Veterans Day and a Trip to Anthropologie

Hello out there to all of my lovely, lovely readers! I hope your day went well.

In honor of Veterans Day, please take a moment to remember all of the amazing, inspiring Veterans who sacrificed so much to keep our country safe and protect our freedom. I am so grateful for all that they have done and continue to do!

Now, being that I work for a bank, I had the day off in observance of the holiday, so I spent a few lovely hours at Anthropologie. I decided to try out their *free* personal shopping service, so I phoned ahead and made an appointment with Audra at the gorgeous Chelsea Market Anthropologie location.

Ladies, even though I am a very experienced shopper who adores creating my own unique looks and outfit combinations, I cannot say enough good things about this service. I was looking to save some time today, so it was really great to arrive at the store and head straight down to the dressing room, which was already filled to the brim with each item I was dying to try on. The stylist also included an array of accessories and some additional outfit ideas, as well. She was super sweet and accommodating, and was on hand for over an hour to help me decide which pieces worked best on me.

If you live in the NYC area, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the personal shopping service at the Chelsea Market location. It's a fabulous option if you're pressed for time, at a loss as to what to buy (AS IF!!!), or just too damn impatient to fight the masses and run all over the store like a crazy person in search of those highly coveted items. (Wait, maybe that's just me...;) )

Getting back to the clothes, I was able to try on a TON of stuff today. There were some amazing finds and a few disappointments, a few of which were captured on film for everyone to see.;)

Let's begin with the Andrick Coat from Plenty by Tracy Reese. Now, I blogged about this beauty not too long ago, and it was love at first sight. I actually squealed when I saw it on the hanger today. (Pathetic, I know.) It is even more beautiful in person than I imagined! I wasn't sure which size I should get, so I started with a 0 and figured I'd work my way up from there, if need be. Well, that 0 was pretty darn perfect, especially since this would be more of a special occasion coat for me, rather than my daily winter gear under which I'd want the option of layering heavy, chunky knits for added warmth.

This coat has a very structured, tailored fit and amazing attention to details. I'm all about the flowers and embroidery, and this coat was not lacking in either. The color of the coat is more merlot than true red, but it's absolutely gorgeous. The only negative aspect for me is the faux fur collar, which I found to be a bit tight around my neck. I rolled it down and it felt less constricting, so I don't think it's a deal breaker.

Overall, this is just a totally glam and fabulous coat. I would definitely rock this at all of my holiday parties, if only it were just a bit cheaper.

I also tried on the Laced With Grace (Size 2) and Easy-As-Pie dresses (Size 2), both of which were smashing hits. Unfortunately, my camera batteries decided to fail me at that exact moment, so I don't have photo proof for you guys...yet! Let's just say that one of these beauties came home with me today, and the other will be joining it in my closet come pay day!

I was pretty ticked off that I lost out on another photo op, so I bought some more batteries and headed over to the 5th Avenue Anthro to scope out the scene. I was also looking to try on the Florist's Arrangement Dress by Moth, which sadly, the Chelsea Market location didn't have in stock yet. I saw it dangling before my eyes the moment I walked in the store and promptly snatched it up to try on. I was taking the stairs two at a time to get to the fitting rooms, LOL.

Girls, I needn't have bothered. What a colossal disappointment this dress turned out to be! To be fair, I'll point out the positive...the material is soft and cozy, and the garment has a wonderful, ultra-feminine vintage vibe to it. However, once I put it over my head, I knew it would be a total disaster. It was absolutely HUGE on me and I pulled the XS. Once I had it on, I realized that the skirt had some super bizarre pleating issues going on, as well. I mean, hello, this dress successfully added about 20 pounds onto my hips. Who needs that???? It's not like I can size down in this, either. I kind of felt like I was wearing my middle school home ec project, LOL.

The color was off for me, too. I was hoping for a soft, creamy ivory shade, but this dress is more of a light gray than anything else. Definitely not ivory or cream. The flowers at the neckline looked a little homemade, as well.

Definitely couldn't wait to put this one back on the rack, but for those of you who are curious, I'll post my humiliation for all to see.;) Petite ladies, back away from this dress, as you will find yourselves swimming in it!



Holy cow, this dress is like a tent!




Wanna know which dress came home with me today??? This one!!!!! Can't wait to model it for you guys in the next few days! I plan to pair it with a black braided belt, black opaque tights, and some patent heels or booties.



This is what I wore for my shopping excursion today. I broke out the baby blue Curlytop Cardigan for the first time since I bought it, believe it or not.



Excuse the messy basement area.


Well, girls, tomorrow is Friday and another weekend will be upon us once again. I, for one, cannot wait! Have a great evening and let me know what you think, what you bought, etc. I love hearing from my readers!