How many clothes/outfits make up an appropriate-sized wardrobe?
Mrs Pete
5 years ago
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sushipup1
5 years agoLil S
5 years agoRelated Discussions
A sustainable clothing/wardrobe plan
Comments (39)Hello, I found this old thread (almost a pun in this case) quite interesting. I have more clothing than I need, but that is mainly because I keep almost all of my old clothes in perpetuity. I have 'nice clothes' I almost never wear, from when I had a corporate job, but every now and then I wear them. Yesterday I wore something nice to attend a friend's baby's baptism. If clothes don't fit now, well, I am optimistic that they will fit again sometime. For a long time I kept some old pants I had loved (purple jeans and blue jeans, each colorful, stretchy and not denim) that I decided I would really get rid of since they hadn't fit me in years. Then I lived in Ecuador for a year (out of 2 suitcases of clothes) and lost weight and they fit me again (briefly.) So now I think I am justified in keeping them a few more years just in case. :-) Freecycle helps me, as when I see a person near my size really needs clothes I try to find them a bag of mine that I don't need. But I also get free clothing on freecycle a lot. I have gotten clothing from one sister a lot, I give her some sometimes (as we reverse who is gaining or losing weight) but she complains because what she gives me is almost always nicer than what I give her. Then there is a third sister that we both give clothes to, she never gives any away. Once her washer broke and she said she could go 3 months without having to wash any clothes except underwear! I think the reason that homesteaders and organic gardeners and home canners and bakers mostly don't make clothing is just that the clothing most of us could make ourselves wouldn't be very good/comfy. Whereas the organic vegies and the homemade bread and jam way exceed the quality of ordinary grocery store items. Clothing from stores is just way better than what I could make myself, I can hardly patch my jeans. One thing Marie said I must take exception to: "The idea was that someone was trying to draw attention to themselves by wearing really worn out garments. It was a way to control family members, too, in some cases. The threadbare person would try to get sympathy for him or herself." I and my hubby both tend to wear really worn out things, where the material is thin or has holes, whatever. We get fond of certain things and wear them over and over until they are totally shot. I don't stop wearing favorite shirts until they are so worn out they rip down the back and are unrepairable. It is always cotton comfy shirts in a color or pattern I liked a lot, and I just won't stop wearing them until I absolutely have to. I used to date a guy who had holes in his clothes, really ratty underwear, and so on. He also had a weird short haircut. I initially mistook him for a punk (back in the mid-80s.) Turned out he was just excessively thrifty and paid no attention to his appearance. So although I imagine some people could wear worn out clothing to make some sort of statement, some of us are really just that thrifty or lazy or attached to a particular garment. As for shoes, I have short wide feet with high arches. I always had to wear shoes longer than my feet to get them to fit comfortably in the toe area. In college I wore a friend's shoes and was amazed how nice it was to have shoes already busted out a little. I soon got used shoes from a lot of people, in particular a friend who was a serious runner. She ran about 10 miles a day, so after a few months would need good new running shoes. But they were great for walking around for YEARS more. And fit better and were more comfy since already broken in. So I am lucky that old shoes are better for me than new. My other solution these days is to buy boys shoes, somehow boys get to have wider feet than women. I get almost all garments free and used, so that is about as sustainable as one can get. Marcia...See MoreDisplaying old child's folk outfit
Comments (2)As a certified framer, I would second Linda's original suggestion for a shadow box display. Make sure that the frame is deep enough so that there is ample space between the garments and the glass. Use acid (or archival)free mat board to mount it on. Make sure that the place you're taking it to, will be stitch-mounting the piece with invisible monofilament thread, and not using an inordinate amount of double-sided mounting tapes. I would also make sure that the glass (or plexiglas) being used is UV protected and do not opt for non-glare finish. While non-glare may make viewing easier on the eyes, it has a way of diminishing intricate details found in beading or delicate needlework. If your budget allows, museum quality glass makes for a beautiful display, as the glass seems almost invisible. That invisible quality comes with a few downsides... 1) the cost and 2)it's a "soft" glass... easily scratched and requires great care and special methods when cleaning. If the piece is colorful (and your home decor will not suffer), I would suggest using a black shadowbox frame lined with a black suede (velvet) matboard. I believe Bainbridge makes one called "Coal" and it's the deepest, richest black which makes for a really dramatic shadowbox backdrop. Keeping everthing black (or even white)will detract from the framing and center the attention on the displayed items. Good luck! Wendy...See MoreHow we see ourselves in clothing choices...
Comments (55)When, i started scrapbooking I realized there were very few pictures of me. And those we had, I was usually trying to hide behind something. Then I ran across some photos of my beloved Grandmotherand it dawned on me-she tried to avoid photos too. But everyone loved her despite how she looked or what she wore. It didnt matter to anyone! So from that day forwardI decided to embrace me. Those wwho know me know my quirks and now I live in acceptance of my physical appearance and proudly pose for all pictures. I try to steer clear of costumes (like the woman in white above, and i try to be appropriate for the occasion, but I dont criticize myself for my choices and i dont avoid the mirror or camera. In 20 years my family and friends wont look at that picture and say `what was she thinking?` or `Look at those jowls`, they`ll say She looks so happy!...See MoreFun with outfits! Bridal Shower on Saturday
Comments (130)You look wonderful! Great choices. Thanks for taking us along. The navy dress was the other contender, fine as is, but with a cardigan it went directly to school marm. Not good. Oh, goodness, yes, I've discovered this with some of my favorite sleeveless dresses that look great on their own like yours did, but don't pair well with anything over them....See Morewednesday morning
5 years agoK R
5 years agoMountainView
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoMrs Pete
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agowednesday morning
5 years agoMrs Pete
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agowednesday morning
5 years agolittlebug zone 5 Missouri
5 years agoMrs Pete
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoToronto Veterinarian
5 years ago
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