My snazzy new co-ord!

Hello again! How's things? Hasn't January just whizzed by? I can't believe we're already a whole week into Feb. So, anyway, here's me in a snazzy new outfit which was Sasha's present for my Christmas. While she was on the mainland in November she had messaged me from Primark to show me this fab co-ord and without a moments hesitation I said Yes! The brown and white colourway wouldn't normally have been my choice but the geometric print and cut of trousers and jacket were a winning combination easily outweighing my reservations.

I hadn't planned on the windswept look for this shoot, but Sasha invited me over when she was staying in Nautilus for her birthday (week) and I'd had this vision of showcasing the suit outdoors on the deck. 

I did also take some indoors shots...

The straight legged jeans work great with the fitted denim style jacket don't you think? I had planned to pop a high neck sweater underneath but it made the whole thing look a bit mumsy. 

Instead I opted for my white ribbed and chiffon sleeved top by Wild Flower, a purchase from TK Maxx a couple of years back. The see-through sleeves lighten the look and are just a bit more fresh and funky. 

I matched the flower motif pattern of the suit with various pre-loved pieces of floral jewellery to give a bit of a 60's vibe. My sunglasses are from Radley London. 

The fab new suit gives me the opportunity to bring out my ecru Chelsea boots which I bought from Asos not so long ago. They're still available here. I've not had the chance to wear this outfit to work yet as I've had a couple of weeks off work spanning my birthday weekend (spent on the dejunking project). However it's just a little over 4 weeks to go now until the Gallery re-opens and I'll be sure to be gadding about in this natty ensemble as soon as I can!

                                                                              Anna x

New year, new challenge!

Hello and welcome to our first Style Not Age challenge for 2022!

January's challenge comes from Emma who has alighted on the Eye of the Tiger, relating to the Chinese New Year which starts on the 1st of February. 2022 is the Year of the Tiger and we fashionista friends are all interpreting this in our very own way. My choice of outfit was guided by the simple fact that I only have one item of clothes with a tiger and this sequined top is it!

Gail has opted for a red and black outfit to showcase her Tiger's Eye pendant. Catch up with her on the blog Is This Mutton?

Jacqui's tiger print blouse is from New Look, paired with faux leather trousers from F&F with slouch tan boots. See her back story over at Mummabstylish.

From top to toe Emma's outfit reads like this - hat from eBay, shirt from Topshop, trousers from Zara and tiger necklace is from Palava. See more from Emma on her blog Style Splash. 

Hilda's tiger print piece is this fabulous handbag, borrowed from a local boutique - way to go Hilda! Find out more on Over The Hilda blog.

My sequinned tiger tee was a sale find in H&M some time ago. I've not worn it very often so am delighted to bring it into play today. A bargain basement piece for only a fiver I have to mention! My shark's tooth necklace was from Charlie Dodge jewellery and my rings are  preloved, sunglasses from Radley London.

The rest of my outfit is all old, seen before, but still makes for a good show, don't you think? The orange sequin jacket is padded and therefore lovely and cosy. Steve says that it's so sparkly it can be seen from outer space! 

I deliberately chose to take myself off to a remote spot on the top of Tresco so that I wouldn't dazzle any passing traffic. I'd hoped to be pretty inconspicuous out at King Charles' Castle until I looked out to sea and there was the local gig crew thrashing on their way down the channel. I think I was a bit more exposed than I planned!

My faux leather jeans are from H&M (old) and as are my patent Chelsea boots (Topshop). My sequin jacket was from TK Maxx and is one of those pieces that stays in my wardrobe all year round. It manages to avoid the seasonal changeover as the sparkly orange vibe can work for any time of year. 

I'll leave you with this splendid view out towards Shipman's Head on Bryher with the wild Atlantic Ocean beyond. This is a terrific vantage point as well as a great spot to escape from whatever may trouble you. There's nothing like the big outdoors to help you get things back into perspective!

                                                                              Anna x

More fun, in a gilet this week!

