Grey Trousers

No new clothes purchases to report on this week so I checked through my photos which didn't reach my blog during the summer and found these of a pair of grey trousers. I think I bought them in July for £4.00. They have a Marks and Spencer label.

They are very slightly too long but I have not got around to altering the leg length - maybe a job during the winter. They are a nice comfortable fit though and not too tight around my bottom.

I am wearing trousers regularly now and it seems difficult to comprehend that it is only five years ago that I started to wear them, have been previously a skirts/dresses only person.

I have never ventured into the jeans wearing world though as I have never been a lover of denim. My daughter, Hannah, loves jeans though and has been persuading me to buy some for a while now without success. She now wants to buy me a pair for Christmas so a trip around the shops has been planned for Saturday and I may have a topic for my first post of 2019! 

I would like to wish all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

White Shirt

I have not browsed my charity shops so regularly in recent weeks as the weather has been wet and breezy and I have had a heavy cold which is taking a long time to go. I am therefore running out of interesting items to tell you about in these posts.

My only bargain last week was this shirt. It is actually white (the picture seems to give it a pale pink appearance) and the front buttons are concealed. I wear white shirts and tops regularly in the office so I can never have too many in my wardrobe. This one only cost me £1.00 so I couldn't lose. It has a Next label.

I am wearing it with my black office trousers.

I will check back through my summer photos to see if there any outfits that I did not get around to posting earlier in the year so that I can upload a more interesting item next week.

Pink Top

Not too much to report on charity shop finds recently but I did buy this casual pale pink top for £1.00. I thought it would be fine for wearing around the house as the fit is not quite right being a little too long in the sleeve. I have added the scarf from my wardrobe, which is a slightly deeper shade of pink to add interest and help divert attention away from the fit, should any of my friends call.

The top, which has a Bemco label, tones quite well with my pale grey trousers to give a comfortable casual outfit.

My husband gave me an early Christmas present - a voucher for my hairdresser - and I have had a few inches taken off and a lighter colour rinse. He approved!

Work Outfits

We have a black/white corporate colour code in my office for staff who meet the public. Some people will think that this is restrictive but it does avoid many of the decisions about colour co-ordination when you are rushing because you are running late during a bleak winter morning.

I have recently found 2 white tops in charity shops. This one has half length sleeves and features around the waist. I wear it with a belt, The top cost £2.00.

The skirt came from M & S during the spring - I can't remember the exact cost but it was in the region of £20 - £25. I wore this skirt and a similar one to the office regularly during the period from late spring to early autumn but now that the mornings are chillier I have been wearing black trousers most days instead to keep warm.

Do you have a dress code for work?

Floral

Another post this week on an outfit from the summer that I didn't get around to show you. The weather now won't allow outside photo shoots and I have not found any bargains in my charity shops during the past week anyway.

I don't normally like maxi dresses but I couldn't resist this one. It has a lovely floral pattern on a white background and the pink tie belt gives a finishing touch. It was a really hot day when Hannah took the photo and I had just kicked my sandals off! I am not happy about my hands but I didn't notice that my wrist looks double jointed until I was uploading the photo today!

I think the dress cost about £7.00 and it is great looking back at a summer outfit on a dark November day.

Sky Blue

I bought this outfit several months ago but didn't get around to posting the pictures Hannah took at the end of the summer. The weather would not allow outside pictures at the moment is it is really dreary and damp!

I just liked this shirt with its unusual pattern and sky blue tie top and couldn't resist them as they were in a bargain bin for just a total of £2.00.

I am now looking for some warmer outfits as the weather is likely to become much colder soon.

Red Coat

I was in need of a new coat for the autumn especially as the weather has become much colder and wetter.

I was really pleased to find this red coat in my size in my favourite charity shop. It was in really good condition and a bargain at the price of £12. It has a fairly thick lining to keep me nice and warm and it is fully showerproof.

For a finishing touch, I have added a scarf for the picture.

With the sudden drop in temperature in the UK this week it has become obvious that I need to add to my winter wardrobe and I am looking out for some woolly jumpers (I think my American friends call them sweaters) and some warmer trousers.

