Trip Planning: Anthropologie Style

We’re going on a trip to San Diego soon so I thought I’d better start thinking about what I’m going to pack. We’ll be there for a week and my husband has to go to a conference for part of that time but we’re looking forward to a little vacation in an awesome city. If you have any suggestions for things to do or places to eat, please pass them along! We’ll be staying downtown and won’t have a car so we’ll have those limitations but I’m sure there will be plenty to do in the area that we can reach by public transportation.

First up is my new It’s Your Move skirt. I think this skirt is a particularly good choice for travel since it has so many colors in it that you can make multiple outfits and it’s also really comfortable. I paired it with a simple green shirt and then again with a blue shirt and yellow cardigan for two different casual looks. I’ve got a bunch of other solid shirts and cardis that would look great with it too.

Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Skirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Anthropologie

Shirt: Steve & Barry’s
Cardigan: Bealls
Skirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Anthropologie

Next is the white version of the Blue Book Blouse with the Thousand Days Skirt and Looping Lanes Belt. I have to give a BIG thank you to Sara from You, Me & Anthropologie for helping me get this skirt when she found it recently at her store. I called and was able to get it for $9.99!! This outfit will be so comfortable for sight-seeing. I’m wearing my favorite travel shoes with it also. I got these blue mary-janes in April for a trip to England and they were so good for all the walking that I did. They’re definitely coming with me on this trip!

Shirt, Skirt & Belt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Naturalizer

Close-up of the shoes!

This next look is a little dressier in case we want to go to a nicer restaurant or something. I’m wearing my new Penciled Abronia skirt with a basic white button down and the Looping Lanes belt. It might look a little dressier but it’s actually really comfortable. The only thing I’m worried about is the skirt wrinkling in my suitcase. I guess I can just iron it at the hotel though.

Shirt: Ann Taylor
Skirt & Belt: Anthropologie

You might notice that I wear a lot of blue! I think it’s one of my better colors. This last outfit is an all-blue ensemble including the Blooming Lattice cardigan over the Through-the-Clouds tank with a jean skirt that I finally got hemmed to a more flattering length. This will be another comfortable outfit for sight-seeing.

Shirt, Cardigan & Belt: Anthropologie
Skirt: Old Navy

These are just some of my ideas for outfits for my trip. Anyone else have any packing tips or cute travel outfits to share?

Before I go, here’s a picture of my Bailey with his cone. I wasn’t going to take one but my husband insisted and he does look pretty cute. He’s doing better now that he’s on another antibiotic and hopefully we’ve got the infection in his right ear under control. I have to take him back Friday for another check-up. Thanks everyone for keeping him in your thoughts!

Saturday Anthro Reviews

My friend Sara and I had so much fun trying on clothes at Anthropologie yesterday! Be sure to take a look at her reviews too when she posts them soon on her blog Mommyland.

OOTD
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Cardigan: Target
Belt: Anthropologie
Skirt: Banana Republic
Sandals: Lands End

The highlight of our shopping trip was the Lost Time Skirt (a.k.a. the clock skirt). We both loved the fit, the material, and the quirky, fun embroidered clocks. They only thing we didn’t love was the price tag, so as hard as it was to put these back, we knew we'd have to wait for a sale. I definitely see these skirts in our future even if we have to track them down come sale time. I’m wearing it here with the Through-the-Clouds Tank. I ended up taking home the blue version of this tank.



Next up is the Secret Treasures Dress, which we were sadly disappointed by. I’ve been waiting for this to arrive in my store and it is pretty but just didn’t fit either of us right. We were both in between two sizes. The bigger one was too loose under the arms and the smaller one was too tight in the chest. I’m wearing the navy version in the bigger size and even though it looks ok in the picture, when I moved my arms it was gaping open in the arm pit area in a very unflattering way. The green is the smaller one and it’s pulling in the button area across the chest. I really wanted to love this dress but I just don’t think it’s going to work for me. :-(



I was surprised at how much I did like a different green dress, the Height of Summer Dress. I’ve never really looked at it online but in the store the vibrant green caught my eye. I’m not usually fond of strapless dresses but this one actually comes with thin straps you could attach. I’d wear it with a cardigan too like the adorable Scribbled Bouquet Cardigan. I’m definitely going to have to consider picking this up on sale.



