The Great American Apparel Diet

no buying for one year

Tracy, Portland Oregon. Age: 50. Mother of 4 (two girls 19, boys 14 and 16), a step-mom of one (girl, 6), a wife, a lawyer, and an addicted bargain shopper! While Tracy has a lot of healthy interests (running, yoga, reading, hiking, cooking, travel, attending kids’ sporting events to name a few) she knows that she uses shopping to relieve stress and boredom (classic “retail therapy”) and to get a “high.” Tracy’s closet is bursting but she doesn’t wear all the clothes she has. Despite that, she still hunts for and buys “bargains” on-line (love overstock.com and smartbargains.com) and in store (The Rack, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s etc.). In the past week or ten days Tracy ordered seven dresses, one pair of sandals, one skirt, two bathing suits and four tops for a total of $435 — all cute, all name brands, original retail cost close to $2,000.  Finding a “bargain” is huge part of the thrill for her. But Tracy also realizes that things are not really “bargains” when she doesn’t need them and wastes precious time and energy on “the hunt” that could be better spent in more fulfilling pursuits. She is also eager to retire her $7,000 in credit card debt.

Tracy is excited at the idea of “shopping” in her closet and being creative with what she already has. She hopes at the end of her year (although starting late, she plans to do a full year) to have cleaned out the stuff that is too young for her or doesn’t her and to have “recovered” from using shopping for getting a high or meeting emotional needs.  Tracy is excited to use this as one piece in making incremental changes toward creating a simpler, more fulfilling, more conscious life!

I’m Rosalie Riegle, a 73-year-old retired professor of English and oral historian who now lives in Evanston to be near a half-dozen cool “grands.”  We don’t need all these cheap clothes from the sweatshops of other countries.  As a former Catholic Worker, I’ve done this one-year shopping hiatus once before and I was surprised how easy it was.

PS I *did* find myself buying things I didn’t really need, once the year was over.  When I realized what I was doing, I was a bit ashamed of myself for thinking I deserved a reward or something.  So I stopped again and only purchased that year for my daughter’s wedding.  If I need soemthing for a special occasion during this shopping hiatus year, I pledge to go to a thrift shop.

Joni McGary. I’m very late to this party, having just learned of it via the NYT article, but sign me up!  I’m a 47 year old wife, mother and playwright living in Bloomington, Indiana.  I have a closet full of great clothes, shoes and boots – many pieces worn only once or never – and still, I continue to buy.  I grew up with no fashion sense at all and it wasn’t until I was in my thirties when I started to become reasonably good at creatively dressing myself.  I’ve gotten carried away with this skill from time to time and the quantity of things I own reflects that.  I adore fashion and have become much too much of  a consumer of stuff I do not need at all.

L. H. McMillin. Even though the diet ends soon, I think these next several weeks will really help me establish new habits.  Thank you for starting this wonderful thing! A friend pointed me towards this website: I had been talking about my desire not to buy any more clothes. The desire springs from a sense that for many in America, our consumption habits are way out of control.  Why do I need a closet full of clothes?  Why do I need another shirt made in Swaziland/Bangladesh/China?  What are the costs of such purchases?   I called myself a “latter-day hippie” as a way to signify my desire to step out of the mindset that we should always look best, have the newest, etc. So while I am joining this project late, I haven’t bought anything since late March. The more I think about global warming, the water crisis, and the uneven distribution of wealth, the more I think we need to develop a new culture — a new way of thinking about things and our relationship to them.  We need to change our expectations about what is enough, what is presentable, what is good. To give some context for these proclamations, you should know that I was until very lately a big fan of the show What Not to Wear.  What I loved really were the transformations that the guests undertook, and clothes, of course were a big part of that. But after five years of pretty regular watching, it just kind of hit me: we can’t go on like this.  If the way we FEEL depends so much upon our clothes, then we have a lot of work to do.  Because that kind of thinking just feeds the machine. When I mentioned this project to my husband, he immediately thrust out his hand for me to shake it — “A year?” He was in. I should note that I am a college professor in a small midwestern town, and I can wear pretty much what I want to work.  People wear everything from sweatpants to suits. Of course I recognize that what I wear will affect the way people receive me — and I really noticed this in the spring when I started trying out my concepts — so that will be a challenge. But I’m looking forward to it. And it’s a pleasure to join others who are already living it.

My name is Sonia. I am 29, and have been married for 8 years to my awesome Marine husband, Ian; we are parents to beautiful baby boy Liam. I am currently between South America and The United States, traveling back and forth often, and will be moving back for good around mid October. When I am not on a plane I enjoy working out at my local crossfit gym (local means La Jolla, CA) walking in beautiful La Jolla, and reading as much as I can. I have a closet full of everything….and since I travel a lot, every port means a new wardrobe piece. Poor closet…it is so overstuffed; and poor husband his clothes are all pilled up with his uniforms. Sadly, we share the closet. Unfortunately, mine stuff takes up 80% of the space and I am sure I own pieces I’ve never worn and pieces that I’ve worn less than once. I need NEED NEED this diet. I’ve been on a diet for 5 months already (well partially, because I’ve been buying accessories and perfumes) I gave birth to my first baby boy in february, and I am currently wearing hand-me-downs from my sisters and old pieces as they begin to fit. My goal is to primarily get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, get my hips to fit my size 6 pants and to save money. I want to save the money to be able to  afford a vacation with my husband, and as a way to celebrate his retirement from the USMC.

Diane Miller. I know it’s late to jump into this challenge, but I just found out about it and figured I’m up to doing this, just to see what the outcome may be.  After reading a few entries, it seems like there’s a lot more people learning about life than just not buying clothes!  I recently turned 56 and I have a desire to simplify my life and live more minimalistic or ridding myself of the unnecessary.  This would be good practice and I like the idea of defining more your own style through doing this.  Anyway…I’m up for the challenge!

I am a wife, mom, grandma and have a super supportive family. I work from my home office, love the creative process and just recently decided to grow out my hair to it’s natural state of bliss…gray!  Another step in my road to more freedom!

Ann Godsell: Age 40, Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wife and mother of two boys, 10 and 8. Marketing professional for a non-profit educational association. Ann has always considered shopping to be her sport. She remembers shopping sales with her mom for back to school clothes and was hooked from the start. Now, with the opportunity to sale shop online anytime, she finds herself spending too much of her time and energy looking for a great piece at a great price. Coupons, discount codes and free shipping are serious lures that she looks forward to blocking from her mind for the next year.  JCrew final sale is her biggest guilty pleasure. With a closet filled with basics that just need rotating and some new mixing and matching combinations, Ann feels ready for the challenge. Not much of an accessory girl, she plans to sharpen her skills in this area to add interest to a wardrobe that will likely start to feel stale. A few areas of anxiety about making this commitment include seeing a great deal and not pouncing on it, facing the change of seasons and resisting the strong urge to update the wardrobe and facing special events with only her closet to choose from. Ann looks forward to discovering the freedom of not shopping for clothing. She plans to channel the energy into focusing more on spending quality time with her family and tackling house projects.

Washik Tala. Well I wanna join in the fun. I think that I can live with not buying clothing the whole month as I have a history of not buying clothes at all. I have been like this since I was in high school, but I have never been this extreme until after college. I only bought a pair of below the knee shorts in 2004, did not buy anything in 2005. I bought one blouse in 2006 to wear to church, did not buy anything from 2007 until the last quarter of 2008. The last quarter of 2008 I had to buy one blouse for an interview so that I could come here to the US. In 2009 I only bought 4 shirts and 5 jogging pants, 1 blouse, 1 pair of slacks, 1 blazer. Three of these shirts I only wear when I work in the hospital as undergarments with my scrub suit. Of the 5 jogging pants, only 1 has been extremely used until this year. The 4 remaining jogging pants and the blouse and slacks and blazer weren’t used after a few wears. In 2010 Ihad to buy new clothes as my old clothes have holes in them already and others are very worn and torn if you get my drift. But am not gonna buy anymore for this year.

Debbie Weiss. Ok, I feel like a bit of a fraud coming into this in the eleventh hour, I won’t pretend to share in any of the glory of going clothes shopping free for a year with any of the “real” members! But, in my defense, I just read about this website, and…I did think trying this for even a month on a serious basis would be a good excercise in restraint for me.  I am a busy 42 year old mother of 2; a 6 1/2 year old daughter and 2 year old boy, who is just trying to juggle my stay at home career (radio affiliate sales part time from my back office) while still making sure I get my daughter to playdates, summer school and piano lessons while trying to wear my inexhaustable 2 year old son out each day day so he takes long naps LOL!  I am in constant think mode trying to figure out what I want my NEXT career to be.  I get a charge when I find something old in my closet that I haven’t worn in years and I get complements on it, and I am hoping this results in more of those moments.  I honestly hate shopping but love clothes, so I’m hoping this won’t be too hard, even if only for a month!

My name is Marybeth Favicchio.  I am a 48 year old mother of 2 girls, 11 and 20, and married to a wonderful man.  I grew up in a household of 5 kids, with only my mom working.  Back to school shopping consisted of 3 outfits, and bags of hand-me-downs from my mother’s coworkers.  Imagine a jr. high kid wearing cardigans and plaid skirts previously worn by a 45 year old secretary!  So, I am now a shopaholic, I have 4 closets in my house filled with items, some still carrying price tags; a basement filled with plastic tote bins of “out of season” clothing, a shed with boxes of clothes I just don’t like.  I can go to a store every weekend and buy buy buy.  In the back of my mind is a picture of me wearing the hand-me-downs my mom would bring home.  If i could wear an article of clothing once, and then toss it and buy another, I would.  I think I am out of control.

Tina Wilkinson. I am a corporate cubical rat.  I have worn the same size clothes give or take 10 for the last 15 years.  I save almost everything and rarely weed out my clothing stash.  I have work clothes, play clothes, sleep clothes, after five clothes and well you get the point.   Every season I have a passion, last year it was coats, year before was purses… I want to join the diet.  I can do this.

AND the best thing is I can do it without telling myself I am not worth it.  I have many many nice things and I care for them so they will last longer.  I guess I should allow the people in my house their own closet… LOL

My name is Lisabeth Billingsley. I live in CT on the shoreline with my husband in a tiny yellow house with a beautiful view of the marshes. My work is contemporary and includes pressed flowers and seaweed, acrylics, collage, and just about anything that doesn’t move.

I desperately need TGACD, as I have filled all my closet space to the max!

Tessa Scoffs. I am a blogger (TessaScoffs@blogspot.com) and I have tried shopping bans before.  I am intrigued with the idea of a “uniform” and I have been experimenting with a classic look so that I can free up some of my creativity for my writing.  I am married and have three sons.  This August I am starting a new job (at my children’s school) but I don’t want to slip into the habit of spending my paycheck on clothing.  I realize this challenge ends soon but I want to participate and I hope to continue the challenge on my own.

Anita, musician and mother of 2.  Used to buy way too many cheap clothes.  I have lots of clothes clutter.  For the last few years I have been weeding those out and investing in classic, high quality clothing that should last me for years.  I think I have pretty much everything I need (and more to weed!).  Trying to avoid consumerism and support of multinational companies who do things I don’t believe in.  Trying to break my attachment to shopping and clothing as a way to grow spiritually.

My name is Mary and I love to shop and actually I am very good at it. However the thing is, I need a break.  I just got home from an amazing week shopping in Paris and found it difficult to put my new purchases in a closet stuffed with beautiful clothes.  Two years ago I lost 60 pounds and went clothes crazy…it is not time to take a respite and the great American apparel diet is just what I need.

Louise. I am a talent agent and an avid animal rights gal in st pete fla. I work at home so I tend to grab the same items anyway. T shirt denim skirt non leather ballet flats. I need comfort for around my home office BUT also something to run out in if I need to get to the store. I don’t do leather fur or suede so that is also helpful when buying SHOES because you tend NOT to buy too much. Florida is hot so … We pretend season with color and we can wear the same black pants ALL year round. I am just tired of seeing things in stores made for skinny young things. The quality is not there anymore .. Things are not classic anymore. PLUS … Who is going to buy what is in a fashion magazine that costs the same as a car? Please! I think a fashion diet may also speak to those who make us the clothes. They need a reality check.

Jasmine. Age 23. Though frugal in other areas, when it comes to clothes I am a closet over-spender (though I don’t hide it from my husband well). I spend a good chunk of my waking hours imagining an ideal future and making lists and plans to work toward personal, financial, and professional goals. Unfortunately, images of polished career women (and their strong, yet feminine outfits) in magazines find their way into my imaginings and into my ebay browsings and I often succumb to the desire to appear as confident and put-together as the models do. So, I have all of these great clothes that I purchased when caught up in my fantasies, and I simply haven’t been able to fit them into my lifestyle. The wardrobe I have put together requires more courage and style than I can muster (being a bit of a wall flower) so usually I go out looking rather mousy. I’m joining this project because it will, first of all, force me to stop buying new clothes when caught up in my daydreaming; and secondly, (hopefully!) encourage me to put together the outfits I dream of and wear the clothes that are hanging in my closet!

My name is Judy Cohall.  I work as a Training Coordinator in local government in Maryland.  I have an adult son.  I enjoy reading, dancing, music and theater.  I have just been purging my clothes collection and have already donated at least 10 garbage bags full.  I was just telling someone that I would not be buying any clothes for awhile and then I saw your website mentioned on the Daily Worth blog five minutes later – scary! I recently lined up all of my warm weather tops by the colors of the rainbow (plus white and black) and organized my drawers.  I am still purging.  I think I may have another 10 bags to go. I want to do this to save money on purchases and dry-cleaning; save time planning, washing, folding, etc.; get to a minimalist-like atmosphere at home; and because it just makes sense.

