following on from puzzled person's question - what's the oldest thing you own that you still wear

[hatwoman]

I too have noticed that the world and their husband seem to be head to toe in this year's clothes. I buy reasonable quality stuff - i wear it for years and I think I manage to look kind of fashionable. in a classicy sort of way (but have been wondering recently if I am sadly deluded)

the other day someone complemented me on my coat: Jigsaw c. 1999. ditto a jumper I wore the other day that dh said look nice - jigsaw c. 1998. I went to a party recently and got compliments about my black skirt with frily edge and scoop-neck top to match - Liz Clairborne 2000. My suit (the only one I own) which I still really like is also from 2000

I have tonnes of clothes of this sort of age. and older. - not scruffs relegated to sunday morning slobbing - nice stuff that I still think looks good. am I deluded? am I in fact a frump? or a very boring dresser?

what about you?

A GAP sweatshirt that swamped me in High school. I used to love it because it was insanely large on me. It was comfy. Fits me perfectly now. I guess its about 13 years old

Ah yes Frayed.
I have what I always thoguht were the ultimate pair of jeans from uni (1995).Like you, weight fluctuated a bit with pregnancies but now I can fit into them again and they are ALL WRONG! Such a disappointemnt.

Willima Leith covers this topic in his book on weightloss and gain.

ooo, just remembered. i have a white guess sweatshirt from 1996 that i wear loads now. havent worn it for about ten years or so because of wight flutctuations, but fit into it again.

I have changed shape too I suppose. I used to have a trim waist, now the slightest hint of anything bloaty going on, and I look about 8 months pregnant. Trousers with higher cut waists seem to pinch in where they never pinched before.

i am currently wearing size ten jeans, (yeah!!!) but have mahoosive belly hanging over the top. body shape has changed dramatically having had three children. what to do?

Today ds2 wore a jumper that my mum made for my big brother 43 years ago. I have lots of our baby clothes that my mum kept, and I love to see my LOs wearing them.

My oldest garment is probably a black-and-white silk tweed mens' overcoat that I use as a dress coat for fancy parties. I bought it when I worked at Selfridges as a student...22 years ago.

Couldn't say that I wear it regularly any more - it's last outing was dh's Xmas work do a year ago, and it will probably come out again for this year's do (or should that be at my social life?).

I have a t-shirt that I bought while at school in 1989. Not a single hole or unravelling seam, the cotton is not even thinning. I have been wearing it at least once a week for its whole life as pyjamas and I am absolutely gobsmacked by the quality. Apparently Snoopy is THE brand for hard-wearing clothing!

i have a rugby shirt that was my brother's, he gave it me when i was 11 and its my snuggly top.

for going out clothes, i had a polka dot top from the time it was in in the 80's and have worn it regularly, then suddenly last year, back in style!

My smart coat is from 1983 (although I can't fasten it anymore).

I regularly wear an Icelandic jumper that I knitted in 1984.

lol at snoopy ]grin]

Like Califrau (you changed your name back??), I have acquired a lot of my nana's ever so stylish clothes and costume jewellery. Some smart and some casual, all fitting like a glove. My favourites are a beautiful wool coat in browns and ambers with huge chunky buttons, and a tailored skirt suit (a la elegant 1940s lady ). The quality must be wonderful because everything must all be between 60 and 30 years old. But a lot was probably always 'kept for best' and well cared for. There are some nice ball gown type dresses too that I haven't had occasion to wear but which every so often I try on for fun . One day I shall go to the ball, you see, and I have to keep making sure they fit .

I wear her jewellery most days.

dh's step grandmother was a designer and seamstress - real high quality stuff - made for the great and good of Kensington, including, I am told, the odd commission for royalty. she has recently gone into an old people's home so fil had to clear her flat out. he's brought some of her own stuff back to his house and it's stunning - reflects such a different attitude to clothing. the vast majority of it is hand made - includes a hand-made long velvet coat - and the quality is incredible - the feel and weight of the fabric - the quality of the finishes. she also has a vast collection of hats - all beautifaully stored - immaculately wrapped in tissue paper and each in its own hat box. gorgeous sytles - really stylish styles - if that makes sense. there's a couple that I so fancy myself in - I couldn;t carry them off now, but makes me want to scoot back to a different era for a few days.

She was, perhaps unsuprisingly for her era and profession, about a size 6. or even a 4. even my step-mil who's somewhere in between a 6 and an 8 can't get into the stuff.

i have two t-shirts that i occasionally wear (about once in a few years) - one is from when i was 12, i bought it in paris, it has a black and white newspaper-like print and still looks pretty cool, and another t-shirth from when i was 8! it has a great worn in feel and colour...

I have a hoody from when I was a student so about 1988.

DD wears a dress I used to wear. It is for 5 year olds so must be about 1972 ish

so you must either be really tiny or the t-shirts are baggy, DWTGOOB!

Fat Face hoody circa 1989, bright pink and lovely!

I have a pair of chunky brown boots from Jones from about ?1994 they were sooooo expensive I reckon they might have been £80! a fortune at the time. anyway I still love them but at the moment can't find any new long brown bootlaces to fit them
other than that, everything gets moved around due to weight fluctuation like frayed knot.

I have a pink shirt which was part of my staff uniform when I worked in Richards in 1985.Have also thrown away yesterday,a long grey mac,which I bought from Lewises when I worked there in the same year.I only chucked it becuse it had an oil stain on it that I couldn't get out.

Dh says that he has never known anyone who keeps clothes as long as me.He also thinks it odd that I can remember exactly where & when I bought them,and how much they cost.