Fab book from charity shop.

[jazzactivist]

Hi all, following on from Oola's comment about clothes recycling and adapting, I found an amazing book in a charity shop sale today called "Wardrobe Quick Fixes" and it shows you how to adapt just about any item of clothing to give it a new lease of life. It only cost me 20p in the sale too. I recently went to a seminar at a museum of costume near here, and one of the things that the speaker said was that the best books on home made crafts and clothes are produced at times when there is a surge in cheap clothes combined with an economic dip. The early 1980s was apparently a good time for books of this type, as non-fiction publishers were trying to adapt their titles to keep abreast with cheap 'foreign' imports. Therefore, lots of crafts and clothes compendiums that contain good quality advice, images, and technical advice were produced then, before the 90s era of cheap, high street clothes and 'sound bite' type books. I thought that this was a very interesting piece of information, so am keeping a look out. Today's book is dated 1984, and i is certainly good value even at the original price.

[franbee]

Lucky you. Can we have a 'tip a day' please?

[Crocus]

Quite interesting info Jazz and something to remember when searching for a cetain book.

[Healing Hands]

Sounds an interesting book Jazz, but do you remember the 80's and the fashion then with all the padded shoulders and it looked like we came of Dallas! It did not take me long to get my 80's fashion to the chairty shops!

[jazzactivist]

I do remember the 80s, HH, and wore all of those baggy trousers / shoulder pads / big hair for a while, thinking that I looked great. I quickly returned to the hippy look which was much more easy and casual. The book that I found doesn't seem particularly 80s, it just shows you how to shorten / lengthen circular skirts, convert a double breasted jacket to a single breasted one, lengthen trousers by resewing the gusset and loosening the waistband, make a halterneck top out of a blouse etc. All very interesting to me who is a keen charity shopper.