Note: Welcome to part 1 of 5 in the 2009 Anthropologie recap! Over the course of the week we’ll take a look back at 2009 and guess what’s coming in 2010. Coming up we’ll take a look at some trends that Anthro took on, some WTF moments, some items I regret not picking up, and musings on Anthro news from the year.
Today I picked out some of my favorite items from the year to highlight. This post could have gone on and on so I tried to whittle down the list. All of these items have one thing in common: they’re pieces you won’t find anywhere else. Anthropologie is at its best when it ignores the trends and designs items that appeal to the touch of whimsy within us all.
RicRac’s Country Life Top: I have this top in both aqua and plum. Soft pima jersey is pretty tempting by itself but what made this one buyable is the layers of pleats and raw edge detailing. It’s a great weekend top that’s entering its second winter in my closet.
Sweet William Blouse by McGinn: You’ll see this top mentioned later this week on my list of things I wish I’d bought. It was the beginning of Anthro’s take on menswear and women’s wear. With Oxford-like stripes and a bouquet of poplin flowers upon the left lapel area the top is right on-trend right now.
Bourdeaux’s Tatra Vista Shell (outfits in this post): Back in February Anthropologie released a whole bunch of tops with featured backs. This one was always my favorite. Made of modal with just a hint of spandex, it’s a draped beauty from the front with a Grecian turn in the back. The silhouette is simple but elegant. I saw pieces at other stores that attempted but never succeeded in what this top does.
Odille’s Winding Lane Top: Simple gingham with contrast stitching and a ruffle placket. I own the tan/white version of this top and I wear it under cardigans all the time in the cold. Over the summer it got plenty of use in outfits similar to the model shot above. Lovely, classic and slightly frilly. Exactly what I want from Anthropologie.
Sweet Olive Shift by Molly New York: Despite a dangerous plunging neckline this dress was ahead of the shimmery metal trend we saw everywhere this fall. The lace detailing took it a step above the other gold dresses I’ve seen. Love it, wish I’d kept this one.
Floreat’s Krasna Dress: It’s the details that matter and Floreat nailed them in this dress. From the delicate keyhole to the banded waistline to the growing medallion print, this dress is adorable and perfect on every level for spring and summer. Even the model can’t contain her pleasure at being in the dress.
C. Keer’s Compass Points tee: With colors from the Mediterranean and a pattern to match, this was my first embellished tee of the year. It looks surprisingly sharp under a blazer and is perfect for warm-weather weekend wear. Best of all? No necklace required.
Winged Victory Top by Odille: I have waxed poetically about this one before. So I’ll just say that I love it because it’s beautiful, different and flawlessly executed.
These are just a few of my favorite things — I have a much longer list that includes bags, shoes and jewelry in my head! What are your favorite Anthropologie items from 2009?
I too have the Winding Lane top, in the navy and white check and I adore it. I was just thinking I need to wear it more this winter. I also wish I had bought the Sweet William top as well – so cute. Sigh.Great post Roxy!
This is hard to decide, but I think it would be in this order:1. Sunday Best Hat. I've received so many compliments and comments on it. 2. Dandelion Wish Dress. It not only fits me perfectly, but the design, print, and material is so me.3. Buoyant Chiffon Blouse. It's delicate, but so unique and I love it so.4. Scarf-Tied Oxfords. They're so comfortable and so much fun. Whimsical, unique, and so beautiful.But after seeing the Hydrangea Flurry Vest on you, I'm drooling over that piece now. So much so that I'm considering it at full price. What a beautiful, timeless and classic piece.This was a fun post!
I love that winding lane top. I'm so glad we've met thru the blogs. Your posts on Anthro really helped bring me back to my true personal style. It definitely needs some flair and Anthro has it.
I agree with the winged victory top. it is soo beautiful and unique 🙂
Some of my favorites of 2009, no particular order:1) Jacqueline Dress – perfect summer dress. 2)Spun Sugar Dress – prettiest dress.3) Stretching Acres Cardigan – great summer layer.4)Artists Tote bag – perfect cute yet functiional tote.5)Blustery Days Dress Jacket – comfy, unique, great color fall/winter layer.6)Checkered Please Jacket – just love it!7)Stork Club Jacket – vintage, warm, special.
best: tsukiyama top. this is what anthro does best for me — asian and floral, my two favorite design themes. i bought it full price when i first saw it, and no regrets because i always get compliments when i wear it.runners up: musings dress because even though it looks plain, it fits me really well, and the dainty duffle bag for finally giving me a nice gym bag, which i've wanted for years on end. buoyant chiffon blouse and i flirted but never dated, and sometimes i wonder what could have been… haha.
