Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

the_cake wrote: »

I'm another one not ironing ...... and I'm proud to report that the sum total of new clothes (excluding underwear!) bought in the last ten years is one pair of jeans, and some winter boots. Everything else from the chazzers, including a designer (LOL) suit in a subtle shade of grey-green, which I'll wear to my godson's wedding next month: £12 from our lovely local hospice shop. AND I've found some shoes to go with it for £4 (Red Cross). Win win.
We've just had a fearsome storm, with hail (??), and I've watched the big rain butt I bought last week fill to the brim in less than 10 minutes.....

:T Wow, that's very impressive. Envying the grey-green suit, that's one of my favourite colours.

I did buy one new pair of trousers (£11) last year, and several pairs of hiking socks, and a couple of bras. The rest was secondhand, mostly from the 50p chazzer, sometimes more from other chazzers. Have bought nothing new at all in 2014, and the most expensive chazzer item was a Jacques Vert jacket for £3.60. I know, the extravagance of it, I should be ashamed of myself.

Apart from undies and socks, I tend to only buy trousers new as my proportions aren't common and I just don't see my size and leg-length secondhand, and I always look. Can happily keep myself in tops for both work and leisure secondhand.

I enjoy the consumer society. If people weren't so darned wasteful, I'd have to spend a lot more money keeping myself clad.:rotfl:

[Deleted User]

When I say scruffy I mean not 'top of the trees this seasons colour and fashion pneumatic glossy polished skin tight dyed hair scraped back and stuck down tottering on 5 inch heels etc.etc.etc' I don't mean NOT WASHING despite what I said the other day about that being the best way to keep folks away!!!!! I mean comfortable and old and well worn and loved, like us really!!! Bit shabby, definately a bit faded but familiar and homey and definately not worn out yet, with much mileage still left!!! YES??? and clean !!!

GreyQueen

Hey, despite a torrential rainstorm, avec thunder, the police copter is hovering over the Towers. Better call SuperGran and see what's happening on The Far Side.

Her verdict; prolly an armed robbery in the city centre or someone in the river. We shall have to wait and see. And rain has stopped temporarily so I'm going out for a few minutes.

craigywv

I have to iron unfortunatley,or son would be a dishevelled heap of mess. He seems to be the only one getting new clothes as he growing tall so quickly he is 10 and wearing age 13! I find charity shops good for him and asda. Oh has bought new footie top this year and me a few pairs of knicks and that it. Found a pair of new crocs in my size for a quid in carboot few weeks ago and thats me kitted out for summer. See my mum is my size and passes me all her tops she doesnt like ..............she buys before trying on...............not that i mind lol.

savingqueen

I am with you re the taking care of things, appreciating them, making them last etc fuddle.

When I say scruffy I mean it in an affectionate, make do and mend, not keeping up with trends, practical rather than fashionable, natural materials rather than manmade (where possible of course) kind of way. Like an old sofa covered with a nice throw rather than an expensive, pristine white sofa just waiting for paw and hand prints to decorate it! I am dressed better these days now I charity shop as I couldn't afford tops from many high street shops and before I would mainly buy basic t-shirts in different colours. Now I wear far more interesting, colourful, better cut etc clothes! I don't do dirty, slobby etc. My hair for example is long, wavy, (natural) dirty blonde with grey lowlights trimmed by moi and left to dry naturally. Hairdressers like to tame it, I like it as nature intended. However I like it clean and not in tangles!

ps Fuddle - you are welcome to come and scrub my kitchen floor any time though. Could do with the fuddle touch!


GQ - my 2 favourite (and currently only 2 that fit) summer dresses are made from that pre-wrinkled cotton that you twist up and tie in a big knot or 2 when you dry. Don't crease when packing, just roll em up. Bought them new (for a change) for a tenner each to replace last 2 in a smaller size that lasted me several years. Well worth buying even at new prices.



craigywv, I know what you mean re 10 year old boys. My just turned ten year old is in age 12-13 clothes and 1.5 shoe sizes away from mine. He is becoming broader as well as taller and outgrown last set of clothes in a matter of weeks!!

fuddle

Oh the irony. My Aunty (going years back) now she was a scruffy oik (still is, I hear) and she used to machine for Jacques Vert. She then went on to manage a Dry Cleaning shop and now is an in store cleaner. Me? Can't get passed the vision of dirt and grease amongst the buttons on her remote control, growing up!

I'm with you girls. That second hand wood chest of drawers that is new to me still is in need of a sand down and wood wax but what is stored inside are perfectly neat and tidy clothes. Just saying you can be 'prim and proper' for yourself and not just because you want to emulate others

I was having a conversation with a lady today. She was telling me about reports of Primarc workers over seas stitching in the garments messages to the outside world about their working conditions. We are lucky (yeah zero hours is a pain sometimes) but we have rights and we have our unions of old to thank for it. I have been thinking seriously about where my families clothes come from (mostly Asda) but I want to know what their standards are. I dearly, dearly want to buy British/ethical made and because I have one of each item now and not a whole host to choice, colour, fit etc I believe it would be quite easy to replace.

Anyone know what retailers can be trusted in the terms of ethically (in terms of labour) producing garments?

tori.k

Adsa is actually a full member of the ethical trading initiative which says a lot really,
Personally I think it would be better to buy quality second hand or use a small local fairtrade business, Im lucky enough to have https://www.nomadsclothing.com/ pretty local to me.

I've been following the project 333 for the last year, limiting my wardrobe freed the funds to buy better quality and better ethical clothing.

GreyQueen

Some lovely looking stuff on that website. I'm very partial to tunics, as they even out the long-leg-short torso nature blessed me with.

I bring tidings of great joy. I snuck out in the only 1.5 hour period today when it hasn't been p-ing it down (is about to start again any second) and made it up to the allotment. And what did my beady eye alight upon, insolently crawling across the grassy allotment path?

Yup. A big fat slug heading right for my beans. I grabbed my grass shears and administered some cold steel (they don't like it up 'em). First kill of the season, slug-wise, their numbers haven't recovered from the Great Gastropod War of 2012. Oh happy days of summer 2012, when I was killing upward of 100 each visit.

Have done a few bits and bobs and ate 3 strawberries. Happy as only a gardener can be. And the freshly-painted shed is looking rather handsome, plus a lottie pal dropped past for a natter.

ETA; Woop, 10 mins after I stabled my pushbike and the heavens opened. Y'see, it's all to do with real Old Style Survivalist type readings of the clouds, I just knew it was time to leave and make it home before the rain. Or mebbe it was the stray raindrop which was alighting on my head.............? :-)

[Deleted User]

grumswifie wrote: »

Does it charge normal batteries, ie non-rechargable ones?

No. Only rechargables.

Could l recharge an ipad with it?

You can, but you will need something like this.

Get one of these too, and you will also be able to charge it from your car's cigarette lighter socket, or a Jump starter Pack.

Frugalsod

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Get one of these too, and you will also be able to charge it from your car's cigarette lighter socket, or a Jump starter Pack.

Even better if you are driving one of these.

http://hiconsumption.com/2014/06/combat-guard-4x4-armored-vehicle/