Aug 31
Jadzia

Unlike most other participants of TGAAD I haven’t bought many clothes in the past. As I am quite tall it is just impossible to find something that fits.

Last year I bought 3 cardigans, 1 warm winter jacket and 1 bolero. I think some of you will have bought that in a week.

But I have an other vice: buying fabric. I’m a sewer because there is no other possibility for me to get clothes that don’t look like they are borrowed from the little sister I don’t have.

So this will be a year of not buying any fabric and not buying any clothes. And I hope this will be a year of sewing clothes from the stash of fabric I already own.

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Aug 28
Stacya Seattle

Sunday is in 2.5 hours from now. It will be the end of my year long “no shopping for apparel diet”. I said last week that I would go downtown and see what damage I could do. I got a post from a reader saying “Didn’t you learn anything from all of this?” I will say, yes, I did learn something!!!! I learned that I missed shopping with my girlfriends. I actually gave up something I love doing, and it ended up being a great way to learn to appreciate what I have, and really think about what I want. What is the point of giving up chocolate if you never liked chocolate? Are the people on this diet really never going to shop for clothes ever again after the year is up?

Although I have never been an out of control shopper, or freakishly impulsive, it did feel good to enjoy what I have — and take what I wasn’t wearing to the tailor to make it better. If it wasn’t possible to save with the tailor, I gave it away. But I do love a good clothing designer, I love seeing what people are creating, and I love visiting small businesses and seeing what the buyers are presenting. I love women’s apparel.

What ever your reason for starting this whole Sally thing, it will be an interesting year. Too bad stores aren’t open until 11:00 AM on Sundays. I will be downtown with my friends tomorrow, and next week, I will be in New York. I may buy something, or not, but I will be following many of Sally’s rules, combined with Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style rules. Only if I love it and it looks and fits great, and something I need. I will also be sticking to basics. More soon, with photos of what I actually get, if anything!

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Aug 22

Hey everyone!  I decided to do TGAAD about a month ago, but I decided to set a doable start date for myself — the day after I got back from vacation, rather than before I left.  So, that was last Monday (the 16th) and I’m hoping to stick it out all the way to the end in August next year.

About me:  I’m 41 years old, and in the last 10 years, I have moved from the upper Midwest to the hot coastal south; I’ve also lost 60 pounds during that period of time, and kept it off.   I’ve gone from a size 20 or 22 down to a size 10 or 12.  I work as a college professor, and during that 10 years, my career has gone pretty well and I have kept rewarding myself for various successes and milestones with upgrades to my personal style.  The closets in my little old bungalow are pretty tiny, but they’re stuffed — with relics of my most recent size changes, with things that are inappropriately warm and black, with costumes from my favorite hobbies (belly dance and ballroom dance) and with clothes I do actually wear and use.  My goal for the year is to try to make everything I’ve got work.  And if it never gets worn, at the end of the time, out it goes.

I have a daily outfit blog and I’ve told my readers (all 5 of them) that I’m doing TGAAD.  And I decided to do a little series of Q&A for myself to let people know what I’m working with — the space I have for clothes, what I’ve got in my wardrobe, what I actually use out of what I have, etc.   Here are the first couple of questions I asked/answered for myself:

How many feet of hanging space do you have?

10 feet, divided by three little old-house closets.   They are not crammed so full that I can’t move things around and see what’s in there, but I am definitely using up those closets without any help.  The top shelf of one closet holds belts and a bin full of tights.  When I think that I’m using up all of the closets in a house (1200 sq. ft. in a 50s era suburb, and unsellable to anyone but singles or childless couples in today’s McMansion market) that was probably originally occupied by a whole family, I do feel a little ooky.

What other clothing storage do you have?

One armoire, with two shelves used for folded clothing, and two large drawers used for socks and workout wear.  One wee vintage dresser with one drawer containing underwear, and the other drawers containing some belly dance costume stuff, incense, and doodads.  Oh, and a square laundry basket full of folded-up stuff that I have already decided I want to get rid of, but that might be sellable on EBay so it’s not gone out of my house yet.

