Juicy Couture Spring 2013

Every season I like to pick a style direction---usually a fashion collection, promo pics or a movie that toes the line between current trends and retro styles. Anachronistic style is all about mixing the current with classic retro which is why I find this promo video from Juicy Couture so inspiring. This spring I will be all about 60s glamour with some Hollywood edge, one part spoiled rich girl and one part beach-y car-show greaser. Since I'll be heading to L.A on a business trip next month I can't imagine anything more appropriate! I will be pulling out my pastel colors, hotel-wallpaper-inspired prints, polka dots, and cropped everything for a Mod yet nautical capsule collection to get me through my business trip in style!

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Betsey Johnson's Comeback - Why Full-figured Girls Should Care

Back in February when Betsey Johnson filed for bankruptcy and closed down all 63 stores the internet exploded. Where would all the kitsch-loving retro-inspired fashion bloggers buy their cupcake dresses and rhinestone cat necklaces? As a fan of the brand for years I have amassed a sizable collection of Betsey Johnson necklaces, bracelets, shoes and bags. As a full-figured girl I was dismayed at the lack of sizes in her clothes--all her stuff only went up to a junior's size large, her bras only to a modest C-cup, some dresses went up to a very slender size 12. When Betsey Johnson stores closed down I did not weep, the one and only time I was in one the only clothes on the sales floor were in sizes 0, 2, and 4--if you wanted a larger size the salesgirl would have to pull it from the back. As someone who works in retail I know these decisions are not arbitrary, Betsey Johnson LLC was clearly sending a message to women everywhere: they don't want chubby women to wear their clothes.  The brand was tailored to Betsey-clones with skinny bodies, small frames, and preferably blonde hair. Girls like me could only stand outside peering through the frost-crusted window into a warm world full of pink tulle, roses, glitter, and lace.

See this dress? It's authentic from the 1950's but there is only one.

This is Betsey Johnson's Tea Party dress. She made it every season in a  new color, just not in my size. 

While Betsey Johnson LLC tanked my local Macy's still carried the jewelry and handbags. Before the announcement of the bankruptcy Betsey fans may have noticed a steep price drop in the brand's shoes and handbags, that's because the accessory part of the brand was sold to Steve Madden in 2010. Steve Madden scaled back the brand considerably and a few months after the bankruptcy announcement the Betsey website was up and running again, minus the clothes. Betsey herself blamed corporate structure and the "stores [that] started knocking off my $250 prom dresses for $49.” I find the statements by the designer very short-sighted when it comes to the changing climate of American retail and the shifting attitudes of the American buyer. Women interested in Betsey's clothes could afford her dresses in the failing economy if only the garments fit and flattered a more mature body, as one analyst said "the younger women that buy her don’t even have jobs anymore, let alone income.” In other words the American women with buying power are not young, rich, AND skinny anymore (arguably the BJ-trifecta necessary to wear her clothes.)

Send in the Betsey clones! Young, rich and skinny only please!

Lucky for us ladies with meat on our bones Steve Madden acknowledges this shift in the buyer's market and will be resurrecting the clothing brand in Macy's and Nordstrom stores. “ 'They’ll be young in spirit like Betsey is, but accessible for women up to 40 years old,' said Lisa Andriulli, a vice president of Macy’s. [She] added that the dresses have classic Johnson touches like fun prints and petticoats, but are sized more generously." Hopefully this means more wearable clothes for a wider variety of women that will still retain that retro aesthetic and young party-girl sensibility. However this is not the first time Betsey has promised diversity in her clothing line only to release Pink Patch in the same old tired junior sizes. Hopefully under the influence of a successful mass-market retailer like Steve Madden Betsey Johnson's resurrection will mean I can finally buy her iconic Marilyn sweater in a misses size large or extra-large and a tea party dress in a proper size 14. 

Thursday's Movie Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1965) is one of those cult classics that no one has seen, which is a shame since the film is as poignant today as it was in 1965 (if you disregard that horrible cameo by Mickey Rooney!) Holly Golightly is a New York City party girl that makes her living by charming men into giving her $50 for the powder room. She is a woman of few possessions yet limitless style, the girl knows how to go from flat to fabulous in three minutes! What money she doesn't spend on rent she spends on clothes, her apartment is comprised of found objects and her one companion, Cat. The story is based on the novella by Truman Capote (and if you don't know who that is, please rectify that egregious sin immediately!) and has as many layers as an onion. The characters are so multi-dimensional for the time the story is secondary to their individual complexities. Yet the movie maintains an air of frivolity, Holly's life is like a perpetual party. Putting aside the gigolo writer love-interest, the fabulously scarce apartment, and Holly's no-one-can-own-me attitude you still have Holly's fabulous wardrobe. The outfit she wears to Sing Sing, that orange coat she wears for the day of I-never's, and the pink dress and tiara she wears when she has her breakdown are all style moments worth stealing.



