Reviews By Ria (I'm back!)

I guess the Blogging Gods just don't want me to post, huh? When I finally get a moment, Blogger doesn't allow me to log in for three days! So frustrating! They finally got things fixed, it seems, so I'm finally back to post Ria's latest Anthropologie reviews. She tried on a lot of new and popular items, and I hope you find her take helpful. With that said, take it away, Ria!

Eh hem. So apparently graduating+Anthro is a dangerous thing. I recently graduated from college and found myself with a 200 dollar gift card burning a hole in my pocket. I carefully made out a list of small items that I would patiently wait to go on sale, in order to make the most of it. Then of course, I walked through Anthro’s door, forgot all about my careful planning, and pounced on a full priced item I’ve been loving. Typical.



Verdant Slip Dress

There was only one of these left in the entire store and it just happened to be my size, a 2. It was shoved way in the back of a rack of similar dresses, which is probably why it was still hanging around.

And WHAT. THE. FUDGE. Look at that. Just look at what that dress is doing to my stick figure body. The Anthro magician has pulled hips and a chest out of her bag of tricks. The silk is the most comfortable of any silk dress I've tried on at Anthro. The colors are vibrant and really suitable for my eye and skin color. I wanted it. I wanted it bad. I dithered for about twenty minutes in the dressing room, but decided it was too expensive, even with my gift card. Then I went to lunch. And...and I got to thinking. I have several weddings to go to this summer. And engagement parties. And bridal showers. And a baby shower. And a rehersal dinner. And I have so many occasions to wear it to. And JUST LOOK AT IT. I bolted down my pizza, then ran as fast as I could back to the store. Please still be there. Please, Anthro genie, let it still be there! And it was! So I snatched it up, hurried to the register, and literally giggling with glee handed over the gift card. My full price purchases at Anthro are so rare, I *might* make one every six months. Maybe. This one will be by far my most expensive one and I’m feeling a twinge of buyer’s remorse. I love it, but…do I keep it?

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? I…I…I DON’T KNOW!!! HELP!



Mystery Dress: (Update from Katie: this is called the Sky Stories Dress!)

Sorry, I forgot to check the tag to see who the designer is. I’m wearing a small in this pic and it’s just the tiniest bit big on me, which says this dress probably runs tts (I’m usually an xs).

Let me explain something. Everything in my new apartment near my law school is blue or brown or blue and brown. It’s my favorite color scheme. So I kind of love this dress. The material is similar to the Ardennes skirt and it’s extremely comfortable. There’s boning near the bust, similar to my Pachyderm Parade dress, so it’s not terribly hard to hold up. I just…really really hate strapless. It’s the enemy of small chested girls everywhere. Sigh. I had the same problem with the Butterfly Net Dress, which I loved almost as much as this one, but still. Strapless. That probably makes this one a pass for me, but since I love the colors I’ll consider it at sale time.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? Sale time consideration.



Sunrise Shirtdress:

Ha. Haha. Hahahahaha! Now, I like cute and sweet and frilly, and I was really keen on this dress when it first appeared on the website. But obviously the designer did not believe in the motto “less is more.” I’m wearing a 2 and it fits tts, but that’s about the only compliment I can give it. Drab color, puffy sleeves that make even the skinniest arms look large, and bulky fabric that would be incredibly hot in the summertime. No thank you.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? Slam the lid down on this one



Mompos Dress:

Yep, I tried it on, in a size 2. It fits tts. And I still don’t get all the hype. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. It’s well made and I think it’d be worth around 150 (anything over that for a dress at Anthro is ridiculous). It just…didn’t really do it for me. And it’s funny because I normally love that cornflower blue. But the material that others have called sturdy felt bulky to me. And I wasn’t really feeling the belt or all that crinoline either. I think it would be too hot for a Charleston summer, plus after this summer’s festivities I’m not sure where I’d ever wear it. I could dress down the Verdant Slip, but this one is purely an event dress. And if I’m being honest with myself, I don’t need more than one of those for my lifestyle, and I already have one that I love (Dillard’s, 40 bucks :D). I wouldn’t fault you for getting it, but it’s not for me.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? Pass, but I can respect it nonetheless


Butterfly Net Dress:

