Style | Dresses! Dresses! Dresses on CTV!

Before a calm, cool and collected live segment…

…is just a touch of backstage nuttiness. (And sometimes a little on-stage nuttiness too.) But that’s what makes these things so much fun to do.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have people like Erika, who might look a little familiar, by my side. (She’s wearing a dress from H&M, a jacket from JNBY and boots from Sterling.)

And Amy (wearing a dress by Jacqueline Conoir and jacket by H&M that she really should get because it looks so good on her).

And Natasha, wearing the hottest, comfiest dress by Jason Matlo (I’m obsessed!) and a necklace from H&M that I really should have bought for myself.

If you didn’t get up early with us, don’t fret, sleepyhead. You can watch the clip riiiiiiiiiiiight here.

Thank you Natasha, Erika, Amy and Emily for all your help. Thank you Norma and CTV for making it such a fun segment!

[My dress is from JNBY, shoes by Thakoon for Giuseppe Zanotti.]

P.S. If you’re in Vancouver, mark your calendar for Thursday, March 1st. Just do it. I’ll explain later.

January 26, 2012 by

London Town | Anatomy of an 80’s Film

In her latest dispatch from London, Katie Burnett, a friend, actress and writer, takes us behind the scenes of her short film 80’s Vampire Flick…

Remember how Heathers was the coolest film ever? Aside from the hunk that was Christian Slater (who didn’t have a crush on him during Heathers, Pump up the Volume and Untamed Heart?!!), the film had snappy one-liners and incredible shoulder pads, and one of my personal favourite actresses, Winona Ryder.

So, OK, you know Heathers was super back in the day, and vampire stuff is super cool now? And you know how the 80’s are somehow funny, no matter what? Scrunchies, mom jeans, Christina Applegate? What does it all have in common? Well, one day my friends and I decided to stop waiting to see if Spielberg was going to call (any day now) and go out and make a short film.

We decided to make it a comedy. Tasked the writer, I decided to combine my love for 80’s films with the overly popular vampire craze, and make what is now known as 80’s Vampire Flick – a story of five high schoolers on detention, but one of them is a vampire slowly killing them all off.

Tasked with dressing the actors, I set off the ever popular Brick Lane, a place which, if you’ve been reading these dispatches, you know has incredible vintage clothes.

For my character (right), the bitchy Kiki Summers, I went for bright pink with a huge head of fake hair and a scrunchie. For Tristan Brooke, who played Kiki’s all-jock boyfriend Bobby, I went for a letter jacket and cutoff t-shirt, with a bright pink soccer ball, because nothing says 80’s like ironic pink and matching couples…

For Caroline Amer (right) who played Brandi, the head cheerleader who’s in love with the school outcast, I found a little vintage cheerleading outfit that already had MVP etched into the back (found at Rokit Vintage) and curled her hair to the nines.

Jackson Miller, who played Jimmy D, well, he was able to wear all his own clothes…

Roshni Rathore played Virginie French (below), the emo girl dressed all in black, and she had hair teased as high as Kelly Kapowski and some rad orange lipstick to off-set the whole outfit. Nothing says emo like a black cutoff denim shirt, skinny black jeans and black pumps. And nothing says 80’s like some orange lipstick!

Obi Ugoala (left) as Carter Luther is a very, very tall man, but with some specs and Santa braces (suspenders), he suddenly looked shy and vulnerable. Not only was every item of clothing affordable, it was all found on one street – the always incredible Brick Lane!

Special thanks to Sally Miura for make up and teased hair and Laurence Chater for directing!

P.S. Want to keep adding to your “When I’m in London” list? Catch up on Katie Burnett’s earlier dispatches: Sundays on Brick Lane, Saturdays in Camden Town, Friday nights at the theatre, and her East Coast nostalgia.

January 26, 2012 by

Behind the Scenes | CTV Morning Live

There’s a lot to take into consideration when you’re preparing to do live television — timing, cue cards, wardrobe, angles, models, hair, makeup, what on earth you’re going to say when the camera starts rolling. But the one thing I always forget?

The mic pack.

Which is why I get to do this little dance.

On set. In front of the entire crew, all of downtown and, now, you.

Keep it classy, Vancouver.

Catch my segment with CTV Morning Live’s Norma Reid (and my firmly secured mic pack) right here.

More behind-the-scenes shots coming your way, my friends. Including shots of my gorgeous models and their rather spectacular outfits. Thank you, Emily Hyde, for snapping these photos!

[Dress by JNBY, shoes by Thakoon for Giuseppe Zanotti.]

January 24, 2012 by

Style | Jason Matlo’s studio

I’m shooting a segment for CTV Morning Live this week. The focus? Dressing in dresses. So I stopped by Jason Matlo’s Yaletown studio to pick up a few of his because they’re so gosh-darned purdy.

And I got a peek at some of his works in progress, too, which thrills me because I love nothing more than to see other people’s creative processes. I’m a creative creep like that.

I find the blueprints as fascinating as the finished pieces, which, by the way, you can find at The Room at The Bay.

My segment (which is not about how you make dresses, but how you wear them) will be broadcast live on Tuesday, January 24 on CTV. Down a triple shot of espresso and get up early with me!

[Vintage faux fur jacket, vintage scarf, DKNY sweater, AG jeans]

P.S. Enter the Jenny Andrews x The Anthology giveaway, sweetpeas.

January 22, 2012 by

Giveaway | Jenny Andrews x The Anthology

Red and pink are everywhere right now. (Valentines Day would be so happy to hear that!)

