Autumn Colours, our Style Not Age challenge for October

Hello again, and welcome to our Style Not Age challenge for October. This month Hilda has opted for Autumn Colours as our theme, a most timely choice. I just happened to be wearing this (non-outfit) outfit the other day when the photos started to arrive in my inbox and so I thought it might just pass muster.

So, let's start with Hilda, who has recently become a grandmother (again) to a dear little baby girl. The chocolate brown trousers are new, from Cos and the pretty embroidered cardigan, tee shirt and trainers are all shopped from her closet. Catch up on her news on Over the Hilda. 

Jacqui too has shopped her wardrobe for this month's look. She's wearing russets, greys and black as her autumn colours - see more from her on her blog Mummabstylish.

Emma is sharing one of her holiday snaps with us from the sunny island of Madeira where she's wearing a favourite orange jumpsuit by Nutmeg with gold accessories. See more from her on Style Splash. 

Despite this not being a staged outfit per se, it is one of my most seen looks of late. I love this embroidered coat and am wearing it often as I know it's a brief window of opportunity before I'll have to pack it away until warmer spring days. I found it on Vinted earlier on this year and love that I rediscovered these jeans recently - hence they're turning up on the blog like a rash at the moment! Anyway the jeans and coat marry up beautifully so excuse me if you see me out and about in them, again.

Something that is new however is this rather grand Harris Tweed and leather backpack which I bought in Inverness last month. Scotland prides itself on fine goods in Harris Tweed and I was tempted to buy a handbag in this pattern, but after much thought I hit on the idea of having a backpack to not only free up my hands, but to use as my travelling bag when popping off the island. 

It's big enough to hold all of the essentials plus my drinking bottle and still has enough room for my book of the moment and glasses - so important when I'm waiting for a flight on sitting on the train. Needless to say I love the dear little backpack and hope to have many happy trips with it in years to come.

The embroidery theme continues with my Replay trainers which you'll no doubt have seen many times before. I have these in two colourways and wear them often as they're jazzy enough for work and yet so blooming comfortable when I have to stand at the desk all day.

As ever, I'm delighted to show you my Emily Nixon gemstone ring which I've worn daily since Steve bought it for my birthday in January. I so hope that this is the start of new trend for him after many years of being sidetracked during my birthday month... Apologies for the lack of manicure, but it was an impulse photo shoot!

This little beach track is just across the road from our doctor's surgery and is a much nicer place to hang out whilst waiting for the annual flu jab that Steve and I had recently. He's not doing too bad a job as my blog photographer of late, don't you think?

Thanks again for dropping by and I do hope that our monthly style challenges feed your imagination!

                                                                        Anna x

I'm back!

Hello again and thank you for keeping on coming back to check where I am. I've been on holiday and then ill for the past week so I've got very behind on blogging. This post is my long overdue feature for our Monthly Style Challenge and the theme is Colour Me Beautiful, chosen by yours truly. Life has been a whirlwind since my London trip - I literally had two days at home to empty my bags and off I went for 10 days on holiday. I'll show you the snaps from that next time, I promise!

Emma is replendant in this emerald green trouser suit by H&M, worn with her Iris Apfel blouse. I recently met up with Emma when I was in Manchester and will be sharing my photos of that on the blog next time. See more from Emma on her blog Style Splash. 

Jacqui is oozing confidence in this bold red and cream outfit which compliments her skin and hair perfectly. Colour Me Beautiful means different things to each of us! See more from Jacqui on Mummabstylish. 

Hilda's outfit was captured as she left church last week. The beautiful two piece is from Zara and was originally a dress. Hilda shopped her closet for the whole look - check out her blog for more - Over the Hilda.

I wore this outfit for an evening out with the Gallery girls. We went out for an end of season meal at the Ruin Beach Cafe and had a great night of shared stories and laughter. They called for me en route and greeted me with "Oh, you could have made more of an effort Anna!" on seeing my outfit. Yes, I clearly demand a lot of respect from the staff!

