2025 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Sarahspangles

@Laura_Elsewhere said:

My summer funeral blacks generally are black, because I can wear a black skirt or top in summer as general wear; my winter funeral blacks are more likely to be mixed dark neutrals, very dark green, dark- or mid-grey and black, rather than black. 

Oh no, I hadn’t even thought about summer funerals. I could follow the same principles and acquire a smart top layer in a similar ‘midnight’ colour, and maybe some sling backs. I’d like to get these outfits sorted out now, hoping that I won’t then associate them with funerals, if you know what I mean. Or end up shopping when I’m upset.

I hoped that removing work ‘uniform’ would release more space in my wardrobe than it has. in fact it’s removed the grey and navy options and revealed how much I own that is black - and I don’t wear black!

Sarahspangles

PollyWollyDoodle said:

Well, these days it seems anything goes, but I think neat-and-not gaudy is the way to go, very few people wear all black and not everyone has a spare black coat hanging around.  Navy would be perfectly fine, as would grey, black, purple, dark patterned stuff etc. It’s about being there to pay your respects.  

I’ve attended a lot of funerals (professionally not personally), and although I don’t judge what people choose to wear I always smile when I see a bloke wearing a dark suit with brown shoes.  If you’ve ever heard the Stanley Holloway monologue ‘Brown Boots’ you’ll  understand!  

That made me laugh! There’s also a running joke in IT teams that Dutch colleagues wear brown shoes - because they do! IT professionals tend to be very conservative dressers, though in a ‘smart casual’ way.

weenancyinAmerica

Just about anything seems to go here in California. Over the years I have seen widows (more than one!) in white shorts outfits even. May have been trying to attract their next husbands. One of our friends showed up dressed as a clown at my brother's funeral - because she was on her way to work afterward. Most of the time I stick to grey, purple, or black tops with black skirts or trousers. Safer for me with the trousers if going to the actual burial as I have trouble walking. My roommate Di did wear a Disney t-shirt to a funeral once - but as she said, the person was a Disney fanatic and would have liked it. 

PipneyJane

@PollyWollyDoodle - I’ve just read the lyrics to that Stanley Holloway monologue, “Brown Boots”.  Yes, I can see why it makes you smile, but it is quite heartbreaking.

I’ve nothing much to add to the funeral dress debate, beyond “Nothing bright or flashy”.  Since three of my colours are black, navy and grey, these days I’m pretty well covered for clothes to wear.  It wasn’t always the case.  When my mum died and I flew home for her funeral, one of my first acts in Australia was to go buy a suitable black dress.

- Pip

PollyWollyDoodle

Oh listening to it always makes me sad as well as smiling, @PipneyJane !   But when I see someone wearing brown shoes it makes me think of my dad, who loved the monologue (and who was also a stickler for having clean and polished shoes).  He grew up in an era where you would not have worn anything other than black to a funeral.  

I can remember seeing people at my parents’ funerals who we hadn’t seen for years and it meant such a lot to me that they had attended.  I have no recollection of what they were wearing, so (apart from a clown suit, which I think would stand out!) I think being present is the most important thing.  

CapricornLass

I agree with you, PollyWollyDoodle - someone's presence is the most important thing. 

I think there is less emphasis on black now, which is good for me as I loathe black and look absolutely dreadful in it.  I usually go for a quiet classic look, based on navy or grey.  However, I wore cream trousers recently to my friend's funeral, mainly because it was tipping it down and it went better with my mustard coloured mac than either navy or grey! I can't remember what the top was, but I did dig out my tiger eyes necklace to wear with it - usually I wear silver or pearls.   And for both my mother and father's funerals, I wore a bright red linen shirt as neither of them wanted a dark gloomy funeral.

Nelliegrace

I bought this Eclipse Welsh tapestry waistcoat from the second had store eB. £17.99 seemed good value. I shall give it a gentle woollens wash in cold water with some liquid soap, as soon as there is a bit of sunshine to hang it outside. Sometimes the aroma of mothballs or Fab something, is a bit overpowering. My eldest sister asked me to search for one for her, now she can choose the one which fits best. 

Cherryfudge

We had a few days away in London and on Friday visited the Imperial War Museum. I’d never been before as I thought it would be too upsetting and I was probably right as I had trouble getting to sleep that night. However, it was also truly interesting and enlightening. Seeing a real doodlebug and a V2 was an eye-opener. Mum had told me about waiting for the doodlebug engine to cut out so it was interesting to see one: comparatively small but sinister. The V2, though, is huge. Both DH and I were taken aback by the size, though it seems they arrived later in the war and the factories were destroyed before they could play as big a part as intended. From memory, more people died in the factories than were killed by the bombs.

All that said, I thought of you all here in the Village Hall when I found this WW1 book for children about women at war.

Cherryfudge

The illustrations were delightful!

Nelliegrace

The illustrator was Joyce Dennys, @Cherryfudge, later she wrote Henrietta’s War: News from the Homefront, 1939-42. 
I loved her 1916, Our Hospital A B C, sold for fundraising. 

https://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/VOLUME057-1916/page467-volume57-09thdecember1916.pdf



These are available to read for free on The Open Library.