I think this royal blue color is the most flattering color in the spectrum for me. I also love the length and the comfy material, though not as breathable as Verdant Slip. That plus the insanely adorable print makes this dress really hard to pass on. And like Verdant Slip, it makes me look like I had a butt. That’s always a plus. But pass I must, as it is strapless. I don’t want to spend my day tugging up the front to avoid giving passerbys a peep show. I’m wearing a 2 and (again) it fits tts. Kudos on the accurate sizing, Anthro.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? Pass



Sagebrush Skirt:

You know, it’s a shame the fit on this skirt is so horrible. I really love the sea foam color, and it would look fantastic with a pair of sea foam heels I’ve been eyeing (the Diamond Wave Slingbacks, WHY WILL YOU NOT MAKE SALE???). But the fit is like if the Circle the Globe skirt, which I owned and loved, had a mutant child. Circle the Globe was poofy too, but somehow cinched in at the waist and maintained a flattering silloette. This one…not so much. It’s just a massive amount of poof all over. Now, I’m not short, but it was still way too much for me. Ick. No thanks.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? Pass again!



Goldfish Bowl Skirt:

This was the one, solitary item that got cut in the Baggy Potato Sack sale…erm, I mean the Tag sale that even slightly appealed to me. The cut is similar to the Pinochle skirt from last fall, and I love the bright colors. The material feels cheaper though, and ick at dry clean only. Plus, I’m concerned the fit is too much of a bubble shape, which I’m not a fan of. But I love fishies, so if this pretty makes it to second cut I’ll probably pick it up. Runs TTS.

Will it last, pass, or is it in the trash? A possible second cut purchase

That's all for this round of Ria's reviews. What do you think? (I will say that I kinda like the Sunrise Shirtdress on Ria even though she didn't, but I'm really glad she got the Verdant Slip.) Let us know!

And if your train's on time, you can get to work by... eight. OotD

First: 60 followers!! Hi, followers!! I love you!!

I know I've been kind of terrible about posting lately, but I promise that I have still been taking outfit pictures. I've just been doing the 13 (usually it is down to 12, which is excellent)-hour day thing, and everything in my life has been suffering, not just the blog. My house looks like it's auditioning for one of those Hoarders shows, I haven't worn makeup in over a week, and my idea of exercise is now 3.5 hours of helping kids get down the pool, swimming back to get more kids, demonstrating things for kids, running after kids, etc. Luckily there's a holiday weekend on the horizon, so I'm trying to focus on that. I actually have some Reviews By Ria that my sister has been bugging me to post, and I hope to find time/energy to get them up really soon. She tried on some great new items, so you'll definitely want to stay tuned for that.

For now, though, unfortunately posting a random outfit is a lot quicker and easier, so that's what I'm going to post!





Field Skirt, Creative Outlet Tank, Zodiac Heirloom Necklace (Anthropologie)
Target cardigan
Shoes: See below, but click

This was the beginning of a week+ of terrible, depressing, makes-me-curse-the-day-I-became-a-competitive-swimmer weather. It was rainy, cold, and just when I thought the day couldn't get worse, I had to get in the pool. Luckily, the weather is better now, but on this day I broke out this corduroy skirt for a bit of warmth.

Finally, okay, you guys are going to laugh, but the shoes I am wearing are kids shoes. You know I've been searching for summer shoes, and I found some awesome ones a couple of weeks ago. However, I still hadn't found any cute flats, and these were exactly what I was looking for and feels-like-leather comfortable for a mere twenty bucks! This will not be of much help to you unless you have quite small feet, seeing as how they are kids' shoes, but I highly recommend trying these. You can't tell they're for kids, and I got compliments all day. I'm going to look into other shoes by this brand. If you're interested, IMO they run quite big. I got a size 4 in these, and I usually wear a 5.5 or I barely fit a 6. I was wearing between a 3.5 and a 4.5 in this brand, so I'd definitely size down one size and try them on if possible. (This also means that if you're a 6.5 or 7, the 5s might work.)

Am I crazy for buying kids' shoes? Have you ever done this? (I will go ahead and admit that these are not the only kids' shoes I have. Hey, they're cheaper and often just as cute/comfortable!) I'm just going to ignore the picture of the small child on the box, I think.

