What if you could buy no more clothing?

[forHISglory]

Have you ever seen the classic Carol Burnett episode which was a take off on "Gone With the Wind?' In the clip, Carol makes a gown from a set of curtains hanging in the plantation home. It was complete with the curtain rod going across her shoulders. One of the funniest TV bits I have ever seen!

SURVIVING THE GREAT DEPRESSION
But on a similar note, my mother in law used to talk about how they survived during the Depression. She said there was no way that she and her sibs could have any new clothes. They were growing children, but there simply was no money to buy ANYTHING! So her mother had to improvise. MIL said that her mother took a dress, turned it inside out, let out the seams and resewed it, with the unfaded inside now becoming the outside. The mother made it longer by adding a piece of scrap fabric (from a ripped up skirt) to the hem, and made it bigger by sewing the seams to be more narrow. My mom said that Grandma sewed her clothing from flour and sugar sacks, and that the fabric itched like crazy, but that it was durable fabric that lasted. Also, Grandma extended their stockings by opening the toes, and sewing in more fabric. And that Grandpa extended their shoes by cutting off the toe and making it into a sort of sandal (let the toes expand). Later on, during WW2, Mom said that elastic was in short supply, so underwear was made with buttons instead. Ladies' hosiery was in short supply, due to the war effort, so girls went bare legged and used an eyebrow pencil to draw a line up the back of their legs (simulating the seam found in hose of the time).

OUR POSSIBLE DEPRESSION
Now it's your turn. Look in your closet and your kid's closets. Imagine that worst comes to worst, and that you absolutely could NOT buy any more clothing. You can only use what is now in your house. And for the sake of discussion, let's assume that you get no hand-me-downs, yard sale finds, or gifts of clothing. This would include underwear, socks, coats, shoes, etc.

What could you do to keep up with growing kids? Would you be satisfied wearing and remaking your old items? Would style and fashion be a concern to you? Other thoughts on not being able to get any new clothing?

Don't underestimate yourself! Hopefully you would never have to come to this point, but....... We are not better than our parents and grandparents. They survived, and so can we.

[itsahumanzoo]

I have zero sewing skills, so first off I would have to do some hard core learning. I do have some clothes for DS up until he turns 5, so apart from underwear, we would be fine I guess. As for myself and DH I would just try to take it easy on our existing clothes to make them last longer.

[Greebo]

Well, with Global Warming looming, plus the pending upcoming depression (if the last one was "Great" will this one be "Awesome"?), if we can't make clothes, then I'm voting Pro Nudist.

Problems solved all around.

[The Muse]

I wear classic and vintage styles, so I'd be fine. DH also sticks to well-made classics and would be fine. Our cats were born with beautiful coats, so they'd be fine. We don't have kids, so that's a non-issue.

[Russ]

Well, with Global Warming looming, plus the pending upcoming depression (if the last one was "Great" will this one be "Awesome"?), if we can't make clothes, then I'm voting Pro Nudist.

Problems solved all around.

I second it.

[WV_mom_of2]

Dh and I have tons of clothes put aside. My mom volunteers in a thrift shop and loves to yard sale so we end up with tons of stuff. Dd, at 16, is done growing and has tons of clothes too. Ds(12) is growing like a weed and would be our only real problem. I could cut off his too short jeans to make shorts I guess LOL.

I don't sew but my mom and mil both do so I'd take clothing to them and let them alter or re-make it. When home alone dh and I could go naked to save wear and tear on clothes and we could sleep naked. I'd have everyone wear as little clothing as possible when home.

Honestly, I'm not much on fashion. I wear what's comfortable. As long as my private parts were covered and I was warm enough, I wouldn't much care what I wore in times like that. And the kids would have to wear what they could get. Luckily my kids adapt well to situations!

