Anthropologie January 2015 Reviews

I was having a bad face day. It’s how it goes, I guess. You know when you either sleep wrong on your face or eat too many salty delicious treats the day before and somehow you wake up and do not recognize the puffy monstrosity that greets you in the mirror? Perhaps one side of your cheek falls more to the right or your eyes are dull and blurry. Hmmmmm. Maybe that’s just me. Either way, I was not in the shape nor the mood for pictures on this day because all of those things seemed to occur at once that morning and no amount of mascara or powder or pushing of my skin could put gnome lover back together again. Groan.

My family and I had traveled to the museum the day of the reviews (hence the weird hand stamp in the pictures below) and spent hours wandering hallways and stairs and corridors reading plaques and looking at bones. My eyes were tired. My soul was weary. But when my husband pronounced that he wouldn’t mind if I ran into the Anthropologie on the way home, I gladly took him up on his offer, bad face day and all. I happened to have a gift card on me and I was itching to get into the store since I had not been in a physical store since October. Gosh, can you believe that?

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I ended up buying a sweatercoat (and a tree skirt that for some reason I decided to sling across my shoulders in an upcoming outfit post. The tree skirt is the raddest thing ever. Especially if you like to pretend you are a superhero. And who doesn’t? It is sold out online, but it was showing sold out online when I purchased mine in store so I am sure some stores might still have one. I plan on keeping mine out year round as decoration on my couch when I am not flying around the house).

And before we get to the good stuff, the camera case in the pictures is new after last year’s case finally died in a pool of olive oil. My purse is a cavernous monster of random food products. It did its job and saved my phone in its last moments. RIP pink bunny phone case. Welcome to your worst nightmare, new floral dreamy phone case. I hope you like cheese.

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I had to snap a picture of the finished wreath I helped contribute to when I went to make pearblossoms at the holiday workshop a few months prior. I use the word “contribute” loosely as I crumpled about ten pieces of paper and painted them.

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I had been eagerly awaiting this Floral Fit and Flare Dress to hit sale so I could scoop it up. However, once I tried it on, I did not feel the same way. I have large arms and the sleeves on this were very tight on me. I am wearing a medium in this picture. Granted, I did gain weight in the last year, but medium is still my size in dresses. I love the pattern of this dress. I love the fit and flare of it. I like the cute patterned underskirt, but I ended up removing this one from my wishlist. I knew I would never feel quite okay with the sleeves.

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Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy had previously reviewed this dress and I think it looks better on her than myself. I have also seen girls rocking it on Instagram so I think it is going to be one that needs to be tried on in person.

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Let’s get to it. Or rather cut to the chase. What does that even mean anyway? I really need to start looking things up before I go and rattle off different sayings. Where was I? Oh right. Two kids. Two years of nursing. Years of bad bras. I almost relived every moment of those things when I turned around to look at myself in the mirror in this dress. It is very low cut.

I thought it would be okay. A long maxi. Neutral black. Easy peasy.

But, unfortunately The Entrada Maxi Dress wasn’t for me. It accentuated all of the things one does not want to see when one looks at oneself in the mirror. I do not think this is the dress’s fault but rather my lack of love for the gym. I usually stick to bright colors. This dress was a pass for me for many reasons. I am in a medium. I can see the voluptuous woman looking marvelous in this dress. Or even the tall and thin.

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Not for the shocked and saggy.

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I almost didn’t show this dress (the Marled Swing Dress). As I type this, my evil mind is thinking, then don’t show it. Nobody will ever even know that you took these pictures. You don’t have to show them. Just don’t put this dress review in.

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But how could I resist not showing this beautiful picture?

I was very excited to try this dress on. I loved the pattern in the store. It was so different and cool. But the pattern placement when on was not flattering on me. I was so disappointed. It made me look lumpy. This made me grumpy. But it has good reviews online so the right body type will look great in this dress. My body just wasn’t it.

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Now we’re talkin’. Oh, I knew I would love The New Moon Tunic Dress the moment I saw it online. But something stopped me from wishlisting it. I think it is that I all ready have so many items in my closet that are so similar to this.

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I like everything about it. The easy shape that will flatter a variety of body types. The color. The embroidery. I just don’t need it. Want, yes. Need, no. I sized down to a small in this. It is definitely an item to size down in. Of course, I read online that this might not be the case if you are busty so if that is the case for you, you might want to try this on in the store. Oh! And I did find this dress a bit itchy. Not unbearable but the material is scratchy. So if you are sensitive to such things this might be a problem for you.

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I like The Cowled Swing Dress. It is easy. It is comfortable. If it had any other color other than maroon as its border I probably would have wishlisted it.

