Nostalgic Quality

[Brissles]

Around 12 years ago I had a 'clear out' and donated a few bits to the wardrobe dept of my local drama group.

I was contacted a few days ago to say that the group was folding and would I be interested in reclaiming anything I had given. I went along not remembering anything I had parted with, but oh my ! I spotted a few old friends hanging on the rails, and rather than have them be part of landfill I brought them home.

We've spoken of quality on here - or lack of it, well, a Casual & Co blue jacquard jacket will now be worn again ! it isn't lined but every internal seam is bound with silk binding ! not an overlocked seam to be seen. Something that wouldn't be found today. A Beth Terrell red silk (yes 100% silk) in oriental design will be dry cleaned and worn again, and a couple of Indigo Moon long tunic shirts, resplendent with tropical island drawings and sequins will also be recycled with leggings.

Of course I did bring home my Clown's costume, but I'll wait til I'm in the Care home before I dare wear that !

 

[maymorganlondon]

Around 12 years ago I had a 'clear out' and donated a few bits to the wardrobe dept of my local drama group.

I was contacted a few days ago to say that the group was folding and would I be interested in reclaiming anything I had given. I went along not remembering anything I had parted with, but oh my ! I spotted a few old friends hanging on the rails, and rather than have them be part of landfill I brought them home.

We've spoken of quality on here - or lack of it, well, a Casual & Co blue jacquard jacket will now be worn again ! it isn't lined but every internal seam is bound with silk binding ! not an overlocked seam to be seen. Something that wouldn't be found today. A Beth Terrell red silk (yes 100% silk) in oriental design will be dry cleaned and worn again, and a couple of Indigo Moon long tunic shirts, resplendent with tropical island drawings and sequins will also be recycled with leggings.

Of course I did bring home my Clown's costume, but I'll wait til I'm in the Care home before I dare wear that !

Wow, imagine the prices Q would charge nowadays for that quality?!?!

 

[Brissles]

My thoughts exactly MML ! I honestly was shocked when I saw the inside of the jacket with all the internal seams beautifully covered with the binding. Even the outer stitching was quality. If I knew how to upload a photo I'd attach it.

 

[Grizelda]

Around 12 years ago I had a 'clear out' and donated a few bits to the wardrobe dept of my local drama group.

I was contacted a few days ago to say that the group was folding and would I be interested in reclaiming anything I had given. I went along not remembering anything I had parted with, but oh my ! I spotted a few old friends hanging on the rails, and rather than have them be part of landfill I brought them home.

We've spoken of quality on here - or lack of it, well, a Casual & Co blue jacquard jacket will now be worn again ! it isn't lined but every internal seam is bound with silk binding ! not an overlocked seam to be seen. Something that wouldn't be found today. A Beth Terrell red silk (yes 100% silk) in oriental design will be dry cleaned and worn again, and a couple of Indigo Moon long tunic shirts, resplendent with tropical island drawings and sequins will also be recycled with leggings.

Of course I did bring home my Clown's costume, but I'll wait til I'm in the Care home before I dare wear that !

This warms my heart for you for the nostalgia and the return of loved items, and then makes me feel sad that clothes with these names aren't made like that any more. Congrats that they still fit !

 

[Silver Fox]

Brissles, is there a label to say where these garments were made?

 

[ERICS MUM]

Around 12 years ago I had a 'clear out' and donated a few bits to the wardrobe dept of my local drama group.

I was contacted a few days ago to say that the group was folding and would I be interested in reclaiming anything I had given. I went along not remembering anything I had parted with, but oh my ! I spotted a few old friends hanging on the rails, and rather than have them be part of landfill I brought them home.

We've spoken of quality on here - or lack of it, well, a Casual & Co blue jacquard jacket will now be worn again ! it isn't lined but every internal seam is bound with silk binding ! not an overlocked seam to be seen. Something that wouldn't be found today. A Beth Terrell red silk (yes 100% silk) in oriental design will be dry cleaned and worn again, and a couple of Indigo Moon long tunic shirts, resplendent with tropical island drawings and sequins will also be recycled with leggings.

Of course I did bring home my Clown's costume, but I'll wait til I'm in the Care home before I dare wear that !

Any suggestions for the designer of the Clown costume ? I’ll kick off with Antthony.

 

[maymorganlondon]

Any suggestions for the designer of the Clown costume ? I’ll kick off with Antthony.

Can't be, as he would have worn it himself

 

[Loveinamist]

Any suggestions for the designer of the Clown costume ? I’ll kick off with Antthony.

Awwwww! Not Harald (Pompoos), please!

