Making up for Lost Time in B-minor

It's January and I'm a teeny bit behind on my Audition Applications for 2011.

In the Boston Metropolitan Area, the Organization called Boston Singer's Resource has an annual regional audition for a panel of auditors who may or may not be able to offer you a gig, but you only get 4 minutes to sing. Since this audition is only once a year, the last time I did this audition I had come down with a bad cold and refused to cancel. I had made up my mind that I could sing through the sickness, even though I was sick enough to call out of my retail job that morning. I was so out of it, I drove all the way to the audition location and realized, I left my music at home! I drove ALL the way back to grab it and got there just in time. I sang pretty poorly and received scores and comments that reflected it. My self-confidence took a huge hit from it and I did not have enough chutzpah to sing it again in 2010. Even though I am having a hard season, I promised myself I would attempt it again...but not if I was sick, which is rare nowadays anyway. So...it was the first one I filled out.

For today's rehearsal, I pulled out my Lost Time Skirt. This sits in my closet and I always forget how cute it is until I put it on.

Skirt: Anthro Lost Time Skirt, Cardi: J.Crew Jackie Cardigan, Shoes: Bare Traps

 My hubs hasn't quite got a grasp on the camera yet and caught the very white couch arm in every photo. I was quite pleased to wear this skirt to the first rehearsal of the Bach B-minor Mass which I will be performing in March. I actually always love March because it's Bach's Birthday and that always means lots of Bach concerts! If you haven't guessed yet, Johann Sebastian Bach is my very favorite composer with Francis Poulenc being a close second.

I am so excited about this rehearsal process! All Bach all the time is a very awesome thing! Here is an aria from the end of the piece. The melody is so hauntingly beautiful. If you have never heard a Countertenor before, you're in for a treat. I know a lot of people get freaked out when men sing and it sounds like a "woman", but to my ear, a countertenor sounds nothing like a woman. He just sounds like a countertenor, like a viola and it's a beautiful sound. I LOVE Countertenors and Andreas Scholl is a pretty popular one right now:

Spending the last of the Giftcard! (Plus, Reviews)

I am a spoiled only child. With terribly indulgent, amazing parents.

My amazing mom, who is also a fashion addict gifted me a very generous Anthro Giftcard this Christmas. I have been having a really cruddy few days. I still don't have my car and taking the MBTA home and to work is SO DUMB. I live 5 miles away from my job and it takes nearly an hour and a half to do it on the T. The old saying: "You can't get there from here." is accurate. They tell me they are going to have my car ready by Thursday.

I have also overbooked myself for the next few weeks between my retail job, teaching, rehearsals, my outreach teaching job and the radio show. I have very little downtime which is causing me to to very grumpy and overtired. To boot, I still have to keep up with all the housework, cooking, and we have a leak in our bathroom, which isn't really being tended to. There are about a billion unanswered emails and I'm just about to scream. After work today, I decided to head to Anthro for some much deserved retail therapy since so many things went on sale today! It's almost too good to be true! There are also TONS of second cuts, so check your wishlist carefully ladies!

So I tried on some things today! Lots of old and new things! Let's get to the reviews, shall we?

Gathering Harvest Cardigan $228 

I was so excited to see the new green color in the store (sorry it looks brown. The white balance setting on my camera was on "auto" at the time, which...never looks honest). It's absolutely lovely and soft. Much thinner than I would have thought. This is NOT a substantial cardi at all, but it's very pretty. I had high expectations for it, but I was disappointed. I am a very patient button-er, but this cardi was trying my patience to the Nth degree. This is the size small and it was well-fitted with the exception of the shoulders. They were a little big for a munchkin like me. I will pass on this unless someone hands it to me on the street because it really is gorgeous.

Swing Sweetly Party Dress $148

This did not disappoint! When this appeared on the website, I was immediately drawn to it. It is the embodiment of cuteness and fabulousness in one. It's hard to tell from the website, but the birds are green and cream, just like the green sash. They are ADORABLE and I nearly walked out with this dress. The fit is great and I didn't worry about it falling down once the sash was tied. I would definitely wear a more padded bra with this if you don't have a lot up top. I could have used a little more va-va-voom in the bodice, but it was so cute. I didn't really have anywhere to wear it immediately and I had other things I wanted to buy, but wishlisted for sale! (or for when I cave)

Esmerelda Dress $158

 

Girls From Savoy has been amazing for me this year at Anthropologie. Here is another really cute dress. The print is REALLY pretty. The dress is flowy and very, very comfy and great fitted and wonderful to wear. I don't think I will ever by this dress because I think it makes my petite frame look ultra small, but if you love this, you should snap it up! It's a great dress!

Mystery Chemise $68
*Identified as the Camera Obscura Chemise by Eloise. Special thanks to Mich from The Top Drawer!

 Anthro Boston's personal shopper, Jeanne Mooney (who is AWESOME and super sweet) grabbed this for me to try on. I don't think it's on the website yet and we think it's going to be in the sleep and lounge area, but it's super cute and I wanted to share it with you. The bodice is well-fitted and the straps are silky and wonderful. It's amazingly adorable and cute, but I have to be honest. When I stuck my hand in the pocket, it already had a hole in it and it came straight out of the stockroom! There may be some quality issues, but it might be a bad batch or something. There would be nothing to stop you from wearing this as a dress in summer and at $68, the price is right.

Color Dipped Dress $198 

I passed by this several times on the website and in the store, but today I thought I'd try it on and I was very plesantly surprised! I find this dress to be very flattering and amazingly well-fitted TTS. It was the sleeper hit that looks better on than on the hanger. The price is on par with Corey Lynn Calter pieces, so it's a little out of my price range at full price. Better wait for the sale on this one, but it's just darling. Wishlisted for sometime when I have money!

