Grounded, Not Tied Down

These people keep me grounded (my brother Sam, cousins Katie and Kim, and my Uncle Clark)

Hello Readers,

Tonight's post features something very dear to me.  More precious than riches or fame.  What could this be?  A hard to find dress to Anthropologie?  No!  A dream job? Nope!

That thing of which I speak is. . . FAMILY!  Over the past two weeks, I've been away from my family in St. Louis (last week) and Chicago (this week)- and in my time of absence from them I've become even more aware of their value in my life.  My mom's listening ear, my dad's advice, my brothers' antics, my grandparents' stories, the support of my aunts and uncles, and the friendship of my cousins. Warm memories, shared experiences, celebrations (accompanied with Aunt Shelly cake on my mom's side!)

The love and support of my family is what gives me confidence and keeps me going during times of joy, times of trial, and everytime in between.  They keep me grounded!

This week (it's only Tuesday- woah!), I was looking through photos of recent family events, and I thought that I could share it with you all (especially my family- SHOUT OUT!).

Photos from my cousin Bill's graduation party:

Bill is a graduate and a champ (I think he did well in this round of the tossing game)

My dad (the taller one) and my Uncle CJ

Photos from a graduation/Sunday evening gathering at my grandparents' house:

Surveying the damage to the RC truck

Swing Swing!

Dan the baseball man!

A blossoming photographer in the family! :)

Uncle John

Happy Graduation Kim!

Also, I've had my eye on the Maeve Tied Down dress from Anthropologie for quite a while, but gave up on my search after my store in St. Louis ran out and the dress became no longer available online.  Then the big sale of the year began at Anthro, and I thought I would never see the dress again- but the week that the store offered and additional 25% off, I found a dress at the store and bought it for almost 50% off the original price! I wore it to two parties in one weekend.  That is how much I love it- but, of course, not as much as I love my family!

A rural forest? Almost. . . 

Shaking hands with the trees?

There we go!

Fitting Room Dress Reviews: 03/15/2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day Readers!

It is a beautiful day in Peoria- the weather is fairly warm, the sun is shining, and it's almost Friday!  To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I am wearing green today- are you?  

On Tuesday, I had a very intense job interview in St. Louis that went well, but ended a lot sooner than I thought it would.  I was going to drive back to Peoria on Wednesday morning, but this extra time gave me the luxury of extra time in the day to drive home. . . and even a bit of time to shop at Anthropologie!

I took a bit of a break from Anthropologie for a short span of time (2 weeks, maybe 3), but after seeing the fresh cuts in the sale section of anthro's website, and after successfully making it through my interview. . . I decided that a visit to my favorite store was in order!

There were so many cute things in the sale cubby and throughout the store and I tried on such a wide selection of items that currently reside in my wish list.  Here is a review of a few of my favorite things: 

Tied Down Dress by Maeve ($98)- Size 6

I was fascinated by the color of this dress (a coral-red) and the ring of detail at its hem, and the price point made this dress worth trying on. To bring the waist in, I added a belt that also brought a bit of texture and sparkle to the dress (it also looks lovely without the belt- but I love wearing belts with dresses!) I would say that the dress runs a bit big, but I don't think it is meant to be very tight fitting.  If you are going to try this on, grab your size and the next size up.

 Irresistible Maxi Dress: Plenty by Tracy Reese ($89.95)- Size Small

I've never been a very big fan of maxi dresses, mostly because none of the ones I've tried on have been long enough, but this dress was an exceptional exception to this dilemma- there was plenty of length!  The dress is stunning- the color is so rich and the draping is beautiful.  The fabric is a bit sheer (motivation to continue with my workout routine!), but since it is so lightweight it will wear well even into the summer months.  This dress IS Irresistible (thank you Tracy Reese!) and this was one of my purchases of the day.  I am singing in my cousin's wedding this summer, and I think I will wear this dress (we'll see. . . ).

In An Instant Dress: Maeve ($98)- Size 4

Charcoal is one of my favorite clothing colors- it is versatile, flattering, and a great alternative to black- and marigold yellow has been a recent fascination of mine, so I had to try this dress on. I was not impressed with the dress- the fabric seemed a bit cheap, like it wouldn't retain its shape after a few washings.  I might try this on again if it makes it to the sale section, but for now it's just not quite what I'm looking for.

Emerging Leaves Dress: Weston Wear ($69.95)- Size 4

The print on this dress reminds me of the Madeleine books from the bookshelf of my childhood, which I think is why I gave this dress a try.  Lately, I've been trying to be more bold in my clothing selections, so trying on this dress was an exercise in that pursuit.  The dress has a nice, but heavy, weight to its fabric and an unordinary, but vintage-inspired shape.  I really wanted to like this dress, and I did, but I'm not quite bold enough to invest in a piece like this (it would be quite a departure from my ocean-inspired wardrobe).  The dress made my waist look very small, but it was a bit tight in the chest.

Anonna Dress: Edme & Esylite ($79.95)- Size 4

I tried this dress on with a bit of hesitation because of some of the negative reviews I read on anthro's website regarding the straps, but the dress was so adorable in person that I disregarded the reviews.  The dress that I tried on did not have any problems with the straps- but I wish that the belt on the dress was made from the same ribbon as the straps (but that's an easy problem to fix with a strip of white grosgrain ribbon).  The fit was flattering, I loved the lacy textured fabric on the box/bow portions of the skirt, and the flare of the shirt- but I was so wowed by the Irresistible Maxi Dress that this one went back on the sale rack.

Sunny Soiree Dress: Girls from Savoy ($148)- Size 4

This dress reminds me a lot of something Emma Pillsbury would wear on Glee, and seemed very teacher-ly to me.  The color and print of the skirt were delightful, but the fit of the skirt wasn't as flattering as I hoped it would be. The blouse portion of the dress seemed well-intentioned, but a bit over the top in the ruffles department.  Very cute dress, but not quite what I was looking for.  The dress fits fairly true to size.

Wicklow Dress: by ??? ($79.95)- Size Small

I think this dress is by Deletta, but I can't remember (does anyone know?) This dress is beautiful, and I appreciate the draping, but the overall shape was a bit to va-va-va-voom for my liking.  Yes, it is fun to play up one's assets, but this dress did that a bit too well!  If you have a straight body-type, this dress will add curves- but if you already have curves- beware!

Enjoy the rest of your St. Patrick's Day Readers!!!