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The Anthology

Style | Attitude Jay Manuel

Top Model’s Jay Manuel is every bit as charming as you think he’d be.

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I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s because he’s Canadian.

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After interviewing him (or making like a keener student and writing down every word he says) he says to me me “By the way, I like your mis-matched prints.” Why thank you, sir. They’re both vintage.

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The man knows a thing or two about timelessness (just look at his ankle-length camel-coloured coat). The line he creative directs, Attitude Jay Manuel, is now at Sears Canada. That’s right: Sears Canada. “I was important to me to come home,” he says.

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You know where I feel at home? Amongst models. (That’s not true at all. Look at how tiny I look! And I was even wearing heels.)

You’ll find my full interview with Jay Manuel on Vitamin Daily’s Editors’ Diary.

[Second photo by Alicia Quan.]

P.S. You’ll also find even more pics on The Anthology’s Facebook page. So like it already.

Trippin’ | Buenos Aires

My friend Laura Low Ah Kee travelled to Beunos Aires and fell head over heels in love with that city (take a look at her photos and you’ll understand why). Here, she shares some of her favourite places to see, things to do and boutiques to shop in the Argentinian capital.

Laura - Buenos Aires

Enamorarse de Buenos Aires! It’s Soho, NYC infused with European sophistication. Beautiful people. Amazing shopping. Fantastic art. Delicious wine and Latin energy. What’s not to love?

Beunos Aires Colourful

stay: Palermo Soho Area. Rent an apartment or stay in a hotel.

shop: El Salvador and Palermo Soho Area. Check out local designer Coragroppo, experience Pehache 1418, shop the trendy A.Y. Not Dead and see so much more.

BA

happy hour: My favourite hour. Drink fantastic wine, lounge on couches and people watch at M O T T Cocina de Mercato.

Buenos Aires Building

tango: La Boca. A must-see touristy area with brightly painted buildings and dancers performing on the street.

Buenos Aires Cross

history: Pay your respects at Evita’s grave in a cemetery in Recoleta.

eat: meat at La Cabrera.

La Capital

spot lots of tight, short skirts: Asia de Cuba is the night club to be at.

BA rooftops

Get out of the city: Stay at the Hotel Sainte Jeanne in Mar Del Plata, a beach town. Go to the spa, lounge, smile, eat, make friends, make love. It’s majestic. You may never leave but if you do, shopping is just outside.

Oh man! I’m booking my plane ticket to Buenos Aires right now… in my dreams. Thanks Laura for giving me the travel bug and for sharing all these gorgeous spots. I’m obsessed!

Style | The Quartz Ring

Bold accessories are the best. Especially those that are an outfit unto themselves.

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Now I don’t mean this ring should be your entire outfit. I’m just saying you could wear any old potato sack and this rainbow quartz number will bedazzle the heck out of it. There you have it folks — fashion advice from The Anthology: wear a potato sack.

[Infinity ring]

P.S. I took over Park Royal. But only temporarily.

P.P.S. A few Visual College of Art and Design students are putting on a stylin’ and winin’ event at Gastown’s new Community Thrift and Vintage on Thursday, September 22nd, 7:00-9:00. See you there?

Style | Vintage Sequins and JNBY Slacks

These aren’t special effects, my friends.

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This shirt is just that sparkly. It’s vintage, in case you couldn’t tell from the outrageous sequins and bold batwing cut.

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Don’t you think instead of using those fancy special effects in Katy Perry’s Firework video, they should have just borrowed this shirt? Silly question — of course you do.

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I’ve been wearing these slacks (by JNBY) pretty much every day since I got them. They’re half trouser, half sweatpant, and all amazing. I’ve dressed them up, I’ve dressed them down, I’ve dressed them all around.

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They make my heart soar as high as a (sequin) butterfly.

[Vintage shirt, JNBY slacks, Thakoon shoes, Joe Fresh nail colour]

P.S. Add The Anthology on Facebook and your heart will soar too.

