Old Style Book - Clothing Tips Needed

Former_MSE_Sue · 10 January 2006 at 11:28AM

Hello all now on to writing the chapter on clothes - if any of this is hidden away on threads from the past feel free to point me in the right direction but here's what I'm after....

* Charity Shops - your best bargains, what to look for, bargain hunting tips, best tips to go, even nominations for best charity shops though don't know that we can fit them all in......

* Customising clothes - what do you do, how you adapt them once they're started to fall to bits or the kids have outgrown them etc.

* Clothes swapping, trading, bin bag parties, outlets that sell on your old clothes without charging you heaps of cash, best places to buy and sell old baby clothes, equipment etc

* Wedding dresses - any stories, tips on what you did with your wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses etc (bit girlie this one I know!)

And anything else you can think of! Cheers Sue

MissMuppet · 10 January 2006 at 11:33AM

This thread might be of some help... http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=128985

Lots of ideas on selling clothes mainly!

squeaky · 10 January 2006 at 11:33AM

Blimey there's LOADS of it - but I must admit it's scattered about all over the place!

Hm...

I'll have a scout round shortly - but I'd be more than happy for people to repost their ideas and tips here and won't get the big stick out and point you at existing threads because this would now be a good place to start a collection.

jellycat40 · 10 January 2006 at 11:54AM

Ebay is good for childrens clothes. A bit hit and miss for selling adults clothes but I have bought some really good things from there. Not necessarily riduculously cheap but good brands.

5p listing day on Thursday so a good time to list those kids clothes that maybe won't attract high bids.

Socks make excellant dusters, Underpants make good floor cloths and pants make good polishing cloths for the bathroom.

When jeans get too short or ragged you can cut them off for shorts. Cut t shirts off for cropped tops and use baby socks instead of scratch mits. They fit better and the elastic helps stop them being pulled off.

My first wedding dress went to the charity shop, my second went to the charity shop and my third is taking up room in my wardrobe and as it is an evening dress as well I may put that on Ebay as well to see if I can sell it.

I will be interested so see other ideas.

Louise

Loadsabob · 10 January 2006 at 12:32PM

I guess the most Old Style thing is to not be a slave to fashion and have to buy the latest of everything. Most OS'ers I know are not generally impressed by brands splashed all over the front of their clothes, (I've yet to meet an OS person with "BENCH emblazoned across their chest - what's that all about???!) and don't take kindly to advertising for such designers / corporate giants (though this is based on personal experience and may not be the same of all of us in OS!).

So when buying clothes it's OS, I guess, to not fritter money on cheap, disposable fashion-wear, but to buy wisely, quality clothing at affordable prices, which will last and not date fast, and which combine well with other items you own.

Of course there's always making clothes! I'm not there yet (apart from knitting!), but certainly very OS to have a sewing machine and get handy with patterns, perhaps using fabric from second hand large items to make smaller new ones.

Ticklemouse · 10 January 2006 at 12:34PM

Wedding Dresses:
My first was a big white merangue, which is still languishing in my mum's attic. As it's a timeless design, it is to be sold on ebay this year (hopefully)

My second - I went to a cream, classic style dress and smart jacket. The dress was then used a couple of years later at my DS1's christening. I would have worn it to DS2's but MIL stained it

I intend to dye it a darker colour so that it can be re-worn.

If you are getting married nowadays, I would recommend a 2 piece outfit - you can still get them to look like a "typical" wedding dress if that's what you want, but if you have a separate skirt and a boned corset type top, then they can be worn again - separately, and the skirt can be altered to suit another occasion, if necessary.

Make friends with your neighbours who have kids of slightly different ages - I have 2 neighbours with boys older than mine and I have taken receipt of some lovely clothes, some which have been practucally brand new. Don't be too proud to take them - small kids will just wreck them anyway, so why pay a fortune when your neighbour can pass you some jeans or jumpers that the kids can at least play out in.