Hands down, the Neanthe Bella shift dress. And in second place, the Tivoli Scoopneck.
Great picks everyone. I had forgotten about a few of these — Spun Sugar Dress, ahhh — loving it all!
Gigi me too! 🙂 And you know me loveth your blog as well.
Oh … my faves:* Ric Rac ivory blouse w/lace collar & orange & blue pattern on it. Um…follow the instructions and line dry. Mine fits now in length.* Graceful point cardigan* Stormy sea necklace!!
have many favorites but 2 recent purchases that stand out are the halcyon top, a leifsdottir dark denim skirtand a leifsdottir dress i think it is called whiriling zinnias. I am so bad with names.
For me my 6 favorites of the year were: Inverness Trench (how did I function without this?)Timing is Everything sweater – lazy and schlumpy looking but cuteMidnight Blues V-NeckMid Century Modern Skirt (so versatile!)Millbrook Cardigan (jeans, pencil skirt whatever looks awesome! I always get compliments on it which is funny since it really is kind of ugly)A We Love Vera Skirt in green/purple and turquoise – for the number of them on the sale rack no one around me bought the damn thin – their loss!I wish I would have bought the Tea Room Cardigan, slice of lime dress, endless pleats cardigan, bow-tied mini, thousand tiers dress and funneled folds sweater.
LOVE my stormy sea necklace & a beaded headband I picked up in store. Oh, and my Elodie lily cardi- I love birds & feathers.
I have the Sweet Willimas blouse (brand new and i have never worn it yet for whatever reason)!! I am going to wear that this week! Thanks for reminding me that I have that blouse!
Here are my top 7 (listed in chronological order):1) Savile Flora Frame Bag. Possibly my favorite purse ever. 2) Hailstones Shirtdress. This is my favorite Lil dress (so far).3) Wight's Sago Dress. People stop me in the street to ask me where I bought this dress almost every time that I wear it. 4) Duchess Headband. I wear it all the time. It really dresses up a boring ponytail.5) Lorelei Halter Swimsuit. So elegant and so flattering. It's the first one-piece bathing suit that I've bought in years and I love it.6) Flaxen Wedges. They're girly and they add 4 inches to my height!7) Wind-Rippled Tee. It does all of the right things for my figure and the design is really unique.
Ali I forget the names of products too, especially once they sell out. Then I'll see a photo of something online and wrack my brain trying to remember what it's called.sleepynita ITA on the Inverness Trench. So happy to have snagged that one. Molly Darling the Elodie is another one of my faves from this year. It's so pretty and versatile. Anon – hee, glad I could help! Totally jealous of you though. ;)Lola I wear my Flaxen Wedges at least once a week. They are terrific.
I bought the Climbing Marigold cardigan, and I am very glad I did – I love love love it. Wish I could be that happy with all my clothing choices. So of course it's my favorite Anthropologie item of the year (also my first Anthro purchase).
Oh, it's so fun to see your list Roxy! It was very painful to make mine, so hard to cut things out. And it was heavily skewed toward recent arrivals until I looked through my blog archives and remembered some old favorites. I guess my top 10 would have to be:1) Birling Ruffle Coat –Cute, warm and ruffley? I never want to be parted from this.2) Diaphanous Tunic — Super cute and versatile, I bought it in all three colorways.3) Translucent Initial Necklace – I've worn this almost every day since I got mine, and bought more as Xmas gifts for all my best friends.4) Dusky Needlework Dress – No blog love for this, but I thought the fit was stunning, enough so that I got it at full price.5) The Ruffian collaboration tights — all of them!6) Snakebite belt — I'll wear this with almost anything. I have it in the brown and grey, think I need the black too!7) Sun Warmed earrings — I still think these are so pretty. They are the only earrings that tempt me to deviate from my diamond studs on a regular basis.8) Dusty Dolphin Blouse — The cutest thing Anthro has put out all year IMO. I love animal prints :)9) Behind-The-Clouds dress — Pretty! I bought this in the yellow and the teal, and I'm a little sad I didn't get it in the charcoal as well.10) Veselova Wide Leg Pants — These also didn't get a lot of love in the blogosphere, but they are my favorite pair of pants.Honorable mentions to the Glass of Bubbly Dress, the Lost Locale Blouse, the Through the Seasons Jacket (wearing it today!) and the Asters Everywhere dress.
I was looking for an item on the Feb/2009 online catalog and saw that the Krasna dress is still available in a sz 6. It's your size, Roxy… that's a sign! 🙂