What I tried the most of during this trip were shirts. I forgot to bring a solid skirt in with me so I just tried them on with the grey skirt I was wearing. I apologize ahead of time if I make you really sick of that skirt. ;-)

On the Dot Blouse: I’ve been looking forward to this one ever since I first saw it online. As you can see from my picture, there is a problem with the button placement, which causes it to come open unless you are standing up perfectly straight. I think I could probably fix this with a little hidden snap, which I’ll consider doing if I can get this blouse on sale. Other than that problem, I liked this blouse!



Scalinata Top: This was another item that surprised me since I had hardly given it more than a glance online. It’s got a subtle gold print (sort of like the In-A-Twinkling Dress, but smaller) which is really pretty and I like the way it fit. This one might have to come home with me someday.



Patches & Petals Tank: This is definitely unique and normally I might be turned off by the multiple prints down the ruffle, but I liked it. I don’t normally like to have my chubby arms showing though so I’d have to see what it looks like with a cardigan. Any suggestions for one to try with it?



Heliconius Top: I like this top but wanted to see it in pink too, which my store didn’t have. I wouldn’t pay full price for it but on sale I’d consider it.



Trellis Blouse: The detailing on this blouse is beautiful so I included a close-up shot. I don’t love the length of it though. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m really short, so this will probably look normal on most people. I also tried this on with my white tank top underneath because the top part is see-through netting, which I wasn’t thrilled with. It’s pretty, but a pass for me.





Sea’s Epitome Top (sold out online I think): This shirt is so cute (and on sale) but they didn’t have my size. As you can see, the one I tried on is too long and it was pretty loose. I would have gotten it in a size smaller.



Sunday Supper Shirt: This is an older item and I’m hoping that it goes on sale soon because it’s really cute. I had never noticed the interesting wooden buttons before. I like the print and the gathered sleeves. Wouldn’t this be perfect with a navy skirt for a back to school outfit when I’m in the classroom again this fall?



I hope you like the reviews! Don’t forget to check out Sara’s also at Mommyland.

I’m glad I had a fun afternoon because when I got back home I found that Bailey had a little set back. My husband was watching him while I was gone and said he was mostly sleeping while I was gone and seemed fine, but shortly after I returned we started to notice some swelling in his right ear and it began leaking. We took him back to the vet and they said he has an infection and want to put him on another antibiotic. Unfortunately the particular strain of infection that he has only responds to one kind of antibiotic that is only available by IV, so he has to stay at the 24-hour hospital. Then the vet that did his surgery will take a look at him on Monday morning and hopefully he can come back home. Please keep him in your thoughts! I’m trying not to worry too much because I know he is more comfortable there right now but I miss him so much! It was hard to come back again without him. He was doing so well until Saturday afternoon. I’m hoping he’ll be back here and all back to normal soon.

Well, that’s all for now! I hope everyone had a nice weekend!

My Favorite New Arrivals at Anthropologie

I just jumped for joy a minute ago when I saw that my friend Sara (Mommyland)posted that the new clock skirt (officially called the Lost Time Skirt) is finally on Anthro's website! Yay, I love it! Also among my new favorites are the Hallowed Halls Oxfords, the Sugar & Cream Dress, the Mirror, Mirror Tank in both colors, the Luminous Graphite Skirt, and the Fine Line Skirt. Sara & I are going to our Anthro store tomorrow so we'll post our reviews and pictures this weekend. I'd love to hear about everyone else's new favorites too!

More Great Giveaways!

There are some very generous bloggers with some fantastic giveaways going on right now. Take a look at my links below to enter for a chance to win!

Check out Princess of Taylor's giveaway for a giftcard & Bondi Band.

Carol & Kathryn at In Pursuit of Pretty Things are giving away a pretty necklace & giftcard.

