Guest post: Reviews by Betsy

After a short lull the guest posts return! Betsy was kind enough to send her take on several items our way. I love how she always picks items I might not think to try on thus ensuring the community is covered. I’m endlessly thankful to all the guest reviewers. Please show her some love in the comments! If you’re interested in writing a guest post please email me or click the “contact” link near the top of the blog. On to the guest post…

Hi all! It’s been awhile, so I thought I’d head down to Anthro to check out last week’s big sale, and try on a few new things!

My first pick was the At-First-Sight Jacket by Elevenses ($98). I tried the 6, which fit very well. I’m a fan of the peplum style of this jacket! It’s got a slimming nipped-in waist and the front closes flat with hooks and eyes. I also really like the length of the sleeves. In my experience a lot of short-sleeved blazers have cap sleeves, which do not cooperate well with my tree trunk upper arms. This jacket is made of quality-weight cotton and is lined. Just one beef: the print. It’s a little Aunt Gertrude’s-couch-chintzy. Also, one of the large roses was positioned smack dab over my right boob. Yowza! The great fit and work-appropriateness are almost enough to make up for it, though.

Next up was the Parquet Party Cardigan by Moth ($98) in a medium. I pretty much try on any wrap sweater I find, though the print on this didn’t immediately appeal to me. Once on, though, I loved it. It’s a lightweight linen/cotton blend, and drapes flatteringly. The wraparound tie/sash is a textured gauzy material, and the ¾ length sleeves are my cup of tea. The gray band at the bottom is an interesting touch and the length is good. I like everything about this sweater, except one thing. The hole in the side, where the tie passes through when it wraps, is GINORMOUS. It was completely unnecessary to make it so big. In the second pic you can see it gaping open (that’s my black cami underneath). On sale, I will pounce on this and sew the GIANT FREAKING HOLE most of the way shut along the seam.

Goodbye comfort zone… and hello Sketched Danios Dress (We Love Vera, $158)! FYI – according to Wikipedia, a danio is a brightly colored freshwater fish. I tried an 8. Honestly, the dress itself fit well and looking at the pictures, was flattering. The problem was the elastic belt, which does not adjust. The belt has a rope knot in the front… which does not unfasten. The rope is secured to the elastic and the elastic is held to the dress by annoying tiny belt loops and well… let’s just say you ain’t takin’ off the belt, my friend. At least not in the dressing room. (Note from roxy: There’s a snap where the fabric loops around the rope part of the belt to unfasten it. I can see how that would be confusing though.) Said belt? Was so tight it felt like a corset. And caused the whole dress to feel massively uncomfortable on my square-waisted self. Which is a shame, because it was well made and I liked the shift style, especially the way the wide straps sat gracefully on my shoulders. In the catalog shot at the top of this post the model’s wearing a brown leather belt, which would be a better option for me. I might go for this if it went on sale and I could drop-kick the elastic belt out the nearest window.

On to the Cadena Vest by Adore ($118). I tried the small, which allowed more than enough room given the flowy nature of the vest. This piece is the sort of thing that I am head over heels in love with, but would have no idea how to work into my current day-to-day professional wardrobe. I love the elegant drape, and the contrast of the Joseph’s Technicolor Dreamcoat-esque stripes in the front with the vibrant flower print on the subtle racerback. Unfortunately, with nowhere to wear this vest, I can’t justify the $118 price tag. If I ever move to Arizona and burn sage and open a pottery shop, I will purchase this vest and wear it proudly over a vintage sundress.

Finally, I tried the Beda Dress by Maeve ($118). I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the green version of this dress, as I just can’t do white cotton dresses. The moment I saw it, I knew I’d love it. And I did! A 10 fit nicely at the waist, but I would have liked to have tried an 8 just to see if it was a bit less roomy in the chest (unfortunately my store was out of 8s in both white and green). The Kelly green is so vibrant! And the fit is so flattering and comfy! And it has pockets, as you can see in the last shot (which makes my arm look like an amputated stump)! The only problem is the cap sleeves, but I’m willing to overlook them because this is one seriously pretty dress. There are many thoughtful details which make it extra special, like the carved buttons and little pintucks. I’ve seen other bloggers review it and it just looks good on everybody! I’d love to get this, but alas, with vacation fast approaching, I need to pinch my pennies. Green Beda dress, you will be mine post vacation – or come sale time.