My daughter, Hannah, keeps nagging me to buy some jeans but as I am not keen at all on the image of blue denim, I have resisted so far!

Colourful Tunic Top

I have said several times in previous posts that I prefer, when possible, to cover my bottom from view when wearing trousers in public. I was pleased recently to find this colourful tunic top in a charity shop for £1.00.

It is slim fitting but extends some six inches below my waist line over my hips, nicely covering my bottom. Do other ladies like to wear long tops with trousers to increase modesty?

Hannah took this photograph a few weeks ago before I had my hair restyled. I would not be standing outside in a short sleeved top and no coat today as the autumn storms have brought an abrupt end to the sunny mild weather here in the UK.

Work Top

It was just warm enough a few days ago for Hannah to take some outside photos of my new top which will be great for wearing to the office. I have mentioned before that we have a black/white corporate dress code.

It is 85% cotton and has flared sleeves which I though might be a nuisance when typing etc but they have not caused a problem so far. It cost me £1.50 on a sale rail in a charity shop.

I would have preferred the top to have been very slightly longer so that it completely covered my bottom. I am still slightly self conscious of my bottom when wearing trousers. 

Is anyone else self conscious in this way or am I being silly?

New Office Trousers

With the mornings becoming quite chilly, I will soon start wearing trousers to work again. I have a black/white dress code in my office so I went shopping in Bristol for  pair of comfortable smart black trousers.

It is not that easy to find well fitting trousers but after trying on several pairs, I found these in Marks and Spencer for £35.00. They are "comfort fit" and are 95% polyester. I am sure that they will get a lot of wear this winter.

Do you find it easy to find well fitting trousers?

A Trip to Holy Island

My husband and I recently visited Holy Island off the coast of Northumberland during a long weekend away. My uncle kindly looked after Hannah and Henry as they couldn't get time off from school.

I had always wanted to visit Holy Island (often also called Lindisfarne) and my husband, Andrew, booked us into a hotel near Alnwick for two nights. You reach the island along a causeway from the mainland which is available to use twice a day at low tide. At other times it is cut off. It was a fine day for our visit but locals told us that it can be bleak on the island during stormy winter weather.

The island has an important place in the history of Christianity in England starting in the 6th century AD. A priory was established by Saints Aidan, Cuthbert, Eadfrith and Eadberht. It became the base for Christian evangelism in the north of England. After invasions by the Vikings, it was later re-established in 1093.

It remained until its destruction under Henry VIII in 1536. The ruins are from the later priory and the site of the original priory is now occupied by the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin. The remains are listed as a scheduled ancient monument.

We were able to go inside the lovely Church. You could sense the history and spirituality of the site and I would have loved to have attended a service there.

We also had a look at some of the lovely old memorials in the churchyard. 

This one dates from October 1783.

Students from a university were carrying out an archaeological dig while we were there and had unearthed a skeleton of a person, possibly a monk, buried near the priory in about 800 AD. They had carried out dating tests on a bone.

We enjoyed a visit to an exhibition giving a history of Christianity on the site.

We posted some cards in this quaint little Holy Island Post Office. You can see the delivery lady leaving to go out on her round.

Andrew was really amused at this sign on the toilet door where we had lunch. He just had to take a photograph of it!

And finally, my outfit for the day was this mainly white dress. It was a charity shop find a few years ago and, as it was a fairly warm day, I decided to give it another outing. This slightly unusual dress has a Next label and although I can't remember exactly how much I paid for it - it would have been about £4.50. One mistake I made - I should have worn flat shoes!

Have you ever visited Holy Island?

Another Dress!

I found another dress in a charity shop this week. It was reduced to £1.50. It also has a floral pattern - this time on a white background.

The first photo gives the impression that the dress is quite short but it is actually just above my knee as you can see from the photo of me standing. It has half length sleeves.

I couldn't resist it at such a low price but I have a feeling that bargains in summer clothes will soon come to an end as most rails in charity shops now contain winter stock at normal second hand prices. 

Poppies

As we move into Autumn, charity shops are starting to organise sales of their remaining summer clothes so you can find real bargains if you search hard enough.

I could not resist this dress with large poppies on a purple background for £1.00!

