2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Welcome to the village hall of Much Mending on the Borrow, where it is perpetually 1942. We’ve just finished the village Fun Run and the runners are discussing their times.  There’s a fire in the wood-stove, tea brewing in the pot and cakes to share.  Don’t mind Scruffy-dog on the hearth rug, or Jess, the cat, on the window-seat.   They promise not to shed all over your knitting and, if you’re feeling down, they’ll come over and give you a cuddle.

We’re quite a busy little village.  There’s a cricket club, @CraftyLittleLisa’s haberdashery shop, a weekly market where @thriftwizard has a stall, a half-timbered pub called The Make Do and Mend, the Norman church with its choir, and the nearby USAF airbase where @TwibbleDee lives.  @Cherryfudge is captain of the Athletics Club, while @Laura_Elsewhere organises the Ramblers.  Up the hill is Much Mending On The Rise, home of Margot Leadbetter, that horribly patronising Lucia woman (of Mapp & Lucia fame) and the railway station. 

The talk turns to the new tranche of 66 clothing coupons for the year.  Who has any left from last year?   What are your plans to spend them?  Would you like to join us?  Last year’s Fashion On The Ration Challenge can be found here.  The challenge is based on the original 1941 coupons.  

Government announcement in the Evening Argus, June 1, 1941

To break it down into Women's clothing only:-

Lined mackintosh or coat over 28" - 14 coupons

Under 28" short coat or jacket - 11 coupons

Frock, gown or dress of wool - 11 coupons

Frock, gown or dress of other fabric - 7 coupons

Bodice with girls skirt or gym tunic - 8 coupons

Pyjamas - 8 coupons

Divided skirt or skirt – 7 coupons

Nightdress - 6 coupons

Dungarees or overalls - 6 coupons

Blouse, shirt, sports top, cardigan or jumper - 5 coupons

Pair of slippers, boots or shoes – 5 coupons

Other garments including corsets - 3 coupons

Petticoat or slip, cami-knickers or combinations - 4 coupons

Apron or pinafore - 3 coupons

Scarf, gloves, mittens or muff - 2 coupons

Stockings per pair - 2 coupons

Ankle socks per pair – 1 coupon

1 yard wool cloth 36"wide – 3 coupons, non-woollen cloth is 2 coupons

2 ounces of wool knitting yarn – 1 coupon

Assumptions for the Challenge:-

• 1 yard of fabric equals 1 modern metre. No penalty for width.
• 2 ounces of wool knitting yarn equals 50g of any knitting yarn containing natural fibres. Note: according to a display I once saw at the Imperial War Museum, there was a different coupon cost for man-made fibre, but I've never found out what so let's assume acrylic is half the coupon cost of wool, i.e. 100g acrylic equals 1 coupon.
• The above bullet point has been amended because @Cherryfudge found the source and it was agreed the discount for acrylic should no longer apply. 
• Based on the quantity of fabric and work involved, a "corset" is the equivalent of two bras, therefore each bra is 1.5 coupons.
• Ditto one pair of Cami-knickers would equal two pairs of modern bikini-style knickers or thongs, making each pair of modern knickers 2 coupons.
• Bodice with skirt = shirt/blouse/t-shirt purchased at the same time as a matching or co-ordinating skirt or trousers = 8 coupons in total.
• Dungarees = jeans = 6 coupons.
• Ditto trousers.
• Oodies = siren suits and cost the same as a dressing gown, i.e. 8 coupons for a man and 6 for a woman.
• Leggings count as 2 coupons, the same as thermal tights.
• Second-hand clothing is exempt.
• Leather handbags aren't mentioned anywhere in the clothing coupon data. The assumption is that they weren't made once the war was in full swing. Ditto leather wallets and purses. I assume a leather handbag involves the same effort and leather as a pair of shoes at 5 coupons. A new wallet/purse can be 2 coupons.
• Stockings/tights. At 2 coupons a pair, stockings are really expensive in coupon-terms. Because of your connection to the armed forces, you have been given 6 special vouchers for those 4-pair value packs, which will not require coupons to redeem.  Each voucher can also be swapped for a pair of thermal tights or leggings.
• Face masks are coupon free.
• If something isn't listed under women's clothing, but is listed under men's, assume its the same coupon cost as men's , e.g. shorts aren’t mentioned in the list of women’s clothing, so ladies shorts cost the same as the men’s - 5 coupons.
• Hats are listed in the fine print.  They are coupon free.
• Leather and cotton belts are coupon free.
• Swimsuits cost 3 coupons and fall into the category of "Other Under Garments including Corsets".

