Are you pleased or sad when your clothes wear out?
By Fleur
@Fleura (35158)
United Kingdom
May 12, 2019 5:37pm CST
There has been a lot of publicity recently about the wastefulness of ‘fast fashion’, and how many outfits are purchased just to be worn once for an Instagram photo-shoot before being discarded.
This is a complete anathema to me. I wear my favourite clothes until they literally fall to pieces. This dress was one of my favourite summer dresses. I bought it years ago – between 25 and 30 years ago I think – from a charity shop. I wore it on a daily basis, it was so light and comfortable and yet well fitted and elegant.
When it started to wear out I stitched bits of it back together; I sewed the buttons back on, re-inserted the little loops that the lacing threaded through, repaired the seams when they started to come apart.
Finally it got to the point where there was nothing more I could do for it, the fabric itself had worn so thin it was practically see-through. I couldn’t even re-use it to make something else. It had to go to the ‘rag man’.
The end of an era.
Are you sad to see the back of favourite garments?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2019.
17 people like this
16 responses
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
13 May 19
I'm most of the time wearing Levis denim jeans, the more it fades the more I like it. I have one that's like 25 years and got tears on the knee part but it still looks cool as ever
2 people like this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
13 May 19
@hereandthere I'm the same built as I was when I was 20, I'm almost 5" 9' tall, and only about 54 kgs. When I was in college , now I'm 58-59kgs. and I'm sure not all of the addition went to my waist
check on my pictures in some of my discussions lol
check on my pictures in some of my discussions lol1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 May 19
then it means you never gained weight. oh, how i envy you!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (24114)
• United Kingdom
12 May 19
My wife won't throw anything away. I have recently been helping her get rid of some stuff. Then I started on my wardrobes and have got rid of a lot of things. Some practically new but no longer fit. They were all donated to charity.
2 people like this
@Fleura (35158)
• United Kingdom
12 May 19
I give things to charity too if they are in good enough condition and I no longer need them for whatever reason. But most of my old clothes are totally unsaleable. However the charity shops do all collect worn-out stuff for the 'rag man' and they still get a bit of money for them, so this is where my worn-out things go.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (24114)
• United Kingdom
12 May 19
@Fleura Yes for the items that we would not wish on anyone because they have gone past their usefulness and are unable to be resuscitated then they go to the charity shredder facility!
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 May 19
@Fleura what does the rag man do with the worn-out clothes?
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209203)
• United States
13 May 19
It really depends on how much I liked it. I have some garments that have a special meaning to me..so I hang on to them long after they really should have been discarded.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209203)
• United States
13 May 19
@Fleura I have been thinking of making a pillow covering out of one of my old garments.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35158)
• United Kingdom
13 May 19
Yes I tend to do that too, although now I have found a way to deal with those - I make them into something else, so that I'm not actually getting rid of them, but not just keeping a load of old unwearable clothes either. Then eventually I kind of wean mysef off them and they go out bit by bit! For example a pair of old trousers that I really loved but had several holes, I cut up and made into trousers for Big One when she was a toddler, then Little One wore them and now they are almost all gone, just one bit is left, that got made into something for a doll. Of course having the children to use things makes it easier!
2 people like this
@Fleura (35158)
• United Kingdom
13 May 19
@snowy22315 That's a good idea, although it needs more fabric than you realise. Might need to be a patchwork one!
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
14 May 19
That’s such a pretty dress! Love it. I only wear out my workout clothes and sneakers. I rarely wear the same outfit out with the same people, thanks to my husband not liking it. Long story.
I do keep all my “good” clothes if my daughters-in-law don’t want them. The others go to consignment shops or charity shops to make room for the new.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
13 May 19
Depends, I have a bin of old shirts that have special meaning to me, so I feel bad when I have to retire a shirt to that bin. However, in most cases it's out with the old, in with the new. ;~)
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
13 May 19
sad,cause that usually means it's a favorite.but i try to make something new of any good parts before i throw it out.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
17 May 19
When I buy something I choose something that could look fashionable for as long as possible as I don't like to buy anything unless I really need it. We waste so much. It is terrible.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
13 May 19
My problem is just the opposite I am tired of my clothes that do not seem to wear out (lol)
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
13 May 19
@Fleura The fact that some are more than 20 years old probably confirms what you have said
@Tampa_girl7 (54741)
• United States
13 May 19
I also wear my clothing until it can no longer be born.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
13 May 19
I wear things to distruction and mostly I am sad to see them go, they are just so comfortable. There is the odd item I am glad to see the end of. Occasionly I am so keen to see something gone I donate them to charity - I can't bring myself to throw away perfectly good clothing
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
12 May 19
My dresses also last as long as that. I would probably buy some new ones if they were as good as the old ones. I haven´t seen turtle neck sweaters, of the kind the old Beatles used. They were called beatles here. I still have them and take them out every winter. Sometimes I change buttons as they change their color.
1 person likes this
