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The great hunt for great vintage shops in Palm Springs

Coachella 2012 is a long way off (sad face) but just in case you’re going to be in Palm Springs before then, I thought I’d share what just might be the best vintage shopping in the desert.

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Resale Therapy looks like an unassuming shop in the corner of a Palm Springs strip mall, but it’s actually a treasure trove of vintage gems.

If you walk through the front room full of consignment racks, through the second room full of giant fur coats, through the third room full of garage sale-style clothes, to the fourth room at the very, very back of the shop, you’ll find their Tresor de Vintage section. And it is heaven. Full of silk, satin, beaded  wearable works of art from the 50s, 60s and 70s, you might just find yourself trying on everything there (it’s not that big, you just might be able to).

I fell for a royal blue shift dress with a heavily beaded trim by Mr. Blackwell himself, a snakeskin clutch by Jackie Kennedy’s favourite designer Oleg Cassini and a black-and-white striped secretary dress by Christian Dior.

Huh. Maybe I should head back to Palm Springs.

P.S. I picked my top seven spring looks from Park Royal. And they include short shorts for men.

May 6, 2011 by

There was a time

When I would have been tempted to shorten this midi skirt.

vintage-midi-skirt

But now is not that time.

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Besides — with shoes like these, it really doesn’t matter what’s going on above them, does it? (They’re Thakoon.)

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The skirt’s vintage. As is the polka dot blouse. And together they are the perfect mismatched print combo. Just the way they are.

P.S. After months of hard work, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Pink Tour launches today in Vancouver. So proud to be part of it!

May 4, 2011 by

Oh! Obakki

It’s going to be a beautiful autumn. Especially for Obakki.

obakki-dip-dye

The Vancouver-based luxury line debuted its fall/winter 2011 collection in spectacular fashion at St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church the other night. It felt a little like going to a wedding, actually – all the guests were lined up in pews, eagerly anticipating the dresses.

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This was the first show Obakki opened to the public with ticket sales supporting the Obakki Foundation. And as creative director Treana Peake explained, it was orchestrated by a team comprised entirely of Vancouver talent. (Holler!)

obakki Fall Winter 2011 show

And oh what talent it was! With neutral earth-toned palettes, lots of knits and a few lace accents, the silhouettes were ladylike, the effect polished. And they were each finished with a pop of bright red lipstick.

The whole thing managed to achieve the impossible: distract my beach brain for a moment and actually get me excited for holiday parties.

P.S. Follow The Anthology on Twitter and it’ll be a beautiful summer too.

May 1, 2011 by

So I was thinking

This outfit seems like something Amelia Earhart might have worn.

vintage-jacket-and-trousers

Rugged jacket, silk scarf, tapered slacks tucked into boots — she was one stylin’ aviator. (Seriously, google her. You would not believe the beautiful pieces she wore while flying a plane.)

Except none of my vintage pieces date back to the twenties when Earhart was setting her records. My jacket is from the sixties (it’s actually a men’s battledress jacket) and my scarf is from who-knows-when.

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And as much as I love my vintage men’s Omega watch, nothing beats Earhart’s most notable accessory — an airplane.

P.S. In case you’re wondering how to cater your own royal wedding-watching party, I wrote a little poem on VitaminDaily.

[Photo of Amelia Earhart found here.]

April 28, 2011 by

The seventies are back

And the great thing about being a vintage lover? You can go straight to the source of the trend. Not through time travel, mind you. But through clothes that traveled through time and into your closet.

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If I were still in the desert I’d wear this vintage embroidered tunic with denim cutoffs and flat boots.

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But I’m back in Vancouver now so I’m wearing it with jeans, a jacket and a giant umbrella.

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I miss the desert.

P.S. One of my very favourite bands from Coachella is coming to Vancouver. Phantogram plays Venue on May 20th.

April 25, 2011 by

Giving is glamourous

I have a strict shopping policy — one giant bag of clothing in, one giant bag of clothing out.

Beautiful clothes closet

It’s the only way to keep my closet somewhat under control. So as I’m spring cleaning, I’m donating some of my prized pieces to the Fashionista’s Ball, where Women United in Philanthropy are collecting donations to be sold at their huge fundraising event on May 29th. The best part? All proceeds go to the United Way.

Want to donate too? Email them at info@fashionistasball.com or call 604.369.3944 before May 10th and they’ll pick up your donations from anywhere in Vancouver.

Clearing out your closet has never been so rewarding.

[Photo from the gorgeous blog Lolita.]