Jasmin Cromwell. I am 51 (will be 52 in September). I have been married for 15 years and we have a really smart and wonderful 12 year old son. We have a VERY modest income so I really need to be on this diet. I am hoping to get this very modest administrative assistant job which affords me many benefits but not too much of a salary. I also teach  yoga, meditation and pilates, so this helps with my income and has helped with any stress I may encounter (especially on this diet). I have friends and family that can (and do) shop anytime they want, so I just need to realize, it’s not HOW much stuff I have, but HOW much I love the stuff I do have!

Sabrina Bailly. I am a lifestyle publicist in her 20s and my job often leads me to promote consumption. I am aware that this project will be far from easy for me as I used to be quite a fashionista and I sign up to all the flash sales emails and get daily notifications of all brands I like offering at least 70% off. I am tempted to shop – especially online- on a daily basis. In the past year or so I befriended a lot of cooler less fashion-y and much more geeky people so I am sure they will be of great support as I am no being consider more of a “fashion-geekette” than a real fashionista. I am hoping this “diet’’ will help me redefine my priorities and teaches me a few things while allowing mye to share the things I learn through it. I am always on the lookout for the latest trends- in all lifestyle areas and not only fashion.

One more thing: my closest is a disaster even though I keep getting rid of clothes so hopefully the GAAD will help me sorting through my mess as well.

Hello!  My name is Marieke Jackson.  I am a Graduate Student in Public Health located in New Mexico.  I’m hoping to make buying clothes an exception rather than a rule in my life.  Also, as a grad student, I’m somewhat lacking in resources.  I find that I have a tendency to buy clothes when I experience stress, and I’d rather have a more useful (and cheaper) release from such occasions (like knitting, or fighting crime).  Challenges intrigue me, and I look at them as interesting experiences rather than obstacles.  I also like to save up gold coins in my hearth and then count it like Silas Marner.  I’m doing this challenge because a well worn and loved article of clothing is worth more than a brand new wardrobe.

Susan Kang. I have too many darn clothes.  I started a “diet” that limited my intake of clothes to about $20/week and I realized that allowing myself to think that way just meant I was still accumulating and all the while, beautiful clothes in my closet were just sitting there.  Also, I am big on thrifting and ebay, but I live in a small Brooklyn apartment with limited closet space (shared with my partner) so the sheer volume is getting out of control! I am a 30 year professional in higher education.  I was cash poor and dressed simply while in graduate school, but since starting my full time job, I’ve been really unfocused and undisciplined in my spending. I hope to learn how to remix my clothes (instead wearing them the same old bring way) and to really figure out what my personal style is. Or what I’d like it to be. I haven’t shopped since July 13, and I’ve decided to challenge myself to not shop until July 13, 2010.  I will allow myself to sew, because it’s a hobby, not really about getting new clothes.  Also, my partner and I have clear financial goals that we’d like to meet, so this will be good for everyone. I have an outfit of the day blog at www.cohabitatingcloset.blogspot.com.

Sun Hee Metzger, 39, West Palm Beach FL: Stay at home mom of two elementary-age children, wife. She read about TGAAD from a Facebook friend and wants to learn how to be a good steward of what she currently owns. She is also including not shopping for her children as part of this lifestyle for the next year, with their permission.

Sun Hee is interested in being a part of TGAAD for emotional support.  “I love shopping and finding good sales, but I need to learn balance and simplicity in shopping with using what we currently have,” she says.   “I also need to learn that shopping does not need to be a social activity and be a good role model to my children.”

Allison Page. I found out about this in the NY Times a few weeks ago and became quickly intrigued.  I have an overfull closet and nothing to wear. And this is after two major purges: one, two years ago, when I got married and moved into a house with way less closet space than my apartment had and again last spring when I still needed to make more room!  After each major purge, I actually felt like I had more to wear.  I love to shop, I love fashion, and I teach clothing patternmaking and fashion design and would like to sew more clothes for myself rather than the mindless shopping I do too often.  So, even though I am joining this at the end, with only a month (and change) to go, and after fretting over it for over a week (what, NO SHOPPING?!), I’m in.  So for me, no shopping, but I can sew for myself (that’s not cheating, is it? I mean, its what I do!)

Jenny Langer-Osuna (Miami, FL, age 32) is a married mother of two boys (ages 3 and 5), a professor at University of Miami, and suffers from Disordered Shopping. Born and raised in Miami, but educated in Pittsburgh and Berkeley, Jenny suffers from fashion whiplash. Brought up to care about looks, but ambivalent to spend much on clothes she’s likely to stain with chocolate ice cream, Jenny has been a complete wardrobe schizophrenic for far too many years. She’s hoping to purge herself of her deprivation-binge shopping mentality, come to terms with the wardrobe she has no real clue how she’s come to own, and, in the meantime, develop a sense of her own healthy style.

Carol Lis. Obviously I spend and buy way too much; I will try for a year.  I have a set of china to change for every month of the year.  I admit it!  That’s why I’m here.  I also have silverware to match and glasses and napkins. That’s just upsetting.  I need to be on this diet. My closet is the same way.

Sheila looks forward to this diet as a radical jumpstart to a lifetime of  scaled-back spending and shopping habits. Her ultimate goal is to learn to use money in a way that reflects her value system. That would mean helping others, before buying yet another sweater. It would be an added windfall if she could take the time she used to devote to mindless shopping and apply it to more enriching activities. For someone who loves beautiful clothes and feels more confident when she is well dressed, this is going to be a very hard challenge!

Barbara Osborne, Portland Oregon. I am a mother of two, a 17 year old high school senior named Lilly who loves to shop and a 12 year old boy, Milo who thinks shopping is a waste of time! I work full time as art director of a home magazine and part of my job is shopping, but not for clothes!I have two closets full of clothes, and love to bargain shop but find myself overwhelmed when it comes to putting together a good, cohesive outfit for work. I have too much to choose from! I want to wear what looks good on this 50-year old body and not want to buy for the sake of having more of the same! I’ll be on this diet from Sept. 2010 to Sept. 2011.

Anne Caramanico. I am 60 years old and live in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

Maria Luczak: I am a 24-year-old Elementary school teacher from NW Illinois.  Growing up, I was a hand-me-down queen, wore anything and everything that fit my plump body.  I also had/have a continual itch for change. Clothes + change = not the best combination! When I was in university, I would frequent trips to the local “give-a-way” piles at each dorm, “shopping” till I dropped.  This fulfilled my change desires.. and surfaced underlining issues of hoarding (who would’ve guessed).  I just love clothes and if I get them for free.. the better it is for my pocket! At this time I became a sales associate for a retail store.  To say the least, this did not last long (about 6 months).  Although I LOVED working and helping people shop, I recognized that the retail environment was not the best for my impulsive personality.  Once I graduated and got my teaching job, I had an excuse to buy a professional wardrobe.  Perfect! My investments (clothing) are either on clearance or bargain finds… thus they are always justifiable.. I’ve just come to realize that I could do with a lot less.I am greatly looking forward to this diet.  Not purchasing apparel for a whole year will be a challenge, but a good one!  It will be a time of self-denial (a purification from the world in a sense), a time for a further growth in confidence (loving my whole being… not the clothes that I wear), a time for frugalness (savings is always great) and creativity (when boredom calls, creativity is the answer!).  I will have to find other means to fulfill the distraction that shopping has become..  I truly look forward to what the next year has in store.

Nikki Krysak, 33, Doha, Qatar. Librarian, animal lover and step-mom to 3. A self-proclaimed Girly Girl, I love high fashion and haven’t minded paying the price. Until now, that is. The decision to cut back on clothing is because I have so many awesome outfits and I’m afraid I’m ignoring their fabulosity because I just keep getting more! It’s time that I show my thankfulness for all that I have and maybe even try a hand at remodeling some of the ‘oldies but goldies’ hiding in the back of the left side.I started a blog to document my thrilling clothing fast. Read it if you want. It’s called http://www.goodbyezai.typepad.com. Of course, Zai is my favorite boutique here, hence the name.  I’m pretty psyched that we can still get shoes & accessories (otherwise this would be way too overzealous of an undertaking….for me, anyway). But I’m still cutting back on those, too. I plan to buy one pair of Winters, one pair of Springs, and a bag come next summer. That’s it, which is a far cry from my former ‘life’.

Charlotte Holmes. I’m a fiction writer and English professor at Penn State.  I live with one sweet husband, two adorable dachshunds, and two crafty cats.

Julia TenEyck. I am 52 yrs old, unmarried, mother of a beautiful 24-yr old daughter, attorney, mediator and Zen priest, living in San Francisco. On my last shopping excursion this past weekend, I bought four articles of clothing: a pair of sports leggings – to replace the ones that I had worn to the point that they were rotting out; a pair of Chico’s pants – to replace ones that I had worn until they were too frayed to be considered professional looking enough for work; a comfy Gap sweater on sale; and a new bra – to replace the one that I have worn to the point that it too was falling apart… and I then came home and purged my closet of a garbage bag-full of those aforementioned worn-out clothes plus a “few” other things that I no longer wear for a multitude of reasons. But all that said, I am the queen of occasional small impulse purchases – a sweater here, a jacket there – that after awhile really add up to quite a wardrobe. I am curious to see how committing to this shopping diet will alter my perspective on what I “need”, what is of value. Not to mention the added savings!  Thanks for the inspiration!

My name is Allison and I’m 25 and I am currently in the Navy and newly engaged.  I returned from Iraq just a few months ago with a full bank account and have been shopping up a storm ever since, to the tune of over $10,000.  My normal paychecks cannot handle this kind of spending!  Plus, my fiancee just moved out (stationed apart for the next couple years) and I promptly filled his half of the closet.  So now not only do I need to learn how to stop spending and save money, I don’t have room for more clothes or anything else for that matter!  My fiancee is afraid to share a bank account with me and at this point I don’t blame him.  I love to spend money!  Clothes, electronics, fitness apparel and equipment, kitchen gadgets…Really, I’ll buy anything, especially if it’s on sale.  When I look at some of the stuff I’ve bought over the past couple months, I wonder if it will even get worn ONCE!  SO!  I would like to participate in the American Apparel Diet.  I know I have more than enough to get me through a whole year of not buying ANY material goods.  There is not a single thing on this planet that I really need that I don’t already own.  I will be going back overseas in a few months and I’m hoping that will make it a little easier, but I managed to spend thousands while online shopping in Iraq so it will be a struggle.  Who comes back from Iraq with twice as much stuff as they left with?  This girl!

My name is Miriam. I am a 33 year old project manager who lives in  Toronto, Ontario. Bringing 8 years experience as a developer and project manager in new media, Miriam works with clients to analyze, define and implement their needs. A computer geek from way back, she has a passion for interactive media, in particular social tools, and loves learning how children and youth use technology to challenge themselves, do creative projects, and have loads of fun. She spent 12 years as a resident of  Montreal , where she was director of a youth media program at Atwater Library and Computer Centre,  Canada ’s oldest lending library. While in Montreal she completed her BFA and MA in Media Studies at  Concordia  University , graduating in 2009. Her thesis work focused on digital literacy and popular education in community settings.When not in front of a glowing screen Miriam likes to take care of houseplants, practice her stand-up routine, watch BattleStar Galactica, and read.I am not really good at writing personal bios so I’ll have to get back to you on that front I guess.

My name is MaryAnne Pysson. I am 26, live in Chicago and am a fifth year high school teacher. This year I was laid off from my teaching job and spent a lot of time reevaluating my spending habits, what’s important to me in life and where I’m going. I have also started graduate school to become a school librarian. And my new job I’m starting is teaching part time and being a school librarian part-time. I see right now as a time for fresh starts for myself, both with my relationship to money and my values. I want to find a way to sort through all the stuff I have that I don’t really need. I find that shopping used to be a hobby for me, even though I never really needed anything new to wear. I also realized that I have a lot more discipline than I give myself credit for and just needed to be put to the test of losing my job to have to use it. Therefore, I think the fashion diet will help me to cut back on my spending in general and help me towards my goal of saving for a down payment on a house in the next couple of years.

I hope that by being on a fashion diet, I will become more creative with what I already own and will be motivated to sort through my closet and drawers to find what is worthy and toss what is not. Also, I think I spend to much time worrying about wearing things too often. The important thing is to be comfortable with yourself and your body in what you’re wearing. While I like to wear stylish clothes, I think my inner hippie will enjoy the challenge of only wearing what I have for a year. I’m excited to start the diet!

My name is Anna C. and I’m a twenty something currently located in New England . I’m an environmental educator and explorer who is interested in getting comfy, really comfy, with the clothing in my drawers and on my hangers. I’m hoping to explore ways of creating that “brand new high” from a new skirt or a well designed shirt without actually obtaining them. When it’s over, I hope to find myself reinvigorated with thoughtful intent in my purchases. Let the garment challenge begin (August 7th, 2010)!

Cheers!

