My Sister the Style Star!

My beautiful younger sister Andrea and I chat personal style and skipping the shampoo.

Anneke: We’ve been joined at the hip since we were kids, but are there any early fashion moments I haven’t had the joy of witnessing?
Andrea: Well, I do remember my favorite outfit of all time; matching big bird and cookie monster sweaters that mom knitted for us!

I don’t remember those!
Really!?! How could you forget! Yours was yellow, and mine was blue.

When I came up with that question, I was thinking about the red cow-print shorts that I got ridiculed for in grade six; so awkward!  Perhaps it’s best to move on… How would you describe your personal style?
I love nautical themes and playing with proportions. I usually wear basics and spice them up with accessories… and hair!

Hair is a big thing!
Accessories are a huge thing!

Relief! I was beginning to think all us straight-haired gals were doomed!
I play around with bangles and other big jewelry. I like big jewelry, but nothing beats my newest accessory (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

Yes! Congratulations to you and Cory! I’m not surprised you beat me to it. I remember a similar situation when we went shopping for our first bra. I think Mom’s words at the time to me were “what for!?!”. Painful stuff, man… next topic! I told you what I think your style is, right?
What?

Classic Luxe.
Classic luxe, eh? I honestly don’t think anyone would know what that means! Haha!

Really? Okay, scratch that. I just find “with a twist” to be so vague! Classic Edgy it is! What inspires the personal style you’ve described?
Living in London, England. I was straight out of university where I didn’t have any fashion sense at all! Being submersed in one of the most fashionable cultures changes your perception of what people think of you. Canadians are know by Londoners as being sloppy and lazy with their style and English people are known as having some of the best style out there, so I used to get made fun of all the time because I didn’t know what was going on in fashion.

My best friend Alice, would be the biggest culprit constantly saying “Andrea, don’t you know!?!” in her British accent. But, honestly, just walking down the street. I didn’t know anybody when I moved there, so I just spent a lot of time by myself in shops watching and listening to other people’s conversations.

Now that we’ve had a laugh at your expense, I feel I owe you an uplifting moment to redeem yourself! What do you receive the most compliments on?
My hair!

Do you have a secret for your hair’s fabulous factor?
Cheap product! …And never washing it more than once a week. Not caring where it goes. With curly hair you’ve just got to embrace it.

Just let it run wild?
Yeah, let it run wild… let it run buck wild!

You’ve recently been to Costa Rica. Did the warm air have an influence on your hair or style?
It put me in the mood for relaxed, messy hair. It also made me embrace my nautical style a bit more because everyone there was wearing stripes.

You’re making me crave a vacation! The final word for readers?
Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Embrace what you got, and just because it’s a trend, does not mean it looks good on you!

Outfit #1
Glasses: Prada
Scarf: Sloan Boutique (Portland)
Jacket: Target
White Button-Up: Jacob
Cross-body Purse: Michael Kors
Jeans: Fidelity
Shoes: Nine West
Nail Polish: OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

Outfit #2
T-Shirt: Joe Fresh
Pants: Nautica
Watch: Michael Kors
Bangles: Banana Republic

Outfit #3
Earrings: Stella & Dot
Scarf: Winner’s
Leather Jacket: Super Dry
Red Bag:  Kate Spade
T-Shirt: Calvin Klein
Blue Jeans: Francesca’s Collection (Portland)

Oufit #4
Dress: American Eagle
Belt: Gap
Engagement Ring: Calgary Jewelry

Photos: Anneke Forbes
Location: Crescent Heights