2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

skogar

I'm trying to keep myself on the straight and narrow Cherryfudge - I'm afraid I am rather easily distracted by pretty prints. :-) I'm trying to go for a few good quality classic pieces that will stand the test of time and I can wear with more things -- I've tended to go for things reduced in the sales and I'm starting to think I would be better planning what I want to buy and getting exactly what I want as I know that if I get the right things I will get plenty of wear out of them. I'm afraid my knitting would be a bit too slow for a jumper but I should think about some nice woolly accessories that I could knit to go with my outfits -- that has given me a really good idea. I shall now have dreams of (not too many) balls of beautiful wool (I better check my stash first though!).

Cherryfudge

skogar said:

 I should think about some nice woolly accessories that I could knit to go with my outfits -- that has given me a really good idea. I shall now have dreams of (not too many) balls of beautiful wool (I better check my stash first though!).

Now there's an idea! Maybe list the yarn in your signature to help you not to buy more? You could really ring the changes (a la 100 day challenge) with some accessories, and I'm sure they would last longer than shop bought ones.

I confess now to buying a lovely dark red to make a cowl several years ago and it's still untouched.

PipneyJane

Cherryfudge said:

skogar said:

 I should think about some nice woolly accessories that I could knit to go with my outfits -- that has given me a really good idea. I shall now have dreams of (not too many) balls of beautiful wool (I better check my stash first though!).

Now there's an idea! Maybe list the yarn in your signature to help you not to buy more? You could really ring the changes (a la 100 day challenge) with some accessories, and I'm sure they would last longer than shop bought ones.

I confess now to buying a lovely dark red to make a cowl several years ago and it's still untouched.

Frankly, if you look me up on Ravelry @Cherryfudge, you'd think I was pretty close to SABLE - stash acquisition beyond life expectancy - hence the note in my signature.  I am seriously wondering if I should attempt to go "cold sheep for 2022" and not buy any yarn next year, but it's probably wiser for me to attempt to limit my yarn-buying to 10 coupons or less.  That way, I can patronise some smallholders/independent stall holders, who I deem worthy.

Good planning @skogar.  Now that we've (almost) reached December, I think we should all follow suit and consider what we will need to spend our coupons on next year.  So far, I've come up with:

20 coupons - four pairs of shoes, including new trainers for running and another pair of loafers for work
14 coupons - that elusive trench coat with the warm, detachable lining, for which I've been searching for the last 4 years
 6 coupons - bras.  At some point, I'll need to replace the batch that I'm currently wearing (all bought together)
24 coupons - a new suit:  jacket, skirt and trousers.   (This is a maybe.)

That's 64 coupons spent before I've even made coffee on New Year's Day.  

I may be able to get away with only buying 2 pairs of shoes and, God help me, get lucky in a charity shop for either the coat or the suit but I have pretty definite ideas of what I want, which are harder to fulfil.  For instance, does anyone remember the Next navy woollen suit from 1996?  It consisted of a double breasted jacket with gold-coloured buttons, two different lengths of skirt, a pair of trousers and a slip dress. I couldn't get the dress in my size but bought all the other pieces and wore it until it died.  I'd love to find something similar.  Back then, I would even pair the jacket with a pair of chinos or a pair of jeans, for the smart casual look, or wear it over a floaty party frock.

- Pip

CapricornLass

Next year's shopping list so far are some new bras, and possibly some new jeans.  Not much else, as I've stocked up a bit on shoes during the last two years, and I've plundered so much from Mum's wardrobe that I'm not going to need another fleece for the rest of the decade!

Cherryfudge

I aim to go on wearing things out next year but I need a dress for a wedding and accoutrements (no hat, they never fit me). I do have a beautiful dress that I wore for DS1's wedding but that was too distinctive to be worn for DD's.

Other than that:
I've still not bought walking boots (I will look at Ebay if I want those).
A few pairs of socks, pants and bras
Maybe another running top
I have yarn to finish DH's blue jumper and some pastel yarn for a jumper for myself
I will undoubtedly be treating the baby to some knitteds and other new baby stuff but perhaps that comes out of the children's enhanced coupon entitlement? (Not our baby, but I expect parents asked grandparents to do some knitting).
I think there will be vouchers spent on gifts for others because socks and gloves and suchlike are good stocking fillers.
At least one more pair of jeans, but I tend to find those in charity shops.
Probably more canvas shoes for the summer
I don't know what we might want it terms of soft furnishings: we have lots of bedding but some curtains might need to be replaced.

