Go red for February!

Hello and welcome to our Style Not Age challenge for this month. Hilda's come up with this month's theme of Go red for February, a lively idea I would say. I've fully entered into the swing of things as you can see so let's have a look at the others now shall we?

Hilda's red sweater and bag are by Irish brand, Lennon and Courtney, worn with blue wide legged jeans for this stylish and yet casual look. See more from Hilda on her blog Over the Hilda now.

At the smarter end of the scale is Jacqui in her woman-about-town look. She's sporting a few variations of red along with her new cream faux leather skirt by Izabel. Catch up with her latest news on Mummabstylish.

Emma's mixing things up for a quirky and fun look for her Go Red offering. Emma isn't timid in her dressing and it always pays off. Read her back story on her blog the Style Splash.

I'm thrilled to be wearing this suede fringed jacket for the first time. I'm not sure why it's taken me six months to showcase it, but here we are. I found it in a vintage shop in Penzance last year and kept on waiting for the right moment to wear it. This challenge was the perfect prompt!

I paid £45 for the jacket which, considering it's real suede isn't a bad price at all. Adding the tartan trousers may not be the obvious for everyone, but to me it seemed like a great idea. The trousers were a charity shop find from last year too.

A full fringe across the back of the jacket deserved a bit of a twirl!

The cream rib knit sweater was a high street buy last year, one of those versatile pieces that you can't go wrong with. 

The white leather cowboy boots by All Saints tie in perfectly with the fringed jacket.

Never fear mixing fun jewellery with classic pieces. It's easy to stick by the rules, but much more fun to make your own. The plastic ring was a thrift purchase and the silver scribble ring is by Emily Nixon.

It was such a relief to see the sunshine this weekend! I'm sure we're all pretty fed up with the relentless rain. It's been feeling much more spring-like here - hopefully I've not spoken too soon!

Many thanks for joining us for the monthly round up. Did you go red in Feb? Maybe we've given you an idea or two...

                                                                    Anna x

Belt Up, our Style Not Age Challenge for November

Yes, it's that time of the month again! Here we all are rising to this month's challenge where Jacqui has prompted us to Belt Up! My outfit is one that I gathered together in September and yet never managed to showcase on the blog for various reasons so here it is now in all its technicolour glory! But as always, let me share the outfits from my fashionable friends first...

This month's feature is pretty much a story of two halves where Hilda and Jacqui are also touting an autumn vibe along with their belts whereas myself and Emma are pushing the boat out colourwise! Read Hilda's backstory here on Over the Hilda blog.

Rich chocolate hues work perfectly with Jacqui's tan leather belt in her seasonal look. Find out what she's been up to this week in her latest blog post at Mummabstylish. 

Emma's really delivering the wow factor this month with her fabulous two-tone jacket and golden accessories. This outfit shows she's ready for the party season right now! Catch up with all of her latest news on her blog, Style Splash. 

My colourful offering is all pre-loved, so excuse me for feeling a bit smug. The jeans, belt and cardigan were finds from Truro charity shops when I was passing through in September. The linen shirt is very old and the Dr Marten boots were from Vinted. I totally understand it this isn't your kind of thing as it truly is a Marmite outfit - obviously I love it, but it's okay if you don't.

The cardigan had been lovingly hand knitted which obviously adds even more appeal for me as I truly appreciate the time and effort it would have taken to creat this colourfest of a cardi. 

The boots are hopefully going to add cheer to my winter dressing as well as being comfortable. I do love a clumpy boot and these do have big heavy soles hinting at longevity too.

I was so excited to discover these hand painted jeans in the rack of a charity shop during one of my browsing sessions. The are many sizes too big for me, but I went straight away to the local haberdashery and bought some wide elastic to add to the inside of the waistband. Between the elastic and the jazzy yellow belt I managed to pull the waist in sufficiently to carry off this baggy legged look. 

Nothing new with my accessories here. My sunglasses are old from Radley London and rings are both old too. 

Many thanks for joining us for this month's style challenge. It's a wonderfully diverse spread of outfits that we're sharing with you again. Maybe you'll find some inspiration here?

