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

Black trouser challenge 12

Week twelve of this personal style challenge and I'm still not tiring of these frilled fancy pants from River Island. I'm hoping that I'm managing to keep you interested too...

We're still clinging on to the remnants of summer here on the Isles of Scilly even though there's (seemingly) wild weather due this weekend. I thought I'd better bring out this little top which is a tad late to the party re statement sleeves, gingham and cold shoulder trends. Lots of bloggers are already airing their wishlists for A/W17 making me dig my heels in a bit - I'm not finished showcasing my summer pieces yet! This pre-loved top originates from F&F at Tesco and fulfilled all the requirements for this summer's hottest trends - florals, checks, bell sleeves as well as the obligatory cold shoulders. I'd promised myself that I'd not be entering into the yards of flesh being exposed in the name of fashion that is the cold shoulder look, however these split sleeves seemed like a tiny nod to the trend without being too revealing for the workplace. 

The white mules were a supermarket purchase last year (Sainsbury's) and have taken me a whole year to get them on the go, as it were. Now that I've managed to stretch them a little I feel I ought to get some wear out of them before boots and brogues take centre stage. The clutch is pre-loved, but no brand label to be found. The belt is a new purchase from eBay and I have it lined up with a vintage blouse for another styling soon. The sunglasses were also from Sainsbury's sale last summer and the bangle and rings are from random sources (gifts and pre-loved).

I'm still getting a kick out of these frilled trousers and they get me a fair few compliments too. It'll be interesting how long this challenge will fire me with enthusiasm, but I promise to drop it before my passion wanes. The joy is in discovering pieces within my wardrobe that work well rather than just can be worn with black - the difference is huge in my book.

Please join me on Sunday for another edition of Ping Pong Piece where we'll be styling wide trousers for our sins! In the meantime, I do hope that the hurricane Gert swoops over the top of us all without causing too much damage. Stay safe x

Anna x