As Anthropologie’s Fall and Winter lines continue to trickle in, I can’t help but pine for the days when I was swooning over everything at all once. I see them trying but right now Antho’s getting beat at its own game by some other retailers. I thought it could be fun to point out some Anthro-like items I’ve seen at other stores and then turn it over to you to share Anthro-like items you’ve spotted elsewhere too.
Last time around we took on dresses. Today? Sweaters.
Sweaters — you know, those heavy knit things that keep us warm in the winter? Retailers seem to have become allergic to them in recent years. Instead they flood the store with resort and Spring as soon as possible. But some of us like winter!! (Ahem, January baby here, thanks.)
Anthropologie’s assortment has been low on the memorable knits they usually issue, though there are a few beautiful pieces worth mentioning. The Dimensional Petals Cardi ($168, review) didn’t end up working out for me but it’s the kind of classic Anthropologie sweater design I adore. The new Embroidered Cableknit Cardigan ($198) might be a winner if the embroidery is as rich as it looks in the new holiday catalogue. I adored the Transverse Placket Sweater ($228) when I tried it on, and the Morning Birds Sweatercoat ($198, review) has the community’s hearts aflutter.
Still my eyes can’t help but drift to some other retailers content to steal Anthro’s thunder. I’ll share some sweaters I have in my sights and then please share yours in the comments!
Free People, Anthropologie’s boho sister store and a sponsor of this very blog, has been killing it lately. They’ve been on a roll with me since their September 2012 catalogue and I’ve been dog-ear’ing pages ever since. When it comes to sweaters I can’t help but wonder if some of the Anthro team jumped ship to FP. I’ve got several of their latest designs on my wishlist and they seem more than a little Anthro-reminiscent.
Take the Crochet Back Pattern Pullover ($148) for example. From the front it looks ordinary but the back has beautiful crochet work. The bottom hem has adorable scallops. Heck, they even paired the sweater with a pair of polka-dotted cords not unlike the AG Stevie Polka-Dotted Cords available at Anthro. The Three Spinners Pullover ($108) and its heavier cousin the Stripe Cowl Neck Sweater ($398, not shown) do slouchy stripes right. Then in the bottom row above you’ve got two wintery knits in winning patterns. And is it just me or do these prices seem very fair by Free People standards and even by Anthropologie guidelines?
Do thermals count as sweaters? I argued with my dude about this last night with him coming down on the no side. If they do, I love these two and wish Anthropologie would poach them from their sister store:
There’s nothing too major about either of these tops. Just a fun cuff on each that makes them eminently layerable and wearable. Not too much to ask, is it?
Sometimes I want a pattern that’s all about mixed materials like liamolly’s Wren Jacket ($100). Sometimes I just want cute animals on my sweaters! Remember when Anthropologie used to release three or four items per year with owls splashed across them? What happened to those days and how do we get them back?!? Owls are having such a moment right now too. Anthro doesn’t seem to be getting onboard.
I love how slimming the Hummingbird Cowlneck Sweater ($100) looks. The color scheme is perfect for winter and it looks heavy enough for those chilly days come December and January. As for the hedgehog sweater, I’ve loved those little spiny guys ever since I was a tot.
I know that I already mentioned these Tory Burch sweaters in my November 2012 wishlist post but it’s worth bringing them up again because they remind me so much of the Charlotte Tarantola cardigans Anthropologie blazed through a few years back. Wither these cardis, Anthro? Likewise, the Nina Ricci sweater above reminds me of Anthropologie’s Laced Dots Sweater from 2009 which I own and love. I’d be thrilled to see something similar in Anthro’s stores now.
Then again sometimes simple, elegant quality is all you need. At $900 it’s no small spend but wouldn’t the Burberry Prorsum cashmere sweater shown above also be at home in Anthro? The small open stitches around the neckline. The slim fit and small cowl. A beautiful, rich color. If only. If only.
Those are some of the chunky knits filling up my wishlist dreams. What sweaters have you seen around that remind you of Anthropologie?
