Pattern clash

This is the first time I've worn this checked trench coat (a charity shop find, originally from Topshop). Styling something for the very first time gives me carte blanche as I have no set idea of how it ought to look which is always exciting. 

My first thought was to pick out the orange and use it for my accessories. The scarf - I think I'm having a senior moment here and am stumped as to what the correct description is for those circle scarves (never ending perhaps?) - anyway, the scarf is deliciously soft to the touch and also has a lovely shade of contrasting green which I adore. You may have seen my orange ostrich skin bag a few times before, but I appear to have "rested" it over the winter months and now here it is all bright, and bubbly and rarin' to go. The scarf is thrifted and the bag by L Credi was from TK Maxx.

The ankle boots are new, well when I say new, I actually bought them last summer in the sale at Sainsbury's when Sasha and I were allegedly buying a hot chicken for dinner. It was our favourite way to shop; to be on a legitimate mission aka getting something to eat that often entailed us doing a slight detour of the clothes section just in case someone had relocated the hot food counter next to Gok's most recent offerings. Again, this is the first outing for these babies too. They're imitation suede and despite the pointed toe are quite a wide fit so are uber comfy. And best of all they were only £5 in the sale!

The geometric print trousers are from H&M and I've had them for a couple of years now. The fabric is synthetic and therefore really stretchy which is very handy as I was having a bit of a bloaty day when I took these shots. Sometimes these just skim over my thighs like a dream and might even need a belt, but this time it was more a "thank goodness these have stretch in them!" moment.

And here's the final part of the pattern clash, a lovely bit of leopard print. In my eyes, this is more pattern play than clash as I think it all works so harmoniously. What do you say? Note the little sprinkling of orange by way of the rings - charity shopped of course. The gold chain necklace was a present, the sunglasses are by Quay Australia and my watch is in rose gold and is by Michael Kors.

I'd spent the whole day at work thinking this outfit warranted a photo shoot, but it was only at the end of the day that I finally found time. The winter sun was weak and also dancing behind the clouds making for an interesting challenge throughout. From shot to shot, I was altering the timer to try to capture the golden light before the next cloud came along. Sometimes the shot was fine, but often I'd forgotten to compose my face and would have a questioning/worried expression which wasn't the look I was aiming for!

This time last week I was about to start on a Mindfulness workshop that was being held on the island over a few days. It was a trial run for one that is going to be offered commercially later on this year. I'm going to feature my experience on the blog, but - and hey you'll appreciate this - I'm not wanting to rush into it. Joking aside, I'm trying to implement some of the skills I learnt and one of the main things I know I want to attend to is the crazy speed I lead my life. It's ironic given that I live on this incredibly peaceful and idyllic island, but as an employee I still have deadlines and budgets just like any other job and that's before you even touch on all my personal goals.

Apart from that I have a new group post coming up on Monday, so please do join me then. In the meantime, I'm going to be taking my time to catch up on some outstanding projects on the home front as well as saying Hi to some of my fellow bloggers who I've neglected to visit of late. If you want to find some new style inspiration then do take a look at my blog list on the right for the ones I love. And last of all, I'm going to link up with one of my favourites, Catherine, below. By following the link you'll be led to lots of new bloggers too as well as reading one of the best blogs on the block.

Linking to -

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

And finally... I want to introduce you to one of my favourite instagram accounts featuring Julie Alpine of She wears the trousers. I love Julie's wit as well as style - do take a look.

Anna x

Anna meets... Ruth

It's been a while since I posted one of these, but I'm delighted to bring it back with today's guest, Ruth Connolly. Ruth has been working on the island for the past few months and has become a friend of my daughters, and as such I've got to know her. And now it's your turn. I posed a few questions for Ruth to answer.

Ruth and I are both wearing H&M Christmas jumpers, but not just any old jumpers, as these (my Elfie Selfie and her Penguins) were designed by Ruth. 

A. Tell me about these jumpers and how they came about.

R. Whilst completing my Textile Design degree I was given the opportunity to spend a year working in the fashion industry. I was fortunate enough to be selected for an internship with the Ladies Everyday department at H&M in their head office in Stockholm. One of the projects we were working on was the 2015 Christmas jumper campaign. 

A. Is your background/training in fashion design?

R. I am a specialist in Printed Textile Design so I create the fabric that is used for garments. Although I specialise in print for fashion I am also experienced in designing fabrics to be used for interior purposes too. As a print designer I have a good eye for colour and current trends and also strong drawing, painting and digital skills. Print Design is a fantastic way of working with both traditional drawing methods and digital technologies to create innovative designs. 

Trend Forecasting is my other passion. This involves analysing key movements and trends both artistic and political to predict what we will be seeing in store within the coming years. This allows me to discover new concepts and ideas to work with which for me is the most exciting thing about being a designer. 

