Bookmark | The Fancy

In The Anthology’s Bookmark column we explore some of the most inspiring places on the wild, wild web. This guest post is written by Carlle Chatten, a Vancouver-based fashion student whose writing class I recently lectured at.

The Fancy, a new e-commerce website, is giving Pinterest a run for its money. Not only is it filled with inspirational pictures of food, clothes, beauty products, and places you want to be, but if you really fancy something, you can buy it. Yes, everything is for sale.

The Fancy organizes your favorite things, and you can follow and browse other people’s profiles too. When you first arrive at the site, you can scroll endlessly, past high-definition images of jaw-dropping costume jewelry and infinity pools on the Isle of Crete.

No more lining up for mini doughnuts at the fair or hunting down those sought-after Alexander Wang Kolfinna Boots. The Fancy is an inspiration board that lets you collect things you love. Online and off.

If feel like impulse-buying, sign up for an account and bookmark The Fancy.  And if you haven’t already, bookmark The Anthology too.

Thanks, Carlle! I’m bookmarking The Fancy — and your Tumblr — as I type.

[All images from The Fancy, obviously.]

September 17, 2012 by

Style | For the Little Ones

Everything’s cuter when it’s smaller. Have you ever shopped for children’s clothing? It’s the best. And it actually makes baby showers fun (well, that and a rousing game of Pregnancy Pictionary). When I styled a series of back-to-school spreads for The Province I had a blast searching out miniature everything from the shops at Brentwood Town Centre. Of the four spreads and many outfits I styled, these are a few of my favourite finds.

If only they came in my size…

1. Notebook from Claire’s Accessories // 2. Jacket from Sears, shirt and skirt from the Children’s Place // 3. Vanity specs from Claire’s Accessories // 4. Hair wreath from Claire’s Accessories // 5. Boots by Steve Madden at Shoe Warehouse // 6. Backpack from Aldo // All at Brentwood Town Centre locations.

September 17, 2012 by

Pinstagram | Love It, Lose It, Drink It, Wear It

The Anthology’s Pinstagram column marries the dream (Pinterest) and the reality (Instagram).

Cue the cards! Getting ready for my trend presentations at Metropolis at Metrotown + a trendy print.

Ladies of lines. Lovely illustrated packaging at Matchstick Coffee + a century-old illustration.

Foxy kitty. My cat Estelle Getty + a piece of origami.

Paint the town pink. Holt Renfrew celebrated 175 years by popping open bottles of bubbly + a bubble-gum pink look from Oscar de la Renta.

On point. A woodsy sunrise in Whistler the morning of my friends’ wedding (congratulations Jen and Pete!) + some spike-tacular art by Fredrik Akum.

The view from the ferry en route to a wedding in Victoria (congratulations Corrine and Dave!) + a waterfront seat I could spend hours in.

A sequins of events. An itty bitty beret from a back-to-school spread I styled for The Province (it’s from Children’s Place at Brentwood Town Centre) + sparkly gowns at Ellie Saab.

Two takes on modernism. A new(ish) forest up in Whistler + a probably-much-newer building.

Love fest. Me (squared) in the Love It or Lose It Lounge at Metropolis at Metrotown + a neon <3.

P.S. Follow Kelsey Dundon on Pinterest and Instagram, or if you prefer a more traditional route, add The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter.

September 13, 2012 by

Diary | Corks and Corky, My New (Four-legged) Golf Buddy

Is there anyone who doesn’t dream of owning a vineyard one day? It’s the life. Work, yes. All-consuming, sure. But a dream nonetheless.

When we were filming the series I hosted for Tourism Kelowna and Vitamin Daily (you’ll find a behind-the-scenes recap here) I wined and dined with Spierhead Winery owners Virginia and Brian Sprout, two people who are living the dream. Actually, Brian is living two dreams — he’s also a superstar photographer who took many of the stunning shots you see in Tourism Kelowna ads, brochures and the like.

When I visited their winery I employed their dog to help me cheat at golf (that’s Corky in the distance and my wicked golf stance in the foreground).

And drank wine straight from the barrel (which, it turns out, does not mean sticking your face under the tap). Take a look…

Thanks for having me, Tourism Kelowna, Vitamin Daily and Spierhead Winery! Thanks again, Bent Matter Productions!

P.S. Live the dream and follow The Anthology on Facebook and on Twitter @TheAnthology.

P.P.S. Watch the first instalment of the series at Summerhill Pyramid Winery here, the very psychedelic second instalment at the Vibrant Vine here and the Rolling Stones-tastic third instalment here.

September 11, 2012 by

Style | Major Cattitude

Are you kitten me right meow? Fashion’s latest It Girl is the cat lady. Right now everyone and their dog seems to be wearing this ASOS headband and even at £660 this fuzzy-eared number from Net-a-Porter sold out. At the centre of it all is Karl Lagerfeld and his petite Choupette, who has four legs and apparently two maids. So it’s official: cat mania has officially jumped from YouTube to the fashion world. (Here’s an idea! For Halloween dress up as a cat and go as a “Fashion girl.”)

Now, you could plaster yourself in cat-print everything (heaven knows the stores are stocked) or you could rock this sterling silver ring by Toronto’s Riotworks. It’s a purrfectly — and socially — acceptable way to display your cat lady-ness. Are you feline me?

[First photo found here.]

September 8, 2012 by

Workspace | Anna Cohen of Simply Stylish Mom

The Anthology’s Workspace column takes us inside the creative spaces of some very creative people.

