Went to Anthro today, with a friend whom I'm slowly addicting to the store. :D And I didn't buy anything!

First, got a birthday coupon PA [price adjustment] on the Carica Bag in beige, which I received today. It's almost huge, which I love but is also a little intimidating at the same time. I will bring it to school, but it doesn't really work with a backpack--too large to carry as a handbag, and over my shoulder is too bulky with my backpack at the same time.

Carica Bag

But it's a classic slouchy satchel shape, holds a TON, and I got a great deal: $85, originally $178. (I ordered a charge-send from California with free shipping, but when I got my 15% price-adjustment, it also took off the tax that I had to pay in CA. Hooray!)

Also returned the Blurred Bands Belt, which I'd picked up last weekend on a whim but was too big to wear at my waist.

And finally, I tried on a lot of tops, plus the Sagebrush Skirt. I tried a 4 but really need a 6 in the skirt, but decided that $70 was too much to pay, regardless. LOVED the Expanding Universe Tank in red XS, despite mixed blogger reviews--my theory is that it's designed for small-busted women, because the neckline will pucker if it's at an angle. Not a problem for my flat chest, I just needed to straighten it out and it stayed perfect. The red colorway reminds me of Canada, my native land, so it's even sentimental!

I re-tried the A-Bit-Unruly Top in green, size XS, but though there wasn't anything really wrong with it, it just seemed too simple for a $30 top. I'd much rather wait for the Expanding Universe Top to go on sale, and I'll snatch it up at first cut. Also retried The Gathering Tank, this time in lavender, and determined that I can't make the size small work (bust is huge). But the raw edges still bug me and I very much doubt this top will make it to second cut. The Sidebent Tank, similar to the failed Expanding Horizons Tank, is a better fit but still not perfect. Contrary to online reviews, for me it ran a little big--long, rather than wide--because the armholes dragged down in the XS. I like my tops fitted, so I didn't notice tightness in the torso area. The design is honestly kind of boring, though.

More tops... Loosened Shelby Top desperately needs to be sized down, but I didn't bother trying the 0 because the neck-ties were really funky. Too bad, because the navy bird print is really cute. I disliked the mannequin shape of the Alchemilla Tee, and didn't like it any more on me. It makes me look hippy, miraculously, but not in a good way (i.e. by making my chest look even tinier). Loved the flowiness of the Talauma Tunic, but it's sold out in XS and S both in my store and online. I'll consider it on sale if/when I can track down an XS to try. Hanging Garden Top was, by no means, an effective substitute... just huge. This is when I wish I was able to size down in tops--instead, I'm usually sized out of the flowy stuff. I sized down to a 0 in the Finding Roses Blouse (now on second cut for $20), but it was still too big.

P.S. Insights from trading clothes with my hourglass friend: Expanding Universe Tank doesn't work on >B cup, I suspect. Cirque A-line (aka "the elephant dress") has a crappy zipper, just like its sweetly singing predecessor. The beautiful Artist's Rendering Dress really doesn't work on petites in non-petite sizes, even if you're an hourglass (she was able to take the 2; I went up to a 4 to squeeze my waist in, and the top was a mess; but on both of us, the straps were too long and caused gapping).
I went to the huge King of Prussia mall today with a few friends. (It has literally every store I'm interested in, except for Anthro, sadly.) These are not Anthro/J.Crew-type friends; we spent long periods of time in H&M and Forever 21, and I ended up just buying a few cheap accessories from Wet Seal and New York & Company. A nice black belt to replace an Urban Outfitters belt that recently broke--I returned it for a merchandise credit, using a year-old receipt--and two clearance scarves, for a total of $11.

EDIT: Also a <$2 nail file from the Sanrio store, haha.

In fact, the belt (on sale for $5 at NY&Co) is pretty much a knock-off of Anthropologie's Looping Lanes Belt, which I've loved on several bloggers. The scarves are just so-so, but I needed to buy one for the Scarf Swap and it was a buy-one-get-one sale on top of clearance prices. I tried on a bunch of other stuff and some of it looked OK, but the fit wasn't perfect or the quality was discouraging.