Sara at You, Me & Anthropologie has a gift certificate for CSN as a giveaway.

There's a $50 MAC giftcard giveaway going on at Spilling the Beans.

Uber Chic for Cheap is doing a giveaway for a cute dress from Shabby Apple.

Bailey Update

My cocker spaniel, Bailey, did well during his ear surgery yesterday and we were able to bring him back home this afternoon. He's feeling better than I expected! He's going to need to take some medication for awhile and get lots of rest while his ears heal but he should be doing much better in a few weeks. Jefferson (my dachshund) is just as happy as I am to have Bailey back home. He missed his big brother!

I don't have an OOTD picture today and I don't think Bailey's in the mood to have his picture taken right now with that cone thing around his head, so I'll just share this old picture of him that I like.

Anthropologie Sale!

What a great sale today! I got to go in the store for just a few minutes today with my mom because she needed to get a few things from Coldwater Creek next door. She's so sweet that she bought me two of the sale skirts! I got the It's Your Move skirt and the Penciled Abronia skirt. I didn't have time to look at the new stuff really but I did quickly try on the clock skirt and Two-Wheeler dress. I loved both but need them to go on sale!

It was nice to have the sale to brighten my day a little because today is also the day that my cocker spaniel is having ear surgery so of course I'm worried about him. I'm still waiting for a call from the vet to hear how his surgery went but we expect everything to be ok and he should be back to normal in about two weeks if all went well. He has to stay overnight so I won't get to hug and kiss him again until tomorrow. Please keep him in your thoughts! The other not-so-fun thing I had to take care of today was some water damage in my car. We had a little flash flood yesterday afternoon and some water got into my car. My dad came over and helped so the car is airing out now and we're hoping there isn't any electrical damage.

Here are my pretty new skirts. Did anyone else get any sale items?

Blooming Violet

Sometimes I like to wear my two favorite colors together, purple and blue. Lately I've been really into navy blue. I like that it's not as stark as black but it still goes with so many things. Anthropologie's Blooming Lattice Cardigan is my new go-to sweater since it looks good with lots of outfits. I'm wearing this comfy purple jersey dress under it today but the color in the picture isn't really showing up right. I tried to fix it but it's still coming out more blue than the deep purple that it is in real life. Please excuse the messy hair today! I pulled it back so the pretty detailing on the neckline of the sweater was easier to see.

Besides sharing my OOTD, I also wanted to let people know that it is AudioBook Week from June 21-25. Check out the blog Devourer of Books for more details. Right now I'm listening to When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris. SO funny!

Dress: Converse, Target
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Belt: Anthropologie
Earrings: Silpada

Cute as a Button

I got this cute Button Bin cardigan when it went on sale awhile ago and I love how soft and comfortable it is. I really want to wear it with an orange shirt under it but the one I have isn't the right shade, so I paired it with this brown one instead. Today I went to see a play and took my dad out to dinner for Father's Day. I hope everyone else had a nice weekend!

Cardigan: Anthropologie
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Anthropologie
Skirt: Banana Republic
Shoes: Lands End

Me & My Dad!

Inspired By Anthropologie?

I was just checking out Ruche's website and spotted this Anthropologie look-alike. It's a pretty close match. The funny thing is that Ruche's is actually more than the Anthro version which is currently on sale!
1. Anthropologie, Buds & Bunches Tee $29.95 (was $58), available in Beige & Blue colors
2. Ruche, Roseline Tuxedo Tank $38.99, available in grey



The next two aren't exactly look-alikes but there are some definite similarities. The shirt on the left is Anthropologie's Anthurium Blouse ($88) which comes in navy and white.
If you like this look but want it in dress form, you might want to check out ModCloth's Frock the Line Dress ($99.99).



Has anyone else spotted any cool Anthropologie-inspired items lately?

Just a quick OOTD!

I'm off to run some errands and get lunch! Anyone have any fun weekend plans?

