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Re-wear your clothes?

217 replies

Jux · 07/05/2022 01:33

Do you do that? Re-wear them?

What do you do when you wear your clothes again (apart from keep downwind of other people of course!)

OP posts:
mowglika · 07/05/2022 10:55

I rewear everything except underwear and vests. Even socks are ok to wear another day if necessary as I have cold feet that never really sweat.

Its an individual thing though as people sweat/smell to varying degrees, different stages of life etc. I’m pregnant and definitely sweatier than usual so my clothes are washed more often. I’ll probably go back to rewearing clothes when my hormones settle down again.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 07/05/2022 10:59

BigWoollyJumpers · 07/05/2022 10:51

The smell I can't abide is the very strong washing scent. There is nothing worse than being out in the countryside in the lovely fresh air, and passing someone who smells strongly of washing scent. There is one in particular, which is quite common, that I really hate. I have to use the least flowery one I can find.

I suppose in that case, I prefer the smell of slightly unwashed clothes!!

There are a lot of things worse

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 07/05/2022 11:00

spidersenses · 07/05/2022 10:38

I never rewear anything. I have a really sensitive sense of smell! Can't even stand the smell of deodorant on tops that have been worn once.

What can you smell on a jumper or pair of jeans that have been worn once?

AzazaelsFury · 07/05/2022 11:00

DropYourSword · 07/05/2022 01:38

I rewear jeans / skirts etc as my legs don't and never have smelled!!
I always wash tops after one wear because armpits!

Deodorant????!!! It was made to avoid this.

I wear unsoiled tops/pants /jumpers or jackets once - maybe twice - but underwear and socks are one wear. If something was spilt or wiped on it (during cooking, dealing with pets or children, etc...) straight in the wash.

To not wear a top again because armpits seems bizarre unless you haven't discovered deodorant and I know this can be a real issue. I've smelt people who haven't discovered it so I guess for those people it's a must do but for those in this century living in first world countries I imagine know of and use deodorant..

DressingPafe · 07/05/2022 11:02

For me it depends how soon I might wear said item again. I rarely go out for a “dressed up” evening now so if I do, I would wash those things after one wear as I might not wear them again for months. I don’t want something that’s been worn hanging in my wardrobe with all the clean stuff and I don’t want a piled up chair (where I do put used items for rewearing) of things I won’t wear for ages.

I wfh so don’t have to think about being seen in the same outfit 2 days running, so generally speaking I will wear things for 2-3 days (of course undies changed daily). Then they go in the washing basket and a new outfit goes on. That way I don’t have piles of worn but clean clothes hanging around.

maddiemookins16mum · 07/05/2022 11:05

Shower every day, clean knickers every day (bra goes 2 days). I WFH, my tops alternate every other day, my jogging bottoms last Monday to Friday (I sit at a desk from 8-4. I even get two days out of socks now. I change into ‘leisure type pyjamas’ when I finish work and change them every three days on average. Don’t sleep in them. I realised that I really didn’t need a clean top every day when I was wearing it for 8 hours and only sat at a desk.

Bouledeneige · 07/05/2022 11:05

I wear fresh pants and socks but re-wear tops and trousers unless they are dirty. Clothes lose their lustre so quickly with frequent washes. I am not a smelly person though and now post menopause don't sweat at all.

Roastonsun8 · 07/05/2022 11:05

Exactly to have more than one alfit on top of a chair is a bit unhygienic if your forming a pile just put them in the wash. Clothes hold scents and you can smell it when ironing so I think it's the main reason for washing clothes that dont look dirty all the time.

WombatChocolate · 07/05/2022 11:07

So interesting to see the different views.

Fascinating that some people think re-wearing anything is a sign of dirtiness or somehow indicates poverty or lack of self respect or concern for those around you. This will also be the brigade who wash towels after each use and change their bed multiple times a week. It seems they have zero interest in the environment and their cleanliness ‘radar’ is set to some crazy level. I seriously wonder what causes this attitude.

No-one wants to stink or be about in filthy clothes. However, some people, seem to think any rewearing means you will stink.

Ive always done some rewearing and have made a conscious effort to do more for environmental and cost (laundry energy) reasons.

Jeans - increased from wearing 3 times to 5 or 6 unless a reason not to.
Inner layer top - often wear twice now. Always check first that it’s okay.
Outer layer like jumper - increased from 3 to 6 times unless a reason not to
Skirts - increased from twice to 3 times unless reason why not.
Dresses - depending on fabric, wear twice.

Socks wear once, often have 2 pairs of knickers per day. In summer, tops worn once. if I’ve spilled something diwn clothes, don’t wear again, or if something like sweaty day or period, probably wear items less.

A sniff test is imminently sensible. people should trust their noses more!

LindaEllen · 07/05/2022 11:11

Knickers and socks I change every day. Everything else as and when needed, when it smells or if it doesn't feel clean anymore. I don't know why some people need to change everything every day - you must have so much washing. FWIW I always use super strength deo, so I literally don't sweat whatsoever.

Fernsinthegarden · 07/05/2022 11:12

Can’t believe you don’t incinerate your clothes after you’re finished wearing them 😱
I do rewear, it’s not something I consciously think about but I do have ‘chair clothes’, ‘wardrobe clothes’ and depending on how much the laundry has built up ‘in the washing basket clothes.’

