If you had a Time Machine and could bring back clothes of your past back what would you bring back?

[PragmaticDramatic]

Miss Selfridge bootcut jeans.
Next combat skirt

All my gorgeous boot cuts and wide legs from 20 years ago. Also the cargo pants I wore when pregnant. I sized up to what I thought was a ‘massive’ size 12 😮 - they’d fit me now (just).

My Katharine Hamnett ‘Choose Life’ sweatshirt I was given when briefly a model in the late 80s. I was about 16 and didn’t see it as the vintage gem it would become. Ditto the original Monty Don earrings my agency gifted me. I gave photos, but sadly, not the actual earrings.

Sweater shop jumpers. I bloody love ugly jumpers

And my extremely baggy skater jeans worn with a very tight but not quite cropped vest top. Wouldn't get away with it at 41 and much less the size I am now. Unfortunately I have no idea what I should wear so I have no joy in clothing and find it a bit of a chore! 🤣

Black, boned, halter neck corset with a beaded pattern on it. I got a shock when I met up with old uni friends a few weeks back and one had dig out a picture of me in it.

25 years ago now, I looked so good and slim in it.

I'd also like my mum's black velvet jacket from the 70's. She gave it to me to wear in the 90's. I don't remember giving / throwing it away but I must have done. It was a 1970's size 8 so possibly it got too small. I'd love DD to enjoy wearing it now. It was so well made with a really well cut, nipped in waist.

My Tank Girl combat boots - much comfier than my DMs.

My grey and black bustle skirts. I loved them - so Victorian. My black double frill maxi skirt. Also had a Victorian/gothic vibe.
Pretty sure they'd still fit me too. ☹

I still have most of my 1980’s clothes, but they’re now in dd’s wardrobe…

A houndstooth skirt and tweed trousers both from early noughties Oasis. They were both lined and real classics but I gave them to charity as I no longer fit them post children. Also a funky denim shacket from Miss. Selfridge. I went up a couple of sizes after having my kids and have never been able to slim back to my 20 something figure.

What really annoys me is that I gave away so many decent clothes from the high street that were of a quality you just don't get any more these days 😞

Oh if only!
It was 1991. I had scrimped and saved for a few amazing outfits for back to school. A pair of white baggy, button fly jeans, a white eyelet lace blouse, a khaki wrap dress, a black silk (with see through black sleeves) top and jean skirt.
We had no washer, so had to go to town to the laundromat, we also dropped our garbage off at the dump on the way. I'm sure you can see where this is going...
Got to the laundromat , frantically opening all the bags, no sign at all.
I was devastated

Black Chelsea Girl strapless knee length dress (for grown up parties when I wasn't grown up!)
White cropped sailor jacket
Tan pixie boots (wore them out totally)
Orange Principles (I think ) long circular skirt
3"high heeled brown ankle boots (from New Look) wore them to bits at work
Taupe pencil skirt with fishtail pleating at the back - favourite work skirt
Tartan narrow leg trousers (Chelsea girl) wedding outfit ....
ruffled shirt, with gold edging (Chelsea girl) (to go with tartan trousers...)
Suede tan knee boots (Clarks). Had them whilst pregnant and beyond until they dropped to bits. They were a perfect fit and I've been unable to find a similar pair/fit

Think there's a theme. Chelsea Girl. Wearing out footwear (which continues today - find something I like and wear them into the ground!)

You are right about the quality from fast fashion places like Chelsea girl and even New Look (in the early days).

Plus the regret of getting rid is big, but in reality I had no where to keep them plus would be too small. I have kept all my jewellery from that time though.

Just remembered another dress. Pale blue slip type knee length. And it had a cottage garden printed up the front and embellished with embroidery.

My Edwardian sackback peignoir.

Loads of stuff I bought in the 90s that would all be good to wear now. Before I got overzealous with declutterring!

My black panne velvet maxi skirt and matching long sleeved t shirt that I wore in Uni. My white afghan coat. The 1970s were wonderful for fashion.

All those people who say “If you haven’t worn it for a year you never will” just don’t know what they are talking about.

Yes indeed, and I hope some of them are reading.

