If Consignment Shops Could Speak

I love the stories I hear while working at our new resale shop. It is almost as if the wedding dresses, evening gowns and even the evening bags and shoes have a life of their own. When the consignees bring in the items I hear where they wore the items. We have a dress that went to Obama’s Inaugural Ball and a wedding dress that was never worn because she found out in the nick of time “what the groom was really like”.
I also get to hear the plans for the items being purchased. Since our store specializes in evening and formal wear most of the purchases are made with an event in mind. Today alone, I sold St. John suit off-white with rhinestones that is going to a Bar Mitzvah in New York City, a pair of Ferragamo pumps that are going on a Cruise and Bridal Gown. My favorite was the  birdal gown to a bride who was on a budget – she shared with me that by only spending $300 on her dress she could include a few more friends on her invite list.

This is definitely a rewarding business. I will from time to time share other stories about the adventures of our formal wear!

Celebrities Lovin Furs

I noticed that a lot of  readers had been linking to my blog through Facebook and not from the Hinsdale Furriers Fan Page. I am not the most computer savvy person but with a few clicks of a few buttons I came upon a great page     “Celebrities Lovin Fur Winter 09-10″. I am so tired of hearing from PETA about all the people who don’t wear fur so this just made my day! I wear fur because I love it, it’s warm, durable, and can easily be recycled. So I say “hats on” to those smart celebrities that not only look good but are warm this winter .  I hope you check it out and enjoy the photos as much as I did!

Fur Coat Care Tip for Sloppy Weather

The snow and ice are beginning to melt in the Chicago area leaving puddles and slush on the sidewalks and roadways.  If your fur drags through this mess, which seems impossible to avoid especially for those of us that take the train (the steps are like a swamp), be sure to blot off the fur removing as much of the moisture as possible.  Do NOT put your fur near heat- let it dry naturally.  If the back side (leather) is wet take it to your furrier before it dries. This is very important so that the leather doesn’t shrink.

If you notice any salt on the coat, brush it off.  Salt can damage the coat- it burns the leather side. To keep your fur in the best condition, it is extremely important to have your furs cleaned after a true Chicago winter.

I Am Glad to Have My Fur as the Temperature Drops in January in Chicago

It is a fact that as the temperature drops so does the opposition to the wearing of fur. This weekend the frigid north wind was blowing.  It was exciting to see fur everywhere I looked.  Along with the usual fur coats and jackets,  I saw mink ear muffs, fox collars, fur scarves, hats and even a few pair of rabbit leg warmers. The furs were on women, men and even a dog in a rabbit coat.

I confess, I love working with fur, wearing fur and I am proud to say as a furrier – fur is green – a renewable  natural resource! I am also happy to report that I was warm when I  walked from the parking lot to my store yesterday morning!

Spring 2010 Fur Trend: Fashion and Design News and Trends from WWDFashion

I came across this article by Bobbi Queen last week. It is on the Women Wear Daily site – and thought I would share some of the fun ideas (the pictures are great)  for those cool Spring evenings.  Spring will be here soon even though it doesn’t feel like it. Spring 2010 Fur Trend: Night Lights – Fashion and Design News and Trends – WWD.com. Watch the slide show…the pictures are much bigger!

So you got a new fur coat for Christmas

The word “new” in the title is meant to mean “new to you” – with today’s economy many Santas picked a beautiful gently used fur coat for their loved ones.  The important thing when you get a fur (or any clothing) as a gift is to be sure it is well suited for you. Santa wants you to enjoy your gift and may not know exactly what style or size is best for you.

Before deciding whether or not you are going to keep the fur Santa brought down the chimney, you should ask yourself a few questions:

1) Do I want to wear this garment all the time or is it strictly dressy or casual? (A full length coat is great for dressy occasions, but not practical for running around and getting in and out of your car.)

2) Are the sleeves long enough?  (The sleeve should come down to the knuckle of your thumb when your arm is straight down.  The bottom of the sleeve should cover your wrist when you bend your arm.)

3) Is the fur the right color for me? I suggest you read my previous blog-Your Fur Coat Must Compliment Your Hair, Not Match It, So You Look Great!

