FORKS AND FASHION: Two words one might not think of throwing in to the same sentence.

Everyone knows that we on the West End have our own unique fashion flare, our own panache.

From our laugh-at-the-rain hairstyles to shorts with raincoats, our fashion flair is original, ours and ours alone.

But through the years, there have been those who have come from the outside. They have dressed us up and made us look better.

One of those people is turning 100 years old today, and the fact that she survived her time in Forks and has continued to sojourn on must be acknowledged.

It was after World War II when Florence Ninke came to live in Forks in earnest.

She had resided in Forks before the war and operated a small women’s apparel shop, but with her husband, Orville, heading in to the service, she wasn’t relishing the idea of staying in Forks alone.

When the war ended, Orville’s stepfather had a house in Forks on Main Street, and the Ninkes returned.

Many Forks residents began to ask Ninke if she would open her shop again. With no available retail space for rent, Ninke decided to open her store in her living room.

Ninke recalls having several custom-made display counters. They could be folded out for business hours and put away when the shop was closed.

A few years later, a retail space became available right across the street from the Ninkes’ residence. It was located under the IOOF Hall.

Today, the building is the Rainforest Art Center.

The block letter “Ninke’s” sign went up over the display window that was always filled with the latest fashions.

Advertisement s in the paper proclaimed “Forks’ Fashion Center” and “Bringing the smartest lines in apparel, lingerie and sportswear” to Forks.

In addition to being the fashion center, Ninke’s also introduced Forks to the style show.

Style shows were presented at the Odd Fellows Hall, Congregational Church and the Vagabond, where Ninke remembers a special stage built just for the event.

Ninke also kept the local press updated on her buying trips and fashion trends — and at one point proclaimed that everyone could throw their irons away because of new amazing wrinkle-free fabrics.

While being Forks’ fashion guru, Ninke was also a charter member of the Bogachiel Garden Club, creating floral and driftwood centerpieces and holding the annual club plant sale in her front yard every year.

Ninke recalled wooden benches covered with plants filling her yard every sale.

Ninke also recalled the large holly tree in her front yard.

At Christmas time, she would get requests for holly and she would cut branches and give them to people.

When she became too overwhelmed with requests and was so busy running her store, she would cut bundles of holly, lay them near the street and tell people to help themselves.

In October 1965, Ninke sold her business to Alice Simonton. The Ninkes remained in Forks for a few more years before retiring to Port Angeles.

In today’s “fashion” world, people feel comfortable wearing their pajamas to the grocery store. No more worrying about appearances.

In some ways, it is good.

In other ways, people could take a few more minutes to put on a real pair of pants.

So, happy 100th birthday, Florence. You made Forks a more stylish place.

Here is hoping growing older never goes out of style.

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Christi Baron is a longtime West End resident who is the office and property manager for Lunsford & Associates real estate.

She lives with her husband, Howard, in Forks.

Phone her at 360-374-3141 or 360-374-2244 with items for this column, or e-mail her at hbaron@centurytel.net.

West End Neighbor appears on the PDN’s Commentary page every other Tuesday.

Christi’s next column will appear Feb. 15.