I think it’s been pretty well documented here on One Hundred Dollars a Month that I’m not really into clothes and as a result, I pretty much wear the exact same thing everyday. Kut jeans and Gap “favorite” long sleeved black tees. Both of which styles have been phased out recently.
I guess this means I am officially behind the times, boot just jeans are no longer cool {but a more slim cut through the leg is} and I’m going to have to get a new uniform look.
When I wrote down my goals for 2016 one of them was to only buy essential items. You know, things like food, toothpaste, car maintenance stuff. I figured I’d be totally fine when it came to my jeans. After all, I own 6 pairs. Well, technically 3 decent pairs and 3 pairs with paint stains.
Until earlier this week when I reached down to pick something up and the back of my jeans tore. Big time. Great. That meant I was now down to 1 pair of good jeans {my other pair of good jeans is hanging in my closet on the east coast}.
And then yesterday… I noticed another tear in the exact same spot in another pair of jeans. Â So now what? How do you even repair a hole that big IN THAT SPOT?
The only pants I have left hanging in my closet are some jeggings {seriously, why did I even buy those?!} and 2 pairs of corduroys that are a size too small.
AWESOME.
I’m hoping I can make it to the 10th on our 1st of 3 gallons of milk.
Stir fry is on the menu for tomorrow night. I’m hoping these bean sprouts will add a little extra crunch since the only stir fry worth veggies I have left are asparagus, carrots and green beans.
A few days ago someone asked how my almost zero waste project was going. Honestly, it’s going much better than I anticipated. It’s amazing how much stuff can be recycled when you stop and look at the bottom of every package.
I’m still finding we toss about a quart size baggie of trash away each week but I’m okay with that considering last year at this time we were hauling a garbage can of waste to the curb each week. Maybe I’m weird, but I think it’s pretty cool.
Happy Friday and have a great weekend everyone,
~Mavis
Janet says
Considering you recently cleaned your closet for donations, I’m wondering how those too-small pants and jeggings got left behind.
RE the jeans: You need one or two more pairs. Go to the second-hand store and see what you can find. Give yourself permission to clothe yourself properly in public.
Mavis Butterfield says
RE: I’m wondering how those too-small pants and jeggings got left behind. I was thinking if I ate beans and rice for a month maybe I could fit into them as a last resort.
Re: Go to the second-hand store and see what you can find. Give yourself permission to clothe yourself properly in public. HILARIOUS!
Blair says
Maybe do a clothing swap or find a consignment store to sell a few items for store credit. No money out of hand + something not new = technically not buying anything. (it’s the new math)
Maria says
Iron on patches might work. I also have an outfit/uniform. Black stretch pants from Landsend and a white or colored T shirt. No patterns, no designs, no problem. In my everyday outfit, I don’t have to wonder what I’m wearing. I buy them 4-6 at a time and when they wear out, they either get cut up for rags or for patches for other pairs of pants just like them.
Here is how I repair my pants. I buy a roll of iron-on fusible webbing. Buy the light stuff that says you can sew through it. Iron it onto a piece of matching fabric and then carefully match the edges of the tear on your pants.
Peel the paper off the iron-on patch and position it carefully on the inside of your pants. Pin it in place Double check that the edges of the tear are in position and then iron it into place.
Finally use the sewing machine to zigzag around the edges of the patch.
I use this technique to mend tears in upholstery and other places that really need a strong bond.
If you don’t have a sewing machine, buy the kind of iron on fusible that says no sew.
But I think in your situation, having no pants that don’t have a tear in the seat is buying a necessary thing.
Mary Ann says
You could patch them with the cords that are a size too small. Cut out the but cheeks and zig zag them on the inside of your jeans. Jeans still look good to me. Cut the seams close on the inside of the pants after zig zagging.
Just a thought!!! I just patched the knee of some pants that way and you could hardly notice! Or get a cheep pair from the 2nd hand store and use them instead.
