Anthropologie's Holiday Book Drive

I was so happy to see another great community service project by Anthropologie.  Anthropologie is inviting customers to give the gift of reading to children in need during its Holiday Book Drive. The book drive provides an opportunity for customers to donate books through Reader To Reader, the designated non-profit organization (see here). Reader To Reader's book donation programs have donated more than 4 million books to schools, libraries and shelters.  In the alternative, Anthropologie is also providing customers the opportunity to donate a stuffed animal to a local children’s hospital. Let’s try to do our part and give back to the community this holiday season.

Sale - Shopping Overload

Hi Ladies…I hope that you all are having a great week so far.   I wanted to post my reviews from some of my online purchases.  My online shopping has gotten a little out of control, especially with the free shipping offer.  Last night I came home to all these boxes at my door. 

I was pretty excited about my orders until I tried everything on.  Below are some of the things that I have received so far.  You won’t believe that I’m still waiting on two other items to come in the mail….I know…yikes!  Here we go:

1.  I ordered the Seraphim Necklace in orange for $29.95.  I saw this necklace on one of the sales associates a few weeks ago and it looked amazing on her.  The colors are great for the fall season and it’s a piece that will carry over into other seasons.  I’ll be keeping this necklace.

2. I also ordered the Campaign Jacket in beige for $49.95 in a size small.  I saw this jacket on someone else’s wishlist, and added it to mine.  I have never seen the jacket on anyone, but I thought it was cute in the picture.  However, when I tried it on, I didn’t have the same thought.  Unfortunately, I plan on returning this one.

3. Next was the Camilla Dress in Blue for $69.95 in a size small.  I thought that this dress was gorgeous online.  The embroidery on the front and the back of the dress is so intricate and feminine.  The dress has a thin ribbon sash that ties in the back.  When I tried on this dress, I didn’t love the way it looked on me.  Unfortunately, I plan on returning this one too.

4. I also bought the Once & Always Tee in purple for $29.95 in a size small.  I really liked the look and feel of this shirt.  I wasn’t sure that I would like the ruffles, but it adds a romantic and classy look to the shirt.  The shirt is much more stunning on, than on the hanger.  The material of the body of the shirt is a little bit thin, so you’ll have to wear a natural color bra.  I waited for this one to go on sale and I finally got it.  I’ll be keeping this one.

5. The last item that I ordered was the Circle the Globe Skirt in navy for $39.95 in a size six (6).  I tried this skirt on in the store, but I missed out when it first went on sale.   I was able to purchase this one when it pop-backed up on my wishlist.  I love this look of this skirt – it’s not too poufy, but just enough flare.  This is a great skirt for summer and will transition nicely in into the fall and winter.  I highly recommend buying this skirt…obviously I’ll be keeping this one. 

My Shopping Bag at Anthro’s Sale

I don’t know what to say about this sale.  I was positive that I was going to sit this one out, but today’s sale got the best of me.  So, here are some pics of some of the things I bought today.     

I was so happy to find out that the Backlight Blouse went on sale today...woo hoo...only $39.95.  I love this top so much…I love the combination of the taupe dots against the black and the yellow-green sash.  I'm 5'7", 145 lbs, 34B with a short torso. This tops stays perfectly in place and doesn't droop down like many strapless tops. The size four worked out perfect for me.  The top is more fitted and has some light plastic boning to give it some structure, slightly cinched at the waist then flares out slightly at the bottom.  Just perfect!

I also found an Odille Look Sharp Tunic in green for $9.95.  I had to buy it just because of the price and it looked good on me too. 

I also bought a few tights too; opaque tights in the light denim for $4.95, a lace/floral printed tights and antique rose openwork tights for $9.95 each.  I didn't do too bad today, but there will be another post soon with some of my online purchases.

How To Dress For Your Body Type: The Pear

So, I took Jenny’s challenge (see here) regarding posting about my body type.  Hopefully, this post will be helpful to other ladies that have difficultly finding the right clothes that fit your body type.

The “Pear” is one of the most common shapes among women and is characterized by being bottom-heavy, meaning the butt, thighs and hips are significantly larger than the bust. Other physical characteristics that are typical is that the waist is small as well as the bust and shoulders. 

To confirm that you have a pear shaped body, check out the list below: 

• Pear shapes usually have a bottom heavy shape;
• a thin and slender neck;
• a narrow or sloping shoulders;
• larger and more generous lower hips and thighs; and
• I also found online that another way to figure out the body type is to measure the bust, hips, and waist. A pear body type has a hip/waist greater than 1.25 and a waist/bust ratio greater than .75.

When I was younger, I just played with my clothes to figure out what looked best on me.  As I got older and after some research, I learned that I was a pear shape.  At that time, I decided to embrace the opportunities to emphasize my neck, shapely shoulders, slim arms, and defined waist. One thing that I learned is that I had to work with my heavier bottom half to get an all-over balanced outfit.  You will often find me in strapless shirts or dresses, tank tops, dark-colored pants, and any dress or skirt with an A-line fit. 

Having a pear shaped body is not a bad thing. There are many celebrities that are pear shaped like Kristen Davis, Tyra Banks, Rihanna, Shakira, Beyonce, and more.  

