Posted on: Friday, April 19, 2002

Thrifty fashions to get day on runway

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

Some folks seem to have a gene that predisposes them to finding great stuff in thrift stores.

Take the Salvation Army, for example. Willow Chang, an entertainer, belly dance teacher and member of the Advertiser's fashion forum, has found Amalfi sandals (her favorite brand), cowboy boots, blazers, cheong- sams and circle skirts at Salvation Army thrift stores.

Now it's time for others to try their hand at thrift store sleuthing, in the comfort of the Sheraton Waikiki. Tomorrow, the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary of Honolulu will present its 15th Annual Celebrity Thrift Fashion Show, featuring top local celebrities and television and radio personalities modeling pre-owned business, casual, aloha and formal evening attire.

Mistress of ceremonies will be Leslie Wilcox, KHON's morning news co-anchor. Among the models: Angela Perez Baraquio (Miss America 2001), Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, Angela Keen of KGMB, Jodi Leong of KHNL, Malia Mattoch of KHON and Denby Fawcett of KITV.

The event features a fashion boutique of more than 5,000 garments and accessories.

Willow Chang's Tips for Thrift Store Sleuthing:

• Allow plenty of time to look through everything in a crowded thrift store.

• Don't limit where you look. Chang has found some of her best buys in the men's and boy's departments. Sometimes the staff doesn't know how to categorize garments.

• Watch out for stains, holes, tears and smells. These are things you simply cannot get rid of, especially mildew odors and underarm stains.

• Check to see if fasteners work. Does the zipper go up and down? If fasteners are missing, are they replaceable or are they a type of hardware that no longer exists?

• If the fabric has a nap (such as velvet or corduroy) make sure it doesn't turn to dust when you brush it.

• Check the fit. Who wants to pay $40 for alterations on a garment that cost $4?

• Once leather is cracked, it's dead.