It comes with a belt mainly for decorative purposes and it is knee length which is the length I prefer.  It also has a high neck. The weather is still quite warm and sunny in the UK at the moment and I may get some wear from it this year with the addition of a cardigan.

Would you have bought it for £1.00?

Yellow Jumper

Autumn will be with us in a few weeks so when I saw this yellow jumper (I think my American friends call them sweaters) in my favourite charity shop in my size I couldn't resist buying it. It cost me £2.50 and I thought that the colour would brighten up the dreary days in November. The jumper started life in M & S.

We have had some rain at last in the UK and my lawn has now reverted to its normal green colour and I am having to cut the grass again. Nature is wonderful as my potatoes continued to grow during the long dry spell and I have a reasonable crop and my runner beans are continuing to produce in abundance. I also have a wonderful crop of tomatoes and cucumbers and have supplied my friends as we could not possibly eat them all.

I hope to be busy in the garden during the last few weeks of summer.

New Colours for Me

As soon as I bought this sleeveless dress in a charity shop for £4.00 the weather has cooled down considerably and we have actually had some rain!

The dress is an inch or so shorter than I normally wear and has a striking pattern in the shape of flowers on one side and horizontal stripes on the other. I do not have many clothes in purple or pink so the colours are a change for me - away from the usual blues and turquoise!

The label is Mattex and it has a high percentage of cotton. I will no doubt need to wear it with a cardigan during the rest of this summer!

Latest Charity Shop Finds

My latest charity shop finds include this casual grey shirt which cost me £1.00 in a bargain bin. It has long sleeves and is of a cotton mix with white detailing around the neck. It is very comfortable and I am wearing in the photo last weekend on a trip around a historic house. At that price I am sure of getting my monies worth even if it only lasts for the current summer season.

I have said previously that it is quite difficult to find trousers in a charity shop that fit properly. In fact trousers are one of the few outer garments that I buy new from High Street shops rather than charity shops. I was very surprised but pleased when I spotted these white cotton trousers on a rail for £4.00 in my size. I tried them on and they fitted really well.

They are slim fit and my husband thinks I look great in them! They are my second pair of white cotton trousers that I have bought this year. I have worn the first pair a lot on holiday and during the long hot spell that we have had this year in the UK as they are so comfortable, practical and cool. This second pair will no doubt be equally as good.

What do you think?

Pale Blue Shirt

I bought this pale blue shirt with tie detail this week for £3.50 in my favourite charity shop. It is something different for me but I am not sure if I will keep it as the "tie" does sometimes get in the way and it can be annoying. It has a Manirva label which I am not familiar with.

I also bought these trousers for £4.00. They appear to be virtually new and  are chinos. They started life in Primark. You may also notice that my hair is darker than normal. I had a change of style and colour last week. My husband quite likes it but I am not so convinced that it suits me and I may revert to mid brown next time.

Casual Jacket

My latest charity shop find is this lightweight casual jacket. I paid £5.00 for it and fits really well. It has zip pockets (useful for carrying phones or purses safely in crowds) and is showerproof. I am sorry that Hannah didn't take a full frontal shot.

With the current hot dry weather continuing, I have not had the need to wear much it yet but I am sure the current high temperatures won't last much longer.

The photos were taken on an evening walk through some local woods. I am wearing my white trousers far more than I thought I would during this summer. They are so comfortable and practical during walks and shopping expeditions - one of my better buys!

Turquoise Again!

You would never guess that turquoise is my favourite colour! I couldn't resit this cotton top when I saw it in a £1 bin in a charity shop. It is short sleeved and has some strange detailing around the neck. However it keeps me nice and cool during the long summer evenings when I am in the garden so I think I will keep it.

We have not had any rain now for about 4 weeks and the temperatures are just below 30 C on most days. We have not had a hot dry spell like this in the UK for many years and I must spend nearly an hour each evening watering my plants,

Summer Dress

We have almost endless sunshine here in the UK at the moment with temperatures between 25 C and 30 C for much of the day. It is difficult to sleep at night and work during the day. I am lucky we do have air conditioning in part of my office building.