I’m going to keep doing those little Q&As over time, and I’ll post them here too (at least, the non picture-heavy parts) since they are all about the GAAD.  It’s nice to meet you all, it’s going to be an interesting year.

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Aug 06
Marilyn Jones

A few weeks ago Toronto’s Global Television contacted me through TGAAD. They said they were interested in doing a small feature on TGAAD. Since I seemed to be the only Torontonian on the diet they wondered if I would like to be interviewed for the feature. It sounded like a lot of fun and I said yes.
A few days ago a reporter and a camera man came to our house and spent 45 minutes filming my closets. They edited their film and showed the piece on last night’s news.
As of today (August 6, 2010) the piece can be seen under “Fashion Diet” at:
http://www.globaltoronto.com/video/index.html
I have had really good feedback from the people who have seen it. Even I liked it, though it is strange seeing and hearing yourself. They were very kind to me. They could have made fun of me, but they did not. Thanks Global TV.
Now I really have to stay on the diet until the end of the year !!

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Jul 28
Sally Bjornsen

image-of-closet-for-Style-Bust-Closet-Swap-round-1Tonight I was with my friend Portia who has been contemplating going on this diet for 11 months now.  I told her that I have decided to extend the diet for one more year, in light of the fact that there have been so many people interested in joining the effort in the past few weeks (here we go again).  When I told Portia it wasn’t too late to realize the benefits of clothing deprivation she hooped and hollered “That’s what I need, a closet colonic.”  The visual made me gag.  She went on to claim, “Deep within my big, fat, bloated walk-in closet there is a skinny one begging to be free.”  Portia, warming to the idea, is going to “think about it,” before she commits.  Let me be clear…I am not doing this for another year myself but I will moderate, facilitate, contemplate and write about life post diet.   

Alright already Portia—stop the squawkin’ and start walkin’ give your closet the future it deserves with a purge, a cleanse a regular down home colonic.  We’re here my dear and waiting to hear how it all “flushes out.”

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Jul 26
Michelle Mullin

I’ve been pretty successful on this diet, though I have had a few “cheats”. I will catalogue them now for full disclosure: 1 pair boots this winter (I actually did not have a pair of boots that were waterproof, and now that I am commuting a few blocks in the snow, they were necessary), a new t-shirt from a state park and a new shirt from a local artisan. I think this is pretty darn good! It’s way better than I’ve ever done on a food diet anyway! Besides the practicality of the boots, the two shirts were supporting things that I want to support. I could have just given the park money, but I like advertising for it. And the artisan was at a local craft fair, so it was a one-time chance.
What’s been the most interesting to me throughout this diet though is how I’ve found a new value system.

When I first started, every day that I walked past Anne Taylor was torture. And I walk past this store every week day. I would stare in and LONG for the outfits in the window. A couple of months ago, I went into the store. I was nervous, and I found I wanted things. But then I looked at the price tags. Suddenly dropping $180 on a new dress “just because” seemed appauling! I used to do this weekly without batting an eye, now it just seems frivolous, despicable even. I saw these cute t-shirts with ribbons and pearls on them, and thought about how much I wanted one. It wasn’t very expensive either. But I realized that I could actually take a pink t-shirt I already own and turn it into this cute be-dazzled shirt. This was especially a good idea because the shirt has a small coffee stain on it, and I have therefore not worn it. But I could turn it into something I want to wear again by attaching decorative items to it!

I now find myself exploring store windows, not with lust and envy, but with a curious eye turned towards “how did they make that”? I am re-discovering my once artistic and creative self, and finding fulfillment. I am also discovering that I have managed to save a lot of money for things that matter more to me, and feeling less stressed out.  It’s nice to be able to walk to work without feeling completely depressed that you “can’t have” that cute dress in the window.  Now I realize that I can have whatever I want, but my “wants” are changing.

Who knew that deprivation would lead to so much gain!?

