Summer in September?

Hello and how are you this fine weekend?

So the question is, can it still be summer in September? Well, when the sky is as blue as this, then I say yes! I was keen to share this outfit with you before I cave to the pressure of autumn fashion. The white linen skirt with embroidered silver and gold dots (by M&S, preloved) has languished in my closet for the past few summers but is rarely given an outing. The yellow top is rather ancient (picked today for those raised dots which tie in beautifully with the skirt), maybe also M&S, but definitely preloved. Today's look came about because of the introduction of the rather swish little jacket which I finally purchased last month after seeing it on three separate occasions over the summer. 

The leaf print jacket is by Heyton at TK Maxx. Each time I saw it, I asked myself if I needed it. Note I say needed, not wanted. I'm trying to reign in my hoarding tendencies, not because I really want to, but simply because I don't have room for much more in my summer wardrobe. My hangers are jammed side by side with barely an inch of movement between them all and my tops, sweaters and trousers are piled high in towers that demand the gentlest of handling lest they will topple over. Clothes are my passion, my addiction and blogging somehow helps to justify this. Please don't judge me.

I crumbled and decided to buy the jacket on the third occasion as it had been reduced to £15 which really did seem to be a bargain for this navy lined, perfectly fitting cute little number. The shape fits my frame well and I particularly like the shorter length sleeve. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the wrist can be a great focal point, particularly for older women - that seemed to be a bit ageist, but still stuck in my mind.

Some of you may think this to be a fairly sober ensemble for me, but sometimes I do like to wear a conservative piece to which I add my own twist - the gold sandals here for example. It's good to underplay things one day as more often than not I find it feeds my imagination for the following day. The blog post coming up next time is the perfect example of this. Today's jewellery goes like this: necklace - gift from Sasha, frilly ring by Emily Nixon, broad gold ring  is preloved, rose gold watch is by Michael Kors, and let's not forget my so-perfect-I-seem-to-wear-them-every-day-sunglasses by Quay.

So you can see the metallic dots on the skirt much better here which were what informed my choice of sandals. Kitten heels or courts might have been more chic, but adding a bit of quirkiness was what I was aiming for. 

And finally, further to my news about my modelling job with JD Williams I'd like to share this link with you to the website. Over the summer months I've dodged back and forth to the mainland for casting sessions, wardrobe fitting and finally filming and throughout it all I've tempered the whole thing with the idea that my contribution would end up on the cutting room floor (such is my lack of self belief). A friend stopped by the gallery yesterday to tell me I was featured on the website as "one of the stars" of the "I AM" campaign. Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming!

Anna x

Eyelet trousers with silver boots

Happy Easter to you all! The aroma of chocolate is heavy in the air as I write, but I'll try to keep my focus on the matter in hand, that being these silver boots which I've rediscovered after months of neglect.

I styled these up in the run up to Christmas (see here) and then tucked them neatly away in the back of my shoe cupboard and promptly forgot them. That's the problem with new things, you can easily forget them when they're not an established item. Anyway, I came across another blogger wearing something similar the other day which reminded me of mine too.

Like most of my styling, I start off with one idea and it seems to evolve into something quite different. I had imagined these with some cropped, faded denim jeans, but much to my surprise I found these don't exist in Anna's Island Style closet - what a nasty shock for me! (Note to self: source these next time I'm dosing up on retail therapy.)

So after a couple of false starts, I came across these eyelet trousers which I'd bought in the Zara sale just after Christmas. Maybe I forgot to mention them? My selective memory is just another way of coping with my clothesaholic condition. Forgive me.

This shirt from Sainsbury's is fast becoming a classic for me and is the ideal partner to echo the eyelet detailing of the cropped trousers. I added the gobstopper gemstone belt to give a streamlined look which also fooled Polly into thinking that this was actually a jumpsuit.

The belt was an eBay purchase a long time ago, but has only recently come into play since I chopped off a couple of inches of elastic from the back of it, making it fit at last. The jacket was a hand-me-down from Sasha (from H&M). You may recall the silver and gold frilly ring that Steve gave me for my birthday this year and the other silver and gold etched ring is by Diana Porter, but so very ancient that I don't think she makes them any more. Mine says "In heaven on earth", but wait - I've just searched her website and found one similar here.

This is a better shot to see the detail of both rings. Follow this link to see more like the frilly Emily Nixon one here.