Some posts you might find useful:-

The sock knitting pattern:   https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/76693555/#Comment_76693555 

@Laura_Elsewhere’s advice for making a face mask:   https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77193632/#Comment_77193632

@Nonnadiluca’s broccoli and pasta au gratin:   https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77197230/#Comment_77197230

The free knickers pattern:  https://gwenstellamade.com/blog/10-free-underwear-sewing-patterns 

Website for printing PDF'd sewing patterns onto A0 pattern paper:  https://www.patternsy.com/

The Wartime Recipes thread:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6409173/war-time-recipes#latest 

@Gem-gem's recipes for crochet stars and crochet granny squares:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6322521/2022-fashion-on-the-ration-challenge/p217

@Grouchy's thread regarding 1950's ladies dressing habits:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6483561/50s-question/p1

@Laura_Elsewhere's Banana Crumble Bars:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80486923/#Comment_80486923

PipneyJane

Aministrivia post.  To be used later.

Gem-gem

Thanks for the heads-up to the start of this new thread @PipneyJane. 

I'm in again...helps to focus my spending, buy only a few select pieces.
For 2023, once again, thank goodness that DH didn't use all of his coupons. I wonder in1941 how many wives used their husbands coupons for other members of their family. Target for 2024 to using just my coupons. 

Looking to 2024, I know that I will need a pair of trainers before the year is out. I also have my eye on a new cord skirt. The one that I have now is one size too big. (It's not often that I say that!)
In 2024, I will once again have a go at making my own poncho - third time lucky. The coupons were counted for in 2022!

dND

Please add me to the list @PipneyJane.  I'm probably going to go over due to needing a complete wardrobe overhaul but I'm hoping that this will make me mindful of what I do buy. 

basketcase

Hello all!

As instructed, I've come to join in. Having been MIA last year.  Can't really talk about that of course.

Last year I wasn't planning to buy any clothing at all.  In the end I bought 2 cotton tops and a pair of sandals for my summer holiday in August.  So I only spent 15 coupons altogether.

As I didn't officially join though I won't carry the 51 coupons over!  I'll start from scratch (like most everyone else) with 66.  BUT if anyone is in need I've put the coupons in that little lustreware sugar bowl (the one with the lid) on the top shelf of cupboard in the kitchen.

I've also put the mince pies and Christmas cake I got as a present in the tin.  Help yourselves.

Gem-gem

@basketcase, I like the quote that you have in your signature. I need to apply that to my next year's budget and coupons. 

thriftwizard

Loving "administrivia"!

I'm in, with just 2 coupons to carry forward from last year - must do better this time. I shouldn't need much that I can't make or acquire secondhand - but I think I've said that before! No more weddings in prospect just yet - or at least, not that I know of - or anything else foreseeable to dress up for; plenty of fabric & yarn (and fleece too) to use up, and absolutely no space free in my "wardrobe" so I really will have to behave...

Betharooni

Hi

Can I join back in this year please? Am trying to lose weight so might end up going over but hope this will make me a bit more mindful of what I’m getting and not just buying clothes for the sake of it.

B x

flamingo747

Yay, looking forward to a fresh start.  I'm tempted to keep a track of what I buy second hand this time too, as I do buy more from CS than I really need!

Betharooni

Do purchases from charity shops count towards your coupons usually?

flamingo747

Betharooni said:

Do purchases from charity shops count towards your coupons usually?

No, only brand new items