One of the reasons why I like Anthropologie so is because the stores do something to people; it makes them slow down, it makes them think, it makes them notice things they perhaps otherwise wouldn’t (or wouldn’t be exposed to). It’s not shopping, it’s an experience.
With 1400 boxes to unpack in one day, our crew needed help and enlisted some of the strong, burly, very Texas construction crew to help. With their very large hands that were worn and dirty, they unwrapped very delicate bits of glass, ornaments, linens and so forth. The care that they took with each of the items was just so sweet to see. I admit to being charmed by the way they really seemed to look at everything; most of it for the first time.
On the first day we were just going through our Found Objects; antiques found from around the world brought into our store. The men had never seen anything like it, and, when reading the tags, would exclaim, “Dude! This is all the way from France! From olden times like the 1800′s!” Then you’d hear them discuss what they thought it was or how it was made. A man perhaps in his fifties, very gruff, slightly scary, and could carry about 60 horses on one hand, turned to me late in the day and said, “There is just the most beautiful things in here! I can’t believe it!”
Beauty transforms people; nature, glass, linens, colours, smiles. Anthropologie isn’t a stuffy store that might be intimidating like an antique shoppe or a boutique on Rodeo Drive. It’s always cosy, charming, sweet, and inspiring, I think. There’s so much care taken to the look of the store and a real pride that goes into (this is really, really helping me define myself in my own home and going from pre-bought everything to making so much for myself). The store is actually made to feel like a home; the open garden space in the front, home/clothes in the middle and the personal/bedroom bits in the back. The use of beauty, of home made goods, antiques, new things and plants make it feel the way it does – a good foundation for anyone building a home.
But the point of Anthropologie, that I take away, is to live beautifully, whether it’s with a $300 skirt or a $5 ornament. To be totally enthralled by your surroundings and make it personal. It’s why when people come into the store they are affected by it no matter who they are. For me, I want to have that kind of impact with my home. I want to take that much pride in placing things around my space, by incorporating beautiful things and being inspired by beautiful things outside.
Beauty affects people and I think perhaps that’s why I love the store so; seeing people {including myself} transformed by little bits of beauty and personal touches. I also love it because it’s a store of the unexpected; like the men with the pretties, being a little soft, a little changed because they got to unpack hand blown glass instead of a box of nails.
By the way, I'm alex (