@PipneyJane, going 'cold sheep' sounds like cruelty to animals so perhaps the 10 coupon limit might be preferable? Or allow yourself half the weight in new yarn of used or donated yarn?

Your Next suit sounds like the perfect capsule wardrobe.

Gem-gem

Cherryfudge said:

I love hearing about people's mends, charity shop finds and passed-on treasures - partly because it's so much the sort of thing I delight in, and partly because it's about valuing things rather than unthinkingly buying more.

Talking of walking socks, DH inherited some from his Dad which I suspect were knitted by his Dad's mum, and they're still going strong. No idea how old they are but the knitter has been gone nearly thirty years. 

And all the more special because they were knitted by his mum. 😁👏👍🏻

When my uncle passed away, I received some hankies that were my uncles, that were passed onto him when his daughter (my cousin) died. 

I also received all my MIL ladies hankies when she died. 

Our house is full of objects / clothes that have been passed on. For example, our dinning table was my nanny's and us older than me! 

PollyWollyDoodle

I still have some socks that were knitted by my mum, she’s been dead for 18 years. I love the idea of these things still being used years later. 

I think I’m becoming a coupon hoarder, I actually began the year with some left over, as there was little reason and less opportunity to buy new clothes last year. The only new things I have bought this year are knickers and socks and a new jacket and trousers for work. I keep an eye out, but it’s very difficult to find smart work clothes in the right size in charity shops. 

Annoyingly I have put on weight over the period of moving house. I can still just get into the trousers but I’m going to need to either lose weight or start buying a bigger size again. So, plans for next year:

new bras
some new boots - My much loved Josef Seibel ankle boots got damaged on an unplanned muddy walk. I’ve cleaned them up but they’ve never looked quite the same, I’m going to buy another pair for ‘best’
If I ever start running again 🙄 I need some new trainers. See “weight loss“ above!

I do want some other stuff, a new fleece, some jeans, a skirt to wear with leggings and boots but I’m pretty sure I can get these at charity shops. Hunting down the right thing has become a bit of a hobby and I really enjoy it. I will definitely not buy new jeans because of the huge environmental cost. I get a real sense of satisfaction when I find something secondhand, and I’m really grateful to this thread for encouraging me to do this. 

I’m also hoping that next year will be when I start making stuff for myself again. At the moment the “sewing room“ is piled high with boxes as I’m waiting to get a loft ladder fitted.  I might spend some coupons on fabric. Mysteriously my large stash of fabric doesn’t actually seem to include anything I can use … 

Laura_Elsewhere

I can't think of anything specific that I need to buy next year - quite a few things are getting tatty and worn but they are all things that I've been seeking replacements for and can't find really good comfy ones that make me feel good - knickers, shorts for under my skirts, etc. - so I want to make my own.

Maybe I should do two tallies next year: a tally of how many of my clothes-raton coupons I spend buying new clothes and shoes, and a tally of how many items I make for myself from fabric I already own? So the latter would go up by X coupons when I make knickers or by Y coupons when I make a bra, and I shall try to *reach* 66 coupons on that tally! 

I've bought more knitting wool - Propagansey (who are brilliant, at Whitby Wholefoods in Whitby, lovely woman named Deb) had some irresistible Falklands Corriedale 5-ply gansey for £20/500g so I bought a kilo... um.... er....! Will need to adjust my signature by a teensy bit... 

Liverpool_Anne

I have been thinking about what I might need next year and I honestly can't think of anything. I seem to still have loads of clothes that are wearable. Unless an unexpected posh do appears that will require a new posh outfit or I miraculously loose a lot of weight I think I have enough clothes. I would like to replace the long cardigan that was eaten by the moths but I can take my time to find just the right thing. I might need a few new t shirts when I have had a good sort out but that is all I can think of at the moment. There are lots of things I have thought I would like but not really need

CAFCGirl

Reading everyone's plans for yarn stashs (including increasing them!) and the new years wardrobe has given me much joy on whats turning out to be a pretty pants weekend - thankyou ladies.
I might avail myself of the biscuit tin and sit in the corner of the village hall and eat my feelings.

I've been using up the ends of cotton yarn I was given to make cotton rounds, but I've totally stalled on the scarf I was knitting. I'm just not feeling it at all, so finishing it feels like such a slog, even though there's maybe 175g of it left to go *dramatic sigh*

In other news, no coupons spent recently so I think I'll be finishing the year with a few in the bank as it were