7 years of blogging

Hello and welcome to this celebratory post! I can't quite believe that it's seven years since I took up blogging and yet here I am reveling in my self promotion and the excuse to dress up for no other reason than that I want to. If you're a regular you'll recall my recent post Inspired by Iris Apfel. Well, much to my amazement, I somehow have pulled it off and managed to buy the longed-for suit as worn by Iris in the advert (see here). 

On the launch date of the H&M collection I was off-island and unable to get online to join the queue of fashionistas all keen to purchase their own favourite piece. My best friend Bo who lives in Portugal stepped up to join the race on my behalf. She managed to buy the trousers through the Portuguese H&M website which was no small feat. By the time she had posted them off to me I was home again and had fallen prey to Covid. 

Some five days into the virus I had to go online to pay my water bill and then had the idea that I maybe ought to check out eBay just in case the jacket had surfaced there. My first find was a size 16 version which was currently being bid by 6 hopefuls, raising the price to £533...

I continued with my search and found a jacket in a 12, (brand new with the labels still attached) newly listed with 6 days to run and no bids as yet. I had a few minutes to consider if I ought to wait to bid on the last day, pitching it at what I hoped to be the right price. But, really I knew I couldn't risk missing it. So I bit the bullet and clicked the Buy it Now option. I've not had a moment of regret at paying over the odds for what is my dream suit. It is a thing of beauty, a thing of joy and probably the most exquisite outfit I own. I love it and I deserve it.

In homage to Iris I'm wearing more than one necklace again, but have toned it down slightly this time. There's nothing new here, just a few second hand bangles and various pre-loved rings too. My sunglasses are old, from Radley London.

I bought these pristine new Replay trainers from TK Maxx recently once I knew I'd secured the whole trouser suit - I love the simplicity of the white tee and shoes which contrast perfectly against the ornately embroidered and pearl laden suit. The pea pod pearls are divine, don't you think?

And here's another beautiful touch to the design - the 100 year symbol combined with the glasses the style icon wears. 

Anyway, here's the icing on the cake of my 7th blogging anniversary -

The first outing of this most exquisite two piece was last night when Steve and I were invited to join Johnnie Walker (DJ legend of our times) and his wife Tiggy to their Eurovision party. We were in a small party of six at one of the Sea Garden cottages on Tresco where we enjoyed a running buffet of Tapas and local fare with lots of liquid refreshments. Johnnie wore his Sergeant Pepper shirt and I must admit I'm inclined to call my suit by the same name, although pea pod suit does have a nice ring to it ...

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that I had changed into a pale aqua top and turned up the jacket sleeves. If I'd been able to try on the jacket in store I might have chosen a smaller size, but beggars can't be choosers can they? So I'm sporting this as an over-sized jacket as if I planned it that way. To be perfectly honest I see this as a true collectors item. I totally love it and feel it's totally me in fabric form. 

We had a brilliant evening, much aided by great company and the spectacularly welcome result for Sam Ryder for Great Britain. Every time I put on this suit it will evoke happy memories of the night we partied to Eurovision with Johnnie Walker and co!

And finally. No blog post of mine would be complete with out the obligatory photo-bombers...

And what about this bit of visual trickery? See how I launch this bird from my hand to fly off overhead -

And that's it. My 7th year of blogging and I'm still enjoying sharing my island life with you. Please do take a minute to say hi in the comments box if you'd like to share your thoughts about this or any of my posts - I'd love to hear from you.

See you soon!

Anna x

Baggy trousers

Hello and happy Easter to you! Have you enjoyed a lovely weekend? And did the Easter bunny deliver lots of choccies to you? This is my Easter outfit which I would have worn had we gone anywhere. Instead we've been helping my son to move house from one side of the island to the other, and some four days later we're still not done. Today is all about culling the gathering of some 6 years to fit into his brand new home. He's keen to create a minimalist pad, but that takes a bit of discipline at this stage. Dejunking is the name of the game.

On to the outfit. This is from my recent shopping trip, a super spring outfit bought from various shops in Truro. The stars of the show are these fabulous baggy trousers which I found in TK Maxx, although the brand is Zara. I love the colour and the fabric, but it took a little bit of mending to get them wearable. The heavy woven material had one of those nasty catches where a strand of thread had been dragged through to the front which is probably why they were reduced to £9. I managed to tease the thread through to the inside of the fabric and then pulled them back into shape. The other issue was that they're an XXL and I'm a medium in Zara... I loved these straight away and bought them regardless of the size and when I got them home I stitched them up along the seam on the derriere taking in a couple of inches. They're still oversized, but the bright orange belt helps to cope with that.

The rest of the outfit came from Primark - belt at £2.50, ribbed body £4 and ribbed cardigan £6. The whole look is fresh and very spring-like don't you think? I'm so pleased with it all.

This pic makes me want to sing Baggy Trousers by Madness! 

Nothing new jewellery wise: pre-loved rings and rose gold heart pendant a long time ago purchase from a now defunkt boutique in Truro.

Old sunglasses from River Island many moons ago work nicely with this look.

My Missoni style trainers are by LA Gear and again aren't new by any means. Another purchase from TK Maxx some years ago and are still going strong.

I'm looking forward to wearing this new ensemble to work one day this week. It's one of those feel good outfits, perfect easy wear trousers and the sleek body helps to give a streamlined fit that avoids that constant tucking in. Pastel shades are always flattering to the skin too, don't you think? Until next time, have a super week!

                                                                                            Anna x

The last weekend...

