Anthro’s work interpretation with the Marston Sweater Skirt ($98)…
…and mine. In general I try to stay away from sweater skirts but this one’s warm gold color was calling to me (I have a weakness for fall yellows). Oh wait, what’s this? Anthropologie calls this skirt orange. Maybe we can compromise? Mustard? It’s made from a chunky knit that you’ll immediately want to take a sweater razor too. Don’t — those fuzzies are intentional.
The skirt has four pockets on it in deadly spots for my thighs. Really wearing any skirt with pockets on the front is just me asking for trouble. Surprisingly this one more or less worked. I didn’t feel like it made my thighs look any bigger than they already were and the straight shape cast a decent silhouette. The waist is stretchy like the rest of the skirt. Kudos to Moth on making something that feels comfy without being spandex. I tried on the medium for reference, my usual size.
While I like the skirt it doesn’t strike me as very modern. It’s an interesting style and I haven’t seen anything else like it yet for fall. That alone makes it wishlist worthy. I’m still debating whether it would work in my wardrobe.
For a test drive outfit I added the Stretching Sprigs Cardigan ($118) from Karen Nichol. I first noticed this cardigan when Maria from Infinite Whimsy pointed it out. Is $118 the new starting price for embellished cardigans at Anthropologie now? That’s gross. I always felt $88 was fair (2008) and $98 was pushing it (last year) and now we’re at almost a buck-twenty?
Price grumbling aside this cardigan is lovely. I love the thick stitching at the neckline as well as the vines twisting near the top. But what really got me were the buttons. They come in two fabric-covered varieties and the effect is just the right amount of whimsy. From far away it looks like buttons. Closer inspection reveals the crafty touch. The large was the best fit for me, one size up from normal.
Deletta’s Trickle Down Top ($68) was the finishing touch for this potential look. Shocker of shocks, this top was sheer. All of the colors seemed to suffer from this ailment. I was less than delighted. The thicker slub of this shirt meant you could probably get away with a nude bra underneath and go camiless — just don’t wear a dark skirt with it. I was not enamored of the sleeve either. It’s a small chiffon cap that bordered on making my shoulders look huge. With some adjustment I got the sleeves to sit to my satisfaction but I would have prefered more of a princess style sleeve. Maybe with a strap and button at the bottom and just a bit of a ruffle edge?
The small fit good to loose on me but I wouldn’t go down to an extra small. I was worried about how the trailing ribbons would look over my 34D chest. It wasn’t bad at all; the ribbons did not stick out too far. This top is very cute! But the sheerness issue once again is a dealbreaker for me. Back to the rack.
Outfit number two begins with a doppleganger. I’ve highlighted other brands knocking off interpreting Anthropologie’s designs before and now it’s Anthro’s turn to deliver their own spin on an item. For $276 on sale here (or $400 at regular price) you could have Elizabeth and James’ Double-Breasted Blazer. Or you could go to Anthro and try on Sine’s Brief Meeting Blazer ($148). Imitation. Flattery. Sincere.
Have to admit Anthro knocked it out of the park here. I hate blazers but I was in love the second I slipped this one on. In blazers I’m normally a 10 but the 12 was a better fit here. Sine cut this blazer small. The sleeves have a very cool ruching effect at the elbow. This jacket is not meant to be buttoned all the way down (though you can if you so desire). I very nearly bought this blazer. I expect to pick it up later this week. Compared to its inspiration this jacket is practically a bargain.
Once again I gave the complete look a shot. Deletta again serves as the base layer courtesy of the Night Petals Tank ($68), a faux wrap with a sweeping bias cowlneck. I reached for my usual size small which felt comfortable on but seeing these photos I think the medium would be better. The pattern varies from top to top. I love the scoopneck which is low enough to frame the collarbones but high enough to be work-appropriate. The tencil material makes it a delicate item to care for. It’s worth it though. Wishlisted!
I purposely passed on the Acting Out Skirt ($88) over the summer, but now that it’s been released in darker colors I can no longer resist. I initially tried the skirt on last weekend and man did I have some issues. I could not understand what the big fuss was about this skirt. It was lumpy in front, dumpy from the side and looked really funny to me. And why was the security sensor placed in such an odd spot?
When I got home I realized I’d tried the skirt on sideways. Oh.
So it was back to the store to give it another shot. And what do you know? When put on correctly it was quite flattering, encapsulating my legs in ways I didn’t think possible. My usual size 8 seemed to be the right size. Liked it enough to wishlist it for further consideration at sale time.
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