Are You Guilty Of Wearing Clothes You Don't Wear..
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
March 11, 2011 10:27am CST
..or wear clothes just the once and hang them up in the wardrobe, never to see the light of day again?
I am guilty of this. However, the older I get the BETTER I have become at buying clothes. Nowadays, I tend to know what styles fit me although I haven't bought a skirt in ages. In the past I did wear skirts that were the longest length, therefore I had to wear heels so that I didn't fall over. The thing is, I've "gone off" high heels so I've no idea what I'd buy if choosing a skirt in future. I am much more adept at choosing leggings, jeans and trousers as that's what I wear all the time so I'm glad I'm not going to a wedding anytime soon!
A lady (Cath) who works with Mum is extremely stylish and is a large lady so colour, especially, cheers her up. She has the knack of finding clothes that fit her and that are "different" to what everyone else is wearing in her size. However, she admits she may only wear a garment once and put it in the wardrobe, never to be seen again! She has improved since acquiring a little dog (her focus has changed) but Mum says she still arrives at work wearing something new on a regular basis.
What does she do with her not-so-old clothes? As far as I know she has a clear-out and gives them to Charity which is commendable on her part but..I dunno. I often think about what would happen if her husband couldn't find work (he's a self-employed joiner) as he has had spells of being "quiet." Her wages are her spending money!! I know that some people who are depressed buy more clothes than they need and it can get out of control if funds don't allow for the fix. Fortunately, I'm not guilty of this but I'd love to know if anyone has problems in this area as there maybe someone on here that can help them and give out good advice.
I don't know about you but I love buying things for the home whenever I can..even small things like a new toilet-roll holder and matching toothbrush holder. They have replaced ones that were falling to bits, quite frankly, from my FIL who fitted them without me even seeing them first! That was about, God, it must be 5 years ago at least. The last straw came when the Goblin kept whizzing the toilet roll onto the floor as he made sure its holder was "dodgy." I know his game! He did try that with my new one (it has a suction pad on it so no drilling is involved) by making me jump out of my skin pulling it off the wall..but I won in the end. It's stuck firm and nothing is gonna move it, not even a Cheeky Goblin!
So, is a clear-out planned or can't you wait until your next clothes purchase?
3 people like this
16 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
11 Mar 11
Whoa talking about clothes, gosh I have enough for a large retail shop. In my days on the run-way I have been treated well, and still to date with amenities. I kid you not that I must have over a hundred pairs of jeans, won't even mention the amount of shoes I have.
I love my clothes and barely ever wear something to the same place twice, it happens to be one of my biggest trademarks, that fashion is something I love with.
I can wear an outfit that I have owned for five years and many see it and believe it is brand new, I guess with my large assortment I truly do not need anymore but when it is free I am all about getting more. lol
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
It's great that you can rotate stuff from way back like that..how cool!
Unfortunately, with my weight fluctuations I can't do that which is why I tend to have a clear-out and off to charity it all goes. This gives me a good excuse to start again! You should try it, it's quite liberating!!
1 person likes this
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
11 Mar 11
I really don't buy a lot of clothes, but I have been know to buy something, wear it once, and into the closet it goes for time eternal. I did buy clothes when I was working, but I don't work anymore. I have a problem in the fact that I don't like anything clingy. I love the way Bea Arther used to dress...she was tall and could carry off wearing long flowing jackets, but, unfortunately, I'm short, so it just doesn't work for me. I like things that sorta hide the bumps and bulges, so I am very picky with what I buy. If something shrinkd in the wash, it is never worn again.
P.S. If a "goblin" unrolled your toilet paper, you might want to take a look at your kitty. They tend to like doing that.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
He didn't unroll it, he threw it onto the floor er, intact lol.
It's funny how I've changed the style of tops I wear now. I quite like anything longline which hides my belly, mainly. Something with no shape at all, however, just wouldn't do.
I guess manufacturers are getting better at designing clothes for the larger woman. I look far better in clothes now than I did when I was slim, how strange is that?
