New Posts  All Forums:
 

The Clothing Experiment - Page 8

post #141 of 157
10/9/06 at 3:30pm
I am looking for one or two nice pair of great fitting jeans that will last a long time. This thread is so great. I like the idea of being more thoughtful and purposeful about what we own and also like the idea of simplifying and loving the items we do have in our homes.

Any suggestions for good quality jeans?
Sponsored Links
post #142 of 157
10/9/06 at 3:32pm
Delight:

I just wanted to say that I showed your blog and photos of your apartment to my husband and he was really impressed. We're going to start working on our own space...together...I'm sure it will be interesting. I'll post here about we end up agreeing on.



Thanks for the inspiration!!!
post #143 of 157
10/9/06 at 3:43pm
Woops, I'll leave this here, but I feel embarassed because this was totally meant for Delight's other thread . . . silly me . . . sigh

I just wanted to say that we love IKEA and they have a lot of ideas for living in a small space. When we visited the store they had a display which was of a very tiny apartment (can't remember the square footage, it was smaller than Delight's) and they showed it all set up for two adults and a baby and it was SO great for ideas, I was very inspired! They sell lots of storage and organization solutions too and their prices are extremely affordable. The designs are very hip and young too. I feel like I sound like an advertisement but I know a lot of people don't know about IKEA so I just wanted to pass on the idea . . .
post #144 of 157
10/10/06 at 12:09am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipcoolmama View Post
Hi Delight!

Can I ask where you found the jeans that you added and what kind they are? After reading your posts and your blog, it seems like you are an ultra conscious consumer and would make good decisions based on cost, quality, longevity, and the company's social standing.
I found a pair at a consignment store near my house ($12.99), and purchased some on the MDC Trading Post ($8). Both were Gap. So as for the social standing of the company...ummm....not so good. However, I feel like I make up for it a little by buying them used. Gap jeans fit me great and last as long as I need them to. I'm pretty hard on them. I like Silver jeans too...you can find those a lot at thrift/goodwill stores.
post #145 of 157
10/10/06 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delight View Post
I found a pair at a consignment store near my house ($12.99), and purchased some on the MDC Trading Post ($8). Both were Gap. So as for the social standing of the company...ummm....not so good. However, I feel like I make up for it a little by buying them used. Gap jeans fit me great and last as long as I need them to. I'm pretty hard on them. I like Silver jeans too...you can find those a lot at thrift/goodwill stores.
Excellent! Thank you. I will have to check out the MDC Trading Post.
post #146 of 157
10/10/06 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipcoolmama View Post
Excellent! Thank you. I will have to check out the MDC Trading Post.
Me too when I get enough posts and have been here long enough!
post #147 of 157
10/10/06 at 2:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aguazul View Post
Me too when I get enough posts and have been here long enough!
Oh, can you only use the MDC Trading Post after being on MDC for so long?
post #148 of 157
10/10/06 at 3:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipcoolmama View Post
Oh, can you only use the MDC Trading Post after being on MDC for so long?
Yeah, the rules say you have to have been here 60 days:

Quote:
The Trading Post and its subforums are community service forums for members of MDC. You must meet the criteria of being a registered member for more than 60 days and have posted a minimum of 50 posts to the MDC boards before you may post to this forum and its subforums.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=174851


ETA: Although, if you're only buying, you could read the posts and then PM the person. You only can't post in the forum until after your 60 days are up.
post #149 of 157
10/10/06 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aguazul View Post
Yeah, the rules say you have to have been here 60 days:


http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=174851


ETA: Although, if you're only buying, you could read the posts and then PM the person. You only can't post in the forum until after your 60 days are up.
I don't think that's technically "allowed" either?? Can you even see the TP when you don't have enough posts/time? I thought it was "invisible" until that point.
post #150 of 157
10/10/06 at 3:57pm

yeah!

I'm a newbie...just found the community this week, and was excited to see this thread!

I saw the brown dress site a little earlier this summer...at a good point when I was wanting to go shopping. This curtailed my urges, and I have been trying to streamline ever since. (Though the onset of cold weather has allowed me to shop the thrift stores and purchase some warmer wear.)

Anyway, little brown dress talked about her new project, and mentioned making teeshirt undies. I kinda didn't thnk that would work too well, until I saw this article.

http://www.supernaturale.com/articles.html?id=70

It gave me a better picture of the possibilities, ya know? Not sure I'll get this desperate...I'm hoping to have everlasting unnies so my comfy gap ones don't wear out. Hah...let me dream.

So if anyone tries this before I get to it, let me know how they work, K? Meantime I'm gonna keep an eye out for nice tees that could be used this way.
post #151 of 157
10/10/06 at 7:58pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brightside View Post
I'm a newbie...just found the community this week, and was excited to see this thread!
Welcome Brightside...so glad you found us! What a fun link!! I might have to start sewing just so I can make my own. Would it be weird to ask my sewing friend to make me undies? LOL!

ETA: I'm starting to feel a clothing purge coming on again! Mine, Bella's...and Matt's! I'm starting to wear the same stuff a lot and it's showing me what I really don't need to keep. I'll keep ya posted.
post #152 of 157
10/10/06 at 8:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delight View Post
Welcome Brightside...so glad you found us! What a fun link!! I might have to start sewing just so I can make my own. Would it be weird to ask my sewing friend to make me undies? LOL!

ETA: I'm starting to feel a clothing purge coming on again! Mine, Bella's...and Matt's! I'm starting to wear the same stuff a lot and it's showing me what I really don't need to keep. I'll keep ya posted.
Now do your husband and daughter ever miss the items you purge? Like I remember when I was a little girl just loving certain clothing items I had like shoes or dresses or a special skirt.

