Shopping weekends

It's confessional time. I've had a couple of trips to the mainland over the past few months which did, of course, entail a scour through all of my favourite charity shops. More eye tests for glasses to wear at work were a fine excuse to bring me across to spend a couple of weekends with Sasha. So here I am wearing the first pair of these whilst sporting a natty little dress I found at TK Maxx last weekend. The 60's vibe was helped along by the cute little jacket too.

This shot does make me laugh, as I look so like my father. I have his prominent nose and now that I've got glasses I can see him more than ever. R.I.P. dad x

All summer long I've coveted a pair of these ghillie sandals and it's taken me months to finally find the right pair (at the right price). My blogging friend Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish has many pairs which she has flaunted for months until she has finally worn me down. Hers were more elegant and therefore more expensive however. I found these at Tu at Sainsbury's in their sale last week and paid the bargain basement price of £4.80. Given that I won't have many chances to wear them until they have to be packed up for the winter, it seemed like a good price.

So that's the first reveal. Let's get onto the main event shall we? I'll show you the two lots of shopping in my usual "bed spread" fashion. The first shot is from the end of July and the second from early September. You may glimpse a few pieces that have been showcased already.

I like how the July spread is so summery in colours and that by September the autumnal hues have taken hold. It doesn't worry me that I won't have worn all of the summer pieces before they have to be packed away. If anything, they will act as lovely surprises when I unpack them all again next spring - some new brand new clothes already waiting to be worn! I'm particularly excited by the pair of blue glitter brogues in the centre of this lower shot. They were on my wish list since buying a rose gold pair for Sasha last Christmas. She was wearing hers when we met up last weekend and that just started me pining all over again. Anyway, on Saturday we headed out to the shops bright and early starting with my favourite of all (shoe) shops TK Maxx. I'd put in my order with the universe to find me my glitter shoes and so it was of no surprise to me to find them, the only pair on display which just happened to be in my size. I'm going to hold off wearing them for as long as possible - do you understand that mentality? The need to keep them special for as long as you can? 

My July trip to Truro also coincided with the appearance of the Man Engine to the city. Sasha and I spent our lunchtime on Lemon Quay waiting for the unveiling amongst clouds of smoke while the crowds gathered. The link here gives all the background to this10 metre high feat of engineering. 

The Man Engine had been on a tour of Cornwall at the time and I was just lucky to be in Truro on the exact day it arrived. I think it had been a huge draw for the tourists and locals alike. The centre of Truro came to a grinding halt for an hour or so while the display took place. It was mighty impressive - some things have to be experienced to be understood, eh?

Join me again next weekend where I'll cover our visit to the Jubilee Pool. Sasha and I  were fortunate in being able to have swim there on the last day of the season before it closed for the winter. In the meantime I'll be posting #PPP7, that's Ping Pong Post no 7 to you and I and that will be on the 20th as usual, so I hope to see you all on Tuesday!

I'm so pleased to say that Sasha looks like her father too. Good genes there girl!

Anna x

Applique and lace

I promised you bare legs and summer outfits for as long as possible, and so here we have another September offering. I love peach and aqua, I love lace, and a bit of applique can't do any harm either. As a mid-week outfit I'm pleased with the overall look, especially with the shoes and bag adding that certain je ne sias quoi. 

My magpie nature furnishes me with all kind of random items, which when put together with a creative eye can lift the everyday out of the ordinary. You've no idea the pleasure it gives me to pull pieces of clothing in many colours and styles onto the bed in the morning challenging myself to find a new look out of these (often) second hand clothes. The lace top is a recent purchase from Tesco, and the shoes were also new, but the bag, skirt and bangles are all on their second time around. Pre-loved they call them, and still loved by me. 

This hobby of mine is not only creative, but enduring - I've been hooked on clothes since my early teens. It's also proving to be a wonderful connection with so many like minded women across the world who love dressing to impress no-one but themselves. I also like to share how being middle-aged doesn't have to mean boring, dull, frumpy or beige. Shape or size has no bearing on this frame of mind either. All it takes is a bit of trial and error, adding a belt here, a splash of colour there until you can find a signature that is yours. My own signature style is constantly evolving. I have my favourites, like my brogues, and pattern play, but I'm always ready to try something new. For me there's a real joy in clothes, the right clothes, worn the right way - seek out that joy and you too can have that daily pleasure in your life as I do.

Top from F&F at Tesco (sold out), skirt French Connection (thrifted), shoes TK Maxx, handbag thrifted, necklace old, rings old, watch Michael Kors, bangles thrifted.

Anna x

Joy is a jumpsuit

I hope that you've got the measure of me by now. I love my clothes, I gush, I enthuse, and I'd like to think that's why you keep coming back for more. Today's offering was from last week when the sun still was like me, making an effort to impress. The big sky during my lunch break was an amazing sight. See it at the end of the feature or scroll down now if you can't wait. Anyway, joy is indeed a jumpsuit and this one was from the H&M sale last summer. I wore it the first time around for an exhibition evening see here, and yes it's pretty much a repeat showing, but worth it none the less, I think.

