2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

CapricornLass wrote: »

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?

Gosh, I'm not yet the full shilling - I keep not explaining things at all well!

I wear lace-up shoes or buckled or lace-up boots outside, but I wear thick socks *in the flat* over long fine-wool stockings, or cut-off thick cotton tights turned into stockings, in cold weather, and go barefoot in warm weather. What I'm after is something just like a pair of sneakers but with velcro or elastic, not laces or buckles, so that I can easily just slip off the thick house-socks, and slip the shoes on over my thin stockings to nip out to the bins or to get herbs form the garden, etc., or pop them on over bare feet.
The problem I've got is not having anywhere convenient to sit down and faff about doing laces or buckles; my middle is too stout to allow bending to do those, and all my shoes have laces or buckles except these slip-on mules which I'd become used to just shoving my stockinged feet into, and I really was asking for them to come off mid-step - I'd had more than one incident walking outside in them in socks/stockings, and should really have made a decision long ago... they're fine with bare feet as your skin is less slippery than a stocking or sock, but dangerous with a slippery layer of textile!

My bigger problem is that I lived for 45 years wearing shoes indoors. I had encountered the concept of taking your shoes off at the front door as you come in, but only in the homes of Swedish or Muslim friends. Suddenly it's everywhere and everyone I know swears it's always been that way but I had only ever encountered it half a dozen times prior to the last 10-15 years.
anyway, it means I've got no habit of changing my shoes to go out and in, and had adopted the least-effort of those slip-off mules!

I need to be organised and get some easy-to-put-on light shoes for nipping out in - it ain't rocket science, and it's not like it's going to hurt or anything! I'm just lazy and stuck in my ways...

pixtotts

Hello lovely people can I join you please

I need help... I have so many clothes!

Half my problem is I'm self employed I'm an artist and look after dogs, so clothes that I can get messy are always hoarded. Which makes for just so much stuff....


There's also the fact I lost weight, I dropped several dress sizes and got brave in the it's a bit tight but will fit soon so I'll keep it. But then 2019 was a mess and I went back up a dress size instead of down >.< so hopefully I'll save some coupons by losing weight and being able to wear the too small stuff again >.<

I do have to say I'm very proud of myself - I went to a wedding on Friday and wore a dress out of my wardrobe that I've had for years and worn loads before rather than using it as an excuse to buy something new. So I'm counting that as being off to a good start
x

getmyacttogether2016

Welcome pixtotts

You’ve joined a lovely friendly and helpful group here. I have saved a fortune and not wanting to spend my coupons by not buying clothing that I like rather than need.

I have plenty of clothes including vintage inspired dresses that I don’t really need any more.

My new hobby is where my coupons are being spent but I am enjoying it and believe it is worth the coupons and will have something to show for years.

GMAT

Laura_Elsewhere

Finally started splurging after not spending any coupons in January!

I couldn't resist 100g of WYS Signature 4-ply wool in a gorgeous shade of periwinkle blue - lots of blues and most purples are now turning to flat dark nonentities as my eyes distort colour perception further, but there's a sort of cobalt-periwinkle that is really still lovely! And of course I'm getting all the extra vividness at the chestnut-rust-amber end of things and all those greens are backlit vividly!

I expect the soft mid-pale periwinkle blue will becomes socks, probably paired with a cream...

So 2 coupons on 100g,

And then I'm in a bit of a 1930s pastel phase, obviously as I also impulse-bought online 2 yards of pale pistachio green crepe-backed satin... some vague idea of making a slip or nightie or pyjamas bottoms or possibly short pj-bottoms and a camisole, maybe to war under my pink satin dressing-gown

So that's another 2 coupons on fabric!

I msut update my sig.file, but that's -4 coupons now...

CapricornLass

Thanks for the clairification, re your socks and the shoes, Laura - it was probably me rather than you....


I was just thinking that you might need two pairs of shoes/trainers, one for the winter with your thick socks, and the other for when your feet are bare. Its just that one of my pairs of slippers has stretched quite badly with wearing thick socks, so that there is now a half inch gap if I put my bare foot in it. Its a nuisance, and I find that these can slip/slide off and cause me to trip, so now I only wear them if I am wearing those thick socks, and wear my others when I have thin socks or bare feet.