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
11 Mar 11
I tend to buy new clothes when the old ones fall apart! However, I may need to expend some money on buying new trousers at least since I seem to have unaccountably expanded a bit over he last 10 years or so and after several years of optimisticaly buying the same waist size trousers that I've got into quite happily for the first 40 years or so of my adult life, and getting by with some serious stomach sucking in, last year I found that it had come to the point where no amount of sucking in would allow me to get into the previous years trousers
Fortunately it's only the waist that has expanded somewhat, as far as the rest of me goes, I can still get into shirts and jackets that I wore many years ago. So I don't need to buy an entire new wardrobe. As it is, there's a lot of no longer fitting trousers that will be going. Though, I suppose I might slim down again and be able to wear them again...
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
Awww, I know where you're coming from with this although what I've been doing is buying clothes bigger than previous (earlier years). For example, as a teenager I was very slim, then went up to a size 12 eventually, then a size 14. However, I've been this size (18 bottoms, sometimes 16 for a top depending on the style) for what seems like an eternity so, hopefully I shan't get any bigger.
It is weird how clothes that I thought looked really good a few months ago..if I wore them now I'd think "Ooo, no, I don't like that!" and into the charity bag it's gonna go. This is why I needed to replace a few of them.
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
11 Mar 11
Fortunately I'm totaly indifferent to style! I've had to same suit for the last 40 years or more! All I'm interested in is comfort and utility.
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
11 Mar 11
Clothes don't hold much interest for me, now that I don't go out to work. Even my volunteering at the policing centre doesn't require stylish clothes... I have a uniform. So I've just been wearing the same old rags day in day out... if I have someplace special to go, like a wedding, I will buy something new if nothing in the closet "works" for me, e.g. I need something "springy" or "autumny" but the weather's being unseasonable.
@kwylima (451)
• United States
11 Mar 11
I am just inthe same boat! I work at home so I don t care another about buying new clothes! I do have some new ones but just to do something especial like go out with friends or do other things. But sometimes when I am walking around the mall I want to buy tons of clothes that maybe I am never gonna use!
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
I know what you mean about unseasonal weather as we've had some horrible sleet today after it's been mild for quite some time.
I did have a shortage of long-sleeved tops so Mum bought me 3 for Christmas (including a longline cardigan that I never have off my back) lol. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said, "Seeing as you're on a roll buying me great tops you can buy me a summery one!"
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Mar 11
not so much me-but mom.i often donate the overflow..in fact,i need to do a drop now.
people keep giving her clothes-tho i've asked them not to-she has plenty.
she has more than i do!
for some reason they just assume all elderly are needing them for some reason,which puzzles me.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
28 Mar 11
Haha! I do know what you mean. Mum told me no matter how old she gets she's "never gonna wear slacks!"
We'll see!
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
11 Mar 11
I haven't bought new clothes in ages. After I retired (2006), I had more than enough clothes to last for a very long time. Two years ago, I cleaned out my closet (so did my Mom) and we hauled all our clothes (mostly my business clothes) 1200 miles to give them to folks in need on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota. I think the only thing I've bought in the past couple of years is underwear and a few t-shirts. Last time I bought new shoes...about four years ago. To me, it's such a waste of money to buy something to wear one or two times. I'm the kind of person that will wear shirts with holes in them when I'm hanging around my house. Why put on new clothes to go pull weeds, trim bushes, etc.?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
Good point! That's a wonderful thing you did, give all those clothes to the Indian Reservation. It's great to have such kind-hearted friends.
I reckon I dress better now than I did when I was working. For some reason I was a bit of a scruff-bag at work (especially when I commuted by train to Preston from Blackpool) and I decided to change my image a bit when I worked in Carlisle and Dalston, which is nearby. Unfortunately, this bit of power dressing I did had the opposite effect with management and they seemed to thing I was a Super Secretary or something which I clearly was not. Not for that salary anyway lol.