But I know lots of people have very little spare space. I can put away and save clothes now but I moved house loads of times in my 20s and 30s and sometimes stuff just had to go. The main things I think about with regret are:

Everything I ever owned in velvet before the early noughties, even the hippy jacket with the stupid sleeves and the skirt with the embroidery and tiny mirrors. (I'd get them altered). It never occurred to me that proper, cotton velvet would disappear and that we'd be left with that ghastly, shiny synthetic stuff.

A couple of linen blazers from M&S in the 80s. It would cost Margaret Howellesque prices to replace them now.

Some 70s bright blue clogs with flowers painted on them; not to wear but I'd put them on display.

hmm I've just read my post again and I'm checking whether typing M&S automatically turns it into a link? I certainly didn't intend it to be one. Let's see....

Yes it appears that it does. Well well well, I never knew that and sorry everyone, I am not recommending that you look for a linen blazer at...... the nation's favourite store, much as I would like to be able to.

Ankle length fairly casual black dress from Miss Selfridge (1990s) that just fitted perfectly and I loved the way it moved when I walked. Worn with block heeled ankle boots from Dolcis. Similar era, dark indigo pleather trouser suit with boot leg trousers and a fitted jacket, worn over a perfectly matching crop top. I loved Miss Selfridge!

I would need the time machine to also give me back my 1990s figure so I could wear them (and even then I suspect as a woman in my 50s now I would get some interesting looks wearing the trouser suit around town.

Baggy denim dungarees from Miss Selfridge late 80s - used to wear then with a cropped hooded top or cropped aran jumper underneath. I then cut the legs off one summer and loved them as short dungarees too.

All of my Benetton sweatshirts and Joe Bloggs baggy jeans just because...

Brown suede mini skirt from Warehouse circa 1990 which was just the perfect length / fit / everything

A dusky/rose pink ribbed body suit from Dorothy Perkins in the late 80s. Scoop neck but not too low, usually worn with black or grey hotpants and opaque tights

A pair of black wool trousers from Warehouse mid 90s. Perfect fit, so flattering, went with everything. I wore them to death

French Connection brown & beige patterned tunic top early 2000s. Really thin and light and looked fab with jeans

Levis 501s handed down from my mum so soft and comfy

Platform ankle boots from Dolcis late 80s - really comfy and much needed extra height

linen mix DKNY cargo trousers one pair khaki one pair in cream. Late 90s, perfect fit, snug around hips / bum then lovely and baggy with just one really flat pocket each side mid thigh. Wore them until they literally wore out

Oh God and so many more because I am old

Scarves tied in back combed big hair bananarama style
levi 501's
Plus my young figure again to fit into anything without an elasticated waist

Well, today i actually decided to wear a sundress, and in order to be warm enough, I'm wearing some cotton trousers underneath them. It wasn't a trend I actually followed 20 years ago, and my look today is more Gudrun than the look was then, but I do feel like I've turned back time.

All the lovely wide legged trousers I gave away when trouser styles went all narrow. Top Shop cream ones, with matching blazer. Fenwick grey ones with matching cropped suit jacket.

I haven’t even changed much in size - like others I was short of wardrobe space and just thought they wouldn’t come back into fashion. Doh!

Quality was better and for me, sizing was a lot better twenty years ago (am short and small). Much harder to find clothes that fit properly now.

My ankle height cherry red DMs. You can probably still get them but i would probably baulk at the price. I wore them pretty much every day and with every outfit when I was a student in the 90's.

A grey woollen skater dress that was from either Warehouse of Oasis. Wore it so much I got bored of it and got rid but really miss it.

So many outfits, the weight of the fabrics, the cut, design elements like pleats, overstitched edge detailing, linings - most from the 80s and from the original incarnations of Jigsaw, Warehouse, M&S, Wallis and Next, which really did produce some gems and great trouser suits and tailored items.

INeedAMumMoan- i had a chuckle to myself at your mention of diamond white, oh my god some of the states i got my self in after drinking that but oh the fun i had !
Too many clothes to mention but i look back in fondness at my mega pointed toe leather stilettos in various punky styles that i could run for the bus in , traipse around town in then dance the night away in .