For Spring 2016, Anthropologie is pulling out all the stops. Long known for its beautiful spring dresses this year brings a bountiful bevy of frocks to choose from. The drool has been pretty much non-stop for me over the last couple of weeks as Anthro has slowly debuted dress after dress; now that March is finally here I can officially say that this is the best month ever! Sure to inspire closets filled anew with tons of dresses for now and ever.
I’m delighted by so much about this collection. Besides its sheer size, I love that Anthropologie’s design team has thoughtfully catered to every strata of its clientele, from the office girl to the jet-setter to the offbeat dresser to the more traditional fit-and-flare girl. Nevermind that I just happen to be every single one of those things myself! (I know you probably are too, at times.)
So my wishlist looks a little like a 5-year-old’s Christmas list right now…I want one of these beautiful laser-cut draped dresses and one of those botanical midi pretties and one of these silk frocks for good measure.
Inside, pretties you may have seen and pretties you may have missed. And then tomorrow, reviews!
It’s like Anthropologie told its design team, think of every customer you can who loves us and design at least one dress for her. It sounds insane when you’re used to doing cohesive, tight collections and yet I believe this is exactly where Anthro needed to go — let the word spread that this Spring if you need a dress there is no other store besides Anthropologie you need to visit!
I’ve been loving the experiments of classics with a twist in Anthro’s designs recently and for this dress explosion it’s yielded some particularly pretty results. I’m absolutely in love with the sleek Bow-Back Shift ($148), which from the front is an ideal work dress for my current casual yet a bit fashion-forward office, while from the back the delightful cute yet understated bow is exactly what the date night doctor ordered. (Yes, says my guy, I’m looking at the…bow…right.) This solid red version pictured above is giving me life, though I also enjoy the Hermès-evoking rope pattern of the other colorway.
This dress is by no means the only cute mini Anthro’s unveiled. Also hitting my wishlist is the fun yellow-and-white designed Lemon Lace Shift ($168); the stunning blue Arette Lace Dress ($158) — seriously, wow to that color!; the soft red Mia Dress ($138) which I wonder will this be the cross-front dress that finally works on me?
As this dress works for work too, it has me eyeing a few of the newest work-ready dresses among the new arrivals, like the Loredana Dress ($198) and the Vanda Pencil Dress ($168). More work dresses, Anthro! Keep them coming.
Then there are the dresses that make my heart race, they look so fun to wear! Leading this charge is the Juliet Dress ($228), a dress which again I can wear to work but I also envision as a warm-weather weekend staple. What a beautiful pattern with its eyelet kites and medallions and x-print! I want it in about 7 colors, please.
Another jaw-dropper for me is the red-and-white Petaluma Dress ($178) which has that perfect v-neckline and slight flare to the skirt that is flattering on my curves, and nearly everyone else too. You know, one of those dresses you can’t help but light up in? Likewise, I’ve taken another look at the Petale Sweater Shift ($158) and now I’m wondering how I could have missed this geometric beauty earlier, and hope for a few more cold days to wear it before Spring sets in.
As well there are the dresses to take your breath away, like the Eveline Dress ($688). Although I know there will be some grumblings about this dress’s price point and the other high-end offerings, I am delighted to see Anthro giving its designers both in-house and out license and free rein to design amazing pieces with intricate details such as this one. Really, Anthro has always done this and they got away from it for awhile. For its customers looking for special occasion dresses (which I need about once a season for charity events and corporate galas), to find these dresses via Anthropologie brings me buckets of pleasure!
Besides, not all the dresses bringing the good kind of drama are so pricey. The Paimpont Silk Dress ($198), which already lives in my closet via its previous incarnation, is a fantastic dress for fancy date night, the theatre, the ballet, and on and on. The black colorway of the Elysian Maxi Dress ($148) could easily be dressed up with the right jewelry, and has an element of visual drama that is beautiful and eye-catching.
I have been challenging Anthropologie to find its boho voice apart from its Free People sister store, and they are answering the call more and more. I love the new takes on boho I’m seeing at Anthro, like the Abita Shirtdress ($148) above. In this area Anthro needs to distinguish itself through length, pattern and material.
The answer comes too via peasant dresses like the Anwen Peasant Dress ($148), the many pretty patterns of the Endora Swing Dress ($158), and tantalizing stunners like the Sakura Maxi Dress ($368). How can I choose from such fabulous options? Is it too much to say that I truly want them all, each for different purposes and reasons?
Good, because there is still more…
The fit-and-flare is alive and well at Anthropologie, thank god. And thank goodness they are listening to our pleas for dresses that hit at or near the knee! Options like the soft and sexy Ruffled Clipdot Dress ($158) have me dreaming of summer visits to Coney Island, while cuties like the gingham Willa Dress ($148) remind me that any day can be dress day! Then there’s the pretty in pink Claribel Dress ($168) which makes me feel even more feminine just looking at it…sigh, it’s so perfect. The patterned Chirography Dress ($188), with its cinched waist, has also caught my eye.
My dream walk-in closet needs yet another section just for these.
And finally, there is even a bevy of denim to choose from! I must admit that though I made a promise to myself not to buy any more strapless dresses a few years ago, the Strapless Denim A-Line ($148) is tempting me greatly. Anthro’s come up with some very appealing, non-denim looking denim options like the Marin Chambray Dress ($148) and the crazy yet cool Pieced Denim Dress ($168). The Cloe Denim Midi Dress ($198) isn’t even definable as denim until you look very closely!
What new dresses have you delighted right now?
