The Great American Apparel Diet
no buying for one year

Natalie, Columbus Ohio

Natalie, 59, Columbus Ohio, Married, 5 cats, two middle-aged sons. I am a “semi-hoarder.” True, the television program "Hoarders" would not be interested in my case, but I've skirted on the edge too long. My father taught me to always have "a cushion" of cash, clothing, books, and other necessities. My "cushions" grew to mountains. I used to be a binge buyer. Sometimes I would look at a catalogue and get just about everything. Sometimes I would buy clothing too large AND too small to meet all contingencies. Of course such contingencies never come about. Come off it. Am I really going to set out to gain twenty pounds so that I can wear that pair of slacks? Or am I suddenly going to fit into the size 6 gold lamé cocktail ensemble that was the height of fashion in 1978? Do I really need enough perfume to last until I am 700 years old? I know that "the grave's a fine and private place / But none, I think, do there" spritz Guerlain. I'm gong to be 60 this year. I've already given away about 6 huge boxes of clothing to a local thrift shop. I would like to pledge the following: • No new clothing purchases • No new shoe purchases with the possible exception of slippers • No new perfume purchases • No impulse buying of accoutrements such as earrings or pocketbooks I teach at a university and there's no intellectual or pedagogical reason why I should not repeat the same outfits. Furthermore: I pledge not to buy any new lipstick or makeup. I rarely use it so why must I dedicate a couple of drawers in the bathroom to tubes of lipstick huddled together like sardines? I pledge to reduce my "mountain" to a genuine, realistic "cushion" as my father advised. I pledge to purchase no new yarn in 2010. I have enough yarn to keep myself knitting until the 23rd century. (I know that yarn is not technically clothing, but I'd like to include it here). I pledge to withstand those impulses to buy a dress "just like Mamie Eisenhower or Princess Grace Kelly or Ethel Merman" would wear and to stop trolling E-Bay for such arcane purposes. And I will refuse to enter any store that has "Mart" in its name!