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Jul 23
Sarah

As I read these wonderful entries, and as I begin this diet as of 7/22/10, I feel fortunate because I’ve always wished I could have just a few comfortable outfits and cycle through them — kind of like a uniform.  I think a few t-shirts, jeans or khakis, denim jacket or dressy sweater for work…the problem for me became needing that one pair of really comfortable pair of khakis that look really good, or just one really good white t-shirt (understated and stylish)…well, suddenly I’m on a treadmill of purchasing ‘key basics’ to build my comfy, stylish uniform.  How did I get here?  Even though I was deluding myself that I was practical but cool, I was still looking for some item to make me perfect.  Maybe I have been deluding myself, a little self-congratulatory, on the whole ‘uniform’ thing, since in reality I kept looking for the perfect items.

This is the year I say enough, I work on my mind and body, and I also learn to say good enough:  the white t-shirt I own is good enough…the khakis are good enough.  I hope this coming period is when I learn to say my mind and body are good enough.  It’s not the clothes — it’s the woman.

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Jul 08
Sally Bjornsen

handmedownsO.K., I am not proud.  I have told nearly every woman I know that I am simply starving on this @#$%^& diet.  The good news, my incessant complaints and whines have been rewarded with hand-me-downs from friends and family (maybe they just want me to shut up).  Now, these aren’t Oliver Twist castoffs.  Remember, birds of a feather flock together.   My friends and family have hand-me-downs with tags still on them or barely worn items that they “bought on a whim,” and shouldn’t have (you know the story).  I am sorry for their mistakes, but not really.  I’m glad to be the one who can take these items off their hands.  Most importantly their gifts are going to good use.  Just last week I received a beautiful wrap from my mother,  a white knit item, just like Meryl Streep wore in the movie It’s Complicated.  I am now wearing a pair of pewter Donald Pliner slides and a great pair of lulu lemon tights my yoga friend gave me (she has three of the same pair).  So my point?  Tell people you will gladly take their shopping mistakes off their hands.  They will fell great about it, especially if you wear them again and again.  Now go forth and tell the world, “I am hungry, feed me your scraps!”

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Jun 27
Amy
Leakey Jewerly Strands

Leakey Jewerly Strands

Hi all, sharing another new favorite eco-fabulous discovery (that’s a legal TGAAD purchase): the Leakey Jewelry Collection, created by Phillip and Katy Leakey, the youngest son, and his wife, of Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey.

Who were Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey? Glad you asked! Louis and Mary Leakey are famous paleo-anthropologists, perhaps best known for establishing the human evolutionary link in Africa, and their work at Olduvai. A young Jane Goodall (think chimps), a personal hero, got her start under the tutelage of Louis Leakey. Philip and Katy Leakey, who live in the Kenyan bush among the Maasai, wanted to provide work opportunities and help the environment while honoring the local culture.

Why I love the line:

1. The colorful strands are light-weight, beautiful and fun to wear (I like to pile them on and mix and match)

2. The ingenious beads are eco-friendly and made by Maasai women in Kenya using a special grass (read the much richer background here)

3. Harvesting the grass helps preserve wetlands (the Maasai are historically a herding culture, there was a drought and their cattle don’t like “old” hard bits of grass — who would? Previously, the grasslands were burned to make way for new sprouts, destroying wetlands in the process)

4. Making the beads provides income for Maasai women, funds local education and helps put and keep Maasai kids in school

5. Did I mention the beautiful designs?

How is this relevant to TGAAD? If you’re really, really tired of the same old same old (as I am) accessorize! and b) when the diet’s over, we can make a difference with the choices we make. Would love to hear about other eco-friendly and socially-conscious fashions. Please post your favorites here!

Sally, perhaps we can create a special page with sustainable fashion links?

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Jun 26
Stacya Seattle

Ok. Just went to Newark on Alaska Airlines, and lost that yellow coat I bought. My client says it is pay back for cheating, some kind of punishment from the universe. I don’t think filling out the “lost and found” form online with Alaska will do me any good. I really don’t think I will ever see that coat again. Shoot!

How much more time do we have left? I talked to Stephanie Greco the other day, and we are both so ready for this to be over. But….I am glad I did it. I really do see how many clothes I do have and I have been wearing them. And I think I will be a better shopper when this all comes to a close. So, when is that? I am going to take that day off to shop.

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