Nov 03
Hey guys, I just read this research article on mindless consumption and thought of all of you. Read it here. A snippet below…
The era of mindless consumption is over. Consumers now want a simple, sustainable, and self-sufficient life.
Conspicuous consumption. Shop till you drop. All-you-can-eat buffets and supersized meals. The post–World War II era has been marked by a voracious hunger for more. In affluent countries, people bought too much, ate too much, used up too much, and owed too much. Yet, for many, it still wasn’t enough. There was something missing—lots of things, really. Among them, a sense of control and self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, and feelings of community and authenticity. Replacing the constant accumulation of “stuff” with these more substantive intangibles lies at the heart of the current shift toward mindfulness—a movement in which heedless excess is exchanged for a more conscious and considered approach to living. red more.
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Tagged with: clothes, Consumerism, mindful consumption, shopping diet
Sep 30
Although I have completed my year of the diet, it has still continued to influence my purchasing. In the last year I have purchased only 3 new items, all after I completed my diet. I have since purchased a pair of running shorts and a top for my upcoming Komen Maryland Race for the Cure. I had been running in cotton shorts and a tshirt, and in the muggy Baltimore, MD it left me soaked and uncomfortable. The only other purchase that I made was a comfortable pair of foldover waistband lounge pants. They were half price and fit like a glove; I couldn’t resist.
Some of the permanent life changes as a result of the “The Diet” are that I continue to read “look books” and fashion articles to discover the trend items and then use what I have in my closet to restyle what I already have. Over the last year I have purchased a a few accessories including this gorgeous belt and a brand new purse. A few pieces of jewelry like this leather cuff, tattoo necklace, and some very chic recycled mixed media pendants. The final and most important purchases were these great brooches that I use to accent my staple pieces like cardigans and jackets. It allows me to wear the same items each week, but feel like I’m wearing something new. I never had enough in the budget to buy clothing and accessories, even back when I purchased cheap clothing on clearance. I have two more planned purchases this year, a black cardigan and one in brown, to replace the ones that I wore so often and for so long that I wore out the elbows and then through the patches.
What I will continue to do is to always buy vintage, refashioned or recycled clothing first and whenever possible. Etsy, Ebay and local thrift stores are great ways to shop for eco-friendly, inexpensive clothing. If that isn’t possible then I’ll buy handmade to support artisans and crafters who still value quality and creativity. I do love a good one of a kind piece that I know I can wear for many, many years to come.
The most important lesson that I learned though, is that you can be really stylish without constantly updating your wardrobe with throw-away fashion. Don’t be a fashion victim caught in the cycle of constantly having to buy the newest, trendiest clothes. Buy a few well-made, perfectly fitted items and keep them. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise can help you fit into those pieces longer and you’ll be happier and healthier in the end. I spend so little time shopping now that I’m free to pursue all of the interests that I always wanted, but couldn’t find the time, money or energy to devote before. I’ve taken up cooking, running, knitting, crocheting, sewing, downhill mountain bike racing and spending much more time with my family and friends and I couldn’t be happier.
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Tagged with: accessories, addiction, Apparel Diet, clothes, clothing diet, Consumerism, diet, eco fashion, etsy, fashion, fashionista, recessionista, recycled clothing, The Great American Apparel Diet, thrift store, vintage
Sep 05
Hey guys, sorry to have been out of communication. I was in Southeast Alaska for the past week cavorting with the humpback whales, Grizzly bears and sea lions. As you would expect, I was well dressed in waterproof jackets and sweat wicking, high-tech fleece sweaters that I have collected over the last ten years. All still in style of course. At one point, after wearing the sixth of the seven jackets I had packed, my sister said, “What is this…a fashion show for Gortex?” There was a time, many years ago when I was in the outdoor industry and collected every fleece, down and Gortex techno-jacket available. The only problem—that stuff never wears out. It will take 1,000 years before I have an excuse to buy another.
Anyway, I was in Elfin Cove on September 1st, the day when I could safely and freely shop with abandon. A little background for context, Elfin Cove is a fishing village, winter population: twelve people. Summer population: a hundred. It’s a nature lover’s dream and an ex-shopping diva’s worst nightmare. I went into their seasonal gift shop with such high hopes for a stellar something or other but could only find Elfin Cove embroidered and screened sweat shirts and t-shirts. Needless to say, I walked away empty handed. I have since ordered a few things from www.hautelook.com (Splendid and Vince) and my favorite retailer www.shopolivine.com. But truthfully I’m not itchin’ to go shoppin’. Seems like a waste of time to me. Perhaps I just need to warm up to it slowly.