The key is learning how to dress for your body type. What should pear-shaped women wear to look balanced? Here are some wardrobe tips that will be helpful for any pear shape:

Shirts:  Find shirts with the following elements:

• Choose a shirt that will draw the eye to the shoulders: Wide necklines, such as boatneck, scoopneck and strapless styles, can widen the shoulders and balance your bottom half.   I also enjoy wearing tank tops with the right accessories, such as a scarf or chunky jewelry.

• Look for waist-defining details in your tops, such as belted or cinched styles that show off your defined waist.

• Any top that cinches at the high point of the waist, just under the chest—will bring all the best parts about your unique shape.

• Shirts that draw attention to the face are welcome. Look for buttons or ties at the neck that will draw eyes upwards.

• Plus-size women should stay away from baggy shirts. Don't hide your shape with loose tees!

• If the stomach is flat, then a sexy, cropped top will also help the bottom half of the body look more balanced. Please only wear a cropped top if the stomach is flat and athletic looking.

Jackets and Blazers:

• Try to find a jacket or blazer with puffed sleeves; it will help broaden the shoulders to bring balance to the bottom part of the body.

• Avoid wearing jackets and blazer that hits the widest point of your hips or the end of your bum.  It will draw more attention to your lower half.   Try to find a jacket or blazer that hits your hipbones.

Dresses:

• A useful tip on how to dress for a pear shaped body is defining the waist. It provides an hourglass shape for your body. Wear a waist-defining dress that merely skims your hips or balloons out from the waist to hide a heavy bottom…like wrap dresses or belted dresses.

• Be careful wearing empire waist dresses.  An empire waist at knee-length is could be a good look for a cocktail party such as the classic black below.

• No full and clingy dresses.

Sliming Bottoms:

• Low-rise pants, boot-cut pants and jeans best compliment the proportion.

• Flared pants that skim the fullest part of the body then flare out to the bottom hem. Dark colors will help slim.

• No tapered trousers, the ideal pants for this body shape hit on the hips and are snug in the rear, but wide at the thigh and leg.

• Look for pants with no pockets on the rear.

• When choosing denim, consider the wash, jeans that are lighter in the middle of the thighs and darker on the outsides.

• Look for a waistline on your skirt that hits slightly below the natural waistline. Without extra layers close to the smallest part of your waist, you can make it look smaller and your torso a little longer.

• Get skirts with a slight A-line cut. They will skim over problem areas and smooth the hip and thigh.

Accessories:

• The best way to bring attention away from the lower part of the body is to draw it up to the face. Wear bold, big accessories near the face, such as chunky necklaces, large earrings, and scarves.

• Because the bust line is usually small, a push up bra is always a good option. Push up bras will give a good lift and add a little extra padding to the bust, helping to balance as well as draw attention

• Lengthen and slim your legs with a pair of heeled shoes. Heavier style heels which are not stilettos will balance out your calves.

• Avoid shoes with ankle straps or t-strap styles, which can make your legs look larger.

Clothes to Avoid:

• A key thing to avoid is to never accessorize the fullest part of the body. Stay away from prints, especially large and/or bold bright prints. Prints and bright colors will draw attention to the bottom half of the body.

• Skinny jeans are also a problem for bottom-heavy shapes. Again, it will accentuate the curve at the hips, thighs and butt. With the pants being tight at the feet it will make the body look like a big upside down triangle. As much as I love the look of skinny jeans, I have to be cautious when it comes to these jeans.  I found a pair that I think works, but I don't wear them often.

DISCLAIMER: This is just a general idea of the shape and specifically, my body type.

Fitting Room Reviews – Look Back and Phlox & Coral

I went to the Anthropologie store in the Mall of Millenia in Orlando, FL for the first time and I had a blast.  It's always fun to see how different each of the Anthro stores set up their merchandise and displays.  I only tried on a few things and I was able to snag the Culmination Blouse in a 4 (see here).  My store sold out of these really quickly.  Here are my reviews.

1. Look Back Sweater Dress…$138.00

I tried this dress on today in the store and absolutely fell in love with it.  The small fit me perfectly (for reference, I usually wear a size 4 or 6 dress and a size 6 skirt). I tried on the purple dress, which is a rich, deep color; the dress also comes in gray.   The material is high quality merino wool that is lightweight and allows for a beautiful drape.  This dress is form fitting like a sheath dress, but it is not extremely clingy.  The neck line is beautiful and the gathered fabric is just the right touch.   My favorite part of the dress is the deep v back and the exposed back zipper…it’s very flattering.   I didn’t try this dress on with a belt, but a belt would be a great accessory to add to change the look.  This dress would be perfect for my work wardrobe.  I’ll mostly buy this dress in the near future.

2. Phlox & Coral Coat…$288.00

I love, love, love this coat.  Tracey Reese has done it again…she designed a gorgeous piece of art. It is structured well and the fabric is very sturdy.  This coat couldn’t be used up North as a winter coat, but it’s perfect for me here in Florida.  The coral accents and lining is just as stunning as the buttons.  I tried this on in the 4 and the 6 and the 4 worked perfectly for me.   I have been eyeing this coat for sometime, and I hope to buy it when it gets marked down.   I’m just hoping that Anthro will have my size available when the time comes.