When Elizabeth Fraser was four, she asked her mom, an accomplished and passionate seamstress, to make her a halter top. The result was so memorable that Fraser still counts it as one of the best outfits she has owned.

"She made me and my best friend these little pink halter tops with ice cream cones (printed) on them," says Fraser, 45. "Mine had an E for Elizabeth and my friend's had a J for Jennifer. We thought they were the greatest things ever."

When she was older, Fraser would learn to sew from her mom and grandma then learn the business end of fashion by working at Suzy Shier, Harry Rosen and Le Chateau.

Fraser has owned vintage shops online and a consignment shop on James Street South, now closed, called Sweet Deviance.

Now she has combined her love of visual merchandizing, design and sewing with her retail expertise under the label Black Rain Couture, a line of handmade and upcycled pieces she creates for her Etsy shop. For spring, she's loving the boho-inspired look, and she'll be offering more classic styling for fall with capelets, hats and dresses.

Fraser says that, despite what many people think, fashion is not frivolous. Fashion has depth, meaning and it empowers us.

"We put something on and we feel amazing in it," she says. "Everything about us changes.

"Our posture changes, our eyes change, our smile. We just feel more self-confident. So I find the right kind of fashion … is empowering. It builds self-confidence and makes you feel good about yourself."

photo by long formal dress

Most eye-catching piece:

A pair of distressed boyfriend jeans I made. Whenever I wear them I get loads of compliments. They're upcycled. They started as men's jeans and then you just distress them in different places and add lace and tassels and taper them a bit at the bottom.

Quirkiest wardrobe item:

I have a pair of Burlesque design tights, with graphics of a lace garter and stripes on the leg.

Wardrobe must-have:

Aside from the basics — tanks and little black dresses — I am going to go with the boyfriend jeans. Just as comfy as yoga pants but chic and stylish. (They) can be worn in a funky boho fashion, or casual summer beach, shabby chic fashion.

Best purchase:

By far my best purchase ever was from a church yard sale. I found a pair of leather Prada boots for a buck.

Regrets buying:

A gorgeous dress that was on sale and I did not try on. It was too tight. It was just the perfect black wiggle dress. It was a plain stretch satin but just the way it was constructed, it was so gorgeous and I loved it.

Loves to shop at:

I love thrifting and vintage boutiques. Value Village and Talize are great and there are some thrift shops out of town and Plato's is good, too. But if I'm going to shop for staples, I usually hit up Suzy Shier.

Ridding her closet of:

My old mini dresses and short shorts. We can still wear them as we get older but they just have to be a different style and fit. There is definitely a way to do that, and chances are the ones you have had for a few years are not it.

Splurges on:

Shoes. I love my heels and it's really hard to stop buying them. I always gravitate toward heels.

Beauty item she cannot live without:

Mascara. I use Rimmel.

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