Dress: Steinmart
Cardigan: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Anthropologie
Sandals: Target

OOTD: June 17

This wrap dress is so comfortable and since my sister bought it for me, I love it even more. I have to wear a tank top under it since it’s a little low cut and usually I wear white or black, but I like the subtle color that this mint green adds. This dress has a sash attached to it but I think it looks better with a different colored belt over it to define my waist more and break up all that blue.

I’m also wearing a special necklace that my sweet mother-in-law brought back for me from her trip to New Zealand a few years ago. You can’t really see it in the picture but it’s a cute little kiwi bird. I should have taken a close up shot. I’ll try to do that next time I wear it. It’s just a simple necklace but people always comment on it.

Dress: Gap
Belt: Anthropologie, Looping Lanes
Kiwi Bird Necklace: Gift from MIL’s trip to New Zealand
Tank & Shoes: old, can’t remember where these came from

Great Giveaways!

Check out these great giveaways:

1. The new blog Please Rest Assured is offering a chance to win a $50 giftcard to Saks Fifth Avenue.

2. For a chance to win a $25 giftcard to Anthro, visit Not Just a Pretty Face.

3. You can also enter to win a $25 giftcard to Anthro at You, Me & Anthropologie's blog.

Little Miss Sunshine

This is a simple outfit but I like this combo of yellow, navy, and grey. It's also nice to see the sunshine again after last night's storm that knocked our power out briefly. Looks like it might rain a little again tonight though.

Well, I better get back to work now! I hope everyone is having a nice Wednesday. Half-way to the weekend! :-)

Outfit Details:

Shirt: Anthropologie, Climbing Cowlneck
Skirt: Banana Republic
Cardigan: gift from Mom
Sandals: Target

Shopping With Glee!

Check out my guest post over at Effortless Anthropologie. This project was so much fun for me & my friend Sara to put together!

Splashes of Color

This is actually Sunday's outfit. We went on one of our little weekend adventures to St. Augustine for lunch and a stroll through the winding alleys and side streets of the historic district. It was really warm outside so this sleeveless dress & light-weight cardigan were perfect. I wanted to add a little color so I borrowed a sash from another dress. I thought the colors on the wall behind me made a pretty cool backdrop. The bird at the top was a beautiful purple & turquoise peacock.

Dress: Anthropologie "Jacqueline"
Cardigan: Target
Sash from another dress
Sandals: Target

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Here are some pictures of my babies! The one on the right is little Jefferson. He's very snuggly and loves to sit on my lap. The lighting in the picture is kind of bad but he looked so adorable that I had to use it anyway. I wanted to get a picture of Bailey too but he is in need of a bath and a good brushing, so here's an older photo of him looking well-groomed.

Leap Year

This morning I watched Leap Year and it was kind of a predictable chick-flick. Anna, played by Amy Adams, makes a trip to Dublin, Ireland with the intention of proposing to her boyfriend because there is an Irish tradition that says a woman can propose to a man on February 29 during a leap year. Along the crazy trip to Dublin she connects with the cranky Declan who turns out to be a lot nicer than he at first seemed. I'm sure you can guess what happens in the end.




Anyway, the setting was so beautiful that I didn't care that the movie was a little silly. It made me want to take a trip to Ireland right now! I also love the way they styled Amy Adams. And I'd like to have her pretty red hair.
Here are some of the cute outfits from the movie.

Dots, Ruffles & Denim

This is the first time I've posted a picture of me wearing pants on this blog! I'm more of a skirts & dresses kind of girl. When I was little that's literally all that I would wear. In high school and early college I went through a phase of wearing jeans (and strangely, overalls) a lot. Now I'm back to wearing mostly skirts and dresses again. Occasionally I'll throw on some capris or jeans to run errands like today.