A. Do you prefer to shop on the high street/designer/charity shop?

R. I primarily shop on the high street (Zara and &otherstories are amazing for key, on trend pieces) but seek designer finds in thrift and charity shops. I like to keep a file of images from magazines, lookbooks and fashion history books that inspire my wardrobe. I buy key items for each season and pair them with existing garments I already have. I have lots of images of Victoria Beckham’s pre-fall 18 and Valentino’s A//W 2017/18 collections in my file at moment and am lusting over the colour combination of blush pink, terracotta and mauve. 

A. How would you class your style?

R. Classic and on Trend: one of the many advantages of being a trend forecaster. You’re unlikely to see me dressed the same as the crowds or in head to toe TopShop for example (although I do own a pair of those oh-so popular Stan Smiths... just too damn comfy). I spend a lot of time in London so channel classic YSL: a good black trouser and jacket but will jazz it up with a quirky pair of shoes (my absolute weakness). 

A. Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

R. Still designing and trend forecasting. I would also like to have expanded my concept design work and collaborate with artists from other areas of the arts such as choreographers and filmmakers. Also, I want to go back to university to get my Master of Arts in Textile Design and History of Art. 

A. If you suddenly came into money (say £5000) how would you spend it?

R. I am going to talk fashion here rather than all of the boring everyday bills and loans I could pay off. 

I would invest in a printed Valentino A//W 17/18 floor length coat. The prints remind me of David Hockey’s LA work and I haven’t been able to find a high street alternative this season. 

Or I would turn to Dior and their beautiful A//W 17/18 sheer gowns in stargazer print- grungy, elegant, beautiful.

A. What are your plans when you leave the Isles of Scilly?

R. In January I move to Vancouver, Canada for a few months. I will continue to freelance whilst exploring and capturing the beautiful landscape. I am on a hunt for #vancouverssecrets which I will document on my website (www.pipicon.com) that is launching soon. 

A. Will we see you back here again?

R. I holiday on Tresco every year so will definitely be back in September with my family. The Scilly’s are key inspiration for my collections so I come and explore the islands at least once a year to photograph, draw and write. 

A. What will be your abiding memory of your time here?

R. Apart from the luxury of waking up to, in my opinion, the most beautiful landscape in the world, it would have the be the people of Tresco. My biggest fear before moving out to the Scilly’s was if I would fit in with island life and make friends. The community made me so welcome that I am the happiest and most myself I have been for a number of years. The thought of leaving this amazing island with its equally amazing people is very sad, but I thank them for giving me the most incredible experience. 

A. What possession is most precious to you and why?

R. A letter my late father wrote to me inspiring me to live my life with love and optimism. 

Many thanks to Ruth for taking part in today's feature. I'll be following her with interest as this young lady will surely do well no matter what path she takes within the fashion world. 

No style conferring had gone on prior to our photo shoot, so it was quite funny when I met up with Ruth to see her sporting silver boots too. In the battle of the bargains however, I won! Mine were £5 from Primark and hers were £8 from TopShop. My jeans were from Zara in my Black Friday shopping spree. Silver jeans are exactly what you need when you're about to turn 60, don't you agree?

Before I sign off, I just want to acknowledge those amongst us who find this time of year a struggle. Whether you have painful memories of years gone by or are alone and feeling lonely it's not always easy to live up to the Christmas dream we're fed at every turn. A fellow blogger, Tamera Beardsley has posted an article giving some timely advice that may be helpful - see here.

Anyway folks, I'll take a few days off now and be back later in the week to show you my Christmas day outfit. I do hope you have a wonderful time catching up with family and friends. So let's eat, drink and be merry. Until next time -

Happy Christmas!

Anna x

The wind doth blow!

At the start of the week I had a bit of a cream and brown thing going on outfit-wise which for that very reason meant it wasn't going to hit the headlines on the blog - way too boring! Come Tuesday morning the pressure was on to find a more upbeat, smile-inducing ensemble to lift my mood as well as to share with you. Enter stage left some winter florals. Winter and florals may be an unusual combination for some, but hey, I think they really work. See what you think...

I've only worn these (New Look) boots once over Christmas (see here) so it's good to find another outfit to work with these. I like the gold tone of the heels and how that picks up the yellow in the flowers. The peplum jacket was a find in a charity shop as was the brand new pink ostrich handbag. My coat comes from Sicily where I found it in a vintage shop (yay!) while we were on holiday. The rings are all gifts and my sunglasses are from Sainsbury's.

I know these bold florals are pretty full-on, but I also think that they're a marriage made in heaven (seemingly mixing our florals is bang on trend this spring too). Both items were sourced from charity shops last year and are from different retailers - the blouse from Next and the trousers from H&M. Each piece obviously works beautifully with a plain partner, for instance I have a baby pink cashmere polo neck that works perfectly with these pants, and likewise I've styled the top with a plain black skirt which worked fine and dandy. But, well, hey, it's just too conservative for me to dress like that every day. Sometimes I like to make more of a statement, like today. 

The wind was blowing furiously as you can tell, meaning my peplum jacket alone wasn't enough even for my short walk to work. But it was no hardship to pull my pink winter coat one more time. Spring may be here (almost) but the fierce wind that continued to rise in the course of the day really kept the temperature down. I managed to escape the worst of the wind for my morning swim by crossing to the other side of the island and heading on to Pentle Bay. New Grimsby bay, where the gallery lies as well as where Polly and I did our shoot, was hammered all day long with hail and rain showers appearing seemingly out of nowhere. 