My husband refuses to get rid of jeans that haven't fit him in 5 years and t-shirts and sweatshirts he owned in high school and college. Even an old workshirt from a fast food restaurant that still smells like grease 10 years later!
post #153 of 157
10/11/06 at 2:12am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hipcoolmama View Post
Now do your husband and daughter ever miss the items you purge? Like I remember when I was a little girl just loving certain clothing items I had like shoes or dresses or a special skirt.
No...the things I purge are not their favorites. Bella definitely has her favorite pants, shirts, etc. I'm just talking about doubles of things, outgrown, last season, etc. that are still out taking up space. As for Matt, I wouldn't downsize his...he does his own. He isn't quite as ruthless as I am, but he's starting to see the light!
post #154 of 157
10/11/06 at 11:52am
I've been getting desperate with the amount of clothes we have in our house. There are now six of us and the littlest has the fewest clothes at the mo because we are ECing so she's often only in a t shirt and cardi! We also have no drawers full of nappies as we are using terry squares to lie her on and I only have enough to use one day - wash - and make it to the next day.

I have purged a load of stuff and now that I'm not pregnant I realise that I don't have many things that actually fit me or are easy to breastfeed in. I have 'loaned' maternity clothes from friends and am still wearing the t-shirts but I have only 2 pairs of trousers that fit (low rise jeans for under the flabby bit - from ebay)

I often sew but I'm reluctant to sew trousers because I'm hoping to lose the belly and some of my hips (I said hoping . So I have sewn an ankle length wraparound skirt for the winter and plan to wear it as much as possible. Its in a heavy-ish charcoal grey cotton with a peachy finish which was only £1.80 per yard. 2 yards was plenty and I might make a tote - or two with the rest. Her's a useful pattern guide http://www.amitymama.com/vb/sew-alon...pic-heavy.html

I've been thinking about this too and am going to make dd2 a wool dress or two after felting some sweaters I don't wear because they have shrunk a bit but I couldn't part with
post #155 of 157
10/12/06 at 1:25am
Oh, my gosh! That refashioning thing looks so cool! I've been fretting over buying new camisoles because the ones I have are too short-waisted. Instead of chucking them, I think I might either put extensions on them or make them into slips/dresses (like I have this red paisley that I could make skirting for the red one with. I was just going to make it into a skirt, but...and I have a couple of black ones, I could use one to make the other longer!) Also, they're the kind with the shelf bras, so I could turn the one I hack off to make an extension for the other into just a bra.

And I'd love to make some of my T-shirts more fitted. I really have no clue how, but it won't break my heart if I expend a couple figuring it out. My favorite skirt has gotten a bit torn in places, one spot is patched and another hangs odd because I did a quickie mend instead of re-sewing it where it tore near a seam. It's very long and voluminous, I could take it apart and re-sew it minus the torn bits!

And I think I'm going to use that wraparound pattern to make a skirt from the grey corduroy I have instead of the elastic-waist skirt I had planned to use. I think it will look better with the fabric.

I feel inspiration coming on! Midterms are almost over, so this weekend I think I'm hitting the sewing machine! (not literally)
post #156 of 157
10/14/06 at 12:53pm
Hey! I'm into just having the basics too. I originally got inspired by reading (I think) Simplify Your Life. The author talked about having a personal "uniform." Choosing a few quality things in colors that work for you and work well together in a cut that flatters your body. It helps when shopping, because you're looking for something specific. I read a book recently with this quote: "Know thyself; then adorn thyself accordingly." (Or something like that.) I thought it was a good motto.


Here's my question though. I've gained 50 pounds in the past year after getting on 2 medications (one of them steriods) for health problems. I plan to lose at least the 30 pounds from the steriods now that I'm off of them. But what do I do in the meantime? My clothes are uncomfortable and pull at the belly and under the arms. I just bought 2 inexpensive shirts and a pair of pants that fit (all were on sale) and I have a pair of sweats and lightweight cotton pants that fit well. I also have a pair of cropped khaki pants that fit in the morning, but hurt by the afternoon! I have a total of 4 shirts that fit well without having to stretch them before wearing them. : And a few more (my favorite t-shirts) that still pull under the arms even if I stretch them out. Should I just go ahead and buy a few more shirts? Do you think 4 pairs of pants (the only "dressy" pair are a little tight) are enough? I'm a SAHM, so I don't need work clothes.
post #157 of 157
10/15/06 at 6:00pm
I would probably get a few more shirts and then refashion them after you lose weight.

With weight fluctuation etc. I have found that flexible clothing is the way to go. I wore my favorite skirt--it has an elastic waistband--through my pregnancy and my low weight post-pg (135--didn't stay there). I just made a wrap skirt that goes around me 2 full times, so I could put on a serious amount of weight and still be able to wear it.

And for an update on the weekend, I made myself that grey corduroy wrap skirt, as well as a Norse apron dress for SCA garb and a garb dress for DD, both out of the fabric stash my mom gave me this summer--not fabrics I'd have chosen, but they were free, and now they're something to wear instead of just a pile in the closet!

I also rearranged my living room. I took a bookshelf that was in there and stuck it in our bedroom, and another smaller one in DD's room, and moved my desk across the room to free space up for a craft table. Now instead of using the kitchen counter, the floor, and my computer desk, I can do sewing (and scrapbooking!!!) on a reasonable work surface up out of DD's reach.

It also makes the living room more flexible for if I go ahead with my plans to do in-home childcare after I graduate.