2026 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

men's shirts look good women, imo- a friend who is short and busty often wears a t-shirt under a man's shirt which she just ties loosely in front- it looks surprisingly smart and trim, and she works in an office.
maybe worth experimenting?

weenancyinAmerica

I'm the short and busty type too. Was 4'10" but have been shrinking. I think I am under 4'8" now.

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81951797#Comment_81951797

Good idea @Nelliegrace. I’m wracking my brain to remember the name of any department stores in Aucland, since @kiwisavings is in New Zealand. I don’t recall there being branches of Myers, maybe a Target? Certainly, it’s the right time of year there to buy schoolgirl-sized shirts. (In Melbourne, we’d swap from school dresses to tunics/skirts/trousers-and-shirt after Easter.)

@kiwisavings, good luck with the new job! We’ll be cheering for you.

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maryb

John Lewis do organic cotton long sleeve school blouses in packs of 2 for a very reasonable price. But I find the interfacing in the collars a bit too heavy. I suppose they are designed for wearing with ties. If you took the collar off they'd be good as mandarin style

It irritates me that DH can buy 3 for £100 Charles Tyrrwhit shirts (used to be 4 for £100) and they are just what I would be looking for in women's shirts!! Lands End used to do very nice classic womens' shirts - I still have some from 20 years ago - but they seem to have changed their fit/sizing/styles so I look on Vinted now

kiwisavings

Thanks for all the ideas everyone 😀 I do have some linen shirts that I can wear and I'm finding sewing simple tops has gone OK.

Thanks also for the encouragement for the new job, it's in the disability information sector which is a bit different from my usual pharmacy/herbal medicine/tutoring jobs.

Nelliegrace

Feeling sad today having resigned membership of the Women’s Institute. My mother and grandmother were NFWI members. An organisation which worked together once to help Britain stand for truth now demands that members sign up to a lie to appease the bullies. That didn’t go well in 1938.

I need another pot of tea.

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81953267#Comment_81953267

Here @Nelliegrace. Let me top you up. (I've just made a fresh pot.) Is it the trans policy? That one horrifies me - I've met multiple trans people over the years - some I'm honoured to call "friend" - and they are 100% the bravest and gentlest people I have ever encounted.

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PipneyJane

@Laura_Elsewhere was it you who recommended the diaries of Jean Lucy Pratt (a,k.a. Maggie Joy Blunt)? My copy of her collected diaries, “A Notable Woman”, arrived this afternoon. I‘ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms, having finally finished the third of Simon Garfield’s WW2 Mass Observation diary series, so when I scored a “free” £10 Amaz0n voucher, I immediately spent it on a copy from World of Books.

(I earned the voucher by opening an Ant-and-Dec savings account, in one of the offers promo’d by Martin a few months ago. The interest rate is rubbish, so now that I’ve been paid it, I’m moving the money.)

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PollyWollyDoodle

Oh I finished that a few weeks ago, @PipneyJane - can’t remember who recommended it sorry, but I really enjoyed it. I felt I would like to have known her, which is always a good feature for a biography/autobiography I think. I am envious that you’ve got it to look forward to!

thriftmonster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81953267#Comment_81953267

My sister and I are not rejoining this year much to my sorrow. But some times you have to pick your battles and this is one for me. So stupid of them. We're both in our 50s and the people they need for the future