Packing Away Winter Garb

Here in the frozen north (Northumberland) it's academic whether it's the month of May or May blossom since the hawthorn often doesn't flower fully till early June....

I think (though may be wrong, often am) that the original saying was along the lines of 'till THE May be out" as in the blossom.

Agree with others re "clout" in this instance being just a layer of clothing.

I washed my winter coat today and put it on the line, even found a key to the gate in it, which has been missing for ages!

Yes I have swapped and taken my winter coat to the dry cleaners. I have kept out a pair of ankle boots though!
I find "transitional clothing" really tricky. What to wear on feet being the main problem. I also don't like wearing black from May onwards, does that sound silly?

No! I look terrible in black. I love colour, and always choose lovely bright stuff. White also looks awful on me so I wear both as trousers etc but not next to my face.

Summer sun needs bright clothes.

I am still wearing my socks.

The difference in houses concerning wardrobe space! I come home and realise my wardobe space is about 1/3 the size of some other peoples' for roughly the same size of house
That's when Parkinson's law applies obieone

I am throwing stuff out, I am really, but haven't started on the wardrobes yet. When the DC were still at home I couldn't use their wardrobes to store extra clothes, but now they have left our stuff fills the wardrobes in three rooms .....

My granny's version was ne'er cast a cloot till May be oot. Not THE May. Don't think she ever cast any 'cloots'. She seemed to have the same garb all year round, including the brown felt hat. And always the fox fur for church!

I agree, it's not 'the' May. Just May.

My granny had one of those fox furs too, anno, but she never wore it. Its beady eyes would glower at me if I ever looked in her wardrobe!

The mouth had a clip that grasped the tail. Gruesome really

My granny had one of those as well

They were so de rigeur for that generation.

Might just get my sandals out this weekend. But not put winter shoes away yet

Oh the dreaded liberty bodice. I was forced into a vest (Ladybird with tiny silky sewn edging round the neck) liberty bodice, white cotton knickers with elastic round legs and waist, a petticoat with similar silky neck edging , skirt and jumper, itchy knee socks, coat, gloves on a string through the sleeves and a hat knitted by auntie which had a scarf attached which was wound round my body to be tied at the back. Thus attired I staggered off to school on winter days; if I had fallen over I could never have got up unaided. However, we had no central heating, no hot water system and the house had one coal fire. I should have been grateful to be warm I suppose.
How I longed for the summer when I could wear knickers, a cotton skirt and blouse and plimsolls with white ankle socks. The freedom! Have always hated stifling clothing since and haven't worn a vest since I could refuse to (about ten years old)
And yes - the 'May', I have been given to understand, means the May blossom.

One thing liberty bodices did not give was freedom! I feel for you, Rosina, my mother was obsessive about keeping us warm and it's a wonder I didn't expire from heatstroke.

Wasn't a Clout a clip round the ear?

Liberty bodice with rubber buttons, I remember well. I couldn't even wear ankle socks until 1st June and my winter school knickers had a pocket in them. My mother would even put a hanky in it each morning but I was too embarrassed to use it as I had to lift my skirt up.

Anyway back to the subject: I live on my own and therefore have 2 double wardrobes to fill (yipee) so most of my clothes, both winter and summer seem to stay put. The summers 'up north' haven't been especially hot these past few years so it's easier to keep winter things to hand. This winter has been milder than usual though and I haven't needed to put the morning heating on at all but I must admit I have been wearing a vest most day. I hate the cold. I really hope we have a brilliant summer this year as it will be the first since my retirement.

Hoping to finally get to wear something more summery soon as we are off on holiday in a couple of weeks. So I sorted out my clothes and took a big bag full to the charity shop. The only thing is, in a few weeks time I shall be wondering where such and such has hidden itself.

Could this thread be renamed "How is it my summer clothes have shrunk while they have been in the loft?"

My mother used to sew my knickers onto my liberty bodice when I reached the age of sixteen, when I went out in the evening. [Not really!!!]

Alea, mine have shrunk this year, especially the waistbands!

Optimistically, I bought two pretty teeshirts (£18 for two at Bon Marché) a fortnight ago when the sun was shining as it is today. Pity the weather in the interim has been so awful.

I am a chilly mortal, I am still wearing winter clothes and extra socks, although i did go ou today without a coat.

Monica....... You devil!

I have been working in the garden all morning in just a cotton top and jeans and no socks.

This thread is taking me back. Does anyone remember those rubbery buttons that were on liberty bodices? Used to give me the creeps for some reason. My Scottish gran used to make clooty dumpling on special occasions and I remember having slices fried for breakfast with sugar on - don't like to think of the calories now but it was delicious. I made it once years ago but it just wasn't the same. My daughter now has her big black "dumpling pot".