Saturday 15 July 2017

Welcome to the working week

Although I've got another couple of Wales posts scheduled, I thought I'd give it (and my readers!) a break and do a good old outfit post!

With the weather hitting the high twenties again last week, typically just when I had to go back to the office, we took outfit photos every evening after work, with me sitting at our little garden table.

A word of warning though: you are going to get to see quite a lot of outfits!


Tuesday was my first day back at work, and I was wearing a flower-patterned cotton skirt combined with a green top, to which I'd pinned one of my newly acquired brooches.

The beads were bought on one of our Welsh shopping trips too, which would have made me feel a bit as if I was still on holiday, if it weren't for the weather!

Whatever the weather, I had a very relaxing holiday, and as a consequence I'd totally forgotten the code of my bank card.

I was in a small shop in Antwerp and wanted to pay for my purchases, when I realized I had a complete black out.

I managed to scrape together just enough money to pay, and then it was off to the bank to apply for a new code.

Oh, the utter shame, especially as I am known for my fabulous memory!

Now that I've got a new code, of course, my fingers have remembered the old one ...



The purchases in question were these two pairs of jelly shoes, which I'd taken a fancy to after reading Lynn's post on them while on holiday.

She was absolutely right in that they are the most comfortable sandals ever! In addition, there is a certain nostalgia factor, as they remind me of my childhood, although I don't think they were available in such a range of colours back then.



On Wednesday, I chose a cool, lightweight 1980s does 1950s dress in a red and white wavy pattern, with solid white cotton collar and cuffs, and a wide skirt.



If you think you've seen Thursday's funky cotton dress before, then you are right: I bought it back in June. And look who is wanting a piece of the action!



On Friday - oh my, that week went like a train - I wore one of my favourite summer dresses. I love its summery flower print, the orange popping out against the sky blue background, and the dropped collar. And here's Phoebe again!

I'd been making a beeline to Think Twice during my lunch breaks, to make up for lost time, but it took until Friday before I made my first purchase: a groovy vintage St. Michael cotton dressing gown.


Almost too good to use as a dressing gown, don't you think? Jos actually thought it was a dress!

Saturday came around, and we resumed our weekly charity shopping trips.

I wore a sleeveless dress I bought at Think Twice last year. Although it is just a tad too big, I couldn't resist its colour and the bodice's print. Adding a belt and nipping in the slightly too large armholes did the trick, though.



I added zingy orange accessories and even painted my toenails a pale orange! Don't look too close though, as I'm a total dunce when it comes to applying nail polish.

The brooch, which was hand made, was found in a delightful little shop called The Crafters Cwtch in Cardigan. And no, the "w" is not a mistake, as it's a vowel in Welsh!



I just had to wear it as its colours are an exact match to the rest of my outfit.

As I'd sent the charity shopping gods over to Mim, there wasn't much to be found in the one and only shop we visited, but still enough to keep from going cold turkey.



These two vintage paperbacks, dating to the late 1940s, couldn't be left behind. Just look at those fabulous covers!

The huge textile department was full of uninspiring things, but I managed to unearth these powder blue, lace trimmed Terlenka pyjamas. The elastic was gone, but I added a drawstring in exactly the same colour.



The funky tights were languishing at the bottom of a basket.



Before queuing at the till, I had a quick look at the jewellery, and found a cute pair of ceramic clip on earrings, a plastic flower ring and two necklaces.


This green vintage sewing machine did not come home with us, but I couldn't resist taking a photograph. Isn't she a beauty?



We finished the afternoon by taking a stroll through the park to see how nature had come along since our last visit at the beginning of May. Oh dear, I was quite shocked to find it was that long ago!


Even though the imaginatively planted perennial border surrouding the park's pond was flowering abundantly, it was lacking last year's lushness, as we've had a shortage of rain.

Hello Wales, please send over some of yours ...



At least the local bees have plenty of flowers to choose from!

