Keeping things for best, I’ve turned into my mother! ?

I made a pact with a close friend to not keep clothes for 'best', but to wear them every day - and feel well dressed and confident, rather than keeping them at the back of the wardrobe to be packed into black bags for the charity shop when we die,

My wedding China was used once in 54 years. In all these years give moved house 7 times and on the seventh flitting 3 cups got broken. I was very upset. Now I still haven't used it.

JanEllisWriter- please dont be too harsh on your late father - he maybe sold it (if he did) as he may have needed the money but was too proud to tell you- or maybe he donated or gifted it as an act of kindness?But (wrongly) thought you didnt want it.

And yes its same with our 'dressed up' clothes- we must use them as in these times we dont get to go out much, if at all, so they are getting wasted.its so sad ?

I used to hoard lovely 'smellies' for holidays and special occasions. Come lockdown my husband is doing all the shopping. His idea of toiletries is to buy the cheapest. I've now used up most of my hoard, a word of warning here though, some hadn’t lasted and had no smell left, binned (what a waste).

This turning out like your mother always intrigued me since I’m like my mother and now my daughter is turning into me so at what point does the genetics clone pool stop does this mean there is only one type of woman in your family and the same one keeps repeating itself? Despite the amount of female varieties in the same family? Just ignore me I’m ill haha!

oh dear - I have nothing best at all as my lifestyle doesn't warrant it. I actually asked my OH for nice soap for Christmas, and I am asking my kids for anything handmade, whether it's biscuits or chutney or whatever. I keep clearing out as after my Mum died there were numerous bag fulls of amazing clothes that all went to the charity shop. To be fair, she had made a lot of them and loved wearing them. I need to sew more.

Marydoll - USE EVERYTHING! My mother kept a handful of clothes to 'look good' when she went out, which living in Spain was pretty much every day, other than that, everything was used.
When clearing out my, very much loved, mother in law, I found sheets in their packs, dozens of brand new T-Towels, perfect sweaters, and yet, the 'everyday wear' was quite ribby.
Enjoy everything you have!

After Mum died and I cleared out her "stuff", I found loads of things she had obviously kept for best. What is the point? I use the 'best' crockery and cutlery now. This year, what with the covid-19 pandemic, I have even started wearing some of my better clothing even around the house as it cheers me. I use my make-up and perfume too even though only my husband, the dog and the occasional delivery person sees me!

My mum and gran had a special cupboard for unused Christmas gifts. Many were regifted. I think living through the war made them like this. I tend to keep clothes for best and wear scruffy in the house.

Paddyanne.. that’s so sad ?..I think we all could learn from that tragic story.. my mother did the same things with shoes she bought me..by the time I was allowed wear them they didn’t fit..

Have to admit I wear just about anything for any occasion!! DH, on the other hand, will see a shirt he fancies, buy it then not wear it until it's well out of fashion. He's still got clothes, and wears them, he had before we married (50 years ago).

I'm also quite new to Gransnet and really enjoyed this post. My mother would put away the presents I bought her and never use them. She had boxes and trunks in the attic with good clothes but went around in shabby old jumpers and skirts and one black coat.Her sister was the opposite , wore all her good stuff, was always smart and never went out without a hat.
I do keep clothes for going out, and since we're not, I look at them and feel sad, but with cats in the house you just can't wear your best, it wouldn't last a week after a good kneading with kitty paws !

When Country Casuals was going into administration ( 5 /6 years ago , I know they've come back in a smaller, not so good way ) I had a real spend up - buying jumpers that were £89 /£99 for £20/25 and tops and trousers at M&S prices.
I did go mad buying stacks but put them away ' for best' . Of course they didn't get worn , and I gained weight .
At the first lockdown I went on a strict diet and have lost a good few stone. I got my bargains out of the attic and have turned into a dressed up gransnetter now !

We had to spend most of the summer in last year's dresses, as new clothes had to be kept for our week's holiday in August.
But we did have to wear something new, if only socks, at Whitsun, for luck.

I grew up in the 1940s and 50s and the motto I learned from my mother was "keep it for Sunday best". This would have been a sensible and necessary motto during the war but I wish it hadn't become so ingrained in me. All my life I've put away "nice" things for special occasions instead of enjoying them at the time - clothes, handbags, bars of nice soap, nice stationery, notebooks etc.

It's taken me 77 years and a pandemic to realise that there is no point in waiting for a "special occasion". Similarly, with making bucket lists. I wish I'd spent less time making lists and more time just getting on and doing things. So, all you lovely gransnetters, "think on" (as my mother would have said).

Just like my mother I used to keep things for best but then had my epiphany moment and thought- why keep for best, enjoy the moment. So I do....always

A couple of years ago I realised I was walking into charity shops seeing things I liked, looking at them and suddenly remembering why I passed them to the charity shop. I have almost rebought things. In an attempt to stop this, the clothes I really like but don't need (unless they have a great deal of good wear left and are very saleable in which case they do get donated) get cut up and turned into rag rugs. I have numerous rag rugs now, not particularly useful but they take up less space and sometimes the kids want one. As for best? Never really go anywhere these days but I do have one good summer outfit and one good winter outfit just so I don't embarrass anyone. The dog dosn't care what I look like

Yes, it seems we all have a habit of putting off the best things for later, but why if we live today? a year ago, I probably came to the conclusion that we need to use the best things and not abandon them, because in 90% of cases we forget about them or they become unsuitable or unnecessary. therefore, you need to use joys now or give unnecessary things to others, with bright thoughts)

When my mother inherited her mother's royal Copenhagen china - dinner plates, soup plates, dessert plates, coffee and tea service she decided we would use it every day, as my sister and I were teenagers by then, so the risk of it getting broken was less than when we were small.

Now DH and I are using it, or a small portion of it, as every day china.

DH has two good suits and I have a long and a short formal dress in moth balls, other than that we don't have best wear.

I have kept my wedding dress though, though as we don't move in the circles that attend papal funerals, I am not likely ever to need it.

I recently came across a lovely Jo Malone candle. I realised I had been given it six years ago and must have thought it was “too nice to use”. We’ve been using it ever since to fragrance my furlough. Life is too short, enjoy the good things while you can.

Ten years ago I was given a bottle of a very expensive vodka. Still cannot bring myself to open it as I know once I do it will be gone! It’s not as if I can’t afford to replace it, I can. Marydoll, I’m opening it tonight and will drink it out of my Sunday best Waterford Crystal tumbler, also something I will no longer keep for best!

I never save things “for best” after losing two friends way too young and realising that tomorrow isn’t promised. I use and wear all my purchases right away. Xx

I try to think about 'What if this were the last meal you were to eat/last time you went out for a meal/last time you entertained? and then act accordingly. I've spent years keeping things for 'best' but now I use the best china, wear the 'special' clothes, and push the boat out for dinner, drinks etc. when anyone comes. When we married, in the late sixties, we were given a set of heavy silver cutlery. I didn't use it at first. but after about a year it seemed senseless to leave it in a drawer, and we have used it every day since. It's still pristine, and I know all my children have their respective 'eye' on it!

Think the trouble at the moment is that during lockdown we’re not going anywhere si I just slop around in my oldest jeans and ancient tops! Seems no point in wearing nice clothes!