The Completely Crazy 2013 Clothes Challenge

fedupandskint

fedupandskint wrote: »

Another spend to report but not declare. I've ordered a new winter coat in bright pink for £25 reduced from £125, it popped back in stock while browsing. I need to try it on first and if it fits and looks perfect I'll keep it and if not, its going back.

I'll declare after then - just couldn't resist for that price and I've been looking for a new coat for winter and pleased to have stuck to my maximum coat budget of £25 Let's see how I get on!

Well, no need to declare the spends as the coat was too small - a lovely coat and would have kept it if was the next size up - never mind £25 still in the pot!

trishx

The TKMaxx dresses both went back today. The silk part of the wedding dress was actually a sheer overlay and there was a polyester lining which wouldn't have dyed but stayed bright white so it was a no go. The French Connection dress was awful - it felt like it was on backwards. So nothing to declare there.

Bought some navy tights in M&S while I was in town so that's £9.50.
I am counting tights in my budget (as well as underwear, sportswear, accessories, handbags and shoes), otherwise I know what would happen - I think it's up for everyone to set their own "rules" though.

Went out for tea and cake with the girls today and mentioned my £500 a year clothing budget - you should have seen their faces! Universal horror all round - "Hang on - did you say a year?! or a month?!"

So my running total is now: £94.74 / £500

immie

Going4TheDream wrote: »

I have to confess I actually dislike shopping for clothes!! (which is good as I have set a ZERO budget this year)

I too used to get dragged off with friends and family to 'go shopping' as though it was a 'sport'!

Endless aimless wandering around shops, looking at the same old stuff and like you ended up feeling coerced into buying things I really didn't want or need!

That's exactly how i feel too, I much prefer browsing online/ ebay :cool: Fortunately I don't have any shopping buddies so shopping trips are rare i do remember being 14 and going shopping with my school friends every single saturday though :eek: places like Topshop and H&m were out of our budget so i always ended up buying really tacky stuff from peacocks kids section or them unbranded market stall type shops!

medsdemon

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

Oh me too, I have loads of ideas but only sometimes get anything done, and I am so impressed that you resisted. Well done you.

I think I am going to try this cutting up a plain t-shirt project: http://www.supernaturale.com/articles.html?id=263

So have you tried this t-shirt yet?? I did get my machine out last night and repair a pair of OH's work trousers that I've been meaning to do for weeeks so maybe that'll inspire me to get on and start sewing the dress which I cut out out last week. I think I may bring my machine downstairs so I can watch TV while I sew...

Still haven't spent this month so planning a no spend february. Though I do have the whole weekend off this week.... must stay out of shops...

Well done everyone so far this year:T

miss_empty_piggy

medsdemon wrote: »

So have you tried this t-shirt yet?? I did get my machine out last night and repair a pair of OH's work trousers that I've been meaning to do for weeeks so maybe that'll inspire me to get on and start sewing the dress which I cut out out last week. I think I may bring my machine downstairs so I can watch TV while I sew...

Still haven't spent this month so planning a no spend february. Though I do have the whole weekend off this week.... must stay out of shops...

Well done everyone so far this year:T

No not yet, been converting my living room into a little bedsit for me and darling OH so that all the kids can have a bedroom of their own. Have made a lovely curtain for it and need to make another tomorrow plus a valance for the bed. I also want to upcycle 2 lampshades to go with it. Also think I might dye a set of curtains and a quilt cover!!

lotti379

First of all, my apologies for the lack of thread-coordinator activity recently! My guess is CK is snowed under at work and I have been haring up and down the country for work too, which is fun anddiverse and interesting but also knackering and expensive! Very little is now left in the coffers until my expenses come back. Still, if I can get through the next two weeks on the £30 I have left (don’t worry, I’ve accounted for my mobile bill and other DDs), then it shows me what I can live on when the need arises,and a lot of the due expenses can go straight to Mr B4rcl4yc4rd. :A

I do have a spend to declare, a whole £3 on a rather slinky top from the Red Cross shop, which I tried on the other day when I got it home to discover why it was in the Red Cross shop… It is a low cut black ¾ sleeve top with a knot thing at the front with some drapey material doing the double job of drawing attention to quite how low cut it is and providing a little tummy cover (my thought was, fantastic for going out for supper… I can fully enjoy my food with no concerns Mr Lotti is going to notice anything below that useful knot! Also, sleeves = warm. Very important!). Anyway, there is a gap, just below the knot, which shows ones undies rather effectively (well, it would probably not hurt the divert-attention-from-full-stomach plan, but might draw unwarranted attention from waiters :rotfl: ). Still, nothing a few minutes with a needle and thread can’t fix, so I shall have a lovely new date night/supper party top for three of the finest £.