I don’t know how mommy bloggers do it. And I especially don’t know how mommy bloggers do it when they’ve just upped and relocated to Scandinavia. And yet, somehow Anna Cohen of Simply Stylish Mom manages to do it all.

In her own words she takes us through her waterfront workspace — passports, frenemies, toy trains and all…

My family and I relocated to Denmark this month and moved into a lovely river cottage (a converted stable!) My makeshift workspace has been a simple wooden trestle table under one of our cottage’s eaves. I haven’t had much of a chance to decorate so what is featured is either a recent find or something that came in my suitcase from Vancouver.

1. The Vintage: I love myself a good thrift store and so find pieces here and there on my travels. I love this ridiculous sign and these old coffee tins – a nod to my new country of residence and my old frenemy: caffeine.

2. The Electronics: My trusty old MacBook – it’s been given a pretty good workout over the last 5 years and hasn’t let me down yet and our last electroinic acquisition before we left Vancouver: the X-mini speakers I purchased at Caya, these produce a huge amount of sound for their size.

3. The Family: When they’re not nearby, I treasure pictures of my three boys. I love these images taken by  Meagan Baker just before we left Vancouver in the UBC endowment lands.

4. The beauty products: work time (aka my son’s naptime) is also pampering time for me and so I take this time to fix my nails, hands and apply lippy. My current picks are Make-Up Forever (Rouge Artist Natural No. 35), Revlon’s Neon Nail Art, Lippy Girl (Nonplussed) and L’Occitane.

5. The Classics: I can never leave home without a trusty novel in my purse and especially a classic (adult or kids!) that can be read over and over again.

6. The Flowers: Nothing is quite as wonderful as freshly picked (or gifted!) flowers in a room, these were given to me by my husband’s new employers.

7. The Essentials: as we’ve been doing so much travelling and filling out of arrival documents lately, my passport has been handy and while waiting in many airport/town hall/ visa offices queues, I’ve been enjoying reading the Danish Ikea catalogue getting ideas for decorating our place and the WorkinDenmark booklet in hopes of getting a job soon! And even though I live in the iPhone age, I will never part with my Pierre Belvedere daytimer.

8. The Train: when you have two boys, it is unusual for there to not to be a train on surfaces in our house!

P.S. Click your way to Simply Stylish Mom to see how a new-to-Denmark mother does it.

P.P.S. Check out the first post in the Workspace column and find out how Niki Blasina of A Haute Mess smells when she blogs. Click through the second post to find out where Anya Georgijevic of I’m the It Girl started her footwear obsession. Find out how Kumiko Ide of Tribal DDB keeps her workspace fresh to death. Take a look at jewelry designer Justine Brooks’ works in progress and her favourite places to work very, very remotely. And take a look at Lisa Wong of Solo Lisa’s cat-decorated desk.

September 6, 2012 by

Diary | Hanson and Data at the PNE

I must be part carny because there’s nothing I love more than going to the PNE (Vancouver’s exhibition and fair) at the end of every summer. What’s not to love? It’s the land of ferris wheels and ring tosses…

…deep-fried Oreos and $25 hot dogs (I’m not even exaggerating).

Oh, and also these guys. Who you probably recognize from 1997. Or maybe you don’t because Taylor and Zac Hanson are no longer in their tweens (nor is their eldest Hanson brother Ike) but they are as delightfully boy band-y as ever.

You want to know what was the trippiest part of going to the PNE this year? It wasn’t sitting on the bridge of the Enterprise at the Star Trek Exhibition (though I got a real kick out of that), it was hearing grown men sing “MMMBop.”

Thank you, Team PNE, for such a fun evening!

P.S. You know where 2012 has 1997 beat? You can follow The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter @TheAnthology.

August 30, 2012 by

Bookmark | L O L I T A

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

There’s very little to Lolita — a few images and even fewer words. But the collection of images curated by 21-year-old Katarina, an art director at the Swedish Fashion Council, is spot-on.

It’s a little like Intelligent Clashing in the sense that the site brings together images with little in common other than a colour or a mood. But Lolita is prettier, dreamier, girlier.

And always inspiring. So bookmark Lolita already and bookmark The Anthology while you’re at it.

[Images via Lolita, obviously.]

August 28, 2012 by

Home | Kartell’s FL/Y Pendant Light Sure Beats This Old Ugly One

I’ve hated this light fixture since I moved into my house almost five years ago.

But the thought of dealing with this was daunting. And, to be honest, I had no idea it was something one could tackle without the help of an electrician.

Until I ordered the FL/Y Pendant by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell from Design Within Reach and discovered that, with many YouTube tutorials and a lot of safety precautions, I could install it. All by myself.

Take that, New York Times.

August 28, 2012 by

Home | Spark Change with Sir Elton John’s New Candles at Holt Renfew

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about The Anthology’s Workspace feature it’s this: the creative creatures we’ve featured have sweet-smelling creative spaces. In Kumiko Ide‘s case it’s thanks to fresh-cut flowers but in Anya Georgijevic and Niki Blasina‘s cases it’s thanks to scented candles.

Speaking of the latter, Sir Elton John, David Furnish and NEST have just created a collection of scented candles for Holt Renfrew ($50 each), with a portion of proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Available in two scents — the floral Jardin de Fleurs, and the citrus L’Orangerie, they’re available now at holtrenfrew.com, and on September 8th in Holt Renfrew stores across Canada.

Your desk — and the Elton John AIDS Foundation — will thank you.

August 27, 2012 by