2023 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane- glad it's less painful!

Re thermal jeans... well, I can't comment on those as I never ever get cold legs, because I wear skirts and petticoats, so even with bare legs above the knee I don't ever feel cold. Most nylon tights are disastrous for warmth- try viscose tights, or cotton-rich tights, but nylon is dreadful stuff for warmth, in either hot weather or cold weather! I wear over-the-knee socks, a petticoat and a skirt, and it's cosy as anything... there's a reason the kilt is so popular in Scottish weather It always amused me when I lived there that even in the middle of the city the number of kilts you saw worn would dramatically increase in a cold snap as all the trousered men thankfully abandoned their cold trousers and gratefully adopted their kilts for everyday wear to the office instead! 

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PipneyJane- glad it's less painful!

Re thermal jeans... well, I can't comment on those as I never ever get cold legs, because I wear skirts and petticoats, so even with bare legs above the knee I don't ever feel cold. Most nylon tights are disastrous for warmth- try viscose tights, or cotton-rich tights, but nylon is dreadful stuff for warmth, in either hot weather or cold weather! I wear over-the-knee socks, a petticoat and a skirt, and it's cosy as anything... there's a reason the kilt is so popular in Scottish weather It always amused me when I lived there that even in the middle of the city the number of kilts you saw worn would dramatically increase in a cold snap as all the trousered men thankfully abandoned their cold trousers and gratefully adopted their kilts for everyday wear to the office instead! 

I usually wear thermals under my jeans/trousers in winter.  I have a really good pair from skiing 20-odd years ago, that I always wear to the football.  If I know that I'm not going out, then the L!dl "nylon" thermals are find BUT the moment your legs are in a breeze, instead of keeping you warm, they'll strip the heat from you and it will feel like you're being pelted with sub-zero winds.  (This applies to both the leggings and the tights.)  I've learned this the hard way.

When I was out and about on Saturday - we went to Fortnum's for afternoon tea with my friend who is over from Oz - I wore L!dl thermal tights, a pure wool skirt and knee length boots, as well as my winter-lined mac.  Felt perfectly warm the entire time, but that was probably because my legs were protected from any breezes by the things I wore on top.

Re the jeans:  I had M&S vouchers from work to spend, so I've gone completely mad, bought 3 pairs of my regular jeans and the thermals, plus my annual pair of leather loafers.  Given that fashion is definitely in favour of Oxford Bags, I'm worried that they'll stop selling my favourite stretch jeans, so bit the bullet.  (Flash Harry is going to love me.   All that business I'm putting his way.)

- Pip

MrsCD

Well I'm going to have to admit defeat on counting my ration coupons this year. I lost track earlier in the year and haven't managed to catch up, so I will start again next year. In the meantime, I'll have a word with Flash Harry for anything else I may need. Don't tell anyone please. Shhh.

MrsCD

I know it's a bit late for a Hallowe'en story, but this shows Elf n safety is sometimes needed!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-67067171

Cherryfudge

That's a very grim story @MrsCD! I always think H&S law is founded in human experience, some of it tragic, and it's there to look after us, even if it can be exasperating.

PipneyJane

That is a very sad story, @MrsCD.  Even sadder that it took decades before food adulterations had to be listed on the side of the packet.

I have been road-testing the M&S thermal jeans. The fabric feels like thicker denim, with a lightly brushed interior layer, maybe 1-2mm deep.  They're very comfortable; warm enough to wear around a cold, winter house without thermals underneath - the tag says "light warmth" - but are they worth the extra £10 on the price?  Probably not, if you already have decent thermals.  I did wear them to the football yesterday with my good thermals underneath and my legs were toasty throughout.

- Pip



ETA:  I forgot to mention that the front pockets are large enough to securely hold my mobile phone!  OK, it’s an iPhone 13 Mini, so13cm long instead of 14.7cm, but that’s still something to celebrate.

PipneyJane

Is it just me or is today bitterly cold where you are, too?  It feels far colder than the thermometer temperature, probably because of the damp air.  (It's drizzling.)  

I'm WFH today, so am currently wearing my new thermal jeans, socks, sheepskin slippers, a woollen thermal top under a pure wool Aran sweater, thick fleece jacket and fingerless mitts.  Also, I'm all wrapped up in blanket.  The thermostat tells me the room I'm in is 18.5C.  Of course, this could just be an effect of the menopause, since I get "cold flushes" as well as hot ones. 

- Pip

Cherryfudge

I've not been out yet Pip but I've not got the heating on and am not feeling the need of it.

I'm wearing cords, ankle socks, faux sheepskin slipper boots, vest top, long sleeved tee and a fleece lounge top and I have a cup of fruit tea to keep me warm. Actually liquorice and peppermint aren't fruit, are they?

I'm intending to be up and moving about soon, which make a big difference - it might just be to go and shut the windows I opened upstairs! Then the dehumidifiers go on. Thank goodness for a dry day up here: Facebook still has chat about whether the bridge road is closed due to flooding.

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane that doesn't sound as if you are in a cold environment or not dressed for it- is it worth trotting up and down the stairs a few times to kickstart the boiler, so to speak? One of my outdoor-swimming friends talks about her temperature as "only having the pilot light on" and in midwinter I have been known to seize her and make her dance the Gay Gordons up and down a few times to get the boiler going!! 

It is a good bit colder though- not necessarily much colder by day but it's dropping overnight- here, it's down to about 3ºC at night now.
Remember the heatwave last year? The danger wasn't only that it was hot during the day; it was that it was staying hot at night and so one's body didn't have the respite-time to re-set itself... it would seem logical that a similar thing happens in coldness too- that we have weeks and weeks of 9 or 10 degrees daytime but it's staying 7 or 8 overnight so the next day's 9 degrees has a head-start, iyswim... now it's dropping to 3 or 4 overnight, that morning temp has to work hard to overcome the night-time lows, and so we feel the cold as more apparent, more obvious... if that makes sense? Only my idea... 

I just popped out to try a new way of fixing my panniers- we were only outside for 20-25 minutes, but ooh my feet are frozen! I was wearing cotton-rich stockings (my trusty Tesco school-tights, cut off and hemmed) and leather shoes BUT I hadn't bothered to add wool ankle-socks as I normally do... I shall be making sure I have wool socks from now on! They are mostly only thin but jings, what a difference they make!! 

Cherryfudge

If you're dancing the Gay Gordons, count me in, but you'll have to remind me of the steps!

@Laura_Elsewhere, your theory about the body not getting time to reset itself sounds plausible to me. I remember seeing a chart of the time delay between cold snaps and a spike in various health crises such as heart attack and stroke. the effect isn't felt at once but after days, and the different health things peak at different points, so the body must cope for a while but eventually the stress tells on it. Not with everyone, of course, and not all the time but there's a measurable correlation. We need to look after ourselves and each other, especially if we can't be active or if the weather is bad.

Some one put the kettle on make @PipneyJane a cuppa.