I am joining with both hesitation and a sense of relief.  However, I am doing it!
My name is Lesley Scibora from Minnesota. I am a 37-year chiropractor and doctoral student (almost finished), and married to a fabulous husband who doesn’t give me a hard time about shopping.  When my husband returns from trips  to home improvement stores with purchases “necessary” to complete home improvement products, he justifies his purchases with, “If you want me to do the work, I have to have the tools”.  I have since adopted this motto regarding my shopping, “If you want me to look great, I have to have the tools”.  This has benefitted me well over the years, and I now have a closet full of fantastic clothes.  And, I don’t need any more.  Thus, I am hoping to enjoy what I have and spend shopping time on other, and possible more constructive ventures.  But, thank goodness for shoes and accessories!

Jennifer DeLeskie, Montreal Qc , 39 years old- I am a lawyer currently staying at home to raise my kids (9, 6 and 3). I have a closet full of fantastic clothes that I often fail to appreciate. My partner works long hours and when I miss him or feel stressed out by our crazy schedules, I often derive temporary comfort by shopping. Afterwards I frequently feel anxious, at times as if I have  ”stolen” from my family!  Shopping has replaced things that would make me happier that I do not currently feel I have time for- reading, hiking, yoga, volunteering etc. At the same time i am very aesthetically oriented, wear clothes well and love finding a bargain- like the $56 Moschino dress I picked up yesterday at a consignment store. I hope the Great American Apparel Diet will help me get back on track, save money, reduce anxiety, and appreciate what I have!

Kimberly, 41, is a full-time psychometrician and medical education researcher, and an adjunct professor of Biostatistics.  She loves all things math, stats, and science!  She and her husband live with their three cats (and one snake) in a suburb of Philadelphia , where she spends her spare time attending concerts, doing volunteer work, watching documentaries, and training for races. Kimberly has ALWAYS been a clotheshorse and has been known for her outfits since she first became part of the goth/punk scene at her undergrad university.  At that time, she dressed all in black, with thrift-store finery and lots of black leather (not the most practical wardrobe for South Carolina ).  She feels she can express a great deal of her individuality, personality, and ambition through her clothes, and enjoys shopping for herself and for others.  She loves the language of style and is forever reading books and watching TV shows about the messages we send through our appearance.  However, she realizes she has reached a point where enough is enough!  She would like to spend her money in more productive ways, take the time to stop and enjoy the clothes she has, and rely more on creativity and inventiveness than her paycheck when it comes to putting together great outfits.

Madeline Burchard, 22, lives in Oakland , CA and works as a lab technician at UC Berkeley. She’s a fan of books and magazines that address issues of feminism, media, and consumer culture. Her embarkment on the GAAD is to walk the walk and practice what she preaches. She’s also receiving her first steady paychecks after graduating from college and sees GAAD as a way of teaching herself how to purchase (or not purchase) consciously now that she has to stick to a budget.
In her free time, she reads articles from her favorite websites, studies for the GRE, walks her pound mutt, and runs.

Tracie Rose- Winchester, VA, age 40.  I am a single mother of 2 (ages 5 and 7), teacher, pet owner, graduate student, and compulsive shopper.  When I feel sad, I shop.  When I feel happy, I shop. When I am bored, I shop.  In other words, I love to shop.  I tend to buy a lot of items that are on sale (must have them now) or fairly inexpensive.  I am also an avid shopper for my children.  I noticed that I have a problem when I discovered that I have 12 basic black t-shirts.  Also, I am guilty of buying  duplicates of items of clothing for my children.  I know that my son needed navy shorts, but I don’t think he needed 3 pairs of the same size and same style.  Sadly, that was not an isolated incident.  I plan on applying many of the diet’s principles for my children’s clothing as well.  Nothing new until they outgrow what they have now!  I want to participate in the diet because I need to regain control.  I want to prove to myself that I am fine and worthy without something shiny and new.  I am going to try to abstain from buying anything (except underwear).  I don’t need any more shoes or accessories.  I realize that I need to find other things to focus on.

Jessica Levy, 26, lives in Gainesville , FL , works as an Administrative Assistant and will be graduating from the University of Florida this fall. Although she didn’t grow up in a household with much disposable income, she has always appreciated the finer things in life. Jessica enjoys rewarding herself with a new outfit or handbag anytime the opportunity (or excuse) presents itself. This has resulted in an abundance of handbags and a less than impressive mishmash of clothing.  Jessica wants to join the GAAD for several reasons. “The first, and most straightforward, reason is to finally start using my savings account and give my credit card a break. I’m also hoping to discover what I want to say with the clothing I wear and develop my true personal style. By taking a hiatus from consumerism, I’d like to learn to purchase consciously and buy things that are beautiful and timeless instead of convenient and adequate.”

My name is Ashley and I am a Social Work student at the University of Akron. I plan to receive my Master’s this upcoming spring. This year I will be teaching Women’s Studies as a Graduate Assistant. I am the mother of two beautiful cats! lol. I love to read and listen to music. I value simplicity but I also find that living in American culture can make living and consuming simplistically hard.

I have experienced not consuming new clothes for a short period of time before. When I came back from studying abroad in England, I decided that I wanted to continue my lifestyle of peace and walk more, eat healthier and buy less. A year later and I have failed! I buy clothes all the time. They say that when you buy clothing, you should divide the times you have worn it and it tells you how much you have received use of it for your money. I have clothes in my closet that I have worn once! I am in debt because of my spending on clothing. Because my weight fluctuates dramatically (which I am also trying to work on) I am always finding an excuse to buy new clothes. I want to stop spending money on clothes. I want to stop feeling like I get my self-esteem from how I look and what I wear. I want to be enviornmentally friendly and more concious. I want to experience my clothing in a new way and shop for value and quality and know that I will get everything I need from that clothing. I want clothing to stop being an addiction for me.

My name is Lisa Hussey. I am in my early 40s and I live in the Boston area and work as an assistant professor. I love clothes; I really, really love clothes. I also have a bit of an obsession with shoes, especially some great heels that I almost never wear, but I love the way they look. In addition, I find I have way too many purses. The shoes and the purses are more recent obsessions, while clothes have always been a big deal for me. I just seem to always want something new and I can always come up with a reason why I HAVE TO buy it.. I recently purchases an expensive dress – that I don’t regret, but it made me start to consider how many more ‘special’ or ‘unique’ items I needed in my wardrobe. I came across this diet when I was reading about the 6-item challenge. Realistically, I will not manage with just 6 items of clothing, but I know I don’t need anything new for a while. So, I decided to try TGAAD and see if I will keep to it if I join a group of others trying to do the same. I’d like to try shopping the closet and see how much money I can save by not buying any new-to-me clothes for a year.

Diane is a twenty-something college grad currently living at home while working at an outdoor education center as a camp counselor. The nature of her job requires her to wear nothing fancier than a tie-dyed t-shirt and running shorts to work everyday, rendering her overflowing closet almost completely useless. However, Diane is drawn to fashion and loves browsing online stores, where she can shell out a hundred dollars or more at a time, all from the savings account she has so slowly and painstakingly built up. She is always wracked with guilt after such a spree, and thus made the decision to give up shopping for a year, hopefully giving her more time to focus on what is really important in life and to fill her soul up in other ways. During her hiatus from shopping she hopes to save a lot of money, use her creativity to make different outfits using the pieces she has, and perhaps take up sewing, a hobby she’s always dreamed of pursuing.

Marci- I am a 30 year old art teacher in Atlanta, GA. I teach K-5 Title I students in Fulton County Schools. We experienced pay cuts this year, so not buying clothes for a year is a practical decision as well as a principled one! Living in Atlanta, I am surrounded by some of the best shopping on the East Coast, so it’s a good thing I have two dressers fulll and a closet stuffed with plenty of clothing already. I have a long commute and a dog. I am also an artist musician, and knitter. I enjoy meeting new people, since becoming single three years ago, I am working on building a social network.

Heewon- Baltimore , MD. 26 years old (but was born on February 29th, and so actually 6.5…probably acts like it sometimes!). HeeWon is a food enthusiast (cooking, baking, and of course, eating), runner, and lover of everything outdoors and nature.  With her best friend, HeeWon went on a similar diet her first year of college after reading Peter Singer’s “The Singer Solution to World Poverty”.  HeeWon strives to live a simpler life filled not with material goods, but with good health, family, and friends.

Dana, cash strapped 20 something living the high life in Queens, New York. I have been going strong for a month now. I was inspired by the NYTimes article on 6 pieces of clothing for a month, there was also a mention of the Great American Apparel Diet. I had to google this phenomena.  A few years ago, I lived abroad with two suitcases for nine months which included weekends in Scotland February, a freak snowstorm in Cambridge in March and Egypt for all of August. Currently, I live in Queens in a modest apartment. My closet is full, as well as my chest of drawers, and lets not forget the accessory dresser in the living room! Until 30 days ago, my pending consumerism binge was gearing up for a Fall Fashion spree with my high end stylist room mate - even on my meager non-profit salary.  Suddenly, my consumerism frenzy came to a screeching halt when I was reminded that yes, indeed, I did survive in the rainy and cold country of England for nine months with just two suitcases and I can do this again without moving to another country. Imagine, I could change my life drastically without moving to a new country – this was a revolutionary idea for me. So this past month instead of adding to my already bulging apt closet  - and finding creative storage above the kitchen cabinets that require acrobatic moves to reach – I have spent my fall wardrobe money on repairing five pairs of shoes and altering skirts. Dollar store button embellishments soon to come to a shirt near me.  I believe I have the stamina for another 11 months. Some friends are supportive, some think I’m crazy. I think I rather spend my money traveling and living and not buying. I might even take my brand new sewing machine that has been patiently waiting for me to find the time and/or patience since last Christmas out of the box… and gasp… learn how to use it. The creativity is flowing and I’ve stepped off the economic fashion bandwagon.

My name is Jen Han and I’m soon going to be 28 in 2 days.  I currently live in Hotlanta (Atlanta, GA) and will be moving back to Baltimore, MD at the beginning of October.  Preparing for this move has prompted me to DEclutter my life- I have already donated bags of my clothing to Good Will over the past weekend.   I work in the field of public health- all things HIV/AIDS, STDs, reproductive health, international health, LGBT, social justice are my passions in life.  I am currently addicted to running races and I’m always looking for new races to run- my new thing is destination racing.  Being a fruit fly, it is hard not to love fashion and appreciate nice clothing.  However, I have decided I rather be spending money on fun classes, vacations/trips, and experiences that build wonderful memories.  Not to mention the money I can save instead of spending on materialistic garbage.  I have never done this kind of challenge before but I’m definitely not a quitter and am 100% committed.  My boyfriend Pete is going to be my special inspiration for this challenge. 

I’m Scarlett. I’m a librarian-in-training in the Washington DC area, and I’ll be turning 27 next year. I don’t go clothes shopping that often, but when I do, I binge. Or, if I go to a store that sells more than clothes (TJ Maxx, Target), I’ll end up buying more junk (bath/kitchen stuff) on top of the clothes. If I see a “sale” I will walk in and find s/thing to buy b/c it’s a sale. But in the end I just wear the same t-shirts all the time. My most real problem- I grocery binge.  My freezer and cupboards are FULL of pastas and mixes and cans, and veggies and meats that are probably freezer burnt by now. I’m not in any credit card debt, but according to my mint.com account, I consistently spend more than I earn in a month (I’m not sure if this is due to the timing of my pay checks vs. my credit card payments or what, but when I do the math on my own, they’re not that wrong), and since I don’t really monitor my accounts, I’m not aware of their steady state of decline vs. the increase of my student loans by leaps and bounds.  I’m hoping that cutting my clothing shopping will also curtail my “other” shopping, and make me mindful of my spending habits.

Jenna Hollenstein, Boston, MA. Age: 35. Jenna is a registered dietitian and writer. The self-proclaimed “Bargain Bitch,” Jenna has purchased far too many sale items that she would not have purchased at the full price and in turn has sold the unwanted goods at consignment shops around Boston or given them away. She is regularly shocked and awed at her ability to expand her spending (much of which is on clothing that does not get worn) when her income increases. For the last several years, Jenna has been peeling away distractions in her life in an effort to better understand herself and her hopes for her life. What better way to save money and focus on what matters than to put the dietitian on a clothing diet?!

Emma Angevine, Brooklyn , NY : Age 33.  Her running joke is that she doesn’t don’t shop, she buys.  She don’t actually enjoy shopping per say, she don’t love the hunt for the deal, she just loves new stuff, or rather she loves the 10 minute rush of buying new stuff.  She has 16 feet of hanging space, and right now everything fits, but she has been aggressive about making it fit for the last year.  So joining the diet seems like a good idea.  What is the point of owning clothes she never wears?  Her real issue will be to find something else “to do” when she is killing time.  She always need projects, so she will need to find new projects. She started her diet on July 15th, but want to make this official.

Hi! My name is Michelle. I’m barely 30 years old, barely 5’5” and I admit – I have a shopping problem! I’ve spent ridiculous amounts of money at Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Etsy, Macy’s, Banana Republic, Gap, Nordstrom… you name it, I’ve spent it. I have a lot of beautiful clothes in my closet that I want to appreciate. I don’t need a different dress each week for church. I don’t need clothes for every different type of look out there. I work full time in IT, I have a lovely husband and cute little apartment. I love to read, hit the beach, chat it up with friends and eat dessert whenever my conscience allows me! My closet is busting at the seams. I have a bunch of vintage dresses I adore, which I spent more money on tailoring. I seem to get into a style phase. Eg. finding the perfect jeans. I don’t just buy one pair. I buy two sizes. Comfy and tight sizes. If I like shoes – I don’t just buy one pair – I buy them in both colors. I sit down at work all day, work in a casual environment (think board shorts and tee shirts). I wear heels twice a week, max. How can I justify 40+ pairs of heels? I can’t. It’s time to “diet”. Properly. I know I have a lot, and I need to appreciate it more – and get more bang for my buck. I’m very ashamed at myself for the amount of spending I’ve done the last 2 years since living in America . A lot of my spending was emotionally driven. Feelings of homesickness seemed cured when I hit the shops and experienced the rush of a purchase. I’d like to save money and spend it more wisely – on things that really count to me. Experiences in life! I feel like I’ve bought into a lifestyle that isn’t me. It’s time to get away from that. I also need to fill my head space with things that really matter to me.

