2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I have spends to declare. Both are birthday presents for men. A cotton shirt and a polo shirt. As the polo shirt has a collar I will count it as a shirt so 5 coupons each. So 85.5 - 10 = 75.5. Once again while shopping for these I was struck by the difference in the quality of the fabric compared to that in the womens section. Both of these things will last for years and quite honestly were about the same price as similar things in the women's section, so annoying.
On the subject of shoes I can only wear flat shoes. Anything with a heel gives me blisters on the ball of my foot as even with laces my feet slide forward down the slope. I have even had to stop wearing some orthotic insoles as the heel was about half an inch higher than the toes. I did tell the man who made them this would happen when I tried them. He assured me they wouldn't but after wearing them for half an hour my feet were blistered. He also told me I should never wear the boots I had taken along as they were too hard, sometimes I feel I just can't win with shoes. I have never been able to wear ballet shoes or court shoes as I could never keep them on. I once lost a Kicker shoe, which was laced nearly to my ankle, while stepping on to a train and had to ask a kind guard to retrieve it from the track between the train and the platform. To this day I have no idea how that happened as I wore them regularly and had never even felt they were loose They were very comfortable and you could send them back for repairs at that time, not sure if they still provide this service though. I might check that next time I am looking for shoes I
Take care everyone

Laura_Elsewhere

Sarahspangles said:

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Oh definitely British-made- each pair is made by Andy himself!! he’s a lovely chap and very knowledgeable- if you have any questions, do ask him.

That’s a fascinating site! Some of our urban sketching trips have coincided with Roman or Viking re-enactment days. I always look at the footwear. Viking and medieval shoes and boots seem quite practical and comfortable but the Romans are always hobbling! Perhaps the centurions had to get used to marching in leather soled sandals over time.

The costumes are interesting too. I watched a ‘Viking’ woman making yarn on a drop spindle, she was also talking to visitors and helping with a display. But kept spinning. She was obviously used to wearing her outfit and had multiple places for “stuff”, including a belt purse that was more like a pocket, the belt itself, her apron and sleeves. When I’m sketching I’m always juggling pencil/pen, rubber, brushes, napkin as well as the usual purse and phone. Coat and jeans pockets aren’t as versatile as something that can be swivelled towards the front of the body. [Goes off to design a sketching belt with moveable pockets]

I enjoyed my years of re-enactment (mid-17th century), but I don't miss the bickering and power-struggles that went on- I think some people viewed it as an actual war, not a re-enactment!! I was always a civilian woman, no interest in the soldier side- but oh, so many things I've kept from it! Some are actual things that I use, but a lot is better understanding that means I've now bought or made better-quality versions of a modern thing (kitchen knives and pans, my shoes, and all the stuff about fibre-length and cloth/knitting...). 

And people have this weird idea that modern stuff is always better!   I mean, I wouldn't want to be without my modern stuff- but I have learnt over time that the modern stuff isn't *always* better!

My latest bit of entertainment has been a very long term friend, ex-military, very very practical, very outdoorsy, discovering that he is in fact more comfortable wearing a tweed jacket and moleskin trousers with leather shoes over wool knee-high stockings than in his fancy hi-tech hiking kit which is of course all basically made from plastic  
I'm pleased he's sorted out kit he feels comfortable in, but it does amuse me that it's basically what was worn by generations of rural folk before the plastic "waterproofs" came along, all needing replaced every few years as it wears out!
He has always worn a kilt a lot, but sadly with ticks now carrying Lyme's disease in most part of Britain, that's not a safe idea any more for hiking, etc. 

PipneyJane

Today, I shall mostly be wearing…

• My 25-ish year old Levi 501’s
• A 20 year old, white, H&M t-shirt
• Hand knitted socks knitted last year, made last year with yarn purchased in 2017 and 2006.

Anyone care to play along?

