Zebra print dress

Hello again my lovelies! How are you?

Today's outfit is a trial run for next month when I'll be back at work, customer facing again. I'll be perfectly honest with you and say that I'm not sure how I feel about that. I've had a pretty idyllic lockdown again, enjoying being at home with my sewing projects interspersed with daily sea swims, each swim different to the one before according to weather, state of the tide and whichever beach is the most appealing on the day. The prospect of being at work doesn't exactly rival this daily routine. And yet, I do know that the nature of me is to commit 100% to the task in hand and therefore the role of Gallery Manager will consume me as it always has before. As human beings we're so adaptable, able to acclimatise to change very quickly. 

So, what do you think of my new dress? This was my birthday present from Jamie in January and I've not had a chance to wear it yet. I've wanted a Zebra print frock for some time now so this was a brilliant find in the Zara sale at the time. The classic shirtwaister is fitted over the hips and drops away to soft pleats in the most flattering manner. The deep buttoned cuffs balance out the puffed sleeves. It's a stylish shape in a contemporary print which is a winning combination.

A pop of pink seemed like the perfect foil to add to this monochrome look. The stretch belt was from eBay many moons ago. The pink flower ring was a gift from a friend and the heart shaped one was a charity shop buy.

My old favourite sockboots from H&M finished off the look perfectly.

My white and black print sunglasses are from Quay Australia.

And finally, have you had your vaccine yet? I got my jab on Tuesday and didn't feel a thing! My only after effect has been a sore arm which is still present three days later. I know some people have felt quite ill and had flu-like symptoms so I suppose I've been lucky.

Well, I'm just about to head off to the beach now. I've started posting these little time-lapse pieces on my Instagram to share the swim of the day - you can see these here. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Anna x

Camo jeans and gold lurex cardigan

Hurrah for March and this glorious weather!

Hello lovelies and how are you today? We've had the most amazing spell of weather over the weekend, prompting me to go further afield for my photo shoot. This low tide sandbar is normally under water so it was lovely to capture the view of the islands from a different viewpoint. 

My casual weekend look of camo jeans and Converse boots is a lovely easy-to-wear pairing, but I wanted to pep it up and what better way than to add a mighty old dose of gold lurex! I know that this may not be in everyone's comfort zone, but it was great fun to wear and gained not one raised eyebrow from those I met along the way. The cardigan is a pre-loved piece by H&M. The white and gold Karl tee shirt was a TK Maxx purchase ages ago.

I'm wearing Radley sunglasses along with two rings both airport concession purchases from years ago. The statement necklace (old) is from Topshop. I love how my camera surprised me with switching on the flash as I stepped towards it!

It was so good to take time away from home; to forget chores and sewing and the Sunday dinner waiting to be cooked. And best of all there wasn't a soul in sight. How grateful I am to live here!

I make no apologies for sporting my Converse boots again, so soon too! It's the joy of rediscovering them after they'd been hidden in the back of the cupboard for months. I've fallen in love with them all over again.

I'm so aware that time is slipping away as my return to work looms large on the horizon. The mental battle continues as I try to find that balance between projects I want to finish at home and my desire to embrace the big outdoors while I have this free time. No matter what I do, I have this nagging doubt that perhaps I ought to be doing the other...

                                                                                                 Anna x

Casual styling for a leather maxi skirt

Hurrah for the weekend!

The sun is shining and it's almost the weekend! Yay! How has your week been? Mine seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye. By Friday I always like to review my week according to what I've achieved and this week seems to be sadly lacking in fanfare moments. Sticky little admin issues and sewing machine problems mean I've not got a lot to show for anther seven days. That's highlighted by the fact that my return to work is no longer a distant event, but will be a reality by the end of March. 

Today's outfit is another shopping my closet effort and one that I'm rather pleased with. The leather maxi skirt is pre-loved (The Chine Collection) and cost me £14 when I was on my shopping trip in London in Nov 2019. It's real leather and made up of lots of panels creating this lovely flared hemline.

It's the first time I've worn the skirt mainly due to the fact that I've had a bit of style block about it. A leather maxi skirt isn't all that easy to wear without it looking a bit over the top, but by adding these casual Converse boots it becomes much more wearable. 

The boots were a TK Maxx find from a few years ago. I've not worn them a lot, purely because I want to keep them looking fresh and clean - mad, eh? Anyway, here they are adding a funky edge to what could have been a bit of a white elephant.

The animal print sunglasses are by Radley London and again add a bit of edge to the overall look. 

A couple of cocktail rings add to the funk factor. The sweater is old, from H&M.

And so I'll shimmy off into the weekend where sewing, cooking and swimming will all be jockeying for position. Do you have much lined up for the next few days? The prospect of lock-down ending here in England certainly is helping to sharpen my focus on those things I want to get done before I'm whisked back to work. I hope you have a fruitful weekend too!

                                                                     Anna x

Faux leather February, our Style Not Age challenge

Hello again!

Yes, here we are on the last Monday of the month showcasing our monthly style challenge for you. Jacqui has come up with Faux leather February and in accordance we're all dancing to that tune. So let's see what the lady herself has to offer shall we?

Jacqui wears new faux leather culottes in chocolate brown with cream coat and boots for modern look. The sunflower pattern shirt is a spring inspired addition. See more on Mummabstylish. 

Emma's nod to the theme are the cute puff sleeves of her fitted top. The all black outfit is complimented by the orange check of the skirt and orange handbag. Catch up with her on the Style Splash blog. 

Hilda sports a faux leather bomber jacket with her flared jeans for a rock chick look. To see more of her casual weekend style see Over The Hilda. 

Gail's faux leather ensemble is a zingy combination of black and green, which reminds me of a post I did last year (see here). Her take on the challenge is classy with a stylish edge thanks to the fabulous pop of pink. See her back story on Is This Mutton.

My spin on faux leather had me delving deep into my wardrobe to find these pre-loved yet unworn leggings. The peplum top (also pre-loved and unworn) proved to be a cute pairing inspiring this awe-shucks pose. A peplum does that to me, encouraging me to forget my age and act out that cutesy alter ego. Cringe-worthy perhaps? Then cringe away!

The sheer floral top cost me all of £2.50 about 3 years ago and has been stashed away ever since. I can't bear to pass up a bargain, but only if the colourway is one that will work for me. The autumn colours are definitely ones that suit me and I knew that at some stage this would be a useful top. Now that I've worn it once I can see it will be diverse enough for another spin later.

I wanted to ramp up the retro vibe and choose this vintage necklace (a wonderful charity shop find from Feb 2020) to pair with my Quay Australia sunglasses. I was really pleased with how this came together.

My rings are in keeping with the pre-loved theme and you'll recognise my much worn patent leather boots from Topshop. 

I'll leave you with this final bit of flouncing around. I did actually have another version of faux leather in quite another vein which I'll share with you soon - a much more robust take I'd say... I do hope you've enjoyed this month's challenge and ask that you take a moment to read the back stories from my style buddies.

Wishing you a great week!

Anna x