Congratulations to all of you who made it through the year. My hope is that you will stay in touch and blog often (the blog will continue until next year, Sept. 1st). It’s been a great year, one that I couldn’t have done without all of you in lock step. What a great social experiment. Someday people will look back on this time and ask…”What was the mindset of women during the great recession?” and we will have an answer.
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Tagged with: addiction, clothes, Consumerism, Gortex, shopping diet, The Great American Apparel Diet
Aug 30
While I was already committed to buying used or refashioning to help with the environment before participating in GAAD, I have found that I ofteen used GAAD as a reminder not even think about buying anything new. After all, I’d made a promise. As time passed I realized that I was less and less concerned with purchasing new clothes and really enjoyed reworking what I had. I rarely, if ever, felt like I was constrained or missing something. As I move forward beyond the GAAD I’ll try to remember what I’ve learned. I’ll continue to host clothing swaps and will always shop for second hand or refashioned clothing first. But, I also know that a good cardigan is hard to find and I’ll save the shopping for my most essential items that need to be replaced. I look forward to continuing my commitment to the environment and to my budget and buying only whats essential, but to continue to have fun with what I already own. If there are any ladies in the Baltimore area who are interested in future clothing swaps, please do contact me. Thanks for the great learning opportunity Sally, and for giving me a reason to stay disciplined and to really practice what I preach.
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Tagged with: Apparel Diet, clothes, clothing diet, Clothing Swap, Consumerism, etsy, recycled clothing, Refashion, shopping
Aug 22
In exactly a week, I will be off this “no shopping for clothes diet”.
I have to say, it has become easier as time went by. I thought it would be grueling towards the finish line. So, Sunday, August 29th I will go downtown and see what damage I can do.
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Tagged with: beauty, Beauty Alert!, clothes, clothing diet, expiration dates for cosmetics, fashion, mascara expires, shopping, Stacya Silverman, TGAAD
Aug 10
I didn’t double check the rules but I assume we can replace items in our closet that are worn out with similar/exact specs? I had a shabby black dress that doesn’t fit anymore and two cardigans that had to be donated. I replaced the black dress and one of the cardigans. I have to purchase back to school shoes and cardigans for my children but we’re pretty set on pants and shirts (they wear uniforms and I am the designated donatee for lots of my friends’ kids’ outgrown stuff). So, if I goofed and shouldn’t have replaced the donated items, let me know in the comments and I’ll return them.
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Tagged with: clothes, clothing diet, shopping diet, The Great American Apparel Diet
Aug 05
Look down at what you’re wearing. Right now, I have on jeans and an old t-shirt. Oddly enough, both were free. Also, I fetched both from my closet this morning thoughtlessly.
However, were I to look closer at my outfit, I would realize how many people’s hands were used in creating it. The Dalai Lama speaks often about how we are interdependent, how even the most simple clothing changes hands between people we don’t know, and will never know. My cotton shirt: first it was grown on a farm, tended not only by a proprietor but also farm hands who picked and deseeded (milled?) the cotton; the cotten was then made to useable thread and knitted in a factory run by strangers; it was dyed by someone running a machine; it was cut and sewn into a t-shirt; the screened print was designed (this time by someone I know) and applied (by someone I don’t). All these hands and thoughts went into something I carelessly threw on hours ago. This always seems to astound me.
The things we use, even the things with no packaging (like veggies or fruits or gasoline) have been made for us. They have been picked, shipped, refined, sold, and packaged for us. Each and every thing I own was touched by someone else, simply in preparation for me to have it.
If I look around my house, I can see how little I actually OWN. That I made myself. Even the stuff I knit (by the way, does knitting stuff for myself count as buying new clothes?) is made of yarn I bought from a store. I don’t have a sheep outside my apartment that I shear and spin.
For some reason, this just overwhelmed me. Whew! But maybe this feeling will give me pause the next time I reach to buy something new. It will at least make me realize that I am not alone, and that my choices affect others. So I should make the right ones.