This morning, I went through a box of jeans and shorts that I’d set aside, 12-ish years ago, because they’d become too small.  Found a several of pairs of wearable jeans including the 501’s; a pair that needs a button sewn on; a black pair that, sadly, has gone in the upper thigh; a dark, denim-blue pair; and a grey-green, wide-legged pair that are definitely the latest fashion.  No, I don’t think I’ll be buying jeans for a while.

- Pip

moginstein

maryb said:

I wanted a shirt with a mandarin collar and another with a frilled collar, the sort we wore in the late 80s which seem to be back in style - Kate Middleton wears them a lot.  But they are not styles that Land End does.  And I haven’t had any luck finding them in High Street shops.    Two white shirts in my size from Vinted came up yesterday and my trusty seam ripper will come out.  I’ll take the collar off one and just sew the collar band up to make the mandarin collar on one of them and I’ll sew a frill to insert in the open seam of the other collar band

Thank you for mentioning this. My other half has collars that are getting a bit straggly. I've previously "turned" one, which was a bit fiddly but looked good when done, but he also has a few mandarin style, so that is a really good idea as an alternative. 

PollyWollyDoodle

Today I am mostly wearing … M&S jeans (second hand) and a Fat Face loose top also second-hand.  I was volunteering this morning and I’ve just got out of my uniform shirt. We wear our own black trousers which are sadly much tighter than they used to be - I either need to make a concerted effort to stop eating snacks, or buy some bigger trousers. 

moginstein

Today I'm mostly wearing m&s navy and white long sleeve stripy top (charity shop).
Grey lounge pants from George (charity shop) that I had to redo the waist elastic as it too was tight. I cursed them as the elastic was sewn on, not in a channel, but as they were 99p and had pockets I figured it was a challenge for me and a donation for the charity. I think they are a bit too loungy (I.e. look like pyjamas) to go outside in, but I do go as far as the recycling bins! I guess that's the problem when you buy from a charity shop, you don't know whether you're wearing pyjamas out and about, I've done the same with a t-shirt too that I decided since it said 2 part set on the label was probably officially sleepwear,  but once I'd taken the silly bow of the pocket I can't think that anyone would know.
Oh and a grey fleece hoodie ( also charity shop) which I  ummed and ahhed about, debobbled a little (but other half said it wasn't really noticeable) but love its comfort and feel like I nearly live in it when it's chilly.

CapricornLass

Two outfits today.  One was for sorting out rubbish for the dump, a pair of jeans that  is over 15 years old, much patched and mended, but otherwise still going strong, a charity walk t-shirt from 2010.  Other outfit was going to see my mum - denim leggings, red t-shirt and another sweatshirt.  The leggings are probably the youngest in that they are pre-covid but probably around 2028-2019, but the other items are older, probably 2010-2012 ish.  

On the shoe front, I tend to wear flat shoes.  I'd probably turn my ankle if I tried to walk in high heels.....

MrsCD

Today I'm wearing a navy skirt, about 6,7 years old, a fairly new M&S t-shirt, Clark's flat 'walking' sandals, and a long navy cardigan as a jacket for a quick trip to the shops.

Gem-gem

Today, I am wearing: a pair of JL navy trousers - a couple of years old; a navy vest top and a purple and navy WS blouse - around 8-10 years old. All bought new. 

Old R&B flat sandals wearing as slippers rather than buying a new pair of summer slippers.

Nelliegrace

@PipneyJane, I can match that with two packs of C&A cotton knickers, bought in the closing down sale in 2002.
They are magic. They were my size when I bought them, but they must have shrunk, but now they have gone back up in size after long years stored away, and they fit. 

I am still wearing my M&S navy cotton uniform cardigan which I bought in 1980 for work. It has had a lot of washing and wear, been leant out many times, and turned up in the coffee room weeks later. I was very glad of it when an ambulance broke down on the motorway one cold night, after transferring a patient. It is faded, but has all of the buttons, no holes, and still had my name in it. 

I have my Brownie badge from over 60 years ago.