2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

CapricornLass

Mrs_Salad_Dodger said:

Thanks Nelliegrace - lovely clothes. Just wish I had the figure to carry them off 😉

You and me both!

Gem-gem

Two spends to declare:
1 x t-shirt that I got for less than half price (4)
1 x summer top that was around 40% off (5) 

47/66 coupons used. 

I need to save my remaining coupons for some new jeans. Need to start monitoring discounts / looking in cs. 

Today, I have been wearing jeans - nearly two years old. A black vest top - around 16 years old. A black cardigan - probably around 8 years old. 

On the election day, I was a Presiding Officer at a Polling Station. I was very lucky as it was in the conservatory of a very nice pub. We all do a postal vote. People died so that we could vote so I always make sure that I exercise my right. 

Whilst I was waiting in a queue to drop the ballot box off to the count my car broke down!!! The security people had to push my car the last 75m so that I could hand everything over. I had to call out the rescue people and finally got home just before 2am. I had been up since 4:45am the previous morning as we have to be at the polling stations from 6am. 

Cherryfudge

Crumbs, @Gem-gem! That was a very long day. I hope you've had some rest now.

Today I was quite pleased with myself as I've managed to reattach a rivet onto some jeans and wear them without 'busting out all over'. This is a pair of S*ein jeans bought (in a charity shop in Scotland) last autumn when I forgot my luggage, and with them I had a pale green tee shirt bought (at a charity shop in that nice Tudor town near Wales whose name eludes me) while on holiday last summer, an M&S cardigan given me as a present many years ago and my best trainers (bought in the sales locally earlier this year). Oh, and a bag bought for 50p at a car boot sale a few weeks ago. Incidentally, total repairs on the above, to the best of my memory, are the replaced rivet on the jeans and lots of TLC to de-bobble the cardigan when it was looking its age. I'd be interested to know what repair-type memories people have of the clothes they wear; I'm sure there must be some.

PipneyJane

@Gem-gem I’m glad you’re ok.  What did they diagnose as being wrong with your car?

Also, thank you for a) being a Presiding officer and b) doing the count.  Our democracy could not function without people like you.

Cherryfudge said:

Crumbs, @Gem-gem! That was a very long day. I hope you've had some rest now.

Today I was quite pleased with myself as I've managed to reattach a rivet onto some jeans and wear them without 'busting out all over'. This is a pair of S*ein jeans bought (in a charity shop in Scotland) last autumn when I forgot my luggage, and with them I had a pale green tee shirt bought (at a charity shop in that nice Tudor town near Wales whose name eludes me) while on holiday last summer, an M&S cardigan given me as a present many years ago and my best trainers (bought in the sales locally earlier this year). Oh, and a bag bought for 50p at a car boot sale a few weeks ago. Incidentally, total repairs on the above, to the best of my memory, are the replaced rivet on the jeans and lots of TLC to de-bobble the cardigan when it was looking its age. I'd be interested to know what repair-type memories people have of the clothes they wear; I'm sure there must be some.

Well done @Cherryfudge.  My repairs don’t usually go further than sewing up hems and sewing on buttons.  I have replaced zips a couple of times: once on a pair of suit trousers, and again on a sheepskin jacket.  Both were bought in charity shops.  In fact, I got the sheepskin jacket for half the original price (£12, IIRC), because of the broken zip.  Personally, I never thought I did a brilliant job on it - the sewing machine needle skipped in a couple of places because the fleece was too thick - but, when I got it cleaned, the dry-cleaners raved over it and said it looked professionally done!  (It cost me £35 to get cleaned.)

Today, I’ve been wearing my Levi 501’s, a white, branded polo shirt bought at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and my “Audrey In Unst” cardigan.

- Pip



ETA:  the sheepskin jacket is long enough to sit on. It’s my regular coat, when I go to the football in winter.

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

 I have replaced zips a couple of times: once on a pair of suit trousers, and again on a sheepskin jacket.  Both were bought in charity shops.  In fact, I got the sheepskin jacket for half the original price (£12, IIRC), because of the broken zip.  Personally, I never thought I did a brilliant job on it - the sewing machine needle skipped in a couple of places because the fleece was too thick - but, when I got it cleaned, the dry-cleaners raved over it and said it looked professionally done!  (It cost me £35 to get cleaned.)

