The Great American Apparel Diet
no buying for one year

Cathy

Cathy, 42. Growing up in a bedroom community in affluent lower Fairfield County, CT, I’ve always been the frugal outsider when it comes to fashion, footwear & accessories. Mine was one of the few blue collar families (dad was a cop, mom a receptionist) in the sea of white collars (mostly Wall Street executives). Since my idea of fashion was the “somewhat-believable knockoff”, I was never in the name-brand-buying, logo-wearing crowd that shopped Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor and Saks. Most times, I din’t even know what the “it” brands were… “Dolce & who?” Strictly a TJ Maxx / Marshalls / Old Navy gal, I’ve lived in a Banana Republic / Anne Taylor / Talbots world. Even now, as married mom of two, I've proudly retained my identity as a savvy, parsimonious consumer. Shopping as a social activity has never held appeal, and movies like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “SATC” leave me shaking my head… their characters’ devotion to all things high fashion seem utterly pointless. Given that my frugality has always been a choice, though, I’ve been quite content with my situation. Though not "wealthy" by the standards of our community, my husband and I have never had to worry about paying the bills, making the mortgage or going without basics. However, things changed in April ’09 when my husband was laid off from his job in the financial services sector. With both of us unable to find employment, I have been in “imposed frugality” mode for over 6 months now. Discretionary expenditures have gone by the wayside... and that certainly includes purchasing any new clothing, shoes or accessories. Not that I would have ordinarily bought much of that stuff ANYway, but the sense that this is now not a choice but a “sentence” leaves me with a feeling of powerlessness that I've never had before. I view taking part in “The Great American Apparel Diet” as an opportunity to take back that feeling of control over my frugality… to find greater purpose in it, to connect with others who feel as I do, and to become more creative in the way I approach my situation. I realize that there are SO many women in this country and around the world for whom this “diet” is NOT a choice but a way of life. I’d like to honor them and to remain mindful that, despite my situation, this is still a choice for me… not a “sentence”.

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