Anthropologie Reviews: February 2015

IMG_3131.JPG

I had not been planning on going to Anthropologie on this day. I had planned on staying home and cleaning my house. But my mom had sent me a gift card to Anthropologie a few days before to try to lift my spirits from January.

I wore my tasseled dress from this post and a tasseled scarf from Forever 21. I had actually gone to the store with the sole purpose of purchasing this necklace. I had seen three of them at the store I went to the last time I was there and I was stunned by how gorgeous the necklace was in person. I vowed to buy it when it went on sale. It did. My store ended up having sold out of the necklace, but they did order me one that should come later this week. The store was not crowded at all. And it had all of the new arrivals that I had been wanting to try on. It was perfect. Thank you Mom for bringing joy into my day.

My last set of reviews was a hard post to write. I ended up not really loving anything. It is difficult to write about something that you aren’t passionate about. But, oh, this time, I loved every single thing I tried on. Some just as suggestions for others, but I was very pleased with the February selections in store:

IMG_3132.JPG

IMG_3134.JPG

It seems as though every blogger has The Homestead Shirtdress. And they make me want it all the more. I love it on Karissa Marie. It is easy. It is comfortable. It has breathable fabric. It is pretty much perfect. I am wearing my usual size medium and that is the size I currently have wishlisted. I did have some pulling in the chest, which you can kind of see in the top picture. The buttons felt like they were straining. I am not even that busty, so more well endowed girls might have to size up.

It was a toss up between this dress and the dress below as to which one I was going to bring home with me. I loved them both a ten out of ten. But I had all ready bought this H&M dress with a similar shape and color pallet earlier in the month with their 20% off discount. I could not justify the purchase of two dresses so close in style. For those interested, the H&M dress fits true to size. It is a heavy polyester. It hangs well. I think it is a great dress for a good price (look for a discount code. They were offering 20% off awhile back, but now I think they are offering 20% off if you sign up for their email. Check their website for more information).

IMG_3125.JPG

IMG_3130.JPG

Oh, Leifdottir, they always get it right. The Sarita Swing Dress is brilliant. The outer lining is 100% silk. It is groan-worthy scrumptious. I bought this in the size eight I am wearing in the pictures and wore it immediately the next day. Wait. Immediately and the next day don’t exactly go together, do they? Well, it was as immediate as I get.

Who doesn’t want to look like a tiger butterfly? Nobody, that’s who, if they’re being honest. I was so excited to see that this dress came in sizes up to 16. Of course, that size and size 14 are currently sold out online as they never stock enough of those sizes. Tsk, tsk, Anthropologie. But I do hope that a store might still have that size for those of you who want it by calling around (often when a size is sold out online, stores still have it, like the size 10 skirt further below).

IMG_3113.JPG

The lining is special, too. It has the sweetest crochet lace detail on the end. I wore my dress with a turquoise necklace (post coming on Thursday) and I loved the colors together.

IMG_3129.JPG

I had such high hopes for The Tindaya Dress. It has exquisite detail. It is flowy. And it looks good from the front. However…

IMG_3128.JPG

It is a bit too flowy for me. There is so much fabric to this dress it could almost be two dresses. I have seen some girls wear this belted up high and it looks very pretty that way. I could never wear this not belted. I am in a size medium.

I all ready have a lot going on down below the waist. This just adds more volume. It is like a fabric party is going on in this dress and it is a Monday and I have to work. This is a pass for me. The tall and thin would look amazing in this.

IMG_3126.JPG

Everybody loves The Mixed Plaid Tunic. It is all over Instagram. Usually the girls tie it at the bottom. I am not that cool. I knew trying this on that it would not work for me. I have large arms and the cut of the arms is at an odd bias which does not work for girls with larger upper arms.

I was right, so this is a pass for me, but it is still a sweet and simple dress.

I am in a medium. It fit perfectly with plenty of room. It is a cute and easy dress. It did not have the wow factor for me. But I think it will look great on a lot of body types. It will transition into each season nicely as a good piece on its own and an even more fabulous layering item.

IMG_3127.JPG

But? What?! How on Earth?

No pockets!

For such a simple everyday dress this seems to be a huge miss. I still cannot believe it did not have any. I am not speaking of the ones slathered on the chest. Every girl knows that those are unusable, unless you want lumpy boobs. I am speaking of waist pockets. Of course, I am old and it was not too long ago I can remember that no dresses came with pockets. But I have been spoiled these last few years and have come to expect them. Like I said, spoiled.

