Anthropologie catalogue: September 2009

Every week I take a look back at past Anthropologie catalogues and what I loved from then. (Thanks to Natalie for posting all the links.) I used to think that it’s impossible to find these pieces again, but thanks to Roxy’s trade market and eBay, anything is possible.

September 2009

millbrook cardigan, dark & slender denim skirt – sexy secretary in the woods with an old Ford

ruffled firelight cardigan, southern flight blous, season span shorts, crossway heels

strewn leaves blouse, wilhelm booties, brimming button heels

southern flight blouse, chart-the-course belt, twilt skirt, cross your t-straps

bubbly cardigan, cavorting canines dress – I love dogs, but I don’t need them on my dress

rimpled tee – is it just me or does she look a bit like Juliana Margulies?\

painted lotus dress, striped tights – this dress has as lot going on, but I like the print and colours

peeping plaid blouse, wrapped-in-ruffles jacket, plaid petals skirt – almost as cute as the Cream Confection Jacket

gathered allysum dress, rhombus belt, opaque tights, stacked strap booties

monochromatic corset dress, opaque tights, plum-lacquered heels

color-drenched dress, gumshoe sweater coat – love the sweater coat

birling ruffle coat, monochromatic corset dress, opaque tights, plum-lacquered heels

awkward & awesome Thursday: end-of-September catch-up edition

Catch-up, not ketchup. I have a backlog of warmer-weather outfits to post before the weather finally turns cold (starting to cool down today, but not quite yet) and they become inappropriate for the weather.

awkward:

• I sprained my right wrist yesterday lifting one of those 18L water-cooler bottles of water. I’ve lifted them dozens of times before, but this time I moved awkwardly (so this was literally awkward) and twisted it. It hurts like a mofo and I have limited mobility, but I can still type and use my mouse, so I can still work (darn). And blog. I’m wearing a tensor bandage and icing and popping Advil, but it was definitely one of those damnit moments. I really should have waited for Will to come home from basketball to lift it for me.
• I think I’ve become a certified sugar addict. I’ve never eaten so much ice cream in my life, and I can’t stop. It’s not good, and not just because I’ve started to put on weight.
• I wore a new top today and almost fell out of it several times. 

Anthropologie Hip-Cinched Blouse (Maeve) | Hilary Druxman necklace | Club Monaco Celia Skirt | Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

I love this top even though it’s getting really bad reviews, I love the colour and the polka dots and the bow at the hip, but the cowlneck is very wide and low.  Must remember to wear a cami underneath to avoid a wardrobe malfunction like that again.)

awesome:

• Even with a sprained wrist, I can still curl my hair. I have my priorities.
• I had a last-minute dinner with work friends (from my old job) I haven’t hung out with in a while.
• After catching up with them over dinner, I realized how lucky I am that I no longer have a job that makes me want to slit my wrists when I get up in the morning.
• I’m loving my iPad for watching new TV shows on-demand on the network apps. I’ve never watched so much new season TV in my life. So far I’ve watched New Girl (I kinda feel that it’s trying a bit too hard to be so cute and quirky, but I like Zooey Deschanel, and it has made me laugh out loud a few times), Ringer (I like Sarah Michelle Gellar, so that’s why I’m watching), Revenge (it’s so soapy and melodramatic but I enjoyed it), The Playboy Club (terrible but I might watch again for the train-wreck value, but I probably won’t waste my time), Charlie’s Angels (horrific and I definitely won’t watch again), Pan Am (the uniforms are cute and it was actually quite watchable), 2 Broke Girls (I enjoy making fun of hipsters too), and A Gifted Man (I’ve always liked Patrick Wilson and Jennifer Ehle, but the premise is pretty silly).

And now, the late summer outfit catch-up. As much as I want the cooler weather, I will miss bare legs and summer shoes!

Jacob sleeveless top | J.Crew featherweight cashmere cardigan in Heather Algae | Hilary Druxman necklace | Anthro Liquid Acres Skirt (Tabitha) | Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

Anthropologie Pezza Dress (Deletta) | J.Crew Jenna’s Cardigan | Ayala Bar necklace | Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

Jacob sleeveless top | Anthropologie cardigan (Bordeaux) | Ayala Bar necklace | Club Monaco Celia Skirt | Bos & Co heels

Anthropologie Spotlights Tank (Ric Rac) | J.Crew featherweight cashmere cardgian in heather algae | Club Monaco Celia skirt | Michael Kors heels

Pale September

“Pale September, I wore the time like a dress that year
The autumn days swung soft around me, like cotton on my skin” – Fiona Apple

I love fall. Cool temperatures, bright-coloured leaves, hot chocolate, Wolford tights, my Cream Confection Jacket. But I just have one question: Where the hell is it?

Yesterday I wore this…

Anthropologie Network Dress (Velvet) | Hilary Druxman necklace | Miss Sixty Tracy shoes

…and came home a disgusting, sweaty mess. It’s the end of September, and I’m still melting.

It’s been really warm over the past two weeks, and up until yesterday I had been enjoying not wearing tights and still wearing summer shoes, but now I’ve had it. I want cold weather now. I’ll regret saying that in a few months, but that’s what I want now.

Anthropologie catalogue: September 2008

Every week I take a look back at past Anthropologie catalogues and what I loved from then. (Thanks to Natalie for posting all the links.) I used to think that it’s impossible to find these pieces again, but thanks to Roxy’s trade market and eBay, anything is possible.

