#stylewithasmile

A few weeks ago I featured a co-ord set in the same pattern as this one, but in a different colourway. I bought them on holiday last year and wore them a lot on my recent trip to Madeira. They were washed, ironed and ready to pack away when I thought I’d wear one to work on Sunday. I always think it’s a shame to pack holiday clothes away, not knowing when I’ll next get a chance to wear them. It…

This week seems to have flown by! Having a Bank Holiday Monday and swapping a day at work has made it seem even shorter. Wednesday totally crept up on me and I realised I didn’t have any photos! So, the post is a day later than planned. I bought these pleated trousers as part of a co-ord; the top is a halter neck and is quite voluminous. I’ve tried wearing it tucked in, but it is a bit on the…

On our last afternoon of the holiday, we treated ourselves to afternoon tea at the hotel across the road from the apartment. The Quinta Jardins do Lago is a rather impressive house, built in the 18th century. The surrounding gardens cover 2.5 hectares and contain more than 500 different species of plant. We first visited in 2019, and have also been in 2021 and 2022. This puff sleeve floral print…

Festival season will soon be here and that means paying close attention to the weather and packing accordingly. It can be difficult to cover all bases, especially in the UK where the summer weather can be a bit of a lottery. You’ll want to take hardworking, durable and comfortable pieces that are also stylish. Denim is always a good place to start. Unless it’s scorching hot, you can’t go wrong…

Bom Dia from Funchal! We are enjoying the Easter break in Madeira, where the weather is pleasantly warm. After a late night flight, I slept a lot for the following couple of days and am just about recovered with a full battery! We took advantage of the best day, according to the forecast, on Tuesday by going to the lido. Yesterday, we had a stroll around town and stopped for a leisurely lunch at…

Every spring, I seem to be drawn towards neon shades. I think it’s the need for bright colours after the dreary winter months. It’s been almost two years since I last wore this neon check jacket…with the same jumper. Well, when you find a combination that works it’s worth repeating! Back then I wore it with pink trousers. On this occasion, I’ve teamed it with my favourite barrel leg jeans and…

It’s been a while since I last wore a dress – September according to the blog archives. It’s not quite warm enough for bare legs and sandals yet, but with a few styling tweaks it’s easy to adapt this burgundy lace maxi dress for cooler temperatures. Like my other dresses from Izabel, this one fits perfectly (I’m wearing my usual size 10). And it has pockets! Burgundy was THE colour of…

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring and wearing lighter colours…yet here I am in browns and oranges! Wearing autumn colours in spring might seem a bit topsy-turvy, although chocolate brown is still very much on trend. We’ve had a few days of lovely sunshine, but the forecast looks gloomy for the next week or so. Fool’s Spring isn’t fooling me! And just to hammer the point home, I’m…