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Wednesday, April 5, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C3 SPRING FASHION Aspiring fashion student showcases her designs in downtown Oakville By Kym Funnell ADVERTISING FEATURE M ost o f us would love to w ear great designer clothes, but can't bring ourselves to pay outra geous prices for them. By Consignm ent offers a solution. They sell designer clothes in perfect condition, at half the price o f retail stores. "You can get designer clothes without a designer bud get," says m erchandiser Kathy Peterson. By Consignm ent considers them selves an "upscale re sale" boutique, rather than a second-hand store. "If the clothes look second-hand, we w on't buy them ," states Peterson. Like retail stores, they follow the fashion calen dar, stocking clothes for the season. They prefer to sell pieces from designer labels, and a lot o f their m erchandise has never been worn. W hat people like about By Consignm ent is that it's a fun place to shop. A dding to the fun and excitem ent recently, an aspiring `fashion com m unicator' (or a parttime em ployee that any custom er would recognize), M elissa Roberts show cased some o f her designs in By Consignm ent's store front window in the last week of February. The end result of an OAC art show, (M elissa is a senior student at OTHS), M elissa's project focused on using clothing as armour. As pictured above, her three dresses are as follows: Leave Me Alone - made from soda cans, suede and tulle; W hat Goes A round Comes Around - made from pop cans and m irrors; and Nail It - an attack on the media with newspapers and nails. Working part-time at By Consignment for the last three years has given Melissa a chance to really "cut her teeth in the fashion industry", comments Peterson. "By Consignment has shown me a bigger spectrum of the scope of the fashion industry," states Melissa. She continues to explain that while her interests lie in fashion, she will be taking Fashion Communication in university which focuses more on the business aspects o f fashion. By C onsignm ent has really been a catalyst for M elissa's career, and Peterson is thrilled to see her move on. "By Consignment has really acted as her breeding ground," says Peterson. "W hile w e'll miss our great employee, it's exciting to see her move forward towards her career ambitions." So, while they will be short one dedicated employee come September, By Consignment will always be the place in Oakville to go for re-sale clothes (Oakville Beaver R eader's C hoice aw arded #1 Second-H and Clothing Store in Oakville for the fourth year in a row!). Although aside from saving money, By Consignment is also a great way to make money. If you have some nice designer outfits you don't plan on wearing again, By Consignment will gladly buy them from you. To bring in clothes for consignment, you must book an appointment beforehand. "It's a great way to pay for what you want with what you don't," says Peterson. For more informa tion or to book an appointment for consignment, call By Consignment at 338-3474, or drop in and browse at 115 Trafalgar, one block north of Lakeshore Road. PHOTO BY PETER C. MCCUSKER Far out fashion designs by M elissa R oberts o f O akville T rafalgar H igh School. Leave M e A lone m ade from soda cans, suede and tulle, W hat G oes A round C om es A round from pop cans and m irrors and Nail It, an attack on the m edia w ith new spapers and nails. Swing into spring with leather T he versatility of two seasons' wear makes leather a wise investment. And the variety of colours and stylings available this spring at Barrington's makes leather a fun choice as well. Barrington's introduction o f Bart leathers last fall was so well received that they have significantly increased their order for spring. Surprisingly light weight, B art leathers are incredibly soft and extremely supple. And who can resist colours such as Ferrari red, dusty rose, lavender, m aple, hazelnut, natural python and pony print? This spring they are also featuring a range o f jackets under Barrington's own label. This more moderately priced collection is crafted from fine English lambskin and made to their own exacting standards with the same care and quality you've come to expect from Barrington's furs. When drop by to take a look at their leathers, you will find jackets, blazers, and three-quarter and short-cropped lengths - a style to suit every need. Was it comfortable to wear this winter? Did you find that you left it in the closet more often, perhaps because you felt the style wasn't quite right for you anymore? Barrington's is always happy to offer advice on restyling. Just drop in with your coat, or call for an appointment if you prefer. Various adjustments to your fur are feasible. Lowering the armholes may offer an easier fit. Reducing the shoulder may give the coat an imme diately more up-to-date appearance. You might also want to explore the possibilities of remodeling your fur coat into a jacket, a vest, or a boa. They would be pleased to help you consider all your available options. So don't leave your fur languishing in the closet. Bring it into Barrington's and they'll give it a new life for a lot less than you might think! How sawdust can help our fur. No, they aren't suggesting you take up wood working while wearing your favourite fur. Treated sawdust is actually used in the professional fur cleaning process. Here's how it works. Your coat is put in a sealed drum with the saw dust and spun. Any dust particles, oil and grease will Thinking o f restyling your fur? Now's the time because..... At the end o f the cold season, you are most like ly to be able to assess your fur most realistically. adhere to, and be absorbed by, the sawdust. The coat is put into a mesh drum to have the sawdust spun out. Then it is airblown and electrified to bring up the nap. Finally, it is glazed, giving the coat a pro tective coating and restoring the fur's natural shine. Cleaning and conditioning are the best things you can to do enhance the beauty and prolong the life of your fur. Dust and grit can work their way down to block the hair follicles, preventing the skins from breathing and promoting dryness. Cleaning will also remove loose hair that otherwise would fall out in your car or onto your clothes. How often should you clean your fur? If you are wearing a coat more than three times a week, then every year is a must. If once a week or on special occasions is your customary use, then every second year is adequate. However, never let two or three years go by without conditioning, no matter what the frequency o f wear, as the dust build-up can be as drying as lack of proper storage. The cost of cleaning is surprisingly inexpensive given the value o f furs. Depending on the type of fur and whether it is long-haired or sheared, prices range from $48 to $54. Sheared furs require a little more work and are therefore slightly more costly to clean. Cleaning and conditioning are the most neglected aspects of owning a fur. Be kind to your fur and clean and condition it regularly! Taking care of your fur C ustom ers occasionally carry their fur coats around with the fur carefully folded to the inside. After all, this is the valuable part we want to protect, isn't it? Well, yes and no. A lthought the fur certainly is valuable, it is actually more resilient that the lining which is the m ost del icate part of your coat, and not easi ly repaired and costly to replace. If you are carrying your fur for any distance, place it in a protective cover. And, at all times, carry it fur side out for better protection. By the way, when it com es to car rying a cloth coat, it is, in fact, bet ter to carry it with the lining to the outside. In this case, the more diffi cult and expensive repair would be to the exterior cloth. Submitted by Barrington's We will pay you to reach I I / your goal. i Do it lor your health. Do it fop yourself! Let Argus Medical Diet Clinic help you achieve your weight loss goals. With the right foods, you can change your body from fat absorbing to Calorie Burning! I i 4 Months $250 1 If you reach your 4 month goal1 I PROGR Afi/f SPECIAL"! receive $100 cashback! I o o ME DI C A L ARGUS m clinic Weight Loss & Counselling Services 581 Argus Rd. Suite 202, Oakville 315 Lakeshore Rd. E., O akville (905) 338-5500 338-7227