I ended up picking some pieces I never thought I would buy:

Easy Keeper Skirt $79.95

Norwegian Woods Skirt $49.95

Naturally Sweet Sweater $89.95

...and a Refined Cord Dress in Red. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the navy one, so I promised myself, I could only buy a red one if it was on sale. The gray is awesome, but too much like the navy. I have been waiting for that little adorable LiaMolly cardigan to go on sale forever and it's just so cute and well made. The Easy Keeper Skirt I'm still unsure about. I love Tracey Reese and I love this skirt, I'm just confused about how to style it. We'll see...

I'm spent! OOTD return tomorrow! Did you guys score any good deals today??! Happy Tuesday everyone!

A few Monday Morning Reviews

Hello, everyone! It's rainy again here in Boston and I'm feeling kind of icky. We'll see what the doctor says about my poor back that's been aching for the last few days. In the meantime, I have some little reviews!

Dried Leaves Dress $158 Girls from Savoy

 

Being a super skinny-minny, I have nothing going on in a hip department, so this dress looks a little funny on me. Maybe with a belt, it would rock. I like the way it's styled in the model shot. It's a pullover, so this is the first part about it that kind of turned me off. However, the wool is SUPER soft and not itchy in the slightest. It's a really cute little dress. The pricetag seems fair as it feels well-made. Maybe, if you are petite like me, you might want to get this hemmed a few inches. I normally love gray and this has shades of gray, but it's not really calling out to me.


Beaded Eglantine Cardigan $128 Tabitha

This is the orange colorway since I think the xs gray colorway was on the dressform and I just didn't want to bother. This sweater is pretty cute and I think I love it! If you are looking for a basic gray (or orange) cardi, here it is. The embellishments on it are subtle, but nice and it's really soft. I would have preferred that it wasn't a 3/4 sleeve, but that's a small thing. I have the gray colorway wishlisted for sale as I don't think it's worth $128. I'd buy it for $50 maybe. We'll see.

Past & Present Tank $78 one.september

Confession: This is a totally biased review because this little top won me over in late August when it appeared on the website. But it could have been disappointing on, but it was far from it! I mean, seriously: How stunning is it!?!? The way the straps are twisted, and the way the fabric is wrapped in the middle gives this top an elegant Grecian feel. And I love the colors! It fits like a dream (this is the xs of course) and when I had it on, it was hard to believe it was jersey. It is so unbelievably soft and graceful a fabric. I don't know why this one hasn't been getting more blog love, it's AMAZING. Wishlisted!!! I would be tempted to buy this at full price, I love it that bad.

Time Gone By Dress  $128 Maeve

I missed trying on this dress in the other colorway the first time around and it's honestly not the type of dress I would gravitate to. It's pretty. I wish it came in a different color because this gray is reminding me of overcooked oatmeal. It's honestly very pretty. I still think the bust is pretty big, but seems to fit TTS. If this is your thing, I say go for it. It's just not for me.

Easy Keeper Skirt $138 Tract Reese & Volante Tee $58 Deletta

The Volante Tee is very cute. It's a wrinkled mess in the store, so it will need to be steamed. I would be tempted to get this now. The beautiful gray and bordeaux colors are gorgeous and rich for fall. The Easy Keeper Skirt is one I've had my eye on for a while. While perusing the sale room, I noticed at least 4 or 5 hanging out there because of broken zippers and this one was broken too (but wasn't in the sale room yet). I don't know if that's been a problem for this skirt in general or maybe for one batch. It's gorgeous and has all kinds of things going for it. I think, however, I am too petite for it. It was a little loose in the waist and it's a little long for me. If you are taller and this fits you well, I say go for it. Definitely try on because the waistband seems a little strange. The $138 price seems a little steep, but if you want to splurge, I don't think you'll feel bad about it as it's a beautiful, well-made piece AND it's Tracy Reese which adds points.

Spectre Dreams Dress $248 McGinn

Wow. Honestly, I have to confess that I tried on this dress just to review it because it's definitely not something I would try on under non-blog circumstances. On a positive note, it's an extremely well-made dress. The fabric is flowy and lace details are really soft. Criticism? Oh my...first off...there's that unflattering, weird gray color again, which is a problem for me personally. The lace details on the collar/sleeves are strange to me. The bodice is baggy and unflattering and I don't enjoy the pointy ruffling on the skirt. Can you tell that I hate this? If this fits you and you love it, then wait for the sale. $248 is a high price point. If you see me on the street wearing this, then you know I lost a bet.


Van Wrinkle Sweater $118 Moth

Sleeper Hit!! I saw Roxy from Effortless Anthropologie try this on and it piqued my curiosity. I am absolutely in love with it! The ruffles are totally flattering! The sweater consists of a vest and some ruffle-y bits in front you can hook via hook-and-eye clasp. Plus, it's a yummy mustard yellow that always slays me. It's amazingly soft and I love the polka dots. Don't you hate/love when you grab something that doesn't do anything for you on the hanger, but when it's on your person, it transforms into something you absolutely NEED to own. Yeah...my wallet hates that too. WISHLISTED!!!

Anyway, I just have one more thing: I picked up this Odille Dress from a consignment shop and I wonder if anyone knows anything about it!?

It's silk and has buttons up the side. It's super cute and I was wondering if anyone knew what year it came out and what it's called! I hope everyone's having a great Monday! I'll be off to the doctor's office today to get checked out for whiplash. Boo. Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive during my tough week. You ladies are the best :)