[monkeywrangler71]

Considering that prior to the 20th century people were able to survive quite easily with one or two outfits, I think most people probably have enough in their closets to cover themselves plus enough to cut down into something in every size for their growing children. Add in the curtains, tablecloths, sheets, blankets, throws, towels, etc., and I would say that the average North American home has enough fabric in it to cover an entire neighbourhood clear through the upcoming "Awesome Depression" and probably into the next.

Anyone wanting to learn how to reconstruct clothing should be reading nuisance26's super awesome blog on the subject:
http://latelyreconstructed.wordpress.com/2008/07/
http://www.villageblogger.com/nuisance26/

[forHISglory]

Thanks for your thoughtful answers.

I was thinking a little more about the Carol Burnett bit. When complimented on the gown, she replied something to this effect: "Oh this? I saw it hanging in the window and just couldn't resist!"

Too funny........

[Hannahs mom]

Since I have about 15 tubs of clothes of outgrown clothes for DD in the garage( saving in case we ever have another girl), I would try my best at assembling something out of those. Since I have basically no sewing skills I would probably take old dresses and sew fabric on top of (yes you're reading this correctly) the zipper part and attach some buttons to make it bigger around the middle. I'd also sew some length on to the bottom. They wouldn't be pretty by any means, but they would be clothes.

I remember my grandma talking about wearing feed sack dresses and not having shoes. And I complain when I wear the same clothes every other week or so! This really brings things into perspective.

In the last little bit, I've been looking at clothing patterns online. I want to learn how to make my own clothes sooooo bad!

[TexasPeanut]

I can't sew clothes period, so I would have to learn. That being said we are a t-shirt and jeans kind of family and have tons of everything in different sizes it seems. I have jeans that I still wear to work around the house that are 7 years old. I think we would be okay with what we have, and what we would have to learn to do.

My Dh's family owned a "naturalist" ranch so we would vote for pro nudist as well. Not to mention it would make the summers much more tolerable.

[nuisance26]

~I actually needed a pick-me-up last weekend so I watched that episode and many other Carol Burnett show clips on YouTube. She cracks me up! Last year I stayed within a $25 a month budget for clothes by taking free stuff and reconstructing it. The money I spent was new stuff for DH and second hand shoes. I think I could spend nothing(and expect nothing free) and be fine except in the shoes area. Slippers I can make, but work shoes?~

[peanut]

if we can't make clothes, then I'm voting Pro Nudist.

Problems solved all around.

Greebo you crack me up! LOL Frankly there have been times when I've been ticked off enough at the fashion industry I've thought of this as a form of protest. A few middle aged/old women walking around without clothes on and they'd get something out that was decent...maybe. Sigh...

But to answer the question...

My kids are gone. My basement is full of fabric. I love to sew. I'd have no problems. I've taken clothes and turned them into quilts. I see no problem doing the reverse. I used chintz for curtains, pillows, table toppers, stool surrounds, and yes, dresses. I recycle blue jeans into aprons, potholders, tote bags, vests, skirts, etc. I recycle pillowcases into aprons. Usually that fabrics used in one area are usable in another. The only issue is to watch for fine details...thick fabric won't do them. As with other areas of life, the K.I.S.S. method is preferable! Keep it simple stupid.

Jean

[PrairieRose]

I'm pretty seriously sure that unless I changed sizes (which in a severe depression I might not be complaining about getting to my goal weight or the lack of ability to do so as food would be more scarce, right?) I have enough clothing to last me the rest of my life. Honestly. I do have some basic sewing skills so I could improvise and remake things if need be. My mother left a huge stash of sewing supplies so I think I'd be good there as well.

[cheapskate 49]

I also sew so I would have no problems not shopping for clothes....waits a minute I don't shop for clothes anyway.I'd just have to learn how to make underwear and shoes....Mmmmm I have a pattern to make knickers from old t-shirts maybe I'd better start practising just in case

[Michelle]

I have a fabric/notions stash and can sew. I probably wouldn't be sewing anything fancy, but we would do just fine.