Feb 09
Opening the mail yesterday I got the usual: bills; banking stuff; pre-approved credit card applications etc… however, I did not expect to be faced with 100% temptation. COACH sent me this [ever-so-slightly-evil] promotional deal. “Our Gift to YOU!! Use this $100 card toward your purchase of $300 or more”
Whaaaaattt?!?! For realsies? Hmm… Well, I do really need a new purse. I mean, not now, but sometime in my life I will probably need another one so why not get a head of the game? OMG, this MUST be a sign! This is the heavenly purse gods telling me themselves that I need to buy a purse! A $600 purse!!!! And I’ll get $100 off! Yesssss! It’s the deal of the century! This is totally a one off; I’ll never see this kind of deal again. Ever. Everrrrr…! Aghhh!! I need purse. Must get purse:
Luckily for me, I have a completely normal and rational boyfriend. He flat out told me “NO don’t do it” and something like “What do you need a $600 purse for and $600 is a lot of money for a purse…blah, blah, blah” To which I quietly replied, “But… but I’d love it forever and it would last a lifetime; so the cost per wear would be incredibly low.” As I said those words, I realized that even I couldn’t convince myself that this was true. I know I don’t need it; I probably wouldn’t even use it that often. More so, I would most likely lose it, or have someone steal it from me.
So if you’re interested, have I got a deal for you! If you want this $100 off $300’s spent, message me and I’ll give it to you for $50 bucks. Don’t worry; you’re still getting a GREAT DEAL!!
What’s the moral of the story? Spending $300 to get $100 off is NOT a deal. You’re NOT saving money and you’re still spending $200 [or more] to get that so-called “deal”. Common sense can be so difficult sometimes…
xoxo $ixHundredDollar purse girl.
For previous post, please check out Naked Susie; a year without [new] clothes.
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Tagged with: Consumerism, fashion, I want purse, temptation
Jan 13
Hello Everyone!
After reading about TGAAD in October of 2010 I decided to take the plunge in November, and officially joined the website this month. I have been spreading the word to friends & on FB as well.
I have been trying to cut down my consuming for some time- for ‘green’ reasons and personal reasons as well…because I have a HUGE closet! Why? Well, I AM a clotheshorse, been following fashion since I was 11 (I’ve read EVERY issue of Vogue since the 7o’s- that’s a lot of issues!) but the reason my closet is so huge is that I am an Actor & Costume Designer; I run my own small theater company and we never throw anything away! So, whenever I wanted to rationalize new clothing purchases, I would just move some old clothes into the costume stock and voila! now I ‘needed’ something new.
So I have a lot more resources than most to keep wearing my own things, plus I can sew and re-configure old things in new styles- I think I am much luckier (and therefore need TGAAD more) than most.
Here’s my big question: Does buying clothing from Secondhand stores or thrift stores count? I ask because, yes, these things would be ‘new’ to ME, but are not new clothing, and not adding new items into circulation. Also, many of the secondhand items that don’t get bought get thrown away eventually (wasted).
I ask because it has been fairly easy for me to stop buying new clothes- running a theater company is already an exercise in negative income ( add in this economy and there isn’t much money for clothes anyway!). But resisting temptation in the Thrift store has been HARD! I must shop there when I am costuming a show, and its really difficult to resist buying something that is: A) very cheap, and B) is now being used instead of winding up in a landfill.
So, what do you all think? Is buying Secondhand cheating on TGAAD?
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Tagged with: addiction, fashion, recycled clothing
Nov 25
A little background, I am a child of retail–father, grandfather both in the retail business. My childhood was spent in department stores (closed on Sunday) hiding behind the rounders and racks, befriending mannequins and overly made up sales clerks. I tell you this because I do love retail, it’s in my bones. But that said it has gotten nutty and has lost its luster for me. Why you ask?
Retailers used to be closed on Sundays and holidays—lest they encroach on the consumer’s chance to relax, reflect and to spend time with family and friends. In those days consumerism was just one small part of our lives. Today retailers are open until six o clock on Sundays. Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are fair game. On the news today I saw that many retailers are opening their doors at 3am on black Friday (tomorrow). Really? Who is shopping at 3am? When did getting the best deal become more important than getting a good night’s sleep? And what is a deal if you have to spend the night on concrete in a tent outside a big box retailer. I ask, what is your time worth and is it really a deal?
