Ever since we saw model Dree Hemingway sporting a colourful beaded bracelet on her upper arm, we’ve been coveting the look. And what better way to be a style copycat than to do it yourself.

1. You’ll need a cardboard box (feel free to purchase a new pair of shoes), beads, needle, thread and scissors.

2. Cut out a piece of the box and make slits in it that will hold the threads apart while you’re weaving the beads through. Tuck the cut-up piece of cardboard on one end of the box so the slits face up.

3. For a six-row bracelet, you’ll need seven pieces of thread but make sure six of them are as long as the width of the box and the last piece is even longer.

For the rest of the DIY steps, visit our Editors' Diary.

With engagement season in full swing, and wedding mayhem up ahead, it’s time to get the show on the road. Herewith, a few ideas for your big day:

Insider Info
You’ve been asked countless times how you met so you might as well put it out there for everyone to see. Tell your story with one of these five Etsy prints (US$38). Display it at your reception and afterward, hang it in your home to always remember how it all began. At Something Blue on Etsy.

Maid to Order
Always a bridesmaid isn’t so bad these days; more and more brides are giving their maids free reign when it comes to the dress. A favourite among sewing masters, Fabric Depot is a huge space filled to the rafters with rolls and rolls of chiffons, crepes and silks for all your dress needs. Fabric Depot, 3500 27 St. NE, Calgary, 403-250-9173, www.fabricdepot.ca

Sweet Stuff
When an art gallery co-owner becomes a pastry chef, the result is Petite Marie Cakes. Created by Sarah Adams, the whimsical, extravagant cakes are one-of-a-kind (think tiered flower pots and mermaid cakes) and come in any flavour imaginable, says Adams. Gluten-free options also available. From $10 per serving, order at least one month ahead of time. Petite Marie Cakes, 403-926-2420.

Fashion Shoot
He’s shot for a variety of magazines and well-known clients, and she’s a former fashion designer and stylist extraordinaire, together, this husband-and-wife team is also the duo behind Dean Pictures Weddings. Their motto is all about a modern and fresh take on wedding photography and the result: your very own wedding magazine editorial. Price list upon request. www.deanpicturesweddings.com

For your jello fellow, the Heart Gelatin Mold ($8) is a fun, cheeky and cherry-flavoured way to say: My heart beats for you. At Dick and Jane’s, 831 17th Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-228-1857, www.dickandjanes.ca

Give your single besties a good laugh with the Love Stinks soap ($9.95). At Land and Sea, 317 Seventh Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-264-9866, www.landandseagifts.com

No more eye rolling when you ask to share the earphones on the plane. Now, it’s music and movies for two with the heart headphone splitter ($10) At Steeling Home, 1417 11th St. SW, Calgary, 403-245-0777, www.steelinghomestore.com

From the creator of Love Listography comes My Future Listography ($16.95), where you can fill in pages of goals, aspirations and travel plans whether you’re a duo or a single. At www.chroniclebooks.com

Kids these days live out their love lives online (someone, please tell them to stop), so have some old-school fun with a Locked Diary ($24.99). To add to its charm, don’t forget to hide it under your pillow. At Chapters, www.chapters.indigo.ca

The I Love You Because print ($49) comes with a dry-erase maker so you can count all the different ways you love each other every day. At www.rowboatpress.com

Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? It would with a spritz of the new Wildbloom Eau du Parfum from Banana Republic ($60). It’s a sensual scent with hints of woody nuances and citrus notes to get you in the mood. www.bananarepublic.ca

Maybe it’s the hint of Canadiana cool or an ode to camping in style, but black-and-red checkered patterns (a.k.a. buffalo plaids) get us every time.

The hint of check Tommy Ton captured during the men’s collections in Milan is sublime and you can find buffalo plaid jackets aplenty in vintage stores around town. 

But with its oversized collar, slim fit and crop cut, the Alternative Apparel jacket ($153) is our pick for this trend and a far cry from your father’s baggy cabin work shirt. 

