2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

skogar

Liverpool Anne - sorry to hear about your friend - sending hugs.

Cherryfudge - Good to hear that you have sold the house and it is nice to hear of those excited faces. The end of an era for you but hopefully a new one for someone else.

Borscht - interesting to hear of your experiences with the dress.

I have acquired a couple of new polo shirts. On inspection of OH's clothes stash - he buys them in sales and then has them on hand for when current stuff wears out. I found 2 polo shirts in the correct size - most were the size larger. As they were bought almost 2 decades ago - no coupons were spent. :-) - I did ask if I could have them.

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Wraithlady said:

The biscuit tin? I've just brought it back, it was empty - so I took it home to clean it out and refill it.

I did leave a note... oat biscuit, anyone?

Oooh, me of little faith! I should have known - lovely, I like oats anyway, but they always seem especially 'right' in this weather... thankyou ever so much!   

That note, though.... I didn't see one.... hang about, where's that wretched dog got to?!

So that's what he was chewing on!  (It's all over my lounge.)

Welcome, @borscht.  I see Laura's already made you a cup of tea.  Please let me top it up.  Your knitting is lovely.  What do you like to make?

@Cherryfudge I think he was in denial for the entire 18 months.   He's very good at assuming Ostrich Position and, rather than dealing with issues, hoping they'll miraculously vanish while his head is buried.  With the exception of 2 stints of less than 3 months, he's been unemployed since mid-2017.  HIs CV is a mess, despite my best attempts to get him to fix it.  He's driven me to despair on a couple of occasions.  I've finally got him to consider applying for seasonal work at Tesco! (That's a British supermarket chain @TwibbleDee.)   

(Seriously, in the time since my friend was given notice his job would disappear, I've been made redundant, been informed twice that my contract was not being renewed and obtained 3 jobs. (I am now, finally, staff.)  My DH has been made redundant twice and is currently working at his third employer in 5 years.  The only difference between us and our friend is that we have faith in our abilities and are prepared to do any job. I gave myself a week to feel sorry for myself, when I was made redundant in 2016, then started applying for jobs.  I had a job offer within a month.  If I hadn't, I gave myself a two month window before I'd try to find work temping as a secretary or I'd knock on the door of the local hospital and offered to be a care assistant. (I fell off the nursing register in 1998.) My DH has a similar work ethic to me.)

< takes deep breath >

Back on topic, I have a "silk" scarf to declare. (It's polyester.)  Found it new in a charity shop - not donated-with-tags but sold "new" by the charity.  2 Coupons spent.  That leaves me with 10 coupons for the rest of 2021.

- Pip (Thank you for letting me vent.)

Cherryfudge

borscht said:

I bought a wool& dress to continue the challenge because linen and cotton aren’t really up to the cold, but when it arrived it was too big so I’ve returned it (free returns) and bought a smaller size. 

If I wear it for 100 days I get €100 off the next one. I know it’s not a cheap dress but having seen it now, the fabric is nice and it looks well made. 

What did @TwibbleDee think? 

And everyone else, of course! 

I think the challenge is a great idea: I would probably do it if the items were jeans as I rarely wear dresses and have uniform for work, but I think part of the rationale is about the durability and quality of wool, and I understand jeans can be a problem in terms of water used to grow the crops, dye and possibly other things. I do like to imagine some different ways to style a basic garment, though.

I'll let @TwibbleDee add her own comments: the American Base seems to be the place for smartly turned out people!

Laura_Elsewhere

Cherryfudge said:

I think the challenge is a great idea: I would probably do it if the items were jeans as I rarely wear dresses and have uniform for work, but I think part of the rationale is about the durability and quality of wool, and I understand jeans can be a problem in terms of water used to grow the crops, dye and possibly other things. I do like to imagine some different ways to style a basic garment, though.

But then I suppose part of the challenging bit of the challenge (!) is to think about whether there might be alternatives to jeans that you would find as comfortable and that you feel as good in, but which would last longer, and ways to try to make jeans last longer - non-stretch jeans last longer, or at least ones with a lower percentage of stretch fibres, and then you can avoid machine-washing and drying by the old trick of putting them in the freezer overnight to 'clean' them, and spot-treating stains or splashes so you wash them less frequently... but maybe you could investigate other fabrics for trousers made in jeans-style, like moleskin-cotton - still using massive amounts of water to produce but if they last four or six times as long, then...  watch out for stretch-needlecord though - I once took a pair back to Sainsbury's, years ago, as they had actually worn through the fabric on the inner thigh after being worn TWICE! The fashion-fabrics can be veryveryvery thin and poorly-constructed... 

Men think nothing of wearing only 3 pairs of trousers over a year, a couple of suits worn alternate weeks for work, and a pair of casual trousers for weekends...  so why do women feel they must have so many more? (....types the woman who has two dozen skirts )

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

(Seriously, in the time since my friend was given notice his job would disappear, I've been made redundant, been informed twice that my contract was not being renewed and obtained 3 jobs. (I am now, finally, staff.)  My DH has been made redundant twice and is currently working at his third employer in 5 years.  The only difference between us and our friend is that we have faith in our abilities and are prepared to do any job. I gave myself a week to feel sorry for myself, when I was made redundant in 2016, then started applying for jobs.  I had a job offer within a month.  If I hadn't, I gave myself a two month window before I'd try to find work temping as a secretary or I'd knock on the door of the local hospital and offered to be a care assistant. (I fell off the nursing register in 1998.) My DH has a similar work ethic to me.)

< takes deep breath >

That's quite a contrast! 

skogar

Cherryfudge - I can't see why you couldn't do a similar challenge with jeans, as it would still reduce the number of items worn. If you went for a good set full cotton jeans they last for ages and would be biodegradable when they eventually wore out so not necessarily a bad choice. Yours could be something like jeans and white t-shirt perhaps. Of course if you are setting your own challenge it could be anything you like.

weenancyinAmerica

Would a skirt made out of denim be a compromise?

prepareathome

I know its very late in the year but would also like to join - so far this year have bought 4 front fastening bras (putting on back fastening ones are to hard to do now so had to admit defeat even though still perfect as rarely wear one as in bed most of the time - so must find somewhere I can send them so not wasted.

Not sure about how many coupons that is?

Also took up sewing three years ago and went a bit mad over fabric buying - did make everything I have worn since then.  Not bought any more fabric this year but do need some new pjs - wearing them basically every day, all day even the best fabric (cotton jersey mainly does start to show wear.  So, presume the fabric won't count but might need to buy some new thread as not sure if I have enough of relevant colours.  Also plan to make a couple of new actual clothing outfits - dresses, trousers, tops but will update if I have to buy anything for them.

PollyWollyDoodle

Welcome @prepareathome - sewing thread is coupon free. Come and take a seat, the tea urn is on. 

I took up sewing again a few years ago (did a lot as a teenager and then stopped). It’s astonishing just how much fabric one can collect in a short time!  I look forward to hearing about some of the things you make

florianatwobob

I have a coupon spend to declare after being seduced by the sales! 

5 coupons on a blouse that can be used for work (when I need to see people in 3D and/or look like I belong to someone) but can also be worn in the evenings too! I love a multi-tasking top.