2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

pennywisesheeb

Thanks Cherryfudge, I'm not sure how long the leggings will last, I may have to patch them, but they are only for PE.

CapricornLass

I have a spend to declare - an insulated body warmer.  Of course they didn't exist in WW2.  Treat it like a jumper, do you think?

I'm pleased with it, it's as light as a feather and can scrunch down into a little stuff sack of its own.  I got it a size larger so I can wear it with a jumper underneath.

Laura_Elsewhere

CapricornLass said:

I have a spend to declare - an insulated body warmer.  Of course they didn't exist in WW2.  

Now that's a really interesting one... things very like them definitely existed in the past, but would our WW2 grandmothers and great-grandmothers have recognised them? 

I know there were sleeveless, zip-fronted, lightly-fitted, fleecy things in the mid-20th century - Gran had one - but it was worn inside one's coat to make it warmer, and I think they were stitched into the coat in autumn and removed in spring, rather than worn in themselves with or without coat over. And I don't know if hers was post-war, or even 1970s... 

And I know in the 17th century there was a man's garment called a "singlet" which was sleeveless, hip-length, with a little standing collar, fastening up the front, lightly-fitted... it was like a lightweight sleeveless version of the doublet (clue in the names there!), and was worn underneath it, and would only have been worn without the covering doublet or jacket in private domestic settings, as shirtsleeves were very much not something most men would have allowed to be seen publicly (even in the 1970s, Grandaddy would put his jacket on before answering the door if someone called round in the evenings when he was sitting relaxing in his shirtsleeves, and it's the reason we have such an odd phrase, that someone is "in his shirtsleeves" - working men might be seen in their shirtsleeves in public in informal settings but would have covered their shirtsleeves for any formal occasion). 

And then in the 18th century, if not earlier, women had quilted sleeveless waistcoats too - the word originally only mean a coat that was waist-length and then flared out in skirts or overlapping tabs. 

So plenty of possible garments very similar to a bodywarmer, and serving the same function, but not necessarily around during the last war...! 

Here is a 17th century singlet made by someone who researches his sewing very well:

https://www.properlydressed.co.uk/blog/2019/9/2/w36yy2uz7x59g4k5teakr6dgdkq53t



And here is an 18th century women's waistcoat, lightly quilted:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O13542/waistcoat/waistcoat-unknown/

CapricornLass

Well I don't have the cap sleeves or the pretty frill round the bottom, and its fastened with a zip, but yes, it looks very similar otherwise.  I suppose the nearest thing they would have had in the war was a man's knitted waistcoat.

maddiemay

Growing up in very rural Shropshire in the 1950's, the men working outside used to wear what was called a Jerkin, memory tells me it was buttoned up to the neck, had useful pockets and was made of leather with leather buttons.

skogar

George Finch (an Australian who was part of the 1922 British Everest expedition) wore a down jacket (supposedly much to the amusement of some of the other climbers) so certainly similar things were around prior to 1930 although probably not in common use.

skogar

Love that mend with the sock Cherryfudge - it's a great match that stripe. :-)

2Scratters

@Baileys_Babe I'm just off to collect the butter for a slab of parkin. Mu mother used to make a treacle parkin very dark nom nom nom. Thanks for the reminder I need to get some made as I have inherited a litre from parents house.
 2 Scratters xx

Baileys_Babe

2Scratters said:

@Baileys_Babe I'm just off to collect the butter for a slab of parkin. Mu mother used to make a treacle parkin very dark nom nom nom. Thanks for the reminder I need to get some made as I have inherited a litre from parents house.
 2 Scratters xx

Treacle parkin sounds yummy 😋

Cherryfudge

A coupon spend to declare, probably 10 coupons but worth it in the winter weather.

Last year I wore out most of my long socks so I've been on the lookout for replacements. They are either expensive or plain black. I didn't want something that my husband might accidentally wear, as he's hard on socks! Today I thought of looking in the children's department and found a pack of five (charcoal grey with a heart pattern). The bonus was avoiding the tax on adult clothing - £5.50 for five pairs as opposed to a best price of £5 for two pairs of adult-sized socks.

There are advantages to short feet.

The list at the beginning of the thread gives ankle socks as 1 coupon and stockings as two, and I think they are more nearly stockings than ankle socks. Perfect for under jeans in cold weather.