At Divine, 720 17th Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-228-2540, www.divineplanet.com

When a local tours you around her city, you’re guaranteed off-the-beaten track discoveries and cool hangout spots, but when it’s famed fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, ordinary expectations go right out the window.

Vivienne Westwood’s London, a one-hour documentary where the fiery artist takes viewers on a tour of London’s hidden haunts and nooks with no tourists in sight, premiered last week on CTV and airs again tonight on Fashion Television. From the Barbican concert hall to Brixton Market to gravesites, Westwood weaves between well-known sites to unfamiliar areas. But more than a travelogue of London, it’s a fabulous look at all things Westwood who, at almost 70, is still the reigning princess of punk.

Vivienne Westwood’s London airs tonight at 8 p.m. on Fashion Television, www.fashiontelevision.com

Most of us limit our turban-wearing time to post-shower mornings, but that doesn’t mean we’ve never considered debuting the on-trend headwear in public (sans towel, that is).

But if you’re not ready to channel Joan Crawford just yet, play on the trend with a knitted turban-inspired headband.

Urban Outfitters has one, as does TopShop, but our favourite is the pyramid stud lady turban from Etsy (USD$42). The thick wool headband is adorned with studs and does double duty keeping the ears warm while making a glamorous, yet subtle statement.

At Etsy.

Fashion collaborations may be a dime a dozen, but we continue our fascination with the meeting of two stylish minds.

Leather-filled line Veda has been a favourite of ours since launching in 2008 and we recently discovered the young label teamed up with Urban Outfitters in the fall to bring its cool look to the masses. The designer’s nickname, Lazerade is also the name of the small collection that is a step away from the leather (save for the shorts and cropped jacket) and focuses more on blouses, pretty dresses and leggings.

One of each please.

At Urban Outfitters, Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, www.urbanoutfitters.com

Forget the boys, we ladies have been known to turn a head or two when a stylish gal walks by.

Andrea Linett is no stranger to admiring sartorial style either. Along with her bestie, fashion illustrator Anne Johnston Albert, Linett, the former creative director of Lucky and eBay’s new fashion creative director, recently launched I Want to Be Her! The duo collaborated on Lucky’s, “Fashion Babble,” a monthly illustration of Linett, dressed in themed ensembles, and the new blog continues where the pair left off, but instead of dressing herself, Linett spies stylish ladies on the streets (like Soup Kiosk Girl on Mercer Street, pictured). Sometimes it’s a photo, other times it’s an illustration, but each post includes details on where to purchase similar looks.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

www.iwanttobeher.com

When it comes to family heirlooms, who said it had to be your own kin?

Stay with the old but start new at the Birks Vintage Jewellery Event. On until the end of the month at the downtown location, the traveling collection includes pieces from all over the world that are on consignment, estate jewellery and replicas of vintage items. Jewellery is verified for quality and worth and priced accordingly. If you’re in the market to sell rather than buy, the store also offers consignment appointments.

There’s just something special about the sparkle of bygone eras.

Birks, TD Square, 317 Seventh Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-260-8700, www.birks.com


If anthropology is the study of how humans behave, Anthropologie must be the study of how humans behave around a plethora of pretty things. Take a closer look at the subjects tomorrow as the long-awaited Calgary Anthropologie opens.

The 6,500-square-foot-space includes six large skylights, reclaimed barn wood flooring and cast concrete tiles and has the same inviting allure of unique things, pretty pieces and feminine details that suck us in every time.

Here, you’ll find the house apparel labels including Elevenses, Floreat, Moulinette Soeurs and Odille, in addition to special market collections such as AG, Anna Sui, J Brand, Tracy Reese and Trovata. And home décor enthusiasts, beware, the store also stocks furniture, home accessories and decorative antiques.

We love this kind of studying.

Anthropologie Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, www.anthropologie.com