Old Finances (back in the day)

chocolate_buttons_2

I remember my mum's SIL's mum (my aunt's mum) gave some material for "skirts for the girls" and Mum duly sewed them into skirts and dresses while complaining that it was curtain material... errr Mum don't make those, please... yep we had curtain skirts. Any wonder kids at school laughed?

So longed to be my friend who, when she needed clothes, was taken to C&A lol:o

Gigervamp

Alwaysthebusybee wrote: »

There is some differences that I have noticed from growing up - nothing is made like it used to be and nothing is fixed anymore. Clothes seem to fall apart at the seams, washing machines are luckily to last 5 years and now when things break ... we go buy a new one :eek:

Busybee x

Things are now made with built in obsolescence. They're not made to last because if they did the whole economy would crumble.

And things don't get fixed because it's cheaper to buy new.

'Tis a sad state of affairs.

Butterfly_Brain

Saw this on the news this morning about Kays catalogue archive so decided to have a browse - it is interesting, but I thought that there would be more on it
http://www.kaysheritage.org.uk/9148.html

culpepper

Those kay catalogue pages are interesting.
There is a book in our library 'ragtime to wartime' which is a goodhousekeeping compilation.
Some of the adverts are dubious but I love the sentimental feel of them.
There are adverts for clothing too, which look like you could buy various versions including unmade up.
Toys back in the 20's seem to have been very robustly made,not the throw away without passing them down type you see everywhere now.

Interestingly,when you read American forums ,people talk about their trusty top-loaders having lasted 20 years . I think that is because warranties in the USA are much longer so the build quality has to be better.

UnluckyT

I remember growing up in the 80's (just, was born in 81).
Did'nt have a vcr, mum spent the 1st umpteen years of my life on a widows pension, wasnt brilliant at making clothes or cooking but had to learn/be thrifty somehow.
Clothes bought at table or jumble sales plus toys. Having gift vouchers bought as presents plus clothes,.

MikeyMacbeth

butterflylady131 wrote: »

...guess where we're going on holiday this year? WHITBY!!!!!

Ignore the chippys there - pop down the road to the chippy in Robin Hoods Bay - its much better!

alice-mary

I've LOVED reading these posts and am nodding in agreement with so many of the things mentioned. One of the things that I vividly remember as far as a sweet treat was concerned was the NUTTY BAR! I loved them and wish they would be available again.... if you ate them according to the unspoken rule of "pick each individual peanut off one at a time, then eat it before picking off the next one, until you just have the roll of fudge/toffee left", it lasted for absolutely ages! Money Saving at it's most enjoyable:D

We also lived in a world of orange and brown furnishings, while being dressed in matching clothes, usually nylon (anybody remember LOONS?). Oh yes, almost forgot... NYLON-KNIT! My great aunt used to make and sell toys, but made most of her spare cash from her knitted nylon slippers.
Must have caused electric shocks for anybody wearing them while walking on those horrible nylon carpets:eek:

castleton

I remember nylon slippers, they never wore out.. The orange and brown lounges also ring a bell.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

alice-mary wrote: »

We also lived in a world of orange and brown furnishings, while being dressed in matching clothes, usually nylon (anybody remember LOONS?). Oh yes, almost forgot... NYLON-KNIT! My great aunt used to make and sell toys, but made most of her spare cash from her knitted nylon slippers.
Must have caused electric shocks for anybody wearing them while walking on those horrible nylon carpets:eek:

Loons,ah yes I remember them well.
A company called "Fruit of the Loom" made the best ones and I had several pairs my favourite being banana yellow:rotfl:.
I also remember the nylon fad especially nylon sheets,we had some as a very young married couple and when I said the sparks flew between the sheets I mean literally.
We were afraid to move in bed,they were real passion killers :eek:.

Topher

chocolate_buttons wrote: »

I remember my mum's SIL's mum (my aunt's mum) gave some material for "skirts for the girls" and Mum duly sewed them into skirts and dresses while complaining that it was curtain material... errr Mum don't make those, please... yep we had curtain skirts. Any wonder kids at school laughed?

Are you my sister?
Cos we had curtain skirts too, my mum made long skirts for my sister and I to go to a country dance in, I wasn't too badly off as my piece of remnant (curtain) had been black with flowers on, (although the dear sweet young ladies at the dance were quick to notice its curtainly origins) but my poor sister had to go to the dance with a Magic Roundabout skirt on - poor soul. Scarred for life.