A Fresh Start

Hello world!

My newest obsession-phase: shopping, although I prefer to think of it as a quest for "personal style." Having pondered it for weeks, as is my norm, I've decided that it's best for my own sanity to start a blog of my own. I hope not to descend into the ranks of commenters who leave their blog address in the signature of every comment.

After all, does it really matter if anyone else reads this little blog? I've already half-doomed it by hosting with Dreamwidth instead of Blogspot. But I want to support DW and I'm too lazy to figure out Blogspot/Blogger's learning curve: so there.

About me: I'm female, Asian, petite, and decidedly uncurvy. I attend college in Pennsylvania. Once upon a time, I used to have a thing for web design, but alas, no more (hence the lazy aesthetic of this blog); hopefully this fashion thing lasts for a bit longer.

Actually, that pretty well sums up my current personal style: lazy. My quest is to make it, "lazy with a twist."

Anthropologie Tag Sale (Part the First)

Right now I'm in rural Canada, studying French, with essentially no access to IRL shopping. As a result, I'm a little afraid to count the number of packages waiting for me at home (plus a few still coming in the mail, including my Anthro sale haul--see below). True to form, I haven't actually spent that much $$ because I refuse to pay shipping and I prefer to order from shops that have a nearby B&M presence. My parents are probably rather unhappy about the growing pile of boxes, however, especially since they don't trust my lesser cheapskate instincts.

But! A huge Anthro sale with extra 25% off, how could I resist? This was actually my second online order from Anthropologie--I paid shipping for the Inkwell Skirt on second cut because I'd already bought it and loved it on first cut, but was just outside of the PA period. I only wore the skirt once for a few hours and the tag was already off (in the pocket) when I bought it, so I have no qualms about returning my original $40 purchase.

Inkwell Skirt by Edme & Esyllte (reviews; see also Anthro Flux, In Pursuit of Pretty Things)
purchased size 6 for $26 shipped, originally $98


By the way, this skirt currently has a popback in size 8. Reviews are mixed, but for $20, it's a great deal. I would definitely recommend it to straight-figured ladies who would appreciate looking a bit more hippy. Even at $40, I was happy: high quality cotton with a gorgeous lace-edged lining, beautifully muted cool colors that will go with everything in my jewel-toned closet, and classic A-line shape. And pockets! It does poof at the waist, but I prefer to wear tops over skirts to create a drop waist at my slim hips, and I expect the same poof to give me some illusion of curviness if I choose to wear it higher-waisted with a top tucked in.

Note that this skirt is marked as dry clean, but being 100% cotton, I will hand-wash and line dry. If not for the delicate lacy lining, I would probably throw it in the machine in a mesh bag. But uh, my clothing care standards usually fall one step below whatever is recommended on the label. For instance, if it's 100% silk or 100% wool, I will hand-wash and lay flat to dry even if the label says dry clean only, because according to my mother, the ancient Chinese never had dry-cleaning and their clothes held up just fine. I have never run into problems with shrinkage or damage.

I purchased a size 6 after first grabbing my usual size 2 without realizing that I cannot fit an unstretchy size 2 waistband around my 28.5" waist. (Actually, depending on how I measure, I could also be 29-33 rather than 28.5-34, but that's too depressing.) It doesn't quite fall as low as my hips, but that wouldn't work with the poofiness anyway. Certainly it's more comfortable than my size 8 H&M skirt that fits very snugly at natural waist.

Also, I didn't realize until after seeing the online listing that it comes in petite sizes as well. I bought the skirt in-store in a regular size, but since the petite is only 1.25" shorter, I don't think it makes too much difference (and I prefer longer skirts anyway).

And this post is getting long, as always with my wordiness, so I'll break here and start a separate post for my ACTUAL Anthro sale haul yesterday. Can you tell I have OCD-like organizational tendencies?

Anthropologie Tag Sale (Part the Second)

So here is what I ordered from Anthro's tag sale! The Seasons Change Cardi popped out of stock while I was deliberating, but since I wasn't totally in love (no front buttons for warmth, this summer I'll be working in a FREEZING COLD office), it didn't faze me. By the way, the cardi came in three colorways even though only one is left online: white, brown, and a beautiful teal. But I already own a teal cardigan--cashmere, Gap, baggy but looks fine open and cashmere will be warm enough.

I ordered three skirts, but two are navy so I will only be keeping 2/3 at most. Plus two belts (actually four belts since one is a set of there) that sadly didn't qualify for the extra percentage off. It came just over $52; I dropped a $10 necklace at the last minute because I have way too much jewelry and I knew I'd never wear it.

Going under a cut-tag because I got wordy again...

( Tag Sale Round 3 )

Finally, a bonus: agonizing over the Eyeleted Corset Top, which I purchased in-store at the full price of $98 (+no tax, thanks DE!) before leaving for Canada. My store only had a few sizes left in backstock and none out on the floor; I'm sure it would be difficult now to track down a size 2, long sold-out online. I think the 4 currently available online is just 1 popback.

Eyeleted Corset Top by Floreat (reviews; see also Effortless Anthropologie, Erato's Closet--and again)
purchased size 2 for $98


This top has gotten surprisingly little love from the blogosphere. I've been wanting a corset-style top for a while--up to and including a real steel-boned corset from Otakon--and I love the eyelet detail. However, $100 for a top is ridiculous (compare with my Trollbeads bracelet with one charm, which I wear every single day layered with my watch) and since I own no orange (see above) I suspect this will be hard to style. Need to try it on some more when I get home, but it is probably going back. Maybe I'll keep the Snapdragon Belt as an alternative Anthro splurge.

I tried on both size 0 and size 2--no size 4 available--and was able to zip up both, but preferred the looser fit of the 2. It fits me well, though smooshes down my already-flat chest, because of my comparatively large ribcage. Back of bodice is smocked; bodice itself is very well-constructed. Super-flattering and gives me a waist. But--colors and price are a no-go. I don't think mine came with straps, but perhaps I just forgot about them. Here's a gratituous catalog shot:



By the way... for my birthday last month, I walked into my local Anthro with my mom and was prepared to pay full price for a gorgeous, versatile dress. I found the Overwhelmed Aster Dress (perfect fit in size 2 regular) to be gorgeous but terribly impractical; others that I tried on were all meh. I ended up buying the Magnified Corolla Dress for a sweet $30 (third cut, I think) at the register, even though the tag said $90. I am having the lining altered in China so I would probably have returned at $90, but for $30, the print is just lovely. I predict it will look amazing with the Snapdragon Belt. I purchased in size 0 because there was no 2 left and I didn't want to size up to 4. (This was on a different trip than the corset top, or the Inkwell Skirt... I visited Anthro three times in two weeks, I think.)

I am really itching to purge and re-organize my closet. Unfortunately I get home next Saturday afternoon and start work on Monday.