It’s moments like this that I am embarrassed to be an American. Is our cultural identity wrapped up in consumerism, intertwined with Best Buy and Nordstrom ? When I think of the Italians I think pasta, the French cigarettes and beautiful women. The Greeks remind me of olives and the Olympics. Brazil, soccer. Is America Apple Pie and Target? I certainly hope not.
I say back off, enjoy the holidays. You have a whole month before Christmas, no need to sleep in a parking lot on Thanksgiving night. There will always be more to buy and retailers willing to give you a deal. Let’s take back our culture and find something else to go nuts about.
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Tagged with: addiction, Black Friday, Consumerism, fashion, shopping, The Great American Apparel Diet
Nov 17
Since becoming the newest member/intern here at The GAAD I have found myself wandering away from buying that new tank top and getting lost in the wonderful world of fashion literature these days, my greatest find thus far has been a book called “I Love Your Style: How To Define and Refine Your Personal Stlye” by Amanda Brooks! The book goes through different fashion trends throughout the decades and brings us to the here and now showing us many items you could have just taken from your mothers closet when she was a teenager and thrown into your wardrobe today! The book is forwarded by Diane von Furstenberg and is a great resource for those looking for a little inspiration on how to be creative with the wardrobe you already have!
For those of you who want to take a quick look, here’s a link to the book on Amazon, enjoy!
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Your-Style-Define-Personal/dp/0061833126
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Tagged with: books, fashion
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 25
Academichic links to an article on professorial fashion that is old but still a good read. I must say, though, as a woman with a PhD in a statistical field, it drives me crazy when people assume that any one (really, what they mean is “any woman”) who cares about fashion must not have spent much time working on her mind. At some point, the stereotype that “Really smart science-y types don’t pay attention to what they wear” got twisted around to “If you care what you wear, you cannot possibly be smart enough to be good at science.” I read quite a few blogs by women in academia, and they sometimes report that they get snide remarks for dressing up to teach, or are warned they might not be “taken seriously” if they wear a trendy outfit. It boggles my mind that this is still happening.
We all know that we are judged on what we wear. That doesn’t mean, however, that people are using realistic rules to judge us, or that we have to accept their rules when we can show they are incorrect. I consider it a personal mission to show that women can be equally passionate about fashion AND an intellectual pursuit, and that a good scientist is a good scientist whether she is wearing Birkenstocks or Jimmy Choos.
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Tagged with: fashion, image, science
Sep 22
I feel that the one if the outcomes of this diet for me is to discover the staples of my wardrobe which I either have or will be anxious to buy at the end of the diet. I’m focusing on find out just what that will mean for me.
Wardrobe911.com is focusing on that very topic with this first of 4 parts hot off the press! I look forward to reading each part of the series and applying their suggestions. They maintain that you need 15 basic essentials and you can read about it here: http://www.wardrobe911.com/how-to-wear-15-items-20-outfits-part-1/
You can sign up for their Closet Therapy course as well!
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Tagged with: Apparel Diet, fashion
Sep 22
This morning, I found the online address to stop junk mail. I receive at least six fashion catalogs a day, and don’t even peek. I have a friend who I pass them on to who is not on the diet. Stopping junk mail will stop unwanted, fashion catalogs from tempting me.
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Tagged with: Apparel Diet, clothing diet, fashion, TGAAD
Sep 03
So the TGAAD started on Sep 1 and on Sep 2, I flew to Glasgow for a business trip! Normally I will do a bit of shopping while on business trips, but this will provide a great environment for me to redirect my attention and my money! For starters, I don’t have extra room in my suitcase. I have the perfect clothes for the conference and the weather. I would like to spend my money on experiences (although the museums here are free), and on taxis, and on local single-malt scotches! Given all that and the exchange rate (which is not favorable for the dollar), I should be able to keep my shopping impulses in check, relax, and enjoy myself.
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Tagged with: diet, fashion, shopping, travel
Sep 02
And I’m doing better than I usually am on the 2nd day of any diet. 
My copy of Lucky magazine came in the mail today, and I was going to throw it out. But I figured I would keep it and leaf through it once. For one, I’m going to be exposed to fashion advertising whether I like it or not, so I might as well train myself to ignore it. Second, I will be able to resist buying new clothes if I can get back in the habit of being creative with what I already have, and I will most likely be using fashion advertising for inspiration. Third, I want to remind myself how RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE a lot of clothing is, and Lucky is actually good for practicing my “They want $235 for that sweater? Get real!” attitude.
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Tagged with: diet, fashion, shopping, temptation
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