September 2008 – this is a gorgeous catalogue full of gorgeous fall clothes

contoured cardigan, alloy strapless dress, buttondown heels – gorgeous colours

antique gold coat, softshape dress, smart houndstooth purse, pewter mary-janes

grand central cowlneck, pinstriped slims, sweetheart loafers

well-forged dress, geode's bounty necklace – I can’t really see the necklace, but it looks like something I’d want. And the dress is gorgeous.

rippled jade shirtdress, nosegay tights, pewter mary-janes – LOVE!

sunflower sweatercoat, blithe plume blouse, point-to-point straight-legs, wheat sheaf ballerinas, astral song satchel

contoured cardigan, gouache blouse, pinstriped slims

jayne sofa, spectrum petal pillow, osaka patchwork pillow, telly ottomans – I adore all the rich colours

hedgerow bedding, osaka rug – I love orange

gilded catskins shift; scarf-tied cardigan, sailor button wide-legs; fruit moon dress; crackling air duffle coat, daysleeper mini; late season peacoat, skinny striped turtleneck, AG angel cords

sea of stalks sweater, swallow's twitter cardigan, indian summer blouse

magic hour boots, mammatus bowler bag, turnlock knee boots, red delicious boots

stitched aster cloche, foliage wrap blouse, scatter & sow trousers; celery tweed jacket, glinting petals skirt; maturing sun coat, scythe blouse, ruffled pencil skirt; tousled scarf, preserves party dress; afghan sweatercoat, autumn cultivar cowlneck

Thoughts

As a Canadian, I understand the frustration of being an Anthropologie lover in Canada. I even wrote a guest post about the Canadian Anthro experience in Roxy’s blog last summer. There are only 5 stores in 4 cities (two in Toronto, one in Edmonton, one in Calgary, and one recently-opened in Vancouver), prices are higher here, and shopping online can be painfully expensive. I’m very very fortunate that my sister lives in Boston and has no problem with me using her as a post office to save some money. Some people are not so lucky.

In the aftermath, many bloggers that I read regularly are thinking about why they blog, why they love Anthro, and why/how they spend their money on clothes. I’m doing the same. I’m a little late in writing about it (I spent the weekend with my family in Ottawa, and I actually composed most of this post while on the Porter flight home), but I wanted to think about it and form my own thoughts first. I’m basically coming around to one point. As Lisa put it very succinctly, it’s not about Anthro, or shopping, or shopaholism, or finances, it’s about scamming. I’m not saying that it’s not worthwhile to try to understand why she did this, but in the end, would I care why a mugger stole my wallet? No, I would just want my wallet back and the perpetrator arrested.

But in the spirit of being introspective, here are some thoughts:

• I blog about clothes and shopping because I love clothes and shopping. There’s a lot more to be than that, but it’s what I choose to write about.
• Anthropologie is my go-to store because it has the clothes that fit my current style and aesthetic. As I get older and my style changes, that might change.
• I read blogs about Anthro and fashion in general because it’s fun. See the Diana Vreeland quote on the sidebar of my blog: “Fashion must be the most intoxicating release from the banality of the world”.
• I won’t pretend that I haven't been tempted by things because I've seen them on other blogs. Or that I buy things at full price. Or that I'm a shopaholic who regularly puts wants before needs and whips out the credit card a little more than I should.
• I'm absolutely terrible with money and I'm useless at budgeting, but it's something I constantly work on; every day I try to make better choices. Some days I'm successful, some days I'm not. But I always try to be aware that I'm responsible for my own choices and actions. I'm not going to blame anyone for my shopping habits, least of all blogs I read. I don't have to read them. So when I hear something along the lines of "this blog made me spend more money" I think, really? The blog MADE you buy that dress/shirt/skirt/purse? It actually went into your head and compelled you to do it? Ok, if you say so.
• It’s really none of my business how people pay for their clothes. I personally don’t think any blogger has to justify themselves to anyone.
• I’ve been saying for a few months that I need to be on a shopping embargo for a while, so maybe this is the catalyst that spurs me to cut back.

And now I’m exhausted, so I think I’ll go curl up for a while. Like this.

Anthropologie catalogue: September 2007

Every week I take a look back at past Anthropologie catalogues and what I loved from then. (Thanks to Natalie for posting all the links.) I used to think that it’s impossible to find these pieces again, but thanks to Roxy’s trade market and eBay, anything is possible.

September 2007

laurel run dress, woodcutter sweater coat, scene-stealing t-straps – love the dress

evening post tie-back; duetina sweater, tonal widelegs; beautiful pairings pullover, tiered corduory skirt – love the red top and the grey cardigan

picture postcard dress, scene-stealing t-straps

clockwise from top: forward thinking boots, high stepper boots, keepsake boots, chocolate stout riding boots – I kinda want the green boot

metallic wedge loafers, brainstorm bag, groundbreaking peep-toes, contrast stitch ankle booties – loafers/oxfords aren’t really my style, but I could go for them in a metallic

old chap boots, memory lane boots, picture book boots, generational boots – I’d love a purple boot..

jane sofa, naive tropical; astrid chair, snapdragon; astrid chair, passiflora – love the bold prints

scoopneck hoodie, savoy floral dress, orchard t-straps – love all the purple/pink

stellaflora dress, scene-stealing t-straps; bloused sweater coat, four-legged minidress – love both looks

painted mosaic handbag, charmed mary janes; a-line culottes, shirttail booties; bespoke heels – the bespoke heels are gorgeous!

wildflower kimono blouse – LOVE

semiprecious overcoat, savoy flora dress – I love the colour combination

orchard t-straps – mmm, purple patent shoes