I don't wear posh clothes around the house as I'm more into comfort than anything else although I do wear a longline cardy Mum bought me ALL THE TIME! It's warmer than it looks and is far less bulky than another cardy I have.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
I'm a big believer in being able to wear what we like at work. I got criticised (behind my back too which is something I hate) for being too casual in my job at Preston but I said to my supervisor, "Do you have a problem with my work?" and he replied, "No." I then said, "Do I come into direct contact with the general public?" Again, he replied, "No." I then found out who the culprit was and said, "Look, she's no room to talk..she goes around slagging everyone else off, wears her designer gear but has hair like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards, so, until she changes her image and does some work for a change she can shut up and leave me alone! If she has a problem she can come and talk to me about it..not send emails to my superiors!"
Nothing was said after that! In fact, this woman slagged off an extremely hard-working lady who's job was photocopying all day, every day. Obviously, this meant she couldn't get dressed up as she would have to change toner, etc, on a regular basis. A very messy job that no-one but her wanted to do. I stuck up for her as well.
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
11 Mar 11
When I was younger, clawing my way up the career ladder, I use to dress to kill. But near the end of my career, the dress suits went in to the closet, and I started wearing jeans to work -- like my staff. I use to be the boss for about 25 wildlife biologists, archaeologists, geologists, hydrologists, engineers and other sciences. They got to wear jeans and go to the field. I got to wear jeans and answer the phone and e-mails and...go to a lot of meetings. I always hoped to find time to go out in the field with my folks. I think that happened two or three times in 13 years. But I wore jeans just in case that day would be my lucky day and I'd get out of the office and get to go to the field. When I came in a dress or suit, it usually meant I had to see the big boss. When I was younger, that didn't bother me, I worked directly for the big boss. But after I got older and was made a division chief, I never wanted to go see the big boss. Heck, it meant I had to dress up!
@SViswan (12051)
• India
14 Mar 11
Though I try to get clothes that I can wear...I also have a few in my closet that I have worn just a few times and there they remain...either because they don't suit me or because the right occassion for them haven't come along.Having said that....I prefer different kinds of clothes (ethnic, western,saris, salwars...etc) that I sadly fall short of my requirements. But now that I do not work outside the home, I do not need as many as earlier and re-use. When I was working, I would mix and match and I had enough to not repeat an outfit for close to a month!!
Though I would love to buy more clothes when I am depressed, I don't have the funds to it (thankfully)...so I make do with listening to music or reading :)
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
14 Mar 11
You have lots of self-control my friend regarding spending on clothes. Our priorities change when we're at home, I can identify with that.
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
12 Mar 11
Mostly I buy off of sales racks or thrift shops so I do not spend much. I am in a clear out mode and have at least one huge bag of things ready to go to a shop. I am just waiting to lose weight because then it will be just like I have a brand new wardrobe.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
Awww! I know what you mean. I have one of those robo-rollers which is great but I've found that my knees hurt when I use it now. That never used to happen when I was much fitter..riding my bike to work, etc. I know housework can help me lose weight but the trouble with that is, I'm not always in the mood for doing it, especially if it doesn't REALLY need doing, like polishing and such-like.
Gonna be busy next week though to compensate!!
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
12 Mar 11
I rarely buy clothes only once in a year. I remember sometime back 6 years ago when I deeply depressed, I give all my clothes to a charity center. After that, I could not get back some clothes to fill up my cupboard. So nowadays I appreciate every single clothes in my cupboard. I will not throw it away. I just wear until it cannot be then I will buy new one. Moreover my mom knows how to make clothes so its kinda save, you know? HAVE A NICE DAY!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
That's very wise not having too many clothes my friend.
My Mum used to be very good at knitting so she knitted me a few jumpers and things when I was younger. She would take the hobby up again if she could but, unfortunately her eyes aren't that good now. She's not blind or anything but focussing on knitting for even a short period of time would give her eye-strain now I would think.
It is nice to save on buying clothes, you're right. Not cheap are they?
You have a nice day too.