Looking forward to seeing you again!

Anna x

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

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

Second hand jeans - two ways

I recently had a couple of nights on the mainland during which time I managed to fit in a bit of charity shopping. My most exciting find were these two tone jeans for £6. They seemed relatively new as they had a crispness to them which made me think they'd not yet been washed, so were perhaps a bad buy for the previous owner. For me they're an absolute joy of a find and I couldn't wait to wear them!

I rolled up the trouser legs, added a belt and they were good to go. I have a simple white tee shirt underneath this new sweater from Number36 boutique in Penzance - I now have three of these Miss Carla jumpers and I love them!

This is a great weekend outfit. It's perfect for out boating when you need an extra layer when out on the water. By the way - could someone slow things down a bit - the last of the summer is simply speeding by!

My second look for these jeans is with this colourful jacket which I've showcased previously, see here. The no label jacket was from Vinted and really ticks all the boxes for me. It's colourful, easy to wear and great fun. Wearing it with the jeans is a good smart/casual combo and one that I'll look forward to showcasing again.

The tee shirt is old, as is the bejewelled belt (was from Amazon) and the crochet flowered sandals were from TK Maxx (maybe last year...). 

The outfit is another ode to summer from me. A wonderful mix of colours and patterns that typifies my style.

Nothing new with the jewellery. The rings are both old, charity shop finds and the sunglasses are from Radley. Reflected in my sunglasses is my bike leaning against the bench and my phone on a mini tripod. This spot is great for not only catching the evening sun but also for getting out of the main thoroughfare of the island. Hopping on my bike to come here beside Pentle Bay gives me the chance to capture the look of the day while still being relatively private. Not only that, but I always stop to enjoy the view of the beach beyond...

Many thanks for dropping by. Enjoy the last of the summer!

Anna x

My little ray of sunshine

Hello lovely! How are you? Last week I had a little Orla Kiely moment when I wore my new Orla raincoat and dress to work accessorised with my Orla handbag. It was a drizzly start to the day which gave me the perfect opportunity to don the lightweight raincoat for its first trial. The coat was a Vinted buy recently, a note of resignation to the fact that even in springtime it rains, but maybe I don't have to be kitted up in full wetgear.

I love the iconic prints of the Orla Kiely brand for their homage to the fashion of the 60's. The strong, bold prints and colours are the epitomy of joyful dressing. 

My Stem Leaf print handbag was a present from a girlfriend and has been a constant favourite of mine over the past years. Read about the iconic design and the talented designer here. 

My fabulous dress was a recent buy, again from Vinted, in response to the gloomy grey days that seemed to be wearing me down. Winter depression has plagued me over the years and one of my ways of battling through it is to drench myself in colour. Today's look is indeed all about colour drenching with yellow being a wonderful antidote to the damp morning when I opened the blinds.

A yellow dress clearly called for yellow tights (by Snag) and yellow suede boots (ASOS). 

I donned my bright yellow necklace to compliment the look along with my Radley sunglasses. Grey hairs abound currently as I wait for the appointment to have some colours sprinkled over my tresses and oh golly, I can't say anything about the jowels and saggy neck apart from the fact that I'm 67 and am not inclined to be doing much to hide the years. This is the true passage of time showing on me now and much as I would accept a magic wand to turn back time, it's not really an option.

And so, as I stand here on my self-imposed confessional, I have to say that my fitness levels have dropped significantly over the winter. I've not had a swim since September and my walking has been sporadic to say the least. However, I find that the brighter evenings are helping to motivate me to get out after work into the evening glow for a brisk walk of the island. I have a lap that takes an hour which dovetails neatly between finishing work and preparing dinner. As for swimming, well I've had various legitimate excuses to stay out of the water and the final one being that I'm waiting for the horrible easterly wind to abate before I throw myself back into the sea. But trust me, you won't be seeing any swimsuit shots for some time...

The outfit isn't for the faint hearted, that's for sure, but it certainly kept a smile on my face. The look could almost be a rousing call to arms, to encourage everyone to don a sunny colour in defiance against a dull weather day. Feel free to join me!

                                                                        Anna x