My name is Cynthia.  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 an outfit-of-the-day blog at http://www.befabulousdaily.us where I have been posting my outfit successes (and failures) since late May of this year.  I officially stopped shopping on August 16, 2010, but I will challenge myself to go all the way through to the end of the GAAD on Aug. 31 2011.

Jesica Blake 34.  Wilmington, NC A mother of 3 (13 year old twin girls and a 4 year old boy) she is always behind on doing laundry.  Working full time at a non-profit focused on land protection, conservation is a theme throughout her lifestyle.  It took a real assessment of the household budget to realize that a majority of the clothing in the house was hers, not her children’s.  With an overflowing closet, and a papa-san used only to support the giant pile of unfolded laundry that hasn’t been put away, Jesica realized a while ago that this is not only an excessive drain on the finances but also just plain too much clothing for any one person.  The shopping slowed down a bit but that has not come close to stopping.  With the thought of “a new outfit will make you feel better” engrained in her head since childhood, shopping for clothes has always been about buying a moment of happiness.   This has conflicted with Jesica’s desire to teach her children less is more. “I buy clothes because they are cute, I buy clothes because they are on sale, I buy clothes because I don’t have them already, I simply buy clothes for every reason you can think of…  But I don’t buy prepackaged snacks because the packaging is wasteful.  The hypocrisy is really getting to me” Enough is enough already, Jesica is finally ready to move past the do as I say not as I do parenting and show them that shopping doesn’t fix anything and we have more than enough.  “ I am hoping to not only stop giving in to the urge to spend money for no reason, but to also finally get a handle on the overwhelming amount of clothing I already have, while proving to my teenage girls not to feel pressured by the American ideal of excess”.

My name is Linda Marshall, I’m 43 and live in Ash, Surrey , United Kingdom .  I am married and work part-time as a retail sales assistant.  Over a decade ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.  This is under control with appropriate medication, but one of the symptoms of this illness is spending recklessly.  It has to be said that this is one symptom which I definitely seem to have and the pills don’t cure it.  On pay day I can usually be found pounding the high street looking for something to buy, to lift my spirits and more often than not it’s an item of clothing. Recently, having decided not to have any children, I have become more environmentally aware and I realise that my spending habits are not doing much for the sustainability of the planet, as well as my bank balance.  In the future I would like to start up an online shop selling fair-trade, organic and green goods.  In the meantime I think the Great American Apparel Diet would do me the world of good, and make me learn to seek pleasure that does not have a price tag attached to it.  I may find a bit of a stumbling block if my food diet starts to work, when my clothes could start getting a little baggy for me, but I’m sure I’ll learn to live with that.

Chrystie- I am 33 years old.  I’m a lawyer and I and live in Manhattan (and have done for the past six years, since graduating from law school).  Before going to law school, I took a few years off, during which time I lived in England .  England was transformational for me, not only because of the friendships I made there, but also because my addiction to online shopping incubated there: I would order from jcrew.com and bananarepublic.com in a desperate attempt to economize on clothes (which are, I think most would agree, ridiculously overpriced in the UK) and also to inject a degree of distinction into my wardrobe (Banana Republic, for example, did not have any stores in England  at that time, so the pieces I wore from there were almost one-of-a-kind — inconceivable at that seems).  I was captivated by the relatively simplicity of online shopping: no wandering from store to store looking for a particular article of clothing in a particular size; no hot-and-bothered wrangling to get clothes on in the dressing room; and no commission-hungry salespeople telling me that everything looked “amazing”.  Fast forward about ten years, and I have long since moved back to the United States , but online shopping still has me in its thrall.  It was not until a few months ago, when someone very close to me remarked, quite matter-of-factly, that I was a ”borderline hoarder [of clothes]“ that I realized how out of control the situation had become.  That was the moment I realized that the desire to shop was controlling me much more than I was controlling it.  I’m hoping that the cold turkey approach espoused by the Great American Apparel Diet will reduce my cravings for online retail therapy, and free up additional psychic (not to mention, financial) resources, allowing me to devote more time to staying fit, developing relationships and learning new things (other than how to wear the latest trends).  Of course, I’m completely terrified about the coming year, and whether I’ll be able to withstand the “urge to splurge”, but as I’ve thought about it over the past few months, I’ve realized that fear is sometimes the best signifier that a change is needed.  I’m excited to see what the year brings.

I found your website over a month ago, and I have debated debated debated… And somehow joined without letting you know!!!  My name is Stéphanie, I’m 42 and I currently live in Winnipeg , Canada , although I was born and raised in France and I also lived in Belgium , England , the States and Montreal …  On July 21 I found your website and i decided that I was going to consider… Well, I have been very happy since then, without new clothes, but also reconsidering a lot of my shopping habits. I just decided that I could live without a another cheap t-shirt made by a kid somewhere in China, and a lot of other things as well! And when you move so much around, you HAVE to consider what really matters! I do enjoy shopping, and since I have a 8 and a 5 years old daughters, at least I am not completely withdrawing from the game I am a bit stunned, however, at the lack of alternative for affordable and environmentally and politically correct / responsible shopping…  So, for the girls, I have been looking at the labels more closely, and also shopping used / 2nd hand. Where do we go from there?

Ginger, age 27 Grand Rapids, Michigan, A student, tutor, nanny, spender and consumer extraordinaire.  She came to the conclusion that she was TOO good at the latter two when she was buying things to sell in her upcoming garage sale (Buy low, sell high?) and realized she needed to do something about this.  Hence, the TGAAD.  When not frequenting the nearest mall or Target store, she can be found walking her dog, drinking an ice cold Diet Coke – with lemon, of course – and around friends and loved ones, not to mention her shoe collection. Her TGAAD approach is simple: cut back, simplify life, and live consciously.  In addition to ceasing to buy clothes, accessories, shoes, and make up, she is also giving up (painfully) caffeine, big box stores – local ones only – and eating out.  She hopes to change her lifestyle and learn a lot about herself.  Not to mention save money for things more worthwhile.

Hello, my name is Kristina Cronkright.  I’m a 27 year-old barista living in Hood River, Oregon.   I enjoy gardening, reading, hiking/snowshoeing, recycling, whole foods cooking, movies, art, camping, community involvement, self-awareness, and social critiques. I look around me and have a hard time making sense of the priorities of American life.  They seem to be so far off from what can actually bring a human being joy and contentment that I find it difficult to conform to society’s norms and “paths to success”.   As an American woman, shopping for clothes supposedly ties into my feelings of self worth and accomplishment; when I look good, I feel good, “dress to impress”, and so on.  I have always had enough clothes to wear on a basic need level, but would buy clothes when I felt that I needed a change or an image pick-me-up.  I would also use new clothes to cover up how I feel about myself, inside and out.  For example, instead of committing to an exercise routine to combat my growing thighs, I would buy a different style of pants to cover them up, and a brightly colored shirt to create the illusion of happiness and success. I look forward to blogging about my experiences as they happen, as this will be my first blogging platform.   I know this is much needed in my life and the lives of others around me because when I told my female co-workers that I was going to do this, they all reacted like I was a madwoman.  Most said, “I could never do that!”  Hearing that response from everyone I’ve told only further fuels my fire for social change…. Let’s focus on more important things!

Nicole Falace-Silvis, Pittsburgh PA.  Age: 30 Pittsburgh, PA I am a recently married transplant to Pittsburgh, learning and loving my new adopted city.  By day I am marketing professional and live with my husband Josh and my adorable cat Ozzie.   After planning our wedding last year, and being head creative designer for the house we just bought in the spring, I am ready for a new project.  Always loving the thrill of the shop, and waiting patiently by the mailbox for Vogue each month, this new adventure of not shopping for myself for one whole year is exhilarating and scary, all at once. In light of the fact that our master bedroom’s walk-in closet has become MY walk-in closet (and still cannot fit all of my bags), I am taking the apparel diet one step further by not buying any shoes or accessories in addition to clothes.  (What can I say?  I have never been traditional and have always done things a little differently than the rules.)  I officially started the challenge on August 1, 2010 and look forward to proving all of the doubters wrong when I make it all the way to August 1, 2011. Did I happen to mention I am also really stubborn?

Patricia J. Washburn, 45, is a Web developer and graduate student in Portland, Maine. A former journalist, she wears plus sizes and prefers long flowing skirts to disguise a hereditary leg condition called lipedema. She heard about the diet shortly after discovering 17 pairs of shoes she hadn’t worn in a year. She plans to spend the coming year sorting and giving away clothing, and reclaiming space in her closets.

Jadzia- I’m a 22 years old student from Germany. Buying more clothes that I don’t need is not so much my problem, as I’m quite tall and everything is too short. So I have the opposite problem: too less clothes. But as I’m a sewer I’d like to see, if it is possible for me buying no clothes for one year.

My name is Rosemary Harp.  I am a teacher, writer, and mother of three boys.  I had three children in less than three years and my body has not yet bounced back.  I realized recently that I keep buying clothes hoping that somehow the new clothes will magically give me my old body back.  Obviously it has not worked.  I am not a big shopper and do not shop for enjoyment/recreation, nor do I overspend, but I tend to grab a t-shirt here, a pair of yoga pants there when I’m out shopping for for my husband and sons.  The result is mindless accumulation of items I really do not need.  I am hoping that the Great American Apparel Diet will bring into sharper focus my sense of what I do and do not need.  I think for me the biggest challenge will be psychological: I fear feeling like the shlumpy frumpy mom who has “let herself go.” I know the GAAD allows for the purchase of new shoes, but I honestly think I can give up buying shoes for a year, too.  I will need one new pair of running shoes for working out, but other than that, I really think I can do it.  Wish me luck!

Cara Waldorf- I’m a new mom, who wants to focus on saving for my son’s future, not expanding my closet.  I do have an addition to shoes, so it’s going to be tough, but I love a challenge and look forward to seeing the results.

Eden Garber, 31, Washington, DC.  Eden moved back to her hometown and started working as a nurse practitioner last fall, after years of grad school and general global wandering.  With a new steady, fairly generous income, she found herself buying clothes just for fun.  She loves thrift store shopping, and her drawers are filled with colorful slightly eccentric pieces that are rarely worn, but she has always wanted to have a more simple wardrobe stocked quality classics – and a touch of flare!  Every move (and there have been many) makes her feel sick about the burden of clothes.  With another move coming in September 2010, she decided to challenge herself to the GAAD for a year.  She is looking forward to spending her time and money creatively rather than at shopping the sale racks.

Tari Brand, age 54, but feels 30. Tari is an artist, an animal lover (3 dogs and 2 birds), mother of two daughters, 18 & 20, wife to a beautiful and accepting man, and avid fashionista. All her friends tell her how “interesting” she looks in her layers of color and texture. She prides herself on how visually put together she is - like a work of art. Her home is the same with a multitude of colors and textures that make the senses go wild. Why put herself on a clothing diet? As she puts it, “I just may be bankrupting my family and our future. I don’t look for the sales. I look for what’s new, outrageously fun and innovative no matter the cost. I’ve recently started adhering to a new rule of giving one item of clothing away when i purchase a new one, but that hasn’t stopped my buying like I thought it would. When I take clothes to my local consignment shop, I find more to take their place. And going on vacation is an excuse to buy something great as a memory from the trip. What an excuse! I put myself on a spending freeze after REALLY looking at the credit card statement and that lasted two months. I  want to be a good role model for my daughters. Help!”

Katherine, 32, lives in a small 1-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, NY, with her boyfriend of 12 years . . . and they share a closet. Piles of clothes fill their bedroom. Katherine is committed to the clothing diet primarily to save money and space, but also to rethink her consumption habits. She works in book publishing in Manhattan, and her publishing salary does not allow for as much clothes shopping as she might like. But the truth is, she has more clothes than she really needs. Bring on the diet!

I am the managing editor of an academic journal, my name is Leslie Shortlidge, I am 50 years old, I like to read, write, and putter around in the back yard.

Hillary- 34, mother of two from San Diego, California.  In the last year I have had an epiphany of sorts:  my life is about stuff, and this year, I have been trying to change that.  I am taking steps to live a life whose richness is derived through experiences rather than possessions and reclaim my weekends and idle time in the process.  I will be attempting this year to change, really change, my paradigm about stuff and through it, my life. I have a long history of loving clothes beginning at a relatively young age.  As a young women it was a healthy outlet for creativity but I have come to understand that there are other creative outlets that would better compliment my growing desire to consume less and lead a life with meaning.  I love clothes, but I find that as someone in my mid-thirties I overbuy and re-buy the same staples over and over (my fourth brown summer dress inspired this, actually).  I have finally realized, once and for all, that all of this stuff is clouding my focus and obscuring my life’s path.  I will shed this crutch and in its place I will realize the value of what I have now, what the time spent accumulating could be better spent doing and rediscover a more simple, less encumbered life.