Fictional Copycat (OotD)

Good afternoon! I'm attempting to counteract my inevitable post-swim-practice exhaustion by posting before I head off to teach three hundred children how to do things like put their faces in the water, float, swim freestyle, dive, and who knows what else.







Dreamy Drape Dress (Anthropologie)
Target Cardigan
Belk shoes by b.o.c. (click here!)

So you know I'm a huge nerd, right? In these pictures I was attempting to channel Relena Peacecraft in my hairstyle. She's one of my favorite characters, and I used to do my hair like hers in high school, back when I had it long enough and back before my idea of fashion extended beyond "my shirt isn't dirty." I'm a big fan of Gundam -- politics and space? What more could a nerdy scientist ask for? -- and I get excited about any opportunity to celebrate kickass female characters. I've actually contemplated doing a Dress Like Gundam Ladies week on this blog. Now if I could only figure out how to pull that off.

These shoes are more Born Concept and just as comfortable as my other pair. I highly recommend this brand for those who have evil feet like me!

Tonight it's swim practice and then Pirates of the Caribbean with my awesome lab friends. I guess this isn't quite as nerdy as some of my other interests, but what if I told you that I dragged myself to the planetarium on Tuesday after a 13-hour day because I just couldn't miss my monthly class? Okay, yeah, nerd cred back.

Overworked

Where have I been, you ask? Well, some of you may remember that I have a big passion for coaching, and swim team season just started this week. I've been trying really hard to fit it into my schedule, which this week has meant working 13-hour days, so needless to say, I've been too exhausted to post. Where does that leave me now? Well. Um. Still exhausted. But I've still been taking pictures, so I need to get started posting some of my backlogged outfits. Here's one from the archives!






Thousand Days Skirt, Flushed Beauty Headband (Anthropologie)
Belk shoes
Old Navy shirt (oooold)
NY and Company necklace

I'll probably talk more about swimming here later, but right now it was either a short post or no post, so I'm going to have to end things here. Goodnight!

OotD: Country girl

Word on the street is there's a tag sale afoot, everyone! What will you be buying tomorrow? Do you have a plan? My plan so far is "hope nothing I absolutely must have goes on sale," since I'm saving for my birthday next month (!!), but I'd love to see some awesome second cuts.

To celebrate the tag sale, I am posting an outfit with... absolutely no Anthro. Because that makes sense. Yeah. Uh. Hey, is that a gorilla on a bicycle??





Tank: Old Navy
Shirt: From Ross for $3!
Skirt: No idea, middle school or high school (oldddd)
Flip Flops: Also olddddd
Necklace: Belk

I wore this in the car on my trip to Ria's graduation. My GPS took me through the country in a major way for some reason, and I was amused that this outfit seemed so appropriate. I do have some southern roots, so I enjoyed putting my windows down, singing Carrie Underwood, and pretending that I lived in a place like the ones rolling by my little red car. I've always been fascinated with small towns and country life, looking as far as the eye can see and finding nothing but beautiful fields of grass. Right now I'm a girl living in a (small, but still) city, but maybe one day circumstances will find me there. The waves of grass in the sunset were almost as hypnotizing to me as waves on the ocean, one of my other favorite places.

Shopping my closet

Hi again, Blogger. Nice of you to join us! I got lax with posting outfits after the Blogger outage, but I wanted to post one tonight! This skirt and top are two things that are super old and don't get a lot of love from me (I'm not a pencil skirt girl), but on this day I decided to come up with a way to wear them together. I think it turned out well for items that I don't wear often. Looks like I inadvertently ended up "shopping my closet" after all, even though I'm not an official participant in Kim's challenge.




I love the ruffle!


Skirt: JC Penny
Top: NY and Company
Necklace: Gifted
Hallowed Halls Oxfords (Anthropologie)
Hair: see this tutorial

(And no, I did not wear these shoes two days in a row. I mean.)

I hear there's a big tag sale coming up, gulp. Let's hope my wallet can survive it. Goodnight, all!

Atypical revisited:

Hello again! Luckily there was no Anthro sale to tempt me yesterday, but I hear there's a big one coming up, eep. Hopefully some of my favorite sale items will get second cuts so I'll be able to pick them up, but I really need to save up for my birthday, so it would be good for me the next few sale weeks don't include Every Item On My Wishlist. Did you hear that, Anthro?

