge hood which came in very useful at the end of this shoot.

And this is the moment it started raining! I couldn't help but laugh as honestly I'd procrastinated for most of the day to get outside and take blog photos thinking that it would be sunny forever.

I quickly whipped off my jacket to reveal the orange roll neck sweater, not new, but perfect for this this outfit. The necklace is by Charlie Dodge, a jewellery range we stock at Gallery Tresco. The orange belt is old too, from Primark.

And quick, it's time to go!

I took shelter for a while and then eventually gave up and walked home in the rain.  Thanks for joining me again! Wishing you a good week ahead.

                                                                                           Anna x

Jumpsuit June our SNA challenge

Hello again and can you believe that it's the end of June already? Another month seems to have just whizzed past us don't you think? This month's Style Not Age Challenge comes from Hilda and was a great choice for me as I have this new jumpsuit to share with you. But more of that later. Let's take a look at the rest of the collective first...

Emma's hot pink frilly number comes from Zara and oh, how I have jumpsuit envy! Silver sandals and handbag are from Yaa Yaa London - brilliant accessorising Emma! See more on her blog Style Splash.

Jacqui's jumpsuit is from Roman and is totally fab too! I'd wear this in a heartbeat, but she's unsure if this is right for her. What do you think? Hop across to her blog Mummabstylish to let her have your thoughts.

This elegant jumpsuit of Hilda's is by Coast, but not new. Cool and stylish as ever Hilda carries this off with her usual aplomb. See her back story on Over The Hilda blog.

Here's another fab jumpsuit, from Gail this time. I love the double polka dots! This isn't new, but was from Phase 8 and Gail has accessorised it with red espadrilles and necklace. See more from her on Is This Mutton blog.

So here I am in my brand new (not even bought from Vinted) jumpsuit from Onjenu - see it here. I stumbled across this on social media, as you do, and immediately fell in love with it. I've worn it twice already and it's beautiful; so soft and easy to wear and very flattering indeed. No zips or buttons, you simply pull it on and smooth the pleats over the waist and bust to fit. It's soft fabric is lovely and drapey earning me lots of compliments.

And I mustn't forget to mention that IT HAS POCKETS! OMG, there's nothing nicer than a slouchy pocket to make a gal feel cool. That clever feeling of being dressed up but having hands deep in pockets makes it all look so uber casual. I wore this recently to a party evening at work and I felt a wonderful combination of chic and yet comfortable.

My necklace was a Gallery Tresco purchase from jeweller Charlie Dodge, rings are both pre-loved and sunglasses are by Radley London. 

The jumpsuit is quite long so I wore high platform sandals in natural suede from TK Maxx.

My photographer this week was Jodie who works locally in Tresco Stores. She appeared as I was lining up my tripod and camera and offered to do the honours - and didn't she do a great job! Thanks Jodie for stepping in and for making me feel so at ease.

So, here's a rather strange postscript to today's feature...

On Thursday my puffin swimsuit was stolen from my washing line. It was a bit of a shock for this to happen here on our idyllic island paradise as it kinda shattered the dream world I seem to live in. As you'll see from below, my washing line sits next to the main road on Tresco island in full view of everyone. Anyway, I posted about it on Instagram and my son Jamie did a similar post on Facebook.

Fast forward to Sunday lunchtime when the swimsuit was tossed over my garden wall. It begs the question that the perpetrator felt this was too hot to handle and that they might be rumbled if they tried to wear it here. I had suspected that the thief had scarpered to the mainland being a dodgy day-tripper, but now I'm not so sure. Anyway, I'll be keeping my swimsuits indoors to dry in the future.

                                                                        Anna x

September razzle dazzle

Summer wouldn't be complete without a post featuring this fabulous shimmering coat on the beach. I may be totally bonkers in this need of mine, but there's nothing finer than swishing about on the sand in this glorious sequinned duster. My ever tolerant husband did the honours when I pulled it out of my backpack (not unlike a magician with his white rabbit), during our recent picnic on the uninhabited island of Northwethel. Two outfits for a beach picnic? Why ever not?

The rustling, shell-sounding coat was made for swishing and swooping and generally showing off. I was in my element, gadding about in the sunshine believing my own hype of how totally fabulous I was! (Well at least for 5 minutes anyway).

The coat is many years old now, but came from Topshop when new. It was a Christmas present and yet has been worn mostly in the summer rather than during the festive party season.

If I could get away with it, I'd swoosh about in this at least once a week. But realistically, I'd look like a bit of a loony if I did. (Please feel free to send me wake-up message if I ever drift that way.)

The coat holds magical powers over me - behold how beautiful I feel, and therefore I am! Be dazzled by my shining presence! Oh what fun!

The stark reality of my pot belly and cellulite thighs all melt away as I muse over my marvellousness!

My glittering necklace is by Charlie Dodge, a jeweller we represent at Gallery Tresco. 

Rings are preloved, but still rather lovely. And note how the pattern on my swimsuit echoes the shapes of the sequins...

One final, glamorous swoosh and I'm gone!

Anna x

Colour burst

A few days ago I was bemoaning my midweek blahs, but today has been a joy thanks to this colour burst outfit. A splash of orange is just what the doctor ordered to lift the spirits and get me back on track. I've topped off the bright orange chinos with this art deco inspired jacket which I found on ebay a couple of years ago. I was in two minds as to what shoes to wear - neutral wedges would have been more leg lengthening (thigh slimming too), but my new tassel sandals looked so cute waiting at the front of my wardrobe that I just had to give them their day.

Details - jacket: eBay (made in Morocco, no brand), t shirt: M&S, chinos: Boden, sandals: River Island, handbag: L Credi, necklace: Charlie Dodge, sunglasses: Quay Australia, rings and bangle: all charity shopped.

Linking with - 

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

Jess of Elegantly Dressed And Stylish

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style

Laurie of Vanity And Me

We've had a glorious day of sunshine here and I've managed to get two swims in, one early this morning and the other after work with my friend Kate who's here on holiday. We cycled to Appletree Bay just after 5pm. 

You have to laugh at our body language here - clearly we weren't expecting to share our outdoors swimming pool! The interlopers only stayed for a couple of minutes, but Chris our photographer captured the scene perfectly. 

Val and Chris are friends of Kate who thoroughly enjoy our swims without having to get wet and cold. Val loves collecting shells, searching for the tiny cowrie ones we have here hidden in the ribbons of shells strewn along the high tide line (no, not these big ones on the table). They're all heading off home tomorrow, but have had a lovely holiday with today's weather being the icing on the cake - honestly it could have passed as the height of the summer. Kate will be back again in June and I'm sure we'll get some swimming together then. Solitary swimming is fine, it's what I'm used to, but it's such a joy to share my hobby with a like-minded friend. See you soon Kate!

Anna x