Don’t believe me? Just ask Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emma Stone…

Or Jenny Andrews. The Vancouver-based leather goods designer is giving away two of her popular mini pouches (one in pink and one in red, obvi) to one of you lucky Anthology readers!

Handcrafted in super soft recycled leather and lined with a navy blue striped canvas, they’re each about 4 x 3.5 inches, perfect for your coins, lip gloss, hair elastics and bobby pins, what have you. (I have a Jenny Andrews bag, I take it with me everywhere I go.)

Want to win them? (Is Cupid an adorable little troublemaker?) Of course!

For one entry: Comment on this post and tell us what you can’t leave home without. (For me it’s my Moleskine day planner — I’m old school like that.)

For two entries: Write on The Anthology’s Facebook wall and tell us what you love (Jenny Andrews, The Anthology and red/pink are all acceptable answers).

For three entries: Holler @TheAnthology on Twitter. (Bonus points if you write a love poem in 140 characters or less.)

The contest is open to Anthology readers worldwide. The lucky winner will be chosen on January 27th (contest closes 5:00pm PST 27/01/12). Good luck!

[First photo found here, second photo found here, last photo found here.]

January 19, 2012 by

Bookmark | Advanced Style

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

We all admire the style of those who come before us. Heck, half the time we’re repurposing trends they started anyway.

Advanced Style takes it to a whole new level.

Run by New Yorker Ari Seth Cohen, the blog is like a Sartorialist of the silver-haired, built on the premise that personal style gets better with age.

It features style tips from a centenarian (dress up every day and don’t wear blue jeans), collaborations with Dita von Teese and vintage style galore.

So bookmark Advanced Style already. And bookmark The Anthology while you’re at it.

Thank you, Masey, for sending this my way!

January 17, 2012 by

Style | Art Deco Details at the 2012 Golden Globes

There were emeralds galore, a little leg and a whole lot of tie-dye, but none of that compares to art deco details, my favourite micro-trend on the 2012 Golden Globes red carpet.

Kristen Wiig’s necklace is stunning with her deep-V dress. I love it, I want it, I’d wear it with everything. Imagine a costume jewelry version — it would look b-b-b-bad to the bone with a white t-shirt and jean shorts. You could totally rock that look on the red carpet… that’s in your living room.

Architectural details lit up the front of Salma Hayek’s dress while Claire Dane’s razzle-dazzled in the back. But my favourite art deco detail, by far, was the eagle belt on Emma Stone’s gown. It’s the coolest, no? Geometry was never this stunning in school.

P.S. Put on your red carpet wear and add The Anthology on Facebook.

January 16, 2012 by

Style | Deepa Gurnani at Libertine

My accessories collection is not what you would call minimalist. I love neck things and wrist things and ring things. And head things like this band by Deepa Gurnani. When you first look at it, it appears to be just plain pretty. But when you really look at it, its matte, ridged beads have a bit of an edge, which work nicely in a ‘do that’s wrapped and tucked and a little undone so it looks pretty, but not prissy.

The designer once beaded for Alexander McQueen and it’s worth taking a close look at the craftsmanship because each is handcrafted on vintage fabrics (the back of this is blue and white floral).

I spent a loooooong time picking the perfect Deepa Gurnani band at Libertine on South Granville and decided on one in platinum and black because I liked its night-sky feel. It’ll work just as well with winter wear as it will with summer dresses.

Especially worn in a boho-chic style with wrist things and ring things comme ça.

[Third photo found here, fourth photo found here.]

P.S. Follow @TheAnthology on Twitter.

January 15, 2012 by

Linked | Beggars Banquet, NYFW + Tablet Hotels, Coachella and more

The Anthology’s list of what’s new, what’s now and what’s next…

Begging for it. Featuring vintage clothes and new pieces from the likes of Union Wood Co. and Red Flag Design, the monthly Beggars Banquet kicks off Friday, January 20th (6-11pm) and Saturday, January 21 (11am-6pm) in the former Boneta location at 1 West Cordova in Vancouver.

Jetset Style. Tablet Hotels has partnered up with ShopStyle and Oscar de la Renta for one very exciting New York Fashion Week experience that could be yours if you enter here.

Hella Coachella. Now that the lineup is out and tickets are on sale, the countdown to Coachella has officially begun. I’ll be there, dancing under the desert sun. Will you?

Wine and dine. Grab your friends and grab a seat. Dine Out Vancouver starts January 20th.

Jacked up. Vancouver designer Jacqueline Conoir is having a blow out sale January 18-21 and you’ll find all the details riiiiiiiiight here.

Plus, The Anthology has some brilliant collaborations coming up, including a dinner party invitation for ya. Details coming your way soon, my friends!

[Photo found here.]

January 15, 2012 by

After | The Printed Shorts

Betcha never thought you could get a cute outfit out of a pair of shorts as high-waisted, pleated, printed and billowy as these, did ya? I was doubtful. But I knew these vintage shorts had potential.

First I added a belt (this one’s vintage) because cinching a billowy vintage piece often does the trick. But that clearly did not work so then I tried cuffing them. And because that didn’t work wither, I took them to the tailor, where I had them shortened and taken in a bit, though we left a little volume to allow for the pockets.

And then, after all that, I belted and cuffed them anyway.

I paired them with a turtleneck (because it’s cold out) and a rugged jacket because those floral shorts needed a bit of a roughing up.

And I added a vintage men’s Omega watch. Just because I love the thing.

[J. Crew jacket and turtleneck, vintage belt, shorts and Omega watch.]

P.S. Add The Anthology on Facebook.

P.P.S. Have a look at The Anthology’s latest Before and After transformations.

 

 

January 12, 2012 by