Bookmark | You are the River

In The Anthology’s Bookmark column we explore some of the most inspiring places on the wild, wild web.

This week’s spot goes to the LA-based blog You are the River, a beautifully curated site filled with all things creative, inspiring and design-y.

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Especially home decor — think chic homes with white walls, rustic wood tables and lots of built-in bookshelves (my favourite kind).

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Plus, beautiful graphic pieces.

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And lifestyle-y things, like a mini review of San Francisco’s Plow restaurant.

So if you haven’t yet bookmarked You are the River, hop to it. And bookmark The Anthology while you’re at it.

[All photos from You are the River.]

Before | The Checkered Dress

Say you’re vintage shopping and you see this shoulder-padded, fuchsia-checked, long-sleeved, high-necked dress.

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Some of you might recoil in disgust and throw it right back on the rack.

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I did a little happy dance. Because I love nothing more than to reinvent a vintage secretary dress.

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This one looks like a 1980’s take on an 1880’s school teacher’s ensemble. And for that, I love it.

I’m taking it to the tailor today and you’ll be the first to see the “after” shots once she’s worked her magic.

P.S. Let’s take a journey through some of The Anthology’s best before/afters, shall we? Like this printed jacket “before” and “after“. Oh, and these ridiculous pants look so much better after they became shorts.

Diary | Contemporary Art Gallery’s 40th Anniversary

If you asked me how old Vancouver’s Contemporary Art Gallery was, I would have guessed… oh, about seven.

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And I would have been very, very wrong. Because it just turned 40.

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I stopped in for (I hate to admit) the very first time yesterday to join them for the anniversary festivities.

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And I fell head over heels — not just for the gallery, but for one of its current exhibitions by Corita Kent. I would love to see her bold bright pieces on my walls.

P.S. I would like to see you on The Anthology’s Facebook wall.

Trippin’ | Galiano Island

I’ve always envied East Coasters and their cottage country.

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There’s something so romantic about spending the weekend off the grid — or at least untethered from your laptop — playing croquet and having bonfires with your friends.

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But instead of cottaging, I cabin. (It is the west coast way, after all.) And there’s nowhere more spectacular to do so than the Gulf Islands.

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I spent the weekend on Galiano Island and I am sold — hook, line and rooster-shaped sinker — on its cozy, woodsy charm. (I first fell for it during a retreat with Amrita Yoga.)

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Especially when that cozy, woodsy cabin comes with a gazillion dollar view.

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And frogs that seem like they’ve been transported from some tropical destination.

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The water, on the other hand, does not seem tropical in the least. It is all sorts of freezing, but we swam in it any way. Because that’s also the west coast way.

[RayBan Sunglasses, vintage shirt, Gap shorts, Cougar Boots.]

P.S. Whether you cottage or cabin, you should definitely keep up with The Anthology on Facebook.

The A-list | Long weekend

In The Anthology’s A-list column (“A” stands for Anthology, in case you haven’t had your coffee yet) we tabulate a few of the very best things in life.

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Let’s count down the ten most fun, relaxing things to do on a lazy long weekend. It’s (eep!) the last one of summer, so let’s make the most of it…

10. Spend the whole day by the water. Oceanside, lakeside, bird bath-side — it doesn’t matter.

9. Go for a bike ride and see if you can balance your friend on your handlebars like you could when you were 12.

8. Host an al fresco dinner party.

7. Unplug your TV.

6. Gather all your friends for happy hour.

5. Pick up a book. And actually read it.

4. Play a board game. Or a garden game (bocce, anyone?). As long as it requires neither wires nor an outlet, I’m game.

3. Set sail on a boat. A BC Ferry counts.

2. Challenge your friends to a corn-on-the-cob-eating contest. (I’d beat all of you combined.)

1. Throw a dance party under the stars.

[Photo by Andrew Dalik, courtesy of Toronto-based director Philip Lyall.]

What’s your very favourite thing to do on a long weekend — sleep until noon? Stay out until sunrise? Do tell!