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But it does. And maroon is not my favorite. I am wearing my usual size medium in this dress and I maybe could have sized down to a small because the body of the dress is voluminous. I would not want the arms to be tight, though. Therefore I would probably stick with your usual size unless you have thin arms.

This is a dress you would wear to run errands or grab a quick sandwich with friends. It is pricey for a loungelike piece. I would not ever wear a necklace with a cowlneck. But this would be pretty with some fun wooden earrings. This will be a great dress on so many women.

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I had seen this Blanket Cardigan everywhere on Instagram. I am not one of those girls who cares if she is wearing the same thing as someone else. I am not one who cares if a friend and I buy the same thing. Liking something is all that matters. Besides commroderie in clothes is fun. So I could not wait to try this on after I saw it so prettily worn by so many women online.

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I did like it when I tried it on. It is a bit bright, even for me. I also own a few pieces in this pattern from discount stores, so I was not in the market for a similar sweater. I am wearing a medium here. This would be great with black. I also think this would be flattering on the more voluptuous with the panel that dips down.

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I had seen just one of these peeking out at me on the sales rack at the store. I always avoid the sales rack typically because if I have not wishlisted it before then I do not allow myself to buy it. And since I watch the sales so often it is rare that I need to look at the racks to see if something I am watching hits sale.

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I was surprised by this ruffled sweatercoat (previously worn here). I had not noticed it online. My store only had a small and I nervously tried it on. I was so happy and relieved that it fit. Petites will probably be sized out of this if they cannot find it in the petite sizes. However, size XL might fit a higher size than it usually would in this store and that would be awesome. The boiled wool is not scratchy as it has been in years past. It is soft. The ruffles cascade down the front and the shape nips in at the perfect spot on the waist to create a flattering very feminine silhouette. Even though it is in the maroon family, I still liked it. I plan on wearing mine with jeans and my ruffled skirt from 2013.

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Have you tried on anything lately? I have not been in the shopping spirit. I just have enough. I think. Well, except for this dress from Free People that makes my heart race but I think would be too tight in the arms for me. I do have Christmas gift cards to spend at Anthropologie and have been scoring some popbacks of things I have wanted for months at great sale prices. I used the other part of the one from my mom (Thank you!) that I used on the ruffled sweatercoat above for a popback of The Tasseled Maxi Dress that I had wanted for a long time. And I used another gift card from my dad and stepmom (Thank you!) for a popback of the Bimini Earrings, Draped Plaid Top and a pair of Freebird Boots (retailed for $295 but popbacked for $60! Woot!). Now I have my sister’s (Thank you!) burning a hole in my pocket. I hope I can get equally amazing deals with it!

Ruffled Dreamy Madness

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“It’s snowing!” My husband’s excited shout filled the quiet and dark house as he happily exclaimed from the kitchen. He had gotten up to do something and was surprised to see a vast white landscape of snow looking at him through our backyard window.

I grumbled something unintelligible and rolled over in bed.

This was not the first time my husband had shouted odd things in the dark. Remind me tell you about “the pipes” one day.

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Lights began to come on one by one throughout the house.

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My husband burst into our bedroom and gleefully exclaimed, “I’m going to wake up the kids!”

Before I could stop him, he bounded down the hallway. I heard him wake the kids up and tell them to quickly get dressed in warm clothes. “Quick! We have to beat the sun! It will all melt once the sun comes out!”

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On his way outside, he stopped in our bedroom again, “Why don’t you get ready and we could take some pictures for the blog?”

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I turned into my pillow. If only I could get back to my dream. I was climbing a stadium full of people. Brad Pitt had waved me up to the top. He stood up so I would see him. When I got there he looked at me in disappointment. This did not dissuade me.

I quickly grabbed his head. Not his face. Not his hand. Nope, his head. And I jerked it down towards mine. Then I kissed him. Or made him kiss me. Either way it was awful. He was dismayed. I was dismayed. This was not the way it was supposed to go.

If I could just close my eyes again, maybe I could redo that scene…

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But the lure of my family playing in the dark in the snow broke my Brad Pitt concentration.

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I sighed and sat up. Then I got ready as fast as I could. Faster than one runs up stadium steps to get to a waiting Brad Pitt. Faster than one jerks Brad Pitt’s unyielding lips to their own. Faster than the dismayed look upon a one Brad Pitt’s face can chill thy blood.

So, I got ready fast. Brad Pitt fast. Not quite Tom Cruise Mission Impossible odd-running fast, but close.