Any Holly Golightly arsenal is incomplete without a Bumpit. You can further copy Holly Golightly's style with the fantastic eye mask and ear plug duo ($50). All you need is a men's tuxedo shirt for a very glamorous morning!

Prada Spring/Summer 2012

This video is like a Spring mood board come alive. I love how the advertisement clearly ties the inspirations to the final products so you can see the seeds that started the design process. This video strengthened my goal of getting into pastels this Spring and I will not be happy until someone makes a knock-off of those hot rod shoes (Steve Madden, I'm looking at you.) I love those barrettes the women are wearing, I'll have to look into those. I will be a lady that deserves to be at that gas station!

Weekly Expense Report: Vintage Shopping

Mr. Anachronistic Style and I spent a snowy day in downtown Delaware, Ohio trolling through the antique stores. We had lunch at Bun's before visiting three antique stores and one vintage clothing store. We rounded out our day with Babycakes bakery and coffee at Choffey's where I kicked Mr. Anachronistic Style's butt at penny hockey. Good day.



I found quite a few treasures at DPS Antiques and collectibles. I couldn't go home without the pink feather plume pen I scored for only $9 and Mr. Anachronistic Style found some old photographs of infinitely stylish people for only $1-4! I found quite a few bobbles, my cherry pin was only $2 and the green clip earrings and pin set were only $7.


The $3 tray above was also purchased at DPS antiques for my vanity and I couldn't resist sneaking my plume pen in there again. The candy-colored necklace was scored at Sandusky Street Antiques for only $10. I also found some amazing vintage lingerie--peach tap shorts and a romper that would have come home with me if they had fit.



We visited Captain Betty's Vintage and I was very impressed with the selection. Betty herself though is a loon and I may have left a bad review at the link above. *cough cough* I scored the pretty art-deco bauble pictured above with my McQueen-esque scarf for a cool $38. Since she had men's vintage I snapped Mr. Anachronistic Style in his new $6 vintage tie.


After an hour at Betty's I was ready to order my first Vivcore dress set ($132). I love the fact that I can get a vintage look while enjoying the pleasures of shopping new (and actually find my size!) I have so many outfits planned already for these separates.

Weekly Expense Report: A Very Stylish Christmas

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I must have been a good girl this year to get so many wonderful and stylish presents. I will not be listing prices due to the spirit of giving but links are provided for purchasing.


I received the Candy Violet Pretty You 4 piece set in siren red from the in-laws. I can't stop marveling over all the pieces, so cute and easy to wear. The flower pin, hair bows, scarf and bow hat integrate seamlessly into my current wardrobe.


This gorgeous green leopard collar 60s coat is from Asos via my mother-in-law! I love how it looks like the one Andy wears in The Devil Wears Prada.


Mr. Anachronistic Style deemed me worthy of this gorgeous Betsey Johnson tea party satchel! I can't stop staring at it, it is perfect in so many ways. Love the bows, the quilting, the interior. I will carry this for years.


My dream is to have a kitchen full of pink KitchenAid appliances. My wonderful in-laws bought me the first piece with this beautiful 7-speed digital hand-mixer! I will be baking cookies.


Mr. Anachronistic Style's cousin and his wife bought me these mixing bowls to go with my new hand mixer. So thoughtful and much needed!

Weekly Expense Report: Black Friday/ Cyber Monday

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Last Black Friday and Cyber Monday I was left trolling the sample sales and door-busters online without a penny to my name, pining over sales unpurchased because it's Christmas and I should buy for others. This year I planned better.


The sequin circles cardigan in navy ($98) from Banana Republic is even more gorgeous in person with iridescent beads and holographic sequins. This is going to be my go-to Holiday topper.


I also have an eight-year anniversary this December. The dark peacock silk ruffle front dress ($140) is the dress. This fits and flatters my curves (unlike the model above.) It feels so luxuriously 1930s glamour!


A silver glitter belt ($40) highlights my waist and makes dresses that come with those cheap black vinyl belts look a little more luxe.


I finally bought the BR Mad Men Collection Stefani glasses ($98) that I've been pining for since fall. So 1960s chic!


I needed a black ballet flat with silver instead of gold hardware. The BR Brynn bow ballet flat ($110) came to my rescue!


Sugarpill always has a great Black Friday sale so I scored all these Chromalust loose eyeshadows ($12) for 30% off! I purchased from left to right, top to bottom--- Tiara, Asylum, Junebug, Darling, Starling, Royal Sugar, Magpie, Weekender, & Stella.



Shoedazzle was having a double style points sale so I scored Zahara and Rhoda ($40). I love how Zahara is a bootie that is very of-the-moment, I can mix it with my retro style to modernize the look. Rhoda is green. Seriously, that is all the reason I needed!



kate spade had a sample sale so I took advantage of a few good deals. The hot pink carnation garden scarf ($79) is so festive and girly, the perfect topper for the collarless coat I see in my future! It also looks great over a crewneck or something strapless as a necklace. I also purchased the walker park colorblock hat ($59) because I fell in love when I saw it in Lucky magazine a few months ago. I chose the teal version because I asked for this teal coat for Christmas!

Daily Dose of Pretty - Kate Spade New York

Kate Spade is one of those lifestyle brands that molds my own personal style--bright, cheerful, and girly with a strong dash of retro. I adore the Fall campaign featuring Bryce Dallas Howard (though I have no idea who she is!) that celebrates all the best luxuries in life--the perfect hand bag, a neon pink coat, vibrant lipstick paired with winged eyeliner, and a perfectly clear martini! We all need a friendly reminder to Live Colorfully!

1950's Glasses Fashions Video

Someday my eyes will go bad and I will be rocking glasses like these. Until then I will content myself with dreams of stylish sunglasses like the ones from Lumete.

Weekly Expense Report: Outlet Shopping

Visited the Jeffersonville Outlet Mall which is about an hour outside of Columbus, OH this week. I hadn't been in YEARS but now I am an avid believer. I never trusted outlet malls because I knew that most stores never carried the real deal, that there was a bunch of factory stores with sub-par products. Which is still true---the Banana Republic Factory Store and Ann Taylor Factory store contains cheap-quality products that have never been inside a real mall, and I'm sorry but isn't Old Navy ALREADY an outlet store? But I did find a few gems--the Juicy Couture Outlet, the kate spade Outlet, and the White House | Black Market Outlet.


Who knew that kate spade sold clip earrings that don't pinch ($54)? I love these huge cushion cut stones that look so retro! I find myself grabbing the pink ones just about every day!


So of course I had to grab them in turqoise too ($54). I haven't worn these yet, I keep reaching for the pink ones!


I've been jonesing for the kate spade Franca sunglasses ($128) since my other white sunglasses busted. I had a conniption when I found a pair at the outlet! Overall I was very pleased with the outlet, almost all the products had been in real kate spade stores and were the quality you expect from the brand.


Scored this Juicy Couture cupcake key fob ($58) to keep all my keys nice and tidy. The Juicy Couture Outlet is a nice mix of real product and products made especially for the outlet, you just have to be picky and ask the sales girls what's what.


It's just not a shopping trip without a shoe purchase. The White House | Black Market pink cork wedge ($30) is on sale and my new favorite shoe! I can walk a mile in these things and I am determined to properly break them in before they are stored away until next summer.



A few more of the items I picked up at the WHBM outlet! I have decided I'm not shopping the real stores anymore since ALL products end up at the outlet in 2-3 months anyway! I've hunted all over town for those magenta shorts in my size so I was stoked to find them at the outlet. I almost bought the dress at full price ($168!) and scored it at the outlet for only $45.

I think I've discovered a new shopping addiction and my wallet couldn't be happier.

Kate Moss and Classic Vintage Style

Kate Moss posed for Vogue UK in a combination of '40s, '50s, and '60s fashion re-imagined through a modern lens. This is what anachronistic style is all about--playful imaginings of classic styles and vintage glamor. The styling is simply divine and I find the neutral color palette with shots of emerald and coral inspiring.

Weekly Expense Report : All About Hats!

I love buying hats. Wearing them is a different matter completely. So many great hats have been coming down the runway recently I decided to expand my collection this Fall. It rains in Ohio so I figured why not? On the next rainy day I'll be rocking my leopard trench and one of these babies instead of an umbrella. Though I do love a good umbrella...


New York &Company makes the perfect 1940s-inspired fedora with bow ($25). She dips down over one eye ever so perfectly and I look forward to tucking feathers, flowers, and scarves around that brim.


Boho is not a look I subscribe to but Gucci's Fall 2011 mobster chic collection changed my mind. New York & Company also makes an amazing plum floppy hat ($30) that I'm going to pair with fur-trimmed coats and cardigans for Fall/Winter. I also plan to fussy this up with flowers and vintage brooches.