Andreae Callanan is a woman who cares about style, so much so that she makes her own clothes if she can’t find what she wants. 

A writer, student, gardener, food activist and mother of four, her clothing has to be as functional as it is chic. We took on some trends for this spring to see if they could meet her needs, taking her from the garden, to readings like her upcoming one at Lawnya Vawnya, to protesting the current budget.

Graphic Stripes (DIY from Fabricville)

Strips

There’s a lot of prints going on the season. Stripes are an easy way to access the trend, and look bold and modern rather than fussy and contrived. This is a look Andreae loves so much that when she had trouble finding the right dresses in the print, she went to Fabricville, got these two fabulous fabrics in shades of blue, and made these amazing pieces for her and her 12 year old daughter Bonnie.

Orange (@Model Citizens)

orange

Brights are hip this spring, and orange seems to be coming out on top of this trend. For those of us who are a tad too timid to go full on and grab a tangerine dress or pumpkin pantsuit, touches of colour, like this slick orange leather bag from Model Citizens, are a great way to go. Says Andreae “you could pack a hell of a lunch in that bag. I don’t go for fancy, and the functionality of the design appeals to me.”

Extra Dangly Earrings (@Posie Row)

extra dangly earrings

This is not a great trend if you have infants, but now that her kids are all past that stage Andreae can embrace the look. It’s worn a lot on runways right now in mismatched sets, and this rack of goodies at Posie Row offers some great options for that. “I like the earings. I don’t know about the mismatched thing, but if we’re going to have an 80’s budget, why not go full 80’s, so sure, mismatched it is.”

Vintage Print Ultra Femme (@Johnny Ruth)

Vintage

Ruffles, lace, long fringes … this is a fashion season a Disney princess could truly love. Andreae, a more practical type, found her way to work the look with this simplified version from Johnny Ruth/ Living Planet. This was the big winner. “I love that dress. It’s simple and elegant and I love the colour. That dress is totally my thing. It is the kind of dress I try to make.”