Autumn dressing and a shopping spree

Hello again! How's your weekend gone? I'm having my first good day in ages and have managed to get some blog photos done as well as a few chores at home. It's good to know that I'm getting back on track. 

You may remember seeing me wearing this Topshop dress in the summer. I styled it then with white footwear too (see here). I bought the dress way back in June and it has received so many compliments over the months. I'm such a convert to the ease of wearing an all-in-one, whether it's dungarees or a dress; I just love not having to worry about matching separates. I'd like to think that's because I'm busy, not lazy!

The white patent boots by Marco Tozzi are a recent purchase from TK Maxx and were £34.99. 

The tweed jacket is pre-loved, the brand is Next and such a great classic piece. I've had it for over a year and yet this is the first time I've worn it. Not sure why it's taken me so long. It fits really well and is great for this time of year.

I swapped the belt over and replaced it with this charity shop one which picks up the gold and white of the dress.

The silver ring with gold etching is by Diana Porter, the flower ring is pre-loved.

I'll not keep you waiting any longer ... Here's my little bit of shopping from Truro recently. I succumbed to both high street fashion and pre-loved pieces from my top charity shops in the town. I'm pleased with the balance and collection that came together over the few days I was there.

This lovely velvet jacket is the start of my charity shopping finds. It was originally from Debenhams and cost £4.

The over-sized shirt was £5. I like the idea of a polo neck underneath this for the colder months and then it can be worn alone as the weather warms up again.

This cotton jumper is a nostalgic piece. I used to have a similar one way back in the 80's and foolishly passed it on to one of our jumble sales. I've no idea how I'll style it, but am delighted to have acquired a replacement. Good old Laura Ashley!

The Tu blouse cost £3. At that price I thought it would add a ray of sunshine to my winter wardrobe.

This hand knitted cardigan appeals again from a nostalgic point of view. The baby blue colour will be great to wear with jeans over a thermal top for those chilly autumn days. Worth the £3.50 it cost, without a doubt.

I'm sure this pre-loved stretch jersey shirt will be a useful addition to my collection of tops. It's from M&S, and cost me £4.50.

The woollen skirt is also pre-loved and again from M&S - it cost me £5.

And so, on to the high street purchases next. This cute tweed mini skirt is from F&F at Tesco, costing £15.

The blue leopard print top was from TK Maxx, costing £19.99. Love it!

This cute navy, white and red dress is from Primark at £15. Worn it already with a cream polo neck underneath. 

Another Primark purchase. I fancy that I'll keep this one back for wearing over the festive period.

Please tell me that you love these as much as I do! By Steve Madden, they were from TK Maxx, reduced to £34.99. 

And last but by no means least, this beautiful vintage dress has solved my dilemma as to what to wear on Christmas day. In the traditional red, green and gold, I just couldn't resist the charm of this lovely gauzy frock. A gold belt and some glitzy shoes will transform it into something very a la Anna's Island Style!

This week I'll be chasing up some old friendships and maybe some new ones as I'll be linking up with -

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb 

Jacqui of Mummabstylish 

Anna x

The joy of the tent dress

Hello lovelies! How's your week going? I'll confess that my cold has reached the hacking cough and snotty stage now. I've managed to pass the virus on to my hubby who is not very enamoured with me. And my son, who is due to go on holiday on Monday, is treating me as if I've got the plague. I've defended my very own version of this bug, telling him that surely this family cold is preferable to any of the mainland brands that will be available to him as he travels through Cornwall to London en route to Barbados. London Underground will surely have thousands of various strains of the cold virus smeared on every touchable surface. Makes my little island variant seem much more acceptable don't you think?

Cold or no cold, here I am experiencing the joy of the tent dress. Now that British Summer Time is over I'm embracing tights once again too making this a cosy combination for this time of year. Are we still in autumn or is November a winter month? 

The tent dress in indeed a thing of joy thanks to the unrestricted nature of it. No tight waistbands or pinching bustline, the dress falls from the shoulder in a totally relaxed fashion making for joyful dancing, even here up on the heathland of Tresco. The dress is secondhand, the brand is Zara and it cost me £6 last week when I was in Truro. Washed and dried overnight on the airer, it didn't even need an iron before I popped it on for the shoot. The stretch cotton material is weighty; perfect for the months ahead. 

Another joyful feature of the dress is the long trumpet sleeve which acts as a good counterbalance to the length of the hemline. Long sleeves and short dress work well, making for an elegant look. Last of all, the floral pattern and colourway are even more reasons for a happy dance. In other words, I'm thrilled with this frock.

My accessories are pre-loved too. 