Day 6 of the "Black-Out" Challenge:
Shirt: Target
Tank: Ann Taylor Loft
Capris: Bealls
Belt: Anthropologie
Sandals: Lands End

Going Green for "Black-Out" Day 5

Today I wore another one of my favorite colors, green! I usually wear this with a black cardigan but since I'm doing the "Black-Out" challenge, I swapped it for a white one and a dark brown belt instead of black. I love the collar of this dress and the ruffle that goes down the V on the top. I do have to belt this dress though because it looks a little shapeless without one. Unfortunately I didn't realize that until AFTER seeing the pictures from when I wore this for the first time last year to a friend's wedding. Yikes! Let's just say it wasn't very flattering. Anyway, this is a nice light-weight dress for another hot summer day. I'm always cooler in dresses and skirts (and I don't really like to wear shorts anyway). I'd love to see some fun summer looks from others, so leave me a link to your favorite summer outfit from your blog or summer clothes you are eyeing at your favorite retailer.

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Cardigan: Target
Belt: Anthropologie Cylindrical Braid Belt
Sandals: Lands End

I've been waiting a Thousand Days for a skirt like this...

I missed out on last year's Thousand Days skirt from Anthropologie and ever since then I've been trying to find a navy skirt that I like. There was the recent Alena skirt, but I didn't like the material of it. This morning I spotted the Mona Skirt on Anthropologie's website and I think this might be what I've been looking for! Obviously it's not cut exactly the same as the Thousand Days skirt, but it looks pretty cute. The fact that it's not as full might actually work better on me. It's hard to see the details on the website though so I'm looking forward to this one hitting stores soon. At first I thought it was the Homestead Denim skirt, which is cute but not what I'm looking for. Hopefully the fabric of the Mona skirt is not denim-like. This might be a good navy skirt option for anyone who is looking to fill that hole in their wardrobe. What do you think?

It could have been worse...

Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. Without any warning signs, my car battery just suddenly died today. Ugh. I left this morning for what was supposed to be just a few quick errands before a day spent working at the library. That plan was squashed when I got in the car after grocery shopping and it wouldn't start. And I had ice cream in the trunk. And it was 95 degrees outside. Luckily I had SuperDad to come to my rescue and help me jump start the car and get it to an auto shop to buy a new battery. Actually we had to try three stores before we found the one I needed. Because of course I have a car with a unique battery. Just another Saab quirk, I guess (Don't worry Saaby, I still love you). Anyway, we got the car home and my husband is going to install the new battery tomorrow. Magically my groceries seem to have survived the heat and that manicotti that I was planning on making for dinner should go as planned. I don't know about the ice cream though. I stuck it in the freezer because it was pretty melt-y but we'll see. And hey, at least it didn't rain during this whole ordeal, right?!

So, as you might imagine I didn't get much research or writing done today. I did get home in time for a (long, boring) online/phone training meeting for the upcoming session of an online course that I'm teaching this summer. At least I accomplished something today.

Below is my OOTD for the after-the-car-ordeal part of my day. Fortunately I had just thrown on some old capris and a polo for my errands because as I mentioned before, it was HOT today and standing in the middle of a shadeless parking lot didn't help. I felt better after a quick shower and change of clothes. It lifted my spirits to put on my favorite color, which as you can see is purple! I tucked the end of the belt in on the picture on the left and think it looks better that way.

"Black-Out" Challenge Day 4

Dress: Coldwater Creek
Cardigan: Bealls
Belt: Chinese Laundry
Shoes: really old & can't remember where I got them!

Giveaway

Check out the giveaway that Fashion Therapist is doing on her blog for a Talbots gift card!

I just discovered her great blog. And she's a fellow Glee fan! Yay! :-)

"Black-Out" Day 3

I promise this sweater isn't black! It just looks dark in the picture. For Day 3 of Already Pretty's "Black-Out" challenge, I'm wearing my favorite navy blue cardigan with an old dress I don't wear nearly often enough. I'm really having fun with this challenge! I get lazy sometimes and just reach for a black skirt or cardigan but I really do love wearing color. This has been just the thing I needed to get me thinking about the more colorful options in my wardrobe. Is anyone else doing any clothing challenges on their blogs this summer? I'd love to do another one after this one is over.

