Colour play, my favourite game

Yay for the weekend, and yay for some colour play! I've been shopping my closet again this weekend and came up with a new combination that's surely worth a mention. The corduroy dungarees from Enjoy Clothing are still looking fresh as ever despite being almost a year old now. I bought them primarily as weekend wear, but I must admit they did sneak into work quite a few times last year. You really can't beat dungarees for comfort can you?

The mix of pink and turquoise are a joyful combination. I topped the outfit off with this fab Topshop trench, a charity shop find from long ago. There's a lovely sense of spring in the air at last and I'm so happy to be shedding that winter feeling. I've been sea swimming a lot this week thanks to the more settled weather too. Now that we have visitors on the island again it really helps to push us further away from the gloom of winter and onwards to longer days.

I was up early to capture the sunrise with is skin-flattering golden tones. Let me share the view I was smiling at.

There's something about an early morning start, whether it's for a swim or walk or simply to capture the sunrise, it just sets you up with that feel-good factor, don't you think?

The top is a vintage piece, a happy find from a while ago. And the jewellery is all second-hand too. Sunglasses are by Radley London. 

I bought my Converse sneakers from Office Shoes last year and surely to goodness you remember seeing them - I wore them lots!  I love them. They make me smile. Isn't that what it's all about?

Ten minutes later and a different backdrop, but the clouds have blocked out that wonderful golden light. Never mind, at least it's a fabulous view behind me! I do hope you've had a great weekend and managed to factor in some downtime. 

                                                                                                  Anna x

Just another working day

Hello lovelies!

As you read this I shall be off-island having my first taste of mainland life in 15 months. This is probably the longest I've ever been holed up on the tiny island of Tresco without a break. Writing this, I do wonder how I'll feel to be out there surrounded by hoards of mask-wearing strangers, (hopefully) keeping their distance from me. Thinking about this makes me realise how very different lock-down on an island has been compared to elsewhere. Familiar faces in normal routines meant we all seemed to carry on our ordinary lives without too much fuss. How very lucky we have been.

The outfit was from Tuesday when grey skies mingled with a peek-a-boo sun - not the ideal for a pre-work photo shoot, but Fiona and I did our best. I've been keen to showcase this jacket and dress combination as it's a favourite work outfit at the moment. Jamie bought me the dress for my birthday and I love the marriage of the different prints as well as the joyful addition of the bright pink. It's a stylish work ensemble with a generous dollop of fun!

The dress was from Zara, trench from Topshop, boots from H&M, underskirt was charity shopped and the belt was an eBay purchase from a long time ago.

Simple black sunglasses by Radley London add a touch of class to this animal print outfit.

I had started the day at 5.30am, chopping and slicing veg to get a meal into the slow cooker before washing up and making breakfast. A fresh wind was blowing which put paid to my early morning swim, but I spent 20 minutes instead gathering some clothes together to pack in a bag for my trip the next day. It was a productive day at work and I also received my second vaccine in the afternoon so I felt flushed with success. 

It won't be long now until I get my haircut on St Mary's, so this may be the last shot of the overgrown lock-down look. I shan't miss the fact that I have to wash it every day now just to make it presentable.

And last of all, thank you to those of you who have sent me photos for inclusion in my 6th anniversary post. If you're still considering, then there's plenty time. The more the merrier as they say! Just send me an email and attach your snap along with a few words as to how Anna's Island Style has influenced the outfit. It's easy peasy!

                                                                                      Anna x

Cashmere luxury from The Cashmere Specialist

Hello lovelies! I'm so happy to be back firing on all cylinders again. And not only back, but enjoying the opportunity to share details of my new cashmere polo neck courtesy of The Cashmere Specialist. I've been gifted a couple of beautiful items from the Slovakian company, but the review is mine, all my own words and my honest opinion of the goods.

I chose this vibrant fine yarn sweater mainly for the colour (Lapis blue - find it here). I'm all about colour after all. A cashmere polo neck is the ultimate luxury item for the winter and this one is a lovely fit. I like the slimline shape for a sleek outline. I referred to the size chart to check my measurements and opted for the medium which is a perfect fit. I hate to wear wide sweaters as they make me look very square and do like this one for that reason. The smooth, soft yarn is comfortable against the skin without the need of a layer underneath and the tight ribbed neck is perfect for trapping the body's heat to keep toasty warm - it's also very good at disguising my turkey neck! 

The Cashmere Specialist is family run company, trading online only. Quality is their prime concern from sourcing the wool to production across their entire range, whether it's 100% cashmere or the cashmere and cotton range, cashmere and silk or Alpaca range. Luxury items don't come cheap, but the brand offers high quality, which means that these are not only soft, warm and comfortable, but durable and long lasting too. I hand wash my cashmere in a specialist liquid in warm, not hot water and always dry my sweaters flat on a towel to maintain the shape and keep them colourfast.  This jewel bright blue deserves to be kept as vibrant as ever!

Raglan shaping and deep ribbed cuffs and hem are a classic design, ensuring a great finish. The smooth two ply yarn is a real plus in my opinion. I have quite a few cashmere sweaters from other brands that use a fluffy wool  and initially this fluffiness always seems to have a great appeal - oh how cuddly soft they are, just like a teddy bear! However, inevitably over time, the fluff results in piling and bobbling resulting in a sweater that has to be relegated to at home wear. I even bought one of those cashmere mini combs, but all they do is cut off the lumps and bumps leaving you with a thinner patch underneath. 

And here's the rundown of the rest of the outfit: skirt and two-tone brogues are by Boden, but are very old indeed. Rings are pre-loved, tights are ancient and sunglasses are by Quay Australia. Many thanks to Fiona for giving up her lunchtime to take the photos. 

