Winding down at the weekend

Hi there, how's tricks? I thought I'd show you a weekend lazy outfit this time, just for a change. I had a busy start to the weekend as I was playing catch up with chores at home ready for Sasha coming home, but once I'd done that I managed to have a couple of swims as well as an evening stroll on the beach on Sunday. This is what I wore for a bit of relaxed down time.

These lightweight linen trousers are by Joules and were a recent buy on Vinted. Lots of pockets and a loose fit have boosted them to the top of my weekend-wear chart! I love the mulitcolour floral print which will work with so many options, and this time I've paired them with a new aqua sweater by Miss Carla, bought from Number36 boutique in Penzance. Despite the boxy fit the sweater is soft and lightweight, an easy-to-wear piece that will work well throughout the summer months. A simple white tee shirt and some old pale green suede sandals (by Lazy Dogz - very appropriate name, eh?) were all I needed to complete this weekend ensemble.

None of my jewellery is new. The silver and bead cowrie necklace was from Gallery Tresco a couple of summers ago (and we still sell these now - the jeweller is Julian Warrender). My rings are both charity shop finds and my sunglasses are from Radley London.

I sat amoungst the marram grass and wild flowers to watch the sun drop in the sky and enjoy the sounds of birdsong and the sea as it rustled over the sea shells on the shoreline.

Only a five minute cycle from home and I'm immersed in nature, surrounded by wild flowers and the gentle hum of buzzing bees. Nearby are a pair of Oystercatchers as they chastise me for encroaching on their territory. It's nesting season currently and the bossy little birds won't tolerate any intrusion, especially from swooping gulls on the lookout for eggs. I watched the pair from a safe distance, one of them chasing off the gulls while the other played victim, pretending it had a broken wing as it hoped to lure any preditor away from the well hidden nest. 

Jamie met up with Sasha on St Mary's where they checked out the odd pub or two. Sasha is working from home so that she can attend a local wedding on the island. It's lovely to have here back, even if it's just for a couple of weeks.

                                                                            Anna x

That weekend vibe

Hello lovely, how are you? Hot off the press, here's me today, Sunday, trying to capture my weekend vibe for you. So often, you see my professional side, as in my work outfits so for a change this is me having some downtime. We've had a mixed bag of weather this weekend, but I wanted to get out for a walk while the sun was shining this afternoon and thought I'd kill two birds with one stone as it were.

I'm sporting one of my new winter jumpers in this gorgeous bright turquoise colour. It was from Vinted and cost me £10. As you may know, I'm not very good at transitional dressing, favouring intstead to jump from summer outfits straight into winter ones. This look is a favourite weekend spin for me. I've also bought a new pink jumper, patterned though, but very similar in shape and size and I love it too. You'll see that one soon, don't worry!

Rings are preloved and my sunglasses are from Radley London, but not new, I hasten to add. 

You'll maybe have seen my jeans before, again a scoop from Vinted. I seem to gravitate towards these every weekend now as I love them so much, but it worries me that I'll wear them out if I'm not careful. I've not come across anything like them which may account for why I love them so!

And this is one of my best spots for beach combing. I collect sea glass for one of our Gallery Tresco artists who tumbles the pieces and then turns them into her jewellery collection. The brand is Drift jewellery and can be found here. I do love hunting in amongst the pebbles to find these part tumbled bits of glass.

And here's my new pair of boots - these were such a bargain from Vinted at only £5. I'm very partial to a pair of chunky Dr Marten's type boots and these are pretty special.

And that pretty much wraps it up from me this weekend. I'm off to make a roast dinner for the family now whilst listening to Bob Harris on Radio 2. It's been a sad time for those of us who were big fans of Johnnie Walker since he gave up his Sunday afternoon slot due to his declining health. Bob is doing a wonderful job putting his own stamp on the role, but oh how I miss hear dearest Johnnie!

                                                                    Anna x

Weekend wear

Yay, here comes the weekend!

The weather has changed dramatically again from the lovely spring days of last week to the Westerly gales bringing not just rain but also hail, blasting us here in the Southwest over the past few days. Different weather means different outfits too! It's funny how even during lockdown I've still punctuated my days with weekend wear being a tad more relaxed. This all black look is a bit different for me and was actually my alternative outfit for a recent faux leather challenge - see what I opted for here. 

The black longer length hoodie is another new piece never shown before. It's by DKNY Sport and was a joyful find in TK Maxx a couple of years ago for the ridiculous price of £8. The fabric is a lovely soft velour with the DKNY logo in tiny print across the whole fabric. The kangaroo pouch pocket is great for stashing all sorts of random bits and pieces or just for slouchy hands.

The faux leather biker jeans are by H&M and are years old now, goodness knows how many. I love the heavy duty knee patches on them which just add a bit of extra interest to what would otherwise just be black jeans. The floral boots are from Primark and were a hand-me-down from my daughter. I seem to have worn them lots this winter without them making it onto the blog. Sorted now!

This carefree pose belies the fact that I'm having a bit of a wobble about returning to work. I think I've become institutionalised during these long weeks at home. What seemed like lots of time to do deep cleaning, de-junking, in-depth admin and shredding of paperwork never mind that glorious sewing project, and daily swimming and even walking - what happened?! I've only achieved a fraction of what I had planned. Oh, I've loved being at home! 

As my start back day rattles wildly towards me, I'm going to use that knowledge to settle down and get some stuff done. I know, I know, I know - I'll be fine when the time comes to be a Gallery Manager again. I just want to finish some bits and bobs before the madness of another season hits me.

Anyway, enough of that! What do you think about these fab rings? Both metal; one silver and the other a black metal finish but looking like perfect partners. I found them in charity shops (of course), one in Truro and the other in Harrogate. My old faithful sunglasses are from (all together now) Quay Australia. The silver necklace is from Melissa James jewellery.

At the moment the whole island of Tresco is gearing up to re-opening. In a month's time we should all be ready for the big welcome back to our guests. So, in the meantime I'd better knuckle down and get some more of my to-do list done. What about you? Will you be going back to work or staying at home? Have you enjoyed lock-down or are you chomping at the bit to return to normality? Please share, I'd love to hear how it's been for you.

                                                                                              Anna x

Weekend wear

One of my highlights of the winter period is that I have the entire weekend off. During the height of the summer I often only manage to take one day off a week, so a whole weekend seems like absolute luxury.

And there is nothing more luxurious for the weekend than this little number. Are we talking Athleisure wear here? Many moons ago this would simply have been called a jogging suit, but we none of us went jogging in them. Loungewear then, maybe?

Regardless of the name, this is my idea of comfort when I'm chilling at home.

I found this in Zara on Oxford Street in my recent trip away. The truth of the matter is that I could have spent a small fortune there. Steve excused himself from the arena which was a very wise move. I was like a wild cat stalking its prey just before darkness fell; the clock was ticking, and I knew I had to be selective. I took five things into the changing rooms and bought three. Very restrained, by my standards, but this was real shopping at real prices - no thrifting bargains to be found here.

The trainers are a purchase from earlier this year. A lovely find in TK Maxx for a snip. I think I maybe prefer my black trainers (see here) with these trousers though.

It's difficult to say what I love best about this outfit. Firstly the velvet is soft and cosy, the colours are vibrant, the embroidery intricate and enriching to the overall feel, and the loose fit is essential for comfort, but I suppose the winning design feature has to be the wonderfully deep pockets in the trousers that deliver the real slouch factor. It's still in stock here, but be quick, I fancy it will sell out soon! 

My next post will be another joint feature with my daughter. Sasha and I will be styling up our brocade boots, a trend that's still going strong this winter. That will be on the 20th, so do join us to see the results. The 5 Over 50 challenge for December has been chosen by Laurie of Vanity and Me Style and will be Christmas jumpers. We've moved the date of this to the 18th of December to allow us to capture a few festive shots. I'll be rooting about this weekend to see where my offerings are and looking at what I can wear to put a new spin on them. Our annual Christmas party is on Saturday the 16th (golly, only a month away) so I will be taking a look at what I have in the sequins and glitter department, again in the hope of finding something to inspire me. How's your Christmas events calendar looking? Or more importantly are you a "Bah humbug!" type or are you brimming with Christmas spirit already? Do let me know your thoughts on the festive season.

Linking with -

Ashley and Laurie's weekly link up

Anna x