The sale was put on by CAFTCAD (Canadian Alliance for Film and Television Costume Arts and Design), not a union but a non-partisan association of costume designers, assistant designers, stylists, illustrators and costume enthusiasts. The wardrobe came from productions including Hairspray, Chicago and Cinderella Man, featuring styles from the '20s to contemporary.

It took us back to 1988, the first time we bought wardrobe sales in Montreal on the set of the film No Blame. We scored a linen shirt and jacket worn by the film's star, Helen Shaver, and silk boxer shorts worn by male lead, Stephen Macht. We have to say we got more wear out of the boxers. Don't judge us.

Alas, the CAFTCAD signs were taken down by the local ladies in our anti-desecration of lampposts league (who also attack garage sales notices) but we managed to scribble down the details. As it was, there were a lot of buyers at the ungodly hour of 9:30 a.m.

Joanna Syrokomla, whom we met in The Junction back in '82 on the set of the film Fancy Dancing, where she dressed Jason Priestley and Tanya Allen brilliantly in '40s garb, is one of the organizers and had her own booth. They were selling off wardrobe from the end of movies.

"We have so much stuff and we are raising money for CAFTCAD," Syrokomla said. "We do seminars for the film festival celebrating costume design to open up our image. We aren't just the girl who goes and does the shopping. We want to be known as creative people."

There were 20 or so vendors, some with four or five booths. Prices started at 25 cents for socks and went to $1,000 for ball gowns. Men's jackets were $20; $500 suits were priced at $50. There were $10 racks of men's, women's and kid's clothes. In one booth, men's bowling shirts were $1; fedoras were $5 and hat blocks to keep them in shape were $2. In another booth, pants were $5, shirts were $2 to $5 and nothing smelled yucky. There was even a pink satin flamingo pouch snapped up before we could price it.

We had a fleeting relationship with a black velvet dress for $75 and matching opera coat with fur trim for $150 at Eve English's Gem Vintage Couture booth but decided a vintage scarf for $15 was more practical to wear sitting around the house typing.

Antoinette Messam was checking out an awesome red dress priced at $200 from the '60s for How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, where she is the new wardrober. Syrokomla is collaborating with Messam on Maria.

"Can the girls wear this (shirt) with the microphones?" Messam asked her. They can't.

There was a cute red parka with reindeer and lots of little sailor suits for the tykes. A pair of saddle shoes in mint condition would be perfect for a Cinderella with a size 7 foot.

We bought three skinny ties for $20 and didn't even put a dent in Ian Drummond's inventory of 500 ties from the film Hairspray. He also had stuff from the series Slings and Arrows.

It was like old home week. Dealers greeted each other. Legendary wardrobe designer Susan Dicks made a cameo; Victoria Dinnick from Gadabout vintage clothing store had two bags full. One item for the store; one for her. Her stash included a black Jean Paul Gaultier jacket she picked up for $25.

Paris Hilton's T-shirt from Repo! The Genetic Opera went for $20.

The vintage gloves at Lori Gardner's booth were selling briskly at $5 and $8. We succumbed to a red '80s Sergeant Pepper jacket with huge Sheena Easton shoulders stickered at $25. Garner pointed out that the badge on the breast pocket is worth $25 alone, which made the jacket free. How can you pass that up?

Shoppers were trying on dresses in the ladies' room. "It's overwhelming," admitted a woman, easing herself into a $10 slinky brocade cocktail number. She bought the dress, which she plans to shorten into a mini.

As we were about to make our getaway, we were stopped cold by a '60s faux leopard swing coat that screams Jackie O Meets Edith Prickley. It came to T.O. via the Aberfoyle Antique Clothing Market, previously owned by a woman in London, Ont. And even with all that mileage on it, it was only $20.

Hello, come to Mama.