BARGAINS : GET COMFORTABLE DEALS AT COTTON BABY.

Byline: Trisha King & Deborah Newmark

As a result of mass merchandising, chances of finding an outfit that isn't carried by just about every retailer in town are slim. That's why boutiques with exclusive lines can charge such astronomical prices. Cotton Baby, a Westlake Village boutique with a line of clothing produced in the San Fernando Valley, is definitely an exception to high prices on exclusive lines.

For example, a scoop-necked dress in crepe rayon with an empire waistline retails in high-end boutiques for well over $100. Cotton Baby has it for $49. A matching jacket runs $30 instead of $60 to $70 retail or a different matching jacket with mother of pearl buttons runs $32.99.

Cotton Baby is a unique operation in that the clothing, designed to be mixed and matched, is made with fabrics from the same dye lot. The tops, skirts and pants ($29.99 instead of $60 or more retail), dresses ($52 maximum) and jackets ($30 to $35), are made of washable rayon and thermal cotton, or a combination of the two.

All clothing at Cotton Baby is first-quality and designed by owner Evelyne Parnell, a woman with limitless energy and vision. Her fashions are comfortable and stylish, and it is amazing that only a dozen pieces are made of each design (as opposed to the thousands produced by major manufacturers).

The beauty of producing only 12 pieces of each clothing design means that customers never have to worry about seeing someone else wearing the same thing. So, if you see something you like, buy it because, in all likelihood, an entirely new line will be available on your next visit.

Most of the clothing is one-size-fits-all (roughly sizes 4 to 16), and everything has been preshrunk. In addition, Cotton Baby also carries clothing for girls in sizes 0 to 8. Much of the clothing matches items in the women's line, so this is a great place for mother-and-daughter outfits.

Cotton Baby also carries plenty of accessories such as costume jewelry, and even socks and crocheted hats, that have been dyed along with the fabrics.

Cotton Baby is located at 3825 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village; [phone]. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Discover, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Exchanges only within two weeks of purchase.

Inside info

Visit Bedroom City's Labor Day weekend sale where you'll save 50 percent to 80 percent off retail on overstocks, unclaimed layaways, discontinued models and closeouts. You'll find pine, oak and cherry bedroom sets and youth furniture, including bunk and chest beds. Prices start at $100 for mattresses and futons, $299 for bedroom sets and $79 for bunk beds. Bedroom City is located at 9848 De Soto Ave., Chatsworth; [phone]. Hours of the sale are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Sunday and Monday.

If your jewelry box is full of watches that need batteries, head over to Watch the Time, where new batteries for all types of watches, even Movados, are installed for $2.99 (elsewhere $5 and up). Watch the Time is located at 18353 Vanowen St., Unit I, Reseda; [phone]. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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Photo: Susan Benson, left, and Karon Maloney, both of Thousand Oaks, at Cotton Baby, where only 12 pieces of each design are produced.

Tina Gerson/Daily News