Where to find Skirts, Inexpensive Underskirts, Petticoats, and Shirt Extenders
I have a long black slip from Marks & Spencer. In Singapore, where the tropical heat affects you indoors and out all year, it can feel sticky. However, it goes with so many items that I wear it a lot. When I take it off, I can wash it out at night. Next morning it is dry, or dry enough. The colours won't run.
I went looking for something similar in Mustafa's 24 hour department store near Little India MRT underground station in Singapore. They had cotton petticoats for wearing under sarees. Drawstring waists. That was not what I wanted. But I bought three of them.
Now I need or want a green underskirt. Plain, not patterned. I have hunted through my wardrobe. I have loads of green tops but no co-ordinating skirt. The only alternatives are white and black - or contrasting orange or red.
My friend Carolyn, who is Indian, and Singaporean, tells me that you can get long petticoats to go under sarees for about 2 dollars, singapore dollars, in Little India. I must go and look. I could do with pink, and blue. I have ordered two green ones online.
I have now found the magic search words. Not just petticoat. 'Underskirt.' Here is what I found on line.
Skirt Extenders!
My first search produced teeny underskirts, half the length of a half length slip, at half the price.
DIY Shirt Extender - from a discarded short slip or skirt
It is just a miniskirt under a new name. Now I have a use for old miniskirts. Too short skirts. Short slips.
Even children's skirts. Or children's dresses.
Can I cut down and re-use any items with spoiled collars, or stained tops?
No, sometimes it is shaped in a semi-circle, or longer at the back, like a man's shirt.
DIY Shirt Extender - from a discarded shirt
I thought, instead of throwing away a man's shirt with a frayed or stained collar and stained cuffs, I could cut off the lower half. I would have to sew down a wide top hem, insert a thread of elastic using a safety pin, finally tie the ends of the elastic together.
Hey presto - a free shirt extender. No cost for fabric. Save something from landfill.
Lower Prices, More
I searched again. I made a point of adding the limiting specification, clicking on 'sort by' 'price plus postage low to high'. Up come a lot more options. And more colourful styles. Lace.
Colours
Better still, not just black or white, or chequered black and white. Multi-colours! Purple. Pink. Pale blue.
There was even an offer of 11 pieces. About 60 dollars. That's about 6 dollars each. Lots of new outfits.
(Yesterday I wrote: I'm researching this right now, but have saved the unfinished post to be sure it is not lost but will be saved. Come back soon for lots of interesting stuff. )
Update - hoop skirts
I looked in Wikipedia but the contributors had not yet caught up with this latest trend in January 2022. Instead I found myself reading about skirts extended sideways on hoops to create a display for an embroidered front panel. That's what I was looking for to enforce social distancing in corridors and atriums where other shoppers hurry past me too close for my liking.
Unfortunately, a hoop skirt is not practical when sitting on a bus.
Folding Hat
However, you could design the top of a hoop skirt like those foldable hats - which have a broad rim within a circular thin wire which you can fold into a figure of eight for packing. You then need to hold the folded hat into a small bag, otherwise it springs open again suddenly, knocking your glasses off your nose and giving you and anybody nearby a heart attack.
Or thread the wire through the hoop in sections, and when travelling fold the wire into an extendable spiral.
Useful Websites
The lady below has a whole range of handy items, dickeys and forearm sleeves and skirt extenders.
https://bellahijabs.com/collections/extenders
Hoop skirts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannier_(clothing)
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books, including: Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.
Quick Quotations
Who Said What When
Comments
Post a Comment