IMG_3123.JPG

I saw the price tag of this Elodie Dropwaist Dress (sold out, but might still be available in stores) and had to try it on. It was $29.95. It was a size L which I actually think works with the baggy style of the dress. Again, it did not have enough of a wow factor for me to pick it up, but it was cute. It was also extremely itchy. It was made from that itchy fake denim fabric. So, if you have sensitive skin I would definitely avoid this dress.

IMG_3122.JPG

I had been wanting to try on The Dotted Jacquard Skirt for some time. It just seemed like a piece that would go with most anything. I am wearing a medium in the picture and if I purchased this (which I will not be), I would size down to a small. I like the color. I like the fabric, but it is not as easy to work with as I had originally had hoped. It would be great with pullovers and simple tees, but it just did not feel like me. Great skirt, though! I recommend checking this in the store, because quite a few of them all ready had black scuff marks on them from the hazards of women trying them on. It’s tough being a white skirt!

If you work in a casual office, the Ashby Buttondown is wonderful. I think the price is okay for it. It is a very nice quality. It has a nice substantial weight to the fabric. The pretty grey denimy texture is soothing. It will go with a lot of different bottoms. It does not fit in with my lifestyle, so it was a pass for me. I am wearing a size medium. It fit just right. I highly recommend this one.

IMG_3114.JPG

IMG_3120.JPG

Oh, Clementina Skirt. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Or the large patterns on this yummy design. My husband loves pencil skirts. So I buy them. Then I feel self conscious in them. And then I don’t wear them. Round and round we go… Like a clementine. I really like this skirt. I sized up to a 10 in it to allow for my ample thighs. Too many donuts not enough clementines.

I like the design, however, I tend to avoid giant designs on my lady parts. Ugh, I cannot believe I just wrote “lady parts.” But you know what I mean. I hesitate to get nitty gritty in a review post I am writing sober. This design does not bother me as much as others because the pattern repeats at the bottom. If it was singular, it would be a pass for me. It does bother me that the design does not line up on the sides, as shown in the second picture. Despite that, I have wishlisted this in hopes of getting it on sale.

The Crossed Pointelle Pullover is pretty. I like the design. It will be easy to layer this pullover over pretty slips or longer shirts. Or you could just wear it with pencil skirts. I am wearing a medium and it fit well and was soft and comfortable.

IMG_3118.JPG

Tricky. Tricky. The Tecoma Blouse is going to be a love/hate item. I happen to love it. It is an online only item, but my store happened to have one in my size medium that someone else had returned. I expect this to happen a lot. The pattern is amazing. The ties at the elbow are sweet yet sophisticated. The cut is flattering. It will go with pretty much any skirt that you own.

And everything about it is perfect. Except one kind of huge thing. The fabric.

Oh. That fabric. For many reasons, and so little, I own a variety of pirate wench costumes. Huh? Let’s ignore that little confession and just get to the point. My costumes always come with some sort of striped fabric. This fabric feels like that. It is that awful silky polyester that will be hot and sweaty. But I still bought it. Why? Because I just could not get over the wonderfulness of all of its other attributes. Plus, I’m used to being sweaty pirate costumes. I plan on wearing my shirt with everything. This week I will be pairing it with my Dotty Trumpet Skirt from a few years ago. I also want to mention that the top is very short. If you have a long torso, this might be a difficult top to tuck in.

IMG_3121.JPG

Gawh! Did I break the internet? I think not as my bum was all ready broken. I was trying to show the back of the skirt as well as the side of the shirt but instead ended up looking like a weirdo. Next time you are in a dressing room and you hate what you just tried on, just imagine that the person next door is taking odd selfies like this one. You will feel better. As for me, well, I better just stick to my pirate costumes… instead of Arr-nthropologie. Now that probably broke the internet.

Have you tried anything good on lately? Do you want to dress up like a tiger butterfly or a pirate? Or a pirafly? Or a buttrate? Oh. This could be dangerous. I better stop while I’m ahead

Cockatiels and Stripes?

IMG_2926.JPG

This outfit pretty much represents what is going on in my brain at any given moment.

IMG_2669.JPG

Colorful cockatiels trying to mate with bright stripes. It is like a smorgesboard of crazy, but I think it works.

But again, I think in cockatiels and stripes, so my thoughts should be taken with a grain of salt.

IMG_2666.JPG

Unless you’re a cockatiel.

I’ve heard salt is bad for birds.

IMG_2663.JPG

Not as bad as rocks. Or airplanes. Or cats. Or stripes.

But close.

