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The latest in fashion, and it’s less than $5

December 24th, 2011 Leave a comment Go to comments

It’s supposed to be a school task but it turns into a gleeful treasure hunt. The second year fashion students at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute are told to buy or remake an outfit for $5 or less.

Some dig through family attics, others scout second-hand stores, some find unused antiques on dusty shelves, and they all emerge thoroughly pleased with themselves.

The results of their labors will be shown at the school’s pub Tuesday night.

Included are the men’s trousers, which Ronda Monsees unearthed from a Yonge Street clothing store. They are brand new with a high-rise waistband, belt loops guiding a silver belt, deep pleats and tapered legs. When she brought them back to school, complete with the original $3.50 price tag, half the class thundered down the street to see if they could get some, too. Ronda puts them with a stylishly slack white shirt, $1.99 at a thrift store, with a do not boil label inside.

Lucia Pappano, who cut a new outfit from a $3 Salvation Army tablecloth, said that a number of the second-hand finds were so well-made the girls hated to take them apart. In some of the pants, the pockets were all lined. You’d never see that now.

Inessa Mychalczuk has a regret: It’s too bad our mothers didn’t keep their shoes; they would be just perfect now. Inessa discovered a taffeta dress with a circular skirt in the attic. We all really love these clothes from the late Forties and early Fifties.

Valerie Stasiewski is clearly devoted to the look. She took an old black satin slip and put new lace around the hem, the same lace she used to trim the coral chiffon dress she wears over top. It’s campy enough to make you dust off those Mills Brothers.

Most of the students check out the treasures at the Salvation Army and Goodwill Services, but they’re now turning to the privately owned second-hand stores.

The clothes are better displayed, Lucia said, and really good things are getting harder to find now. Half the places you go, all you find are old bell bottoms and shift dresses, even miniskirts; things nobody would want.

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