2019 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

thriftwizard

I think that's perfectly reasonable, as long as the lesson's learnt. We've all done it at some point or another, I suspect!

Having moaned that DD1's been spending the entire household's coupons on As0s, she's suddenly had an epiphany and announced that henceforth she's making all her new clothes! I am a tad gobsmacked, but delighted. She's done it before and is a pretty good seamstress - both girls are rather more talented than I am - so it's entirely achievable. She said that nothing she's bought fits her properly; she's fed up with clothes that don't quite fit or don't quite suit her, and styles that do nothing for the curvier (though far from fat) figure. I'm chuffed to bits.

PollyWollyDoodle

Wow, good for your daughter!

I think the whole point of this thread is that we're all trying to be more thoughtful about what we buy, whether for financial or ecological reasons - the 'coupons' idea is useful, because it gives us a target and we know it was considered adequate at that time, but I think starting over (with a bit of self-analysis of what went wrong!) is perfectly acceptable.

Just realised that I failed to declare a very small fabric purchase last week. 1 metre of needlecord to make a skirt. I'm not sure where I'm at with coupons this year, I'll have to check back.

Edited to add: incredibly, I seem to have spent only 4 coupons so far this year, on a pair of pyjama bottoms, so with the fabric that now totals 7. I have bought some clothes - t-shirt, sweatshirt and jeans - but they were all secondhand and so coupon free.

CAFCGirl

I totally agree with a 'pause for reflection' type approach.
As Maya Angelou said (I think and I'm paraphrasing) - when you know better, you do better.

Particularly useful is considering not just how you went over (buying lots of big coupon items) but why - did you honestly and truthfully need everything purchased, or did something else drive the urge. In my debt incurring days, my spending was all low self esteem and the need to project an identity - of which I didn't even know what it was so it was never gonna end\go well LOL

I'd say though that everyone here is for your success, no-one is getting a kick from another's struggle (if they are, shame on them!). So, come into the fold and let us help where we can ��

PipneyJane

BabyStepper wrote: »

Just ducking in to say I have blown my voucher budget completely out of the water and am scared to add it up, I thought about stopping the challenge but I love the chat and info about clothing history, mindful shopping etc so I'm staying, even if this year will likely be an epic fail from me.
:T

Laura_Elsewhere wrote: »

Well, how about seeing if you can identify HOW you blew the year's coupons in 3 months, and then start again with 33 coupons, half a year's worth, and see how you do at making that last out the rest of the year?

I know that isn't how it worked during the war, but we have the added disadvantages of having grown up in a hugely profligate society and being surrounded by constant advertising tempting and luring us, whereas in the war they were surrounded by advertising encouraging them NOT to buy new clothes!

So I reckon - Pip being the final arbiter, of course - I reckon it's reasonable to have just the one 33-coupon re-start during the first half of the year, so long as the person has a good go at working out what happened and how to prevent it...

What do others think? I did it last year, because I lost count and forgot to make notes and ended up with no idea if I had none or thirty or fifty or what, so I started again and even then ended up buying on the black market... but we keep TRYING, that's the point!

And yes, totally agree about the lovely company!

I can hardly talk. We're 1/4 of the way through the year and I've only got 11 coupons left. :eek:

Seriously, though, BabyStepper, please stay and play. Laura's suggestion is a good one, take an extra 33 coupons for this year. We'll claim you were bombed out and, therefore, got additional coupons as a result.

I have been wondering whether we can have Gold, Silver and Bronze awards at year end for sticking to the ration: Gold = 66 coupons; Silver= 100 coupons; Bronze = 120 coupons spent. What do people think?

(This wondering was initially driven entirely by self interest. I am going to struggle to not spend more than my 11 remaining coupons. Note to self: I need to check my maths and tally up exactly where I've spent everything.)

- Pip



PS: Laura, you have a lovely friend/yarn pusher..:beer:

CAFCGirl

Good day here! I managed to save my loom knit project by individually unpicking each stitch and then hook the previous one, till it was all back on the loom. Took about an hour. But then I was able to stitch a few more rows and bind it off properly, pull the corners together and stitch the sleeves and it is done!

