Saying goodbye to summer

Hello lovelies and thanks for dropping by! Yes, I'm admitting defeat. Today is the first of October and here I am showcasing my final summer outfit with more than a touch of sadness. My favourite time of year, not just fashion-wise, is summer and I'm always sorry to see the season change into autumn. I know I'm not alone in my thoughts.

My monochrome look offers nothing new, merely a mix of things you'll have seen before. The Zara "It" dress from a couple of summers ago has been a mainstay during the final burst of Indian summer we've experienced here on the islands. I love the long, loose fit which has been the perfect ploy for keeping cool. 

The two tone flatties are by Nine West and are suprisingly comfortable, indeed all-day-long comfy. The leather and cow hide bag is a recycled piece made by Claudine Sear of Bags of Time. 

Sunglasses are by Quay Australia, rings are pre-loved and the silver and gold coloured linked chain was a boutique find from a few years ago. 

A gentle walk to New Grimsby quay was a lovely start to the day. The sea was flat as mill-pond, looking more like a lake rather than the sea. A moment to stop and take it all in before the working day began.

So from here on I'll be searching through my wardrobe for those elusive items of transitional dressing. Not my easiest of looks - in fact I think I've maybe said previously that my outfits fall into two simple categories - summer or winter. Anyway, the weekend is almost here and I think that by Sunday I'll be dragging suitcases out from under the bed in the hope of finding some autumn inspired outfits. Wish me luck on this (dreaded) mission!

                                                                                         Anna x

All the pinks and polka dots

Hello lovelies, how are you?

Saturday's work outfit here, in all the shades of pink that I could muster up. Not exactly matchy-matchy, more a bundle of fun in this summer outfit. If I'd left the Candy bag out of the equation this would have been a sleeker style, but honestly it wouldn't be such fun. 

Some of you may recognise this as the It Dress of 2019 from Zara - see it here. I fell for its charms way back during a London trip when I visited the Oxford Street branch. Today's twist is a new one for me and one that is maybe a tad sugary sweet for some...

Last year I showcased the frock again, but that time with silver and white accessories - see here. Today's effort may well be saccharine sweet, but it does still say summer to me. The addition of my H&M sock boots add an elegance despite the bubblegum Barbie shade, echoed in the eBay elasticated belt. 

It's a joy to bring out my little pink Candy bag again. The jelly bag by Furla is one of two that I have; the other is a larger yellow version. See the rainbow bright collection here. The silver rings are both preloved, as is the wooden beaded necklace.

It's quick confession time now. I'm a day late posting the blog as my latest obsession has gripped me, causing me to spend hours yesterday hunched over my sewing machine. Yes, I'm trying to make a toile of my yellow linen dress. Despite the fact that I've bought a paper pattern, I'm hell bent on trying to make a pattern of the dress from scratch, something that, of course, isn't really advisable for someone of my limited sewing abilities. But, I'm possessed, obsessed and driven into trying. Logically, I know that the only way to make a pattern from an existing item is to take it to pieces and use them as the pattern, but no way am I relegating my gorgeous frock into pieces!

I've been watching YouTube tutorials, learning how to make gathers in fabric and unpicking the old sheet that is to be the trial run before I even venture into measuring up for the linen. I wish I could just conform, open up the shop bought pattern and get on with it, but it's not the exact shape of dress I want. I know I'm not the only one who has been smitten with the sewing bug since the Great British Sewing Bee has been on our TV screens. This sewing frenzy has gripped me and there's no getting over it until I've achieved something akin to a frock. If I'm not sewing, then I'm watching the previous series, trying to pick up tips to improve my skills. Practice, practice, practice is all I can do!

Wishing you a fabulous week everyone!

Anna x