For the Love of Anthro

Dress: Anthropologie Space-Dyed Chemise

Cardigan: Old Navy

Scarf: Anthropologie Fritillary Ruffle Loop

Boots: Frye Paige Riding Boots

"It's bigger than love, brighter than all the stars combined...burning within my heart and mind." - Ben Gibbard

After a couple of posts wearing items from Old Navy, I'm back to my Anthro ways. I managed to procure two more items off of my Fall wish list, the Spaced-Dyed Chemise and the Fritillary Ruffle Loop. It was actually chilly on this day, and I have to say that these two items kept me very warm and comfy. I know a lot of you think I'm crazy for buying so many items from one store, but it really does work for me, and I'll tell you why.

First of all, I love the merchandise Anthro offers. I have read on many occasions that people who shop at Anthro do so for superficial reasons, like portraying themselves as living a certain lifestyle or like a collector adding things to a collection. Maybe that is the case for some people, but I can say without a doubt that is not the case for me. The merchandise at Anthro just speaks to me and has for many years now. Except on very rare occasions, I have never walked into an Anthro store and not seen something I love. I'm aware there is a large percentage of ladies out there who are no longer as enamored with Anthro as they were say 2 years ago. I remember back when I got into this blogging thing, there were many popular blogs dedicated to Anthro, but the majority of those have died out now. I get falling out of love with a store. I really do. I used to buy a lot of my clothes from The Limited, but now I hardly ever see anything I like from there. Stores change, tastes change, but for whatever reason one thing that has always been a constant for me is my love of Anthro.

Secondly, the resale value on Anthro items is high. I've gotten a lot of flack for spending so much money at Anthro when I could find similar pieces from inexpensive stores like Forever 21. Many retailers copy Anthro styles, so I agree it's possible to get the Anthro-esque vibe for less, and I've been known to do just that on some occasions. However, once you get those inexpensive items you are pretty much stuck with them unless you donate them or sell them for a couple of bucks on Ebay. Honestly, I get tired of things pretty quickly. There are very few pieces that I hold onto for longer than a couple of years. I've been able to consistently sale the majority of my Anthro items for at least half the price I originally paid for them. All things considered, I end up paying around the same price for an item from Anthro as I would from one of the inexpensive chains. For example, I just sold my Cream Confection Jacket for $100. I originally purchased it for $150, so in the long run, I only ended up paying $50 for it.

Lastly, contrary to popular belief, Anthro clothes fit me pretty good. I have a hard time fitting these curves into clothes from stores like Forever 21. I find the inexpensive chains to have more of a junior cut to their clothes. The dress lengths are typically shorter, and the hip and bust measurements are narrower. Of course, most would say that Anthro just has vanity sizing. Whatever the case, it works for me. On a typical shopping day at Anthro, there are very few items that I take back to the fitting room that don't fit. In fact, I always have the hardest time narrowing down what items I'm going to take home with me. I can't say that about any other store which I admit is really weird considering Anthro carries so many different brands. My fitting room experience at other stores usually consist of me trying on awkward fitting item after awkward fitting item, only to come out of the fitting room empty-handed, tired, and thoroughly depressed. If I come out of Anthro depressed, it's usually because I had to leave behind a coveted item.

So, there you have it, my love of Anthro in a nutshell. I'm sure this is way more information than you ever wanted to know about my obsession, but it's what's on my mind today. I don't expect all of you to get it. If you thought I was an Anthro-freak before, I suspect this post will only enforce that belief. It is not my intention to change anyone's mind with this post. I gave up on trying to do that awhile ago. Besides, I like being an Anthro-freak. It works for me and makes me happy. Different strokes for different folks.