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Original poster

Was anyone else... a Clothkits child? Do you think...

75 replies

MeAndMyMonkey · 18/09/2007 19:58

...it was the Boden of its day, or something altogether much nicer?
Do you remember that there were no normal colours like 'red' and 'blue', but instead things like 'tomato' and 'teal'?
Was it just for lazy mums who couldn't be arsed to sew from scratch, or what?
And finally, is it still availaible, I am feeling rather nostalgic for my three-tiered, elephant print dress.

Or was it really just me and my sis who were forced to dress this way? Up until the age of 12, if I remember correctly!
And finally, sorry if this is wrongly placed in style; i have never started a thread before

OP posts:

elkiedee · 19/09/2007 22:52

We used to get the catalogues and there was a branch near my grandparents' house in Oxford but I don't know how much we actually bought, will have to ask my mum. Suspect they were quite expensive as money was tight in our house up until the early 80s and in the period I remember Clothkits stuff, my mum and stepdad were much better off later as my brother and sister were growing up.

Skribble · 19/09/2007 22:54

I was part cloth kits. I had a gorgeous pinifore dress with matching rag dolls in the pockets.

Do you still get them or something similar???

funnypeculiar · 19/09/2007 22:57

Sigh - another one here with matching sasha doll outfits.
I think on the last Clothkits thread someone said you can find them on ebay (kits rather than clothes) for a fortune.
I have one of my old clothkits coats in the cupboard waiting for dd to grow ( a farm scene, with all different animals hiding in the pockets on bits of elastic....)

Original poster

MeAndMyMonkey · 20/09/2007 09:50

It wasn't for people who couldn't sew, the patterns just made it slightly easier than sewing from scratch .
I still think the clothes are adorable and am v jealous of all of you with a secret Clothkits pattern stashed away!
Right, am off now to get Kitty and Sacha out for a doll's tea-party...

OP posts:

Spidermama · 20/09/2007 10:00

It's amazing for me to discover there were other children in this country wearing clothkits. I was the only person in my world who had ever even heard of clothkits. Sadly, as an English girl in Aberdeen, I was also the only person forced to wear nature trek shoes to school. And have wholemeal bread.

No wonder I've turned out like I have.

WendyWeber · 20/09/2007 10:27

They didn't actually go bust until the late 80s (or even early 90s) but the kits had stopped by then I think. They even started selling ready-made kit clothes like the padded jackets - for non-sewers with non-sewing relations

My older 3 (born 82, 85 and 88) wore Clothkits a lot - the last few ranges were very Bodenish.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 20/09/2007 10:44

LOL @ the appropriateness of someone called WendyWeber posting on a Clothkits thread!

Lizzer · 20/09/2007 10:45

Oooo, happy memories brought back, thanks meandmyM! I was in love with my wraparound cat print skirt in some shade of muted green. I tied ribbons to my tambourine and danced around feeling all gypsy-like (which was my career goal age 8, I was never destined to be a career woman)

Gosh was it really the boden of it's time? I hadn't realised my mum was so 'in'

Kathyis6incheshigh · 20/09/2007 11:10

Lizzer - I had a wraparound cat print skirt, in lilac. I still have the Cloth Kitty version!

RnB · 20/09/2007 11:12

Message withdrawn

MrsBadger · 20/09/2007 11:16

oh those padded jackets

my grandma made one for my little sister with endangered species in the pockets
how lentilly?

Lizzer · 20/09/2007 11:18

Kathy OMG! I've just remembered I had a little one too, my tiny tears wore it!! You've just jogged that memory for me, thanks!

Lizzer · 20/09/2007 11:18

LOL @ "with endangered species in the pockets"

Bessie123 · 20/09/2007 12:18

clothkits outfit going free

Original poster

MeAndMyMonkey · 20/09/2007 15:06

Thanks for those links, Bessie and Bobsmum. Still wallowing in a kingfisher coloured haze of nostalgia here. Padded jackets are coming back to me now, kind of purplish with Indian-style prints?
Bizarrely, my mum was talking about Clothkits only today. I asked if she'd kept any of our stuff, sadly no.
Majorly jealous of wraparound cat skirt, swishing to tambourines etc. All v Jilly Cooper, I think, but that's a WHOLE other thread!

OP posts:

WendyWeber · 20/09/2007 15:15

Jackets came in all colours - we had a dusty pink one, a black and white one and a red and blue one (all with little animals in pockets) - I'll have to find a couple of pics and scan them in for you to drool over, MAMM

suedonim · 20/09/2007 15:52

Aw, Clothkits! Their stuff was different to anything else. I had some CK clothes myself and the dd's has dresses and jackets. Istr the kits came with matching toy animals you could make up. Dd1 loved those.

Mercy · 20/09/2007 16:02

bobsmum, I had a look at your link, thank you . I do like some of the stuff but unfortunately it's a rather pricey for me. May order a catalogue though and keep any eye out for the sales!

What are the sizes like?

Bluestocking · 20/09/2007 20:41

OMG Spidermama, I wore cornish pasty shoes to school too - I actually chose mine myself in a fit of "I will express my difference through my footwear" and suffered mentally all winter - didn't suffer physically though, they were jolly comfy! Were you tempted to buy a pair when Clarks brought them back this year? I thought about it for a nano-second and decided against it. They were called Nature Trek, weren't they?

Spidermama · 20/09/2007 22:38

Yep. Nature Trek. The name still sends a shudder through me. I remember all my slender footed friends in their granny shoes (Brogues style pointy things with heels.)

mazzystar · 08/11/2007 15:04

i have just found out that they are about to re-launch

my mum made all my clothes herself sv never gvt to have them myself, but thought you nostalgics might like to know

GreenGlassGoblin · 08/11/2007 15:16

Really? Relaunch? I was a clothkits child of the 70's and loved it - all those bright colours and patterns. I would SO buy them for DS if I could. Especially the jerkins with furry insides and toggles to do them up. Sigh.

Lilymaid · 08/11/2007 15:20

Clark's Naturetrek shoes were fantastic. They were guaranteed for a year and after 11 months the soles always split. My male friends at university kept themselves in shoes for years for the price of one pair.

mazzystar · 08/11/2007 15:29

well they have just advertised for a graphic designer to do a new logo for them, and there is a holding site up at clothkits.co.uk so i think you may be in luck

wheresthecorkscrew · 08/11/2007 15:39

They had a branch in Bath and I remember being furious with my mum for dressing me in their clothes when I wanted to wear Tammy Girl polyester tat I did love my Cloth Kitty though and remember dancing with her to the music they used to have instead of adverts when Channel Four started broadcasting, which makes me now feel very elderly

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