YouLookFab Forum » Topic: What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 06 May 2026 03:34:00 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Kristine on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-162345 Wed, 26 May 2010 18:33:13 +0000 Kristine 162345@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My mom made most of my clothing when I was young. Once my parents divorced, money was even tighter and my dad would take us shopping for school clothes once a year. They used to argue over it so it became a source of guilt. My mom is still as frugal as ever and even though she could afford more, she still shops primarily at thrift stores or on rock bottom clearance. She'll sometimes make do with clothing that's outdated or doesn't fit well. She's admitted some of her (frequently worn) clothing is more than 20 years old! She doesn't treat herself and insists on cutting her own hair. It's taken a long time to realize that basic clothing is a necessity not a luxury. It was only when I found YLF that I allowed myself any kind of regular budget for clothing. I've come a long way and can now shop relatively guilt free. It's still in my nature to look for sales and good deals at thrift stores, but I don't feel shame in paying full price for the right item either. yublocka on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-162216 Wed, 26 May 2010 14:15:32 +0000 yublocka 162216@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Heh April I think I do look like my Mum in this pic. I also think I am very similar to my Dad's sister.....scary!! Theresa you are probably 100% right about our Mums using the same patterns. I am the oldest child (and granddaughter on one side), and had 2 brothers, so I never got handmedowns. The amount of pink clothes I had could fill a truck though. You know I have zero memories of ever going shopping for clothes until I was about 13 , so I am guessing my Mum must have made pretty much all of them??? Strange to think!! anne on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-162214 Wed, 26 May 2010 14:09:45 +0000 anne 162214@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a fascinating thread and many of your experiences resonated with me. My childhood interaction with fashion/ clothing was characterised by 1) My being interested in clothes, particulary "old fashioned clothes". It sparked off my interest in history, which I ended up majoring in. 2) Mum made almost all my dresses until I was about 11. We were often given pieces of fabric as presents for birthdays etc ( I think my Mum still has some of them!) 3) My parents were fairly frugal. It is hard to discern as a kid, but looking back, I think the early 80's were a bit tough financially for them.(we shopped mostly from op shops for a few years) However they were also committed to a non consumeristic outlook so they certainly wouldn't have just gone shopping purely for fun, even where they became more prosperous. 4) Dad quite liked shopping and often brought home clothing gifts for mum after work trips (she often didn't like them! He was keen on buying khaki for her, and she hate that next to her olive skin). As teenagers he took us shopping. 5) Mum doesn't enjoy shopping and she has passed this on to me. 6)While remember only a few handmedowns for me personally as I was the oldest I think my sister got my old stuff at least some of the time. They never handed down shoes though and I too remember getting clarks. When I was 10 we moved to the country for a couple of years and I remember that suddenly my brown leather laceups would not do for school when everyone wore sneakers or elastic sided boots (I got my use out of the leather ones by wearing them on the weekends, even bush walking) Instead I insisted on sneakers for school, and wore out many pairs. In some ways I raise my own children similarly in that I am fairly thifty, hardly ever buy them clothes myself and they are far from being the most coordinated or fashionable kids around. I don't sew, as it is no longer such a cheap option (one grandma makes them the odd pair of PJs or overalls). My kids do hand down their shoes if they last the distance. The main difference between my kids clothing and my own growing up is that they have so many of them. Between gifts and heaps of handmedowns (from others as well as within the family) they have so much clothing I often feel swamped by it, even though it isnt' all fashionable or unstained. I have just been transferring DD4 s clothing from a big chest of drawers to a set I or my sister used as a child and I can't fit in all in and am leaving all the non seasonal stuff in another room. Theresa on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-162002 Wed, 26 May 2010 02:14:07 +0000 Theresa 162002@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ awww Tam that is such a cute shot!! And you know, we must be similar in age, because one of the things Mum used to make ALL the time for us were those tracksuits with cute little applique's on them - our mum's probably had the same books because I'm sure I had a similar applique on one of my tracksuits LOL April on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-161860 Tue, 25 May 2010 21:12:25 +0000 April 161860@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Tam, what a wonderful photo that is! You look like your mum, but I see some of your dad in your face as well. What is the maternal obsession with matching? I'm sure we'll never figure it out... yublocka on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-161479 Tue, 25 May 2010 10:18:18 +0000 yublocka 161479@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oooh this is a fun thread. My Mum made heaps of our clothes when we were young, including out of old curtains as I mentioned on another thread. Her favourite thing was to dress me and my brothers in matching home-made shorts or tracksuits - ugh!!! I don't have many pics of these scanned in, but here's a professional family photo we got done once. Literally the only piece of clothing here she did not make was my youngest brother's tracksuit. She even made that red shirt my dad is wearing underneath his tracksuit!!! