White Stuff aqua top

Hello again!

Golly what a busy week I've had! So sorry to neglect the blog, but I've had to prioritise my time with work coming first. We've had a rush on sales this past week and next week will be equally busy as I have to pack these all up and despatch them to the mainland. The last big shipment I sent off got caught up in the Bank Holiday weekend which complicated matters terribly, so hopefully this next consignment will be a bit more straightforward.

Anyway, here I am on the beach wearing the second of those White Stuff linen tops I recently showed you. See the first feature about them here. The aqua one is perfect to go with my paisley harem pants which are kept solely for beach romps, purely because they're very see through. Steve and I cycled to the beach yesterday to take these shots as I was worried that this might be the last summery weekend we have before autumn properly sets in. When I appeared in the doorway with these trousers on he raised his eyebrows in question at the prospect of me cycling in them without them getting caught in the chain. But I had a trick up my sleeve...

Et viola! From long shorts to harem pants in one easy step. 

The side buttons and ladder stitch insert are little touches that add to this very simple boat neck top. Both the white and aqua versions are proving to be very useful, if somewhat tame as my dear blogging friend pointed out. I suppose I must have a reputation for being flamboyant most of the time! Hahahah. Considering I buy the majority of my clothes from vintage and charity shops it's inevitable I'll end up with some pretty mainstream items, but the brand of White Stuff was too good a bargain to miss. Linen for the summer is a no-brainer isn't it?

The whole outfit today is all about sea colours. I had intended to have this photographed on the sandbar where I recently showcased my mermaid dress - see here. The only trouble was that it's probably a 15 minute boat ride plus hopping in and out of the dingy which I thought would result in a very creased top indeed. 

The only jewellery of the day is this turquoise anklet, an airport purchase from a few years ago - it was from Accessorize. 

My orange leather sandals are very comfy, functional and are still going strong after several years of beaching. The brand is Autenti by Penta and they came from TK Maxx.

This was the view from the banks above Pentle Bay yesterday. Steve and I had been off for a picnic in our boat on Saturday, spending the afternoon on Nornour Island. I posted a feature about this beauty of a desert island in 2018 if you'd like to see more. Sunday was a family day for us as it was my son Jamie's 29th birthday. He and Sasha came round for dinner and I did that mum thing of getting out his baby album (as if he's never seen it before!) - we just can't help ourselves, can we?

Ah, the joy of a sleeping baby eh?

Anna x

A seaside stroll in the sunshine

Hello from sunny Tresco!

Today is all about the beautiful island of Tresco and specifically this beach, called Appletree Bay. Steve and I took ourselves out for an early morning stroll along the shoreline to capture some pretty outdoors shots away from the village. This beach is only a five minute cycle or a 20 minute walk from home. On a very big spring tide, this beach dries out completely, joining up with a central sandbar which stretches all the way to the island of Bryher behind me. This is where the Low Tide event is staged - see my post from last year about this here.

My weekend outfit is a mix of pre-loved and newish pieces. My sister Dianne kindly sent me these cropped trousers last year and this is the first time I've worn them. I have posh shoes and a smart jacket that would also look great together, but opted for this relaxed look instead. When I get back to work I'll feature the other option.

The sheer striped top was a second hand buy (brand is M&S) and underneath is a vest top from Topshop (again pre-loved). My mind wandered off then, to consider my preference for pre-loved clothes which supports my passion for recycling and reducing waste. I wonder if UK clothes retailers will rein in their production over the forthcoming months? Or will the hunger for all things new still be present in our consumers? Will these long weeks at home have shaped the consumerism of the future? The big question of "Do I really need this?" might be easier to answer now that we've managed without so much recently. 

My wedge sandals are by Guess and came from TK Maxx last year. Both of my rings are pre-loved. 

The sunglasses of the day are my old faithfuls by Quay Australia.

The turquoise and silver anklet was from Accessorize last year.

A sense of peace is probably the most obvious thing we locals have all noticed over the past weeks of lock-down. With no vapour trails overhead and scarcely a boat to break the silence, we have all been gifted this time to bask in the idyll of island life. We've been blessed with beautiful weather too, enabling us to make the most of our surroundings without seeing a soul. We seem far removed from the reality of Covid-19 and yet we know how fragile and vulnerable our island communities are to the very real threat of the invisible warrior. Social distancing is practiced here as everywhere and our shop operates as those on the mainland do with ours only allowing 4 shoppers at a time. Once freedom of movement resumes we're all aware that our stress levels will rise as we have visitors and workers return from the mainland and we too will experience the kind of anxieties that have become the norm elsewhere. For the moment we are savouring the calm before the storm.

I'll be back on Friday with my latest feature of Dress Up Friday - do pop by if you've got a minute!

                                                                           Anna x