Black and White Pattern Mixing

Dear friends. Pattern mixing. Do you do much of it? If you'd like to try pattern mixing, this is a safe and fun way to get started - using the same color palette. I ordered this houndstooth top when I was shopping for the Style Not Age check challenge. As it turned out, I loved both the top and the trousers I wore in the challenge and decided to keep both.

This will be a great all-year-round top because for winter it would be ideal with a cardigan, and for the chillier British summer days it's good with its long and wide statement sleeves.

Black and white look good with nearly any color but I chose pink to get a nice pop from my bag and boots. The skirt I bought last year from Asos.

I'm looking forward to wearing outfits like this when we go back to work, although there's no news on that yet. People have been allowed into the building for things like filming, but the message is that we'll continue to work mainly from home with a few exceptions for people for whom that's difficult.  I'm thinking we probably won't go back until next year.  It's a sobering thought.  I used to sigh and groan about my long drive, three days a week, with two days working from home, but now I would jump at the chance to do it. 

Although I'm very used to working from home  (I did it for years at my previous company) it's been different and more challenging during these Covid times.  The lack of control over your life, and any notion of forward planning, is stressful in itself. I don't have children to worry about but I've been worried about my mum who's on her own 250 miles away.  

This Groundhog Day existence of getting up, going for a walk and then settling down to work all day has started to wear thin.  I'm working longer days because there are more meetings with the US, and quite often, they're at 6 or 7pm. I hate to feel like I'm pushing back all the time but as an early riser, usually at my desk by 8am, and liking our dinner early at 6.30, it's not so easy and makes for long days. 

The job has become all the more challenging for the marketing team because the major events we exhibit at, or run ourselves, have been scrapped and we're now doing everything virtually.  

For one of our most prestigious events, we've had to make it as compelling and sexy as possible - a run-of-the-mill Zoom meeting would not suffice. So we've had to turn it into a 2 day meeting with a lot of the content shown on VR headsets. There's some augmented reality too. It's going to be amazing.  

I have long wanted to create some podcasts and finally had the opportunity. All these new ways of working create different pressures and stresses, however. We're all in new territory, as are senior leaders who would normally be delivering a keynote with slides and live demos. But this new landscape with more virtual than "real" events is probably going to be the new normal. 

Easing of Lockdown

At the weekend some of the lockdown rules were relaxed. I wasn't one of the first out of the gates to go to a pub or restaurant, some of which reopened. The idea of choosing a meal and having it cooked for me was very appealing. But it would have meant going into London on public transport, less appealing, and running the gamut of all the young Covidiots who were shown cavorting in Soho with no notion of social distancing. So I'll wait a bit longer. I'm keen to support local businesses, but you have to do what you're comfortable with.  I'm seeing my mum next week, first time since December, and I don't want any risk of taking "IT" with me.

It was good to finally put two activities into my David Bowie calendar.  My long awaited cut and color, on July 14, followed by a few days in Plymouth with my mum. We're planning a visit to the garden center  (as always) and a day trip to Truro, among other things. 

Finally, a bit of reality about what I actually wear when I'm working from home. You usually see me dressed up in my blog posts.  But I'm normally wearing an outfit like this, below, when the weather is cloudy and cold  (as it is today). The furry slippers are from Ugg via Amazon, but although they look great, I wouldn't recommend them.  In less than two weeks the faux fur under my toes has worn away.  I should have read the reviews!

When it's a hot sunny day my normal attire is a pair of shorts  (above the knee) with a t-shirt or sports top. I only "dress up" once or twice a week when I do the shopping.

What's your normal Covid attire?  Do share in the comments. And have you found your job has become harder during lockdown?
 

Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the link up where everyone gains. Readers can find new blogs to enjoy and bloggers can find new readers!

Last week's favourite fashion post (most clicked) was Laurie's What's New In My Wardrobe YouTube post. Laurie, from blog Vanity and Me, showed us her new dresses.

Your favourite non-fashion post was by Grace from Color and Grace with her moving account: Turning Grief into Growth: Celebrating My Wedding Anniversary.

US blogger and author Grace met her husband Bob in Shanghai. This is her fourth wedding anniversary since Bob sadly died. Grace has always found the date a tough one to deal with, but she says candidly that it wasn't time that was the healer. "Constantly working through my grief has healed me! All the training, books, and mentors I have had the last few years has seriously helped me reach where I am in my grieving process." A very inspiring and thoughtful post.

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