How long do you keep clothes for? People at work have made feel a bit shit

[TeapotCollection]

Work colleague was talking about her nephew earlier saying he’s started to get a bit mouthy. She said he’s 10 though so I guess it’s fairly normal. I said I’ve got clothes older than him and the 3 of them all looked rather shocked and said they can’t believe I’m wearing stuff that’s so old

Please tell me I’m not the only one

My wedding dress was from the 1940s. That’s older than my parents

My favourite jumper is a simple Pringle cashmere roll neck in a lovely shade of cornflower blue which gets me compliments every time I wear it. It cost me 1.99 in a charity shop 32 years ago. If you buy good quality clothes that fit, suit you and go with other stuff why bother buying new? Not short of cash just don't much like shopping.

@BeefSupreme

My wedding dress was from the 1940s. That’s older than my parents

For a second I misread that as 'my wedding dress from the 1940s' and was wondering how old you were!

I'm 40. My teenaged daughter wore a dress of mine to a wedding recently. I had owned it for many years before I even met her dad and it was from some cheap high street clothes shop. It was my go to little black number that maybe cost £12.99 and I bought it during a college lunchtime.

A number of my clothes such as jumpers or suit jackets are older than most of my children too.

It's surprising how wasteful some people can be. Wear something X amount of times and get rid? Not me. I'm happy to debboble or sew a button back on if needed as long as it looks good.

Sad to say though that I couldn't even get a leg in my little black number these days.

On my 40th, I wore the dress I got for my 18th birthday. Still quite a lot of 6th form/ student items in my wardrobe.

Going out/ work clothes last longest through light use or classic styles. My casual clothes get heavier wear and get worn out more easily but I get a good few years regular use out of them before they're past their best.

I recently had to finally throw away some vests that were as old as dd - 17! I also have a beautiful Jaeger jumper I bought in a charity shop when I was 18 (I'm 45); I can't bring myself to throw it away even though I have 'outgrown' it!

I have plenty of items in my wardrobe which are over 20 years old.

@DoucheCanoe

Until it's wrecked, I don't like it or it doesn't fit.

This.

I've also still got my secondary school skirt and I left school in 2000.

I don't actually know why because I can't fit in it (and I wouldn't wear it anyway!) I've just always kept it!

I’ve got stuff so old it’s come back into fashion and my dd’s are fighting over it

I wear a coat that I bought in 1995

Have dresses from 1920s

Half my wardrobe is older than my eldest who is 11. Honestly, they are the weird ones. Unless your clothes a thread bear and hanging off you in tatters then what's the issue?

Fashion goes round in circles and the stuff I wore as a teen is now bag in fashion ( just wish I still had the finger fit it)

Plus it is much better for the environment to invest in clothes rather than cheep ones you change every season.

I mainly buy tops from charity shops or car boots so probably have some kicking around that may be a decade old.

If I don't wear them or get sick of them I re-donate but what other people think doesn't come into it. Your colleagues are both rude and weird which is quite a combination.

I'm 48 and last year wore a black dress to a funeral that I wore on my 18th birthday! I still regularly wear clothes that I had at university. The quality of the materials seems so much better.

I also have a navy satin short robe, that my mum bought for me when I wanted to have a nightie cover up but didn't want a 'granny' dressing gown when I went on a residential school trip.

In year 9.

In 1997/8.

This is the label what a blast from the past... that's old style New Look branding

It still looks like new and I still wear it (I'm 37!). It's survived four house moves and two children!

I have a Wallis faux fur leopard swing coat that I bought when I was pregnant, that baby is 30 this year!

Always comes out when it snows and somebody will always ask where it's from - cue the baby story!

Plenty of tshirts that are 10-15 years old, lots of kumpers/cardigans that are probably even older. I wear stuff until its literally falling apart!

Quality clothes last for ever!

No way I read a piece on climate change yesterday and it said if only we all did this it would make a real difference, we are way too used to cheap clothing that we get rid of really quickly. Dont feel bad about it at all.

Clothes from the late 1990's and early 2000. A family member of mine used to take me shopping when I was a teen and showed me how to buy clothes that wouldn't date, wash well etc. Sadly I find the quality in most shops have dropped dramatically since.

Dont worry.
It has become trendy over the last couple of years to have old clothes.
Knew that when I started seeing teenagers in our charity shops.

I've got a white linen skirt from Warehouse that I bought before I got married - we're celebrating our Silver Wedding this year!

I've also got a 1930's clutch bag that DH bought me.

And I've still got my wedding dress (can't get it done up though ).

@dontyouworrydontyouworrynow

I also have a navy satin short robe, that my mum bought for me when I wanted to have a nightie cover up but didn't want a 'granny' dressing gown when I went on a residential school trip.

In year 9.

In 1997/8.

This is the label what a blast from the past... that's old style New Look branding

It still looks like new and I still wear it (I'm 37!). It's survived four house moves and two children!

That makes me feel old….New Look is still a new comer to the retail clothing market in my head.