38 comments:

  1. Oooh, so many wonderful outfits in a single week!
    I must say, I thought the red dress was genuine 50's. Had me fooled! You have the best knack for finding just the right brooch for an outfit. It is so nice to see your photos at the table in your garden-and a guest appearance by the fab Phoebe!

    Those tights you picked up are indeed wild-can't wait to see how you wear them.

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    1. The dress had me fooled at first as well, but it's still a favourite piece. I'm not sure yet how I'll wear the tights but I'm sure inspiration will strike at the right time! xxx

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  2. So much great eye candy!

    That sewing machine needs to be on display in my home. I wouldn't use it! Ha ha! It'd just be a piece of art.

    I LOVE that aqua and orange outfit you put together. What a wonderful colour combo.

    I'd wear that dressing gown as a dress in a heartbeat. No one would be the wiser.

    Don't let me near that little wicker handbag. It'd leave with me.

    I cannot apply toe polish. I pay someone else to do it for me. Far easier.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. Thanks Suzanne. I'll guard that wicker handbag with my life, it's an absolute favourite! I'm glad I'm not the only one who cannot apply toe polish ... xxx

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  3. Thanks for the nice comment, Ann. Your style is very attractive.

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  4. YOu look lovely in all your outfits. I like the last one best, love the colours! THose paperback book covers are delightiful! But, I MUST HAVE that sewing machine LOL! It is gorgeous, and of course it bears my name!

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    1. Can you believe I was actually thinking of you when I saw that sewing machine? xxx

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  5. What a selection of fab outfits! The orange and blue outfit is my favourite - the blue shoes are particularly nice. I've never seen a sewing machine as pretty as that green one x

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    1. I bought the blue shoes in the sales a couple of years ago and got them even cheaper as one was lighter than the other. I put the darkest one out in the sun for a while, and it's hardly noticeable now. xxx

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  6. That dressing gown is mad! I thought it was a dress too, definitely one for lying on a chaise reading in.
    I love your week's worth of outfits, the green and orange looks fab together.

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  7. you could wear the dressing gown as a light topper over a matching - or totally punk-ish mismatching - dress!!
    love the jelly shoes - and all your summery colorful outfits! almost with a bit of envy that you have the possibility to leave the house every day and wear a new look for it........ but only a bit - i´m quite like my "housewife status" ;-D
    fabulous turquoise sandals!! and that green - GREEN!!! - machine is super chic! i can´t sew on such without a motor and i don´t like "rumstehchen" - but that beauty would made it into the BWH - if it was´t to pricey - of cause!
    happy sunday dear! and hugs!! xxxxxx

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    1. In return, I do envy your "housewife status". I'd definitely like to have a little more time for things like gardening, baking and pottering around the house, which I love. xxx

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  8. I've sold that St Michael dressing gown before and the lady who bought it wore it as a dress. It's a beauty!
    A glorious round-up of outfits! Lynn's such a bad influence. I've had the pink ones, they are absurdly comfy (and in the sale so silly cheap!)
    Isn't it awful when you forget your pin number? I've scribbled mine in a secret place at home but it's no use when you're in a shop! xxx

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    1. I wonder if anyone would catch on if I wore it as a dress. Not that I'd care, mind you. Oh, and I agree about Lynn, but please don't tell her that ... Just kidding: she is lovely! xxx

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  9. I remember everyone wearing 'jellybean' sandals when I was 16, we had them in lots of colours and they were a real fashion craze!
    I love your favourite summer dress too, the colours really pop, it looks great.
    Phoebe is a star, such a beautiful cat. xxx

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    1. I remember the baskets were a real fashion craze at some point, but I somehow missed the sandals. I only remember the white and transparent ones, which were around when I was little ... xxx

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  10. Your workwear is so cool. I saw a dress on Etsy recently and thought, "That is SO Ann!", so your style has clearly entered my brain. I like the way it's vibrant and bright, yet streamlined at the same time.

