It’s rare that a sweater dress looks good on me. I tend to avoid them like the plague. A few weeks ago Anthropologie delivered an email about the Amarena Dress ($148). (Copy editing stickler side note: I just noticed they misspelled the dress name in the email. No wonder I keep getting confused on the name!) Though the model looks just stunning in the complete look above I was sure the results would be quite different on me. Natalie tried it on and it looked amazing on her! It convinced me to give it a go.
But haha, no. There’s accentuating curves and then there’s marking them seem cartoonish and this dress does the latter to me. My waist is very tiny for my size. The result is that the skirt portion of the dress seems to be jutting out like a petticoat. Not especially flattering. The Amarena Dress seems beautifully made and I think it looks terrific on many peeps. Just not me.
After that experience you’d think I’d be soured on sweater dresses. Nope. The Snowdrop Shift ($158) looked too encouraging on the hanger to pass up. I guess it goes to show that every once in awhile you get lucky. I think this dress looks pretty good on. I tried on the small and it was a bit roomy in the bust. I didn’t want to size down to an x-small though. Suffice it to say this Knitted & Knotted dress runs large.
I was so glad to see some fabric under the lace top! With the sheer trend you’d expect it to be just the lace. The waist is sitting nicely at my smallest part and the skirt flares out just enough to keep my hips in proportion before settling straight down. You can dress this dress up or down with accessories. Another item for my wish list, the one that has ballooned to 120 items. Or almost the entire annual paycheck at my first job out of school. Hence the update to my About Me section on the blog.
The Anemone Bloom Cardigan ($118) photographed very well off the bright dress. This Karen Nichol masterpiece is sure to attract animal hair. I tried on the small but I’d have to size up to my true size medium to close it without gaps. I love that the pattern extends onto the back. Does anyone else think it looks more like a big corsage than an anemone though? Semantics, I know.
I also grabbed the Pucker-Up Cardigan ($98) by Bailey 44. I tried on the purple, a color that doesn’t seem to be available on the website at the moment. This piece is jersey but it has such a high rayon mix that it feels very slippery. The sleeves are very long as the pic on the right illustrates. I cannot believe the price. It feels like something I would have bought from Rave, Rampage or Forever 21 at 13. Completely disposable. I expect a lot more from this label and they have done so much better, like the A Thousand Tiers Dress ($188). I can’t lie, I was pretty disgusted by this cardigan. Not by the look but by the quality, material and price. Seems like I’m in the minority since the reviews are overwhelmingly positive on the website. I could not get it off fast enough though.
love the sweater dress with the draped sweater!!
All 330 million at Anthropologie? Come on, no new apartment? Country home? Christian Louboutin's? Trip across the globe eating and shopping? (I am up for the last two, I could buy my Louboutin's during my trip, and maybe a trainer to work off all the food i am eating.) And, maybe it is the photo, but the black sweater dress looks fine on you. Ewe! And I hate cheap fabric!
Well I have a few other things on the list…helping my parents pay off their house/retire, ditto my sis, buying a townhouse with a garage for a mini cooper, etc. Donating to a few of my favorite charities, etc.But after that, Anthropologie.
See, I am selfish! Good for you for sharing the wealth. I would like a Mini Cooper, though. See, selfish, selfish selfish!
I love the Knitted and Knotted dress and Karen Nicols Cardi on you. It's a corsage, according to its online description. Very cute cardi, but I don't like 'hair-attracting' outfits. :(Roxy, Weren't you looking for Isabella Skirt (style #923008)? I saw one in (size 4, I believe) on the salesrack of this small Anthro store I happened to be in yesterday. (I am traveling and have to check out local Anthros, you know)It's in Burlingame, California.Phone: (650) 685 – 6637Give them a call, if you are still interested. The SAs were not at all friendly or helpful, from my observance, standing in check-out line, to a couple of young women asking to search in other stores for 2 skirts they wanted. Even before the girls gave the style numbers of the skirts they were describing, the 2 SAs told them, "you are not going to get free shipping, you know that, right?" in a snooty way.But worth a try calling them, if you want that lone Isabella skirt. You may get a different set of SAs this morning.
Anonymous, thank you! I am looking for the Isabella Skirt but in a size 10. Quite disappointing to hear that the SAs were being rude. 🙁 A few weeks ago I went to Bloomingdales ready to make a few big purchases and I had such awful customer service that I've sworn off the store altogether. I cut up my card and am looking for the items elsewhere.
The pucker-up cardigan isn't exactly meant to be worn with a dress. That is probably why you didn't like it. It looks way better with jeans and even a belt. I love it and totally think it's worth the price tag.
True, Anon. It didn't photograph well at all against my jeans, hence the pairing with the light colored dress. Out of curiosity, what color did you buy the cardi in? A friend owns it in grey and I noticed it felt much softer than the purple one I tried on.
Hey Roxy – just wondeing what size you tried on in the Amarena dress? I tend to take the same sizes as you do and would like to know before I order it online 🙂 Thanks!
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Hi Kati, it was a medium. 🙂 Good luck! The dress has looked amazing on everyone but me I've seen it on and I'm sure it will look fab on you too!
Oh no, sorry the Amarena dress didn't work on you! I have a small waist too and it seemed to really flatter me for whatever reason, although maybe it helped that I sized down to a small, Anthro sweaterdresses are always droopy on me otherwise. Like the Hidden Sprigs dress too, and the Snowdrop Shift, both of which seemed to fit me perfectly in an XS.The Pucker Up cardigan looks so disappointing! I can't believe the price either. The Anenome Cardigan looks much nicer though 🙂
I scored the Anemone Bloom Cardigan the other day new with tags for about $0.10!!! I was so excited.