Also I would like to point out I am no great shakes in thesewing/knitting/crafting department, so a) I am super impressed with all you crafty ladies getting the sewing machines out and b) I would like to ensure no-one feels they can’t participate cause they’re not craftily inclined! I can sew on a button, and do the odd stitch repair where it isn’t going to be seen. But that is it.

In fact I did inherit my Grandmother’s sewing machine and I would love to learn to sew, but I lack the time/patience/hand-eye coordination to get going. Still, we can’t be all things to all people, at least not all at once!

And you have all been brilliantly busy:

debbiedeejay – it sounds as though you have brought your children up exceedly well! What lovely presents!

immie – family pressure is tough! Did you take the bits back or keep them?

mcculloch29 –thanks for the link, I’ll certainly bear it in mind when I have my next clearout!

squinky – some pretty good bargains there methinks! Can the ballet pumps limp through (he he… ohdear ) until the end of the month?

trishx – I am counting everything bar a pair of running shoes (if I actually get off my bum and get into a running routine, no new shoes “to get me going”. That way doom lies), including tights and undies, BUT I’m doing a £300 challenge not Lula’s original £100. So yes, define your own rules! Gosh, just think of the reaction from your girlfriends when you’ve succeeded in the challenge at the end of the year! I feel quite spurred on myself!

In other news, I have been surreptitiously typing this on word when I really ought to have been doing some real work, but it is such a miserable day out there, I feel quite sapped of motivation. I also miss my dog hugely (he’s technically a family dog hence still lives with my Ma and sister. My mother has said I could have him, but it isn’t practical with work and he’s all set up with his dog walker at M’s). Normally my housemate’s dog is about so I get a bit of a canine companionship fix, but she’s been away for a couple of days, so not seen her or the pooch! It sounds silly, doesn’t it?

Mr Lotti said years ago he’d get me a Mulb3rry bag for my upcoming birthday (6 months away). All I can think is for the price of one of those he could get me two puppies instead!! If he got terriers they’d probably last longer too… :cool:

miss_empty_piggy

Charity shop shopping again today. Saw the jacket that I almost bought last week, had another look and still didn't want it so am glad that I never broke the budget for it. still not bought anything, can't believe it, but then I have been busy with other things. so I am sure that my time will come. x

mcculloch29

I've just bought some self-setting rubber from Am@zon, called Sugru, 8 5g packs for £12, sounds expensive but it is incredible stuff. It's like blu-tack, can be moulded to however you want it, but it cures and sets within 24 hours to a permanent, waterproof, shockproof substance.
I sent two packs in the post to a friend to repair her leaky winter boots as it is brilliant for that.
It then struck me that some of you on here might benefit from repairing boots /shoes rather than splashing out on new pairs. I wish it had been invented years ago!

trishx

lotti379 wrote: »

trishx – I am counting everything bar a pair of running shoes (if I actually get off my bum and get into a running routine, no new shoes “to get me going”. That way doom lies)

Ha - ditto. Tonight I completed week one of the NHS Couch 2 5K Challenge. :j I tried it last year and I got shin splints after week two. Have you bought your running shoes yet? I got some barefoot running shoes to try to avoid the shin splints "Vivo Breatho Ladies Trail Shoes" from Field&Trek for £18 (20% discount when you add them to your basket) + £3.99 postage and I'm dead pleased with them so far, my shins feel fine (although my calves! arrgh!!!).

lotti379 wrote: »

Mr Lotti said years ago he’d get me a Mulb3rry bag for my upcoming birthday (6 months away). All I can think is for the price of one of those he could get me two puppies instead!! If he got terriers they’d probably last longer too… :cool:

Arhh - the lure of Mulb3rry. In 2006, having never heard of Mulb3rry, I found the perfect handbag in a department store and couldn't for the life of me understand why it was £400. That bag haunted me, I found it in duty free for £300 but still couldn't justify it. Last Christmas my friend got a Mulb3rry bag and it all came flooding back, after a lot of googling I worked out the name and with assistance from eBay and the lovely ladies on the PurseForum (who are amazing at spotting fakes) I ended up with four of them (one in each colour) :cool: so beware, it's like an addiction... probably best stick to puppies!

squinky

Ha ha yes I will make sure they last out the month. I have a few pairs of ballet pumps but I just prefer the plainer ones for work. Ooh a Mulb3rry bag or puppies...both are on my wishlist :cool: