latest Anthropologie reviews- Twisted Ascot tee, Houndstooth Collage skirt, Lepidoptera dress, Bronwen dress, Britsommar tee, High IQ Cords, Horticultural Cardi, Tweed Odille Skirt, Cream Pleated skirt (in catalog, not online yet)

Apologies in advance for any formatting issues that I might have with this post- I had to do it in shifts, on multiple computers, and Blogger doesn't like me, or my photos.  Nothing like days and experiences like this to make me appreciate my current Website Design class more- maybe soon enough I'll be doing these reviews offline and simply uploading the pages from Dreamweaver.....  As usual, the first time the names of  the items are mentioned, it should like to the product page, if I know where the product page is- which isn't the case for two of these items- which as of this date are not online yet :) 

First outfit consists of the Twisted Ascot tee, which I had already tried on at some point but I cannot for the life of me find the pictures of- in the red. I prefer the red to this strange mustardy, beigey color.  I sized up, but this color ran bigger than the red did.  Insert shrug and befuddled look here.  It's a cute design but didn't blow me away.  I prefer a slightly blousy look to it, which is why I sized up :)  

I'm wearing the tee with a cute little tweed skirt from Odille  That has since been identified as the Wicopy Skirt .  Now here's a little caveat- I'm allergic to wool.  I break out in lovely red hives from it. To such a degree that when I worked at Gap way back when, and was sorting a rack of men's wool pants, my supervisor was seriously concerned when she saw the welts on my arms when she came up to me (I hadn't noticed them yet).  Linings in wool items don't cute it for me either- angora, merino, cashmere, all of them are no-gos for me.  However, I had to try this cutie on though  because the colors are just that cute.  I picked up my regular size and almost passed because the waist (which is a paperbag waist) looked just that small until I laughed at myself when I realized it is elastic at the sides.  It has big old snaps at the front, a regular button or two at the top, a hook and eye type fastener...basically, name a fastener other than a zipper, this skirt has it somewhere.  It's cute, but obviously, never going to be one that I wear for longer than it takes me to take pictures for other people to see :)  I just wish my crappy camera did a better job capturing the colors in the weave- hopefully once it appears online the online photos will.  This skirt will coordinate with so many things!  (I am so damn jealous)

Houndstooth Collage Skirt 

I'm boycotting even including the word "pencil" in this item's title, sorry.  I know many people have already mentioned it, and I'm going to be one more voice to the cacophony, this is an A Line, not a pencil skirt.  Which is a good thing, in my opinion- there have been a lot of pencil skirts lately, not as many true a lines.  Like many of Maeve's pieces lately, this runs biggish.  I've decided that although I'm a tts 12, in Maeve I'm apparently a tts 10.  I accidently grabbed a 12 in this, and without barely stretching the skirt, I could have pulled it easily all of the way off my body.  Funnily enough, in the pictures you can't really tell it's that big- the pockets lay nicely, the shape is correct, the length is good.  I have no real idea what a size 10 would look like.  Yay me for not trying on the correct size to get a good idea what this really fits like because I loved how the material feels (sort of a brushed uncut cord feel...very soft and very stretchy) and I loved the colors...and the details.  It's actually on my wishlist in a 10 even if it's a bit of a crapshot if that size actually works well for me.  oops.


Brittsommar Tee and Diaphanous Pleats Skirt

Since identified, first up is the Diaphanous Pleats skirt.   It's a rather pretty, if over priced skirt.  It has a basic, and I do mean basic (think, the first sort of waistband one would learn to sew  if you were learning to sew...that basic) elastic waistband with gorgeous knife pleats in a lovely creamy chiffon.  It is slightly sheer- undergarments were invisible but as you may be able to tell when I'm trying to regain my waist in some of these photos, the stripe of the tee is visible through it when I tuck it in.  If I remember correctly, the price is nearing on $200, which imo is way way overpriced, but that is only my opinion.

Now on to the tee- I most likely needed to size down in this tee since I felt like I was lost in it- and I'm not a huge fan of elastic waists.  Honestly, I only tried it on because my lovely SA snuck it into my changing room.  I figured I was taking up space already, so why not?  I tend to lose my waist with elastic bands like this- so tucking it in and creating my own illusions is the only way I found to really deal with that issue...which seems to, I don't know, defeat the whole design?  Nice material, I liked the shoulder cut out, although it would make anything but a strapless pretty much impossible. 

Sumukhwa Skirt

Ayaka Top
here's another of those pieces I wanted to love.  I had tried a large on and refused to take a picture of it because it was seriously like a "where's Waldo?" picture I was that lost.  The medium?  not much better.  I like big sleeves- I love the Puckered Pocket Blouse, Lemon Liftoff and similarly puffed sleeved blouses.....  this one goes a bit beyond that though.  Look below.  My husband laughed for a good long time.  I never really got it out of him if it was due to the sleeve or the fact that I was wearing 4 inch heels and still you can barely see my toes with the cords, but hey, that's the next review.   It's a shame because I really really like the print on this top.  The floral is so well done.  Oh well. 

High IQ Corduroys
I'm beginning to wish designers had given us an intermediate course in between low waist and high waist designs.  This pair was so far above my belly button it was nearly to my bra.  I mean, I'm all for higher waist designs, but does that really mean a foot higher than low waist designs?  Isn't there some happy medium here???  Other than than, the length on these is ridiculous.  For my height (I'm 5'10") I have a relatively short inseam of around 32.5 ish.....but come on!   Built to hem I guess?  I'm also just not ready for wide legs I would guess.  All around I just wasn't a fan- although darn the material was soft and lovely!

Bronwen Dress
As I mentioned before, I've decided my new tts in maeve is 10.  I took one look at this dress and grabbed not only the 10 but the 8 as well.  I just had a feeling.  Turns out I was dead on.  The 8 is what is pictured here.  The waist is a tiny bit tight in this size, but the bust fits wonderfully- although it would still benefit from a cami or pinning to prevent peekaboos.  I love the colors and the style of this dress- just my vintage.  So swingy and flowy too.  Can I believe I sized down to an 8?  not entirely, but I can wholeheartedly believe that it is due to the cut of the dress and not due to me, even if I have had some weight loss in the past 6 months!  This dress would look lovely with a belt replacing the sash.... 

Lepidoptera Dress
I finally got a chance to try this one- and I tried a 10 of course- Maeve, strapless, a bit of elastic panel in the bust, yep- had to go with that size.  Fit was okay- although bust seemed a bit awkward to be honest.  Print is lovely.  Fabric is nice and soft.  Sash is removable with care so if it bothers you, it can be gone.   Colors are lovely.  I'm tired of strapless and spaghetti strap designs.  Why couldn't this have been a tank or shirtdress design in this fabric??  As a strapless, repeat wears would be limited, I think.  (maybe not for everyone, but they would for me, I'm sure). 

Anza Cardi

Was on sale, snatched it up to see how it looked.  It was an unexpected surprised- Loved how delicate it was.  The ones in my store were unsnagged and undamaged- the whole table full that they had!  Lovely colors.  Recommended if you need a lightweight little cardi. 

Horticultural Cardi

grrr.  Nice design potential wasted on another cropped design.  This print really is quite sweet- and the sweater is lovely soft.  The beading is sort of strange how it ends towards the bottom....as is how the bottom is buttons while the rest of the sweater snaps, and if it was longer, the whole thing would be better.....  so much promise.....