How to be Positive About a Second Lockdown - and Link Up

        

The UK scientific advisors Vallance and Whitty (which sounds like a 1950s department store) are warning that more draconian pandemic measures could be on their way, including a second national lockdown.  Half of the UK is already in various forms of lockdown.  

Photo Booth Agony and Ecstasy - and Link Up

Last week I found myself in a passport photo booth for the first time in 10 years. They've changed a lot since then.  You can now choose to have a digital passport photo, where you get the usual print out of four mug shots to keep, but also a code to use if you renew your passport online. No need to scan the photos anymore.

Polka Dot Triple - And LInk Up

I recently saw in a fashion magazine a picture where the model was wearing nothing but polka dots in many different variations. I immediately decided to try the same thing.  Here we have polka dots three times.  It could have been four, because I have a polka dot jacket, but I thought that would be over-egging things.

Casual Fashion Look Over 50 - and Link Up

I've got a new Bowie t-shirt. You may remember my other one which Shelbee featured as a style steal. Like the other one, I bought it on eBay. Bowie was so cool that even his slogan t-shirts have a bit of an edge over other rock icons. Well, in my opinion!

Summer makes shooting blog pictures very challenging because the garden is quite snall and north facing so gets a lot of shade and contrast during the day. So I moved to the garage and lane area to take these few pictures.

I riffed on the orangey-red logo with my accessories: black and red cat's eye sunglasses, an orangey red lipstick and a suede bag from Dune. My black jeans are very old, from Marks and Spencer, and I have yet to find a pair that beats them! I love the length because I'm not very keen on jeans that hover above the ankle.  The white trainers are my Adidas Stan Smith's from last year. Nothing was gifted for this post.

Sharing this post with Claire Justine, Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, #SpreadTheKindness at Shelbee on the Edge, Anna at Muttonstyle, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood, Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish,  Style with a Smile at Stylesplash, Anna at the GlamAdventure, Style Six at Coast to Coast

For More Mutton

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Now it's time for the weekly link-up #WowOnWednesday, a chance for bloggers to find new readers.  Some of the big linkies are now not operating so I'm opening #WowOnWednesday for longer. It'll be open from 6.30am UK time on Wednesday  22 April until Monday 27th April.

What makes it different, I hope, from other link-ups is that I try to promote a few of the posts featured during the week, on Facebook and Twitter  (see my social channels below).  Please show the blogs some love and leave your comments, it's so appreciated by all of us.

The readers' favourite (most clicked) last week was Mireille from MireilleFashionTravelMom with her post What is My Signature Style?  I love this particular skirt of Mireille's and it looks so cool with the striped top.

I loved the latest style steal from Anna at The Glam Adventure. She's really getting these so right, this time channeling J Lo with a Denim on Denim look. A very wearable look for all of us.  I loved the make-up look that surprisingly came via an app called Lumyer.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Making More of Your Summer Wardrobe - and Link Up

My summer clothes came down from the attic at the weekend and as usual, I sorted out what will  go to the charity (thrift) shop, what needs to be ironed and/or mended, and what could go straight into the wardrobe.

Assorted Work Outfits and Link Up

It's been a very busy couple of weeks. No sooner had we got back from Parga then I had a big week at work with our biennial planning meeting and a team face-to-face.  I stayed in Cambridge for a few days and it all got off to a fun start with punting on the River Cam.  Here's the team, including our US colleagues.

With a few jugs of Pimm's and a lovely evening, it was a great way to spend an hour.

This is what I wore for the punting: a casual outfit of white jeans and jacket with a big splash of lilac, one of my favourite colours, in the top, brogue shoes and bag. (Notice how I obviously didn't check in the mirror before I took the photo, as the jacket loops are visible! Duh!).

I've been looking for a denim jacket for ages, and in particular, a more fitted version, because short boxy jackets don't suit me. I found this one on Amazon. I'm not sure it's very fitted but it's a good colour. Some of you recommended I wear a denim jacket with the Anthropologie dress I wore last year, and I think it looks much better worn this way and with white trainers.

One of my best buys this summer has been the cropped black culottes from Hope, which hold their shape very well and don't need ironing.
Here they're worn with a jacket that was thrifted  (last seen here), a square necked top from Kettlewell and sandals from Marks and Spencer (SS17).  My versatile midi length beige skirt, from M&S last year, works well with a camouflage t-shirt and gold mules (M&S, SS16).

One thing I've noticed since I got back from holiday is that the pigmentation on my face is looking  a lot worse.  If anyone has any recommendations for products that reduce it, I'd love to know.

Finally I've got some new leggings for the gym. These are from a firm fairly local to me, Yoga Leggs, and I have many pairs. They come up high to cover muffin tops, are soft and stretchy, and in a multitude of colours and patterns. This design is Lipstick Leopard, worn with a much loved (old) Adidas top.  Everything is delivered globally.

Disclosure: no items were gifted for this post. 

Sharing this post with #Welcome to the Weekend at Claire Justine, Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style, Chic&Stylish at Mummabstylish, Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style; Fabulous Friday at A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood, Anna at The Glamadventure,  Linkup on the Edge at Shelbee On The Edge, #iwillworkwhatIlike at Not Dressed as Lamb,#BloggerClubUK at My Random Musings, #MuttonStyleMondays at Muttonstyle, #Stylewithasmile at Stylesplash, Color and Grace

Now it's time to get Wowing for Wednesday.  Yes, it's time for the #WowOnWednesday link up. Last week's most clicked post was Mireille from Chez Mireille with her post What I Wore in Spain and France. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Beauty Update and #WowOnWednesday Link Up

It's been a while since we had a beauty catch up so I thought we'd start with my current routine before moving onto bubble face masks and a great offer from John Lewis.

Monochrome - and Link Up

I'm a big fan of the monochrome look, which is not as many think, wearing black and white.  It applies to a single colour, which can be worn in different hues, applied head to toe.