Cardigan: Target
Dress: Ann Taylor Loft
Belt: Anthropologie (Looping Lanes)
Sandals: Target

"Black-Out" Day 2

I decided to pull out this red shirt & my favorite red shoes for Day 2 of Already Pretty's "Black-Out" challenge. I would usually wear this with a black skirt so I had to search for a different option and found my denim skirt buried in the bottom drawer of my dresser. I think I'd wear this skirt more if I got it hemmed. I need to put that on my "to do" list. I added a brown belt and white tank, and all together it made an easy, comfortable outfit for a day of errands and working from home.
P.S. Take a look at the book review I wrote earlier today about Lev Grossman's The Magicians. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has read the book or is planning to.

Skirt: Old Navy
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Tank: Belk
Belt: Anthropologie (brown Snakebite)
Shoes: Kohls

Book Review: The Magicians

I mentioned last week that I had started a new book called The Magicians by Lev Grossman and in a general way the beginning of the book reminded me of the Harry Potter series & Hogwarts. I should repeat though that this isn’t a book for little kids as it is much darker and more mature. Ok, so on to my review:

This book opens with Quentin’s whirlwind introduction to and acceptance into Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. This is a school for the most brilliant students who are recruited from all over the place. They suddenly find themselves magically transported to the school for an impromptu entrance exam. Think of a school full of kids with Hermione-like intelligence and you’ll get a picture of what it’s like there. I’m afraid Ron and Harry wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the difficulty of the school work at this place! Melancholy and disillusioned Quentin finally starts to feel like he’s found a place where he belongs once he settles in and starts classes. He’s always loved the idea of magic because of his favorite series of childhood books that take place in the magical land of Fillory, a Narnia-like world that Quentin always wished he could escape to.

Life at Brakebills takes some getting used to though. Due to the side effects of some old spells that help conceal the school from outsiders, time at Brakebills is almost 3 months behind the regular world. Learning magic is also less exciting than it is in Quentin’s Fillory books. At school it is tedious and difficult to learn even the most basic spells. Despite the challenges though, Quentin finds himself enjoying his new life. The book progresses pretty quickly at this point and Quentin rapidly flies through his first few years at Brakebills. This is the part of the story that I liked best so I would have liked it if the pace hadn’t been so rushed. Suddenly Quentin is a third-year student, the year when everyone is sorted into their disciplines. Quentin and his friend Alice are placed with the Physical Kids, a group consisting of three older students named Eliot, Janet, and Josh. Their bond as a group is strengthened during a long, school-wide Welters tournament (a magical game that’s sort of like chess on a life-sized board and not nearly as exciting as Quidditch).

And then the story gets weird. Trust me, you’ll know exactly where I’m talking about if you read it. I don’t want to post spoilers so I’ll just say that the rest of the book takes Quentin and his friends on adventures beyond the school as they develop into magicians and learn more about the world of magic. The book is tragic, exciting, funny, disturbing, and captivating all at the same time.

Overall I would say this is an engrossing read and I would recommend it. Just don’t expect to love it as much as the Harry Potter series (or the Narnia books) if you were a big fan of those. The characters aren’t as endearing and the tone is much more melancholy but this grittier take on the fantasy genre is a good read for anyone who likes to imagine what it would be like if magic really was real.

"Black-Out" Day 1

Today is the first day of Already Pretty's Black-Out Challenge week and I'm jumping in with a new shirt I got on sale from Belk (marked down to $5.39!) -- It kind of looks Anthropologie-like with the cute print and subtle ruffle detail down the front. It's hard to see in the picture but there are cute little birds in the print. If you want to participate in the challenge too, check out Already Pretty's blog for the details. It's pretty easy, just remember no black clothes, but black shoes & accessories and black in a print is OK. Take a look at my outfit picture below -- Does Jefferson count as my black accessory? ;-)

Outfit Details:
Shirt: Belk (Marked down to $5.39!!)
Belt: Anthropologie Looping Lanes
Skirt: Banana Republic
Sandals: Lands End (I can't wait to wear my tall brown boots in the fall with this outfit)