UnAnthropologetic- Vol. 1

I know I haven’t been updating my blog. And that’s because I’ve been sick and haven’t been able to do shit around my house. It looks awful. Anyway, I thought maybe I’d branch out a bit here. I have a deep and abiding love for Anthropologie. If money were no object, my house would be decorated by and my closet would be full of Anthro. Sadly, I live in a world that does not allow me to buy many of the things made by the good people of Anthropologie, for the simple reason that my wallet cannot take it.

This made me sad for a while. Then I realized the internet could fix this. So I present to you my UnAnthropologetic interpretations of my favorite looks from Anthropologie’s January  Lookbook. (The February ones to follow VERY shortly).

Look 1: Anthropologie’s Vernalis Maxi Dress ($198), Fringed Suede Jacket ($428), Blue Roses BibNecklace ($198), Grommet Savvy Belt ($38).

UnAnthropologetic Pieces: Dress- Modcloth ($60), Motorcycle jacket- JCPenny ($20), Necklace-Nordstrom ($48), Belt-Target ($15)

Savings: $719

I’d tell you what you could buy, where you could go, whatever with that savings, but let’s be honest: we were never going to buy the entire Anthro outfit, no matter how fabulous it is because the money has to go to bills. But hey! My way, you get food, shelter AND a cute outfit. Score!

 

Where to wear it: An evening dinner date or, if you like being ethereal, a beach bonfire.

Look 2: Anthropologie’s Nighthawk Drops ($28), Gold Filigree cuff ($48), Lace-framed dress ($178),Morningside Scarf ($48)

UnAnthropologetic Pieces: Earrings- Icing ($9), Cuff-Forever21($5), Dress- ModCloth ($58),  Scarf- Nordstrom  ($20)

Savings: $210












Where to wear it: Work, church, brunch or the movies.

Notes: For the earrings, this is one of those times where finding a stand-in is probably not worth the effort. I did it for YOU because that’s what I’ve set out to do here. But brass tax: I’d just buy the earrings at Anthro. Unfortunately, they've disappeared from the site. I don't know what happened.

Look 3: Anthropologie’s Pilcro Avie Denim Jacket ($128), Layered Lace Tank ($138), Pilcro HyphenStriped Chinos ($98), Trapeze Hoops ($68), Field Day Booties ($138).

UnAnthropologetic Pieces: Denim Jacket- Old Navy ($35), Crochet tank- Free People  ($48), Chinos- H&M ($25), Earrings- Icing ($10), Booties- DSW ($55).

Savings: $397

Where to wear it: To a ball game, to the park, to the movies or a pub quiz – anywhere you’re one of the guys, this will cover you.

Notes: Originally I had a different crochet tank, but it sold out, so I found this one. Wear a white tank top under this one.  I think Old Navy makes the best denim jackets. Cheap, fairly well-cut and reasonably timeless, they’re good stuff. I mean, my FAVORITE jean jacket is still my dad’s Wrangle jacket from the 70s, but since I have been barred from stealing it (again), this will do.

January Cure – Days 5 & 6

So we’re at meditating and minimizing now. Day 5 is to be spent sitting in a weird spot for 10 minutes contemplating your home from a new angle. Day 6 is to set up an outbox. 

In case you missed it last year, here's how an outbox works:

My days 5 & 6? Oh, you know, getting over my annual flu, still working on cleaning floors (days 2-5), need to put away Christmas decorations, still need to buy flowers (but I WILL do that today). Bright side? I have an extra 10 minutes AND I set up an outbox last year. It really is a good thing to have. So, I need to put a few things in it. And I did get the bathroom floor spotless, so that was nice. And the porch. Which was a bitch. (The eucalyptus trees shed ALL of their leaves onto my porch. Constantly.)

So if I can just put away Christmas decorations, clean all of the floors and rehearse for my class tomorrow, and cook dinner, all while “taking it easy while I’m still getting over this flu” tonight, it should all be aces. 

January Cure 2014 - Days 2, 3 & 4

So the deal here is that it’s the weekend, so I get a whole block of time to finish a task. This weekend’s is kind of my favorite- clean the floors and get fresh flowers. You would not BELIEVE the difference this makes.

 (Or maybe you would because you’re better about doing this regularly than I am. Stop showing off. Yes, yes, your floors are constantly gleaming. I’m not talking to you anymore).

Additionally, we need to take down the Christmas decorations. At which point I’m going to tackle the “put stuff away in den” bullet point on the list. This weekend’s going to be buuuusy!

January Cure 2014 – Day One

It’s that time of year again for Apartment Therapy’s January Cure. If you haven’t heard of it, I strongly suggest checking it out. It’s a great way to start off the year whether your home is a room, an apartment, a condo or a house. It’s very cleansing and fulfilling and –bonus!- you don’t have to think of what to do next. It TELLS you.  But not in a bossy way and I still feel fairly autonomous doing it. So great. Check it out here.

Day One (which was yesterday, but you can start now, too):  Walk around, make a list. 

This one’s the easiest… and most disturbing. You walk around your home and take a good look at what carnage has been wreaked and changes you want to make. If you don’t know exactly how to fix something today, that’s ok. Just put down “the bathroom wall is a hot mess” and you can expand upon that point and come up with a plan of action later. This is sort of a brain-storming session. All the things on the page. Don’t like that doorknob? On the list! Wondering how that corner became the clutter center of the Universe? How and why are tomorrow’s problem, today, we just note it on the list! Today is sort of a procrastinator’s dream. Of course, later in the month will bring ACTION, Jackson, but today, we’re just some list-making fools. 

Once you've made your list (and had a glass of wine), go through and highlight 3-5 items for each room that REALLY should be seen to.

Ok. Ready for my list?

Notes on the list:

Entry: Well, sure, I COULD ask my landlord to do this. And I AM going to ask them for the paint. But they’re the ones who did such a crap job in the first place, so I feel like maybe I’ll give it a shot. Plus, I want to paint the rest of the living room anyway.

Living Room:  Nothing too groundbreaking here. I will need to figure out what color to paint it. Tar-stain off white is just not in it. And my cat insists on destroying the edge of the carpet. So.

Dining Room: It and the Bathroom are the closest to being “done”. I have been looking for the “right” curtains for over a year now. I think I should just accept that 1) curtains are changeable and 2) This is becoming an illness, this curtain-judging. Also, the shadow boxes that I made 2(!) years ago. That sit next to my husband’s desk.  Might just put those up this weekend.

Kitchen: I need a backsplash and I came up with the best plan. I’ll tell you all about it in another post. Mostly, the kitchen is just basic cleaning and tidying.

Bathroom: The white paint needs touching up again. And I still need to put art in there. And, you know, standard cleaning.

Bedroom: We have picked colors. We have been staring at the swatches taped to the wall for months. It is time to just DO IT. And then decorate. Like an adult.

Den: You know that space where you just throw everything? Yeah, this whole room has become that. But long-term, we’d like it to be a nursery someday. So the rows of bookshelves have to go… but I think if I built-in a shelving system in the far end of the closet and secured the door, I think it would be a legitimate solution.

So, what's on your list?