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. 

1940s-style wedding!

So several months ago Mr. Anachronistic Style and I tied the knot after eight years. We never really had the money for a wedding and have been supporting ourselves for years so we decided to do something quick and simple. My concept was the 1940s, during wartime many couples were married in their back yards or in wedding chapels before the men shipped off to war. Weddings of this time period were simple and bittersweet affairs.

We decided not to invite anyone to our wedding except our parents. Whenever we attempted a guest list it always got out of hand so we kept it simple. We chose a local wedding chapel for its retro appeal and it was our most tasteful option in Columbus. Mr. Anachronistic Style wore his grey Mad Men for Banana Republic suit, wingtip shoes and a pink striped tie. He had to wait on me since I was fashionably late to my own wedding.

My dress was the Ava dress from pinupgirlclothing.com. The wrap style and longer length were so 1940s! My bouquet was white and pink hydrangeas (my favorite flower) and I realize now how slimming a bouquet is, I should carry one every day! My purse was a gift from my husband for my birthday last year and was made by Guess. My sunglasses are kate spade, my shoes are Madden Girl found at DSW. My rhinestone necklace was genuine vintage. My lips were Lime Crime Retrofuturist and my toes and tips were Essie Lollipop.

We make such a picturesque couple! It doesn't hurt that Mr. Anachronistic Style fills out that suit so well.

Detail shot of our shoes and my hair. I wanted victory rolls and I got them! My nude platform pumps actually had little white polka dots, I had to add my own quirkiness to such a classic retro look. After the wedding we spent some time with our photographer Stephanie Atwood and then met our parents at a swanky restaurant for dinner. The whole affair was nice and relaxed, just the way I wanted it!

Summer in Style with L'Wren Scott

Now that I've got my new job, new apartment, new husband and new car situation ironed out (Whew!) I should be able to get back to my regular posting schedule. I'm in love with L'Wren Scott's first resort collection. Resort collections are my favorite since the clothes are always wearable. The cuts are 1940s style with cheeky prints and bright colors. I love the shoes and bags in the matching print but I would lose the strange military hats.

I've been devoting myself to my Pinterest account, hop on over for some inspiration!

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!

More More More!

This Editorial is titled "More More More!" and that's about all I know. A little dowager chic, cotton candy-colored hair, and the artful reveal of lingerie are the unifying themes of this shoot, I just wish I knew more about it.

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!

Dowager Chic for the Young

Color-blocking like a dowager was the theme of Miu Miu's Resort 2012 collection. I'm in love with the clutch bags, the rhinestone and pearl jewelry, and the strategic use of cardigan sweaters. In neutral tones this look would be aging but the bright color-blocking and mix of patterns give the collection a youth and vibrancy that the brand is known for. Who's ready to invest in some gloves with me?

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!