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/yublocka/996911482/in/set-72157601193779637/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/y.....193779637/</a> p.s. I used to LLLOOOOOOOVVVE the appliqued thinggies on the front of that tracksuit top I am wearing!!! Lena on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-161441 Tue, 25 May 2010 05:53:01 +0000 Lena 161441@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ In spite of all this, my goal is a small but efficient closet. I will make exceptions for stocking up on multiple colorful tees for lounge wear and exercise. Lena on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-161436 Tue, 25 May 2010 05:46:17 +0000 Lena 161436@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I grew up behind the Iron Curtain, so even when you had the money (and we didn't), stores offered very little choice (if it weren't so maddening it would be hysterically funny). A lot of people got around this problem by having things tailor made (and I still remember those shops), but I was considered too young for such an investment. So I wore a lot of hand me downs from other families (several people who worked overseas), some home made summer dresses, some dowdy locally made basics. I had almost zero choice in what I wore outside of school uniforms and I was grateful for anything that looked new and cute and not made in the USSR. (I wonder if some of my decision making issues don't come from this ) I also learned to be extremely careful with clothes. Actually this latter part is crazy-making and irrational because I have to constantly force myself to wear my 'good' clothes. I remember the year I got a fake animal print winter coat and tall boots - it was such a huge deal, and it turned out very timely because we had a super cold winter that year. And when I was 11 I hit the jackpot with several second-hand skirt outfits from Turkey. To this day my Mom likes to buy clothes for me (and often skews much younger). I think she still yearns to dress her little girl wilson on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion/page/2#post-161435 Tue, 25 May 2010 05:45:59 +0000 wilson 161435@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The childhood "clothes deprivation" is interesting to me. Not too long ago my sister and I shared with eachother that whenever we purchase new clothing for ourselves we get a little nervous and feel a little anxiety over it, even though we both work hard and don't do it very often. We wondered if it had to do with never once seeing our mother purchase clothes for herself. It also got us to talking about what we hope our "fashion legacy" will be for each of our sons. Vani on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161406 Tue, 25 May 2010 04:34:00 +0000 Vani 161406@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Money was always tight growing up but we were mostly teetering between lower and upper middle class unlike both my parents who grew up poor with lots of hand me downs and only about 2-3 pairs of clothes each. So, I learned from my always stylish mom how to make the most of a small wardrobe. We bought new clothes once or twice a year and there were a lot of hand me downs, but I swear my dad always thought I was sneak shopping for more because I never wore the same outfit for a while! Somehow my mom developed fab taste and style even with very little while she grew up and somehow that rubbed off on me a little bit. I only started buying clothes on a whim about 3-4 years ago and I think I might taper off again in a while. My biggest style mentor is my mom and I still wish she were there with me every time I go shopping. taylor on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161398 Tue, 25 May 2010 04:07:28 +0000 taylor 161398@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We were VERY poor when I was a child, I was the only girl between 2 boys so I didn.t get hand me downs at all. I remember my mom taking me shopping 1 time , she bought me 2 tops and some undies. I learned to sew and stole my older brother levi's:) he only had a few pair. I started babysitting at 11 to buy my own clothes and continued babysitting until I started doing hair. I remember every favorite outfit from 1st grade on because they were rare and treasured. I babysat my entire freshman summer to buy a pair of black leather lace up boots in 1972....They cost 69.99 That was a fortune back in the day...I will never forget the thrill picking them up off lay-away!! Theresa on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161295 Tue, 25 May 2010 02:18:39 +0000 Theresa 161295@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh what a fabulous thread! This is lovely reading all your childhood stories! I am the eldest on both mum & dad's side of the family so no hand-me-downs for me (I'm also the only girl in my family and the closest female cousin is about 5yrs younger than me). But, my maternal family are very crafty, & we were also poor, so I wore handmade clothes almost entirely. We lived on a farm, so initially, it was school uniform for week days and daggy shorts & t shirts - no shoes - for weekends running free. My most vivid clothing memories though are of the times when we would have an event (like a school fete, or the "show" or similar) - mum would make us all a new outfit - my 3 brothers would have the same shirts and shorts/pants combo, and I would have a pinafore made out of the same fabric as the boys shirts. I HATED it with a passion. Mum had no interest in fashion - just the creating, & really never put any effort into appearance. But