Inspired

I've been reading a lot about the problems with Anthropologie. Read those links for why you should consider shopping companies commited to ethical practices.

I've never been able to purchase as much as a journal from the store, and the closest one (when I lived in OH, I have no idea now) was over 2 hours away. I know, with my budget, and more importantly, with their ethics: I won't be owning any fantastic Anthrpologie bedding or sweaters. Despite all this, I get their catalogues; I visit the website; I lust after their vintage, thrown-together, sweater weather clothes and furnishings.

Why?

Inspiration.

The same reason I read Posie or Angry Chicken or Yarnstorm. Pure, unadultered joy in finding so many things that are so me in one place. I cut up their catalogues: some bits go in my knitting notebook, some adorn my journal, and some hang out on my bulletin board inspiring me to be a better photographer, or hire a better stylist. I link to so many of their sweaters, I have an entire folder of pictures from their website on my desktop.
I love to knit sweaters without patterns and their pictures make it so easy. I'd love to combine the cables at the waist of this sweater (looks like 3 cables joining into one woven cable gloriousness) with a longer version of this sweater (I ignore the cropped-ness of it and imagine it as the top of a feminine gansey). And with a slightly less dramatic collar and no horizontal lines at my widest, this sweater would be very flattering.
Do you do this? What stores (or designers) inspire you?