When is it time to throw out clothes?

midnight · #1 (**permalink**) 02-13-2005, 09:26 AM

This is a question for one of my aunts and uncles. When is it time to throw out clothes? While I think that everyone should live like they want to, I also think its important to dress so you don't look like you have been living on the street for the last three months. They really do look like they are homeless. They wear clothes that are faded with holes. Is this okay and should I not let it bother me? Or should I try to get them to look at least like a person that has a roof over their head?

terry1156 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-13-2005, 02:05 PM

This is a tough one. Ithink you'll have a hard time changing somebody's dressing habits even if it makes them look unclean when they wear what they currently are. Like so many other things, they have to want to make the effort or no change will occur.

kashi · #3 (**permalink**) 02-13-2005, 02:14 PM

sign them up for What Not To Wear! http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/wh...nottowear.html

pschale · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 05:53 AM

Do they wear these clothes just at home or do they wear them when they go out? I wear old comfortable clothes at home but change when I go somewhere. I do this because I am on a fixed income and money for new clothes is in short supply so I wear old clothes at home to keep my nice clothes looking nice.

PrincessPerky · #5 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 06:13 AM

I wear what I like, that includes an old faded holey flannel that my big bro gave me eons ago. but not to formal events, family picnics, stuff where I need to make an impression. Places like the grocery store I only insist on clean and matching.

MrsChambers · #6 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 08:09 AM

I heard this statistic a while back.. I will share it with you all

They say that you wear 20% of your clothing 80% of the time.

Sense I heard that, I have been pitching things left and right. And I think it's right!! I don't miss any of it!!

PrincessPerky · #7 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 08:20 AM

Oh yeah, I so tossed a ton of clothes over the past few months, I do HAVE to do laundry more often, but that is actually a good thing.

JLP · #8 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 06:16 PM

As far as underwear goes, when you don't have to pull them down when you go to the bathroom, then it's time to throw them out!

Just a little humor for the night!

JLP

MargaretKur · #9 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 09:00 PM

Yes, it is a problem to approach someone about personal matters such as choice of clothing.

Is their financial situation the reason for their lack of new clothes? If so, have they considered thrift shops or consignment shops? Also, just how bad are the holes in the clothes? Are they beyond mending, darning, or patching? Could they perhaps be dyed so as not to appear less faded?

Even when "hanging around the house" a person can wear comfortable clothes. I do the same. However, I wouldn't feel right walking around in "holey" clothes if I could have mended or replaced them.

This is a new thought, perhaps, but since I'm unsure of their ages, I'd consider the question as to whether your aunt and uncle are depressed. When people are depressed, they tend to care less about their personal appearance.

Wearing nice clothes, as much as you can afford to have, or at least well-kept (clean and mended) clothes shows self-respect and makes you feel better about yourself.

Can you approach this with a positive outlook? I know it's been awhile since you posted your message, but perhaps my comments don't help you, someone else may benefit.

I wish you the best in this situation. Happy Valentine's Day!

Margaret Kur

leewill72 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-14-2005, 09:44 PM

Maybe be a little subtle about it. if you shop at a thrift store yourself maybe pick up a shirt or sweater for your aunt and tell her you just HAD to get it since it would look so good on her. Maybe they are not aware of the good 'finds' you can get at goodwill etc.

Lee

Momof3grls · #11 (**permalink**) 02-22-2005, 01:09 PM

My grandparents used to dress like that too. It wasnt until my grandfather passed away we found out they really couldnt afford new clothes. How about for xmas or bdays or whatever maybe even easter,

either giving them clothes or a gc to a store where they can only buy clothes.

pschale · #12 (**permalink**) 02-23-2005, 08:51 AM

I used to buy clothes for my mother for Mother's Day, birthdays, and Xmas but she is in a nursing home now. She has to wear diapers and wears mostly hospital gowns because she has a tube in her stomach to feed her.

amomof4 · #13 (**permalink**) 02-28-2005, 09:25 PM

This is what I do. I buy clothes for church. When they are too worn for chuch, I use them for town. When they are too worn for town, I use them around the house. So my house clothes can get pretty shappy. But then it doesn't hurt so much if I get bleach stains or icky from working in the garden.

My favorit sweater has a big hole in the back. I love this sweater because it is so soft & gives me just the warmth that I need when I need it. One time I even wore it to church, but only as a liner under my jacket. When it has holes in the parts of me that gets cold (my arms & shoulders), then I'll throw it away, but only after I salvage the buttons.

pschale · #14 (**permalink**) 03-01-2005, 06:57 AM

I do this- all of my family has good clothes (some of them bought at garage sales and thrift stores, some new) to wear to church, outings and when they are too old to wear out they wear them around the house. When they are too raggedly to wear at all I save buttons, etc and they are used for rags to clean with.

barbd00 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-04-2005, 07:07 AM

HA HA HA.... SOrry don't mean to laugh. My hubby... bless him, wears his clothes out. I have some clothes I have had for over 10 -15 years and still in great shape. My hubby has t-shirts that are so thread bare you can see through them! I swear it! I tried for years and finally gave up. We have come to the agreement that when we go out someplace he has to wear something with no holes and preferrably not thread bare. (He does have nicer shirts) but to work or around the house or for yard work I don't care what he wears.

My hubby says he wants to get his money's worth... oh he definately has.

You are talking about someone who is a little older, right? I know some older people have some trouble with buying new clothes(they feel they shouldn't) or keeping things well past their prime (to save money) these are habits from past bad times and probably can't be changed.

pschale · #16 (**permalink**) 03-04-2005, 07:18 AM

I know what you mean. My mother was the world's worst pack rat. When she had to go into a nursing home it took us a month to go thru all the papers and other stuff she had kept. She had old papers from the time she and Daddy had been married which was over 50 years ago!!!

She had old clothes that she hadn't been able to wear for 20 years but she kept them because she said she might be able to wear them someday.