A touch of glitter finishes off this outfit. Blue Oxfords are by Xti Tentations from TK Maxx, not this season however. These shoes are great for stomping around all day long, offering comfort and bit of razzle dazzle too. The grey tights are both brand new and charity shopped, by Calvin Klein, and cost me £2.

My recent trip to Truro has garnered me a clutch of new clothes which I'll gather together for a show and tell session on Sunday if you'd like to see them? Pre-loved pieces and brand new bargains are in the mix with a lovely new winter coat being top of my favourite list already. Do join me on Sunday to see what my winter wardrobe looks like!

In the meantime, keep well!

Anna x

The Zara "It" dress does autumn

Hello and how are you? I hope you're having a great week. Today I'm continuing with my quest to restyle a summer outfit, recreating an autumn look from one of my favourite summer frocks. Not only my favourite, but this polka dot dress became the "It" dress of 2019 as it appeared like a rash across the whole of Britain, even as far south as the Isles of Scilly! If you Google Zara spotty dress you'll be able to read what all the papers had to say about this new classic piece. In the meantime, it's still for sale here or you'll maybe prefer the reverse colours in the new style here. 

The first time I showcased this fabulous frock I was bigging it up for an exhibition night, adding lots of silver to the monochrome look - see here. Today I've added a splash of red in both boots and belt, along with the red in this vintage leather handbag. 

I stumbled across the handbag when I was holidaying in Cork many years ago. It was a wonderful charity shop find that nearly had me fending off a rival shopper as she loitered behind me, hoping I'd change my mind and put it back on the shelf. My sister stepped in to clarify the matter, that yes, I would be buying it. Hahaha, forever my big sister, even though we're all grown up now! The belt and rings are also charity shop finds.

The silver disc necklace is quite old now, but was from M&S. Sunglasses are by Quay Australia. 

The silver and black studded Michael Kors jacket is becoming a signature piece of mine. It has the ability to add a bit of edge to any outfit, giving it a style boost as it were. I like that the studs echo the polka dots here. 

These H&M sock boots have coped very well considering the amount of times I've worn them. I think I may have had them re-heeled last year, and I do wipe off any marks and mud to keep them as pristine as possible. Sock boots seem to suit my curvy calves and show off my slim ankles, hence me investing in about half a dozen pairs so far.

Today's outfit crosses all the fashion sources from high street to charity shop and vintage which encapsulates all of my shopping vices. I love to dabble with all kinds of clothes and accessories to create my own style. Next week I've got a wee trip to the mainland lined up and hope to find time between appointments to fit in some charity shopping in my favourite venue of Truro. It seems that a whole swathe of my autumn/winter clothes have gone walkabout or rather I just can't find them in the morass of boxes and suitcases that are scattered throughout the house. I know it sounds like a made up excuse for a bit of retail therapy, but it's the truth, honestly! 

                                                                                          Anna x

Oh my dimpled arse!

'Scuse the crude title today guys, but sometimes you just have to tell it how it is. This newly-coined phrase was borne from a naive backwards glance in the mirror. Honestly, it had me in stitches as the sight and resulting comment took me by surprise. It wasn't uttered in horror, more disbelief that my 61 years have finally caught up with me. I immediately saw the humour in this and couldn't stop laughing. When did my bum turn into a lumpy, dimpled arse that resembles a badly stuffed bolster? As I surveyed the damage in the mirror I was touched by the sight of this battle-torn feature and felt as if I was meeting an old friend whose predicament sparked a deep understanding for what it's gone through. Oh my dimpled arse, how tenderly I love you!

When Fiona and I met up later to take some photos, I couldn't help but share this comedy moment with her. The rest of the shoot was riddled with laughter as the memory tickled my funny button. She too loved the universal recognition that this phrase conjures up. At 16 this may not be funny, but at 61 it most definitely is!

Let's chat about the outfit now, shall we? You may recognise this buttery yellow trouser suit from an earlier post this summer. It's from JD Williams, though not gifted I hasten to add. I've kept it out for one last hurrah before it gets packed away for the winter. I wanted to see if I could adapt it to autumn wear as I've been doing of late. 

I added black patent boots (Topshop) to dispel any reference to summer sandals which I think toughens the look up straight away. The next step was to throw in some animal print with this H&M leopard print cardigan. The clutch works as an extra punch of print too - this was a charity shop find, as were the two rings. Finally, I've opted for a black pair of mirror sunglasses by Quay Australia. 

I forgot to mention this tribal print necklace from Topshop. I often strike it lucky when I visit the Truro branch as they do a good line in chunky statement necklaces which are very much my thing.

As I waltz off into the weekend, please know that I won't be offended if you feel the need to greet me with this new catchphrase. Oh-my-giddy-aunt seemed to catch on. I wonder if this will too?

                                                                                           Anna x