Long term clothes

[slowz1k]

This topic got me thinking... I currently have very few LT clothes. I keep a new pair of boots in the closet at all times, but most of my clothes are in current circulation in my closet.

Something else to consider...Size.
Due to too much fast food, desk job, lack of exercise, age, and any other excuse, or reason I can think of.... I'm carrying more weight than I should be. What I wore two or three years ago, doesn't fit. (I am working on this issue and plan to be back down to an acceptable BMI within a few months.) Point is... In a "post event" life, even if your in good physical shape, many of us will soon be running much leaner than we've been accustomed to. I'm not sure what the answer would be... Learn to take in pants?... stock smaller sizes?.... Wear a belt and deal with it?...Thoughts?

[realist]

I had a short gig going a couple of years ago and I ended up with about fifty t-shirts that are black, gray and white. These are all new so they are being stored in nice sealed plastic containers. I always have four extra sets of new jeans set aside. I treat them like my food, when I wear out a pair I get one from the new ones and replace them asap. I also have a couple of flannel lined jeans for colder days. If I want some really warm pants then I have several sets of wools. I do have a bunch of OD BDUs that I used to wear for work that I have set aside, but they are not all that durable. These have been used but I figure that they have about two years of life left in them so I use them for hunting and working around the yard during the summer. The same goes with socks, I have new ones set aside and replace them when I take out a new pair. I have been looking at the Duluth catalog and was thinking about buying a couple of pairs in browns, but they are expensive.

Hay just a note on wear do you store all this stuff. My daughter is into kick boxing and has a five foot bag. Well it needed to be filled with padding, ie clothing so that is where a bunch of stored clothes go. It now weighs about 100 pounds of various clothes. I would say they might need a little touch up with and iron though........

[GunnerMax]

slowz1k, Well think of this: your waist/body might get smaller, but you dont get shorter or taller. I would buy the size that fits, and wear a belt to deal with it. You dont have to worry about getting longer/shorter pants/shirts. However, its easy to take in some pants. Just fold in the waist, and tack it there with a safety pin, then sew it. my mother did it for our clothes for 18 years. she would buy a bigger size, take them in, then let them out when we grew into them. BTW, check out Ebay for ACU/MARPAT/woodland cammies. if you wait for a good deal, and hover during biddings end, you can get them for a good price.

for winter clothes, I have fleece overalls, 2 sets of trigger finger mittens with wool inserts, 1 balclava, 1 set of outdoor research gloves, with a heavy weather outershell. I plan on getting Mickey Mouse boots in the future. I also have been buying wool socks. I also have 2 watch caps.

my size is Medium Regular. If I lose bodyfat to get down to say, 6-7%, I will still fit in Med Reg clothes, so I am covered.

for reference for: Navy NWU, MARPAT, ACU and I believe woodland/desert 3 color uniforms, check out this link. Official USMC Issue Digital Woodland MARPAT Trousers & Blouses - Military Gear HQ

[LUNCHBOX]

I keep extra military clothing on the shelf for the family and myself. I don't plan on using jeans in a bad scenario, they just don't move right to me and not comfortable. T-shirts and long sleeve shirts are on hand pretty good. I do need to look in to some long johns/cold weather. I own Firehose pants and I would recommend them.

[Kodiak]

Being 6'5 & 370lbs clothing is definately a concern for me, I always look for sales and try to keep a good stock. Ive got everything from carhart to 5.11 and keep several pairs of boots and shoes at hand. One thing that does concern me is the kids, I do not have extra clothes for them to grow into beyond age 5. That is something I'm going to look into stocking up on, perhaps several outfits of various sizes to get them through pre-teen to adult.

So much to prep and so little time.

