This Sunday, I was sitting in church, and I noticed that there were pen marks on my shorts. Some of my shirts have stains, too. So, after church, I commented on this to John:
Me: "I’m thinking of buying some new clothes. I haven’t bought new clothes in…"
Long period of silence while John and I try to think of the last time I’ve bought new clothes. Not just a pair of pants because I literally did not have a single pair, but a number of garments at a time.
John, finally, replies decisively: "You’ve never bought new clothes."
This is not entirely true. After much searching of my memory, I recalled that I bought half a dozen new shorts and dressed about ten or fifteen years ago. And I bought three or four garments before going to Arizona when Juss was a baby, about five years ago. Oh, and there was the time I bought sweatshirts. It was before Christmas, so all my sweatshirts have Santa on them.
But other than this, I cannot recall a time I’ve bought more than the one garment I particularly needed at the time since I got married…okay, I had never bought clothes before that either.
I don’t think I’ve ever really "bought clothes"…except the two times mentioned above.*
*In case anyone is wondering "then what does she wear"? My aunt worked at Sax Fifth Avenue. She provided a lot of my clothes when I was young. Then, my mom bought them. Then, co-workers gave me an entire wardrobe they could not longer use, and so did my sister-in-law. And then my mom worked at Talbot, and she’d give me clothes for presents. So, yes, I do wear clothes. I do not negotiate life in the all-together…but not much clothes buying here.
On the other hand, I do own a ridiculous among of clothes! But many of them are very, very old.
Sounds somewhat familiar. I decided about a year ago that all my pants were falling apart and I needed to replenish. Finally managed to do that yesterday. Tis the season, I guess. Now I just need to get a new pair of birkenstocks and I’ll be set for the next 5 years…
I’m with you on that one. It’s thrift shops for me, and I only go there when I really need something. When you’re on a tight budget, shopping is not fun. It’s what I do for my kids. At Wal-mart.
Fortunately, my pretty teenager is given monthly shopping jaunts (within reason) by her grandfather. She’s also good at saving her money from Christmas and birthdays. She doesn’t mind thrift shops in the slightest, but she does enjoy finding excellent bargains at retail stores.
Speaking of clothes, I noticed the boy shot up another inch in the last week. Need any size 12 slims? He’s got an inch of ankle showing and will probably spend the summer in shorts anyway.
Sometime, when we are in the right circumstances, we SHOULD go shopping. I understand it’s something ladies like to do.
Alas, my slim put on weight and now is wearing a heafty with a belt. Sigh.
I completely understand! I never had new clothes growing up (we always shopped thrift stores) until I took a job at JC Penney’s. I think the last time I bought clothes in any number was…2 years ago? I do have a fair number of newish skirts, but that’s because I sewed them. I need to go shopping again, but when you’re on a tight budget, who wants to buy new clothes when that money could get new books?? :)
Exactly…or coffee…or clothes for the children. I do buy clothes for the children occassionally, but only when the many many hand-me-downs run out.
My mom was handy with a sewing machine and iron-on patches, so our clothes lasted quite a while.
But no matter how tight finances got, mom and dad could always find the money to get us books (though we usually got used books–to this day, I still prefer used books to new!) Of course, it helped that dad was a librarian: we got first pick of the used books at the library booksale! :)
Honestly, I’ve never understood the point of getting a new wardrobe every year, though I do know people who do. Seems ridiculously wasteful.
>Honestly, I’ve never understood the point of getting a new wardrobe every year, though I do know people who do. Seems ridiculously wasteful.
I feel the same way. I often wonder what it would be like if we got rid of the fashion industry and just wore servicible clothing we seldom changed. ;-)
Dull, I think. Then there would be the color issues. Pastels v. jewel-tones. Dark colors v.light ones.
But my husband has, bless him, pointed out that most fashions are designed by people who are not necessarily interested in a highlighting the most interesting parts of a woman’s figure.
I remember the preppy stage a couple of decades ago when I was in high school. The clothing was expensive and practically unisex. I showed up at college with a lot of vintage stuff from thrift shops (silk dresses for a buck, anyone?) though also new-bought practical jeans and polo shirts.
Sounds somewhat familiar. I decided about a year ago that all my pants were falling apart and I needed to replenish. Finally managed to do that yesterday. Tis the season, I guess. Now I just need to get a new pair of birkenstocks and I’ll be set for the next 5 years…
I’m with you on that one. It’s thrift shops for me, and I only go there when I really need something. When you’re on a tight budget, shopping is not fun. It’s what I do for my kids. At Wal-mart.
Fortunately, my pretty teenager is given monthly shopping jaunts (within reason) by her grandfather. She’s also good at saving her money from Christmas and birthdays. She doesn’t mind thrift shops in the slightest, but she does enjoy finding excellent bargains at retail stores.
Speaking of clothes, I noticed the boy shot up another inch in the last week. Need any size 12 slims? He’s got an inch of ankle showing and will probably spend the summer in shorts anyway.
Sometime, when we are in the right circumstances, we SHOULD go shopping. I understand it’s something ladies like to do.
I completely understand! I never had new clothes growing up (we always shopped thrift stores) until I took a job at JC Penney’s. I think the last time I bought clothes in any number was…2 years ago? I do have a fair number of newish skirts, but that’s because I sewed them. I need to go shopping again, but when you’re on a tight budget, who wants to buy new clothes when that money could get new books?? :)
Alas, my slim put on weight and now is wearing a heafty with a belt. Sigh.
Exactly…or coffee…or clothes for the children. I do buy clothes for the children occassionally, but only when the many many hand-me-downs run out.
My mom was handy with a sewing machine and iron-on patches, so our clothes lasted quite a while.
But no matter how tight finances got, mom and dad could always find the money to get us books (though we usually got used books–to this day, I still prefer used books to new!) Of course, it helped that dad was a librarian: we got first pick of the used books at the library booksale! :)
Honestly, I’ve never understood the point of getting a new wardrobe every year, though I do know people who do. Seems ridiculously wasteful.
>Honestly, I’ve never understood the point of getting a new wardrobe every year, though I do know people who do. Seems ridiculously wasteful.
I feel the same way. I often wonder what it would be like if we got rid of the fashion industry and just wore servicible clothing we seldom changed. ;-)
Dull, I think. Then there would be the color issues. Pastels v. jewel-tones. Dark colors v.light ones.
But my husband has, bless him, pointed out that most fashions are designed by people who are not necessarily interested in a highlighting the most interesting parts of a woman’s figure.
I remember the preppy stage a couple of decades ago when I was in high school. The clothing was expensive and practically unisex. I showed up at college with a lot of vintage stuff from thrift shops (silk dresses for a buck, anyone?) though also new-bought practical jeans and polo shirts.