@my_name_is_coco (4334)
• Philippines
12 Mar 11
I had a few clothes that I bought but were resigned to closet purgatory.over time I learned what clothes I really want to wear.I learned which clothes looked good on my body type.I made a list of styles that look very good on me.every time I shop,I make a mental checklist and ask myself if the clothes I will buy can be worn on several occasions.as for the clothes I never got to wear?I either revived wearing them or gave them to my sister.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
That's a good idea, making a list of what suits you. I have a mental image now of what looks good on me and take that into the shops. There is a certain material that I don't like..that clingy stuff? It makes me sweat unnecessarily too so I avoid it at all costs.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
24 Mar 11
Hiya Janey,
No I don´t have much to buy with at the best of times. So I buy when I can like that Coat I bought the other Week I told you about.
I tend to wear Clothes into the ground at the moment. It´s not that I don´t want to buy them it´s having the spare Cash to buy them too at least for me it is at the moment.
Who knows the Money Goblins might go away and send me some Cash Fairies so I can treat myself to a new pair of Shoes and other few things that I really need but having to wait.
So hurry up Fairies come on get around here quick.xxx
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
24 Mar 11
Awww, I'm sure the Cash Fairies will visit you very soon.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
16 Mar 11
I don't buy too much clothes anymore nowadays. We have our uniform at the office and we only get to wear our casuals and other clothes during Fridays and half day of Saturday.
That being so, i noticed that there would be lots of clothes in the cabinet that i am not wearing anymore. I plan again to give them to my sisters this Holy Week, where i will have free days to do it and if they don't like them, they in turn would give them to some poor people in their neighborhood.
That way, my clothes are not wasted.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16532)
• China
12 Mar 11
Women like to be smartly dressed moreover love the new and loathe the old in wearing clothes.This gives no cause for much criticism if they don't go too far.My wife is similar in this respect.The moment she sees a suit of clothes that she likes at clothing store,she is seized with a sudden impulse to buy it so that some clothes have hung up there for a long time after wearing once or twice.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
Oh I see, so the attraction is buying something brand new? I can identify with that, I really can. Unfortunately, I haven't got the money (or room in the house) to do it lol.
@thetigers (108)
• Philippines
12 Mar 11
I love to buy clothes, it makes me feel always beautiful everytime i buy new one. even if it is just a simple shirt and jeans i feel relaxed. Even if am not working now, i buy even a single clothe in a single month just to feed my passion. If am depressed i just need to go to a shop and look a dress of even shirts and and buy some then on i feel relieved. and theres nothing wrong with that, aight? Sometime we just need to pamper ourselves.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
I agree! Nothing wrong with pampering ourselves at all my friend. Clothes do make us feel good don't they, especially if it's a bargain.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
11 Mar 11
I have to say that I have stoped wearing high heels for exactly the same reason as you Janey. I just don't seem to suit skirts for some reason. Believe me I have tried, but it's no good. Maybe my legs are too hairy or something. Anyway, back to your discussion. We have enough clothes in this house to start a shop! I tend to buy only what I like and what I want. But p1kelet buys rags, I mean clothes, from the jumble sale that is called Primart, wears them once and then moand "I've nothing to wear"! I tell her she is jolly lucky to have so many clothes - but she just flounces off. LOL. As I have lost a lot of weight I am having to buy smaller clothes although I have found some old ones from when I wasn't as large in the back of the wardrobe. It's a side to weight loss that we don't think about! Several of my old things are waiting to go down to the Air Ambulance collection point. I think that they sell them to raise money. They don't send a helicopter to fetch the clothes!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Mar 11
Haha! The Chavs..sorry teenagers here bemoan the fact we don't have a Primark in Carlisle (hooray)! They have to hop on a train to Newcastle so that's them out of the way on Saturdays lol.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
12 Mar 11
Yes, I'm the same and I never have too much in the wardrobe as it becomes a pain trying to get something out if it gets too full! It is good for me to have a clear-out, plus the fact my clothes may give someone else joy who has bought them for peanuts in a charity shop..usually the British Heart Foundation.