When I would have been tempted to shorten this midi skirt.
But now is not that time.
Besides — with shoes like these, it really doesn’t matter what’s going on above them, does it? (They’re Thakoon.)
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!
It’s going to be a beautiful autumn. Especially for Obakki.
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.
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!)
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.
This outfit seems like something Amelia Earhart might have worn.
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.
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.]
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.
If I were still in the desert I’d wear this vintage embroidered tunic with denim cutoffs and flat boots.
But I’m back in Vancouver now so I’m wearing it with jeans, a jacket and a giant umbrella.
I miss the desert.
P.S. One of my very favourite bands from Coachella is coming to Vancouver. Phantogram plays Venue on May 20th.
Can convince you that you might have missed your calling.
That really, you should be the apprentice of a winemaker in Rioja, Spain. That you should spend your days strolling through vineyards, harvesting grapes and doing all those romantic-sounding things that vintners do.
I had lunch with the delightful Maria Martinez of Bodegas Montecillo Rioja recently and sampled seven vintages from her winery that date all the way back to 1975. (Quite a way to spend an afternoon.)
So if the winemaking life is calling to you too, head to Spain and try a bottle of Ms. Martinez’s first vintage: Montecillo Gran Reserva Seleccion Especial (1975). Or if you just want to pick up a bottle to take to your next dinner party, opt for her Montecillo Reserva (2006) which is a modest $23.99 and available in BC.
[First photo found here.]
I have a strict shopping policy — one giant bag of clothing in, one giant bag of clothing out.
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.]
It’s a tough job trying to pinpoint the top five performances of Coachella 2011, but somebody’s got to do it.
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.
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.
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.
As soon as Empire of the Sun took the outdoor stage at Coachella yesterday, things got weird. In the most entertaining way.
The Australian group’s show seemed to be sent straight from a Mayan-influenced 1980s future. And the crowd loved it. So much so, they really should have played the main stage — you need a lot of space to hold all that spectacle.
But that’s the beautiful thing about Coachella — it’s full of surprises. That, and during a bit of downtime you can see artists like Shpongle solely because you like the name.
And if you’re lucky you just might walk home with one of the giant illuminated beach balls Arcade Fire dropped on the audience during the last few songs of their set. (I wasn’t one of the lucky ones.) Man, I love this festival.
I love to do it, I love to watch it, I love everything about it. Which might be why I love Ballet BC’s collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery.
This Tuesday, they’ll be unleashing dozens of their dancers on the Gallery, where the ballet pros will perform improvisations inspired by the exhibitions. Each performance takes place right in the middle of the gallery visitors, which makes it very casual and very, very cool. I was at their last performance and you’ll be happy to know I resisted the urge to join in.
Ballet BC will be performing at the Vancouver Art Gallery this Tuesday (April 19th) at 7:00. You’ll find more info here.
Can you blame me? The sun, the music, the insanity — I’m exhausted already and day two hasn’t even begun yet.
The highlight of the first day? !!! (Chk Chk Chk) hands down. They put on the best live show. Every. Single. Time. Even at 2:30 in the afternoon under the blazing desert sun, frontman Nic Offer hams it up like nobody’s business, revving the crowd while wearing the shortest shorts imaginable.
And I managed to capture a few glorious moments of !!! (Chk Chk Chk) at Coachella 2011 on film. Please forgive the audio distortion — I was standing right in front of the speakers (which ended up being the perfect spot to film Offer leaving the stage and rocking out in the middle of the crowd).
Next time !!! (Chk Chk Chk) comes to your city, please promise me you’ll go see them? They’ll be in Vancouver at the Electric Owl on May 28th, which means you know where I’ll be.
P.S. Follow along with The Anthology’s Coachella adventures on Twitter.