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    1. Your comment really made my day, Mim, so thank you! xxx

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  11. I love that little wicker bag, that's so adorable! And I love the orange and turquoise together, that's so bright and summery. I have a thing for green and orange at the moment. Oh and talking of green, that sewing machine! I'd struggle to walk away from that! xx

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    1. Even as a non-sewer, I had a hard time walking away. It would have come home with me if we'd had more space. The wicker bag is a favourite and surprisingly roomy too. xxx

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  12. I really love those sandals i love pastel shoes and comfy shoes

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  13. There is a lot to talk about here! I love the first two outfits most. They are all lovely though. The pajamas are gorgeous, and your lucky I'm not coming to find that bag! I want one! Have a great week xx
    www.vanityandmestyle.com

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    1. Thank you Laurie! I'm going to have to hide that bag, though ;-) xxx

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  14. The last photo is fantastic!! So summery-happy!

    Outfit posts are my favorite! I love seeing adventures and new places of course, but I am always very curious what you (and other girls :) wear. I guess it explains the focus of my own blog too.

    And you wear tons of fun outfits, I love them all! Bold colors, thoughtful accessories! And you painted your toe nails (I haven't done it lately - too lazy!). That dressing gown looks like a dress, I'd wear it. And I don't think I've ever seen a GREEN sewing machine - gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you Natalia! I love to see what the other girls are wearing too! I hate painting my toe nails, as I'm so bad at it. But, I've found some clever nail painting pens last week, which are a bit easier to use. xxx

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  15. It's took me a while to get here as I've been gawping longingly at all your super outfits. I'd wear that dressing gown as a dress I'm sure.
    I'm going to have to defuzz my legs now after seeing you wearing your jelly shoes without tights.
    I've seriously got a crush on your green frock, it looks gorgeous on you and you've accessoried it so well with the orange. The shoes are beautiful, probably my favourite thing of all your lovely pictures.
    That was a great round up.
    Lynn xxx

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    1. I always postpone the defuzzing until it's really too warm to wear tights. I'm one of those crazy girls who don't mind wearing tights. I must say I love how you wear the jellies with the same colour tights. The blue ones are especially lovely! xxx

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  16. lots of fabulous outfits to enjoy!, you look gorgeous in every of them, so lovely floral skirt, red&White dress and funky printed dresses!. My favorite is your teal dress with orange accessories, you rock your accessorizing!! all those orange details are so lovely!!, I'm in love with your matching brooch and so cute bag!
    And I understand that childhood nostalgia involving jelly sandals!, I worn them too every summer when a visit to local creeks and Little rivers were enjoyed so much!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! The teal and orange outfit happened purely by accident. The dress needed a belt and after trying different colours, the orange looked just right. After that, it was easy to keep adding accessories. xxx

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  17. I had jelly shoes as a teen, but they weren't this style, they were everywhere though, worn with pride and with a matching jelly bag!

    Absolutely love your 80's does 50's dress, that's gorgeous! And that sewing machine, oh my, it's a beauty! xxx

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    1. Thank you Melanie. I love that dress too, and I've made a mental note to wear it more often. I've been thinking about that sewing machine, but I'm sure it's long gone now ... xxx

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  18. I have a pair of jelly shoes up in the loft...I thought they were only for walking on pebbly beaches! They're not as groovy as yours though so that's where they'll stay. You look so summery in your florals and the basket is fab! xx

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    1. I guess the original jelly shoes were indeed for walking on pebbly beaches and such. My friend Ingrid told me they are called "kwallenschoenen" here in Belgium, which means "jellyfish shoes", which might also be an indication of their use, as you wouldn't be stung by jellyfish if you accidentally stepped on them. Not that I'm going to try it out, mind you! xxx

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  19. I was OBSESSED with getting a pair of red jelly shoes when I was around 5: I made my Mum go to all the shops to find some to no avail. I ended up with some horribly uncomfortable blue strappy ones.
    Your outfits really are a dream! I ADORE the turquoise and Orange outfit-turquoise is my favourite colour! Plus it has a collar!!

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    1. Oh, poor Kezzie, you must have been gutted! xxx

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