It may be mass produced, but the jacket is still really well made, right down to the pattern matching which shows beautifully on the back seam.

After a busy morning of beetling about in the gallery, it dawned on me why these boots have been relegated to the depths of the wardrobe - yep those heels are a killer! I can see they need to be kept for desk days when I'm seated for the duration or maybe just for outings to the local pub which is only 100 yards from home. I still love them for the glamour they represent, even though (or maybe is it because?) their vibe is reminiscent of the erotic Barbarella!

Wishing you a lovely Easter Sunday!

Linking with -

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style

Jacqui of Mummabstylish

Anna x

Summer show: 3 of 6

Last night's opening party of the third summer exhibition had to take place without any of the artists present due to various reasons, but as they say "the show must go on" and on it did. The evening was still a success and the artwork looked fantastic. See the featured artists Ellen Watson, Neil Pinkett and Amanda Hoskin's work here in detail. The weather proved to be a mixed bag, but we enjoyed a really lovely evening with a fine turnout considering the blustery wind and showers. In between these we managed to take a few hasty shots.

The breeze played with my lace maxi skirt and I played along with the fun. The evening was coming to an end and I was relieved that it had been a success for all involved - time to have a light hearted moment with the girls. Ruth, Polly and Max were once again worth their weight in gold providing great support throughout. 

Next time we will be out in force will be for the 4th summer show which takes place on 6th August. How quickly the summer seems to be slipping past us! My regular readers will not be in the least bit surprised to learn that both my skirt and top were charity shopped. The shoes are from H&M (no longer available, but these are lovely). In addition to my beautiful Michael Kors rose gold watch and Kate Spade rose gold bangle I'm also showcasing two rather special pieces of jewellery from Cornish jeweller Emily Nixon, this seaweed frilly ring and matching bangle in silver and rose gold. See further details here. 

Anna x

Black, totally black.

I know I recently published a post claiming to be wearing only black (see here), but I cheated by adding a splash of orange. So here we have the real thing. Black from top to toe. A lick of orange lippie is all I've added to lift this monochrome outfit. I usually find an all black look very boring, or draining at least, but today I decided to give it a whirl again.

As you'll see I'm still smiling, so it surely wasn't too painful after all. I will interject, though, that despite being a simple black outfit, the look is far from plain. My skirt is by Fahri, of Nicole Fahri and therefore never to be mistaken for run-of-the-mill. See the beautiful flower detail below and you'll get what I mean.

I bought this from eBay a couple of years ago, but when it arrived I wasn't convinced it was very me. And yet today it feels very me indeed. By pairing it up with this ruffled blouse I felt the two were pretty much a marriage made in heaven. The skirt is cotton lawn, so in principle is very fine and light, but the flowered appliques make the hemline have a lovely, weighty swish. The cotton poplin blouse was a gift from a friend and is such a great fit, very long and slim, with a zip up front and adorned with these uber feminine ruffles and frills. 

The gold coloured cuff is actually brass and is by Almost Perfect. The gold edged ring was from Boots recently and cost me the princely sum of £1. And the perspex ring was a gift.

Shoes are from New Look. I love the laser cut holes and the angled front gives a great easy roll when you walk. And my old faithful sunglasses are by Quay Australia.

Good ol' Polly has brought on a fit of the giggles again. 

OK, you've caught me out here. Yes, this smidgen of pink crept into the mix as I was looking for a necklace. It's a new purchase of mine from the Emily Nixon range of silver jewellery which is a mainstay of her range. The silver hearts come with a velvet ribbon - I've got a grey and a pink ribbon to swap around. I love the rough organic nature of the silver and had the hard decision between the large size, which this is, or a smaller, but equally cute one. 

So there you have it, my all in black finally achieved. I think for me black in the depths of winter is a real challenge as I'm so very pale skinned, but sporting a bit of a tan the colour is not so draining. I'm really pleased with this outfit and can see I'll be wearing it again over the forthcoming months. Maybe with a pair of colourful sandals next time and my bright orange necklace? We'll wait and see. Your feedback is welcome as ever and I'd be delighted to have your ideas for my monthly feature "As suggested by..." so do share your thoughts on that one too. Until next time, 'bye!

Linking with

Jess of Elegantly Dressed And Stylish

Cherie of Style Nudge 

Anna x