The Girl Next Door

Annie Murphy, the effortlessly cool star of CBC’s Schitt’s Creek, plays swanky fashionista Alexis Rose on screen, but cringes at the thought of shopping

By Carly Lewis | Photography by Erin Leydon | October 29, 2018

**WHAT SHE’S WEARING** Top: gold dress by Beaufille; black mules by Céline. Above: silver varsity sweater from Rag and Bone. *Photographed at Pizzeria Via Mercanti in Kensington Market*

Where I’m at with my style right now
Even though I love fashion and I love watching people who are effortlessly fashionable, and I would love to be one of them, I just find it daunting. I always end up reverting to jeans and a T-shirt while I envy people from the sidelines. I resort to what’s comfortable.

How I learned to stop worrying and love getting dressed
Since I started playing Alexis (who is quite the opposite of me), I have had my eyes opened to different designers and possibilities and ways of carrying myself. My co-star, Dan Levy, makes fun of me all the time. He’ll say, “How do you not know Derek Lam? How do you not know Isabel Marant?” Fashion is still pretty bizarre to me in a lot of ways. But one thing I have taken from my character on the show is taking more pride in how I look going out of the house.

My secret source of style inspiration
I am a bit of a lurker. It’s really creepy. Especially if I’m in New York or any glamorous city, I find myself compiling my own inconspicuous street style blog that only exists in my phone. I take pictures of people who are beautiful, stylish or looking exceptionally confident. I keep a little collection of ideas and inspiration for myself.

My shopping ritual
About four times a year I wake up and I’m like, this is the day it has to happen. This is my shopping day. I’m in the zone and I’m ready to do this. All other 361 days of the year it’s like pulling teeth. I have to be in the right mood to go shopping. Online shopping really is the best thing ever. I go to Zara all the time. Most of my belongings are from Zara or thrift and vintage stores.

When I’m feeling myself
I was on the beach the other day, all sandy and salty, and got a look at myself in a mirror on the way back into LA. I didn’t have much makeup on and my hair was curly from the ocean, and I was looking at this almost unfamiliar woman in the mirror—I don’t usually look like that. It was just one of those moments. I was like “Oh, you’re doing good today. You look happy”.

My fashion fantasy
One day I would love to be standing in New York City outside a theatre at the stage doors wearing some beautiful classic winter coat. I don’t know where it’s going to be from or how it’s going to come up, but I’d love to be that person, in that moment. That would be nice.