Byrd’s Paradise seems more like a comfortable meeting spot for friends to gather, while discussing the latest fashions, rather than a large big box retailer with unfamiliar faces. As unique clothes and accessories fill the racks, a well-dressed, smiling woman greets each customer as they enter the retail establishment. This well-dressed, smiling woman is Eileen Byrd, owner of Byrd’s Paradise. As the owner, she welcomes each customer as a friend and a knowledgeable source of fashion information. Byrd has a knack for forming close relationships with her customers, offering each one a coffee, treat and smile as they shop and discuss the latest fashions in her boutique. “I offer a friendly environment to my customers. This is more than just a retail

establishment, it’s a gathering place for friends to discuss fashion,” says Byrd.

Byrd started Byrd’s Paradise after spending 30 years in the business industry but it was during these years that her seemingless boundless energies and love for fashion that turned her from a business professional to an owner of a local women’s boutique in Laramie, Wyoming. Before her endeavors in the business industry, it began with one Industrial Sewing course at the Warren Occupation

Technical Center in Lakewood, Colorado in the 1970s. When an intern position opened up in the thriving Denver factory industry, Byrd jumped at the opportunity, drawing on her fondness for fashion. (Continued on page 2)

Byrd’s ParadiseDream Come True

Spring 2012 Newsletter

Contact Us:

Inside This Issue:

Facebook Takes Over As the world becomes more socially connected, Byrd’s Paradise is joining Facebook! With over 845 million active users, we wanted to help connect our loyal customers to various store offers in an interactive Facebook page. On our Facebook page, we will begin to feature articles about our local adornment suppliers, clothing designers, sales, local involvement and other specials occurring at Byrd’s Paradise. Find us at Facebook.com/ByrdsParadise and hit the ‘like’ button to join.

211 S. 3rd St.Laramie, WY 82070

Telephone: (307) 742-2973Cell Phone: (307) 399-7138Email: byrdwy@msn.com

02: Dream Come True Continued02: Wardrobe Consulting

03: Colors Everywhere In Fashion Week

04: Dry Clean Optional04: Style Yourself Pretty

By: Joanna Mitrut

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Working in a sewing factory had its advantages but it didn’t take long for her to recognize “it wasn’t enough to just sew, I knew I wanted to make the clothing.” Byrd spent the next several years at the Emily Griffith Opportunity School in Denver, Colorado, studying tailoring, couture design, pattern drafting and pattern grading. Following her education, “I looked for opportunities where I could really do something with my talents; my talents were unique,” says Byrd. She thrived in the booming Denver factory industry, working for local designers. With her talents, Byrd helped produce many of the garments that landed on the runways of Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles. “I spent my days developing the concepts that designers drew up. From start to finish, I helped make sure the garment was perfect,” says Byrd. Byrd and her team produced garments that walked the runway and where later produced for various retail establishments. After leaving the fashion industry

to raise a family, Byrd knew that she would return to fashion in a big way. After spending 30 years in the business industry, she learned the skills needed to run a retail establishment. “In the business world, I learned how to control the books, prepare for taxes, and how to market to consumers,” she says. “It is a good tangent to have before opening a business.” After a job in the Student Loan industry was presented to Byrd, she saw the opportunity to raise her two daughters in the town of Laramie, Wyoming. After researching the Laramie market for several months, a local retailer closed its door. Byrd saw a gap in Laramie’s market. With a leap of faith and support from her family, Byrd’s Paradise opened its doors on April 1. What Byrd hopes to accomplish through her retail establishment is simple: Support a well-dressed community. “It starts with a welcoming environment, a knowledgeable source, and truly fashionable clothing,” says Byrd. Currently, Byrd’s Paradise offers women’s apparel, tailoring, and wardrobe consulting.

Dream Come True Wardrobe Consulting First impressions are important. Your clothing choices and their fit help define how people perceive and interact with you. To present a style that is your best has an easy and efficient approach. By integrating your current wardrobe, “Invite Me To Your Closet” spends a few hours improving your own wardrobe, fitting into your daily activities and special occasions.

How it Works:Style Analysis: Through a one-on-one meeting at your home, we will have a chance to review your lifestyle requirements, clothing preferences, wardrobe needs and expectations.Closet Editing: We will review your entire wardrobe together, evaluating which items make you look your best. In Your Closet: We will mix-and-match several looks, including accessories.Look Book: With each look, photographs will be taken for future reference.Goal: Put together five pieces that will pack for a seven-day trip.Most Importantly: Have fun with the process!

For further details, please contact Eileen Byrd.