This zingy yellow snood (find it here) is my second gift, and what a fab burst of sunshine it is! Again, I chose a bright colour as another anitdote to the dark winter months ahead. But on a more practical note, the snood acts as a barrier against the cold and also as an effective heat trap to stop the body's warmth escaping. Easier to wear than a scarf, the smooth yarn doesn't itch and is also fine enough not to add too much bulk around the neck either. 

I'm hoping that the yellow snood perks up this offering, which on reflection may be a tad too much brown for my liking. I fancy that I may be less bold in my outfit choices since I've emerged from my poorly time at home. I'll have to scour through my wardrobe to find something a bit more inspirational for my next post. There - I've thrown down the gauntlet to myself style-wise and let's hope I can come up with something worthy. The details however are: trench by Topshop (pre-loved), jeans by Curve Appeal from TK Maxx, striped sweater from Topshop, boots from Primark, sunglasses are by Radley - none of this is new. 

What I've failed to mention this far is the fact that I have a discount code for The Cashmere Specialist - if you order anything from the website between now and the 2nd of December you can claim a 10% discount simply by quoting ANNA10 in your order. 

Do please take a moment to browse through their website - it's a veritable cornucopia of knitwear for both women and men in a wonderful array of yarns and colours. They do a great line in accessories too which may help with your Christmas wish list!

                                                                          Anna x

Scarlet and cerise - my joyful colour therapy!

Happy Monday dear readers! How are you? Did you have a good weekend? Mine was a busy one, but a happy mixture of work and play. I had a good long swim with Fiona on Saturday when the weather was fine and then on Sunday she stepped in as blog photographer to do a mega shoot for various forthcoming features. Add to this some long-overdue housework, cooking for the freezer, catching up with laundry and a family meal on Sunday and I was flushed with success by the end of it.

This was Friday's work outfit, a joyful pick-me-up in scarlet and cerise. I'd had a blah day on Thursday which I blamed on a very dull outfit that set me of in the wrong frame of mind. It's not something you've seen and maybe won't see either! A navy flower sprigged dress is being charged guilty of dreary, drab and dullness on all three counts. I had tried my best to pep it up with red cowboy boots, red belt and red accessories which sounds great, but didn't really have the desired effect. 

Friday saw me utilise red in a much more successful manner when paired with a dazzling pink trench and handbag. The two tone dress (pre-loved) is by M&S and delivers colour therapy with a punch every time I wear it. During the winter months I pop a coloured long sleeved thermal top under it, add some tights and hey presto, it earns its place in both my seasonal wardrobes!

If I was channeling the 80's on my last post, then maybe this could be a throwback to the 60's? (Although the sock boots would probably have been knee high ones.) As you can gather, I'm not one to pay any attention to trends from this era or that - I'll throw pieces together regardless of what decade they hail from.

I'm rotating three very different bags for work at the moment and this cute little Candy bag by Furla always gets compliments. My pink rings are both charity shop pieces.

My red sock boots from H&M are still going strong. What will I do when they fall apart? Maybe I ought not to think about that until the time comes...

My white and black Quay Australia sunglasses tie in with the gingham checks of my Topshop trench. The rose gold heart pendant was a retail purchase in a little boutique in Truro a couple of years ago. 

They say laughter is the best medicine and I must admit it works for me. Well that, and some colour therapy. Keep on smiling everyone, and have a great week!

                                                                        Anna x

Welcome to this month's Style Not Age challenge.

This time for our monthly challenge Gail came up with the brilliant idea of "What I'd wear on the Frow".  To the uninitiated, like me, that's the Front Row of a fashion show. Paris Fashion Week is due to commence on the 28th of September and despite the pandemic, the show must go on! My take on this was that my particular fashion show was socially distanced and therefore the runway is an outdoors affair. You can tell by my expression that the next model is impressive.

As you can see, Gail truly entered into the spirit of things, inspiring us with this timely theme.  See more and get the low down on her outfit over on Is This Mutton blog now.

Jacqui chose a fabulous backdrop for her relaxed but stylish ensemble. Check out her blog Mummabstylish for her spin on this challenge.

Style Splash Emma opted for a funky pair of culottes to build her Frow outfit around. A spinkling of animal print raised the bar just that little bit higher too!

Hilda played it super cool with this fabulous Spanx trouser suit, topping it off with a stylish fedora - can't you just imagine her turning up at a fashion show in this? See more on her blog Over The Hilda.

If indeed I were going to attend a fashion show, then the coat would be equally important as the outfit. This pink trench, (Topshop, pre-loved), with its black and white gingham lining couldn't be a better match for today's ensemble. The turned up sleeves show the fabric nicely and also allow the lace cuff of the blouse to be exposed too.

The lace blouse was from Zara last summer and has become a real wardrobe staple for me. I seem to wear it at least once a week currently as it's so versatile with a vest top underneath or like today worn as part of a dungaree combination. I wanted to show the pretty pattern in this shot.

My outfit may not be of the caliber of the immaculate Anna Wintour and perhaps if I really did attend a fashion show I would chose to wear a less quirky and more classic type of ensemble. Who knows?

The mini Candy Bag is by Furla and is my bag of the moment. The black and white shoes are by Nine West, sourced at TK Maxx.

And of course if I'm showcasing a black and white outfit then it's gotta be my black and white Quay Australia sunglasses. 

Many thanks to Gail for throwing the gauntlet down with this great challenge. It was good to have a bit of role-play this time too! I do hope you enjoyed it and will find time to pop across to read the backstories of the others in the Style Collective.

                                                                                          Anna x