once I went to high school I found out there was a whole world of beautiful clothing out there! So at 16 when I first started working, the very first 2 things I ever bought for myself were my black 8 hole Docs (1995) & a nice silver/gold watch that lasted me 10 yrs. So, with 2 daughters only 20mths apart, I really try not to dress them the same and let them pick their own clothes. And already I know Miss 4 is going to be the one who is most fashion orientated - she has a good eye already and is VERY feminine, but Miss almost-6, well, she has no concept of what goes together or anything - as long as she likes the individual pieces she wears them LOL She is my free-spirit who is far more interested in being herself than wearing what the other girls are. Of course it helps that I have a lovely friend with a daughter the same age as Miss 6, but much bigger, so I now have a constant supply of hand-me-downs for my girls, and my friend has an unlimited clothing budget so her daughter has pretty much every style of clothing possible so both my girls are happy! Beth on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161273 Tue, 25 May 2010 01:22:38 +0000 Beth 161273@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am the eldest child without any extended family, so my clothes were always new. My mom was and is a very stylish woman who loves clothes and shopping, so I have many fond memories of shopping trips growing up. There was always the "back to school trip" and the "just before Christmas trip." It was always as much about spending time together as it was about shopping, and there were certainly limits on spending, but I still remember how excited we were when Nordstrom first came to the DC area:) Our styles have diverged over the years, but we still love to go check out the stores together. The day where we come home without a single bag is just as fun as the day we find the perfect pair of shoes. April on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161254 Tue, 25 May 2010 00:13:05 +0000 April 161254@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sarah B., that tendency to over-compensate for childhood deprivation is something I have trouble with as well. I do live within my means and don't rack up debt for things I want, but I lust after way too many beautifully-made items. Wilson, sounds like you had another wise mother... Tansie, that is so sweet. I hope your daughter loves her patent maryjanes! Angie -- *hug back to you* wilson on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161157 Mon, 24 May 2010 21:15:10 +0000 wilson 161157@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ With eight kids in the family things were very tight and so I wore hand-me-downs. However, looking back at photos I think my mom did very well with what little she had to work with. We always looked age appropriate, clean and presentable and I remember hearing other people frequently commenting on how well dressed we all were. She definitely accessorized by putting bows in our hair, replacing plain buttons on sweaters with floral ones and such. As for my personal taste as a young child, I honed in on "sexy" and whatever Charlies Angels were wearing and tried to copy Daisy Duke by rolling up my shorts and tying my shirt together in the middle. Thankfully, my mom ALWAYS put the kabosh on my attempts. Tansie on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161106 Mon, 24 May 2010 19:30:54 +0000 Tansie 161106@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm sorry but I have to chime back in! I also lived in Clarks (Fi!) when I was wearing shoes anyway, and I remember one pair of dark blue patent mary jane's. I was about four yrs old. I loved them so much! I still love them! This surely began my love for patent leather which continues to this day. And I plan to pass it on to my daughter. This autumn I want to buy her a pair of patent leather mary jane's and I already know she will love hers too! Thanks for this thread April - so many lovely memories! Sarah Baker on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161100 Mon, 24 May 2010 19:27:28 +0000 Sarah Baker 161100@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s so really bad fashion memories abound for me. It depends on what part of my childhood I look back on. As a very young child I was dressed in hand-me-downs from a neighborhood friend who was the same age but much bigger than I was, and handmade dresses from one of my mother's friends. Later, in early high school, we were so poor that I wore my mother's clothes. Which doesn't sound bad, except she was a size 14 and I was a size 0 at the time, and all of her outfits were very businesslike. When I was 16 I got my first job and spent my money on clothes and my Volvo 240 GL. It was there that I got my love of thrifting, because I could make my paycheck last so much longer. I also picked up an eye for quality because I figured an item that looked good by the time it got to the Salvation Army had to be excellent after years of wear and repeated washing. I do remember that my first paycheck, I went to the mall and spent the whole thing buying smart causal clothes for my mother, who still had only very formal business clothes or paint-spattered jeans in her closet. I bought her two t-shirts, a pair of sassy jeans, and some new undergarments (hers were always in holes). Now that I have a daughter I dress her as well as she will let me (she went through a phase where she wanted only a denim skirt and a striped t, so I washed both every night). When she gets older I will have a hard time saying no to buying her beautiful designer things, because I did feel deprived as a child. Tansie on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161093 Mon, 24 May 2010 19:21:09 +0000 Tansie 161093@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I grew up in the late 70's/ 80's in country