- Pip

I'm scared of zips, or at least of sewing them in, so I've never tried this. I love the sheepskin jacket story though - I had a pair of boots that cost (I think) £6 second hand but I spent many times that having them resoled/reheeled over the years. It was a sad moment when the leather split, but by then my DD was sharing them with me so they had had three 'owners' and didn't owe us anything. And that for an initial outlay of £6.

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

Today, I’ve been wearing my Levi 501’s, a white, branded polo shirt bought at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and my “Audrey In Unst” cardigan.

Your mention of the polo shirt reminded me I have two still in the packaging that I bought for work wear while still determined to get back to my old job. One is dark green, the other is white. I bought them because the navy one of the same make and style supplied by work was so incredibly hardy and comfortable - built to last, I'd say.

We had other polo shirts that weren't such a good fit so I took careful note of what worked for me, bought some then never wore them because I never went back to that job.

Anyway, I think it's time I got them out. Recent talk of menswear being better made than women's wear has convinced me. These aren't men's shirts but are made as tough work wear. I had a little look at styling them, but other than jeans I don't have many ideas. Over trousers and belted? Tucked in? With a neckerchief?

Today has been the mended jeans again (still holding together) and a scoop-necked blue knitted jumper with flowery lining/shirt tails. Yes, that was another charity shop find. The weather is right for it very occasionally, like today when it's on the warm side but not hot. 

Gem-gem

@PipneyJane it was the battery. My car is eleven years old ( only done 60k miles ). The rescue person said that he was surprised that it hadn't happened before now as most batteries only last around five years. The local mechanic was also surprised to see that it was the original battery too. 

@Cherryfudge I have turned my alarms off for both days of the weekend and have slept in till 9am both day 😀

Managed to get out this morning and pick some raspberries, black currants and a few strawberries then the heavens opened again 🤬 
So, I spent the day decluttering and moving things around the house. My wool stash is now in a big draw in the dining area. I will start to redo the poncho again this week. My work things that I will no longer need are either in the bin or are going into storage in the loft till a time that I know that I definitely won't need them anymore, then they will be sold. All my card making stuff is now in the office rather than in my wardrobe. My dresses and trousers can now hang properly. I have moved my scarves, gloves and had to a container in my wardrobe and the empty drawer has now got my gym / swim clothes / goggles etc in. 

Today, I wore the same jeans and black vest as yesterday. Over the vest I wore a purple / navy blue soft blouse. Probably around 8-10 years old. 

@Cherryfudge my mending skills does not go much beyond buttons, repairing pockets, taking up trousers, resewing hems and sewing up small holes.

Laura_Elsewhere

@Gem-gem - thankyou for your very hard and essential work as Presiding Officer- three cheers! 

@Cherryfudge - Tudor town "near Wales" - Ludlow?? 

I have bought another dress - rust-coloured ("plum"???!) needlecord shirt-dress with pockets from White Stuff, £79 reduced to £23... I shall wear it in autumn and winter, over thin polonecks, under cardis or jumpers, or on its own, depending on weather. It will go with tons of things. 

And I've also bought three metres of black 100% cotton broderie anglaise. I have positively *lived* in that blue-white striped sundress since I bought it, so I want to do a quick copy in black. 

I must update my signature, but that'll be 7 coupons for the dress, and 3x2 coupons for the fabric, so a total of 13 more coupons spent, taking my 59 down to 46. 

https://www.whitestuff.com/p/2410/jade-cord-shirt-midi-dress/MID_PLUM

thriftwizard

Oh dear - some fabric may have come home with me from the £5-a-metre shop opposite the hotel we were staying/dancing in this weekend! To be fair, I've been persuaded that most of it should be a business purchase as I'll be making costumes for other people from it, and I'm being paid to do so - obviously my efforts to turn my tiny (1.2m) scrap of glittery orange remnant into a costume (side-slit skirt, sleeveless wrap-top & a "flower" for strategic placement) at short notice went down well! But the 2m of natural cotton/linen union with a pretty little cherry print is not destined for a dance costume, so I should cough up some coupons for that!

ETA: looks like 2m cotton/linen would set me back 4 coupons? Have added that, but please correct me if I'm wrong!

Gem-gem

I was just talking to a friend today about Ludlow. She was thinking about her next city break, I suggested Hereford and then popping up to Ludlow or Shrewsbury or down to Ross-On-Wye.

Regarding working on the elections - you do get paid. It is interesting to do. Councils are always looking out for Poll Clerks and Presiding Officers. 

Today, I am wearing my jeans, navy T-shirt and a secondhand blue and cream long cardigan with a zip.