Jumpsuit joy

I've lost count of the number of times I've worn this jumpsuit to work and have tried to get some shots of it for the blog. Every time Polly and I got lined up for a shoot, something intervened. I bought this last year and it has been a great mainstay in my working wardrobe ever since. I love the easy fit more than anything for those days when I'm hanging art and I don't want to be bothered with keeping a blouse tucked in or finding the right length of top to wear with a very tailored pair of trousers. No, there's none of that with this lovely all-in-one. 

Most women probably have a go-to dress that offers the same simple solution when they want an easy to wear outfit. The jumpsuit affords me freedom to move, freedom to accessorise and freedom to introduce another complimentary colour to give it a face lift. Lime green looks fab against the navy and grey, as does a zingy lemon and of course white is a classic partner too. Cerise would look stunning, but I've not tried that one yet, nor turquoise which is a favourite summer colour of mine. The list of permutations is endless. Whether we'll manage to contrive another photo shoot showcasing any of these within the next 12 months remains to be seen, but at least you know we'll be aiming for that at some point!

The jumpsuit and belt hail from H&M, orange vest from M&S (via charity shop), the sandals were from New Zealand and the brand is Ko Fashion, by Boston Babe. The bangle was a charity shop find, yellow stoned ring is by Martin James, the other ring is from Diana Porter see here and my necklace was a gift. Once again my sunglasses are from Quay Australia. 

And finally...Tomorrow is the 20th of the month meaning that it's Ping Pong Post day. I've never had to post on two consecutive day before, and I do hope that works out as a treat for you. Here's a sneak preview of the item we will all be styling up. I think I can honestly say it's been the most challenging item for me so far. Annie sent this all the way from Hong Kong to Samantha and I here in the UK, so I hope we can both do it justice after all the miles it's travelled. See you all tomorrow then!

Anna x

Hand-me-down

It seems that life has come full circle for me. For most of my childhood I wore hand-me-downs from my two elder sisters. It was pretty much the norm back in the 1960's, when money was tight and credit cards didn't exist. Borrowing money was taboo in those days, and life was lived in a much more simple way. If you couldn't afford it, then you didn't have it. My parents both worked full time, but with four children to feed and clothe, my clothes had always done the rounds by the time they reached me. Today I'm wearing a dress which comes from my eldest sister and now that I'm all grown up it's not a bind to have a hand-me-down from her; it is in fact a real pleasure.

Sandra has always been a woman who is confident in what she wears. Never one to follow trends, or worry about making a fashion statement, she knows what suits her and wears her clothes with panache. She scoured charity shops when she was a hard-up student, and to this day still does, usually finding beautiful designer pieces to mix with odd, quirky handmade finds. She moved house a few months ago and managed to do that wonderful clutter clearing thing I talked about recently here. This was much to my benefit as I received a clothes parcel containing all sorts of choice items, including this unusual dress. It reminds me of a skirt that Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb wore when she was on holiday in Santorini see here (not the same, I know, but it brings this one to mind). I've no idea of where it is, or even if the imagery is of a real place or imaginary, but I think it's so pretty. I had such fun pulling my accessories together as these colours are favourites in my personal palette and therefore I had lots to chose from.

I had lots of compliments about this dress and the outfit in general which was lovely. The dress has no label so no details for you there. Sandals are by Refresh from TK Maxx. Lace top was from a charity shop, again with no label. Barrel bag is by NW3 (no longer available), turquoise ring and bangle are old, yellow ring is by Martin James, and rose gold watch is by Michael Kors. Necklace was a gift. Sunglasses are by Quay Australia and the belt was from a charity shop. 

Today is another work day for me and probably many others, but I'd like to say I hope everyone has a wonderful time joining in with the celebrations for the 90th birthday of our Queen. Yesterday on the island we hosted a tea party in the afternoon and last night a crowd gathered to see a huge bonfire lit on the school green as part of our island's celebrations. Everyone raised a glass to toast her Majesty and the peach coloured bubbles infused all with a wonderful rosy glow. In world full of troubles and worries, it's so good to have a positive focus and there can't be any better than this. Good luck to you if you're hosting your own street party today. I wonder if the bunting will be flying in your street? Have a great weekend and I look forward to catching up again on Wednesday.

Linking with 

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb 

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style  

Anna x