Tina- I’m a 36 year old mother of 2 1/2 year old twin boys.  For the past 2 1/2 years, I’ve been a stay at home mom, and for a year of that, ran a non-profit women’s volunteer organization.  The volunteer job required a few cute outfits each month for fundraisers, recruitment events and the like.  For what I felt were obvious reasons, I often used that as an excuse to go out and buy something new.  Couldn’t be caught in the same thing twice!!  Contrast with my ‘at home’ wardrobe of tank tops, jeans/shorts, and flip flops.  Now, running around after two little boys is of course nuts.  Many of my friends with little ones claim that they are so busy they wouldn’t have time to shop, so they’re just digging through the closet for whatever fits. Not me.  My philosophy has been that it’s way faster to go buy a new top than to dig through the closet for something that’s already there.  I recently took on the daunting task of organizing our home.  I was a bit appalled when I discovered that I had duplicates of so many household items.  At the same time, I’m on the brink of re-entering the workforce, partly for some intellectual stimulation (I hate to admit I sing Elmo songs when my kids aren’t around!), and partly for financial reasons.   So when I heard about The Great American Apparel Diet on NPR’s Marketplace this past weekend, I knew it was time for me to take the wardrobe plunge.  I am looking forward to purging (Seriously, what girl really needs 6 different red tank tops!?) and organizing what I have and finding ways to repurpose what I already have.

Marty- I am in my late fifties and still enjoy fashion.  I love to find good bargains, and tend to buy too many items in the “aspirational shopping” category–things I picture myself wearing while doing things I rarely do–such as, “this would be great for having brunch at a casual yet trendy place on Saturday!”  So I’ve accumulated too much stuff, and want to join the Diet and take this year to trim my overstuffed closet to clothes that I both like and need to wear more than once in a while.  Love the exemption for shoes, but I hope to cut down on the number of those too!

Regine Polynice: Long Island City, NY. Age 29 is a wife and mother. I would like to join the GAAD because I feel shopping and fashion have taken up too much of my time and energy these days. My closets are stuffed but I still have nothing to wear in the morning. I can see what I own so I repeatedly buy similar things. Every day I get at least 20 e-mails from shopping sites  like gilt.com, hautelook.com, jcrew, gap, Nordstrom’s, barneys, Neiman Marcus to name a few.  I live in the largest open mall in the world New York City, where it’s hard to escape the stores at every corner, so I shop a minimum on 2-3 times a week. The GAAD will help me not only appreciate what I have but also take time to cultivate my other interest. I have a 14 month old son and on week-ends, we spend a couple of hours in the stores instead of enjoying the beautiful summer weather. That needs to change. My love of fashion has become an obsession. I debated doing the GAAD but I realize now, I really need it.

MC, wife and mother of 2 girls under 10.  I would like to lead a simpler life and set a good example for my girls.  I constantly ask myself: how many black dresses, black sweaters, black suits, white T-shirts, and jeans can one woman own?  I’ve always bought classical pieces so that they will last through the changing trends.  It is now time to test how good that judgement really was.

Sarah G, 40s, recently transferred to Omaha, NE from the Northwest.  Retired from office admin. and newbie empty-nester after raising 2 daughters who are now in college. Sarah will be celebrating her 24th wedding anniversary Sep. 6, 2010 and, while joining TGAAD for herself, primarily, will be divulging her diet plan as a gift to her husband, Jeff.  At present, she has more than 20 items of clothing that have yet to be worn. Sarah is looking forward to the diet challenge but is also nervous.  ”Can I survive a whole year without Nordstrom? What about the half-yearly sale? The anniversary sale? UPS deliveries?  Sometimes with things I forgot I’d ordered… it’s like Christmas any time of year!”

Charly Simpson, age 24. Philadelphia, PA. I never thought of myself as someone who enjoyed shopping. In many ways, I don’t. I often try on clothing that only seems to highlight the parts of me I don’t like. But I’ve noticed over the past year that my affection for stores like Anthropologie has grown (with their lovely a-line skirts) and had a disastrous effect on my bank account. I am not going back to school and need to be saving money as opposed to spending it. Still, I went shopping for clothing yesterday morning that I did not need. I want that to be my last buy for this year. I am also addicted to buying bags. No more of those. I want this to be one part of an overall change this year.

Lindsey Pingel, Monticello, IA, Age 28.  I am engaged and we have one four legged child-Ed (a chihuahua). I would like to join the diet because I have sooo many clothes, but I am always wanting something more.  I have been “editing” all the other rooms in my house and it feels so good to be organized, purge all those things we keep but for no reason. It is the opposite in my closet, I keep adding more to my closet. All my great purchases get buried. I stand in front of the closet without any idea of what to pair together-the only solution being to add more clothes! My goal is to become more creative with the items already in my closet, and appreciate all that I am already so fortunate to have. I am a little concerned about the shoe/accessory loop hole and plan to set a limit on these purchases too.

My name is Alodia Mumford. I am a young working professional, who would like to began saving more money. I don’t make much money to begin with, but I always seem to find a way to buy unnecessary stuff out of boredom. I realize my love for fashion is a BIG reason why I love to shop so much. I love to look at the gossip mags to see all of the latest trends. I shop at consignment shops and look for the expensive labels and will buy whatever I can find that’s fashionable and affordable for me. But after I have shopped I then feel really guilty because I know that the money I have spent could have been saved for a trip to North Carolina to see my mother or towards Christmas gifts. I feel as though it is time for me to stop being selfish and to start spending my money more wisely. I began reading the book “Hot Broke Messes” and I enjoy it and it’s encouraging me to spend less and save more. I have a serious boyfriend that I live with and know that one day I would like to marry him and have a baby. But right now with the way I spend this will not be possible. I want to learn how to live within my means and be more responsible with my money. Hopefully becoming a member to your website will help me when some of my frivolous shopping .

Shirley-I am a 56 year old female government worker whose closet is bursting at the seams with clothes I cannot seem to clear out.  I would like to join the others who are pursuing the goal of a stress-free-clothing life.

My name is Susan Elliott and I live in Portland, Oregon.  I am 55, the mother of a college junior and step-mother of a 26 year old girl living in New York City.  I work part time in a law office and have lots of free time to shop – both on-line and off.  My closet is large and filled to the brim.  I am sure there are items in there I haven’t worn and have totally forgotten about.  I also have a variety of sizes because I still am not at peace with the 10 extra pounds that I am going to lose – soon. I am so guilty of shopping for entertainment, mood elevation, the thrill of the bargain – whatever you want to call it.  I am ready to turn to my “ample” closet and let it “sustain” me for the next year.   I know that it won’t be easy but think that this is a positive, uplifting first step.  I look forward to the journey.

My name is Lisa Allaman and I am 38 years old.  I live outside Madison, Wisconsin and have 2 kids.  I was a high school Spanish teacher and have been a stay-at-home mom for almost 8 years.  A year ago, I started my phd program and will finish in 2 more.  Yeah! I am tired of the consumption that consumes most Americans. I am as guilty as anyone else, and feel the itch to buy something, anything really, when I have any down time.  I feel like I need to break the cycle of this craziness.  I saw the six items or less on the Today show and was intrigued by the concept of loving what you own and not continually buying new things.

Hi! My name’s Genia, I am the mother of three and grandmother of 7. I’m 52, married, live outside of Chicago and I shop too much period. I use time everyday to look for “BARGINS”! I get on the computer and the first thing I do is check my discount sites to see what deals are available. My husband claims that I shop when I’m bored, depressed, sad or happy and he is a bit too right about that. I can’t just go into Walmart, Target or Kohl’s without walking the whole store! I not only look for clothes, but also for gifts, clothes for other family members and stuff for the house or grandkids. I know that it is time for me to end this out of control habit, financially it is too draining and emotionally it is a crutch. I would like for my next addiction to be to healthy eating and exercise…..I can replace clothes with that any day! I think that doing this with others and reading about how it works for them and what they do, their reasons, their hearts will make a ton of difference.

Kathleen First- Age 54 been told I look 44 so I am going with that.  A lifelong clothes horse a genetic trait passed down by my Father foremost and my Mother less so.  I am currently unemployed hence an additional motivation to join the GAAD.  I have a closet filled with clothes yet I will stand staring every morning wonder what to wear and when am I going to lose 10 pounds so I can fit into half of them. My latest obsession has been thrift and outlet stores since my cash availability is limited.  I have been having such a darn good time that I have a bunch of great “new” clothes and nowhere to wear them.  I get so excited when we get invited to a party I pick out an outfit early and by the day of the party I have already found “such a deal” that the original selection never leaves the closet.  Is this sick?  This will be a challenge but as others have said, there are so many great books, wine and meals that I miss because I am waiting for Rachel Zoe to discover me.

Heather- I am an actress, writer, musician, personal fitness trainer, and a student.  And I like clothes.  I am not trendy or fashionable, but I tend to buy too many things.  Granted, over half of my clothing is obtained from thrift stores, but I still have too much of it.  I am 46, and I still have some (vintage 5o’s) dresses from when I was in my 20’s.  This seems like an impossible task, but I’m up for it.

I’m Bev, a 59 yo, from Arizona. I have known since 2000 that I only wear about 20% of my clothes, even when I leave out a limited amount. Went through my closet 3 weeks ago, deciding to face up to fact that I spent money on things I was never going to wear, donating them to charity. There were things with the price tag still on it from years ago; shoes never worn & never to be worn. Had done this kind of purge in 2000 & found a skort (purchased over the internet) that had a size 6 tag on it (haven’t been size 6 since adolescence) that I had never even bothered to check. Only knew it didn’t fit. After that purge I slowly started to buy clothes. That is why this challenge is such a blessing. Hope it will be helpful to be accountable and can readjust downward the internal clock/feeling of just how much needs to be in my closet.

Maryanne Burkholder, Atlanta, stay at home mother of 3.  Decided to go on the diet for my 40th birthday because I’m tired of being a slave to trends, half-yearly sales and keeping up with the (Mrs.) Joneses.  I started the diet this week and am worried that I won’t be able to stick to it, as I was drooling onto the pages of the Nordstrom Fall catalog I received today…but I’m excited to try!

Tina C.- 32 year old Married mom of three (7, 4 and 2) work full time, can’t pass up a great deal!

My name is Paula and, at age 59, I am a recently retired teacher/school psychologist/reading specialist.  For 30 years I had to dress the part of a professional and, as a result, became a slave of fashion.  Shopping was both a release and a source of confidence as others often complemented my appearance.  Having to dress the part on a daily basis, I was able to wear most of what was in my closet but now things have changed.  Unfortunately, my shopping habits have not.  I was enlightened to this effort through Mary Hunt from the Everyday Cheapskate website.  I believe it is just what the doctor ordered to motivate me to make change.  My goals include: to purge my closet of unnecessary articles of clothing and pass these items on to charity, to stop spending for clothes I will never wear, to adjust to my change in lifestyle and gain satisfaction in my simpler life.  I am totally committed to not purchasing any clothing for this next year.  I know I have plenty to wear for any occasion that might arise.  I will relish my change in focus and fully enjoy the serenity of retirement and freedom to pursue my hobbies of oil painting, gardening, dog training, hiking and kayaking.   Thanks for your inspiration.

Brenda-I heard about his site on the radio while in my car, fretting over credit card bills. What an “aha” moment! I am 59 years old, nearing retirement; don’t need any more work clothes, but…I have actually been “dieting” for ten days (since I heard), so I can say that I made the starting point. I think this may be difficult at times, but I believe in the message. I am definitely an over-consumer and want to change this habit.

Phyllis Dean, age 75, McLean, VA, retired with a Ph.D. in economics.  Shopping is in my genes, I guess, as my 101-year-old mother likes nothing better than for us to take her to Macy’s or Dillards where she invariably picks up a new top or jacket or whatever.  I have plenty to do without shopping, but I still like to take a look at all the catalogs that fill up my mailbox, and often find something in them that I just have to have.  I looked in my closet last month and thought, I never wear many of these clothes, some are now too small, etc.  Then I heard about TGAAD, and decided I should do it.  If I also lose 10 pounds, I could even wear some clothes I haven’t worn in years.  So goodbye catalogs.  I started on September 1 and so far (it’s September 7, ha ha) I’ve held fast.

Victoria Bayne- I am a retired classroom teacher.   I retired 3 years ago after 30 years of teaching high school French and English and taking dozens of teenagers on summer tours of Europe !   Lots of fun, really!   But now I am loving my new life and I am up to the challenge of going on an apparel diet.    I am planning to go volunteer and teach in southern Haiti in the near future and perhaps 80% of my closet which I never wear will go with me there to so many people in such great need.

Jessica Moy- N.J. is a recent college graduate who thought now would be the perfect time to partake in this diet seeing as she is interning for no-pay and working part-time for low-pay. Earning her bachelors in Fashion Studies and Theater Production/Design with a concentration in costumes while working part-time at BCBG, her entire life revolved around clothes until recently. But now she is seeking out another career path while working for an underwear store (which lucky for her is allowed to be consumed) and trying to enjoy other things in life.