Ebay - if you are careful you can pick up some bargains. Yes - you may catch a "not as described" piece of tat, but overall, you will probably be OK. I've had a pair of Timberland jeans, immaculate, worn no more than a couple of times, for £5 and other designer gear for a few pounds. I won't pay these prices in the shops, but will pay normal "Asda" prices on ebay.

Sell on ebay - I sold all my decent maternity clothes and some of the 'as new' baby equipment. I've also sold some of the newer and decent kids clothes too, but TBH, byt eh time 2 boys have been through them, they aren't worth much

Baby equipment - I made sure it was all clean and where appropriate, safe and took it to a car boot sale. I sold the lot. I didn't over-price it, neither did I under price it and I went home with a practically empty car.

If you know any very young couples who are having their first baby and are short of cash, offer them items you have. They may be desperate for things - cots, prams etc which they will struggle to buy, but if you are not desperate for more cash, let them have it at a much reduced cost or give it them if they will accept without payment. The feel-good factor in giving a young couple a helping hand can be all you need.

Lillibet_2 · 10 January 2006 at 12:39PM

For baby clothes always check the 50p bin in charity shops, they seem to put everything for under 6 month olds in these regardless of condition. I've found many new & designer name items which my son has worn & I'm now selling on on ebay for a profit!:D I don't think charity shops have the hangers to hang up very small stuff so they just lump it all together!

Save 1st & 2nd year baby trousers & turn them into shorts for the next year with pinking shears & a bit of wonder web, only works for the 1st 2 years because of the nappy capacity which allows for growth room, if you see what I mean?

Use old socks as "wearable" use once & throw-away dusters;).

Holiday t shirt style dresses tend to go a bit baggy & lose shape after a season or so, but you can extend their life by chopping off at the waist, hemming with wonder web & using as t shirts:cool:.

Use old t shirts as night shirts;).

Mens dressing gowns are usually cheaper than womens for some reason? And they are bigger & therefore more snuggly too:o:D!

Alternate which shoes you wear, by allowing them to have a "day off in between wears they can dry out ( sorry, but feet sweat, alot:eek:!) and will last a lot longer.

Sew replacement buttons on as soon as they come off or before washing or you'll forget:rolleyes:!

Sometimes clothes don't really need washing after use, just a good airing on a coat hanger on the washing line or outside a window & maybe a sponge down on the odd spot mark. Less washing will prolong their lives.
Not that I'm advocatign you go around in food stanned sweaty clothes you understand:eek::rotfl:

And finally, although it pains me to say this, there is nothing worse than a over-full wardrobe of crushed clothes that you can't see properly & will never get around to maintaining properly:rolleyes::p. Try to keep the QUNTITY under control & you'll find they maintain better condition or QUALITY.

HTH

kiwichick · 10 January 2006 at 12:46PM

*I had white satin shoes for my wedding day and have since had them dyed black. They've seen a lot more use as black shoes and just as well cause they were expensive for just one days wear.
*Take buttons/zips off clothes that are about to be turned into dusters etc, you can find new uses for them.
*My nan gets cheap woollen jumpers at charity shops for cents (nz) and then undoes them, balls the wool and reknits to her own style.

apprentice_tycoon · 10 January 2006 at 1:09PM

Car boot sales often have very good clothes for very little money, you can't try them on but you can always sell them back again if you've found something that doesn't fit.

I don't know if this is a confession or a boast but 99% of my clothes have been bought second hand from one source or another. I have new undies and shoes but that's about it.
I don't go out to work being as I'm self-employed working at home so I don't need to be 'office smart' and I have enough classic (and classy) pieces that get me through all the social things I go to. If my income suddenly doubled I doubt if I'd change my ways, I'd sooner spend money on other things.

MrsMW · 10 January 2006 at 1:12PM

And when your clothes finally wear out, you can cut them up and make rag rugs. We used to have great fun finding bits of our once best coat in the rug.

Former_MSE_Sue · 10 January 2006 at 1:22PM

Wow this is brilliant so far, thanks guys keep going all contributions gratefully received and all that.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Old Style Book - Clothing Tips Needed

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