2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

I'm really planning my clothes-shopping nowadays, thanks to this group!

Next week I intend to buy one or two pairs of cotton leggings from Primark, to chop short, edge with crocheted lace and wear under my skirts. I shall reinforce the inner thighs of 2 or 3 of my existing, worn-out pairs, and get rid of the rest.
Also, I lost a slip-on-mule sandal mid-step on thursday morning as I went down the stairs of our flats, resulting in two days in bed, the worst bruising I have ever seen, let alone had, and an elbow split open that took two days to stop bleeding...
So I have been instructed to go and look for some nice shoes that I can just slip on over socks or bare feet when I want to pop out to the bins - which is what I'd used these others for, for years, sort of heavy-duty flip-flops, like non-wooden Scholls, if that makes sense. Anyway, I am to find myself nice ones that do NOT come off so easily!

So I shall be spending a few points at last, but on specific things I'm going out looking for!

PollyWollyDoodle

Ouch, that sounds painful Laura! I hope you are okay. Having reached an age where I don’t much care what people think of me, I am a big fan of the “Mary Jane” type of shoe. I have some lovely comfy Josef Seibel ones (by the way they have a winter clearance sale on) and you can still slip them on and off fairly quickly.

Laura_Elsewhere

I'm giggling because I had what were called "character shoes" from age 14 onwards for school, and wore them til I was 26, and then sought out variations, and still wear them in my 50s

But I hadn't been bothering to put on shoes that need fastening because our tiny flat hasn't got anywhere convenient to sit to put shoes on near the door, and I'm too portly to bend easily, so I had been being lazy and just shoving my socked feet into smooth-lined sandals that inevitably just came off...

Yes, I am okay, thanks - but more damage than any other time I've fallen down, or up, stairs! Being naturally clumsy, I've managed quite a few spectaculars over the years but I've never seen bruising like this, let alone had it myself!

Something like these - er, not the diamante studs, that was just the first search result...?!?!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Ladies-Studded-Trainers-Plimsolls/dp/B0753JPHXD?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2

getmyacttogether2016

Evening all

Laura, hope you feel better soon after that terrible fall. I’m the same with crocs, just so easy to slip on but not so good at staying on feet.

More yarn has been brought for my blanket, 14 balls of acrylic so I need to declare another 14 coupons. Having never crocheted a granny square blanket before I have seriously underestimated how much yarn is required for said project and I still don’t think I have enough either but fingers crossed.

Really enjoying crochet so not minding spending the coupons and it is stopping me buying clothes that are not really needed as completing my blanket is more important.

Take care

GMAT

supersaver1000

Laura_Elsewhere wrote: »

It's especially nice that it isn't all about grim self-denial - "I've not bought myself anything nice for weeks now, aren't I doing well?"

It's about real joy in finding things which are just what we want, and especially when we find them coupon-free!

I totally agree with you Laura. I thought I would be struggling with overspending, but I'm actually struggling to find things I feel are worth spending on. I've cleared out my wardrobe and actually wear the items I've kept - and now I think about ways to enhance what I have rather than desperately buying new things all the time (cos 'I haven't anything to wear').:rotfl:

Its going to be a slow but enjoyable journey. :)

ps Laura, sorry to hear about your fall, hope you are better soon. I splashed out on two pairs of Skechers a couple of years ago, they are really comfy slip-ons but I think are almost worn out. They are getting very smooth on the bottom - in the wet I've nearly come a cropper a couple of times - time for me to replace them I think as its easily done.

dolly84

Laura - ouch, that sounds nasty. I'm another one who uses crocs to nip outside, they are so easy to pop on and I can even get them on with my slippers but part of our garden is paved with Yorkshire stone and in just the right amount of wet that stuff is lethal and coupled with crocs it is 10 times worse.

Laura_Elsewhere

Well, I feel my acrobatics have served a purpose then, if everyone's going to be checking their lethal footwear now!

I'll have more coupons to declare soon - this Tuesday I'm meeting a friend in Shrewsbury and going to the fabric and yarn shop, so I expect there may be spending there (and I'll keep an eye out for indoor-shoes possibilities too!).... and the following Tuesday I'm going to my first craft-evening at Ippikin, the lovely yarn shop in Much Wenlock where my dentist is, and I plan to treat myself all round, with a pub supper beforehand, and then I shall only take DPNs wth me, and buy myself a couple of balls of lovely 4-ply to knit new socks with!

PipneyJane

Ouch! Laura, that sounds painful! May I recommend a pair of sheepskin bootie-slippers from Celtic & Co? I wore a pair of these to death (they tore after about 4 years of daily wear). They have a sturdy, non-slip sole, so can be worn on the occasional trip outside.

I can’t believe it’s February already. I haven’t spent a penny or a coupon on anything, clothes-related. No yarn, either. I have a vague plan to buy more knickers, when I’m near an M&S - I had to throw out several pairs from 2014, which had developed holes - but nothing urgent and I haven’t found anything worth the coupons.

I did bite the bullet yesterday and rip the jumper I’m knitting back to the waist - I realised that I just wasn’t happy with it and was avoiding working on it. Also realised that I hadn’t done nearly enough increases for the bust, so that it’d pull across the shoulders. Hopefully, it’ll be finished by March.

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Thanks, Pip, but I was thinking of spending about a quarter of that! Also, I want something I can wear most of the year and my feet would bake in those in spring or autumn!

We wear thick fulled-socks most of the time - it's only for when I nip outside i want something just to pop on. So it's partly that I need to stop being lazy and actually spend a whole 30 seconds or so changing into a pair of shoes, and partly that I need to just find some shoes with elastic bits or velcro or something, so I can pop them on without too much hassle with my stout middle!

CapricornLass

Sorry to hear about your fall, Laura - ouch!



Are you looking for shoes to wear with your thick socks? All year round, even in the height of summer when the thermometre is knocking on 80F?