F21 had a really cute blue tank top with a white dove print, but the armholes were huge and taking up the straps would have left me with a bizarrely prudish neckline given the skimpiness of the tank top. The Banana Republic also had a ton of tuxedo-bib button-down shirts on clearance, some in pink and a bunch in off-white, for just $11 plus 40% off. However, my shopping companions were universally against the shirt--they called it prudish--and the body was very wide, so I passed. I have NEVER seen a BR-quality button-down priced that low with multiples in stock, and it wasn't even final sale... but, of course, the fit is way off.

And now I finally get to the original point of this post: the magic price point. I realized that I will buy something on impulse if it is 1) a piece of clothing or shoes (excludes scarves, belts, costume jewelry, etc.) and 2) priced below $10. This is definitely lower than my price point a year ago, which was more like $20; but then, I have also raised my maximum price point quite a bit to include first-cut Anthro. I ended up returning the Eyeleted Corset Top because the colors were too hard to work with, but I'm still somewhat willing to pay $100 for a "perfect" piece of high-quality clothing. And if that top goes on sale for $50, I may be calling CS to repurchase it...

O anonymous reader: what is your magic price point? Do you have fine-print exceptions to the rule?
On an old but popular post about creating a minimalist closet, Elaine from I'm clothed much mentions a wonderful tip--itself snagged from Alex of Odd Socks and Pretty Frocks--for reflective sale shopping.

If you like something, set a price you'd be willing to pay (Me: without looking at the tag first). If it is more than what you think it is worth, don't buy it.

I loved this rule as soon as I read it, and I realized that this is something I've already started to do. The no-cheating addition by Elaine is important! I have varying price tolerances for different items as well as different levels of love (maybe I'll break it down someday in a blog post!), but you are free to set your own boundaries and I encourage you to keep them flexible. I never thought I would even consider spending $40 on a belt, but I fell in love with Anthro's Snapdragon Belt at full price and it has the potential to be very versatile in my wardrobe, since I haven't yet collected a bunch of cheap and unloved belts. (If only that were the case with purses. Ugh.)

It's kind of like playing The Price is Right, except that you always win! If the item is more expensive than you think it's worth, or can afford, then walk away and know that there will always be something else to fall in love with.

This is why I love Anthro's return policy... I didn't realize the impracticality of my love for the Eyeleted Corset Top until I fell in love with a Fossil bag. Which doesn't have a top zipper, so I might end up passing on it after all. I am really taking to heart Already Pretty's tips on handbag shopping, or at least the first point about analyzing usage patterns. Topic for an upcoming post: my ideal handbag (for the next three years).
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.

August 2011

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About

Seeing personal style through K's eyes.

I'll be chronicling my quest for personal style on a frugally-raised college student's budget. Fitting room reviews, style inspirations, musings/rants about dressing a petite, size-2 apple figure--just whatever is on my mind. I adore the Anthro aesthetic, but rarely pull it off in real life. Same goes for heels and make-up...

SIZING REFERENCE:

Height: 5'2"
Measurements: 31-28-33
Bust: 32A (or 32AA without padding)
Shoes: 5 women's/3 kids, also 5.5 if open-back
True size: 2 with consideration for my waist
Shape: "crabapple"
Ethnicity: Asian = straight black hair (now waist-length for the second time!), boring brown eyes and nonexistent lashes, medium yellow-toned skin

SPECIFIC BRANDS:
Anthropologie: 2/S dresses (0/XS fits tight), 2/XS tops, 4-6 skirts
J.Crew: XS/0 tops and dresses, 4 skirts
Banana Republic: 2 tops, 4P Sloan bottoms (sometimes 2/2P in other cuts)
H&M: 4/XS tops, 4/S dresses, 6 (sometimes 8) skirts
Forever 21: S tops and dresses, 26 jeans

Resident of the teensy state of Delaware, whose greatest virtue is 0% sales tax!

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