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Forever/long-term items and shorter term items

8 replies

whatausername · 11/03/2023 15:09

I'm not a fan of the word "forever" but I know it's a term some use so I'm rolling with it ;-)
What items do you personally buy with a view to keeping them very long-term and what items do you buy with the acknowledgement (not necessarily outright intention) that they'll probably need replaced in a couple of years? Or even which items do you buy with fashion rather than longevity in mind?

If you buy longer-term/forever clothes or accessories do you only tend to have a couple of that type of item?

I know in years gone by, say pre-1950s, people would tend to make their own clothes or buy something intending to wear it for years. I find it fascinating how attitudes around fashion and style change. Years ago I came across the entries from a newspaper or magazine competition asking newlywed women to write in and describe how they would spend £X over the course of two or three years to build up their wardrobe. Things like year 1 winter coat, hosiery, summer dress; year 2 evening dress, matching bag... I am giving terrible examples. The entries were much better thought out and more detailed than that. Anyway, the winner received the £X to do exactly that - build up the wardrobe that a new wife would "need". It was really fun to read the shortlisted entries!

On a personal level, I tend to buy gloves, hiking clothes and coats with a long-term eye. I'm working on finding better quality pyjamas so I can replace them less frequently. T-shirts and long-sleeved tops I always presume will need replaced at some point but I wear them until they are well and truly done. Partly I think that is because of garment construction and partly I think it is fun to change up clothing and feel a bit expressive so I do that through tops.

OP posts:
QueenofLouisiana · 11/03/2023 15:24

Forever: warm winter coat (as on another thread, last one lasted 9 years), winter boots (currently on year 3 of Muck Boots), leather jacket, blazer.
Short term: T-shirts, leggings- stuff I don’t leave the house in!

CouldIHaveThatInEnglishPlease · 11/03/2023 15:38

Forever (or at least for a few years until they fall apart and can’t be mended) - coats, bags and shoes.

replaceable - pretty much all other clothes.

that’s why my handbag is Gucci yet my jeans and t shirts are primark

CleaningOutMyCloset · 11/03/2023 15:51

Forever
Coats
Country boots
Handbag
Jeans (I wear until they fall apart)

Short term
Tops
Special occasion stuff (Christmas party/birthday party etc)

Floisme · 11/03/2023 16:08

Apart from shoes - because (with the exception of Solovair) I normally end up trashing them no matter what they've cost - I very rarely set out to buy anything for the short term. My problem is that I can rarely tell at the outset how it's going to pan out.

Bobbybobbins · 11/03/2023 16:13

Longer term: coats, shoes, fancy dresses that I don't wear often, handbag.

Short term: socks, underwear, t shorts, swimsuit (I swim a lot and they lose elasticity), jeans (go through at the knees)

Everything else is in the middle!

thedevilinablackdress · 11/03/2023 17:04

I but most things with the expectation they'll last me a long time. Underwear and some sportswear is the only thing I wouldn't expect to last beyond a few years.
The exception to this are wacky vintage gamble items from eBay/charity shops that may or may not stick in my wardrobe. Either they become a beloved treasure or "WHAT was I thinking?" and go back out the door sharpish.

mewkins · 11/03/2023 18:08

I go very easy on clothes and shoes and they seem to last a long time. Even cheap tshirts seem to go on. I have some tesco pyjama bottoms that I got for a fiver when I was pregnant with my dd. She's almost a teen 😄😄

I don't have a tumble dryer though and wash things carefully so think that makes a difference.

Floisme · 11/03/2023 18:17

The exception to this are wacky vintage gamble items from eBay/charity shops that may or may not stick in my wardrobe. Either they become a beloved treasure or "WHAT was I thinking?" and go back out the door sharpish.
Actually that's a good point. If something's second hand I'll take a punt. But even then, I'm still hoping it'll turn out to be a forever buy.
Oh for the gift of hindsight!

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