IMG_2662.JPG

Can we please be sober serious for a moment?

IMG_2670.JPG

I purchased this red and white striped skirt from eShatki years ago before I had a blog. It remains one of my favorite pieces in my closet and I previously wore it here.

IMG_2665.JPG

The cockatiel top was another older purchase. It is by Daniel Rainn (I cannot find it or a similar enough top to link to, but I have seen this top on eBay). I bought it for $13 at Nordstrom Rack many years ago. I had never worn it before. It is a tricky top. It has a sheen and it is a peplum shape (hidden by the skirt).

IMG_2927.JPG

I scored the Anthropologie Waterfront Wedges on a popback for 85% off recently (sold out, similar here). I have wanted to wear them with everything.

What do your thoughts look like? Are they bird and stripe shaped? Peanut and alligators? Polka dots and rabid wolves? I think I may have a problem. My thoughts don’t go together. But at least I can pretend that my outfit patterns do.

Zig Zags and Plaid

IMG_2449.JPG

“I don’t really think that goes together,” my husband bravely said when I tried on my new popback score of The Draped Plaid Top (sold out but similar here and similar plus size here) with my zig zag skirt from 2013.

IMG_2450.JPG

I was slightly disturbed by this because I had purchased the shirt with the sole intention of it going with this Waverly A-line Skirt (sold out, similar here).

IMG_2451.JPG

“Well, I like it. A lot,” voiced my daughter from her spot on the couch.

IMG_2447.JPG

“Thank you!” I exclaimed. “I like it, too!”

She studied it some more, “In fact, I don’t think that top would look good with anything else.”

IMG_2439.JPG

I turned around and looked at it in the mirror.

IMG_2432.JPG

“I don’t know.” I pondered. “I bet it would look amazing with a brown floral skirt.”

“Oh yeah!” My daughter agreed. “But you don’t own a brown floral skirt. I was just thinking of things that you all ready have.”

IMG_2429.JPG

I almost completely agree with her. I could still wear this top with a black, denim or cream skirt but it would not have that “special” factor one looks for in an outfit.

IMG_2438.JPG

I love this shirt and skirt together so much. I lived in my pajamas while my kids were on winter break and it was so nice to be able to dress up again.

IMG_2437.JPG

Since I have been dieting since January 1st, I have to feel good during the day or I will fail. I will eat until I feel bad about myself. Then I will feel bad about myself and eat. It is an endless cycle. Putting on something that gives me more confidence is kind of like a food barrier.

IMG_2430.JPG

Speaking of food, I wore this outfit out to lunch with my husband and the waitress was so complimentary about it. She yelled out the door at me, “Keep rockin’ your style! I love it!” Which is the sweetest thing to say ever. I will admit it put a bounce to my step as I skipped back to the car.

IMG_2436.JPG

I am trying really hard to wear what I all ready own this year. I have so many outfit ideas swimming around in this head of mine that I cannot wait to try. I love this skirt. I have previously worn it here and here. I like that the plaid top breathes new life into it.

IMG_2428.JPG

And I have a crutch. These boots. They were $50 almost four years ago at the flea market. The best $50 I ever spent. But since they go with everything, I tend to be lazy and pair them with an outfit without any thought to the other boots in my closet. And I have lots of other boots that I do not utilize enough.

But these are my favorite.

Plus they’re always out in plain sight so I don’t have to tear apart my closet looking for them.

IMG_2444.JPG

Do you have an outfit crutch? Are you trying to break the habit or are you okay with it? I think I am a little of both.

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

Falling For Oldies

IMG_9852.JPG

I find it really hard sometimes to understand that I have enough clothes. For years I barely had any and it is hard to get my mind in a state of change. Especially when something I have been wanting goes on sale. I am learning to just let things go.

Quality over quantity.

And all of that.

IMG_9853.JPG

I shopped my closet and put together these two pieces from Anthropologie many years ago. The skirt is old. I only remember it was one of the first Anthropologie pieces I bought on sale. I rarely wear it. I have found it hard to style in the past.

IMG_9854.JPG

But then I paired it with this top that I often forget that I have, but when I remember, I get super happy. I love the red and white striped silhouette with the dramatic crochet sleeves.

IMG_9848.JPG

The earrings are old, too. They are ombre thread wrapped hoops. Although I forgot to request a closeup, I think you can kind of see them here, in a picture for an upcoming cookie post.

IMG_9855.JPG

Do you have any items in your closet that unexpectedly make a happy outfit marriage? I love when I can find new ways to wear a piece of clothing.