Clothes spending

i only wear straight leg jogging trousers, but i like nice tops, i have bought a few from wish and temu and the most i have paid is £7, i hate shopping in shops and i don't like ironing so all my tops are wash and wear, i am big (24) so i like something that is not tight showing all my flabby bits and i can get them all online.

I am an environmentalist, sustainability is at the heart of everything I do. I wont buy fashion new, as it’s the biggest planet killer. People seem to think because they are spending more it's sustainable or ethical, nine times out of ten it isn’t. I love clothes, fashion and beauty but I wont harm the planet to own it . I shop on vinted, in charity shops,at car boot sales and I go to clothes swaps where clothes are free and because this is a fairy middle class system at the moment, quite often I get clothes from white stuff, Boden, Jack Wills and other designer shops. It's not how much you spend it is the way you shop that matters.

I buy what I want but always wait for reductions or sales. DD's are the same they buy school uniforms in the sales the year before they are needed.
I have very expensive coats from years ago and M&S, Boden, white stuff, Seasalt but usually from the sale nowadays.
The makes I always wore like Jaegar, Vyella,CC,Liz Claiborne and others are no longer available. Jaeger on M&S is not the same quality.

Pinkjj27 I like the idea of a fairy middle class…. But if less clothes were produced in the first place, there is less overall environmental impact? Wonder how many are produced in China?

Catlover123

I had a look at the discount sites mentioned on here and got quite excited until I found that you have no hope if you are sizes 16 or 18!

I am a 16 and manage to find what I need.

I agree that price is no guarantee of sustainability - one has to dig deeper than the price tag. I find Baukjen has good ethical and sustainability principles. I have a few of their pieces. Very well made but pricey.
Yes Bella, bring back the original Jaeger, Vyella and CC.

ronib

Pinkjj27 I like the idea of a fairy middle class…. But if less clothes were produced in the first place, there is less overall environmental impact? Wonder how many are produced in China?

Oops I did write fairly misclassed, I promise, but predictive text must have changed it.
I totally agree but I can only control my habits/ and make changes to my own life styly . I try to make a difference in any way I can. I know that these designers all use sweat shops but I don’t fancy going around naked so the next best thing is to buy 2nd hand or swap clothes.

Just looked up Borden’s sustainable list of manufacturers and China, India, Morocco, Spain etc- bit depressed by now.
Anyone thought of making their own clothes/knitting? Home made knits are great for quality and warmth plus last forever.

Boden

Home made knits sadly do not last forever if you put them in too hot a wash!

The yarn or fabric have to have been sustainably and ethically produced if you’re going to rely on making your own clothes.

GSM well Boden is selling its clothes under the sustainability umbrella and that seems bizarre. Probably all my favourite brands do too.
It’s perfectly possible to use fabrics from charity shops and remodel if really handy. Also can dye old duvet covers if feeling very creative.
How is pure wool not sustainable ?

Have you heard of mulesing sheep? If not I suggest googling. The pictures aren’t pretty.

Germanshepherdsmum

Have you heard of mulesing sheep? If not I suggest googling. The pictures aren’t pretty.

Australian practice GSM? My wool comes from West Yorkshire.

I like to buy from 'Vinted'. Can get good quality for very little.

So long as it’s from UK sheep that’s fine as we don’t, thank heavens, practise mulesing here - but we do of course import a lot of wool. It’s something to bear in mind when buying knitwear too.

I buy all my clothes from eBay or charity shops, except pants and socks. I reckon on a maximum of £5 for tops, £10 for dresses, £15 for jeans (though I have recently bought some gorgeous bootcut Levi’s for £18), and I’ve paid £35 for a superb Barbour winter jacket. Even a nearly-new pair of Le Chameau zip-sided neoprene-lined wellies for £100 were a brilliant bargain.

Often people are selling items that someone has brought back from the USA and not understood the different sizing. I’ve bought unworn Ugg slippers that were listed for sale because they didn’t fit the recipient. Also with some of the more professional sellers, if something is listed as Buy It Now and is unsold and re listed, they’ll often offer it to watchers at a good discount for 48 hours or so. Worth keeping an eye on!

My cast-offs are clean and in excellent condition and other people’s are usually similarly good. Just watch for postage - a t-shirt new with tags was listed for £6 plus £2.45 postage, yet the tag said it was in store for only £8 originally.

Charity shop prices have gone sky high in the national chains but local charities are still worth a look. I hate that so many shops have started sorting their rails by colour instead of by size. It can only be a man’s idea! It’s so ridiculous, I don’t go into a shop thinking, I’ll look for something pink today, I go in to look for clothes in my size, irrespective of colour. I’ve mentioned it in every local store that has done this, they all agree but say it’s a head office instruction.

A local charity shop has a baskets of baby and toddler clothes all at 50p each, I always stock up on a few of those to keep here for the grandchildrens’ inevitable need for clean outfits!

The farmers here are burning the fleeces because there is no market for them.
I have a duvet made of wool and it’s lovely but manufacturers, who are not generally in the U.K., will buy their materials from the cheapest supplier and not bother too much about animal welfare.

There is nothing in my wardrobe that cost me more than £75 and that is a navy Winter Coat that I bought on sale in Debenhams. I love clothes but like a variety rather than a limited number of expensive items. I would spend more on an outfit for a special occasion like a wedding.

Since I have been housebound for six years I have only bought some knickers.
Until I was seventy I always made dresses, suits, trousers, etc myself. It is a pity that there are few material shops these days but I suppose with women going out to work they haven’t the time.

Bijou

Since I have been housebound for six years I have only bought some knickers.
Until I was seventy I always made dresses, suits, trousers, etc myself. It is a pity that there are few material shops these days but I suppose with women going out to work they haven’t the time.

Still lots of fabric, etc.,Bijou but much of it's gone on line.

If we worry too much about sustainability and all that, we will be going around in our birthday suits.I try to never buy anything made in China or in sweat shops in Leicester come to that so rather than buy cheap I look for bargains online from various sources.Charity shops in expensive neighbourhoods are really good, worth making a short journey to.
I had more money in the past but now have to be careful so shop around.

Pamelaj1,
Where is that?
That's dreadful.
Perhaps like Karmalady I should get into spinning.

Thanks Marydoll for introducing me to Otrium, I too try never to pay full price for clothes

DD is the dressmaker in our family. She used to make the most wonderful dressing up clothes when her niece and nephew were small. Now she makes me clothes, as well as for her self. Christmas 21, it was a dress, Christmas 22, some wide legged cotton trousers.