2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Nelliegrace

The Times (London Edition,) for mid-January, 1941, has had several columns about the sales in the London department stores. I have been shopping and managed to find a decorous, navy blue, bathing costume, reduced from £36.99 to £15, in my size, at Sports Direct. I believe it comes under, other lingerie and corsets 3 points. It was needed to replace a very old one, which had gone too thin and saggy to be worn. The matching bathing cap, very chic navy blue, and half price, was coupon free. I remember when these were rubber and came with a strap under the jaw.

The store had a large stock of plimsoles, tennis, and running shoes. I asked the assistant if they sold any suitable for elderly people, with easy straps instead of long laces, which are so had to loosen enough to put on the shoe. They had none. He laughed when I said that I would love to have a pair with colourful kinetic flashing lights, think how much safer they would be in the blackout. 
There have been new, safety advertisements this week. 

MrsCD

@Nelliegrace, I wish they would do public information films on tv or (tick tock) again. Last week, I was going shopping with DD along an unlit country road at 6pm in the dark. We passed two young people waking along the road, the same way we were going, and neither of them had anything light coloured on them. The young man in the front was all in black, and as there was no footpath, was taking his life in his hands.

florianatwobob

@Nelliegrace I’m often out ‘in the hours of darkness’ and the streetlights have been dimmed due to the blackout so I often wear something light otherwise motorists, especially the bus drivers would never see me. When it’s especially dark I have my hi-viz and head torch!

PipneyJane

MrsCD said:

@Nelliegrace, I wish they would do public information films on tv or (tick tock) again. Last week, I was going shopping with DD along an unlit country road at 6pm in the dark. We passed two young people waking along the road, the same way we were going, and neither of them had anything light coloured on them. The young man in the front was all in black, and as there was no footpath, was taking his life in his hands.

@MrsCD and @florianatwobob, you are reminding me of something that both myself and my DH rant about: pedestrians walking on country roads.  Both DH and I have spent good portions of the last 20 years working in outer-suburban rural areas.  Don’t they teach people in Britain to walk towards the traffic?  

I have lost count of the number of people I have seen walking down narrow country lanes with their backs towards me and no idea what is behind them.  We were always taught to walk facing the traffic, so that you had an idea of what was coming and could react accordingly.  This is especially important now that electric vehicles don’t make a lot of noise.

- Pip (rant over, I promise)

Laura_Elsewhere

@PipneyJane nope, they don’t. I don’t remember being taught anything except the Green Cross Code, ie how to cross a road.
I do know about facing oncoming traffic if a pedestrian walking on a road but it was something I heard about in a pub full of hikers up in the far highlands. 

I don’t think we, as a nation, are really taught much. We could do with some Practical Common Sense classes for all!!

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@PipneyJane nope, they don’t. I don’t remember being taught anything except the Green Cross Code, ie how to cross a road.
I do know about facing oncoming traffic if a pedestrian walking on a road but it was something I heard about in a pub full of hikers up in the far highlands. 

I don’t think we, as a nation, are really taught much. We could do with some Practical Common Sense classes for all!!

I’d vote for that @Laura_Elsewhere

-Pip

florianatwobob

I was taught to face oncoming traffic Pip when walking along country roads but my mum grew up in villages and I have a healthy dose of self preservation! 

laura_lau

In Italy when I was studying for the Driving's licence, the instructions on how to walk on the road as a pedestrian were included in the handbook, so at least anyone who drives a car knows how to walk (at least in theory). Of course not sure how much use it is if someone needs to walk because they don't drive.

@PipneyJane thank you so much for the detailed instructions! I will definitely have to try it. I almost always knit in the round nowadays, so the first sleeve is already being worked in the round (I did quite a lot of progress on Tuesday, when I met with my crochet club at the local pub - we can knit even if it's called crochet club ) and my heart would sink if I unraveled it (I'm about 10 cm in), so I will have to try it with the next project. 

I have to report my first use of coupons for the year (and first ever!), as I had to buy a duvet cover for my new bed. I refurbished the bedroom at the end of last year, and had 1 full set of bedsheet for the new (bigger) bed, which I bought years ago in the hope it would happen soon (it took much longer to get the budget to do it, but I'm glad I purchased ahead, as it was way cheaper back then!). I bought 2 fitted sheet in November, but it is really annoying to have only one duvet cover, so I finally bought one this week. It should arrive tomorrow or early next week. 

So, doing some calculations, it's 4 yards (4 metres) of non-woolen cloth, as it's 200 cm long, and, it being a duvet cover, it's folded over, = 8 coupons. Am I doing this right?

PollyWollyDoodle

@PipneyJane the Countryside Code (not sure if it’s still called that) tells you to walk on the right, eg facing oncoming traffic, on country roads - I’m not sure that would be covered in school road safety which is more aimed at urban roads.  

I share your concerns about cyclists without lights and pedestrians without hi-viz, it’s very hard to see people at twilight and worse still if it’s raining. 

MrsCD

I've just looked up what the Highway Code says to pedestrians...
Rules 1, 2 & 3 cover what we've been discussing...
Rule 1 says to avoid walking with your back to the traffic.
Rule 2 covers when there is no pavement.
Rule 3 is about being seen.
Maybe the Highway Code should be taught in school. After all you're never too young or old to learn!