Ashley says
Maybe you could email the pictures of the jeans to Nordstrom and ask if they had problems with them tearing recently. You never know, maybe they’ll give you a discount on a new pair.
Marcia says
Hmmm. I’m going to disagree on the new uniform. I know styles change and all, and I used to actually care about fashion. Not much, admittedly. Because I’m an engineer.
But now I’m in my 40s. The slim/ narrow cut jeans do not look good on me now, and never did. I’m happy to let the 20-year olds or crazy fit tall 40-year olds wear them. But simple boot cut jeans flatter my body. I’m NOT going narrow cut. The heck with that.
Lana says
Check Amazon for your favorite jeans. I recently found that my favorite brand is clearanced out by the retailer through Amazon so instead of paying $60 I paid $21. But, shop you must!
Mel says
Definitely check Amazon and eBay and buy your favorites while they’re still available. You need clothes without holes.
Teckla says
Bummer! I would definitely try mending them. If you don’t already have some on hand, it’s totally worth a dollar or two at Walmart or the Dollar store to purchase both iron on mending tape in a color to match or blend and a spool of “jeans” or “denim” thread made specifically for jeans. Iron the tape onto the wrong side of the pants, carefully positioning it over the tear, smoothing the torn threads to minimize the look of the tear and pulling the edges together first. Don’t trim the loose threads; they help stabilize the darn area. Do this from the top, using a pressing ham and press cloth so you don’t gum up your iron, if you find it difficult to do from the wrong side. Then use the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine (3 step zig zag if you have it) using the jeans thread to “darn” over the tear. You will be amazed at how un-noticeable your darn will be. You may still not want to wear them in public, but you should definitely be able to wear them around the house and in the yard. I did this a few months back for my nephew-in-law where he caught the pocket of a pair of new jeans on a chair at work and caused a 3 corner tear. I used a 3 step zig zag stitch, shortening the length and widening the zig zag width to maximum. I had to point out the mend, from the inside, to my sister and the kids before they could spot it, the jeans thread blends in so well. As far as I know, Jason still wears them to work and no one is the wiser. Cheaper than buying new or used jeans for the amount of wear you can salvage. Depending on the age of the jeans it could certainly be worth it to check with the store and/or manufacturer about the tear, first.
If the girl can’t or won’t wear the jeggings or corduroys, it’s time to add them to the garage sale. Maybe you can recover at least part of the cost of new or used jeans or mending the old ones that way?
Ruth says
My uniform is jeans and a Grey tee shirt from Fred Meyer. The Great Northwest label is not made in the USA, but a nice weight and long wearing. Right about now you may be able to find the “off season” long sleeves at a great price. They have a bit of spandex…..not sure how they will over-dye…..(I do the same thing to my black pants)
Patty says
Repair the jeans. Take a scrap piece of denim a little larger than the damaged area. Zigzag around the edges of the scrap so that it doesn’t fray anymore. Pin the scrap to the wrong side (INSIDE) of the jeans. Darn the rip to mesh it back together. The patch on the onside will be invisible and reinforces the stitching. Plus, patched or in jeans are in style. You’ll fit right in.
Rosaleen says
You can go the iron on patch method for a temporary repair, but when my jeans have worn to that point, they usually are just about shot. More and more holes appear. If I had NOT other option, I might make one pair of jeans into shorts and use the material from the legs to make large, saddle-shaped patches. Fuse them in place, then stitch just inside the edge. This would be a HUGE pain, however, and only worthwhile if I were too broke to buy pants at a thrift store. That said, I MIGHT do this to my favorite hiking pants… How attached are you to these jeans? 😎
Libby says
No Mavis no, it’s not the time for repairs. Pants are a nessesity, for sure. If you have holes now, more holes will follow. If you wear them enough to make holes then order a few more pairs. You’re not being wasteful! I would say for something that you don’t really need or something that you don’t wear in public yes patch away, but, no butts in public! Get new jeans, I give you permission. Haha
Brianna says
Looks like you have 2 pairs of Daisy Dukes in your future. Just sew a straight stitch right above the fringe level and it will not unravel anymore.