Today's outfit is atypical for me because I am wearing pants! Or shorts, I suppose. These are super old, and I haven't worn them in forever, but I pulled them out last week and realized that they're still pretty fun to wear. I'm not officially participating Kim's Shop Your Closet challenge, but it's fun to revisit older pieces that you've forgotten about! I'm also apparently still wearing purple, which is a color I like but don't have a lot of in my closet for some reason.







Claudine Tee, Hallowed Halls Oxfords (Anthropologie)
Pants: JC Penny (super old)

Have a great day everyone!

Super failure: OotD

Um, okay, so, hi! I'm back! And I fail!

I'm very sorry for not updating like I said I would: The short version is, I forgot my camera memory card, then broke said camera (I think it's temporarily okay, but I definitely need to look into fixing it while I still have a warranty), and had generally an emotionally taxing weekend. But the good news is that I'm back now! I don't have pictures of Ria's graduation because, again, camera, but I'll see if I can get some pictures taken by others up here soon. In the meantime, have another outfit:





Gathered Alyssum Dress (Anthropologie)
Cardigan: Target
Tights: Macy's
Necklace: Kohl's
Boots: Kamik rain boots

This outfit was an exercise in the weather lying to me, as I wore my rain boots and tights only to find nothing but warmth and sunshine all day! I was still proud of myself for finally wearing this dress differently: as you can see, I've lost the jumper look here. That's still my favorite way of wearing it since, as you can see, with a cardigan it's a bit on the revealing side, but it's nice to have options. I was unintentionally rocking crazy 80s hair in these pictures after my ponytail went floppy.

I hope you guys enjoyed your weekend more than I did and that you break fewer things than I did! I'll be back soon with some more outfits and cool stuff!

It's a sale, and a lazy ootd!

We had a very nice Anthro sale this morning, didn't we, y'all? What did you pick up? I'm sitting this one out as usual, but I did pick up the Ardennes Skirt for my sister. This beauty is too overwhelming for shortie me, I suspect, but hopefully my order will ship so Ria will get to add it to her closet. She's had her eye on it for awhile but was waiting on that ever-elusive second cut. There are a couple things I'm watching for future second cuts, like the Boldly Brushed Peasant Top and the Ackee Pencil Skirt. I haven't tried either on and neither are things I'd normally pick out, but I'm intrigued by them, and at the right price they might be worth a try. I love the bold colors.

This is a typical lazy outfit for me: easy cotton dress, statement necklace, couldn't-care-less shoes. I'd consider this pretty close to my "uniform" when I can't figure out what to wear in the mornings. I added a cardigan because it was a bit chilly. Do you have a tried and true look that your gravitate toward when you have an attack of the "I have nothing to wear!"s?




Dress: Old Navy
Cardigan: Target
Necklace: My hospital
Old flip flops

Tomorrow night I'm going on a mini vacation for Ria's graduation, so I hope to have some posts featuring the briefly reunited Anthro-lovin' sisters coming your way soon. In the meantime, I'll be running a few posts in my absence, so don't worry! See you soon!

Something new

Hi guys! I'm trying to take my mind off being really hungry and in a somber mood for some reasons that I'm not really comfortable talking about here. But to kill some time and hopefully put everyone in better spirits, let's take a look at two of the newest additions to my closet, shall we?



Dress: Target (clicky)
Shoes: Belk (clicky)
Cardigan: JCrew warehouse
Necklace: Kohl's

I was so surprised to find this adorable, comfy dress at Target two weeks ago, and I found the shoes that very same weekend. You guys know that I've been searching for some cute, summer-appropriate, comfortable shoes, and these are perfect! A reader suggested that I check out Born, and these are Born Concept I think, and so comfortable. Thank you so much for the suggestion because I'm really loving them.

Sorry for not taking a great picture of the dress -- I was pretty sunburned when I took these pictures, and my shoulders were not a pretty sight! I totally love this dress, though, and I highly recommend it. I think it comes in a few colors, too. The straps are too long for my petite self, but that's an easy fix. It's true to size for me (this is an XS, and it's a roomy fit) and machine washable, yay! For only $30, could you go wrong?

Does wearing a new outfit help put you in a better mood? I know it does for me!