Most important thing to remember is Santa wants you to wear and enjoy your gift.  He doesn’t want it sitting in the closet! If you decide to keep the coat, take it to your local furrier to make sure the closures are in the correct place and to have it monogrammed.

Recycle Your Old Fur Coat Into a New Fur Throw

Someone in Napa California is my new best friend and doesn’t even know it. I had three different people from that area call me about our used furs and making them into throws or pillows. They said there was something on the news about recycling old furs. First we sold a lynx jacket that we turned into five beautiful throw pillows. The next day I spoke to a few people who wanted throws made from older coats.

A mink throw made from a used mink coat

I sold one a lunaraine mink coat $650 and made it into the pictured throw for an additional $600. Just this morning, I sold a beautiful ranch mink coat which we are making into a throw. It is costing the customer a total of $1600.00. This is the cost for the coat and the labor to remake it into a gorgeous full pelt throw. If he were to buy a new full pelt mink throw it would cost about $6500.00.

There are so many things that can be done to refurbish used furs that you already own or you can find gently used furs for sale!

Some words of caution are in order. When buying a used fur be sure that the pelts are soft and subtle. It is important that the leather side is in good condition. If at all possible buy it from a furrier and ask if it is in good enough condition to be remodeled.

If you are buying the garment from a private party or a consignment shop make sure it can be returned after you have it checked out by your local furrier. I have had many people come in with a coat they bought on E-bay that began ripping as soon as they wore it. I hate having to tell them it isn’t repairable. I hate to sound like my father – but his old saying “a penny saved a pound foolish” can happen if you are not careful when buying used furs.

Cold Weather- Fur Care Hint

The cold weather arrived in the Chicago area with vengeance and the customers have been running in with emergency repairs on their furs. The most common repair being a rip in the armhole of the coat.

My tip for avoiding this repair:   when you get in the car lift the coat before sitting down on it…DO NOT smooth it under you.
If this tip came too late take your fur to your furrier and have it repaired properly. Following this tip you should be able to avoid those pesky armhole rips in the future!

Bridal Gowns for Budget Weddings – Consider Used Formal Wear at Consignment Shops

I was searching the web this weekend in order to get an idea what to price two gently worn wedding gowns that were brought in for consignment at our new consignment formal wear store. During my search I came across the site Top-wedding-dresses and their blog post of November 29th, 2009 titled Ten Ways to Cut Wedding Costs.

The author starts the blog “There are two types of wedding couples: Those who have unlimited finances to throw the party of their choice and those who have to remain within a budget. If you are the latter, there are ways to have the wedding you desire without going way into debt to do so. But it will take a bit of compromise. Here are 10 ways where you can cut costs in certain areas to free up money to put elsewhere into something you really want for your wedding ceremony or reception.”

This blog has some great hints for everything from the invitations, to the food and beverage. I encourage you to read her other hints. Of course what caught my eye was the part about wedding gowns. She suggests renting the bridal gown and those for the bride’s maids and flower girl. This sent me on a quest to find costs for renting bridal dresses. I found the range for renting between $300 and $800. I suggest looking at consignment shops and buying a once loved gown. At our store the gowns that we currently have are priced from $300 to a never worn one at $800.

Fur Coats, Leather Coats, Shoes, Belts, Hamburgers and Hypocrites

One of my friends sent me an article that ran in the Meat Trade News Daily on November 14th, 2009. It was titled “USA – The things that PETA don’t know”.

My friend wondered if I wrote it since the author complains about people who bad mouth people who wear fur and leather coats. Those same people eat hamburgers or wear leather shoes or a leather belt! This is one of my pet peeves. I can assure you I did not write the article, but I agree with the content.

Some of the issues the author raises are: “The biggest complaint about leather (and fur) is from animal rights groups like PETA..” They “chiefly complain about the mistreatment of animals, the consumption of meat and the wearing of animal skin…These people are frequently self-righteous hypocrites…They frequently forget about the shoes, boots or jacket they are wearing. (Oh look, they’re made from leather!)”

I respect people’s beliefs when they take it to the full extent like Mary Tyler Moore does. I respect her for not wearing or eating anything from the use of animals. She also does not advocate the violent acts of many of the animal rights organizations.

Use this link to read the rest of the article.