April 21, 2011 by

The A-list | Top five performances of Coachella 2011

It’s a tough job trying to pinpoint the top five performances of Coachella 2011, but somebody’s got to do it.

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So after braving sun stroke, risking hearing loss and enduring a weekend of porta-potties, I can confidently list the top five performances of Coachella 2011.

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5. Phantogram
I sacrificed seeing the Strokes and Chromeo to catch them (Coachella scheduling conflicts are the worst). But Phantogram’s performance was well worth it. If only because it solidified my girl crush on singer/keyboardist Sarah Barthel.

4. Arcade Fire
They’re Arcade Fire. And unless you’ve been quoted on Who Is Arcade Fire? you understand why they’re incredible.

3.Kele
Judging by the way she was dancing around in her little red-and-white one-piece, even Katy Perry enjoyed his show.

2. Empire of the Sun
They brought the weird. And that made them wonderful.

coachella-cassette-tape

1. !!! (Chk Chk Chk)
I’ve seen them at big outdoor festivals and in tiny clubs and they always put on the most amazingly fun shows. Take a look at this clip and you’ll be buying tickets to their next concert pronto.

[My dress is courtesy of Banana Republic, tie-dyed vest from Mimi & Coco.]

P.S. Add The Anthology on Facebook and it’ll become one of your top five favourite pages.

April 19, 2011 by

Guess what!

It was a huge success!

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Vancouver’s Guess Fashion Blogger Night hosted by The Anthology, Style Struck, Alicia Fashionista and A Haute Mess in support of FITE was so. much. fun.

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And it was all thanks to those of you who came out and supported the cause (and enjoyed a few cocktails and a bit of shopping with your philanthropy).

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It was so wonderful to see so many familiar faces and to meet so, so  many of you for the first time.

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I was more than a little stoked that Peak Season’s DJ Morel spun for us, that the incredible Vancouver designer Jason Matlo (pictured above) was there, and that photographer Evaan Kheraj captured the whole thing on camera. Want to keep clicking? You’ll find even more coverage from Rick Chung, Melissa Knight, Cicy Chan, Alicia Fashionista, Style Struck, Diamonds in the City, and Chloe Hoppie.

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Thank you, Team Guess, for an amazing evening! And from the bottom of my heart, thanks to all of you came out and supported FITE.

Hair by Suki’s, dress by Guess (obvi).

P.S. I’ve posted a billion more photos on The Anthology’s Facebook page. Take a peek and tag your friends!

April 12, 2011 by

Coachella dress code

Lise writes:
You have such amazing style and fashion sense!! It is my first time going to Coachella this year. I’m super excited, but also lost as to what to pack. I figured you would definitely be able to help me out a little with this predicament.

Eeeeeek! Coachella! The desert, the music — it is going to be so much fun.

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And if my experience last year has taught me anything it’s that Coachella is a festival. With a lot of people. Who might vomit. Right beside you. And while that may not ruin your show, it might ruin your dress so leave your most precious pieces at home.

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Instead pack pieces that you’re going to be comfortable in. You’ll want to wear something short — a dress, a skirt, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt as a dress. As big as maxi skirts are right now, you’ll want to rock something a little less constricting when the mercury hits 95 (and it’s supposed to).

Bring your sunny G’s! You’ll wear shades all day long so pack a pair to spare.

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Rather than bringing a giant bag that’ll be cumbersome when you’re bouncing around in a crowd, opt for a cross-body bag that’s big enough to hold your camera, wallet, water bottle, and small bottle of sunscreen.

Wear flats! It doesn’t matter what kind — boots, sandals, flip flops (don’t tell the Sartorialist I said that). Just bring a few pairs so you can rotate footwear each day.

moisturizer

The desert is very, very dry (shocking, I know) so bring lots of sunscreen for day and some serious moisturizer for night. I’m a fan of Riversol Revitalize Daily Moisturizing Cream.

Some festival-goers will opt for a big sun-shielding hat, but I like to get up in the middle of the action so I don’t like to wear anything that could block someone else’s view.

coachella-at-night

It can get cool at night so I’d pack a jacket in your suitcase but I’d check the weather before bringing it to the festival. I didn’t end up needing one last year (you warm up when you’re squished up in a crowd).

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Instead I brought a rugged scarf with me. It’s great to sit on in between shows and it’ll keep you warm when the sun goes down.

And with that, I really should get packing. Hope this helps, Lise! Let me know how much fun you have.

P.S. I’ll be tweeting while I’m at Coachella so follow The Anthology on Twitter.

April 9, 2011 by