A practical clothing prob - YouLookFab Forum

I present to you, oh fine people of YLF, a problem-solving and style question all rolled into one.

So, here's the deal:

Food, me, and clothes don't get along too well.

My right wrist (my dominant hand, of course) is wonky and sometimes unreliable. I have really serious issues with my mouth and jaws - including almost no sensation on part of my lower lip and chin and jaws that only open about an inch - so eating is troublesome. Food and drink end up on me as much as in me on a pretty regular basis. This is over and above regular human sloppiness, which I also have plenty of. :p

I'd like to keep my clothes clean. I'd like to explore this journey of finding my own style without giving up and wearing inexpensive tees all the time because they're easiest to clean and I generally don't have a deep fondness for them. Yes, I know we all spill things, and have weird messes happen - all your stories in my other thread are unbelievably comforting - but this is an ongoing problem, a problem I know about, and a problem that can at least be reduced.

...but I don't want to wear a bib! :p

I'm trying to come up with some pieces of clothing that I can take with me when I go out to eat, that look good but aren't necessarily part of the outfit (so I can take them off and put them on again without disturbing my overall look).

So far, I've thought of getting simple, washable scarves in interesting colours that I can just casually drape around myself when it's time to eat -scarves that can act as a bib while looking like an accessory and can just be thrown in the wash afterwards.
Any ideas?

Your post

10 years ago

Anonymous

The scarf idea is pretty brilliant and I'm pleased to say it occurred to me too.

DonnaF

Veteran

Washable scarves sound great to me! At home, I always wear an apron, although I must admit I've gotten toothpaste on that little section just before the apron starts. I have completely stopped buying DCO stuff other than possibly outerwear. It cuts down on purchasing options, but otherwise I get in the mindset that something is too *precious* to wear, and then what good is it for me to own?

FWIW, these days I find some scarves a bit too bulky around my short neck; I feel they almost cause me to spill because they get in the way. How about you?

Vildy

I second the idea that scarf as bib is brilliant!

Diana

Hmm, with scarves you have to be aware of the crumb problem... Namely, that crumbs fall in them and stay there! Especially with cowl type scarves ... Although I suppose if you were removing them after dinner then the crumbs would go away too.

You might also want to consider prints rather than solids since they tend to hide stains a lot better.

I have a lot of square and triangular shawls/scarves (because I knit, and that's the most common shape for knit shawls) and I wear them kind of like a bandanna or bib, which might be perfect for this. Basically if it's a square I fold it along the diagonal to make a triangle (obviously you can skip this step if it's already a triangle), then I put the center point in front like a bib, and wrap the two long points behind my neck. Usually they're long enough that they can wrap back around to the front, where I can tie them or leave them dangling. If it's a smaller scarf I tie the points in back. You can wear this tightly like a bandanna or loosely like a cowl.

Helena

Hi there, I know it's different but I'm pretty sure every mom has had to deal with this, with pants used as napkins and tops used as kleenex, that sort of thing

I think the scarf idea is genius! I was going to suggest a lightweight cardigan as another option, although not as good as the scarf plan. Dark colors (good old black or something 'black-esque') will likely be more forgiving, as would the prints Diana suggests. Good luck with it!

rachylou

They say the tie started as a bib/napkin... I like the idea of a vest or scarf. On the other hand, I'm also the apron/housecoat lady - I actually like the idea of a bib or a bib apron - in a solid black or the like.

Gaylene

My mom had this problem because of her Parkinsons. She had always been such a pristine, fashionable dresser that it really bothered her to go out to eat in a public place.

Our solution was to invest in a couple of statement, bib necklaces that had ribbon ties in the back. I bought some inexpensive, silky, square scarves in coordinating prints, ran a gathering thread on one edge to gather the side so as to fit the inside curve of the necklace, and attached four small jewelry hooks to the gathered side.

The necklace was wrapped in the scarf and carried in her handbag. When it came time to eat, she attached the hooks to the necklace, tied on the necklace, and ate without worrying about her clothes. Her necklace "bibs" were such a hit with her friends, I ended up making them all their own.

Somehow wearing a pretty necklace took away the "bib" stigma and her version became more of a fashion accessory. I think acknowledging the reality of something and working to make it attractive can often work just as well, or even better, than trying to mask it. We just put the "bib" back in those trendy "bib" necklaces.

deb

Gaylene, the bib necklace is a really good idea. What about actually sewing beads onto a bib to make is look lice a fashionable necklace? It could be hand washable and if you made several you could coordinate with what you are wearing. Just a thought.

Those sound pretty cool, Gaylene! A little like a halter top.

tulle

You know, Robin, I have pondered the same problem on behalf of my mother: she's had a severely crippling form of arthritis for 60 years, and her hands just don't work well enough to handle food and implements without spills. At home, I thought of a sort of popover apron--the old fashioned kind, which is practical and easy. Eating out, though, remains difficult. I, too, suggested long draped scarves in pretty, washable fabrics, but my mother is emphatic about her personal style, and she nixed the idea: "I'm just not a scarf person." So we rely heavily on Tide stain pens for immediate treatment (easy to keep in your purse) plus other stain removers at laundering time. Scotchguarding the fronts of favorite non-washables is another possibility. (Test first in a hidden part.)

A last, off-the-wall idea which might just work: There are tablecloths available which are so stain- and spill-resistant that even red wine simply beads up and can be blotted away--I've seen them. They tend to be damask patterns in white or ivory. Maybe a sewing friend could cut one up and make it for you into, say, a sleeveless top and a couple of scarves? The top could be worn under jackets and cardigans, and the scarves could be worn with it or separately. They would just look like silky jacquard items; I don't think anyone would guess that you're wearing a tablecloth . . .

Liz

What about a washable, knit moto vest? When fully zipped up, it would cover your entire front, well up to your neckline.

Peri

I love the scarves idea and Gaylene's necklace bib is brilliant!

What about a lab coat? Would that button high enough? Then you would look all important and might get special treatment in restaurants! Or what about a chef's jacket? They definitely button high enough. Then you'd get even better treatment because everyone would think you were there to judge their restaurant.

I'm only a little bit kidding. These things might work and would be better than an apron out in public. At home I wear an apron every time I eat.

Robin

Active Member

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Any ideas on where I could find scarves? I'm thinking a solid weave fabric (like cotton or bamboo) rather than open weave (knitted or crochet items.

Your reply

Also, Gaylene, what an awesome idea, and how perfectly wonderful for you to work with your Mom to find a solution that helped her feel stylish and good about herself.

Plus, that's definitely got a boho vibe to it, and I'm definitely going for boho! :p

unfrumped

I was thinking of cotton vests , too, like a moto or utility. Main problem there is that they may be cut too low for the spill zone.

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