Hello lovelies! How has your week been? Are you working from home and if so, is it all about leisure wear again? For me it's another working outfit here this week, and yes, I'm still making the most of my fun furs. I've had this fur gilet for some years now and must admit I do find it a challenge to wear as it's so boxy. That said, I think it's simply impossible to wear a layer of fur of any sort without adding inches to the torso! So I need to get over it don't I?

The gilet (TK Maxx, old) wasn't what inspired this ensemble however, it was actually these rather fab checked trousers. They're hand-me-downs from my eldest sister - the brand is House of Bruar. Sandra is a big lover of charity shopping and found these stylish trousers some years ago, only recently passing them on to me. When they arrived in the middle of the Christmas festivities I couldn't quite squeeze into them, but after a week or two of restraint and sea swimming I've slipped into them a bit more easily. 

I do love the chance to create some different outfits when I've got a new addition to my wardrobe and this was a great bonus in the middle of Christmas. The tartan (M&S) boots called out to me immediately and I couldn't wait to get going, finding the right colours to compliment the look. The gilet was the next thing that came to mind and yes, I'm thrilled with this as an outfit. 

The tartan boots were from M&S a few years ago, but I still love them to bits. Could that be just because of my Scottish heritage? Goodness knows!

The simple ribbed roll neck sweater is old, a purchase from Primark a few years ago. I do wonder if our wardrobes/closets like so many other things will be defined as pre and post Covid19, in which case this is pre-covid. I bought a few of these in different colours and am impressed how they have retained their shape and colour despite much washing and wearing.

Nothing new jewellery-wise. The green pearls are real and are long term favourites of mine. The heart pendant is a good ploy for elongating the body, drawing the eyes downwards. Sunglasses are by Radley and rings are both quite old.

This (morning) shot shows the colours up a bit better. I spent the day at work, popping out from time to time in between passing traffic taking a few photos as the clouds dispersed then gathered, leaving me dodging in and out like one of those crazy old weather vanes. Do you know what I mean - that old lady and man who used to take turns popping out according to the weather? Anyway, this was a photo-shoot of two halves, ending with the glorious glimpses of sunset as it dropped behind the clouds. 

This is the view from my office and from the Gallery shop floor. I never tire of it. The endless light-shows from morning til night, the sunsets and shifting tides all go to make the most perfect of settings. I am a very lucky bunny indeed!

                                                                                         Anna x

My new fun fur!

Hello again! How's your week been? Back to work? Me too. It wasn't too bad. Sometimes the thought of returning to work is much worse than the reality, isn't it? The decorations may be packed away and the party food and chocs are all done, but that doesn't mean the fun is all over. And by fun, yes I'm talking fun fur. This orange bundle of delight was a pre-Christmas present to myself from TK Maxx and the brand is Maison Cinqcent.

Much as the closet cull and dejunking is still ongoing at mine, I'm also happy to be buying new pieces that define me at this time of my life. As my next birthday looms on the horizon I'm almost counting the number of paychecks until I reach retirement age. I mention this because once I do retire I'll not have the ability to spend on a whim or to follow the trends that take my eye. It's scary to think of living on a reduced income, but that's why I'm buying what I do so that I may enjoy wearing them for the next few years as a working woman with an excuse to dress up for the job. And thereafter, well I'll still be that eccentric old gal on Tresco, dressing up just to go to the local shop!

Glitz, glamour and fur seem to be in my DNA and I can't see that I'll be able to step away from that no matter what age I am. Steve always reminds me that this is a hobby that does no harm to anyone, so why not carry on as long as it makes me happy. It's good to have that reassurance, especially when I'm particularly done up to the nines!

Today's beautiful backdrop is the view from Fearless Cottage. The patio overlooks the channel between Tresco and Bryher looking north towards the wild Atlantic ocean. At this time of year part of my job is to check all of the artworks on display within the holiday properties which also affords me some fabulous photo opportunities. 

