The Great American Apparel Diet

no buying for one year

I loved reading Angeline’s post chronicling her shopping eras–totally identified with each one–and got stuck reading over and over again the question she posed:  “how much is enough?”  Like most of you, I am able to participate in TGAAD precisely because I have not properly answered this question in the past and have gone way past “enough,” which allows me to diet–without cheating even once I am proud to say–without suffering the hardship of not having something to wear.  I always do!

But what happens when you spill toxics on your favorite duds, or your essential Converse wear a hole in them?  Over time, if we all stayed on TGAAD forever we would end up naked or in rags, and obviously neither are acceptable solutions for us fashion forward ladies (and gentleman!), our friends, families, and employers.   

So I am trying to envision post-TGAAD life, and how I am going to take lessons learned from this experience and change my relationship with clothes/shoes/accessories going forward.  Personally, I’d like to focus on my clothes as a tool to accomplish my life goals, and get away from using shopping as an addictive treat.  I’d love to see a standard set of rules or guidelines that I can live by for “how much is enough” that can be customized depending on needs and lifestyle.  Then you know right away if you need to go shopping, and what specifically you need to buy.  It would take all the wasted time and money out of shopping.  My initial thoughts are that maybe the list should be one outfit for each day of the week that you do an activity:

office job (5 days a week) = five each of mix and match pants, shirts, sweaters

swim (1 day a week) = one swimsuit

etc. etc. 

Any takers?  Anyone want to post a proposed set of rules for “enough”?

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I did not realize how much I am addicted to shopping for new clothes until I officially took this challenge. But I have been sticking through it, one day and shopping mall at a time.  Going to the mall without buying a new article of clothing required new level of impulse control. Ever since I gave up new clothes, I have been noticing a lot more accessories that really spice up the outfit that I already have. For example, the below shrug/bolero and necklace in this picture cost me $15 total:

My only scare at the moment is finding myself getting addicted to buying accessories from now.  That would defeat the whole purpose of giving up buying new clothes if I trade them with jewelry, shoes, scarves and belts.  Lord help me.  I am a harm to myself.

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Friends,
This is what I have learned. Austerity does not bring out the best in me for diets. For me austerity means STRICT self control. Hmmmm. I have self control in most of my life, maybe a bit too much sometimes.
I am on a detox healthy eating plan right now, but I still allow myself two Dove candies a day. Maybe that is the secret – restraint, but not austerity, with clothes shopping. That’s my most recent learning. Thanks for listening.
Brenda aka Cookie

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• Cotton, wool, linen, silk, ect can all be dumped into to a compost bin. It will rot, and can be returned to the soil.
• Child care centers, or Sunday School classes who use them in crafts. They generally use all kinds of fabrics, regardless of whether they are cotton, polyester, silk, etc
• Throw them in a local clothing recycling bin, if you can find one (Salvation Army, Goodwill, Amvets, planetaid, etc.). They take anything that isn’t usable as clothing and sell it to industry for use as rags or raw fiber for other products.

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Okay, It’s been a week since I last checked in and I must admit that last week was tough. I accomplished something that was really great and I so badly wanted to buy myself a new outfit. I survived. I didn’t make my celebratory appearance at White House/Black Market; instead I found another way to celebrate. I just shared my accomplishment with family and friends and that seem to have done the trick. I know, I know, I could have bought a new accessory because that’s allowed but I didn’t because I definitely can over indulge in jewelry, shoes and belts. Trust me I own my share of anything and everything that can make an outfit “pop”. Oh by the way, did I tell you that jewelry and sandals is another problem for me??? Probably not! Well let me tell you I used to sell silver jewelry and I started collecting and selling vintage jewelry but that quickly came to an end. Thank God! How much jewelry do I need? In my mind I can never have enough. However, in my husband’s mind, I definitely have enough.

Not a whole lot going on but I just wanted to let you ladies and gentlemen know that this newbie is hanging in there!

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Hi. I went to a play reading last night at Solo Bar on Roy street. The group New Century Theater Company put on a play reading, and all the cute actresses showed up to watch the event in their outfits. I noticed that the trend was a little dress, above the knee, leggings and boots. Kind of like back in 1989 when I first moved here! Minus the Doc Martins. Anyway….I started hankering for this look. I have the leggings. But, no little dress. I stared to feel so bad that I didn’t have the little dress. There is a store called Queen Anne Dispatch by my shop, and on my break I went in. I tried on 8 little dresses. One of the owners was there, she knew I was on this diet. She said “won’t Sally be mad at you?” Well, I just saw Sally. She laughed and said someone in the group said I was constantly cheating. Hey, this is only four times! Yes, this is the fourth time. I got a little navy tunic by Trinity. It was on sale, too! Only $42.00. Am I the biggest cheater? Or am I the only one who confesses????

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Dilemma: I spilled some noxious chemical last week (too much to get into here, no bodily injuries were sustained). However, I got it on my clothes, some of my FAVORITE clothes. Nothing terribly fabulous or lovely, but I wear them all the time – Prana yoga pants, SmartWool sweater (can you say “machine washable wool?”) and my BearPaw boots. Like I said, nothing terribly special, I mean BearPaws are Ugg wannabes!

This is KILLING me. Do I replace? Do I sacrifice and go without? Just where does damaged clothing due to a toxic spill fit into this whole gig? Isn’t the whole point to sacrifice?!?

I am very committed to this whole she-bang and have not cheated or even thought of cheating (so far).

So, I haven’t decided what to do. (I should mention that when I signed up, I opted to include shoes in my sacrifice. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But I’m not so sure anymore.)

Part of me is seeking blessings and approvals from you all, but part of me needs to just figure it out on my own. Just where do I stand on giving myself permission to “cheat” because of this loss I feel for something as materialistic as clothing? Or am I making too much out of this?

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Note the double-tier ruffle skirt details (love love love!) and consisting of thin materials, lightweight and not too bulky with decorative details in the lacework. Perfect with minimal accessories.

Closer look at the lace work.

Read the rest of the entry at bridal gear

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It’s only been a week since I officially joined the diet, but this weekend was the first time I’d gone to a store that sold clothes since I started.  It was difficult to watch my friends try on and purchase clothes, but they were super-supportive of my decision to not shop for clothes and didn’t try to tempt me or anything.

I did make out with a great accessory buy, however — a skinny red-orange belt, which I’ve worn every day since I bought it in different ways.  Over a cardigan, with wide-leg trousers, over a tunic-y blouse.  For only $10, I know this accessory will help spruce up many outfits in my closet and give them new life over this next year.

Do you have a favorite accessory that just “makes” an outfit?

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We are well into March and I am still “abstinent”!  About a year ago I carefully packed up my winter sweaters—oh, yes, cashmere and cables; sumptuous silks and feminine flounces.  I have yet to find this box of sweaters.  I survived this season with one sweater that remained behind as a Spring chill “back-up”.  I used some jackets, blazers and I overused the one sweater I could find.

But the outcome of the equation is that one can survive a season with but one sweater.  I will have the entire summer to seek out the missing box.

I’m doing better–it’s been a long time since I cruised E-bay or Zappo’s or various other on-line sources.  I cannot quite give up looking at catalogues but I resist.  I am increasingly stunned by my own virtue and wonder just who was that person who “needed” scarves by Hermes (and then did not want to spoil them so never wore them!)

I hope everyone else is thriving.

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