Australia. When we were small Mum would order our clothes from England, and later it was twice yearly shopping trips in Adelaide.I have older cousins so there were lots of hand-me-downs too (which were then handed down to a younger friend). We also had summer dresses and winter jumpers (pullovers) sewn/knitted by my grandmother. Gosh they were beautiful!! Then until I was about 20 I would send my sister to shop for me! She is really good at it. To this day my most successful shopping trips are done with my sister. Pity we live on opposite sides of the world! Angie on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161086 Mon, 24 May 2010 19:14:20 +0000 Angie 161086@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ *hugging April* Too emotional to comment, but loved reading your stories. April on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161057 Mon, 24 May 2010 18:48:41 +0000 April 161057@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, Judy -- you reminded me of my favorite fashion item from my childhood: the white patent "leather" go-go boots that I had in second grade. They were made of pure vinyl, and I was in heaven. No footwear has ever been sweatier than those boots... And cyan -- the early Esprit! I was in high school at that point, and Esprit used to publish those gigantic catalogs (for those too young to remember -- I don't mean the catalog was thick, I mean it was about 11 x 17 when closed. Fabulous.) I was buying my own clothes by then and I ordered a pink baseball cap from that catalog, assuming it would transform me into a devil-may-care type. Good grief. judy on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161041 Mon, 24 May 2010 18:31:19 +0000 judy 161041@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Growing up as the middle child in a big family that was mostly female in the 50's and 60's we wore a lot of hand-me-downs. My mother sewed, so we had some matching dresses when we were really young. Girls weren't allowed to wear pants to school then of course so we went and bought plaid skirts and sweaters at mill stores before school started. I realize now what a big expense that must have been for my parents, not to mention the shopping trip from hell, probably. In grade school, I recall that no matter what I carefully chose to wear when I came down to breakfast in the morning, my two older sisters relentlessly teased me about my choices..."you're wearing that?"..."what's wrong with it?"...and they wouldn't tell me, just smile and laugh. Where was my mom? Off somewhere with another baby, I'm sure. But I never wanted to go and change my clothes or they would think they'd "won". I tried to be confident and not listen to them. So on the plus side, I grew a very thick skin style wise. By high school, I was searching out trends that I wanted to do...like being only the second girl to have clogs! ha ha...and the first girl got hers in Sweden that summer. And I remember searching the JC penny catalog for the smallest pair of men's overalls. I was the first one to wear those. Ah, such fashion statements! :)...it was afterall, 1970 and we could finally wear pants to school. I remember the little tiny pieces of fabric we'd use to make our mini skirts. By then my sisters and I were all on the same team, so to speak, and we'd all straighten our hair together and wear go-go boots...yeah, that's what we called 'em. How "mod" we were. cyan45 on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161036 Mon, 24 May 2010 18:27:00 +0000 cyan45 161036@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ fantastic topic! as a child, i enjoyed what clothes i did have at the time. my mom rarely went shopping with my sisters and i, so we had to get creative. i had a few ghastly favorite 80's topsl: pink triangles with black background, tie-dyed drawstring top from contempo casuals, lol. when espirt was hot, i used puffy paint and mimicked the brand logo on the upper right of a plain white t-shirt. yikes! guess i was trying to fit in, rather than make a profound statement... my 4th grade teacher was young and hip. i idolized her style, and copied her belt look with an aqua green faux snakeskin i already owned. she was such a wonderful, kind teacher... i wasn't fashionable (glasses, braces, gangly, unruly hair, nerdy), my mom didn't make clothes a top priority, but instead supported us in music lessons, youth orchestra and summer music camps. as a result, i can afford to apply some 'polish skills' as an adult. thanks mom Maya on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161018 Mon, 24 May 2010 17:54:26 +0000 Maya 161018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don't have any extended family to get hand-me-downs from, and my only sibling is a brother. My parents had to start anew. For the first few years of my life, I refused to wear anything but dresses. My mom would have to chase my naked little self around the house and hogtie me before being able to wrangle me into a pair of pants. I think I have come full circle in that respect.. I remember spending a lot of time in the kids' department at Macy's and JCPenney, but I didn't care much about clothes again until I was 13. In fact I hated shopping for clothes. I actually vividly recall having a fit when I realized we were going to Kids R Us instead of Toys R Us one day. I was such a lovable child... Mac on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161012 Mon, 24 May 2010 17:41:35 +0000 Mac 161012@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lots and lots of hand-me-downs. I'm from a family of 5 kids, so my mother bought most of the baby and children's clothes in red, white and blue and then the boys AND the girls could wear them: jaunty sailor suits for babies, red cords with a navy and white shetland sweater for kids... that sort of thing. We looked neat, classic and not at all flashy or brand-driven. Function