I worked out this weekend that my winter wardrobe (excluding a few skirts, which I don’t really wear that often as I don’t like wearing tights in winterat all) now consists of two pairs of jeans and a pair of corduroy trousers which sssh have an elasticated waist (don’t tell anybody). Obviously I have stuff to put on my top half, otherwise that would be a bit cold, but it’s been my bottom half that’s suffering. I did have more trousers than that by they had to hit the dustbin at the end of last winter after (in most cases) five years of loyal and hard service, when they literally wore out. I think five years is pretty good for a pair of trousers you wear pretty constantly, however since becoming a stay at home mom four years ago, my clothes shopping budget is not what it once was. Pre-kids I had quite a nice well paying job and I spent quite a bit of my salary on clothes, not designer mind you (I was a civil servant, I wasn’t paid that well!) but it wasn’t anywhere near Primark. I used to shop in places like Monsoon, French Connection, Gap and generally (changes in body shape permitting) their stuff has lasted me until like I say, about last winter. It’s not like I haven’t brought clothes for myself since becoming a stay at home mum though, but my budget has moved distinctly away from those shops and definitely more towards Primark but their stuff does not last!!!!It’s not surprising really considering the price difference, but anything from Primark I’d be surprised if it lasted a season with me, let alone five years! I’m sure lots of people would argue that making stuff that lasts is not the point of Primark, it’s fashion pieces that are meant to last as long as the trend lasts, at (literally) throw away prices, but well for a start it’s not exactly green is it? All that waste of resources and worries when you’re queueing up to purchase that £3 pair of kids pyjamas, exactly how were they made and at what cost? But what makes me fed up is that the amount of money I’ve spent on throw away stuff over the years could have probably gone on a nice pair of trousers or two that would last a hell of a lot longer!
So it came to a head this weekend when I literally had nothing to wear except a grey dress (which I suspect Mr. Lacer doesn’t like). There’s actually nothing wrong with this grey dress, except I tend to wear it to interviews, not slopping around the house on a Sunday, so that convinced Mr. Lacer of my need to go clothes shopping today (today I’m wearing a pair of old summer trousers and I’m rather cold). I know I said earlier that I actually own three pairs of trousers but they’re all in the wash currently (my washing woes are another post). So off I went trouser shopping today and I was determined not to go to Primark (or any of the other equivalents). So after some searching (mostly fruitless) for some classic trousers that could withstand the vigour’s of me mucking around with the kids and that were reasonable enough quality to last longer than a season, I settled on a pair of jogging pants from Next (eek I’m becoming ‘jogging pant mom’ I swore I’d never do that and my willpower lasted nearly 4 years but the comfort factor won in the end) and a nice pair of grey trousers from M&S, which Girl Lacer said were cool but that may just have been because she wanted me to stop dragging her round clothes shops and go and do something fun instead.