Candiance Smith -People say when life hands you lemons make lemonade, I make lemonade, lemon zest, lemon marine pie and an awesome dinner centerpiece! That’s just me taking my resources and sharing with everybody I know to make sure they’re happy. The problem is over time it has come at a huge cost to me…lol. Financially and mentally, I shop because it feels good and I have limited responsibility so why not? I’m living in the quarter stage of my life as I call it I should have what I want and have fun! Now going through my quarter life crisis it’s time to grow up. Now my feel good is coming from accomplishing things that makes ME happy CANDIANCE A SMITH! That means paying off my credit, going back to school to land my dream job, and having an AWESOME credit score to get my house…MY HOUSE.

Teresa Fruen (50) Minneapolis , MN I am  married and a mother of a 17 year old daughter.  I have been interested in simplifying my life and reducing my material consumption for a long time. I was looking for some sort of motivation to move me when I heard the story of The Great American Apparel Diet on NPR.  I knew I had found what I was looking for. I’m not a huge shopper but when I wind up in a mall I have no trouble dropping a couple hundred dollars when of course I didn’t need anything to start with. This is the perfect time for me to curtail my clothing shopping with my daughter in her senior year in high school and with college expenses just around the corner. Also, we live in an old house built in the 1920’s and my closet is the size of a phone booth (do people remember the size of a phone booth I’m wondering?).  Anyway, it is really a shame to keep bringing clothes into my closet to be squished and squeezed. This year I plan to let my clothes breathe free!

Liz D is a 23-year-old music teacher still living in the Bay Area with her parents.  She has too many clothes in her closet that she never wears, and does not make nearly enough money to support this kind of lifestyle.  She takes inspiration from her boyfriend, who has no style to speak of and yet is the coolest person she knows.  Liz wants to realize she doesn’t need new clothes to feel pretty, and she hopes to gain some confidence and savings from this experiment.

Wendy- I’m a 44 year old South African mom of 4. I work as a Project Secretary. Have found that I shop when I’m mad, sad, bored, happy, indifferent.  It’s a temporary high, just like a drug addict. I have a wardrobe full of clothes and think that it is quite enough for the moment, so I’m challenging myself to get my gorging under control. I suffer from a slight  addiction to fashion blogs, prêt a porter and weardrobe.

Brittany Kustra (21) Edmonton Alberta – Brittany grew up in a household with a fabulous, “It’s Saturday, let’s shop” mentality. Living near one of the biggest malls in the world hasn’t curbed this girl’s fashion addiction, either. Brittany recently finished a degree in English and luckily landed a full-time job. She decided to jump on the Great American Apparel Diet when she realized that the majority of her new grown-up paycheque was going towards new clothes every month, and that they were mostly clothes she didn’t need. Before beginning the diet, she tallied all of the clothes in her closet, just to see exactly what she’d be working with for the next year. The results were astonishing, and confirmed that she had more than enough pieces to mix and match for the next 365 days. The totals include almost 100 tops and almost 40 dresses. Over the next year, Brittany looks forward to having more free time to spend reading, working out, and planning her October 2011 wedding – and having more money to spend on all of the above!Brittany will also be tracking her progress on the GAAD at her blog, www.brittanyinedmonton.com. She invites you to follow her journey and share yours, too!

Susan Schultze, St. Paul, MN (age 53) wife, mother, web analytics analyst, free-lance floral designer. I heard about No New Clothes for a Year on NPR (Marketplace Money) and thought it would be a useful challenge while planning for early retirement from corporate America.  We plan to build a retirement home/rural retreat in 2012, and my family thinks it will take me 2 years to pack up this house and move.  So this gives me a year to tackle my closet and clothes in the attic, and a year for the rest of my stuff.  Maybe next year I’ll try No New Books for a Year, and just read all the stuff I already have.  It will be hard to give up the periodic visits to Elite Repeat, my favorite consignment clothing shop, especially since I drive by it every day enroute to work.

My name is Kim ….. I’m a shopoholic! I shop when I’m bored and I shop when I’m depressed… I shop socially with my daughters… I shop whenever the mood strikes! However, I have a limited income. My ex-husband and I divorced about 5 years ago and my income was cut in half. But I still shop like I used to! Yes, I’m more frugal, and have gotten much better at spotting the bargain, but still……….. I’ve always justified it by buying bargains. I love the challenge! However, I don’t shop “smart”–I find a shirt that I absolutely adore but when I get it home it doesn’t go with anything in my closet. True story: yesterday I wore a shirt to work and was complimented on it by many people. The funny thing is that I bought it about 3 years ago…. $58 price tag, marked down to $19.95, with 30% off clearance and a coupon. So it cost me about $7.  But yesterday (after hanging in my closet for 3 years!) I took the price tag off and wore it! I probably would not have worn it if not for this diet!!! So my goal is to learn to “shop smart”….

Kathy Beard- Denver Co I am a fifty-something year-old, happily married (going on 27 years!) with an adult daughter, a three-legged dog and a princess cat, both adopted from a local shelter.  I was laid off from my nursing job in March and looking for my next ideal job. I am actually having a lot of fun with this. I am reconnecting with some things I forgot I had and blessing some others with my surplus.  I’m even selling a few things and making a little money off the whole adventure.  I have not had too many impulses to want to buy, although every once in awhile, I see something I’d really love to have.  I do not walk into a store without a list, and I follow that list to the letter!  I have cut out recreational shopping, and have found I have more time to pursue more interesting, more profound activities.  I am connecting with people more and things less.  I sure there will be times I will be tempted to buy, (I like to have a new holiday outfit, although this year I will shop in my closet.) but I feel I can resist the urge to go to a store.

I have been reading your site for awhile and finally decided to commit to saving tons of money for a year! My name is Kim, and I am in kind of an interesting spot because I am pregnant.  But, I figure that is all the more reason to not buy any more clothes than absolutely necessary.  I have already purchased $100 worth of maternity wear, and am going to another pair of pants, but hopefully that will be pretty much it.  I live in the Northwest USA , where fashion must be tempered by the possible necessity of having to walk a few miles on a gravel road, with temperatures ranging from 100 to -20.

Hi, I am Jo, a 49 year old nurse practitioner, wife, mother of two (24 and 21) that would like to focus more of my energies into productive activities instead of the amount of energy too many clothes can and does consume. My obsession with clothes is rooted in the fact growing up I never had many clothes, especially the “in” clothes, so once I was making my own money- I made up for those lost years.  I always buy “on sale” or “bargains” and amaze people with what I can find on the clearance rack.  But, as we all know, that leads to buying items that you don’t need, don’t go with other things in your wardrobe or are just wrong in many ways.  I live at least one hour from any major shopping, so Internet became my friend.  I am famous for buying/ordering, then returning the items because I start to feel guilty.  This can be very time consuming and is not cheap paying return shipping.   I had scaled back on spending considerably  over the last two years while saving to build a house and for our daughters wedding, but feel some of the old habits creeping back into my life.  It does not help that I tend to “save” everything.  After our move to a new home, I have really realized I have and save too much “stuff”, but especially clothes.  I work out routinely, but plan to channel my time and energy into some additional healthy was to relieve stress. Unsubscribing to all of my favorite Internet shopping sites have help considerably!

Hi there!  My name is Liz.  I am a wife, mom of three amazing young men (21, 17, & 15), full-time teacher, and am working on my Masters degree.  Teaching two to drive at once is enough to send anyone over the edge!  Fortunately, I am married to the calmest and most supportive man ever to live on planet Earth.  I thought I was the only one crazy enough to give up shopping…I have done it a few times for Lent—very hard when all the new cute summer things are leaping into the stores, and thoughts of vacation and something new to take along are jiggeting about in the brain.  Giving up shopping for the year was a New Year’s resolution a few years ago, but with no “support group” I didn’t make it.  If memory serves, I made it until May.  Then there was a trip, and well, you need something new to pack when you are going out of town, right?Why do this?  I have an overly full closet, and a deep seated need for minimalism. They say that you don’t really own any more than you can carry in two arms at a dead run, and I have always been one to inventory.  What 10 books would I take if I was to go into outer space?  If we were to be evacuated, what would I pack?  Ideally, I would like my wardrobe to fit into two suitcases, one for clothes, the other would probably be for shoes and bags!  Sounds masochistic for someone who loves fashion! Most of the others posting are shoppers way out of my league, the majority of my wardrobe comes from JC Penney and Target.  My weaknesses are shoes and handbags, so I’ll count those into the diet as well, with the exception of new running shoes as needed.

Carrie Brainerd, almost 35, Medina Ohio .  I’m a married, working mother to two little girls.  My closet is full, my laundry is piled up, I even have a package of clothes on the way to my door this week.  And yet, I feel like I have nothing to wear.  It’s ridiculous and it has to stop.  I’ve never been good at diets but I NEED this one.  I don’t want to set this example for my children.  More than once, my 3 year old has made the comment “I want a new dress mommy.”  And when I tell her she doesn’t need a new dress, she replies “Sure I do.  We can just buy it on the computer.”  I’m setting my children up for a lifetime of irresponsible spending and likely debt if they follow my example, so it’s time to change!

Paula Facci Female age 32, South African, I live to empower people to create the lives they love, as life coach. Yet I find myself making disempowering choices when it comes to retail therapy. Currently I am on a consciousness journey and have found that purchasing anything creates a lot of incompletion and clutter in my life. I feel guilty and dispence unnecesary energy on shopping, thinking about shopping excursions and then thinking about how I should’t have bought the things I did. I choose today to take a stand for conscious shopping and to be free of being a victim of consumerism. I am taking back my power of choice, and I choose to subscribe to TGAAD until September 2011! Here is to a year of conscious living!

Tori- I am 31 years old and live in one of the greatest city’s for shopping that there is…. NYC! I have been working in fashion for over 10 years & have a love for all things retail! After working in many stores over the years i have bought, sold, given away & accumulated an amount of clothing that is truly unnatural. I have many other interests but shopping is always at the top of the list. I sat down the other day & made a list of all the other things I could be doing instead of shopping & was blown away. I never realized how much time I spend shopping. I am at a point in my life where I want to pay off my debt & save money for experiences not things. I need to put myself on the right path & i think that doing The Great American Apparel Diet is just the place to start.

Katie- Age – 46 (who’s counting) Married and a mother to 3 amazing children, Bella 20 (daughter), Angus & Lachlan 18 (Identical twin boys). Currently I am a freelance producer for a talk radio station (567 Cape Talk & Talk Radio 702) and I present one of their overnight shows. I stumbled upon your site during one of my ‘Google’ sessions as I was doing research for my show. Being impulsive and up for personal challenges, I thought wow this is for me. The more I thought the more it all made sense. I inherited a love of clothes from my beautiful eccentric Finnish mother and they have become my therapy, my crutch and my tools for slipping into different personas. My spending habits with regards to clothing have caused me to become what I call a ‘creative accountant’, balancing the household budget with my ‘need’ to keep the wardrobe well stocked. My clothes (which I do not throw away) tell the story of my life from weight fluctuations (and weight is such a female issue) to the ongoing battle between being the chic woman that my mother was to the happy hippy jean wearing persona which gives me comfort. I have gone from a career in merchant banking to full time motherhood and now a new start in radio as my children fly the nest and I embrace new challenges and opportunities in life. Another realization that hit me was, having grown up in Sydney (Australia) with much privilege I moved to Cape Town with my South African husband 21 years ago – and the contrasts are enormous. We do live a relatively affluent and privileged life here, but every day in so many ways you are reminded of the disparity between the first and third worlds. A large part of our population do not even have the luxury of knowing whether they can feed themselves on a daily basis, let alone choose what they wear. I am impulsive and I can clearly see the practical reasons for joining this diet but I am hoping that the process will also take me on a journey of self awareness, questioning and simply show me that I can do without!

Heather, 41. I’m a teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. I was interested in the diet last year, but didn’t join and forgot about it until I saw it mentioned in the New York Times last week. I have recently been upgrading my wardrobe somewhat and have been spending way too much time and money. There is always something else I “need.” I almost always shop online, and the options are overwhelming. It’s also a huge time sink for me – I often spend an hour or so looking at clothes for no particular reason. I have plenty of nice clothes, and I don’t want to think about any new clothes for a long time! I’m looking forward to freedom from this habit.

Amy T- As Ms Shopping Golightly of The Thrifty Chicks I am outright embarrassed that I was unaware of this project! I feel complete shame. I’m on my knees begging to pledge and join. As testimony to my complete sincerity please visit: http://thethriftychicks.blogspot.com/ The only new clothes I’ve purchased this year were for my two daughters and if they wanted clothes from conventional retail, not thrift, they had to purchase “new” clothes with their own money so they could feel the sting of a new item directly contrasted against thrift – which is usually better quality.

Hello, I am Mieke Kooistra. I am a writer, blogger, arts supporter( and former journalist & foreign correspondent). I am Dutch but currently living in Sri Lanka with husband and 15 year old daughter. After my summer holidays in Europe I decided to stop buying clothes & stuff for 10 months (the period until the next summer holiday). I started a blog a few weeks ago  kOoii Nifty& Thrifty – change the world one wardrobe at a time. http://kooii.tumblr.  The money I hope to save with this plan will go towards projects in support of people who do not have more stuff than they can handle, which btw is 90 percent of the world’s population. kOOii is seeking contact with land ideas from like minded individuals on how to spread the wealth while freeing ourselves of clutter- end our preoccupation with our looks and status – save money, time and valuable resources – find alternative forms of instant gratification that are based on more a sustainable premise than just consuming. Lets create a movement

My name is Angela L. I like have fun and to try new things.  I love clothes, and I love to shop; however, I try not to be wasteful and buy more than I need of anything.