My two-piece is a vintage buy from way back in May when I was off-island in Cornwall. I came across a vintage shop in Penryn where I spent a lovely half hour browsing the stock of not just clothes but furniture too. The crimplene suit is by Diana Martin, a designer of the day; the day being late 50's. I think I bought it because it reminds me of my childhood when everyone's mum wore crimplene dresses and we all wore bri-nylon shirts to school and brushed nylon nightdresses. And wow, that's a blast from the past remembering those nightdresses! My two sisters and I wore those nighties, but as the brushed nylon was the cosy side, well we used to wear them inside out. What a scream to remember this from over 50 years ago!

Styling is everything when it comes to vintage outfits. I'm painfully aware of wearing clothes that are almost the same age as me and how they really depend on the right accessories to bring them up to date. I've added my studded stretch and leather belt in dark green to give the suit shape. The quirky Scottie dog necklace adds fun to the look, tonally matching rings brings the whole thing together. Today's sunglasses are by Radley.

My knee high wet look boots are another surefire way of adding punch to the outfit. See them on ASOS here. 

Thanks for dropping by again today. I'll be back again next week with more style inspiration and news from the idyll that is Tresco. Keep safe, keep well and enjoy yourself in whatever way you can!

                                                                                             Anna x

December's Style Not Age challenge

Hello again and welcome to the final Style Not Age challenge of the year! The onus was on Jacqui to round off our year on the right note and she came up with My Perfect Little Black Number for NYE. Personally, I have very little that falls into this category so it was quite easy to choose between the offerings in my wardrobe. My vintage frock has been a stand-by for years since I found it in a charity shop and it seemed to be perfect for this challenge. But first let's catch up with the other ladies of the collective to see how they approached this month's task...

Emma from the Style Splash also shopped her closet, choosing this LBD from Bastyan and shoes from Quiz. Looking sleek and elegant, Emma is more than ready for that NYE bash!

Another stylish twist comes from Gail in her Hobbs black dress with mulitcoloured spots. Old favourite boots mean she'll be able to dance all night long. Find her backstory on Is This Mutton blog.

Over the Hilda is also sporting a spotty frock; hers is from Biba. Hilda has paired the dress with her long time fave Clarks sandals that have indeed danced many a night away! Do check out her blog for more.

Jacqui from Mummabstylish has recently rocked her NYE frock while she was on holiday. The lace and rivets add funk to this Julien Macdonald LBD. Check out Jacqui's blog for more.

My vintage frock is an Italian number by designer Gina Bacconi. I checked out her website and I'm delighted that I grabbed myself a bargain when I paid £20 for this flamboyant number. I love the ornate hemline with gold trim - it's suitably fancy for NYE. 

The gold ruffled hemline was what informed my choice of footwear; these black and gold brocade boots are old, but much loved. I bought them from River Island a few years ago and just love that they add real pizzazz to outfit. And just in case there wasn't enough going on, I opted for these (old) paisley print tights. There's no less is more with this outfit!

All of my accessories, apart from my Radley sunglasses, are second hand. I do miss my jaunts to the mainland to root around charity shops, seeking out those little gems of jewellery that add a personal touch to an outfit. One day when life settles down a bit I'll be back.

Some of my readers may well recognise my backdrop for today's outfit. I visited Cromwell's Castle last week in an effort to get ahead of things, but didn't really take the weather into account. When I climbed to the top of the building, which for some reason seemed like the ideal place for the photo shoot, well it was blowing an absolute gale! I have a heavy weight that I attach to my tripod to hold it down, but even then I was on edge as to whether it would be strong enough to stop my camera come crashing to the ground.

And this is me, all windswept and interesting! 

The jury is out, of course, as to what we will or won't be allowed to do on New Year's Eve when the time comes. I have another very sparkly outfit lined up in case I get lots of invitations to parties, but honestly I think Steve will be very happy if we have to stay at home. Needless to say, I'll be dressing up on the night just for the heck of it!

I do hope you've had a lovely Christmas and that New Year won't be a washout. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Covid19 won't wreck another party opportunity!

Happy New Year!

Anna x