I wafted about feeling rather lovely in my jumpsuit, while the sun shone, the sea sparkled and the islands looked idyllic. Giddy with the sheer excitement of being alive, I smiled at the wonder of how the weather could transform and uplift us all. These perfect days are to be locked away in our memory banks, fodder for the long winter ahead when the sky will turn the sea to gunmetal rather than the brilliant blue of today. 

But for the moment, all is bliss. We are becalmed, and I for one, am joyful in my jumpsuit. 

A note to any new readers. These beautiful islands where I live are the Isles of Scilly which are part of Cornwall in the UK, not to be confused with the island of Sicily which is, of course, part of Italy. On a day like this, the islands here could pass for somewhere much more exotic, but in fact they lie some 28 miles off the Southwest of England where they are bathed in the warm wash of the Gulf Stream. The five inhabited islands are part of a larger archipelago comprising of over 140 uninhabited islands which are a draw for tourists who want to experience a slower, more relaxed pace of life. For them the most important decision of the day is what boat to catch to which island. For all you need to know about coming to stay click here.

Outfit details are - jumpsuit H&M (old), shoes Dune, shrug thrifted, necklace and rings old, sunglasses are by Quay Australia (these are similar and are on offer too) and bracelet in green amethyst is from Morocco.

Anna x

As suggested by... Emily

Emily has been a regular reader since the blog started, sending me the odd comment on facebook when she particularly likes something. She has asked that I feature the jacket that's shown on my Anna's Island Style facebook page as I've not worn it for a while. Emily, I'm delighted to oblige, especially as the temperatures here are just beginning to cool down now. Mornings are feeling much more autumnal, but by lunchtime I often have to change my entire outfit as I've pitched it wrong for the greenhouse environment that is our Westerly facing gallery. As the afternoon sun creeps around to shine in the windows, Polly and I start to glow. It's all about adding layers at this time of year and therefore the jacket fits in very well Emily.

The purple dress is new and seems to work so well with the structured jacket. I love the flirty skirt, and the ditsy pattern play against the jacket pattern is also great fun.

Apologies to you if you've been checking out the blog for this post since Sunday. I encountered Internet problems on Friday as I was packing to leave for the mainland and eventually had to just walk away. However, I can report that my weekend was full of little highlights, including some rather lovely charity shopping, swimming in the Art Deco Jubilee pool in Penzance with my daughter, and also a one-off photo shoot with an artist friend... All of this will be covered on the blog in due course.

Thank you Emily for this month's suggestion. If any of your out there would like me to feature your favourite piece again, please do get in touch by your method of choice - via the comment box, email, facebook, instagram whatever - I'd love to have your ideas. 

Jacket S'NOB, dress is H&M (thrifted), shoes Topshop, handbag NW3, watch is thrifted, perspex rings were a gift, necklace is old.

I'll be linking with these lovely ladies this week -

Patti of Not Dead Yet Style

Cherie of Style Nudge

Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

Jess of Elegantly Dressed And Stylish

Anna x

Warm summer breeze

I must be brief today as I'm heading off to the mainland in a few hours and I still haven't packed yet. A weekend mini-break visiting family and friends in Cornwall, and yes maybe just a smidgeon of (charity) shopping too. So let's be quick. Here's the snaps. Featuring this wonderful paisley print maxi skirt which was, no surprise here, from a Truro charity shop. It encapsulates all kinds of lovely for me - maxi (perfect for those days when I run out of fake tan), paisley (one of my favourite of patterns), elasticated sparkly waistband (no worries about post-lunch bloat and also a bit of bling thrown in for good measure) and not too long (so no need to pick it up as I bolt up stairs to my office as it's just the right length), so all in all, my perfect skirt!

It never ceases to amaze me when I come across a find like this in a charity shop. Why would anyone get rid of something so exquisite? Well yes, I know all the obvious answers, but even if it didn't fit me any more, I'd still want to have it around, maybe as a cushion cover or even to frame a square of the material as a mount for a beautiful photograph. The fabric is light and floaty, the colours lend themselves to marrying up with so many tones and shades of the rainbow. In short, I love it. Here's the rest of the outfit.

This next run of shots are a bit of comedy which fits in well with that Friday feeling I think.

Oh I do hope that you've had a good laugh at these. I did shriek with laughter when I scrolled through them the first time. Is it a bustle or hidden contraband? Good on Polly for capturing these lovely playful shots. She's also captured the new sunglasses I bought in the sale at Sainsbury last month. Cute aren't they? Wish me luck at the shops this weekend. Sunday will be my monthly feature "As suggested by..." so do swing by to see what's been chosen this time. Until then, have a great weekend!

Skirt by Blu Deise, pumps thrifted no brand, top Evie thrifted, bag thrifted, sunglasses by Sainsburys and gold tipped shell necklace by Charlie Dodge.

Anna x