Ann's Makeover

Image courtesy of Ann Taylor

Dana had just graduated from college. She had a whole slew of exciting interviews lined up, but she desperately needed something other than punk band tee shirts to wear. First stop on our shopping expedition?  Ann Taylor, of course! She found a perfect suit that fit her nicely in a price range that she could afford. She looked amazing in that suit. Polished. Chic. Accomplished. And I bet she still owns it, and still wears it when she needs to amp the professionalism.

And now Ann Taylor is taking that elegant, refined aesthetic and revamping a bit.  That's right, Ann's getting a makeover!  No longer is Ann all about the power suit (though I suspect you can still find a good one there); she's gotten a little more current, a little more modern. Long a fan of Ann Taylor, I have been interested to see how this makeover would shake out, so I was thrilled to be invited to a viewing party at the Ames Hotel for Ann Taylor's new concept store opening in Chestnut Hill. I have to tell you, Ann's makeover suits her nicely!

The Ames Hotel is a lovely place to throw a party. Their off-beat, innovative design somehow feels contemporary and fresh, but comfortable at the same time. Every corner is filled with beautiful touches; even the ceilings get the royal treatment. The party was co-hosted by The Junior League of Boston, an organization whose work I greatly admire. Beautiful setting, interesting women, exceptional designs? That's a recipe for a good night. So let's jump right in, shall we?

You can see some of the new Ann Taylor above. The photo is a little grainy (hey, iPhones can only do so much), but hopefully you can see the quality and the beauty of some of the items below. The party was during Neon Week, so you can bet I zeroed in on those chartreuse heels in a hurry!

My absolute favorite piece of the evening was this incredible plated necklace. Inspired by Mexican lace, the texture and the structure made this necklace both delicate and rugged, like exquisite lace armor.

Seeing as this was my favorite piece in the collection, you can imagine how I felt when I got home and opened up my gift bag. Inside was a gorgeous cuff, with the same tough-but-sweet-lace design! [Confidential to Ann Taylor: Thank you so much! What a delight!]

I've paged through the summer and fall catalogs, and the clothing is beautiful, too. I'm particularly smitten with the Exotic Print Dress and the Cascade Dots Print Dress. The concept store design sounds intriguing as well - accessories, shoes and clothing styles are placed together in the store, in smaller "boutique" areas, which sounds like a more cohesive (exclusive?) shopping experience. Boston's Ann Taylor concept store is celebrating its Grand Opening today from 1:00-5:00pm; during the event, shoppers receive thirty percent off their entire, full-priced purchase. And! Five percent of all purchases during the event will go towards The Junior League of Boston.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you miss stable, secure Ann Taylor, or are you excited about the new look? What do you think of Ann's makeover?

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