Don’t forget to submit your reader outfits for this week! Guidelines are here and this week the deadline is Friday November 18 at 5 PM!! (I will be entertaining guests this weekend.) I love all the submissions so far!!! On to the reviews…
Some on Anthropologie’s design team deserves a bonus! Like a piece from collections of yore, the Beaded Felt Pencil Skirt ($298) is an instant classic. It’s exactly what I come to Anthro for. The skirt impressed in the catalogue and that translated nicely into real life. My biggest fear was that the quality would disappoint. Too soon to report on the long-term durability but so far so good. The sequins, beads and paillettes are sewn firmly into place. I like that the pattern does not continue all the way around the skirt — the trail-off on the sides prevents you from sitting on jagged beads all day. The sequins do have some movement to them but even with a hearty shake (or three) nothing fell to floor from skirt. The skirt has survived two wears impeccably; the beading remains intact and the skirt performed double duty as eye-catching statement maker and exercise equipment. By the end of the day my legs were a bit tired from carrying all the heavy material and embellishment.
I wish the proportions in real life were closer to those of the catalog shot. The skirt is a good inch or two shorter than it looks online. (And the sweater a good three or four inches longer, but that’s fodder for the next item review.) I was able to size down one size to an 8 because the waist is rather loose, but I found it too short for comfort. I purchased this skirt in my usual size 10 so I could wear it lower on my hips and coerce the skirt to hit right above my knee. The 8 hit a few inches above the knees. The skirt is lined which is a good thing with the rough wool base, though the lining peters out before the waistband. If you tend to itch this one might leave you scratching at your midsection. If your budget can tolerate the pricetag I think this is a worthy investment piece. It came home with me immediately.
★★☆☆☆
High hopes quickly faded for the Fading Stitch Pullover ($128), which looks nothing like the catalogue shot in real life. It’s a few inches longer, much stretchier than it looks and pretty fragile. Where is the faded texture of the model shot? The slight flare of the sleeves and bottom hemline? In real life the sweater is yellower and more ordinary. Sad.
My usual size medium already looked stretched and felt very thin on. I could almost see my tank top underneath clearly. Did this sweater go through significant design edits before production? If so I wish they’d kept the original version. Saddest of all…
…is that the brand new sweater I tried already had a big hole at the shoulder. Come on Anthro. This is ridiculous and you are way better than this. Pass.
Open-front cardigans can be challenging to wear but the Incantation Cardigan ($88) beats that reputation nicely. It’s got plenty of wavy tiers spilling down the front and a v in back to add some shape. I have to be honest — I didn’t even see the buttons at the shoulder when I tried this on. But the product page reveals that you can drape this cardi across the chest and button it up if you’d like. Interesting.
My typical medium fit well and felt great. This cardigan isn’t particularly thick, nor will it do much to block the wind. I think this is mostly an office layering piece meant to keep the air conditioning draft off when it’s 40 degrees outside. I also think this would work great on the weekend. I envision wearing this over a long sleeve tee, skinny jeans and boots. Just add my usual cinnamon dolce latte in my hands and I’m good to go! Wishlisted.
The Haute Hippie-ish Glimmer Graph Shell ($158) features a waffle bib and trails of beaded sequins running down the shirt in pinstripe fashion. I love me some shiny so of course this top had to come to the fitting room. This top is sheer but at least it’s silk. It comes with a sash though unfortunately the top I tried in-store had lost its waist adornment. The shirt is nice and long though the straight shape gave me some issues at the hips.
I guessed wrong on sizing. My usual size medium was far too tight around the hips so a large will be required. Still even with the wrong size I could tell this top is lovely. The slight flutter sleeves work well with their lines of beadwork. I also love how this top looks from the back — I might even try to wear it backwards. There was a bit of sticker shock here; I can’t imagine paying full price for this top. So for now it’s wishlisted, waiting for sale.
The lovely Accordion Cutout Skirt ($228) puts a new spin on the maxi with a purposely uneven hemline. Normally visual discord makes me twitch but here the incongruity is an appealing feature. It looks like an ice cream cone to me, with accordion pleats mimicking the effect of a sugary cone placed upside down. Or maybe it’s the gold color playing tricks on me. The skirt I tried on was oddly wrinkled — I wondered how silk wrinkled before realizing I’d been fooled by the material. It’s actually a poly-spandex mix. Whatever, Anthro.
My usual size 10 was slipping down my hips so I traded it in for an 8, which fit well. The skirt does flare out a bit on my hips due to my natural shape but the pleats held nicely (and admirably). With a simple top this skirt is truly lovely. I’m not really much of a maxi fan but I like this skirt. The navy version of this skirt reminds me of Club Monaco’s Ella Skirt ($150), which is $80 less and nearly as cute.
The transformative Bedford Falls Skirt ($298) is a midcentury classic redone with a modern touch. Small buttons up the back frame this calf-length skirt, while two purposely uneven bow tails spill down the front from a thick velvet obi sash. I was smitten — I started wondering who I’d ask to the Sadie Hawkins dance.
This is a tough skirt length for me to pull off, but I think the Bedford Falls Skirt looks alright. I love the dark gold color, though the high waist leaves me feeling short torsoe’d. The medium (my usual size) fit comfortably and is slight give at the waistline. Overall this is a pretty skirt that I’d wait until sale to buy. Wishlisted!