The frilled skirt is old and the top was a Vinted buy from some time ago but never worn until this evening outing. The boots are totally over the top.

The colour is perfect for this outfit - a pale apricot shade and the sprinkling of gemstones is wildly over the top, I know, but irresistible to my alter ego of a party girl. The brand is Steve Madden and I found them in TK Maxx earlier this year. I did manage to wear the boots all the way there and back, which does include two steep hills, all thanks to Rachel as I was able to hold an arm to act as brakes for the downhill parts! The next shot is purely for laughs - goodness knows what I was saying, but it's not the most flattering!

Thanks again for dropping by. I'm just getting over the most dreadful head cold and cough which has had me dosed up in bed for four days. Most unlike me, but I think it's simply end of season burnout plus two crazily busy mainland trips. It's good to be up and dressed again today. I thought I'd better make an effort as it's out wedding anniversary today - 44 years! Here's the obligitary wedding shots to round things off...

See you again soon!

Anna x

Sunset Shades, our SNA challenge for August

Hello again and welcome once more to our Style Not Age Challenge for August. We're sporting Sunset Shades this month as chosen by Emma and my offering was shopped from my wardrobe. Let's catch up with my fabulous fashionista friends first though...

Hilda sent one of her holiday snaps and she too has shopped her closet. Her sunset shade top fulfills the remit perfect and doesn't she look carefree and lovely! See more from her on Over the Hilda blog. 

The holiday theme continues with Jacqui and her outfit which she bought in Sicily. The silky two piece is co-ordinated with pink sandals and orange handbag - all sunset hues. Catch up with all Jacqui's news on her blog Mummabstylish. 

Emma's sunset shades are both from River Island, recently rediscovered in her loft - what a joyful find! See more of this fabulous outfit on her blog Style Splash. 

This was my work outfit from Sunday. I suspect it looks more beach than workwear but I so love it that I decided what the the heck and wore it anyway. I did get quite a few compliments so I maybe wasn't so wrong.

The broderie anglaise dress was a charity shop find costing me £5. Worn on its own it is indeed the perfect beach cover up but by adding my (made by me) petticoat it changes the look to something more dressy. 

My two-tone bejewelled sandals were a Vinted buy earlier on this summer and goodness what a lot of wear I've got out of them already! I do love them so much. And not only that, but they've comfy too.

Nothing new with my jewellery either. The pink and orange necklace was a Zara purchase from years ago but works well with today's look and the perspex rings are very old too.

Steve did the honours with this month's SNA photos. I'd stepped outside to take a photo of the sunset from our house and decided that the warm evening light might be flattering enough for this capture session.

As ever, thank you for dropping by to catch up on our latest challenge. Hope you're still holding on to summer weather. We've been hit by the predicted stormy wet weather overnight. Let's hope it'll pass soon. Take care!

                                                                        Anna x

Summer Whites our SNA challenge for May

Hello and welcome again to our monthly Style Not Age challenge! Summer Whites was my theme of choice after what's been a brilliant start to the summer. I would normally hold off wearing white at this time of year, not having faith that the morning sunlight would last all day long, leaving me looking a bit tragic in bright white summer clothes on a dull old day, but the steadiness of the weather meant that I jumped in with both feet and wore this outfit to work last week. But first, let's catch up with the ladies of the collective to see what they've been wearing...

Wowee, doesn't Emma look fantastic in this white lace dress! The brand is Pretty Little Thing and was gifted to her a few years ago when she collaborated with the company. See more from Emma on Style Splash blog. 

Hilda's white skirt is from Cos, a purchase from last year, and her top is old, from Topshop. Catch up on her latest on Over the Hilda. 

Jacqui's dress is by Nomads, gold shoes are from Vinted and matching jacket is from Matalan. Find out all the latest from Jacqui on her blog Mummabstylish.