[ladyhk13]

I guess I'll be the lone girl here....I have what you could say is some LT clothes. I have clothes that I wore in high school going on 31 years ago (OMG!) so I seem to not wear some things out too badly! I have regular jeans, my "fat people" jeans which are one size bigger for those days that I want to just romp around the house, I have cammo's and then I have shorts but since I moved out of Fl I actually never really wear them much but I do keep them. I have lots of t shirts, tons of sweat shirts and sweaters and every kind of coat imaginable since I'm a coat and boot whore (yes I said it and I apologize for nothing - stole the saying from Red Eye). I have a carhart jacket and coverall set and also a jumpsuit and about every country's winter weight coat made. I hate to be cold and we have this awesome store in town that sells European military surplus (Russian, Swedish, German....) at really cheap prices so we get lots of great stuff to keep me warm.
My next line is I buy lots of material, patterns and thread so I can make clothes when needed. It might get hard to buy clothes later on but if I have the raw materials I can make them. I also have a Singer Treadle sewing machine so no electric needed...just have to practice using it.
For storage I bought those storage bags ya use your vacuum cleaner and suck the air out of. They are great for large items like blankets and other things that you need to pack away if you put summer/winter clothes away. I think socks is where I am lacking and do need to get more especially wool ones for winter.
Shoes aren't too much a problem. Sneakers and lots of boots. I have collected boots over the years and never wear them out so I think I'm good there since I'll probably keep buying more....can't help myself.

[Taz Baby]

I get cold at 70 degrees and I live in the boonies where it got down to wind chill 0 , so I have a lot of winter clothes. I love Bass pro long johns and wally worlds to. Most of my winter wear comes from Carthart and Bass Pro. Lots of summer clothes from living in Fla. I also sew my own clothes as Lady does so I am good on that. I love to go to the military stores and yard sale, thrift stores and such for the camo stuff. Bass pro snake proof, waterproof boots, Coleman steel toed hiking boots, Indian leather Moccasin boots and BOOTS and BOOTS and more BOOTS:

[Stormfeather]

Im planning on going naked once SHTF, who needs clothes? If anything, I have this elephant head banana hammock that I can wear when company visits. . . .


. . . . which Im assuming wont be often.

[mollypup]

I, like Ladyhk13, still have clothes from high school and that was back in the 70's! I have enough clothes to last me for the next 50 years easy. Might have to buy more undies but that's it. I've got too many wool sweaters in various sizes so I don't think I'll need anymore unless moths get to them. I keep them stored in a tight plastic box but I guess I should vacuum seal them like Ladyhk13. No air means no life for insects.

I have a problem with Thrift stores in that I go to them too often. I've got enough clothes for my girls to last until they're in their 20's. And I bought boy clothes for them too in case I need to disguise their gender for safety reasons. Hubby has enough clothes too, I don't leave him out while Thrift storing. I can't afford new stuff but have found some great brands for little over a dollar at my favorite thrift stores. I bought 12 pairs of wool socks the other day to go with what I already have. Gobs of coats and thick jackets, some even down-filled. I have boots, shoes, sandals and house shoes to last everyone for a long, long time. I even scored several big bags of wool blend yarn for next to nothing if I have to knit socks or mittens later on. All bought at the thrift store (except the socks). I'm not a hoarder and I keep things neatly in boxes and out of the way. I hate having a cluttered home.

This is a great topic because clothes are very, VERY important.

[madpiper]

I have a nice collection of BDU's and 511, but when it happens I plan on spending most of my time in jeans. I have a lot of Levi's and Wranglers. They may not be the most comfortable, but they last forever. As I recall, a lot of SEALs wore civilian jeans in Vietnam on missions because they were rugged (let me rephrase that - I recall READING that they did). As far as upper body I have wool sweaters and heavy weight short sleeve shirts along with the normal collection of t-shirts. For the feet - military issue wool socks with cotton athletic socks to wear under them (write that down - keeps feet warm, dry, and keeps blisters away!). The best foot gear I have found is the all leather boots I was issued at Parris Island in 1992. Nothing fancy - in fact they don't even have a brand name on them - but they are RUGGED! I've had them resoled a few times and I'm back to the original hard rubber clod-hopper soles. Those things will last years! I've had Danner and Rocky tactical boots and about every brand of hiking boot, but none of them last more than 6 months but my 20 year old pair of boots are still going with no cracks in the leather or signs of wearing out. I wish I knew where to get another pair - not that I need them now but it would be nice to know I have another pair ready for a 20 year run!