Welcome to Thrifty Living Today. A special way of life for the Twenty-first Century.
My name is Lori Blatzheim and I am your host.
Do Clothes Really Make the Man or Woman?
Do we Really Think When We Buy Clothes?
Do we consider the what, why, where, when and how of our shopping trip? Do we look at the jackets, tops, slacks, shoes in the closet or socks in the drawer before we go shopping ? Do we consider a trip to the Mall a social event?
Put a little more planning into your shopping trip. Figure out what you need.
Do you need a specific piece of clothing for a party or family event? Before going shopping take a second look at what is in your closet. Maybe you can use an accessory or a tailor to make the piece work.
I have a problem. As a nurse wearing uniforms to work, my street clothes seldom wear out. The result is a closet full of clothes. They are still in great condition. I don’t really need anything.
Are You Tempted to Buy When You Receive a Dollars off Coupon?
It seems as though we have received a great many coupons for clothing recently. When they come, they prompt us to consider what is really in the closet. Does one of us really need a new coat, a jacket, slacks, hat, scarf, or gloves? No! The problem is, the coupon is so tempting. Last week we received one that said $10 off when you buy $25 worth of merchandise, in store only. What do you think? I think they wanted to get customers into the store and that they were willing to sacrifice $10 to do so.
Fashion, Do You Use It as a Standard for What You Buy?
At one point in my life, I really watched women’s magazines and friends at the school I attended. I wanted to make certain that I was wearing whatever was in style. One year, short skirts were “the thing.” The next year everyone was into long skirts. (I considered adding a horizontal panel to my skirts so that I could still wear them.) I learned that the dictates of Fashion required enough change that women would continue buying garments. The same goes for men’s ties which seemed to widen or become narrower in a defined rhythm.
After that I had a new goal, to wear what fit and what appeared to look the best on me. I think a lot of us are hesitant to wear something “different.” We don’t want to step out of the house with a long dress to attend a function where the majority of women might be wearing a short skirt. Now is that silly or what? There is something about “being yourself.” If what you are wearing is clothing that is in good taste, go for it. Expect positive attention once you get to the function. You deserve it.
One of the important items on the market, today, is boots. Here in the cold and snowy North, we see women hobbling along in long knee length boots with stiletto heels. They look elegant, but there is one problem. Beneath all the snow there can be ice. I congratulate women who are able to walk in these boots on icy surfaces, but I don’t want to try it.
Some of you have “dress codes” at work. In this case you must do whatever necessary to “look the part.” Still, you can evaluate your current wardrobe and determine where you can find the best quality items at the lowest price. This is a good time to check the ads and sales.
It is helpful for you to know your measurements and, in many instances, to try on an item to really check the color and fit. Yes, this does take time and you need to find a changing booth. But consider the time and effort you need to put in if you get home and the piece of clothing just does not fit or the color does not work.
Maintaining, Repairing or Altering Your Clothes:
I recently took about six long sleeved knit shirts with high collars down to the laundry room. I looked for splotches or grease and stains from food spills. I sprayed the areas with a laundry stain removal product and spent about thirty seconds working it into the cloth with my fingers. Then I waited ten minutes before starting the washer. In the end, two of the shirts still had remnants of stain but I now wear four of the items.
The same goes for shoes boots or whatever you wear on your feet. An attachment on my favorite pair of sandals came apart. The soles of these are still in good shape, the sandals are “broken in” and very comfortable. I decided to take them to a local shoemaker who has worked “miracles” for me before. Now, I can wear them again.
Final Thoughts
We realize now, that we need to do an audit on our closets. We will probably find a lot of items that just aren't needed. We plan to offer them to charitable organizations and to reorder the clothes we have.
Lori Blatzheim is a wife, mother, nurse, writer, and thrift advocate. She knows that use of Thrift can help people because she has experienced the benefits.
