Black trouser challenge 13

Well, well, well, I really can't believe I've been going so long with my self-imposed Black Trouser challenge. I kinda thought six weeks would be good and yet here I am still with some ideas in the pipeline. My new pink belt has inspired some different summery outfits, but I worry that autumn may descend before I can show you them. Yes, boots and jackets are waiting in the wings however!

Today's shoot took place in two halves due to a sudden shower that caught Polly and I on the hop. We had to change our location too thanks to the blustery wind so all in all it felt a bit shambolic. Does that show?

  

Rain splatters on silk handbag and jacket were not really what I had planned...

And this is where charity shopping really has its rewards. My oriental jacket was a thrift shop find earlier this summer and cost me £4.50, so imagine my delight when this weeks You magazine featured it as the latest trend. I'm loving pre-loved fashion! And I'm not alone in this. Waste experts "Wrap" have recently published a report stating that fast fashion is on the wane with consumers preferring to buy secondhand from charity shops and auction websites resulting in us throwing away 50,000 fewer tons of clothes annually than we used to - that's the equivalent to 300 jumbo jets full of clothes! Half of the population are now buying secondhand clothes. In addition to this, make do and mend is rising in popularity with workshops, repair cafes, repair surgeries and online sewing tutorials enabling us to take on projects that previously may have caused us to through away clothes. Getting help and gaining new skills is prolonging the life of our clothes by up to another 18 months all of which helps with this most green issue. Hurrah for this groundswell of change and well done to all of us who are part of this new shopping revolution!

Outfit details - trousers: River Island, jacket: Siruili, sandals (ancient): River Island, rings: pre-loved, handbag: gift, sunglasses: Quay Australia.

Linking with -

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style

Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish

Anna x

To Bryher and back

No fancy outfits and no proper photo shoot today. Instead I've had a day off work which tied in perfectly with a big low tide at lunchtime. I could have stayed home to catch up on the laundry, the bills, the cleaning, blah, blah, blah, but off I went to walk to Bryher and back. This trip would normally entail a three minute boat ride each way, instead today the boat channel was nearly dry and became a veritable thoroughfare with holidaymakers and locals enjoying the novelty of the occasion.

The pilgrimage starts here as we head towards Samson on the left and Bryher on the right.

A couple of sailing boats are left high and dry on this huge tide. 

These guys are all prepared to paddle back to Bryher when the tide floods later today.

My photos were taken by friends and acquaintances I met mid-channel.

This little crab gave me the evil eye, just in case I tried to invade his territory.

This Frenchman was catching shrimps on the low tide. Makes for a tasty meal!

Looking inland to New Grimsby bay. In the centre of the shot is the gap in the wall where we do my photo shoots in the morning. Where I stand now is the backdrop to these.

Home again.

I'm never happier than when I'm by the sea. I'm an Aquarius and water seems to be home to me - swimming, pottering about in rock pools, bobbing about in our little boat - it's always so therapeutic, so relaxing and totally absorbing. I'm so fortunate to have always lived by the sea and couldn't imagine living anywhere else, and hopefully I won't ever have to. I hope you've enjoyed this small interlude, my away day which is only a stone's throw from my house.

Anna x

Ping Pong Piece no 6

Hello and welcome to the August edition of Ping Pong Piece, our monthly challenge where we each in rotation choose an everyday item to style up. See how this first came about here and then transformed into the current format here. Samantha is hosting this month's feature choosing Wide Legged Trousers for us to style and introducing our guest blogger Liyana.

Samantha of Fake Fabulous wears her gunmetal grey floppy trousers with a khaki tunic with side gathers. Her huge chestplate necklace makes a fabulous statement piece against this simple backdrop as do these cute embroidered slippers. I love how Sam always delivers the unexpected - I so didn't imagine this when she suggested Wide Legged Trousers as our theme! I somehow thought she and I might be mirroring each other so isn't it great that she can still surprise me.

Outfit details are -

TROUSERS: Fenn Wright Manson

TOP: New Look

GLASSES: Tahari

BIB: Primark

BAG & SHOES: Topshop

I urge you to take a look at Liyana's blog Affordable - I've linked through to her intro page so that you can learn about the lady first before you see her spin on our combined feature. Her take on fashion and shopping really strikes a chord with me; she buys most of her clothes when they are on sale and by making these savings she can afford to splurge on some special accessories. Today's outfit is a great example of her individual style combining her understated blazer with these uber cool palazzo pants and patent shoes and then throwing in her wild card by way of the Disney clutch. 

Outfit details -

Glass Line navy blazer

No-brand draped pants

Topshop t-shirt

Shanghai Disneyland "Alice" clutch

Aldo monk shoes

No-brand scarf 

Kremb de la Kremb blogger Ann is looking tres chic today in black and white. Her wide legged white trousers and sweet gingham blouse have a look of the French Riviera with her sunglasses and earrings adding a touch of 60's glamour. Within hours of taking this shot Ann ended up in hospital with excruciating back pain. By simply bending over she had torn two discs in her back. I'm sending her all my love and hope she'll be well soon

Outfit details -

Sunnies--Forever 21

Earrings--Shein

Necklace--TJ Maxx

Shirt--Who What Wear for Target

White Wide Legged Jeans--Mega sale from H&M

Waist Belt Bag--gift from my sister, Hustle & Hide Co

Shoes--Forever 21

My regular readers may recognise these huge palazzo pants of mine from last year. The bargain of the day at £5 they still have the wow factor for me. I decided to play things down with this classic white shirt which was another bargain in Sainsbury's sale this summer at only £8. I've taken metallics as my counterpoint with the multi-toned necklace, silver mesh belt and gold bag, sandals and bangles finishing the look.

Outfit details -

Trousers: New Look

Shirt: Sainsbury's

Necklace: Du Barre

Shoes: London Rebel

Belt, bangles and bag: pre-loved

Rings: c/o Gemporia

Sunglasses: Quay Australia

Anna x