I don't often wear all white and today's look is no different. The orange and turquoise shimmery coat was a Vinted purchase last year and can be seen here on its first outing. I clearly like to pair this summer duster with my Sunny Days MOMA boots, probably because of the tiny toe end being turquoise too. 

My jewellery is mostly in turquoise hues: the bracelet is a reworked piece from lots of vintage necklaces which I bought from the Gallery last year after coveting it from ages. My dancing girl necklace was another Gallery Tresco purchase from years ago - I love the sparkling beads and the silver dancing girl in a green mini skirt. My gold coloured chain was bought in Accessorize last year and has retained its shine despite not being real gold. The large turquoise ring was a charity shop find and I'm also wearing my birthday ring from Emily Nixon Design. My sunglasses are old, from Radley London.

My white trousers were a recent purchase from Number36 boutique in Penzance. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with white trousers having bought endless pairs of both jeans and trousers over the years and none of them delivering the look I was after. The concern about looking trashy is probably my issue and white jeans always cause me concern. I tried on these loose linen trousers in the shop along with a beautiful pistachio green sweater and fell in love with the whole outfit - I promise you'll see that soon. The trousers have an elasticated back making for a good snug fit, along with the essential deep pockets and I do love the tapered cuff finish at the ankle. I paired the trousers with a white top, newly purchase from Primark and tied the two pieces together with my old faithful stretch belt.

The outfit of the day attracted a lot of attention, particularly from one lovely lady who was here on holiday for the week and made her way to the Gallery every day just to see what I was wearing. One day she even took a photo of the OOTD to send to her daughter. She and I both agreed that the summer duster coat was a mighty fine piece. I really must make an effort to wear it more often this year. Likewise with my fabulous peapod trouser suit which I wore on Friday and had such a great response to it. I'm increasingly aware that I won't be working forever and really must make the most of the opportunity to dress up while I can. 

Many thanks for joining us for this month's style challenge. As ever, I'm so happy to have your comments and feedback about this or any other outfit of mine. So do please let me know your thoughts or even requests to see something again. 

Have a great week!

Anna x

Lovely Leather our SNA challenge for February

Hello and welcome to this month's Style Not Age challenge for February, chosen by Hilda this month, and the theme is Lovely Leather. Apologies for my poor submission, but life has been stacked against me this month and I didn't manage to get my chosen outfit photographed. So here's my new Laidback London leather boots as a poor offering. But let's move swiftly along to see what the ladies of the style collective have for us...

Jacqui is showcasing her faux leather trousers from Tu in this season's favourite mocha shade. Her leopard print trench is imitation suede and is a great finishing touch to the look. See the full details on her blog Mummabstylish. 

Hilda's fabulous full length leather coat is a dream in cream! I too had planned to feature a long leather coat and, like hers, mine was a charity shop find. Do swing by her blog to read more about this beautiful coat on Over The Hilda blog. 

Emma's sporting faux leather culottes with knee high boots and a fabulous orange coat for this challenge. Like me she's not entirely happy with the outcome, but hey, you can but try eh? Read her backstory on her blog Style Splash here. 

My sheepskin lined leather boots are from Laidback London, a purchase earlier on this winter when I was having pain on the top of my foot and couldn't find anything to make me comfortable all day long. They're called the Setsu Crochet boot (see them here) and are available in lots of different colours. The brand has a 40% sale on currently so it might be worth a look.

These photos are from a visit to Hell Bay Hotel in January when I was involved in stocktaking all of the art collection. The weather wasn't the best, but I felt my new boots were worth capturing. The sweater was from Vinted and black jeans and socks were from Primark.

Nothing new with these sparkly rings - both are charity shopped from years ago.

I'm not sure if this has been our best style challenge but as Emma has said, it's good to experiment even if it doesn't always work out! Please do drop by again next week and I'll be giving it another try.

                                                                    Anna x