2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

QueenJess

Well I've had a fun week finally sorting out my wardrobe (excluding work clothes that will have to wait until I go back to work) that has been on the pending list for about 5ish years!  Everything I know I will never wear has gone, as has the items which were a bit more hole than clothes (saving a few things for gardening).

I have bought a few things (secondhand online, so no coupons used) to replace some t-shirts and get some PJ bottoms that I needed.  Before I bought I made a wish list online which then was revisited and edited over a few days to weed out things I frivolously added but realised I didn't want.  Although it seemed a bit crazy, I also made a list of all my main clothes within categories so I could see what I had lots of and where there were gaps.  It actually really helped to make me realise I didn't need as much as I thought.

I still have a few items in my wardrobe I am not sure about, but now it is much smaller I should be able to wear everything and can do little bits of editing later if I decide I don't like something/don't wear it.  I am looking forward to being able to use my whole wardrobe now!

I did buy one t-shirt "new" (it was still from an individual online that never wore something and then decided they didn't like it after all) - I couldn't find anything else suitable secondhand.  So I will claim the use of 5 coupons for that.  I'm down to 10 left for the year now.

I have a couple of more expensive items I will have to buy new as I can't find them anywhere secondhand.  However, they are a bit more of a want than a need, so I've parked them on the wishlist and I will revisit when it comes to my xmas/birthday list.

Laura_Elsewhere

QueenJess said:

I did buy one t-shirt "new" (it was still from an individual online that never wore something and then decided they didn't like it after all) - I couldn't find anything else suitable secondhand.  So I will claim the use of 5 coupons for that.  I'm down to 10 left for the year now.

I have a couple of more expensive items I will have to buy new as I can't find them anywhere secondhand.  However, they are a bit more of a want than a need, so I've parked them on the wishlist and I will revisit when it comes to my xmas/birthday list.

If you didn't buy it from the shop who originally sold it, then you don't need to use your coupons - even if it's brand new, if you're buying it from someone else who bought it then it's their coupons, not yours! 

And yes, one of the best things that this challenge did for me was to take me back to my younger days when you asked for specific clothes for Xmas/ birthday, instead of just getting everything all the time...! 

Laura_Elsewhere

Hope nobody minds all the steam coming from the Village Hall kitchen today - I've got the damson jam on just now, and then I'm making elderberry syrup to take a big spoonful of each morning... we've been picking the hedgerows locally!

QueenJess

Laura_Elsewhere said:

If you didn't buy it from the shop who originally sold it, then you don't need to use your coupons - even if it's brand new, if you're buying it from someone else who bought it then it's their coupons, not yours! 

And yes, one of the best things that this challenge did for me was to take me back to my younger days when you asked for specific clothes for Xmas/ birthday, instead of just getting everything all the time...! 

Ooh ok. Back to 15 coupons then! I have nothing else planned for purchasing this year for myself (unless something falls apart), but I will be buying DH socks for Xmas as he seems to eat his 😂

Cherryfudge

@QueenJess there’s an app called something like ‚Save your wardrobe‘ where can categorise photos of your clothes. People here make their sustainability look comparatively amateur but I found the photos made me more aware of what I have and don’t use.
Not that you’re going to need it, having done all the work!
@Laura_Elsewhere, that jam smells amazing!

QueenJess

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Hope nobody minds all the steam coming from the Village Hall kitchen today - I've got the damson jam on just now, and then I'm making elderberry syrup to take a big spoonful of each morning... we've been picking the hedgerows locally!

Yummy! You’ve reminded me that I need to get out into the garden and pick a load of apples, pears, blueberries, blackberries and a few raspberries. 

diminua

More coupons spent, one cardigan (5 coupons) in a nice dark turquoise, bought yesterday after work. We're back one day a week in the office now, although that may be revisited if things start escalating again. 

I've also bought some undies but those are online purchases so I will wait to take the coupons off when they arrive. 

Mostly though I'm dropping in to thank Pip for the link to the recipe for Anzac biscuits. I cut the sugar down and used honey not golden syrup, so they spread out into a big sheet of biscuit, but they were still delicious.  

maddiemay

Hello all, I have not posted for several months, although I do pop in and read every few days.  After the most horrible 18 months resulting in me feeling very low and letting my standards drop, I have had a major splurge on new clothes which look good on me and co-ordinate well.   I am now in a position of being minus 32 points.

Because of a rare immuno deficiency I am still needing to semi-shield from Covid 19, even though I have now been triple vaccinated I am unlikely to develop anti-bodies, in the last few weeks my family has lost 2 much loved members, 1 @ only 63 from the awful Big C and also my dear elderly mum, in many ways it is good that she has now slipped away, but so many months of none of the family being able to visit her in her lovely nursing home has taken it's toll on her and all of her children.

Having given myself a good shake I am trying to live each day ........, get out and about as much as I can safely and wear my lovely clothes and a little make-up, I also went from shoulder length hair which made me look grim to a choppy really short style which has taken years off my appearance and is so easy to manage.

I have updated my spreadsheet and will list all of my purchases soon.   I hope that I can still slip in quietly to join you in the village hall, perhaps with some yummy cheese scones.

Cherryfudge

It’s good to have you back @maddiemay, but I’m so sorry to hear you have lost these two precious people. 

Please have the chair by the fire while the kettle comes to the boil- I’m sure there are cheese scones somewhere, how did you know? - and show us your new wardrobe. We all love something new!

The hair is lovely, by the way: great choice! ☺️

Baileys_Babe

Lovely to see you back @maddiemay loving your new look very chic.

Saddened to hear of your losses.