Why styling matters: The Rosewood Lace Blouse

left model: jacket // dress // belt // shoes
middle model: hat // necklace // top // jeans // booties
right model: sweater // necklace // jeans // mules

On Instagram, I follow over 200 Anthropologie stores. Why? Because the store stylists are so talented! Take this photo for above for example. The smiling model in the middle is wearing the Rosewood Lace Blouse ($128), which I suddenly need after seeing this photo.

This top has been available online but I hadn’t noticed it there. Why not? Come on inside for the reasons and to see this top beautifully styled by a couple of other Anthropologie stores…

Above, this is how the Rosewood Lace Blouse ($128) is styled online. This is how the Rosewood Lace Blouse ($128) is styled online!!! I…just…there almost aren’t any words. Could the styling of this top be any less inspiring? No offense meant to this model who I see all over the place and think generally does a very good job of showing off the clothes rather than it being “I AM A MODEL LOOK AT ME and oh yeah clothing…”

Still, to look on this top online I’d think 1) it looks like a rectangle, 2) you probably need small boobs to wear it and 3) this shot is so boring who even wants to try this?

The catalogue shot is somewhat better…

top // belt // skirt

…but still, even here there’s no clue about how cute this top truly is! This is what I don’t understand about Anthropologie right now. They are making cute stuff! I swear! Really! But to look at the website you would hardly know it. The site is so very uninspiring right now, and it’s partly a styling issue and partly a photography issue — I get a headache just looking at all the off-angle, over-posed, claustrophobic product shots.

And before you tell me “well this all very fashion-y and editorial,” well, so what? It’s not good website design either. There are too many product shots across each row for the way the models are posed. The section photos are also too small. And contrary to popular belief, the highly editorial styling Anthropologie is now employing in its photos do not push sales of those items — they may draw general inquiries from big spenders, but each item itself generally underperforms highly stylized posing.

Brands like Zara get away with all the off-angle shots because they use a very plain background, and the last product photo is always the item posed head-on without a model even in it! Anthropologie has abandoned that photo altogether.

Again, look at how cute the Rosewood Lace Blouse ($128) looks in real-life styling…

The top looks beautiful here and while this model has a smaller frame, this styling would work on nearly any body type. It’s inspiring and you can tell she’s happy to be wearing this! After seeing this photo I want to be happy wearing this top too! *runs out to store to buy top*

jacket // top // clutch // skirt // booties

Yet another beautiful styling of the top. Suddenly I have three fantastic ways to style it! None of these photos are linked up on the product page’s galllery (which also showcases mostly style bloggers or people of model sizes wearing their Anthro items, which gets the serious side-eye from me to begin with). Not only that, suddenly the other items in the outfits become much more interesting to me. Would I have noticed this skirt before? No, but now I want to take a closer look!

The Rosewood Lace Blouse ($128) may not end up working on me, but I’m enamored of the Instagram styling and disappointed by the website styling. There is so lost opportunity here my head hurts.

What items have you noticed looking great on Anthropologie Store Instagram accounts? Check back tomorrow for another item expertly styled by the stores.


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