When Shakespeare’s Feminist Ending wrote about Anne of Green Gables (and Tori Amos and the American Girl characters – amen, sister!) as a feminist icon last week, I realized that I’ve yet to use Miss Shirley as inspiration for another make-believe ensemble.
I dropped everything I was doing and sat down to remedy my error by watching the series. And by “drop everything I was doing,” I mean “came down with the flu and have been stuck on the couch all weekend.”
Up first, an outfit inspired by two of my favorite scenes in the television series. No one rocks the straw hat, blue and white ticking/seersucker fabric and lace like the Anne-girl.
And then, a take on the famous puff-sleeve dress. In the series the dress is pale green, but L.M. Montgomery gave Anne a brown dress in the book, so we’ll go with authorial intent on this one.
And if you don’t know why the carrot ring was included, get thee to a library!
I’m off to watch the series again, because as Christopher Walken once famously said,
I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is…more Gilbert Blythe!
Ah, feeling better already.
Have any of you played the Anne of Green Gables Drinking Game yet? It’s really helping me knock back the Gatorade.
I love Anne of Green Gables! It is my favorite series. Even though I have them all on DVD, ever time they air the series on TV I watch them.
I love your modern day inspirations for Anne’s outfit. Perfect way to update an older look to a modern way, but still keep the idea of the older ways.
My copies are still on VHS, so I’m happy I still have a machine to watch them on.
YES. Anne of effing Green Gables. Those books and movies were constant inspiration to me as a kid. I love that a number of my favorite blogs have mentioned them this week!
hell HELL yes. awesome post. i was a huge fan of both the books and the show. LOVE what you’ve chosen to modernize anne!
i was also really into (probably more than anne, actually) the emily books, also by l.m. montgomery. did you ever read those? there were only three of them, but they were awesome.
I’m realizing that I’ve NEVER seen this…
Watch! Watch now!
Hahaha, before I even scrolled down to the text below the second ensemble I shrieked, “OMG, carrots!!” Genius.
I’m gonna have to dig out my slightly musty VHS copies again and hope that my newish HD tv doesn’t make them look too bad. I just realized that the last time I went through the Anne cycle (OMG reread every book! OMG watch movies! OMG spit in the general direction of the last two they made) I never had time to watch Anne of Avonlea.
Dana Scully may have been the reason I started dyeing my hair red, but Anne Shirley began the desire for red hair oh so long before that.
(You can never have too much Gilbert Blythe. Unless it’s the actor playing a d-bag on Slings & Arrows. *sad*)
Ah, don’t ruin it! We haven’t gotten to Season 2 of Slings & Arrows yet. I always look for his cameo in the first season, but I can never find him!
Oh no! I don’t think I’ve spoiled anything, though. Everyone is kind of a jerk on that show.
And you probably haven’t spotted him because he is well-nigh unrecognizable.
Well, I’ve decided to start Season 2 tonight, so I’m waiting to see if I can find him!
Anne of Green Gables is the first book I’m reading on my brand new kindle. That is all.
@Terri, YOU HAVE TO WATCH IMMEDIATELY! The library should have them. (Prob on VHS).
@Katie: I LOVE your Anne styles! Now that I’ve figured out how to use belts I def need to figure out how to add a straw hat. Also, that drinking game, sadly, did not load–what’s the gist of it?
It didn’t load? Pooh! Here’s how it goes:
Take One Drink:
* Every time Anne loses her temper
* Each time Marilla rolls her eyes (this one alone will have your liver shaking its bedraggled fist at you.)
* Whenever Matthew ‘interferes’
* Gilbert has been added to a scene, to build romantical tension (eg. when Josie Pye dares Anne to walk the ridgepole of the roof.)
* Each time the word ‘bosom’ is used
* When Anne says the word ‘tragical’
Take a Shot:
* When, after snubbing her, Gilbert steals Anne’s dance card (The best added scene not in the book. Also the scene that made a whole generation of us long for dance cards!)
* For ‘Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it. Yet.’
* For green hair
* The SECOND time Gilbert calls Anne ‘Carrots’, with his voice all husky (le sigh)
Chug:
* When Diana is drinking the ‘raspberry cordial’
Pour One Out:
* For Matthew (sob!)
Oh, and ps. I suck: I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER!
Thanks!
What a great post!! I love your modern day Anne ensembles! And I think I need to rewatch the whole series. Maybe that will keep me busy on my travels?!