(Continued from page 1)

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New York (AP)- Pops of sunny, sultry citrine and sexy violet met up with muted sea tones on runways filled with flowers, both literal and reinvented, at New York Fashion Week’s spring previews as Day 3 kicked in Saturday.Color is everywhere this time around, combined with plenty of flounce and peekaboo sheers. “The violet color is very enticing and will be a must-have color for spring,” Adam Glassman, creative director of O, The Oprah Magazine, said. Jill Stuart’s easy femininity came in soft, sherbet tones and resort-friendly silhouettes reminiscent of the early 1960s- with palm trees thrown in. The relaxed wear was inspired by a book on lingerie she found in Copenhagen. Prabal Gurung’s digitized flora was dominated by soft purples, full skirts and pants cut tight. Where there are flowers, there are birds. Look to Adam’s runway for the winged motif in light pinks, purples, and whites. Happy color, color everywhere. Pantone had a beach party in mind when the color experts name the Top 10 shades for women next spring: tangerine, tango, solar power, sodalite blue, bellflower, margarita, cabaret, driftwood, sweet lilac, cockatoo (think sea foamy) and starfish. Barely there is khaki and other modish colors. Even the blacks were

upbeat-though the music wasn’t-on Helmet Lang’s black-and-white dominated runway splashed with only yellow. There was nothing understated about Cynthia Rowley’s color muse. Her mirrored runway was about the “optical exuberance of gold” combined with “flash mobs of florals and animated shapes,” according to her notes. After eight days of spring previews in New York, the big show moves to London, then Milan and Paris.

Cynthia Rowley No recession runway for Rowley. She’s ready for flash- and flowers. The outfits certainly had spunk; no shrinking violet is going to wear an Asian-inspired “bouquet” tuxedo jacket with second-skin leggings in a zigzag print. From there, Rowley moved on to a mesh leather T-shirt with tight, tiny trunks, and a metallic sweater with gold shorts adorned with black appliques.Rowley seemed to tap into her personal interests in surfing, pairing embroidered swim trunks with an orange T that had perforated leather sleeves. Some looks had more of a balance of boldness and wearability, including a botanical-print dress with a henley-style neckline, and a gray sweatshirt-style top worn with a black skirt that teased the crow.

Colors Everywhere in

Lela Rose spring 2012 sketch.

Cynthia Rowley spring 2012 sketch.

Pantone Spring 2012 fashion color report.

Courtesy of The Washington Post

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Fashion Week

Scarves add excitement and versatility to any wardrobe. With the help of color, design, and texture, a slight adjustment to a scarf can transfer a look from day to night in seconds. The way you tie your scarf creates a functional daywear look to a fabulous night out on the town. With thediversity of scarves today, the creative potential are limitless. “People have their own ‘signature’ styles of tying a scarf, but adding variety never hurt your wardrobe,” says Eileen Byrd. At Byrd’s Paradise, we believe the way a scarf is tied is as important as the scarf itself. Keeping this in mind, here are 15 new ways to wearing a scarf. These simple changes can add diversity and a flair of adornment to any outfit.

Style Yourself Pretty

Dry Cleaning Optional

Courtesy of tipjunkie.com

By: Eileen Byrd

For some, one of worst experiences is finding an adored garment that reads “Dry Clean Only” on the tag. However, these three words need not be feared any longer. There are a variety of ways that you can get around dry cleaning. By understanding the tag, fabric, and colors of the garment may help reduce your dry cleaning bill and help deter fear from those pesky three words.

Garment label reads: Dry Clean or Hand Wash.Hand wash in two ways:1. Soak the garment in cold water with a hand washing detergent, such as Woolite. Agitate the garment by hand and rinse several times. Roll the garment in a towel, letting the garment sit for 30 minutes before hanging or laying the garment to dry. After the garment is fully air-dried, put the garment into the dryer with a damp hand towel for 15 minutes to remove wrinkles.2. Use the delicate or hand wash cycle on your washing machine, using only cold water and a regular liquid detergent or delicate detergent. Hang or lay flat the garment until fully air-dried. To remove wrinkles, put the garment into the dryer with a damp hand towel for 15 minutes.

Garment label reads: Dry Clean Only.1. Medium and dark colors can be “dry-cleaned” at home. Using products such as Dryel or Dry Cleaner’s Secret will create a chemical steam in your dryer, activating these products. Following the instructions on these products, the process takes approximately 25 minutes of dryer time. Depending on the product used, they may include a fabric protection bag or a stain removing liquid or stain “catching” absorbent pad. Otherwise use a Wet Wipe or disinfecting wipe to remove any surface stains prior to putting the garment in the dryer. Test on the inside of the hem or side seam to see how the fabric color will react to the product.2. Light colors should be taken to the dry cleaner. 3. Do not attempt to home dry clean suede or top grain leather.4. Do not put a garment with a set-in stain, wet or dry, into a dryer. The heat will set the stain.

Removing Ink Tip: Spray hairspray on the ink mark before washing and drying. Repeat, if necessary. Do not put in the dryer before the ink is removed.

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