Scotland

We had a great time as a family in Scotland during our all too brief stay on the outskirts of Stirling. We had two full days north of the border and on the first day we enjoyed a scenic coach tour of the lochs and glens (lakes and valleys to my non UK friends). Although it was not that sunny it remained dry and the scenery was magnificent with the leaves beginning to turn golden brown. I always feel that the best scenery in the UK is in Scotland although I am sure many people in other parts of the country will disagree with me.



 



I won't bore you all with too many holiday photos but we enjoyed a short stay in Killin where we saw these waterfalls.

We also had a day in Edinburgh where we had a guided tour in a coach followed by some free time to explore. We resisted the option of shopping and had a look at the castle. It dominates the skyline in Edinburgh and it is quite a climb to get to it. Part of the way was on cobbles which was difficult in my shoes - I should have worn flats or trainers!

 

On the way home we stopped off at Gretna Green famous for people eloping in England to get married - often against the will of their families. It is only a matter of a few yards from the border. The wedding room is still there and in use. We couldn't see inside as a wedding was actually taking place. It is now a tourist attraction with the usual gift shops and cafes.

 

The children were fascinated by the highland cattle that were found on many of the farms. They have shaggy coats to protect them from the winter weather and huge horns. They look quite menacing and it seems can be bad tempered. This one was more of a pet and had been hand reared and quite docile. He/she was quite happy to pose for a photo.

 

 

What did I wear - well it was milder that I thought it would be and took a chance with a summer dress and sandals on one day. I will confess that I needed to add a white jumper shortly after Hannah took this photo as it got a little colder during the afternoon and later a jacket became necessary. You will notice that the summer bedding plants were still surviving in the park!

For our trip to Edinburgh I decided to take the plunge and wear my new leggings (see previous posts). I am still not 100% certain that this look is for me but as nobody knew me in Edinbugh I felt less self conscious as I would have been wearing this outfit in my home town. This time I wore my leggings under a tunic. Do you approve?

 



Black Top

A quick post this week as we are about to cross the border on our long weekend break in Scotland.

This top is in an unusual colour for me - black! I found it on a £1 rail in my charity shop - no doubt they were trying to sell their remaining summer items before winter sets in! It is still reasonably warm here for late October but the leaves are now turning a lovely golden brown and starting to fall.

The top tones well with my white patterned skirt and I have packed this outfit in my suitcase for Scotland - maybe wearing leggings underneath (see my last post). Could I be a leggings convert?

Casual Look - Part 2

I mentioned in my last post that I have been looking for some comfy more casual clothes to wear on our short break to Scotland in about 10 days. I have managed to find some casual tops and jumpers but the rest of the outfit(s) have been more of a problem. I have been wearing skirts and dresses each day since May and I want a change as the weather will soon be colder as winter approaches and Scotland tends to be several degrees cooler than the South West of England.

I was impressed by an outfit in a post by Olivia from Fresh Modesty a few days ago. She wore a pair of corduroy trousers with a gold tunic which came to just above her knees in length. I have been inspired by Olivia  on how she shows that you can wear trousers in a modest way. She describes the corduroys as being super comfy - so I am now looking for a pair for the winter. Her excellent post can be found Here

My daughter, Hannah, has recently become a fan of leggings. She likes to wear then either under a long shirt or like trousers (a look which I am not keen on). Most of her friends are into the leggings trend at the moment. She has tried to persuade me several times to get some but I felt that they would not fit in with my modesty standards. I do not like clothes which reveal too much of the shape of my body.

By sheer coincidence, another of my favourite bloggers, Iris of Feminine Modesty, has just posted on a skirt and leggings outfit which shows that it is possible to wear leggings modestly. Her post can be viewed  Here

This morning I saw some fairly inexpensive leggings in Peacocks at decided to give them a go. Here is the result.







I must admit that I was surprised at how comfortable the leggings are. I thought that they would be feel something like between thick tights and tight trousers and I suppose they do. I would never wear them without a dress or tunic though.

Sometimes it is good to try wearing something outside your comfort zone. What do you think?  Do you have anything that you would like to try or have never worn in public?



Casual Look



An unusually casual look for me this week. I have been looking out for some clothes which will be ideal for our family trip to Scotland in a few weeks. I spotted a casual light blue cotton shirt priced at £1.50 and then came across this jumper. It cost me £2.50. I thought that the two items would compliment each other and provide a warm but slightly casual look.

I think I may fasten a few more buttons as it can be cold in Scotland and, yes, the  jumper does need an iron!

I will now try to find a casual pair of trousers. I don't really possess any casual trousers - most of mine are black office style which I wear to work during the winter. I did have a brown pair but after quite a few sessions in the garden, they were consigned to the recycling bank! I have been wearing skirts/dresses full time since about mid May but I think I will start wearing trousers again for comfort and versatility on holiday 

I do find it difficult to find trousers that fit well so I think it may take a while to achieve my goal and horror upon horrors, I may end up buying a new pair from a High Street store!

Work Outfits

I have been fortunate enough recently to acquire two work outfits from charity shops. I have said in previous posts that the dress code in my office is black skirts/trousers and white tops for staff who come into regular contact with the public. While this may be considered restrictive and boring, it does overcome a "which outfit do I wear today" problem which many people regularly have - and I experienced in a previous job.

This skirt is fully lined and came originally from Marks and Spencer. It will be great for those autumn mornings when there is a slight chill in the air. It is just below the knee - a length which I prefer. It cost me £3.00.

The blouse did not contain a label showing its origin but only cost £2.50. It was in nearly new condition so I was pleased with it.

This skirt is slightly shorter than the first one and is not lined. It cost me £3.00 as well as it was new and contained its original Bon Marche price tag and label. At that price, I will happily hang it in my wardrobe and wear it in the spring/summer next year. The top was on a final reduction rail and cost me £1.50. If I get a few months wear out of it I will feel that I will have had my moneys worth!

The weather has been warm, sunny and dry here in the UK for the past 10 days so my plans for improving my winter wardrobe have been put on hold - probably only for a week or so though.

We have booked a long weekend in Scotland over the school half-term break later this month. We didn't go away during the summer as I had just changed my job so we thought an autumn break would be a good idea before the winter sets in.

We have not been to Scotland for ten years, since the children were born, and are looking forward to going back. The scenery there is probably the best in the UK and in October the autumn colours should be magnificent.