New homes for old fur coats

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My friend is downsizing. She inherited three furs from her mother and cannot find anyone who would like them: a fulllength dark brown mink coat, size 14-ish, a dark mink stole made from four skins and a two-skin sable stole that comes to the knees. She is willing to donate them. Thank you.

— Sally H.

Dear Sally: Changing sensibilities have vastly reduced the popularity of wearing fur — even if the coat or jacket was made decades ago.

Bloomingdale’s and other department stores are shutting down their fur salons for lack of interest.

My visits to consignment, vintage clothing and charity thrift shops turn up lots of fur garments and accessories but few buyers. Check with your local shops to see if they’ll take the furs.

You can use those old furs that have been in the family and might have sentimental value in other ways. Find vendors on etsy. com who will turn your fur garments into cuddly “memory bears” (for kids and grandkids?) from your old fur for $100-$125.

Sites like onceupon atimecreation.com will recycle your fur into keepsake pillows or a clutch purse.

Old fur also can be upcycled as a warm lining for a raincoat if you want to keep your fur under wraps. And some animal rescue and animal rehabilitation centers accept donated furs for warm bedding at animal shelters.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen:

I have worn Chloé Eau du Toilette spray since it first came out in the ’70s. It’s been “my signature scent” since then. I believe that they even reformulated it a bit in the early 2000s, but I hung in there. It became increasingly harder to find. I recently discovered that it has been discontinued altogether.

You can find it on eBay, but the cost is prohibitive. I have tried searching online for a substitute, but haven’t had much luck.

Do you have a source to find out if there is current cologne, available at a local pharmacy or department store, that is close in copying the smell of Chloé?

— Susan B.

Dear Susan: You are not alone. I’ve heard from other dismayed readers, bereft that their fragrance is no longer available except for huge prices on eBay. My search online for a Chloé dupe (as in duplicate) was unsuccessful.

However, I’ve written before about Aroma Workshop (aromaworkshop.com), which has a beautiful new location in Chicago. Owner Tedd Neeson tells me he can help even if you can’t drop by the shop. He says that if you send in a sample of your Chloé, he can try to match it or he’ll create a unique fragrance just for you that will be a new signature scent that you might like even more. Give the shop a call at 773-8711985 to discuss how to proceed.

DREAMSTIME Changing sensibilities have vastly reduced the popularity of wearing fur.