I got some Sketchers trainers which had elasticated laces, which are easy to slip on and off. They are more expensive that the shoes that you are planning to get, but you might be able to find other trainers with elasticated laces which are cheaper.

Crafty_Lisa_Hampshire

No spends to report as such but I did make an adjustment to an existing garment. I had a nice summer dress which was long so could only really be worn with heels to special occasions but as I love it so much I wanted to wear it more. I decided to chop a lot off the bottom and make it a mid calf length dress that I could then wear with flats or heels and wear as a daytime dress or dress it up for evening. I managed it with some care and tried it on and it looks fab. I now have a new dress I can take on holiday with me.


I was thinking the other day I need to buy some new underwear and what with that and spending out on a replacement coat and boots I'm going to go through my coupons much quicker than I did last year. It dawned on me that when rationing was in place it probably was not too bad for the first year but later on it must have got rather tricky as things were getting worn out and your coupon allocation dropped. It was just a bit of an eye opener for me.

PipneyJane

pixtotts wrote: »

Hello lovely people can I join you please

I need help... I have so many clothes!

Half my problem is I'm self employed I'm an artist and look after dogs, so clothes that I can get messy are always hoarded. Which makes for just so much stuff....


There's also the fact I lost weight, I dropped several dress sizes and got brave in the it's a bit tight but will fit soon so I'll keep it. But then 2019 was a mess and I went back up a dress size instead of down >.< so hopefully I'll save some coupons by losing weight and being able to wear the too small stuff again >.<

I do have to say I'm very proud of myself - I went to a wedding on Friday and wore a dress out of my wardrobe that I've had for years and worn loads before rather than using it as an excuse to buy something new. So I'm counting that as being off to a good start
x

Welcome Pixtotts!

We'll happily cheer you on from the sidelines, while you fight your weight battle and go down the wardrobe sizes. (You have my sympathies. I know from bitter experience how difficult the weight battle can be. For me, the difference between one dress size fitting or being too small can be as little as 2lb.)

Do you knit, crochet or sew? They are all crafts that may help stretch your coupons. (Or, in my case, absorb them all.)

If you are interested in making alterations to clothes that are too big, LauraElsewhere is our resident expert - she is very skilled. I'd suggest reading through last year's thread, to find the posts, where Laura explains her methodology. (She's very clear.)

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Oo-er, I'm blushing now! Thankyou... (esp as not feeling my most confident just now - particularly appreciated!)

Very happy to help anyone with alterations or making things! It's not addictive.... you can give it up any time you like... just try a little bit of needlework...

RicardaRacoon

Laura, hope you're feeling better soon! It sounds like quite the fall you had!


About shoes in the house; I see a different trend. At least here in Switzerland, up until about 10 years ago it was considered quite rude to keep on your shoes when going to someones house. Kids took slippers with them when they went to play at a friends. Nowadays most people don't mind you keeping your shoes on when you visit but it is still considered polite to at least ask if it is ok to keep them on. It is not uncommon to pass your neigbours door and see a stack of shoes outside and know he is having a party. I also don't really know anyone who wears shoes in their own house, appart from occassions where you know you will be out of the door again within a couple of minutes.


I see my first points going soon as my one and only pair of jeans start to look worse for wear. Also I might need a pair of shoes come spring as I only have black ones after I ruined my only pair of brown ones by trying to repaint them to cover up some scratches. The paint came off after one hour of wearing them...

catherinekate

Hello everyone, I am late to the party again but will follow along after a successful year last year. I think I spent 60 of my 66 coupons but i am not going to carry any forward.

After a year of maternity clothes and a year of breastfeeding clothes I am getting back into my "real Me" stuff so I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe. I have a fairly classic style so things have not dated.

I have bought 6 pairs of tights (12 coupons). I will need to invest in a full set of new bras at some point (new size, new shape, sigh) so at 3 coupons for 2 for a total of 8 pairs that will be a further 12 coupons. I may also need a black cardigan.

I will also need to re-heel a lot of pairs of shoes to avoid buying new. I am considering getting a mixed size pack of heel tips from Ebay and trying this myself. Has anyone tried?

Although I can sew and knit I don't have the patience or stash density for adult clothes so this will be limited to hats, gloves, and kiddie clothes.

Welcome Pixitotts, you sound exactly like my dog walking, artistic, clothes-hoarding sister!