Beth says
I’m of an age when holes in jeans were an opportunity to decorate them. My daughter recently had a similar issue and we used a large irregularly shaped piece of upholstery (heavy weight of any kind will work) fabric and a decorative stitch around the edges, We even used the same fabric to put a similar free-form patch on the lower leg in front to tie the look together.
Cathy says
Well we do need jeans , I finally found ones I like at cold water creek , then the store closed at Kent Station. Yes I could go online. But jeans need to be touched and loved. Best wishes on finding a new brand.
wendy says
I have another suggestion. Maybe you could put your bartering skills to work and add to your wardrobe without buying anything? You have 8 more months to go. No doubt you will have more challenges like this come up. You are super creative. I’m sure you’ll come up with something. 🙂
Valerie says
Wear black bike shorts underneath, or red panties. Either way, you’ll get free drinks at a bar.
PS says
Attire is necessary, going pant less would get you arrested. I’d get rid of the pants you won’t wear and get a pair you feel comfortable leaving the house in. The point is to cut inessential spending not force you walk around feeling like a hobo. Definitely check second hand and thrift stores first and limit yourself to one pair since that’s all you really need.
Sarah stauffer says
I think you need to look at the bigger picture here… You live in the area that is the birthplace and home to the grunge style! put those leggings on and wear the jeans over them! You will definitely be in style! 🙂
Seriously though, join the Gig Harbor buy nothing group! Ask for a pair of jeans, I’m sure someone will have a pair for you! The Buy Nothing groups are the best.
Amanda B says
Oh, take it from the perpetually-pants-patching wife of a landscaper, those are totally patchable! My husband destroys 4-6 pairs of sturdy(expensive!) pants every summer, but they all retire with patches(into my scrap bag as patches for their followers)
I’d patch on the inside, with a wide margin around the holes, straight stitch, no hemming, around the outer edge of the patch. Then on the outside of the jeans just straight stitch several rows back and forth, just across the hole, not the whole size of the patch, to hold the hole together and cover it up and attach it more to the patch. Just choose thread that matches your jeans and it shouldn’t show too much at all. You’re a crafty lady, and have a goal besides! You can definitely make this work.
Make sure to set aside your last good pair for special occasions(like leaving the house, if you’re picky about looking slightly mended, haha). Those pants totally have more gardening in them. 🙂
Lisa Millar says
I pretty much live in jeans and t-shirts. I hate buying new clothes. And I also wear them to literal death.
For gardening tho, I have taken to wearing my husbands old work pants/cargo type things. There area few of those kicking about so I can happily wear them to death too and keep my other jeans for going into public! 🙂
So glad to see someone else that wears jeans until they fall off them! 🙂
Tracey says
I’d patch the jeans for at home and get a “new” (used) pair for public…. I agree that pants are kind of a necessity. Maybe you need a small “emergency” fund for stuff like this as it’s inevitable that things like this will happen. No judgies from the peanut gallery for pants! 🙂
Unrelated to jeans, but related to no waste… Did you know Subaru of Indiana was zero waste? I’m not an employee, nor do I own one, but just learned this at an environmental fair and thought I’d share.
Anna G says
Ebay! I would do a search on Ebay for the brand you love. If you don’t find them on your first search you can set up an alert for that item.
CathyB says
1. In my experience, when the butt rips out like that, the jean material has worn so thin in the whole area that it is not worth the time patching because you just get more rips.
2. If the jean material around the rips is still okay, and not too thin, then you should patch them to wear around the house and gardening and then buy yourself a new pair or two for wearing out.
3. Like others said, a replacing essential clothing is a necessary expense.
TEL says
I recently got a hole in that same spot on my favorite jeans too. I haven’t fixed it yet. I’ve just been wearing long cardigans. Still cold enough here to get away with that for a bit longer. I can’t bring myself to get rid of them!