Angie Lee, who’s relishing the last year of her 20’s, is a fashionista who can’t resist a fabulous deal (and usually snags them)! Known as a discount diva, she’s always found it ironic she has a closet full of clothes (and fantastic designer shoes!), yet nothing to wear. The fact that she and her husband just graduated from business school (and have tons of loans to repay!) forced her to start thinking about smart budgeting.  Living in New York City , one of the priciest places in the country, also made her quickly realize she could not sustain her spending sprees (the gentle scolding from her husband didn’t hurt either). Thus, she re-evaluated the state of her closet, realized there must be an outfit or two in there, and decided to join the apparel diet.

My name is Madison Hargrove. I am from NC and I am 22. I’m in college right now (studying apparel merchandising) and am paying my own tuition so I would like to try the diet as a means to save money. I love the beach and surfing so one of my biggest downfalls is purchasing bathing suits! I have enough bikinis and bathing suits for the next 30 years! I also enjoy the idea of being sustainable and appreciating what I have, so I would like to be satisfied and not continuously want to purchase “more” and “add” more to my closet. I am attaching my picture.

Tara – I am almost 40 and started my diet on June 1 of this year.  The last four months have been completely and totally liberating.  I am a trial lawyer and have to wear suits to court almost every day.  That was how I justified my extravagant clothing habit.  I received quarterly phone calls from my salesperson at Nordstrom.  I’m over it.  I have been spreading the gospel of the Diet and have some friends who are giving it a try.  Went to Nordstrom recently with my mother and sister - I felt like an alcoholic in a bar, but I abstained!

Hi, my name is Kim.  I’m 27 and currently live in suburban Kansas City (on the KS side).  I have a very unexciting job in insurance where I have to dress “business casual,” without even the benefit of casual fridays.  I got the Lucky Guide to Style but I couldn’t tell you what my style is.  I’m kind of all over the place.  I like sweaters and pleated skirts, I like ruffles and lace, I like studs and sequins, I love menswear.  I love it all. I think I’m a shopaholic, and it started two years ago after a fight with a friend.  I bought a couple of things, and it was instant gratification.  Now every time I’m unhappy or stressed or having a “bad day,” (highly subjective) I shop.  I go shopping all of the time  and could find something I have to have in every store.  Probably even like Walgreen’s if I was desperate. I can’t  possibly wear everything that I own.  It’s embarrassing and overwhelming to think about all the clothing that I have.  I’m wasting money and time, and I’m staging an intervention for myself. I’m ready to make a formal commitment to this and to stopping a bad, bad habit called retail therapy.  Today I feel relieved.  Tomorrow it might feel more like panic.  Very exciting!

Nubia Cabrera is a 31 year old, single woman, currently living in the NYC area.  I have a 3 year old Golden Retriever that keeps me constantly active because of his playful energy.  I currently work for a major law firm and although my closet is basically for work, I do enjoy buying lots and lots of dresses!  My reason for joining is that I recently noticed while packing for a recent move, that I have had multiple closets filled with clothing, shoes and bags.  I was pretty shocked at how much clothing I have purchased within the last time of my move, which was 4 years ago.  A lot of the clothing had tags still on the clothing!  I really think that I am a compulsive shopper, when I am having a rough day, its an excuse to run out and get something that will pick up my mood, whether its a sweater or a pair of shoes!  I probably would not have noticed that I had accumulated so much clothing had it not been for my move date of this Friday.  The hardest part of this diet would be going into a store and have some self-control to not buy anything and remind myself of how much I have.  Also, I believe with a the clothing with tags, I should be able to come up with different looks, not to mention, the amount of money I would be saving!!

My name is Katie Boyd and I am a 23 year-old student at my local university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  This is my final year of my 3 year Bachelor of Arts Degree (Major: World Religion; Minor: Psychology); it has taken me six years to complete .  Outside of school and work I enjoy practicing yoga, dancing and live music. Even though I’ve had time to work and earn ample money to pay for school, I am still in debt about $16,500 with a line of credit.  I am horrible with money and clothing is definitely something that I spend too much of it on.  One of my favourite things to do is walk the isle of second-hand and vintage clothing stores; I also have a yearly trip to Minneapolis for outlet mall shopping.  My style varies.  I like to mix trendy with my own natural bohemian/hippy style.  I love to express myself through my clothing.  However, I have lots of travelling dreams and I will need to get out of at least a bit of debt before I head out.  The money I will be spending on clothes will not help.  I don’t even need any more clothing!  I have a full closet, and I do not even wear most of it.  I am looking forward for learning to wear my clothes in different ways and using those not usually worn in ways that I have never thought to.  I’ve needed to make a commitment to stop spending money for a LONG time, so I am very very excited and inspired to be a part of this dieting community.

My name is Kelly, I’m a 42 year old single mom working in admin from Austin TX. I found out about the Apparel Diet through “6 pieces or Less”. The idea of 6 pieces didn’t quite work for me-but I’m really glad to have found the diet.  I don’t have any money to waste- which doesn’t mean that I haven’t wasted it. I am embarrassed to think of all the clothes I’ve purchased in the last three years that looked nice-enough…classic styles and colors–but were of cheap construction and fabric. If I had held off and saved for nice things I might have more things than I do.  I have a very small wardrobe. And that is fine. In this group I can slow down and be more mindful-and less DESPERATE when it comes to my clothes. I can remember that I have enough.  I don’t have a pair of jeans. I may decide that I need them, or some other things in the next year (I probably only have about 20 pieces) but I plan to plan. I will be slow and sane if a *real* and practical need arises. Cheers!

I’m Meredith, and I realized I might have a problem when not going to the mall when I had planned to made me antsy. How dare my husband demand my time? I was completely shamed when I realized. I may not buy anything, but I surely love to go and look. I actually find the entire process of finding clothes that fit (particularly pants) so maddening that the whole shopping experience depresses me. But when I do find something, it’s like a high–and it motivates me to keep looking. I’ve actually been on a clothing budget for a while, and it’s worked well for me, but the urge to spend is what prompted me to join the diet. I’m hoping that this break from consumerism will free up some of my precious time! I’m married, no kids (yet) and two dogs. I have a career in the insurance industry that on most days I love but I’d like to find time in my life to do things that are more productive than shopping, and more fun. I’m also hoping to eventually shift my shopping from “always new” to “almost always used” but that’s another story. I won’t have to worry about that until September 2011–because I won’t be shopping at all for clothes, shoes or accessories. Frankly, I have plenty of all three. I’d like to put makeup in that pile but a girl can only do so much at one time!

Anne G- Though I had no clothes hanging in my closet with dangling tags, I did have a surplus…..how many black slacks and khaki-colored slacks does a person need? Many items are lovingly donned once, perhaps twice a season. (“gee, I forgot about this!”) Ridiculous. Then there are the shoes. (How many pairs of black flats and black heels does a girl need? Apparently many.) I have scads of shoes. Shoes will definitely be banned on my diet. As I said, I’m 53. I work out a fair amount: running, I’m a new triathlete, I weight-lift, and every now and then I can squeeze in a yoga class. I have 3 kids: ages 26, 20 and 17 with a granddaughter due in January (buying for her is not a problem….bwaaaaahaaa!). I’ve been married for almost 30 years.  Here’s the dichotomy: I dislike going to the mall to shop (hate it!) but I love clothes. My downfall: the internet temptations, which I now delete without opening.  This is a huge undertaking with an equal number of friends thinking I’m either nuts or among the bravest of the brave. Think of the money you’ll save, most say. Soldier on, I say.

Christiane- I am 62 years old (but not wise yet), I teach and do therapy to earn the money do not want to spend on too many clothes anymore. This is not so easy, when you live in a fashion conscious place like Düsseldorf , Germany . I have always been interested in nice clothes and fun things to wear, but I became pretty disgusted with myself when I found I had just bought the 4th black knitted jacket in the same style late this summer. None of my friends or family would ever know there are four of the kind, I do, though. Since I have always bought quality apparel rather than cheap stuff, my clothes will be keeping me in style for the rest of the year, I am quite sure.

I am Catherine, I am in my 20’s and have graduated from college a few years ago in Art and Illustration.  I have recently gone back to school to do Paralegal, but have bigger dreams that just that.  I was hired on at the Gap Kids November of last year and find myself using my employee discount to spend more money on clothes than I probably should.  I am always finding myself broke and with a huge bill on my Gap card.  Since I can fit into the kids clothes, because the jeans fit me better than adult ones I find myself always shopping.  Even not at work I am always buying clothes I never wear or don’t need.  I find myself with no room for all the clothes I have and find them spilling into other rooms.  My dream is to move overseas and study International Law and possibly live in the UK.  I would love to start maybe in the Spring if time permits.  I think this would be a great way to save money and help me fulfill my dreams.  Maybe without spending money on clothes I can also find more money to spend on my creative side.  I love to cross stitch and draw.

My name is Lyndsay Ediger. My grandmother and I are going to start the diet on the first of November. We live in Portland Oregon. I heard about TGAPD on the radio. I am an emotional spender. Many of the cloths I but end up in my closet for years without ever being worn. I also buy cloths that ”seem like a good purchase” at the time, but is not something I actually want to wear when it comes down to it. I am a college student, and will have student loans to pay for when I graduate. I want to stop these bad habits, and learn how to appreciate myself more, and not measure how i feel about myself by what I “have to wear”. This will be hard for me-as I prepare for the diet I have had many impulse trips to the mall to “ensure i don’t run out of things I need” while on the diet. I know i can do it though-and am encouraged by the number of people that have already inspired me to push myself in the right direction.

My name is Jessica, I am a 26 years old.  I am a Digital Sales Coordinator and radio dj for a group of radio stations in Minnesota .  After starting my job about 2 months ago a co-worker made a comment that I always dressed cute (I WAS voted best dressed in my high school class almost 10 years ago;)  she followed the previous comment with this: ‘I swear I haven’t seen you wear the same thing in the two months you’ve worked here.’  Ouch.  The worst part is I know she’s right. I heard about the diet from my aunt over the weekend, she is also a recent dieter and is doing great! My husband and I have been talking about buying a new house and that seems like another great motivator for me!  Why not save the money I would spend on ‘good gets’ from clearance racks for a beautiful house to share with my family?  I think the hardest part for me is the social part of shopping, it will be hard for me to go out on a good ‘hoard’ with my friends and not buy!  In fact, I’ve shared my plans for the diet with my two best friends and they both suggested I see a doctor.  My mom is getting married this winter so the dress for her wedding will be the one exception to my fast otherwise I am pledging NO NEW CLOTHES!

Carol- I live in liberal Oregon .  We seem to looking for ways to be green…This is one area I can be green and perhaps save a few dollars.  Am retired and very much enjoying it.  My physical body gets to exercise regularly and I do love Tai Chi.  Also enjoy walking. Have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and three greats.  All great people and so entertaining with the little one  They still know how to play – which we could all learn more of. This is learning experience… am so excited now just thinking of not buying clothing and yet I know there will be times when I somewhat struggle.

Shannon, Bellingham , WA , Age 36. I am a mom of two, wife of one, and blogger for many. I teach homemade baby food classes and blog about feeding a young family. I also live for running, yoga, knitting, and wine with my friends. I started this diet on Sept 1 but am only posting my profile now because I have run into trouble and need support.  In the beginning I was curious to see how much money I could save not buying clothes for a year. What I didn’t realize was how much my self-esteem is based on having something new/cute to wear. And now that I don’t, I am struggling to be creative with my wardrobe. It is strange to me that I am feeling low about myself because of my clothing options in the morning, yet I don’t have any desire to buy something. That may be because shopping is usually a miserable experience for me.  I also gave up shoes; I use them to feel good too. I feel great whether I have a new sweater on or am rocking a pair of new black boots. I hope that by the end of the year I will have found a new appreciation for the clothes I do have and maybe break the cycle of new clothes making me feel good.

Deborah, Lynn, MA – I heard about this on the local news (WBZ, Channel 4 Boston) this afternoon. I would like my apparel diet to include cosmetics. I have enough lipstick, eyeshadow and skin care products to last a year or more (thanks to the grocery/CVS etc. shopping hints), but I love cosmetics and need not collect anymore unless I am getting them for free and/or can donate them to the food pantries. I feel that cosmetics are part of my apparel, my personal style and look.  So, I have been doing well with the supermarkets and pharmacies. But for clothing, I’d like to add the apparel diet to my lifestyle changes. I have more than 2 closets filled with beautiful clothing, and the only thing I absolutely need right now are a couple of pairs of winter slacks, and a pair of waterproof mittens. (I’m in Massachusetts , our winters are cold.) I want more abundance in my life – the kind of abundance that comes with limiting clothing purchases – so that money can be freed up for family (my daughter’s undergraduate and my graduate school and) education.

Lilly Gilman, NY- When I was a larger lady I made most of my own clothing.  When I moved to New York and found myself in a single digit size I started discount shopping to a greater degree than I had hoped.  That was fine then but now my husband and I live in a 225sq foot apartment with 2 small closets (and a storage space filled with old clothing and fabric among other things) and I haven’t made anything but accessories for quite a while.  I often shop with the thought in mind that if I could make it, I can’t buy it.  So why aren’t I making it?!? Or that if I already have something similar I just need to alter – I can’t have it.  But do I ever do it?!? I’m hoping that by placing a moratorium on my clothing purchases I will revisit the many clothing projects I have been neglecting and get started on all sorts of new ones!  I have enough fabric and older garments to last me years! Also, in 2007 i started a photo project that involved documenting everything I wore for a year.  The results were wonderful but my apartment at the time just didn’t have a good place to take a full length picture – I ended up only shooting the top half.  I’m hoping to use GAAD to help me get motivated to paint a wall and get this going again but this time full length!

