Isobel coat from the Lighthouse

Hi there! How are you? Today I want to share my new Isobel coat, gifted to me by the Lighthouse Clothing Company. Sunday was a windy but bright and sunny day - that kind of fierce wind that blows right through you - so I decided to take a walk out onto the headland of Tresco to give my new winter coat a proper testing. I'm delighted to say that it was toasty warm and windproof, aside from the promise of it being waterproof and breathable.

I chose this coat not just for the lovely colour (Sea Kelp, find it here), but for the length which is ideal for my height (5ft 5in). Anything longer would be below knee length; not good for striding out with a bit of rock climbing to boot.

When my son and I left home it was raining, just a light drizzle, but enough to trick me into thinking I didn't need my (bright blue) sunglasses. Stupid of me really as I could have popped them into the very spacious pocket. Anyway, after walking half a mile or so, the clouds cleared, rain stopped and we were bathed in the late afternoon sunshine. Much squinting on my part followed as Jamie did the best he could as photographer-of-the-day in the whipping wind.

As you'll see the coat isn't just fully padded but also has a cosy fluffy lining which extends into the hood as well - such a bonus for a weatherproof jacket. I love that extra feature!

The coat also has a drawstring waist in case you want to be even more snug. 

As for the rest of my outfit, well there's nothing new here at all. The turquoise chunky knit jumper and matching boots were both from Vinted in the past year so you'll probably have seen them on the blog before. The fab green jeans are by Twiggy from M&S, another Vinted buy from this year. I recently found the long beaded necklace in a charity shop in Truro though and I'm pleased to say that the smattering of small turquoise beads ties it in perfectly with today's look and I added a blue plastic ring, another charity shop find, to finish things off.

My other news is that Gallery Tresco has now closed for the winter and I'm already deep in winter works mode. The island may seem to have shut down, but behind the scenes all of the permanent staff have lots to do over the next few months to get ready for the 2026 season. My final week of trading was very healthy meaning I still have lots of paintings to pack up ready for shipping to the mainland. Thereafter I'll be tackling my (dreaded) annual stocktake as well as clearing the decks ready for a new carpet to be laid. Before Iong I'll be searching for the boxes of decorations to prepare for our Christmas opening...

One final bit of news is that my husband has recently celebrated 50 years of working for Tresco Estate, or rather Tresco Island as it is now known. He's also just turned 68 and assures me that he's not ready to hang up his workboots yet. Steve's one of those lucky guys who loves his job and is in no rush to take up the call of armchair and slippers. We're very proud of all that he's achieved in his lifetime - if you ever visit Tresco you'll see his legacy at every turn as most of the young woodlands have been planted by him. Well done Steve, you're a living legend!

                                                                        Anna x

Holding on

Hi there! I'm late again with this week's post and have no excuse apart from life in general being a challenge. But hey, here I am, holding on. Holding on? Yes, holding on to my summery looks as I so dislike transisitional dressing aka the changeover into gloomy old autumn and winter seasons. 

The wind may be blowing but at least today the sky is blue and I'm determined to keep turning up in bright and breezy colours, the same colours that lift my mood and garner me compliments.

There's nothing new here, but all of it, every single piece, brings me joy which is pretty much my mantra. 

My life, indeed island life, is seasonal. I work in a retail position which relies on visitors to keep me in employment. By the end of the month the Gallery will be closed and I'll be busy with winter works. And winter works means no daily dressing up for the day job, so I'm making the most of things in this final push.

The majority of what I'm wearing is from Vinted, the second hand site that's helping to change how we shop. Second hand no longer means sad, smelly, worn-out clothes; Vinted allows anyone to move on their shopping mistakes, often never worn at all, to find a happy new owner. Vinted is also helping me dejunk my wardrobe all year round. I'm finally allowing myself to let go of pieces that don't fit or even spark joy as I know I'll be able to find replacements in a heartbeat. Sorry if this is coming across as an advert - it's just an enthusiastic post from a second-hand lover!

                                                                                Anna x

Sieze the day!

The sun came out today making it a no-brainer for Fiona and I to capture some images for the blog. We finished work and wandered along the road towards the quay at New Grimsby to escape from the brisk north wind. Tucked in behind the hedge we dodged across the road and onto the last patch of sand as the incoming tide swallowed up the beach.

I've been itching to wear these new boots since they arrived in the post last week. Rain and yet more rain meant it's been impossible to get outside for blog photos, so today's bright sunshine was too good to resist. I've paired the neon bright flatforms with a yellow ribbed body underneath my soft green tweed shorts suit (from Primark). Boots, tights and body are all from Vinted. 

I can't explain the appeal of these chunky workwear boots as my latest passion. My son did question how these and my orange ones have become my style statement of the moment and I really can't answer that; I just know that I love them!

Nothing new accessories-wise this time. Necklaces are old/pre-loved, as are my rings and sunglasses, but that's not to say that they're not well considered to match the outfit of the day.

Fiona had a bit of a surprise as a wave suddenly swept round about her - luckily she was wearing her wellies!

 

I chose orange as my other accent colour today. The handbag is by Oliver Bonas and the coat is one of my new winter buys - it's by Superdry and was brand new from Vinted at a cost of £60.

Fiona kindly told me that I look like a bright orange caterpiller. She may be right, but the coat is all about keeping warm and if that means I have to sacrifice some style in order to keep cosy then so be it!

                                                                    Anna x