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I put on the same clothes I had worn the day before. These Mothers Jeans are my favorite. I own two pairs. I got mine on a popback in 2013, but it looks like they came out with ones without the distressing because these have the same name as the ones I purchased. They are great for girls with a wide hip to waist ratio. I am hoping to snag another pair at a great sale price one day. I am in Brad-Pitt-love with this ruffled sweatercoat that I just cannot get enough of (I think it might be sold out online but you might still be able to find one in a store if you call around). I purchased it on sale during their 25% off sale sale promotion. It is the plum color. In case you cannot tell. The pictures are a bit fuzzy… like a dream.

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What is Brad Pitt like in your dreams? Is he a seat saver? An unyielding tease? A disgruntled victim? Have you ever gotten ready in a hurry? In the dark? To take pictures in the snow?

I’m not sure I have either.

It might all have been a dream.

P.S. I shared this on The Pleated Poppy and Reasons To Dress.

Blue Moon

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After the unfortunate outfit mishap with my previous outfit I had originally planned on wearing on my date night with my husband (post and explanation here), I had to go home and swiftly change.

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I knew I had to pull out the big guns. Oh, wait, I all ready did that. Groan. And so I quickly changed into my husband’s favorite dress. Well, one of them.

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This Anthropologie Arched Careena Dress from a few years ago is always the solution to my husband’s heart (I have seen this being sold on eBay. This dress came in three colors and is very forgiving in sizes. I am usually a size six or eight and I purchased this in a twelve because it was the only size available once it hit clearance at my store many years ago. I do not think it runs small. I just think it is an easy dress to size up or down in).

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It is the prettiest blue. It is feminine. It is flattering. It nips in at the waist and then flares out. Plus, it has ruffles, which usually isn’t such a guy magnet. But in this case, it works.

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Besides I would have to try really, really hard to flash or moon someone in this.

I assume.

I think it was best that I didn’t try. Besides, my shoes were all ready on due to the previous outfit encounter, so I could not manage a reenactment of my shame.

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I want to talk about my agate necklace really quick. I forgot to mention the green agate necklace I wore in the previous post. Both necklaces are by Leila Jewelry and I had stalked them for almost a year at Nordstrom Rack until one fateful day during their 30% off clearance sale a few weeks ago, I decided to run into the store hoping beyond hope that there would be a chance that they had finally been discounted and they would still be available. It was truly my lucky day. They still had three of the four I had been watching (the fourth one having sold was the most amazing hot pink) and they had indeed gone on sale. I so very happily scooped up all three for around $17 each. Retail price was $148 each (they are gold plated).

It was a once in a blue moon kind of score.

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I paired the dress with my Anthropologie Vegan Leather Jacket (previously worn here and here). My daughter has been borrowing this jacket a lot this season. In fact, she has been borrowing most of my outer wear. She is very petite, so my cardigans and this jacket are the only things we can share. I actually love sharing my clothes with her. I love lending out items. It seems like it would go against my hoarder’s heart, but it makes me happy to share. They are just clothes. And I like the joy I see on my daughter’s face when she wears some of the items.

It is fun.

And fun is the best.

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In fact, I once lent this dress to a dear friend and now any time I wear it, I also think of her and smile. Clothes are good for making memories. They are even better at holding on to them.

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Do you lend your clothes out? I do to close friends and relatives. There are a few item exceptions. My pieces from Etsy and my Kantha dresses. Do you have a date night dress that you reach for again and again?

I do not mind wearing this one over and over.

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I like it.

My husband likes it.

In fact… We are over the moon.

*this post was edited using VSCOCAM’s C1 filter at level 3.

Marrying Colors

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I didn’t always like green and pink together.

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I remember when we were house hunting thirteen years ago and we walked into a home with pink wall to wall carpet and green walls. We were young and could not see past the sunset shaggy forrest of bad taste.

We probably missed out on a good house.

But you live and you learn.

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So I was surprised when I pulled this sweater (from Anthropologie and sold out last year, but I think this ruffle hem sweater is pretty, too) and these pants together out of the closet. Yes, surprised. What? Do you go into the closet knowing what happy clothing marriage you will be officiating each day? Well, I usually don’t. It is usually a whirlwind outfit elopement around here.

And, oh my goodness, I have loved my Citizens Of Humanity velveteen pants since I purchased them last year (sold out, but available in a different color here). They are the prettiest pink. They used to be a bit looser. But ’tis the way it is. My mouth likes to be married to chocolate.

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There are some marital colors I have never disliked together.

Them being chocolatey brown and golden caramel.

Sigh.

Treats would not look as precious and delicious if they were green or pink.

Or would they?

Never mind. I would probably still crave it. And marry it.

I do.

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What are your favorite color pairings? Do they ever stray to another color? I wore my green sweater earlier in the week with some black pants. Shhhh. It wasn’t a big deal. No need to tell my pink pants. They’re trying to support my chocolate habit. They have enough on their plate mate.