Argh, clothes shopping

You're not alone in some of those problems! Quite a few years ago I decided to opt out of fast fashion. I started with charity shops but I ended up with a huge collection of nearly but not quite right clothes and a few I do actually wear. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to work out I never wore the nearlies and have sent most of them back to charity shops, many still with their labels. I also wear a lot of really old clothes that I have had for decades.

Then I took up sewing, as I do not have your problems with sewing machines and fortunately for me the kind of clothes I like to wear are easy to make. Is it only electric machines that don't like you? I used to love sewing on my old hand cranked Singer, much less to go wrong and they can still be found in working order, some people enjoy refurbishing them. Or even hand sewing can be quite relaxing - before the 1850s all clothes were made that way! I struggle with hand sewing now, arthritis, but I used to enjoy it.

If you have enough budget you could pay someone to make clothes for you? Or to mend the ones you have if you can't mend them yourself. Mending, visible or otherwise, is virtually a craft hobby in its own right at the moment!

I don't get on with any sewing machines, they all hate me, I'm not sure I would be able to afford to get someone to make clothes for me, the clothes I have are beyond mending. I have very few clothes and fast fashion isn't and has never been an option for me as I'm to tall, I'm 5'10" with a 33" inside leg measurement. I've been given tops that are huge in the shoulders and don't fit around my bust and the arms are for broomsticks not people.

I get told to try mens stuff, but I'm woman shaped and mens trousers dont' fit me even if I can get them long enough, I have to get them so big in the waist to fit my hips that when I sit down the front rides up and swallows my boobs whilst the back slips down under my bum, they wear me rather than me wearing them!. My son and step son have similar problems both being well over 6' tall, my son has two shops he can relaible get trousers from because the longest most mens trousers go is a 31" leg.

It seems that with the internet where you're supposed to be able to get anything from anywhere in the world, we've actually got even less choice, you can get the same dozen things from any country in the world and this seems to go for anything, not just clothes.

Hi Cat Woman

I have the opposite problem - I'm a tiny kitten with an inside leg measurement of 27 inches and most trousers and all maxi skirts are too long for me. Also most T shirts are very long on me. I need soft fabrics and don't like most patterns, hate these new shiny satin slip skirts and agree with you about some sleeves being too tight. Oh, and bras used to be a nightmare too. I have now found solutions though, which surprisingly may help you too:

M&S - this is where I buy underwear, trousers & skirts. All of their standard length trousers come in 29, 31 & 33 inch lengths, and some also come in extra short - 27 inches - and extra long - 35 inches. I have bought their joggers, which are quite soft with an elasticated waist, and currently they are selling linen mix wide leg trousers - both are available in your length of 33 inches. Their midi skirts are 30 inches long (I buy that length as they are maxi on me, which I like) but they also do maxi ones if that's too short for you. For underwear, I like their packs of cotton briefs and they now do packs of soft cotton non wired bras - most comfortable bras I've ever worn! 

Primark - this is where I buy t-shirts and cardigans. Their stretch short sleeved t-shirts are comfortable but feel a bit tight in my usual size and a bit long, so I buy a size up and tuck them in. They also do some long line t-shirts and vest tops (which I use as night dresses) Their cardigan sizing is all over the place - I've had to buy extra small in some cardigans and large in others, but it's quick to try a cardi on in the shop without the hassle of the changing rooms. 

I don't buy dresses or blouses so I can't advise on that - I only like to wear t-shirts with soft trousers or a skirt, and a cardi - but hopefully this might be helpful.

Hi Cat Woman

I have the opposite problem - I'm a tiny kitten with an inside leg measurement of 27 inches and most trousers and all maxi skirts are too long for me. Also most T shirts are very long on me. I need soft fabrics and don't like most patterns, hate these new shiny satin slip skirts and agree with you about some sleeves being too tight. Oh, and bras used to be a nightmare too. I have now found solutions though, which surprisingly may help you too:

M&S - this is where I buy underwear, trousers & skirts. All of their standard length trousers come in 29, 31 & 33 inch lengths, and some also come in extra short - 27 inches - and extra long - 35 inches. I have bought their joggers, which are quite soft with an elasticated waist, and currently they are selling linen mix wide leg trousers - both are available in your length of 33 inches. Their midi skirts are 30 inches long (I buy that length as they are maxi on me, which I like) but they also do maxi ones if that's too short for you. For underwear, I like their packs of cotton briefs and they now do packs of soft cotton non wired bras - most comfortable bras I've ever worn! 

Primark - this is where I buy t-shirts and cardigans. Their stretch short sleeved t-shirts are comfortable but feel a bit tight in my usual size and a bit long, so I buy a size up and tuck them in. They also do some long line t-shirts and vest tops (which I use as night dresses) Their cardigan sizing is all over the place - I've had to buy extra small in some cardigans and large in others, but it's quick to try a cardi on in the shop without the hassle of the changing rooms. 

I don't buy dresses or blouses so I can't advise on that - I only like to wear t-shirts with soft trousers or a skirt, and a cardi - but hopefully this might be helpful.