was important, too: my mom wanted us to be able to play, run around and dig in the sandbox. But for church and parties I had lovely hand-me-down dresses: again, no brands or trends: mostly delightful hand-smocked cotton dresses from Portugal, Ireland, England, etc. and velvet-collared wool coats. Actually, if I'd had kids, I'd have dressed them in exactly the same way. Itari on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-161002 Mon, 24 May 2010 17:15:36 +0000 Itari 161002@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Aaah. Late 80's and early 90's. The era of shoulder pads :) I had some really good clothes when I was a kid. It was hard to buy decent clothes in Poland, but my family bought things for me in western Germany. I have a sister who is 2 years younger than me - we were two cute girls, one dark-haired and one blonde. My mother bought similar clothes for us: for example, I had a pretty red dress, while my sister had a blue one. I used to wear a lot of skirts and dresses... maybe I should return to the old habits April on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-160997 Mon, 24 May 2010 17:08:12 +0000 April 160997@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Claudia -- it's really hard not to give into the status-consciousness that is so prevalent among kids now, isn't it? I don't think you're alone in feeling that your child struggles with belt-tightening. Katja -- "dowdy and practical" sums up most of my childhood clothes as well. :) Ele and Dusty -- is it a coincidence that so many of us who have ended up hanging out on YLF have a history of hard times, hand-me-downs, and tight budgets? Also, I neglected to mention in my original post that I think I thought I looked pretty fab in those oversized faux fur coats. I was imaginative and probably thought people would mistake me for a rich kid or a movie star. Only in hindsight did I realize how odd and shapeless they must have looked. Dusty on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-160937 Mon, 24 May 2010 15:21:45 +0000 Dusty 160937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Money was tight so my clothes were mostly garage sale items with some handmade stuff and a very few store-bought items mixed in. I had a lot, but, it mostly was not great quality and definitely not what I would have picked out for myself (at least until about 6th grade, when I started to push for more influence over my own clothes). I can't say that my mom had bad taste, just that we like different things. Katja on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-160932 Mon, 24 May 2010 15:10:00 +0000 Katja 160932@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My mother sewed for herself and for us. My sister and I are 14 months apart, and for most of our childhood we were dressed like twins in home made dresses. Sort of dowdy and practical. My daughter, on the other hand... My sister was a pattern maker for a manufacturer that had a licensing agreement with Donna Karan when my daughter was 10, 11, 12, something like that. Whenever she came to visit, she brought a suitcase full of sample garments for my daughter - all very stylish, all very black and grey - it was weird. For a couple of years, my daughter was the best dressed child in town - her babysitters were wild with jealousy. londonkiwi (now back in NZ) on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-160925 Mon, 24 May 2010 14:52:48 +0000 londonkiwi (now back in NZ) 160925@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Marianna - that photo is too cute for words, I love your cheeky little grin as much as your adorable little outfit. Claudia on "What was your childhood like, in terms of clothing/style/fashion?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/what-was-your-childhood-like-in-terms-of-clothingstylefashion#post-160923 Mon, 24 May 2010 14:51:18 +0000 Claudia 160923@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks April. I am feeling very philosophical about this and I am glad you brought this topic up. I am grateful that I learned from my mom and dad the benefits that go with living within one's means. A very valuable and handy lesson. Times are very different for the next generation than from when I grew up in the the 1960's and '70's. I remember wanting stonewashed jeans when they first came out. Basically I had Lee, Levi's and Wrangler jeans to choose from (designer jeans didn't exist). We went to the Army-Navy store for jeans because they were $5 cheaper than at the department store. I wasn't allowed to get the stonewashed I really wanted because they were already worn looking, i.e. "wouldn't hold up as well," and they were more expensive than the basic denim! I grew up in a new development neighborhood with almost all young, just starting out families, moms didn't usually work so there was one income supporting the family, and celebrity style and all the different entertainment/celebrity media saturation, rapidly churning trends and mass consumption didn't exist like it does today. I have had a real battle raising my daughter (just turned 21) in this more affluent and spendy era which she grew up in. For her, in elementary school Tiffany heart pendant jewelry was all the rage. At one point when she was still in elementary school she had at least a dozen real Tiffany pieces (I remember counting all the turquoise boxes, none bought by me) and it really bothered me! In fact, it appalled me. She had two Coach bags while still in middle school! In high school she had a fit if her buying $200 premium jeans was questioned or denied! There was a thread here recently about spending limits and people noted that once you raised the bar, it became the norm and you couldn't go back. My daughter has a very high bar in her tastes and appetite and she has no ability to tighten her belt and delay gratification. I think it's a very bad result.