What last weekend? you may be asking. Well, the last weekend before we re-open for another season. On Friday the island of Tresco will be welcoming visitors once again, so this was my last weekend before I have to start dressing as the Gallery Manager. 

It was a weekend spent batch cooking for the freezer and also a time for catching up on those admin jobs you never really feel are important enough to make it to the top of the list - namely, getting in touch with every single company who sends me unsolicited brochures and flyers. I hate to see all that paper going to waste so I finally spent an hour contacted each and every one to politely ask them to remove me from their mailing list. It gave me a lovely sense of achievement.

I barely think this warrants being called the outfit of the day as it was an at home day, but Fiona kindly agreed to take some photos of this most casual weekend wear. Bejewelled jeans may not be everyone's idea of casual, but hey that's what they are in my book. They're rather old now, but I fancy I bought them at TK Maxx many moons ago. 

The addition of a couple of (pre-loved) knuckle-duster rings did lend a bit of dressing up to the whole affair though.

And the blue animal print sweater is also old, again from TK Maxx. 

The pale pink floral trainers are by Replay, and yes, were another happy find in TK Maxx. 

The white soles are flecked with silver glitter, surely a great reason to buy them!

Every time I wear this fabulous vintage coat it reminds me of Sicily and the wonderful cruise Steve and I went on 6 years ago. If you're new to the blog you can hop back to see that post here. Ah, happy days!

I'm not sure when Steve and I will venture off for another big holiday like that again. This summer we'll be quite content bobbing off in our little motor boat to picnic on the Eastern Isles and swim on our favourite deserted beaches. 

                                                                                                  Anna x

In the run up to Christmas...

Hello and Happy Christmas to you (in case you don't call by again this week)! I'm back to work for a wee while and that means work outfits are on my mind, particularly those with a festive feel. The eagle eyed among you might remember these rather racy wet-look trousers that I bought in May during my only trip off-island this year. The brand is Pull and Bear, but I found them in TK Maxx in Truro. Well, I tried them out the other day with a gold lurex cardigan (H&M) and pre-loved blouse and am now wondering if the pants are simply too racy for a Gallery Manager? Do leave me your thoughts...

I'm very keen to wear them, but sometimes living on this tiny island leaves me feeling a bit unsure of what's happening with fashion trends out in the big wide world. And dare I ask the question as to whether a woman of my age ought to be wearing wet-look pants full stop? 

One way around this might indeed by to close my eyes to avoid the looks of shock from those I encounter... Or maybe just laugh it off?

Or perhaps just gazing into the middle distance with a cool, confident air might be the answer?

As for accessories, I'm wearing a very old chain necklace from Primark, a gold flower ring, a present from a girlfriend and a large chunky ring from TK Maxx.

One thing that's for sure, is that I do love the pairing of my tartan M&S boots with the skinny pants! 

On the home front, I can report that the Christmas tree is up as are the decorations and the final batch of fudge has been made and packed, so progress is being made. The turkey is due to arrive on Tuesday as is the gammon joint along with the final order of Christmas supplies. Like most of you, we'll have enough food to feed a small army. As for my Christmas day outfit, well I really don't have anything lined up this year. I do hope that inspiration strikes by the time the big day arrives!

Finally, let me just take a moment to say thank you for dropping by today and any other time you've called. As the year draws to an end I'm feeling all sentimental about my readership and how lovely it is to have your comments and feedback. For those of you who have actually beaten a path to my door (aka the desk at Gallery Tresco) during the past 12 months - it's been great to see you and have a chat in person!

I hope you have a great Christmas, that you manage to see family and friends as planned and that our lives aren't too disrupted over the festive period. Take care!

                                                                                    Anna x

DKNY summer dress

Hello lovelies and hurrah for that Friday feeling!

I'm finally showcasing this perfect floaty frock by DKNY which I bought at TK Maxx in May when I was away in Truro. It's such a pretty dress and feels so very summery that somehow I've been waiting for the perfect day to wear and photograph it, and along came this one!

New Grimsby quay is hardly the most exotic location on the very picturesque island of Tresco, but the morning was so golden and the sea so calm I just wandered around there before going to work to see if I could find a good spot - and here it is. I managed to take these shots between the jet boats which take the arrivals and departures; this is our equivalent of a bus or train stop on the mainland.

 

And so, on to the outfit of the day. The frock is midi length with a shorter lining, 3/4 length sleeves and pintuck front. It came with a self tie belt, but I did away with the belt and loops, opting for this looser fit. Usually you'd find me cinched in at the waist with a nice elasticated belt, but the very hot weather has me choosing an airy fit instead - even with the doors and skylights open the gallery is like a greenhouse by mid-afternoon!

The silver and white sandals are very old. They're from Topshop and were a hand-me-down from my daughter. They're maybe getting a bit scuffed now, but are so very all-day-long comfy!

Both rings are pre-loved, charity shop finds and regulars on the blog, as is the silver disc necklace - an old M&S purchase which was well worth the £15 I paid at the time.

My white and black mirror sunglasses are from one of my favourite brands, Quay Australia.

At 7.30am there wasn't a soul around, not a boat disturbing the silence; it was the perfect way to start the day. It was lovely to just stop and take a moment to drink in the early morning sunshine and enjoy the stillness of the surroundings. A time to count my blessings for my life and this place called home.

Monday heralds our end of the month style challenge so please to swing by if you get a moment. In the meantime I'll leave you with a shot of the quay taken from my house just across the bay - the still water acted like a mirror giving an awesome reflection.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Anna x