JCP quality has gone downhill but probably still best moderate priced T shirts (St John's Bay). The fabric is cotton but thinner than it used to be.
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JCP quality has gone downhill but probably still best moderate priced T shirts (St John's Bay). The fabric is cotton but thinner than it used to be.
I'm almost always in a t-shirt, long-sleeved in winter and short-sleeved in summer. Most of my t-shirts are from LL Bean, and I've yet to wear one out. My oldest one has to be close to 20 years old. So they may not have the cheapest up-front cost, but my per-wear cost must be excellent.
There’s no way I could wear something regularly for 20 years in a casual way. Grease stains! Food falls on my chest. I am messy.Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
And I have plenty of T-shirts, I just did a big weed of them and threw away at least a dozen. But those are casual, around-the-house -and -garden T-shirts.
The special buy T-shirt was for going places. It’s important that my arms are covered when appearing in the general public!
After finding brake clean as a stain remover, I NEVER throw tops away now.
Brake clean--will have to try this.
I think it was Float-on who shared the stain removing tip of using a 50/50 combination of Blue Dawn and hydrogen peroxide. It it very, very effective. I did once bleach a shirt by leaving the mixture on overnight, so don't do that! I am careful with my clothing and a careful laundress. I have stained a favorite shirt, and just kept treating the spot and laundering it every time I did a load, and eventually the stain came out.
I am skeptical. Grease on natural fabrics? These methods remove grease on cotton? On linen?
I’m training myself to be more careful with clothes I wear when “ out.” When I come home I immediately go upstairs and change clothes. I try not to just sit around for hours in clothes I want to keep clean.
IL, I too wear a good deal of my food. I have trained myself to match my shirt to whatever food I'm planning to eat. Italian? red/pink/orange floral or paisley. Lots of coffee? green/brown/leaf and vine prints. Ice cream? Since I generally go for black raspberry chip or chocolate peanut butter, I wear something darker with lots of swirls. It's much easier that way, lol.....
But I do have plenty of plain ( and plane) shirts, and I like the dawn/peroxide hack. Sometimes I just don't know where we'll end up, so ya gotta be ready for anything! And tide pens. I LOVE tide pens. Couple years ago we were driving through Valley Forge. It was hot and I was driving. DD was in charge of the cooler and we decided to open some of those little V-8 cans. The first one open was slushy-cold and really good. DD opened the second one and it nearly exploded. Like shaken-Coke exploded. Those tiny cans hold a LOT and a good deal of it went onto my NOT tomato colored shirt. And a tide pen daubed it all away, right there in the van.... that sold me!
Wow,.tide pens.Interesting.
wearing clothes same color as food haha! But it's the grease that is my problem not necessarily the color of the food. But yeah, coffee can be messy and my new clothing scheme does include room for tan tops!
IL: You might be interested in this product. It's specifically for grease-based stains. My mom was a huge fan and I learned about this product from her.
https://janiebrand.com/products/janie-dry-stick%C2%AE
Crazy inexpensive… brand doesn’t matter. Spray on and wash immediately. It continuously amazes me. DH saw demo at a trade show and have been using ever since to remove stains.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tybee
https://www.walmart.com/ip/CRC-Super...f77f78c517ba22
Thank you I will tryit, especially with spring coming, as I ruin so many t-shirts with stains, usually coffee.
I just emerged from a “creative frenzy “where I sewed Clothing items. All without a pattern of course because I can’t be bothered to follow a pattern. And the results are predictable, as you would expect. Ha ha! For years, I have sewed household items like pillows and tablecloths. I also make costumes. So my sewing skills are self taught and in the realm of a costume. and any seamstress would be embarrassed by my creations.
My first project was to convert a Victorian lacey long cotton slip into a bigger size so I can wear it. I’ve been hauling this thing around for 25 years and it’s really pretty. It must be at least 100 years old but still sturdy made of cotton and cotton lace. I’m wearing it as a skirt, not an undergarment.
I “up cycled “a shirt by adding my favorite upholstery fabric to it. The result is – – OK. I’ll wear it, but probably not as much as I thought I would.
I spent way too much time making sort of a half pinafore thing with ruffles to go over the Victorian slip. It turned out to be quite heavy and probably not a success.
