The Completely Crazy 2013 Clothes Challenge

emslovesmickey

trishx wrote: »

Happy Birthday :bdaycake:

What pattern is your mum using to make the dresses? Or is she freestyling it?

It's Butterick B5030. Good thing is she has a dressmakers doll as well so she can do it to my measurements.


Thanks for the birhday messages everyone - had a lovely meal with my family yesterday. Appreciated the time together more than the gifts, i really felt spoiled.

debbiedeejay

I read your post with interest. What I found this challenge really helped me with (as I mentioned above) is trying to wear what I do already have. I look at it that if I buy one jumper for £30 but wear it say 30 times to equal £1 a wear, it's better value that a cheapy jumper for £10 that I wear once before it goes out of fashion / falls apart.

I don't think there's anything wrong in spending on a few good quality, slightly more costly items that you will get lots of wear out of so long as you can afford to. I'm all for a bargain garment too (my fav maxi dress is from primarni and everyone loves it), but they can also be a false economy - a) if you don't wear it, b) if it falls apart after one wear like the £1 knickers I also purchased in primarni.

Exactly what I wanted to say Kerri gt -:T

Maybe Vintagegal you could grab a couple of friends a few bottles of wine and head for a shopping trip - to your wardrobe:)

I have done this a few times for other friends when they have wailed" I have nothing to wear" - You need to see your wardrobe as a boutique and your friends as your personal shoppers.
They could potentially see outfits that you would have never put together and also if they are great friends tell you what to get rid -

And offer to do the same in return , makes you look at your clothes in a different light if you think you are "playing shop!" and you are the best customer!

HTH

vintagegal

That's a great idea, like that scene in Sex and the City!

What about swapping? I went to a clothes swapping event once and the other items were so awful (second hand sports bra anyone?) that it put me off! There must be some websites that organise these, or maybe I could arrange one with friends and colleagues

Going4TheDream

kerri_gt wrote: »

I read your post with interest. What I found this challenge really helped me with (as I mentioned above) is trying to wear what I do already have. I look at it that if I buy one jumper for £30 but wear it say 30 times to equal £1 a wear, it's better value that a cheapy jumper for £10 that I wear once before it goes out of fashion / falls apart.

I don't think there's anything wrong in spending on a few good quality, slightly more costly items that you will get lots of wear out of so long as you can afford to. I'm all for a bargain garment too (my fav maxi dress is from primarni and everyone loves it), but they can also be a false economy - a) if you don't wear it, b) if it falls apart after one wear like the £1 knickers I also purchased in primarni.

I agree with this, I have read many articles about buying good quality staples that you can add to with cheaper bits and do find that they last longer when I have tried it myself.

I bought a pair of Principle trousers about 8 years ago, I washed and wore them for work for about 5 years and they looked fantastic and lasted well. At the time they seemed expensive for work trousers, I think they were £45 at the time but they really worked out good value for money in the end

On the other end of the scale I bought some cheap work trousers last year (I was losing weight and needed some desperately) for about £8 that looked rubbish after about two months.....

I noticed that when I did my big wardrobe sort out over Xmas that nearly all the stuff I got rid off was the cheaper stuff because it hadn't worn as well as the better quality stuff. A lot if it was stuff that I had bought in sales as at the time it seemed a bargain as it was on sale...........looking back now not such a bargain as it either never got worn or hardly ever got worn or didn't really last that well.


I think the hardest thing today is that even cheap clothes are not that cheap (when you look at disposable income for most people) (exclude your supermarket chains) and when you buy on a budget price become all important so its seems harder to pay more for something than you have too, yet we often don't look at the 'long term' but buy spending a little more it would actually work out cheaper in the long run

I know doing this challenge has opened my eyes and when I have a budget next year I will be much more selective about what I spend on and buy only good quality for things I wear a lot

My gran used to say 'buy cheap pay twice' and for some things I think she was right.

miss_empty_piggy

kerri_gt wrote: »

if it falls apart after one wear like the £1 knickers I also purchased in primarni.

I LOVE my £1 Primarni knickers - they're perfect for me and have lasted me ages. Everytime I go in there (which isn't very often) I grab 5 or 6 pairs to stock up. Each to their own I guess. Don't get me wrong I'd love to buy the matching pants when I buy a new bra (and sometimes I do when I'm really pushing the boat out - for "special" occasions), but they're usually about £15 for one pair so just stick to basic black or white - easier for washing too!

I have to agree the lacy numbers have fallen apart on me in the past, but just the plain piece of material with no frills or lace I find are fine for everyday. :rotfl:

mcculloch29

Primarni's Sloggi - style seamless pants have had a heads up from me on here before. 3 pairs for c. £5.50 and they wash like dishrags and refuse to wear out. I've worn no other style for a few years now and not one pair is looking worn.

lotti379

On the subject of my running shoes...

I have completed Week 1 Workout 1 of Couch to 5K! :j

It was great to be out actually, as the sky was lightening. :A

Now the challenge will be to continue! I am planning to do workouts 2 and 3 on Friday and Saturday this week before Mr Lotti comes for a visit.

flowerofscotland

No 52 checking in to report a 2nd month of zero spend against my target of £500

I did buy some socks in M&5 earlier this month but I used vouchers that were due to expire at the end Feb and used the rest of the vouchers to buy food thus reducing the grocery spend for the month. I think that is the only time I have ever spent my M&5 vouchers on food - I've used them for presents lots of times but usually it has been clothes for me.
I also have decluttered 4 bags of clothes/shoes for the CS and have auctioned off a few of the more expensive (and in one case unworn:eek:) items.
Love reading all your posts and although I don't post often it is a great inspiration to know that I need to report here if I spend on clothes. My goal is to spend only on what I need for a wedding/holiday in Spain in Jly (haven't been abroad for many years so wardrobe lacking in even the basics such as swimming costume) plus anything else that I actually need (such as the socks - was down to only 2 pairs without holes)

citizenkitten

hi guys!! i am back!

catching up in my first lunch break in ages. Sorry I have been seriously missing, I have had a pretty brutal month.

welcome all the newbies, i shall add you tonight and I can see there has been some serious no/low spending going on with some superb tactics to avoid shopping sprees!

I am pleased to announce a NO SPEND FEB!!! (too be honest very easy as i can count the hours on one hand where i wasnt working, taking care of my family and sleeping)

apart from my wedding dress, i plan to have a no spend march too. Sorry but I wasnt going to include my wedding dress in the clothes budget, for the first time doing this i thought it was unrealistic.

miss you guys and be back soon

L

trishx

lotti379 wrote: »

On the subject of my running shoes...

I have completed Week 1 Workout 1 of Couch to 5K! :j

It was great to be out actually, as the sky was lightening. :A

Now the challenge will be to continue! I am planning to do workouts 2 and 3 on Friday and Saturday this week before Mr Lotti comes for a visit.

Well done! I did run one of week two on Friday night and on Saturday monring I felt my shin splints coming on again :mad: Think I might give it another go tonight and see what happens.

Don't forget you should leave a day rest between each run otherwise you'll risk injuring yourself. The trouble is your aerobic fitness improves much quicker than your physical (e.g. muscles / joints) fitness so while you feel it getting easier, you really shouldn't rush it.