What Would Anthro Do? The Ugly Shrug

I love my mother-in-law. She’s an awesome lady with a great attitude and she’s always fun to be around. She’s an antiques dealer and she volunteers every week at a thrift store that benefits (I think) a church. So, she’s always bringing me stuff. Sometimes cool stuff, sometimes… not so cool stuff. A lot of time it’s clothing.

Among the things I have received: 1.) both a sequined hat and sequined tube top, 2.) a red, mesh, sleeveless hoodie, 3.) more little girl clothes than I can count.

Occasionally she’ll hit the nail on the head, sometimes she’s pretty close. This was one of those times.

This shrug has, let’s say, interesting “bones.” It could be better than it is, and it could definitely fit better. It’s been sitting in my closet for over a year, and these are the reasons why: I like the crocheted back, I like the color, and I like that it’s a — somewhat — cardigan. But it needs some help. So tonight, while I was waiting for B to finish working on a paper so we could watch Inception, I rummaged through my closet for a lost cause, something I could ask the question: “What Would Anthro Do?”

Because Anthropologie would never, ever sell this shrug, but what if it had to? I had my mission: make it as “Anthro” as possible. I went into designer mode, and here’s what I came up with.

I isolated every offensive part of the shrug: the sleeves were too long, the neck fit weird, and the back drooped too low, and I went to pinning. I just kept going until there was nothing left to alter.

But it’s still ugly.

I pulled out my box-o-ribbons and bows, and went to work, trying them all to see what would best compliment my polyester-wooly little friend. I found a match! Some red and cream ribbon I had purchased to tie around B’s anniversary gift last year.

I went to work, and voila! It’s like I have a new piece in my closet.

To be honest, I’ve done better modeling than this, but I now know how hard it is to take a picture of your own back.

There you have it! A rescue from the Goodwill pile. I can’t wait to see what treasures await when we visit in a few weeks… Until then.