Guest post: Reviews by Kathryn

Last week we welcomed the wonderful Carol from In Pursuit of Pretty Things to the guest blogging fold. This week her partner in crime Kathryn takes the reins with her own guest reviews set. I am thrilled that so many are willing to contribute to the community! I’m loving every second of it. 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…

Hello everyone! I hope this day finds you well! I took a trip down to San Diego last weekend to visit my good friend and co-blogger Carol, of In Pursuit of Pretty Things . Our objective was to interview Kelly McPheters, our Nordstrom Personal Stylist, for our blog. (The first part of our Kelly interview can be found here.) However, since there is a lovely Anthropologie store conveniently located in the same mall, and I had my birthday discount card burning a hole in my purse, we decided to stop by to take a peek!

Here’s a neat little dress by Leifsdottir called the Southern Chorus Shirtdress, Style #030038. ($278)

Carol noticed this dress right away and suggested that I give it a go, because a) it was by Leifsdottir, b) she had a feeling it would fit well, and c) it had frogs all over it. I was immediately drawn to all the pretty detailing, from the cutout shoulder detail to the gold buttons to the underlying stripes within the fabric of the dress. The overall shape and structure of the dress even looked cute on the hanger. So I grabbed my normal size 4 (I’m 5’8”, 130 lbs.), and whoa. I found myself scratching my head – there I was, admiring a dress covered in frogs.

Actually, from afar the pattern looks like some sort of abstract floral print. It’s only when you look closer that you realize the pattern is made up of frogs. I suppose if the frogs were shown in profile, or in mid-hop, or on lily pads on a pond, the effect could be too cartoonish. That said, the illustration of the frogs on this dress – flat and side-by-side to one another – brings me back to 7th grade biology class when I had to dissect a frog for the first time.

As for the cut and style of the actual dress, it fit like a dream. It was a little tough to get it on at first, as the gold buttons were not the easiest to button or unbutton. There is also a side zipper for the dress, but I found that I needed to unbutton and unzip the dress in order to be able to put it on. But once the dress was on, it nipped in very flatteringly at the waist and the skirt flared out ever-so-delicately. And I loved the slight asymmetrical hem at the bottom. The fabric felt like a high quality cotton blend.

The cons with this dress for me were the price (ah, the ever-so-“healthy” price of a Leifsdottir, the Lexus of Anthropologie dresses…) and…well, the frogs. I would actually be tempted drop three bills on this dress if it came in a floral pattern, straight solid or even if it was just the stripes, without the frogs. I loved the cut and the style and the fit that much. However, I know that the frog/stripe pattern is totally befitting of the Leifsdottir label. I’m just not sure I have it in me to pull it off.

Here’s the Followspot Tank by Odille, Style #013194 ($98).

This pretty little top caught my eye when it appeared on the website a few weeks back, so I was excited to see it in the Fashion Valley store. I love it! I adore the pop of colors and the soft, fluttery silk. I grabbed a size 4 and it fit pretty well. I’m a 34B, and it felt like I could’ve sized down to a 2 if I wanted. The 4 was fine though, and it might even be better for me, since I have a long torso. I could imagine layering this top under a cardi and pairing it with any range of bottoms – dark wash trouser jeans, suit pants or even a pencil skirt. There’s love here, ladies. What I don’t love, however, is the price. ($98! Gah!) Y’all best believe I’ll be watching like a hawk for this one to go on sale.

The Rainforest Morning Shirtdress by Moulinette Soeurs, Style #033050 ($158).

I already own the Maeshowe Shirtdress, so I decided to give this one a try since it seems to be its sister. If you missed out on the Maeshowe the first time around, I highly recommend getting this dress. It’s a flattering shape on various body types and the colors on the dress really pop! I own the Maeshowe in a 6, but tried the 4 in the Rainforest, and it fit just fine. I’d be tempted to snap this one up when it goes on sale.

Thanks for reading my guest reviews, and happy shopping!