Q&A with Terri Garber: North and South

Terri Garber as Ashton Main (North and South BookII)

One of the MAIN characters in North and South was Ashton Main; the evil little sister to Orry (Patrick Swayze) and older sister to Brett (Genie Francis).

Actress Terri Garber was one of the characters you loved to hate, yet at times you could not help but feel empathetic to her. She was strong, self serving and manipulative. She would seductively stop at nothing until she got what she wanted. But as in life her character had to eventually atone for all the things she had done.

I personally thought Terri Garber deserved an Emmy for her portrayal of this sassy southern bell.  

Ashton also had the BEST wardrobe of all the cast in my humble PROFashional opinion too. What a gal wouldn't do to get in that fantasy closet.

I caught up with Terri recently to take a trip down mini-series memory lane.

LG: Costumes - Can you explain the costuming process for NAS (North and South)? Were all the costumes designed for "Ashton" before hand? or did you have input into them? Who was the costumer/designer? 

TG: The basic costumes were done when we went into fittings then they added little things here and there while we were having them fitted.  We didn't have a say about what we did and did not like nor would I try to assume that stance.  The costumers were the best and I couldn't have been more pleased with what they created.  Chuck McClain, one of the exec. Producers, was in on the fittings and he would give his comments.  I trusted him implicitly so I knew I was going to look the part.

LG: Did you get to retain any of the costumes? (I saw one of Ashton's costumes recently sold ) Do you know where they are now?

TG: The only thing I kept was the beautiful little purple hat that Ashton wore when she went back to Mont Royal to show off.  Sadly, I don't know where it is right now.  

I have no idea what happened to the costumes since they were part of Western Costumes in Hollywood and they closed down several years ago.  I assume another costume house or Warner Bros. Has them.

LG: What was your favorite costume or costumes and why?

TG: There were so many beautiful costumes it would be dissimulation to choose from.  I loved the bright red one that Ashton wore with James to a ball.  The color and fit were perfect. 

I also loved a pink and white striped one because it was so demure and obviously worn to entice someone.  I could go on and on.

LG: Any fun stories the fans may enjoy from set? or can you share a find memory?

TG: In the south, there are these bugs nicknamed No-see-ums.  They were hard to see and loved to get into our wigs and costumes. Between each take we would take out a long teasing comb and dig it into our heads or bodices and poke away. 

LG: Are you surprised with NAS continued success and longevity?

TG: I'm not surprised the show has longevity.  I mean that was one hellav a cast.  The best of the best.  I mean, I actually got to meet Jimmy Stewart.  How cool is that?

Jimmy Stuart in NAS Book II

LG:  Would you be interested in participating in the new production?

TG: There is the part of Madame Conti that Elizabeth Taylor played in the original that interests me to play in the remake.  How perfect would that be???

Elizabeth Taylor as Madame Conti

LG: What have you been up to since the NAS days?

TG: NAS was a long time ago and thankfully, I've mostly been employed in the acting field.  I recently moved and got married so life continues to be wonderful and I'm so thankful.

Terri resides in Florida where she is still a working actress and 'tartist'. 

Check out her baked goods HERE

Terri pictured with her husband and daughter.

Connect with Terri on TWITTER

TV Time: North & South

I love that Blog's provide random people with a digital forum. My intent is to share what I love and what I do here. I feature celebrities that I adore, interesting products and experiences. My hope is to inspire and empower my reader in some way. It is also a forum for me to be self indulgent and highlight the things I enjoy and support. Since I was a little girl I have loved the mini-series North and South.  Some of my fondest memories with my mother and dearly departed grandmother was being able to stay up "late" on Sunday nights when it originally aired in my tiny little town in Ontario, Canada.

Elizabeth Taylor as Madame Conti and Philip Casnoff as Elkanah Bent.

I immediately fell in LOVE with the costumes and characters. Over the coming weeks I will explore the series, the costumes and cast of this epic series. I applaud it's historical accurateness and hope to share new insight into the series that I have adored for so many years. I have had the great pleasure of interviewing a few cast members and I am also on the hunt for the original costume pieces for future blog's in this feature series.

Did you know? Lionsgate Entertainment is partnered with Discovery Channel and is producing a re-make of this epic series. I'm hoping to obtain current details on the project.

The series is based on the 1980s trilogy of novels North and South by John Jakes.

 The series aired book 1 (leading up to the civil war) in 1985 and it remains the 7th highest rated miniseries of all time. Book II which covers the civil war aired in 1986 receiving critical acclaim with amazing performances by it's all star cast. The final installment, Book III - Heaven and Hell aired in 1994 to poor reviews. It covered the post civil war era.

If you have not seen it here is a synopsis of the show: "The saga tells the story of the enduring friendship between Orry Main of South Carolina (Patrick Swayze) and George Hazard of Pennsylvania (James Read), who become best friends while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point but later find themselves and their families on opposite sides of the war. The slave-owning Mains are rural planters, while the Hazards, who resided in a small Northern mill town, live by manufacturing and industry, their differences reflecting the divisions between North and South that eventually led to the Civil War." Source

Did you watch the series? or Read the books?

Haute Hoods

I was having a look at the recent Haute Couture shows from Paris when I saw the Atelier Versace show and all of their Haute Hood glory. Fashion's past always inspires it's future and I have to say I personally ADORE this look.

The collection was said to be inspired by style and culture icon Grace Jones and her haute hoods from the 1980's

 FASHION HISTORY: The look of the hood can be seen in cloaks (outerwear), a version of a cape as far back as the 1500's, "This cloak is of ancient origin, dating back to the Arab world of the early centuries AD, where it took the form of the haik or hayk. It was imported into Spain by the Moors and was seen and illustrated by Christoph Weiditz in Granada in 1529, also in Flanders in 1532"source

The chic haute hood however made it's way into mainstream 'Fashion' pre-Halston of the 1970's . You could see this look popular in the 1930's.

1930's patterns

Deanna Durbin, 1930's

Claudette looks fabulous while filming The Palm Beach Story in 1942

Lucille Ball

Jean Shrimpton in a lace dress with hood 
by Nettie Vogues, photo by David Bailey for Vogue UK 1965

Grace Jones in Halston 1970's

Bianca Jagger

Priscilla Presley and Elvis

and  in the 1980's Azzedine Alaia. 

Alaia "mermaid'' evening dress in green acetate knit with hood, spiral zipper set in curved seam and fishtail hem from the Winter 1986 collection

Grace Jones in Alaia

The hooded look has been seen on amazing performers like P!nk on stage at the Grammy's 

and Kylie Minogue in her video for "Can't Get You Out Of My Head"

And of course most recently Lady GaGa

GaGa pictured with Donatella Versace in Paris

Would you get HAUTE with a HOOD?

Shop Evolution Vintage

Vintage hand made hooded dress ~ $90

Vintage 1970's 2 piece dress set --> Hooded Jacket $75

Sold 

Fashion Friday: Red, Black and White

Alexander McQueen

Red and black on it's own is a tough color combo. It can go really right and be very chic and timeless. Or it can go very wrong, looking trashy and tacky. Adding a dash of white helps keep it timeless, classic and balanced. 

VOGUE 1951

Vintage Day Dress (Evolution Vintage) - $50

Style the above Vintage dress CURRENT with a White Tuxedo Blazer (w black lapel)
Like this one

A Black and white print with  a POP of red in an accessory

Image - Neiman Marcus Instagram 

YSL Cassandre Cross body w Tassel -$1750 

(no longer avail in RED but Avail in BLACK)

What say you about this Fashion Friday Color Combo?