Janna’s Blog

I spent yesterday in pajamas playing sudoku until about 5pm when I started to get ready for the Dora Award ceremony. I was planning to meet some cast members at The Pickle Barrel for some drinks before we headed over.

First off, I have to just say that I take getting dressed up way too seriously. I credit my sister for that I think. We’d always be so interested in the Oscars, and other award shows, and watch all the beautiful ladies on the red carpet. Then we’d go buy the InStyle issue and look at them some more. I’ve never considered myself a fashion guru but there is something about dressing up and feeling like you have no care in the world that’s exhilarating.

Ever since this whole Maria fiasco, I have been advised by many people to pay attention to these kinds of outings because now that I am “a known face” I may get approached. Apparently I don’t want to be stuck saying…”it’s a hand-me-down dress from my sissy.” Meaning, I should spend the bucks to get a label name for a great piece to wear.

For our Sound of Music opening night, I was scared. I didn’t know many places around Toronto for this type of thing and I haven’t made any fashion-y relationships with any designers. However, I had been to a Sharron Matthews concert (amazingly funny woman, check out her stuff!) and she was advertising that she was dressed by Pam Chorley at Fashion Crimes. I kept putting off finding a perfect dress for this thing until about the weekend before our Wednesday night opening when I walked into Fashion Crimes and fell in love with the place. It’s a wonderful little boutique on Queen W that has every crazy style of dress perfect for galas and prom and what have you. So I was looking for something very classy and found the perfect dress. It was exactly what I was looking for. The price, however, was not exactly what I was looking for. I think it was actually a bridal gown…

Yet it was beautiful and I got it all fitted right with jewelery and everything. Felt great. So we get up to the red carpet on Wednesday night looking all sparkly and jazzy and went through the whole night without anyone asking where the dress came from. No one. I found myself telling people even if they didn’t care, “It’s from Fashion Crimes! The dress is Pam Chorley! I’m supporting Canadian designers!!”
All in vain it seems. No one cared except my friends!! But I suppose the most important part was that I believed I looked wonderful and felt incredible. That’s all that really matters.

I performed at a gala for Nightwood Theatre a few months ago and when I got there I was immediately asked for a ‘fashion pose’ by Metro’s Enza Anderson who wanted a picture. Thankfully she didn’t ask me where the dress I was wearing came from because it was a Le Chateau piece I’ve had since I was a teenager! I guess timeless classics like a strapless black gown will always be in fashion…

So you’d think I had learned from the opening night experience not to freak out about getting a label name for a gala in this city. Yet there I was thinking about the Doras, putting off getting a dress because I didn’t want to spend a fortune again. It was Friday and the Doras were on Monday. I had it in my mind that I wanted vintage, and in this city you can’t go wrong.

I started in the early afternoon and visited the Black Market on Queen W and actually found a couple dresses for $10 each. They were wonderful though not quite what I wanted. Great for other events though! And $10!!! So I kept walking west because I was going to hit up a shop I found on the internet, then head up to Kensington Market where I knew I’d find what I wanted at shops like Exile or Courage My Love.

I proceeded to walk into the boutique I found online called Cabaret. And then I fell in love: with the shop, with everyone there, with the customers that came in…it was a family of vintage loving fashion-y people that I am jealous of and want to be like!
The owner, Tao Drayton, immediately came over and began talking to me like I was an old friend. He exudes such love for his job, his shop, and his vintage! What’s great about the shop is that they have a designer who will take popular pieces and recreate them so we have even more to choose from.

So I mentioned I was browsing for the Doras on Monday and I was saying how I knew I wanted something vintage for the gala but I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for. I asked if there is anything Tao would recommend for my body shape and size, and literally his eyes sparkled like a kid in a candy store. He began rummaging around the store picking pieces and getting excited to dress someone, and I was getting excited to be dressed by people who know what they’re doing and talking about!

I tried on a handful of gorgeous pieces (like this one and this one) and ended up with the first one I put on: a 70’s inspired vintage jersey dress in a periwinkle blue/lavender shade. It’s amazing because it’s a one size fits all type dealy which means I’ll have it for years! Plus it’s reasonably priced, made with a beautiful light and comfy fabric, is a great colour, and then to top it off, Tao threw in a little vintage clutch for free!

Now I’m off to the races for the Doras! I ran into Fashion Crimes to pick up a funky bracelet to match, and just happened to find handmade earrings down at the Harbourfront festival last minute. It was all perfect and without much stress at all!

I get to the event and go through the whole night, once again, without anyone asking about my dress aside from friends. But at this point, I didn’t care anymore. It’s not about being embarrassed if I don’t have a ‘label’ name on, it’s about whether or not I feel great and have a good time. And last night I certainly did!

Robert Jones won for best set, Elicia for best female performer and we even won best musical! And the party was a blast. As was Fran’s big breakfast after!