 

[Deleted member 21102]

I still use a Beth Terrell suede bag that looks as good as new and didn't cost the earth, either. Nowadays you'd be asking upwards of £100 if you're lucky and the suede would be a lot thinner.

 

[donna255]

I have a leather coat bought before 2010 for sure, Leather Elements. Still great quality and yes I still wear it.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I still use a Beth Terrell suede bag that looks as good as new and didn't cost the earth, either. Nowadays you'd be asking upwards of £100 if you're lucky and the suede would be a lot thinner.

I had one and true to the blurb it was machine washable - however the metal bits didn’t and ended up a rusty mess destroying the suede.

 

[Breeze]

It isn’t just QVC though is it, it’s everywhere? I still have things I’m loath to part with as the quality, & classic style, is so much better than things I see in the shops when I’m looking for a bit of retail therapy. M&S pure silk shirts, fine pure wool tailoring from there, a suede duffel coat from C&A ( remember them?).
I have a deep red pure wool coat from M&S that still looks like new which I bought when my son was in infant school.....he’s now in his mid forties

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

The weather here is awful so I’m using the time to clear out stuff which will never fit in this life or the next. It’s difficult (and I’m ruthless) to pass things which will never be of that quality again.

As you progress through life the type of clothes you wore for xyz are no longer needed. i don’t need the quantity of work clothes I used to and previously I didn’t have the opportunity to wear many casual items which I do now. Also holiday clothes have changed, I used to enjoy getting a bit dressed up in the evening yet now even at upmarket hotels and restaurants people come in shorts even if there is a sign to say otherwise and you end up feeling overdressed despite them being the ones underdressed.

 

[donna255]

There is a lot of talk about cheap clothing and how it just ends up in land fill. People go to Primark wear for a very short period then throw out and buy more. Let's be honest the charity shops are never overflowing with clothes. A friend used to volunteer at Oxfam, and they sorted the clothes before putting out in the shop. Staff took the best stuff for themselves did decide how much the pieces were worth. But quite a lot of it was just thrown out as unsaleable.

 

[Lemonpop]

There is a lot of talk about cheap clothing and how it just ends up in land fill. People go to Primark wear for a very short period then throw out and buy more. Let's be honest the charity shops are never overflowing with clothes. A friend used to volunteer at Oxfam, and they sorted the clothes before putting out in the shop. Staff took the best stuff for themselves did decide how much the pieces were worth. But quite a lot of it was just thrown out as unsaleable.

Girls I worked with would go to Primark once a week pick up loads of things,bags,clothes ,shoes and cheap rubbish jewellery. They would wear them over the weekend to throw them away and start again the following week.

 

[Breeze]

You hear of people finding designer stuff cheap in charity shops but never known it in reality.
Didn’t know that about hotels, haven’t stayed in one for years & years as we holiday in the motorhomes we’ve owned so we can take the dogs.
I only ever needed smart workwear when I first started work as ever since I’ve had my own animal/ horticultural business so always casual stuff, usually involving wellies up here

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I suppose you might find something good if the charity shop was in a posh catchment area but ours would just have the sort of stuff you threw out yourself.

 

[Brissles]

So true LATI. You do have to go to 'wealthy' areas to pick up quality stuff - but generally those 'wealthy' areas are inhabited by the stick thin girlies and their size 8-10s wouldn't go over my head !

(yes my Beth Terrell red silk jacket will need a dry clean, but I'll wear it with things like maxi dresses and white linen trousers - something I wouldn't have thought to do when I originally bought it, as I was working at the time so it would have been smart workwear)

 

[Brissles]

Any suggestions for the designer of the Clown costume ? I’ll kick off with Antthony.

Ha Ha ! love it and OMG YES I can see him skipping in like Andy Pandy. It should suit him too - in 2 shades of satin turqoise - baggy trousers with a baggy top and 3 huge white pom poms down the front with a white collar ruff.

When my Dad was stricken with a stroke just before he was due to be in the audience of the play, I decided to bite the bullet and wear my costume to the hospital where he'd been admitted. It caused a lot of laughs as I walked through the concourse - so despite the embarrassment I marched into Dad's ward, and it was so worth it to see the grin on his face. THEN came the crunch, visitors from his football club decided to turn up on a visit - including one chap who I had a bit of a crush on, and that's when I wish the ground had swallowed me up. There I was, at 57 literally dressed like a clown, while the object of my affection just looked bemused !

 

[Twilight]

With the exception of shoes, tights, underwear & the (very) occasional posh item all of my clothes are bought from eBay or Etsy. Some of the best dresses & coats I've bought have been 70s & 80s designs; I'm size 10 but unless it's a loose fit dress I always look for a size 14, The really vintage pieces show how large people are today, when did woman start having shoulders like quarterbacks?