Fast fashion - is there anything we can really do?

[Vienna]

Oh yes I loved C and A too. As a young teen around 14 to 15 I used to have a yearly trip into Manchester with my Mum just before Christmas and my Christmas presents would be a new dress and shoes. Until then I`d always had big sister`s castoffs or Mum`s homemade but hardly stylish offerings but sis married when I was 14 so it was the first time in my life that I was allowed more brand new clothes. I`d always make a bee line for C and A for clothes and then onto Freeman Hardy Willis for shoes.
Once I started work at 16 I visited C and A more frequently. I never had a fortune to spend because my Mum was a firm believer you tipped up your wage packet and received just spending money back but as mentioned above, there were regular sales and I could often find a bargain or two. When I think back, my choice of clothing was very limited even when I began working and it consisted of just 2 or 3 dresses, a best coat and a work coat and a couple of skirts and several tops I mixed and matched for work and a pair of jeans for casual wear with a jumper or T shirt but stuff seemed to last. If I bought anything new my Mum would insist of something being passed on to either a jumble sale or a neighbour`s younger daughter or a friend. She didn`t believe in a cluttered bedroom or wardrobe !

 

[donna255]

It was quite recently that the gen Z as they are called complaining about the prices at Primark going up. They were not happy, not so easy to throw away when it no longer costs less than £5.

Hell, I have jeans and tops over ten years old. I had an M&S petite wool black coat I bought last century and wore right up until 2021. Had to throw it out as the cuffs had worn to the point of falling apart. I still miss that coat. Get told by people I know, oh I like that top, yes it is about 5 years old. I wear clothes until they are worn out. Bought a pair of jeans the other week, the first pair in must be before lock down so 2019. I like to think I look after my clothes as when I was a child like others here my mum could not afford to just buy me new stuff at the drop of a hat. Even when I started working, I had to give money into the house and not much left over for buying new clothes every week or month

 

[merryone]

I don't know about everybody else but I get more pleasure wearing something I've had for a while than constantly getting new stuff.

 

[Patsy]

Greggs have doing this for a while via Sports Direct IIRC. Personally I think it looks ridiculous but I've seen quote a few people wearing Greggs sliders over the last couple of weeks in the nice weather.

What nice weather. I've only worn a blouse or t shirt about twice so far this year.

It was quite recently that the gen Z as they are called complaining about the prices at Primark going up. They were not happy, not so easy to throw away when it no longer costs less than £5.

Hell, I have jeans and tops over ten years old. I had an M&S petite wool black coat I bought last century and wore right up until 2021. Had to throw it out as the cuffs had worn to the point of falling apart. I still miss that coat. Get told by people I know, oh I like that top, yes it is about 5 years old. I wear clothes until they are worn out. Bought a pair of jeans the other week, the first pair in must be before lock down so 2019. I like to think I look after my clothes as when I was a child like others here my mum could not afford to just buy me new stuff at the drop of a hat. Even when I started working, I had to give money into the house and not much left over for buying new clothes every week or month

I got a crombie type coat from Primark quite a few years ago cost me £25 I think. It still looks good.

Oh yes I loved C and A too. As a young teen around 14 to 15 I used to have a yearly trip into Manchester with my Mum just before Christmas and my Christmas presents would be a new dress and shoes. Until then I`d always had big sister`s castoffs or Mum`s homemade but hardly stylish offerings but sis married when I was 14 so it was the first time in my life that I was allowed more brand new clothes. I`d always make a bee line for C and A for clothes and then onto Freeman Hardy Willis for shoes.
Once I started work at 16 I visited C and A more frequently. I never had a fortune to spend because my Mum was a firm believer you tipped up your wage packet and received just spending money back but as mentioned above, there were regular sales and I could often find a bargain or two. When I think back, my choice of clothing was very limited even when I began working and it consisted of just 2 or 3 dresses, a best coat and a work coat and a couple of skirts and several tops I mixed and matched for work and a pair of jeans for casual wear with a jumper or T shirt but stuff seemed to last. If I bought anything new my Mum would insist of something being passed on to either a jumble sale or a neighbour`s younger daughter or a friend. She didn`t believe in a cluttered bedroom or wardrobe !

Yes we all had to tip up our pay packets to mum for bus fares etc. Nowadays people are called out for expecting their children to contribute to food etc.
I remember all the different shoe shops there used to be. My Saturday job was in a shoe shop.

 

[merryone]

After saying all this, I actually had to bin a garment today! It was a skirt that I've had for a while and it's been really one of those things that to coin a QVC cliche "works really hard for you in your wardrobe" It's was a lovely dusky pink coloured bias cut calf length skirt with a satiny sheen the colour went with so many other things and worked in summer with a t shirt and sandals as it did with a jumper and boots in winter. I planned to wear it today but when I grabbed it I noticed a small stain on it and decided I'd better give it a wash. It actually dawned on me that I can't remember ever washing it before, (I'm sure I must've done) anyway, I checked the label and followed the washing instructions to the letter, washing it inside out with similar colours on a low temperature. When I retrieved it from the machine it was stiff as a crisp and the elastic waistband had completely perished. It was 100% viscose and it wasn't cheap, so one thing I can say for good old polyester it washes up well and doesn't need ironing. Seriously it wasn't even fit to use as cleaning rags. I have already replaced it as I had a quick mosey round the charity shops before I met my friend and found a similar style skirt (GAP brand and in mint condition) in a midnight blue colour with a flat waistband so one less thing to b*gger up. It looks and feels like silk but it's 100% polyester - The washing instructions are similar so hopefully I don't end up ruining it but at least it was only a fiver!