In the course of the day the view from my office window constantly changes as the tide washes in and out and the brilliant colours of the sea change too according to the sun and cloud cover. At this moment the azure green of the water was highlighted by the contrasting raincloud that was hurtling towards us. Minutes later the brightness was gone, eclipsed by the heavy storm slapping huge dollops of rain against the window. Mother Nature often puts on a display to distract me from my admin!

Linking with -

Jess of Elegantly Dressed And Stylish

Laurie of Vanity And Me

Anna x

Spring is in the air

We are days away from the island being declared open for another season and spring is definitely in the air. Later this month the clocks will go forward and my morning swims will also move forward as I experience the joys of an early start. I love that feeling of anticipation, the excitement of another season ahead with all the new staff and holiday makers changing the dynamic of these small islands once again.

Very soon these blurry photo shoots will become a thing of the past as Polly takes on the role of my photographer for another summer season. Hurrah!

I just love the combination of camo and gold together. 

I'll make no apologies for showing this gold (H&M) sweater again. It made its debut on my birthday in January (see here) and then again last month (as here) which just goes to show how useful it is (thanks Sasha). I've yet to pair it with a skirt so you may see it next month in a new guise. The three quarter length tartan jacket was from Next many moons ago and yet is one of my winter favourites. The gold boots were in the River Island sale a couple of years ago. I'm sporting sunglasses by Quay Australia and my rings are from charity shops.

I have to thank Sasha too for these camo trousers (Primark) which she gave me for Christmas. I'm a bit late to jump on this fashion bandwagon, but you know me, I do things at my own pace. I've worn these on and off for most of the winter. Working alone, seeing so few people within the course of a week, never mind a day, led me to slip into slovenly ways of repeat dressing. These camo trousers and a pair of blue jeans became my uniform with a thermal layer and cashmere polo neck finishing the look, day after day. Comfort seems to drive me more in the winter rather than innovation. But hey, spring is here and I feel inspired, refreshed with new ideas and opportunities to dress up, mix things about and find new outfits within my closet. At the end of the month I'll be breaking my clothes shopping ban (three whole months without buying a thing!) as I head off to the mainland on business. During my downtime, I'll be rooting about in each and every charity shop I come across as well as visiting my most favourite of retail stores, TK Maxx. I can barely contain myself!

My original camo trousers from over 20 years ago. Check out my pixie cut!

Straight ahead is the island of St Mary's, the main island of the Isles of Scilly, and to the left are the tiny uninhabited islands called the Eastern Islands. These small atolls, surrounded by virgin white sands are a perfect escape for the day - all you need is a little boat, a picnic with some long cool drinks and your perfect castaway companion!

Linking with -

Jess of Elegantly Dressed And Stylish

Laurie of Vanity And Me

Anna x

International Women's Day

Yes, today is International Women's Day. I applaud every women who is marching, protesting, promoting, supporting, educating, influencing, empowering and attending an event to celebrate this important day. I also want to say to every single woman, that being a part of this huge sisterhood is a celebration in itself. If you can't take part in a large gathering today, then perhaps like me, you can visit the website here to learn more and find out about everything that's going on globally to mark the occasion and also to find out what you can do to forge a change for the better. If you're posting on instagram today then please add the hashtag #BeBoldForChange.

Some of you may recognise the beach and castle behind me from a previous post. It's Blockhouse Castle and the lovely sweep of beach below is one of my favourite bays to have my morning swim. I'm here on the low tide to showcase my pattern play outfit, and will cross the bay to show you more.

I've featured this jacket a couple of times before and I thought I'd use the colour to start a new story of autumn colours. The jacket is was in the Benetton sale a couple of years ago and is a lovely weighty woollen fabric that holds its shape beautifully. The wide legged trousers are from H&M, again not from the current season, but a bargain in their winter sale for £5. They're made from viscose and have a lovely drape to them, but best of all have pockets. And this beautiful gold and floral leather handbag is on loan from my daughter, although I may have forgotten to tell her that.

I'm wearing an old faithful too, in the shape of this fairisle cardigan (H&M) along with a ruffle blouse that I found in a charity shop. The nutmeg boots (from Office last year) are making another appearance this week, but that's because they seem to work with so many pieces in my winter wardrobe. I've added some matching rings and my string of genuine green pearls as well as my favourite sunglasses by Quay Australia.

In my last post (see here), I portrayed the highly dressed up, elegant version of myself which always has me holding back a giggle as that's not the real me. Today, sitting on this rock I felt an urge to be a tad more boisterous and this playful notion is just brewing here...

Hooray for International Women's Day!

There! I just had to get that out of my system.

These little chaps weren't in the least bit perturbed by my antics.

As I said, this is one of my favourite beaches for an early morning swim. The tide is high, the sun just coming up and I've had a swim across the bay and back before I head off to work.

Anna x