An Ode and Some Recent Realizations

These days, I amass my wardrobe from a variety of sources -- basic clothing shops like Old Navy and Target (a.k.a. the affordable sorts of stores), thrifting, and making things myself. However, if I were placed under a dreadful curse where I could only ever buy clothes from one location, I would immediately choose Anthropologie and hope that the curse came with a unlimited budget.

Anthro's pieces are light, feminine, and well-constructed. I do have a few things that I found on clearance (an excellent short-sleeved brown jacket, a basic white tee with a lace-edged neckline) and some that were handed down to me from a friend (the world's best turquoise contra skirt). Still, the prices are rarely in my ideal range.

But a I can dream and still read everything about Anthro -- including this recent newsletter about a sweater decorating party (hat tip: Cam).

I loved leafing through the most recent catalog (thoughtfully included in a recent care package) and tearing out some sheets for my inspiration notebook. The Carniolan Primrose dress caught my eye for several reasons: it's long, high-waisted, short-sleeved, floral, and has a vaguely Regency air about it. And yet, I realize that it would be an unwise purchase because I would end up looking like a Victorian pouf footstool.

The issue is that I am 5'2", and therefore long floral dresses with few tailored details make me look rather shapeless and frumpy. I could wear the dress at home to water herbs in and feed my pretend cats, but wearing it outside of the house might indicate that I'd already descended into Crazy Bag Lady territory. Alas! It's tough to come to grips with the fact that the bohemian/romantic look I enjoy has to be reigned in, or at least tightened up slightly, for use in the professional world. If I were a 6'3" supermodel, I could probably get away with long and flowy with less difficulty.

As it is, I'm going to focus on a few things for my future wardrobe, especially for work this summer:
1. More structured jackets -- NOT blazers, but rather jackets with shape that can keep a loose top and full skirt from looking too dainty.

2. Skirts that hit right below the knee -- This is a great length for shorties since it's neither a skimpy mini nor a maxi ankle-length skirt. I really don't like skirts that hit above the knee, even just above, so below the knee length is my new ideal (rather than the previously mentioned ankle-length).

3. Heels -- I tend toward flats because wearing heels is less comfortable and the ones I've had in the past don't stay on all that well. So for the summer, I will look for heels that are relatively comfortable and that stay on my feet (usually a sizing issue). Oddly enough, I only like heels that are at least 2" high, so I don't have a problem with wearing very high heels.

4. Better jewelry -- It's time to stop buying dorky earrings at Claire's even if mini robots are adorable. I don't have that many earrings of good quality, so I'm planning to focus on nicer classic pieces that will last a while. Fortunately, I've inherited some very classy pearl necklaces, which I will rock this summer.

I'd love to hear about your recent wardrobe epiphanies!