Joanna- Age 50 (but of course I look younger) I really don’t need clothes, but I love clothes. I’m also kind of addicted to internet shopping. I’m terrified of giving up buying new clothes so I have to do it. Rationale: I have two real world jobs which don’t require dressing up and everything else can be accomplished wearing yoga pants and flipflops, of which I have any pairs. Of course, living in NYC requires fur boots and down coats on occasion as well. I have those too. I have been selling off the shoes I never wear on eBay. I can do this!

Shannon Bowness, is a forty-something year-old living in Toronto who has a passion for fashion – that needs stop!  For more than thirty years she’s cultivated shopping into a sport and a science that also included her family members.  Shannon has been trying the apparel diet on her own, much like sticking her big toe in the water to test the temperature and is finding that this will be a good self challenge to learn to be content with what is in the closet, appreciate her blessings, learn what fabrics and styles survive the test of time.  Making a commitment to herself and this community of like-minded people, she is resolved to make this happen. By refocusing her energy she is going back to school for a post-graduate degree and use the money saved to take her sons to Italy in 2012 – with the husband too!

Veena Patel, 21, student, personal assistant, and entrepreneur in Iowa City , IA is embarking on the GAAD to reduce her clothing consumption and redefine her wardrobe. Veena would like to graduate college with a pared-down closet ready to be rolled into a duffle for the next adventure: World travel? Big city life? Unemployment? Whatever it is, she’d like to embrace the fly-ness and freedom that comes with carefully selected clothes. She’s enlisted her most stylish friends (Hollie and Ellen) to be her sounding board and keep her from feeling frumpy over the next 300 days (…late-starter). Mostly she hopes that she has enough leggings to make it through the icy Iowa winter!

Susan- My love for clothes began years ago with my dear mother who always took me shopping with her.  We’d ride the bus to the big city and spend all day browsing through the stores admiring all the beautiful clothes.  She never purchased much, but loved to look.  She also shopped to get ideas for sewing and because of that I was the first kid in my neighborhood to have hip-hugger, bell bottom jeans that she sewed for me.  I thought I was something and so did my friends! (Whoops! I just dated myself.)  My love clothes later turned into an obsession… always having to update my wardrobe and find the best deals.  It was the thrill of the hunt and something “brand new” to wear. When I started bringing items to my local consignment shop that I had only worn once or twice or with tags still on them, I knew it had gone too far. I turned 50 in October and one of the things on my “50 things to do in my 50th year” is to stop buying clothes for a year.  I cleaned out my closet, started to shop my closet instead of the clothing stores,  and put more time into planning my outfits. I discovered some pretty nice clothes in that closet of mine that I really like!  And then today I was sent a link to your website. How amazing! Joining TGAAD will help me stick to my goal.  I am going to love the clothes I have and look fabulous everyday!

My name is Michelle Classon and I am a 29yr. old stay at home Mom from De Pere , WI (10miles from Green Bay ). I am interested in GAAD because I have WAY to many clothes and waste too much time online shopping. My favorite clothing websites are smartbargins.com , gap.com , urbanoutfitters.com , victoriassecret.com , anthropologie.com , 6pm.com , zappos.com , hautelook.com , ruelala.com. One of my favorite “therapy” places is the mall. I recently have a very therapeutic vacation to Mall of America!! With all the money I plan on saving by not buying clothes I would like to reward myself(and family) with one AWESOME vacation, and with all the extra time on my hands maybe I will finally start to knit(but I will not be knitting myself any clothes!!) Here’s to a LONG 9mths!!(it can’t feel as long as being pregnant, right?!!!)

I’m Hannah, I’m 22 years old and I live in Winston-Salem, NC. I’m newly married and a college student. I also work as a nanny part-time. I don’t shop a lot but after putting myself on a budget, I have realized that clothes are not a necessity. The money I spend shopping and the time it takes could be used for something much more valuable. I want to join because I want to challenge myself. I plan on using the money I save shopping towards our savings account (which is pretty much non-existant). I also hope during this time so learn how to sew and create new pieces out of my old clothing.

Danielle Chechile, 28, Spring Hill FL- Starting at a young age, my mother taught me how to shop.  When things were good we would shop, likewise, when things were bad we would shop.  I became addicted.  Before I had children the price was not an issue.  After children, I found myself warranting the purchase because it was such a good deal, how could I pass?  I used to pass the time with my infants shopping.  My 3 girls are accustomed to hitting up stores at least 2-3 times a week.  I have realized it has gotten out of control. Just today I told my husband I was going to go on a crash diet New Years day, NO MORE SHOPPING!!!!!!  He just shrugged it off.  While cooking dinner tonight I saw a news broadcast about TGAAD.  I figured it was Gods way of telling me to start sooner than later. I am very excited to begin the journey to a more conscientious life!!  So here I go…Day 1!

Lori Graham- Boone, Iowa. Age: 28. So I saw a story about this on the news tonight while making dinner and thought- I WAN’T IN!!!  I, who is a 28 year old mom, wife, and self-proclaimed shop-aholic, needs this challenge!  Growing up, every weekend my Mother would take me to town to do our weekly shopping which included department stores, the mall, then the grocery store-all in the meantime buying anything that was “a great deal”.  That mentatity set in and I have carried it with me throughout my experience as a 20-something who looking back has wasted too much money with nothing to show for it.  Growing through four sizes in 10 years, plus not to mention the “trends” I’ve purchased for, I’ve had two garage sales and have donated quite a few of garbage bags of clothes to thrift stores and friends..all while saying “I got a good deal!”.   I started to really realize how badly my obsession with clothing was when I was pregant with my son when my wardrobe sat dormant.  I began to think–Did I really need five pairs of maternity jeans?  How about those 20 pairs of jeans I can’t fit in anymore….should I diet after I have the baby or just buy more??  How about those 14 hoodies I have that I never wear, or those sweaters that just need a little bit of *love* to look new again?  It was like an obsession.  It even started to become a social topic between my friends and co-workers….I even had one say to me ”I’m living vicariously through you” when she asked me if I went shopping that weekend and asked what I bought.    Then, just months ago, I really realized how bad my obsession was.  I racked up my husband’s and my credit card (something we pay off each month),  up so much that I couldn’t keep up with it and had to start making payments.  It was bad…people, I’m talking thousands of dollars here.  Granted…it wasn’t all clothing (really, I didn’t need that $1,000 camera looking back-although it does take awesome pictures).   Needless to say I caved in, told my husband, and we ended up using our home equity loan to pay it off….way embarassing.  I know my limits and need help keeping on track.  A recent trip to Las Vegas for a friend’s wedding was my latest reason for buying that new outfit.  So I totally recognize that I still need help, and even more so that I need to feel like I’m not alone in this!  This is going to be good for me.   It’s going to be a long ride, but I am totally excited to start it and am looking forward to finishing this with others!!

My name is Ilene Waterstone.  I live in Los Angeles, CA .  I have far too many clothes and far too many things.  I have been wanting to lighten up for a long time.  My goal is to get rid of everything I don’t want or need.  I expect to fall far short of my goal.  I am 59 years old.  I will be 60 in March.  I have been assistant to a well known celebrity for the past 23 years.  I love to shop and sometimes live to shop.  I don’t need anything.  I find the idea of the diet fascinating and compelling.  I would like to join you.  It is terrifying in the extreme but the thought also makes me feel giddy.

My name is Erica Semenov, 24 years old, married one child. I have been noticing how much I am addicted to shopping yikes.. Maybe process will help me. After all, when I think about it if I had a week left to live I would not want to spend a day of it shopping!

Sarah Faber-22, Seattle, WA. I’m happy to say that I am a recent graduate from the University of Washington in Seattle and have been spending my days since graduation working and traveling! Recent travels have brought me from Barcelona to London to Paris and there are many more adventures to come! As a shopper my mother always told me you should never have to buy anything that isn’t on sale and I would describe my grandmother as the Sunday morning ad and coupon lady (I believe this to be the original version of shopping from home). I am incredibly excited to be working as an intern for Sally at The Great American Apparel Diet and to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of people! Although I am not currently an active dieter, I will be here to share valuable information, advise, and news on what’s going on here at the Great American Apparel Diet “headquarters”!

Kristine DiScala (age 29) - I’m a licensed psychologist, new mom to a baby boy named Samuel, and proud partner to a man pursuing his dream to become a fighter pilot with the Air Force.  As soon as I heard about this diet, I felt something inside of me say, “Oh you know that you need to do this!  Clear your clutter!!”  Since moving to pilot training, I have stopped working to stay at home with Sam, which has been a huge transition for me.  Although I love my new time with him, I’ve noticed that shopping has become even more of a hobby for me since I stopped working.  So here I am, totally craving some more creativity with my free time and with my current (rather large) wardrobe.  I’m tentative but incredibly excited about all that this adventure could mean for me.  Here goes!!

Evie Abat- After thinking about this for the last couple of days, I decided doing the GAAD would be a good exercise for me. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and, while most people think Argentina is really fashionable, the clothes aren’t built to last, nor are they my style.  So, in the past year, I’ve gotten really bad about my on-line spending habits.  I can only imagine what I would be like if I actually shopped in back home in the US. I’m a psychologist and holistic health counselor, and I want to be able to walk my talk in all areas of my life.  I think looking at my overspending and overconsumption, and my focus on what I wear will help me be a better person in the long run.  At the very least, it’ll teach me to be more creative with my clothes, and to be grateful for what I have! Well, I look forward to the challenge.  Maybe it’ll be too much, but it’s worth a try. I’m looking forward to it.

Cindy Rutkowski- (age mid 50’s) Want to make the best use of all my clothes and need a good push to make myself fit into them as well as purge my dresser drawers as well as the closet.  Retired banker with lots of conservative stuff that is out of style but I keep holding onto it.  I currently teach at a local university and perhaps my students will get tired of seeing the same old stuff – all the more incentive for me to fit into everything and not just the few things I have purchased recently – I am looking forward to this.  I know I am starting late (11/15) but it was my husbands birthday 2 days ago and I gave this to him as a present….

Sharon Davison- My closets are overflowing and I would like to join the diet. I began my quest on Novemer 8th. My sister and great niece encouraged me by their participation in this endeavor.

Tania Ginoza- I’m 42 years old, female, and am very passionate about fashion and design. There are only so many hours during the day and I spend too much of that valuable time shopping, returning items and finding new ways to organize my closet.  My savings account is also starving for attention. I recently moved back to my hometown on Maui, after living in Honolulu (the big city) for 20 years.  I already have more clothes than I’ll ever need here, especially for a laid back lifestyle (all you really need on Maui is bikinis, havianas, little jersey dresses and some soft Ts).  What I like about the Great American Apparel Diet is that I can keep what I have.  I don’t think 33 pieces, 6 pieces or 1 dress is gonna cut it for me (oh hell no).  I once had to wear the same tshirt to work for 1 month for an activist campaign and I was ready to throw that shirt in the shredder by the end of it. I may do some purging over time but I think that process will evolve naturally if I’m not adding to the inventory.  I love my current collection and am looking forward to creatively styling what I have.

Heather M- I am a 27 year old lesbian from New Orleans, I love cooking and I love people. I was such a creative and weird teenager, always coming up with strange projects and inventive art. Now, as an adult, I find myself anxious on off days to shop. How lame and uncreative is that?  I love to see what designers are coming up with in the fashion world. And that in itself is sad, because it means I am too lazy to invent or create something, I have to look to buy it.  Hearing about this diet, I thought, that will be difficult for me. I need to do it. It will also be great for my budget, because my marketing job only pays $11 an hour, so I was usually just putting myself in debt with my justified $200 a month clothing splurges. So excited, I know this will help me return to my more wholesome, less materialistic roots. I started drawing with an elderly art teacher in my apartment complex on my off days. In exchange for art lessons, I bring her leftovers from whatever gourmet meal I prepared the night before. We both benefit, and making art is much more noble than buying clothes. I know it won’t be easy, but it is a great movement for women of this consumer culture to make.

Jenny Wood- Before I had children, I sport shopped all the time at Bloomies and developed a love of expensive tee shirts. After having kids, my loves of clothes was still there, but I didn’t feel right spending the money I had in the past. So I discovered Goodwill. Ahhhh, the treasure hunt! So maybe 99% of the garments in GW I deem unacceptable, but then after scouring the store I will make my “find”. A cashmere RalphLauren sweater for $7, or a J Crew trench for $10, or Splendid, Michael Stars, and C&C tees for $5! How could I resist! It’s only $20 or $30 here or there right. No, its the addiction to the hunt. I need to retire and enjoy what I have.

Elaine S- My closet is not a closet. It’s a showcase of designers and branded clothes and shoes. I always want more. I have no savings at all. I am 34. I can say I’ve spent the past 16 years spending like crazy. All the money I’ve earned was gobbled up in shoes, apparel, makeup and gifts purchases. I am with my boyfriend for 4 years and last week he told me that he would never marry somebody who can’t be able to save money for the future. It was the click for me. So I am joining TGAAD from Switzerland, hoping to cure my shopping addiction and to definitively change my behavior.

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