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Tagged with: clothes, connection
Jul 28
By Sally Bjornsen
Consumerism, Fashion Trends, The Great American Apparel Diet, eco fashion, fashion, nordstrom, recession, recycled apparel, shopping, shopping addiction, slow clothing, women
Tonight I was with my friend Portia who has been contemplating going on this diet for 11 months now. I told her that I have decided to extend the diet for one more year, in light of the fact that there have been so many people interested in joining the effort in the past few weeks (here we go again). When I told Portia it wasn’t too late to realize the benefits of clothing deprivation she hooped and hollered “That’s what I need, a closet colonic.” The visual made me gag. She went on to claim, “Deep within my big, fat, bloated walk-in closet there is a skinny one begging to be free.” Portia, warming to the idea, is going to “think about it,” before she commits. Let me be clear…I am not doing this for another year myself but I will moderate, facilitate, contemplate and write about life post diet.
Alright already Portia—stop the squawkin’ and start walkin’ give your closet the future it deserves with a purge, a cleanse a regular down home colonic. We’re here my dear and waiting to hear how it all “flushes out.”
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Tagged with: addiction, Closet, clothes, clothing diet, Clothing Swap, Colonic, Consumerism, eco fashion, Nordstrom, NY Times, recessionista, recycled clothing, The Great American Apparel Diet
Jul 26
I’ve been pretty successful on this diet, though I have had a few “cheats”. I will catalogue them now for full disclosure: 1 pair boots this winter (I actually did not have a pair of boots that were waterproof, and now that I am commuting a few blocks in the snow, they were necessary), a new t-shirt from a state park and a new shirt from a local artisan. I think this is pretty darn good! It’s way better than I’ve ever done on a food diet anyway! Besides the practicality of the boots, the two shirts were supporting things that I want to support. I could have just given the park money, but I like advertising for it. And the artisan was at a local craft fair, so it was a one-time chance.
What’s been the most interesting to me throughout this diet though is how I’ve found a new value system.
When I first started, every day that I walked past Anne Taylor was torture. And I walk past this store every week day. I would stare in and LONG for the outfits in the window. A couple of months ago, I went into the store. I was nervous, and I found I wanted things. But then I looked at the price tags. Suddenly dropping $180 on a new dress “just because” seemed appauling! I used to do this weekly without batting an eye, now it just seems frivolous, despicable even. I saw these cute t-shirts with ribbons and pearls on them, and thought about how much I wanted one. It wasn’t very expensive either. But I realized that I could actually take a pink t-shirt I already own and turn it into this cute be-dazzled shirt. This was especially a good idea because the shirt has a small coffee stain on it, and I have therefore not worn it. But I could turn it into something I want to wear again by attaching decorative items to it!
I now find myself exploring store windows, not with lust and envy, but with a curious eye turned towards “how did they make that”? I am re-discovering my once artistic and creative self, and finding fulfillment. I am also discovering that I have managed to save a lot of money for things that matter more to me, and feeling less stressed out. It’s nice to be able to walk to work without feeling completely depressed that you “can’t have” that cute dress in the window. Now I realize that I can have whatever I want, but my “wants” are changing.
Who knew that deprivation would lead to so much gain!?
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Tagged with: addiction, cheating, clothes, Consumerism, creating, recycled clothing, shopping, values
Jul 08
By Sally Bjornsen
Consumerism, Fashion Trends, Sustainable Fashion, The Great American Apparel Diet, eco fashion, fashion, nordstrom, recession, recycled apparel, shopping, shopping addiction, slow clothing, south coast plaza, workout clothes
O.K., I am not proud. I have told nearly every woman I know that I am simply starving on this @#$%^& diet. The good news, my incessant complaints and whines have been rewarded with hand-me-downs from friends and family (maybe they just want me to shut up). Now, these aren’t Oliver Twist castoffs. Remember, birds of a feather flock together. My friends and family have hand-me-downs with tags still on them or barely worn items that they “bought on a whim,” and shouldn’t have (you know the story). I am sorry for their mistakes, but not really. I’m glad to be the one who can take these items off their hands. Most importantly their gifts are going to good use. Just last week I received a beautiful wrap from my mother, a white knit item, just like Meryl Streep wore in the movie It’s Complicated. I am now wearing a pair of pewter Donald Pliner slides and a great pair of lulu lemon tights my yoga friend gave me (she has three of the same pair). So my point? Tell people you will gladly take their shopping mistakes off their hands. They will fell great about it, especially if you wear them again and again. Now go forth and tell the world, “I am hungry, feed me your scraps!”
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Tagged with: accessories, Apparel Diet, clothes, fashion, fashionista, It's Complicated, Meryl Streep, Nordstrom, recessionista
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