It is amazing what a person can do when they set their mind to it, Take New Year's. resolutions for Instance. if we want to'we can resolve to do almost. anything, possible or impossible,. .Then all that remains.is to break those same promises: 8 We promise not todrink in the New Year and promptly forget that when we need to take a drop to forget our tossing stomache or aching head. We promise not to smeke and find that we need that one cigarette’ tocalmus down. We even make promises to be more: patient with our spouse and children. The trouble with this is that we just have to yell at (hem to stop that noise or get off the phone’ and we're in the’same rut over again. ‘Oh well,:next year we | can make the same resolutions and try to break them in record time again, ‘Next year il may lake only five minntes‘ instead of‘ ten. Co a ost At is my opinion. that New Year's resolutions are more like election promises than anything else. As soon a5 we're into the. new year. we .can forget. ail about them or say. we. didn't quite mean what “everyone thought we meant.“ ‘ the big look in fashion The current: BIG look in fashion has to be the paradox of . the century, calling, as it does, for more of everything ata time when less of everything - In- cluding money - is available. Standing ‘somewhat apart from the present fashion- economy, inconsistency, the fashion furs, to which the BIC look is no stranger; in fact it: was the only fur fashion “look’’ right up to the end of the 50's. Not that furs lag behind today's frantic fashion. pace. They reflect the. trends bul. moderation, because the furrler a cautiqus soul with a’ sub- stantial investment.al stake - is mindful of the face thal fashion , in furs is less [rantic,- less ~ gimmicky. than.the rest, Also ~: (Hal it has something going for « ilbesides fashion design - it has fur itself. ; Some fur’ is never out of fashion. Ranch mink for in- stance, has held its own for a very long lime and now, paired with leather, suede and the bulky knils it is becoming even — more popular. , - ‘Less familiar. furs, now making fashion ‘‘news" include oppposum, badger and skunk - the latter very popular thirty or forty years ago. ¢ mo Badget is a long hair somewhat bulky fur, its colour a mixture of buff, grey, white and _ ejther dark brown or black. Feathered badger is especially attractive, Feathering is the .modern. technique of working skins in strips to give the. silky long haired fur a- much lighter feathery appearance. Oppossum fur with the sturdy guard hairs removed is soft and ~ bushy. Because. ils. natural, color lends to be unexciling il is most frequently dyed, Up ta a coupel of years ago this light- weighl, warm: fur. was used mainly for trim, Today it is a favourite for-jackels of various lengths. 20, _ Unlike many other fur bearers, the oppossum has not been affected by the spread of cities and farmlands. 1t is, in fact, more nimerous. now than ever before and is migrating to all. parts of North America even, surprisingly, to the Pacific. coast- in particular to Los: Angeles where it has in fur. ur. x, . From left toright wehave: A skunk bomber jacker with suede Dark ranch mink coa buttons. cuffs and waistband. >: Pieced grey fox: bomber jacket with black suede. In my opinion _