Last Thursday, Jan. 26, I was invited to the grand opening of the Anthropologie in Old Towne, Alexandria. I was permitted to bring a plus one, so my dear friend, Amanda, came with me. We went to happy hour at Jackson 20 beforehand where we had some cocktails and snacks before walking the short 2 blocks to Anthro.
I had planned to take many photos to use in this blog post, but that plan was quickly thwarted. When we first arrived (around 6:40... the event begin at 6:30) it was crowded- very difficult to walk around and most of the clothing displays were blocked by people, not allowing for a photo opp. They were serving delicious cocktails, wine, and cute small plates (my favorite was tiny square cups of tomato soup with bite-sized grilled cheese sandwiches on the rim) and shortly after arriving, I was holding dresses to try on, a cocktail, and my purse which didn't leave any free hands for camera-holding.
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| Anthro was serving delicious summery cocktails with cute silk flags and sprigs of rosemary as a garnish |
I wore Anthro's De Chelly dress for the opening and Amanda wore the Fluttering Flora dress.
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| Dress: De Chelly, Anthropologie Shoes: Rennsselaer T-Straps Cardigan: Jackie Cardi, J. Crew |
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| This is the dress Amanda wore! Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of both of us |
The new store is HUGE- it is two stories. The downstairs is more narrow but deep and already has a fully-stocked sale room in the back. As soon as you walk in the main doors, there are stairs on the right. Upstairs there is a large selection of bedding and home goods, as well as lounge wear, dressing rooms, and more clothing.
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| The decor of the store was very summery which went along with the summer-inspired clothes Anthro's been selling recently! These cacti were on display on the way up the stairs |
I am not much for fitting room reviews (yet I LOVE reading them and love when other bloggers have them!) because my camera is dying a slow and painful death and doesn't take the best pictures. Too, it is hard for me to find the right angle and I become easily frustrated. I did try on quite a few things, though and have a few pictures to share. I spent way more than I should have, and I am debating what I should return. Any suggestions welcome!
The first dress I tried on (and purchased) is the sweet enticement dress. I LOVE this dress, especially because of the gorgeous lace back. With both dresses, I wore the belle bow belt which I also adore and bought. I think it adds a nice pop of color. This dress was the perfect length on my petite frame- it came right above the knee, which may make it a bit too short for taller gals. Some of the reviews I read complained about the fit; I found that it fit well, although perhaps does run a bit big. This dress definitely picks up lint easily and was quickly covered in fuzzies in the short time I wore it around the fitting room. That con aside, this dress is perfect for me. A friend of mine is getting married in April and I am going to wear this dress to her rehearsal dinner.
The dress is black, although it is more of a lighter black- at times, it appears navy. Since I most likely will not wear a cardigan with this (do not want to cover the back!) the lighter coloring isn't an issue for me.
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| Sweet Enticement Dress, $118 |
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| Belle Bow Belt, $38 |
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| The lace back!! |
The next dress I tried on and purchased is the Even Flurry Dress. I liked this dress alot. I wasn't sure if I LOVED it until Amanda and two random shoppers in the dressing room were raving about it on me. They convinced me that I need it, and now I quite agree. I do have pictures of it in the fitting room, with the belle bow belt seen above, however, because the top is sheer, I don't quite feel comfortable posting them. Again, this dress was a great length on me- a bit longer than the Sweet Enticement but still hitting around the knee. With a white cardigan, a cami underneath, and the belle bow belt, I am thinking this will be the perfect dress for Easter Sunday. I am hopeful that it will hit sale before then; that way, I can buy it at the sale price and return this full price version.
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| Even Flurry Dress in navy, $168 |
I adore this tied-shoulder tank! The colors are fun for spring/summer and the cut is perfect. It has a deep square cut out of the back and the top is textured which makes it a bit unique. This tank will be perfect with a navy skirt (which I surprisingly do NOT own). I've also seen it featured on the ipad app with an ivory skirt which may work well, too. This was another must have, although, I am hoping it will go on sale before it is warm enough to wear it so I can snag it at a sale price.
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| Tied-Shoulder Tank, $78 |