Jux · 07/05/2022 11:13

Grin sorry, I went to bed and forgot about this thread. I've also worded it badly as I was half asleep - never start a thread on MN when you're knackered.....

I don't 're-wear' my clothes. Ever. Not because I'm particularly smelly, but because I wear them again instead. Re-wear is such an inelegant and ugly and unnecessary phrase and I objected to it.

Anyway, thank you for your time and considered responses, and apologies to any who might be pissed off with me.

OP posts:
LeeMucklowesCurtains · 07/05/2022 11:18

I have young children so I generally end up covered in all sorts of shit, so I never rewear my clothes.

I am quite active as well.

I might wear jumpers a few times, or a dress. But I don’t tend to wear them all day, I’ll whip them off when I get in and put on something more practical for being on the floor and having food smeared on me.

Im too fat for jeans, but if I wasn’t, I would probably wear them a few time before washing.

HangingOver · 07/05/2022 11:20

Pants and socks: new every day
Tops: 2 wears
Jumpers: when they get ketchup on
Favourite baggy jeans: wash as little as possible...they go SOOO love and soft the longer they're worn
Bras: 💀

amusedbush · 07/05/2022 11:24

I have Outdoor Clothes and Indoor Clothes. I WFH so I'll wear the same leggings and baggy t-shirt for 2-3 days (and by "days", I mean a few hours of sitting still at my desk). I wash and change my pants and socks in between.

If I'm going outside, I'll put on a jumper or blouse, then change back into my t-shirt when I get home.

Jeans are worn until they're dirty.

I really dislike the judgement from some people who apparently shower three times a day, wash towels after every use and change their bedding every other day. Maybe that's necessary for them because of their personal odour and activity levels but I'm not a sweaty or smelly person. DH has no filter when it comes to stuff like that so he would 100% tell me if I smelled. Not washing clothes after every single wear doesn't make someone a "minger" Hmm

FabFitFifties · 07/05/2022 11:29

I wear uniform for work 4 days a week. I tend to wear clean jeans and top on Saturday, if clean, wear again Sunday. Clean top on Day off Monday. Sometimes the same pair of jeans will go on after work all week - unless visibly dirty. I come home 6 pm so not on that long. Going out or smarter clothes for going places will get hung back in wardrobe,when I come home again. I've just bought loads of dresses to cut down on jeans wear, so we'll see what difference that makes. Average 2 days for a top.

AMegaPint · 07/05/2022 11:33

Pants/sockschange everyday. Bras every 2-3 days depending of sweaty ness. Everything else gets worn multiple times unless it's smelly/dirty. I find it bizarre that people wash tops after one wear even if it's not smelly or physically dirty. There's really no need.

pointythings · 07/05/2022 11:38

@Jux I didn't even think re-wear was a word! 😄

Bananalanacake · 07/05/2022 12:09

I also have clean knickers and socks every day, everything else gets at least 3 wears. I have a choice of light, thick jumpers and cardigans, these get washed every 2 months as I'm not wearing them all the time. My 2 DC also wear clothes twice. I'm amazed at those who do 3 washes a day, when I wash 3 loads a day (dark, light, 60 degrees) there is not enough for a full wash for at least a week.
Towels are used for 10 days before they go in the wash.

00100001 · 07/05/2022 12:32

Jux · 07/05/2022 11:13

Grin sorry, I went to bed and forgot about this thread. I've also worded it badly as I was half asleep - never start a thread on MN when you're knackered.....

I don't 're-wear' my clothes. Ever. Not because I'm particularly smelly, but because I wear them again instead. Re-wear is such an inelegant and ugly and unnecessary phrase and I objected to it.

Anyway, thank you for your time and considered responses, and apologies to any who might be pissed off with me.

But you DO re-wear your clothes.

I absolutely 100% do not believe you.

For example, you're out for a coffee with a friend, and you remove a cardigan, because it's a bit warm, and then when it's cools down, there is no way you brought along a second cardigan to wear, because the first one will have been worn.

I fail to believe that you would take an entire second set of clothes to take to the swimming pool, to get changed into after wards.

You clearly use the same pants after removing them go to the loo. Or are you telling me you wear 4-6 pairs a day?

You definitely "re-wear" clothes.

00100001 · 07/05/2022 12:33

Oh.... Sorry.

U see what you're saying now... Blush

ArabeI · 07/05/2022 13:28

I rewear things like wool knitwear, thanks to a tip from here long ago that it's unnecessary and airing is all that's needed.

ArabeI · 07/05/2022 13:34

That *washing every time is unnecessary, I should have said!

99victoria · 07/05/2022 14:22

Whenever there's one of these threads I always wonder how people who only wear all their clothes once manage when they go on holiday? We have just had 2 weeks travelling around Italy and we both took a rucksack suitcase with us (weighed about 14kg). It was nice weather but most days I needed a jumper or cardigan. I took 3 with me and wore them alternately throughout the holiday. We were only staying in each location for 48 hours so not really time to do washing. How would you manage that situation? Would you pack 14 jumpers or spend precious holiday time seeking out a launderette (we had a very tight itinerary)

LaBellina · 07/05/2022 14:27

It really depends on what piece of clothing it is and the material that it’s made of, and the season.

A woolen jumper for example can be worn a few times before washing but synthetic tops are usually smelling after wearing it once so I don’t rewear them. Jeans are also worn a few times unless they are dirty.