2026 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

(The Fashion On The Ration Challenge is about restraining our shopping impulses and buying the clothing we need as well as what we want.  As @Laura_Elsewhere said "If this group is about anything, it's about understanding how we buy and what we buy and when we buy...". After some discussion, it was agreed that the 2026 Challenge will use the revised 1st July 1941 Clothing Coupon List. )

---------

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 owns the 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.  @Nelliegrace is the village librarian and archivist; @kiwisavings is her assistant.  The local firm of solicitors is called Heel, Flapp & Gusset.  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. 

  

If something isn’t shown on the above, please refer to the original listing.  For example, not shown on the new listing are fabric and knitting wool, which remained as follows:

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.
• 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.
• Jeans = 5 coupons.
• Ladies briefs will cost the same as a bra = 1 coupon.
• Oodies = siren suits and cost the same.
• Leggings count as 2 coupons, the same as thermal tights.
• Second-hand clothing costing less than £100 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.
• 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".
• *After much discussion, it was agreed that a t-shirt is 4 coupons, not 5.

Some posts you might find useful:-

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

@Diane1276’s instructions for short-row heels:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81273513/#Comment_81273513

@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

@Laura_Elsewhere’s chocolate digestives.  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80786263/#Comment_80786263

@Nelliegrace’s grandmother’s Bara Brith Recipe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81045329/#Comment_81045329 

The recipe for ANZAC Biscuits:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81406967/#Comment_81406967 

And the recipe for Coconut Rough:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81407784/#Comment_81407784

PipneyJane

For reference only, the original clothing ration notice:



2026 participants:

@alicef
@Baileys_Babe
@CapricornLass
@Cherryfudge
@cowboymum
@daisy_1571  
@diminua
@dND
@Floss
@florianatwobob
@frostie101
@Gem-gem
@itsthelittlethings
@Jojo77_2
@keepcalmandcraft
@kiwisavings
@Laura_Elsewhere
@Liverpool_Anne
@maryb
@MrsCD
@Nelliegrace
@Nonnadiluca
@PipneyJane
@pixtotts
@PollyWollyDoodle
@ShelivesintheShire
@thriftmonster
@thriftwizard
@weenancyinAmerica
@Wraithlady

maryb

I'm in for next year!  Might even stand a chance of sticking to my ration as I can't see myself needing much of anything next year other than perhaps bras.  The old ones are not fit to be seen if I need a doctor's or osteopath appointment!!  Though they still hold the girls up so as long as I have one bra that isn't 50 shades of grey I don't actually need to buy new.  But if Marks have one of their 20% Sparks offers I will stock up

PollyWollyDoodle

Thank you @PipneyJane, your work is much appreciated. I’m in - lost count of coupons last year, but I usually end with some in hand due to my ‘second-hand only’ rules.   I’ll start afresh in 2026 and try to buy mindfully.  

Floss

I'm going to lurk for 2026, I need to see how you all manage!

MrsCD

I'm in again, promising to try harder! 😉

Gem-gem

I'm in again, hopefully I won't blow the budget with too many wool purchases. 😀

Liverpool_Anne

Hi all, I am in again and hoping to stay on track this year though I think I blew most of my coupons on gifts for other people 😂. Looking forward to seeing you all in the new year
Take care everyone

thriftmonster

I'm in again, and want to use up stashes of fabric and wool/cotton so hoping to keep to my coupons

florianatwobob

I’m in again and aiming to stick to the ration this year. 

Nelliegrace

Happy New Year @PipneyJane. Thank you for Fashion on the Ration, there is always more to learn.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/8-facts-about-clothes-rationing-in-britain-during-the-second-world-war

I bought some good, wool berets for my Christmas present, thinking only of keeping warm. I seem to be wearing the latest fashion. 

A book about the Radio Times in Wartime was recommended, but when I searched for a copy to buy, I found it was available free. That will save paper.

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/BBC/Radio-Times/Radio-Times_BBC-The-War-Years-1939-1946.pdf

Look, another warm hat pattern.