It's a lovely spring shrug style cardi thing now, and when the weather improves with a white tank\vest, some light rolled jeans and toms style white flats, it'll look really crisp and fresh I think. The colour flow goes from aqua, through to yellow, mauve, purple aqua and grey. Very happy with the coupon spend for the yarn, and I've got nearly 2 cakes of it left, and something totally unique for the wardrobe.

BabyStepper

You've covinved me, I'm hanging around and will total up the actual amount spent later on.

In the meantime there are a few things I've noticed about my clothes buying. 1. I have a very minimalist wardrobe and I mean tiny, there is no room for leeway so with warmer weather arriving I had to buy some shirts for work as t-shirts and big cardis left me sweltering. 2. I have continued to buy cheap rubbish and a pair of jeans barely lasts 3 months without losing all the dye and becoming floppy and terrible looking. 3. My smart trousers hang in the wardrobe being kept 'for good' which is nuts, I need to wear them. 4. I have gained a few pounds and have some clothes that are a bit tight and not too comfy. Need to sort this.

I'll keep going and definitely need to rethink what I buy and from where. Thank you lovelies, this is all helpful.

PollyWollyDoodle

Yay, welcome back - it sounds as if you've already made some progress if you've reached those conclusions.

CAFCGirl, I had to Google loomknitting because in my mind, it was the good old 'Knitting Nancy' that every little girl had in the 1960s, I had no idea you could create flat fabric. What sort of loom have you got? I'm fascinated, do you knit with needles as well or just the loom?

CAFCGirl

BabyStepper wrote: »

You've covinved me, I'm hanging around and will total up the actual amount spent later on.

In the meantime there are a few things I've noticed about my clothes buying. 1. I have a very minimalist wardrobe and I mean tiny, there is no room for leeway so with warmer weather arriving I had to buy some shirts for work as t-shirts and big cardis left me sweltering. 2. I have continued to buy cheap rubbish and a pair of jeans barely lasts 3 months without losing all the dye and becoming floppy and terrible looking. 3. My smart trousers hang in the wardrobe being kept 'for good' which is nuts, I need to wear them. 4. I have gained a few pounds and have some clothes that are a bit tight and not too comfy. Need to sort this.

I'll keep going and definitely need to rethink what I buy and from where. Thank you lovelies, this is all helpful.

I would honestly say, given all that, but even just point 1 alone, it's perfectly understandable. You had some holes in your wardrobe which needed filling.

As for point 2 I think maybe are in the same cycle, I know I am. Is there a clothing group you can resolve to buying in better quality\investing in - perhaps the jeans?

CAFCGirl

PollyWollyDoodle wrote: »

Yay, welcome back - it sounds as if you've already made some progress if you've reached those conclusions.

CAFCGirl, I had to Google loomknitting because in my mind, it was the good old 'Knitting Nancy' that every little girl had in the 1960s, I had no idea you could create flat fabric. What sort of loom have you got? I'm fascinated, do you knit with needles as well or just the loom?

I have a set of round looms, a set of flat, and a new snazzy loom set I was gifted for my birthday which is made of sectional which I can slot together to make various sizes and shapes and can be used for weaving (as it can make wider squares\rectangles). I also have a serenity loom aka as an infinity loom, which can when knitted flat make a double bed size blanket :eek:

I don't knit with needles, my brain and fingers don't communicate well enough :rotfl:
I adore loom knitting though.
Yesterday I ordered a smaller round loom for making draw strong soap saver sacks, and I'm also going to make myself a knitted top next.

PollyWollyDoodle

The infinity loom was on the page that I looked at. I really don't need another hobby and I love knitting with needles (which is also very portable) so I'm not going to get sucked in, but you have opened my eyes to a way of knitting that I knew nothing of!



BabyStepper I am now buying my jeans from charity shops, it does take time as you have to hunt around and it means a lot of trying on (something I usually hate) but I have bought some much better quality jeans than I would normally afford, and of course no coupons need to change hands!