I discovered that I did not have many light weight summer dresses so I was lucky enough to find this one in a charity shop for £3.50. It is sleeveless and shorter than my other dresses but the cotton material is nice and cool. The light green is also a new colour for me - and a change from my favourite turquoise.

I am sure we will end up with some torrential thunder storms soon but in the meantime the garden is very dry and I need to water extensively each evening.

Are you enjoying hot sunshine where you live?

Casual Shirt

My latest charity shop find is this casual shirt. Although it looks black in the photo, it is actually a deep shade of navy blue. It has two large front buttons and sleeves which reach the elbows together with two small pockets. It is 65% polyester and 35% cotton and has a St Michael label. It only cost me £1.50 so I should get my monies worth!

The white trousers were featured in a post a few weeks ago and I have worn them quite a lot during the past few weekends.

The weather has been quite warm and very dry recently in the UK. The garden is doing quite well despite the lack of rain and we have had a good harvest of strawberries. The other vegetables are busy growing and the dwarf french beans will soon be ready to pick. I spend an hour each evening watering and looking for any bugs on the crops which is quite relaxing after a hectic day in the office.

Blue & White Tunic

I was pleased to find this blue and white patterned tunic on  £1.00 rail in a charity shop last week. I had been looking for another tunic recently. It has tie details at the end of the sleeves and it is a loose fit.

I am a little concerned that it makes me look a little large but for £1.00 it was worth the gamble and I think I will keep it. I do like wearing a tunic or long top when wearing trousers in public to increase modesty.

What do you think?

Sleeveless Dress

This is my latest charity shop purchase. I found this sleeveless dress on a half price rail and it only cost me £4.00. It has a Littlewoods label and has a multicoloured floral pattern on a white background.

It is so hot and humid in the UK at the moment that I can wear it without a cardigan but it will look fine with a white or cream cardigan.

I still favour wearing dresses over trousers in warm weather and this dress will be a welcome addition to my summer wardrobe.

Do you prefer to wear dresses or trousers in the summer?

White Trousers

I bought a pair of white trousers for my recent holiday. They cost £12.99 in Peacocks and have a high cotton content. I wanted to be cool and comfortable in the higher temperatures than we are used to in the UK.

They are of a slimmer fit than the style of trousers that I usually wear. I don't wear jeans so it took me a while to get used to them being tight around my bottom. Nobody knew me on holiday but I will probably be more self conscious when I wear them around my town and add a tunic or long shirt to increase modesty. They are certainly comfortable though and I will be keeping them.

What do you think?

Gibraltar

Our final destination was Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of Spain. We felt quite at home as we could use our own currency and everyone spoke English. In Main Street we found familiar stores including Marks and Spencer and Debenhams.

We hired a minibus for a tour of the rock and our first stop was at Europa Point to see the lighthouse. It is the most southerly Trinity Lighthouse in the world.

Henry loved the many cannons on Gibraltar. The fortifications date from the 1700s to World War II

Henry loved looking at this gun which dated from the 1940s.

We next visited St Michael's Cave where coloured lights highlight the features of the rock formations. It has amazing acoustics and classical musical concerts and operas are held in there hence the raised platforms. I am not sure about the droplets of water dripping from the roof onto the audience though!

Near the caves is a nature reserve where Barbary Apes are found. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where you can find wild Apes. They come to see you and look really cute but they are wild and bite so it is not wise to touch them. They also steal people's glasses, hats and even cameras and disappear with them really quickly.

Hannah loved this little chap. He was a young ape and was sitting on a wall on the side of the rock. You can see the port in the background.

There was a wonderful view of the City and Port from the side of the rock.

The rock towers above the City. In the foreground is our bus and the white building is Gibraltar's mosque. We really enjoyed Gibraltar and would like to plan a return visit in the future.

My outfit for the day was this summer shirt in blue with a strange yellow/green pattern. I bought it in a charity shop last year for about £2.00 and this is the first time I had worn it. I paired it with my white trousers and I was pleased that it partly covered my rear giving a greater feeling of modesty. I am gradually getting used to wearing these trousers which are tighter than my other pairs but it is good to step outside your comfort zone occasionally