Tuesday, April 27, 2010

You might be a bush Alaskan if...




Living hundreds of miles away from a clothing store, most of mine are purchased over the internet.

Long live Amazon.com and all of its cousins!

Being able to buy clothes online is a blessing and it's usually a relatively easy process, but...pants are a problem.

Invariably, I choose items that are just wrong for one reason or another. It doesn't matter that I know my size. Even if I order the same brand and same size...something is always...hinky. And returning is a real pain-in-the-neck. I've done it, but don't like it much. There is a hefty stack of ill-fitting jeans in my closet to illustrate the point.

So...shirts I've got.

Socks are plentiful.

But, at this moment in time, I am pants-poor in the worst way.

I have put off buying pants until I can get down to Fairbanks or some other such city with actual dressing rooms and garments that I can touch and try on for myself. What luxury awaits!

Last year, I didn't get down to Fairbanks and what's left of my "trouser-wear" is on its last leg...uh..so to speak.

Last night, I was up late patching holes in my khaki-colored jeans by hand.

Now, it's embarrassing enough to admit that my clothes are so worn that I have to patch them. I'm not a little kid, after all. I haven't exactly been climbing trees or sliding into second base. I have no idea how I've managed to reduce heavy denim to thread-bare rags, but what's even more embarrassing is that I didn't have any actual patches, so I had to make some out of an old kitchen towel.

Yes, I said kitchen towel.

Yes, there were images of roosters printed all over it, but I did take care to place the patches on the inside where the roosters wouldn't show. At least, I don't think they show.

It was late, I was tired, and the lighting in the room was dim. Sewing by hand was slow and tedious, but by the time I finished up the last patch, I was feeling a little proud of myself for saving those raggedy khakis.

I felt rather resourceful.

Practically handy.

And I had to smile at the notion that my little patching job was a very "bush Alaskan" thing to do.

Even if it didn't involve any duct tape.

Sometimes I think being Alaskan has as much to do with the state of a person's mind as the state in their address.

9 comments:

Dog Hair in my Coffee said...

That is actually VERY funny. But i sympathize. I used to order tons of stuff from catalogs, just because I hate shopping, but was always frustrated when the pants didn't fit right. I finally started looking at the actual MODELS they had wearing pants, and realized that while they looked good on the model, and not on me, it is because I, unlike the model have hips, and a tummy, and a rear end. Now it's my thighs...
Oh to be a model. Or a resourceful Bush Alaskan! Good for you!:)

Anonymous said...

Funny! I think I have actually worn clothes with duct involved in the integrity of some of the seams--praise Amazon.com AND duct tape. Jay

Sandcastle Momma said...

I love the idea of using kitchen towels as patches! Very resourceful. I think a rooster patch would be cute LOL

Allmycke said...

You may have started a new trend if you put the roosters to the outside of your pants...
As for unusual ways of using duct tape - I wrap it around my ironing board when I prepare rags for weaving. Works like a charm!

Florida Beach Basics said...

a possible solution - find one pair in your closet that you love and fits you, then order from ebay. I do that for my jeans - only way I can get the version that I bought five years ago that fits better than anything since. marge

Kimberlee said...

Laurie...
LOL! You crack me up! Oh, to be a model is right! :)


Jay...
Ha! Duct tape is wonderful. If I'd had some on hand, I might have written a different story! :)


Sandcastle Momma...
You're such an encourager! I don't think "cute" is exactly what it would look like, but I'll think positively like you. LOL!


Trudie...
I have no idea what you mean about preparing rags for weaving. I guess I'm not as handy as I thought, but duct tape certainly is (handy). Have you blogged about this rag weaving thing?


Marge...
I have tried to find duplicates of my favorite jeans online, but I never thought of eBay! Great idea! Thanks!

Cathy said...

Your better than me. I don't bother to patch anything. I just wear it holey.

Kimberlee said...

Cathy...
You're my kind of girl! :)

Anonymous said...

I can sympathize as well. I just hate shopping and trying to find something that fits right and comfortable. Since the advent of hot flashes in my life if it irritates me I don't wear it. Last yr. I realized it was time to give up a pair of 10 yr. old khakis..when I could see the floor through the legs..I have been buying a few pairs of new shorts here and there this yr. Mine were only 15 yrs. old. I manage to have massage oil on all of it.
Good luck.. and hope the patches hold. TAmmy