But because I was able to score a wonderful Boho type linen oversized top on eBay at less than half price of retail, I have an outfit for the Victorian slip. I made little roses out of ribbon and created “pick ups” in the Lacey skirt. It’s really a cute outfit and I can’t wait to wear it.
IL..That sounds like WAAAYYYY too much effort! I definitely don’t have the patience or desire to reinvent clothing. I’d rather pay more for something and be done with it. Although you enjoy shopping and puttering so it definitely is in your wheelhouse!
The creations in my mind are nearly always better than the real thing that come to fruition. But I keep trying, mainly because I have bursts of creative frenzy. I have an idea that MUSE be executed!Quote:
Originally Posted by frugal-one
one fun thing about this last creative effort was that I didn’t spend any money on the pieces of clothing I created or altered. I rummaged around in my fabric stash, ribbon stash, and etc. to find things that would work. I am devastated that the store Joanne’s Fabrics closed, but it’s probably better for my pocketbook because I would’ve run there to get some fabric that I might have ended up not using. As it is, I went to Goodwill and bought a skirt for $5 that I haven’t used, but I still might use Because I like the fabric.
IL: You should share some pictures! I somehow would not have figured you as the ruffled pinafore type.
For my regular everyday clothes, I’m sticking with the black and white/ivory/oatmeal/tan palette, no ruffles! Nothing cutsy.Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
Attachment 6778I
I have mentioned here over the years that I’m very attracted to the voluminous Boho look Even though I don’t have any clothes in that style. But I am now experimenting.
I’m crafting one or two outfits in this style, And they do include ruffles. The pinafore was to add one layer, but I probably won’t use it. I want to work up to seven layers but right now I have only three on my newly crafted outfit. I’m not gonna show it to you. :)
But this is the general look I’m going for in pinks, greens, and neutrals:
as a note on frugality, it is absolutely astonishing how much money one has to pay for a raggedy looking linen thing.
I mean, $250 up to $650. I’m not doing that. I look for some of the labels on eBay and vintage pieces simulate this stuff.
Vintage clothes are cheaper than the newly made Boho items, but they are always in small sizes. They would fit Rosa, but they don’t fit me without alterations.
Where and/or for what occasion are you planning on wearing?
Artsy-fartsy occasions such as the Art openings we have here in Hermann quarterly, Art walks once a month in spring and summer, art shows. There’s a film premier at our little local theater this Tuesday and I plan to wear my Boho outfit then.Quote:
Originally Posted by frugal-one
If you all want to point and laugh at clothes that people with more money than brains buy, look at Krista Larson’s designs. Personally, I love them because I love the combination of fabrics. But these looks are not for everyone that’s for sure
https://kristalarson.com/
I personally prefer a little less ruffles, but what you posted is quite pretty. I can't do flowy boho because I am too small; I end up looking kind of homeless and pathetic. I can definitely appreciate your need to have clothing for these social occasions that differs from your weeding in the garden clothes!Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
Those are the kinds of things I would maybe buy and think I was going to wear and I never would. BDTD. I have learned just how conservative a dresser I am, despite the fact that I LOVE how others wear "art" in their clothing. I wish I could do it. Those Krista Larson outfits are beautiful. I personally just can't wear anything at all that I believe will call attention to myself. Thus, my "uniform" of Ann Taylor classics, which I don't think I will ever stray from at this point. One of these days, I might be more bold with jewelry or scarves because I think older people do well to at least attempt to draw attention away from the worn bits (faces, arms, etc.).
with Krista Larson designs, I think I have to be careful not to look like a clown. Not that I bought any of her stuff yet, but I might someday. I look for it used on eBay.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
but anyway – looking like a clown – but then I think so what? Why CAN’T I look like a clown? Is there some law against looking like a clown? Haha
IL: I say go for it if you want to look like a clown! But be a lovely well-dressed clown!
Catherine: I too am quite conservative but in a more casual LL Bean kind of way. I've wasted a lot of money over the years on aspirational clothing for some other version of me to wear in a parallel universe or something.
aspirational clothing, yeah I think I’m in a an unfortunate phase of that. we shall see if it becomes reality or if these clothes hang in my closet with me thinking they are cool, I should really wear them and then never wear them.Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
Yeah, I have definitely leaned heavily into the LLBean aesthetic myself since I've stopped traveling for work. I like the term "aspirational clothing." In theory I love people who use their own frames as an art installation. I like being the white walls of the museum, personally.Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa