The Great American Apparel Diet

no buying for one year

I was weak. I’ll admit. I had been doing so well!

Not really.

I’ve bought more shoes since starting TGAAD than I have in the last few years combined, I’m pretty sure. I’ve bought now THREE pairs of boots since September, plus shoes that replaced broken shoes, PLUS the “OMG they fit!!!! must buy!!” (at a 5~5.5 it’s really hard for me to find shoes that fit that I like)…. minus the OMG-they-fit shoes I ended up giving away to my similiar-footed friends b/c I was just never wearing them, or they started to hurt after coming out of their winter-hiberation.

Yesterday, I went to brunch with some galpals I hadn’t seen in a while right next to a shopping center. And one needed new shoes (she’d lost her good flipflops during some baggage loss), and the other needed a dress to wear to a wedding.

So I also bought some shoes to replace a pair of wedges that are breaking down due to getting caught in sudden rains and also another pair of boots that I don’t need, because they were just too cute, and too much on sale. Of course. I thought this was enough to sate my shopping hunger. Wrong.

I tried on some clothes to see what they would look like while my pals were also trying on new looks. I discovered that I actually really like ruffles, and planned on busting out the sewing machine to hack some old tanktops to recreate the look this weekend…

and then came the skirts.

For work… they look so nice. and were on moderate sale. but would be a great “other” option to my Ann Taylor dry-clean-only power skirts. And I’m so bored with my other skirts, and they don’t make me feel good. And it’s hard to accessorize a skirt. My old skirts make me feel OK, but these nice, new, trim pencil skirts made me feel good. And they fit. (I’ll admit, I’ve been tempted to buy thing before, but never could, b/c they weren’t in my size.) So I bought them.

New clothes!

BUT now I’m also really excited about the new season starting, the old summer clothes I can bust out again, and the modifications that I can’t wait to make to recreate and update some old garments to make them actually wearable.

I’ll be good again now!!

Onward!!!

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. . . with Target. I think in the past five years Target has dramatically improved their clothing styles, which is a problem at this point because I’m on the ‘diet’. Luckily for me, I haven’t bought a new pair of dress/work shoes in forever and actually needed a new pair, and bought those and bypassed the clothing section entirely. We call that a WIN.

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Following in the footsteps of companies we’ve covered that let consumers customize their own sneakers and baby shoes, Sydney-based online shoe retailer Shoes of Prey is directing the design-your-own trend towards stylish, custom-made women’s shoes.

Launched in October, Shoes of Prey’s simple, online design tool puts bespoke shoes just a few clicks away for women wanting to design their dream shoes and have them hand-crafted to match their requirements. Customers choose the style, heel type, heel height, adornments and colours, and select from raw materials including calf skin, snake skin, fish skin, silk and more, which makes for a near infinite number of possible combination’s.

Prices range from AUD 195 for ballet flats to AUD 300 for 4½-inch heels. International shipping is available, and the shoes take about six weeks to arrive. The service is backed by a generous returns policy which guarantees that if the shoes don’t fit, Shoes of Prey will remake them until they do; and if the customer doesn’t like the design, they can send the shoes back for a full refund or have a new design made for them free of charge.

Retailers—is this a model to be hot on the heels of? Shoes of Prey welcomes contact from merchants who are interested in offering the design-your-own shoes tool under their own brand. (Related: One-of-a-kind shoe art — High-heeled shoes, designed by the crowds.)

Website: www.shoesofprey.com
Contact: mike@shoesofprey.com

Spotted by: Ngaire Stevens

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..soooo instead of buying 1 pair of jeans, which is what I totally intended to do…I..err..umm…kind of ended up buying 3 pairs of jeans and a really cool (if I say so myself) pair of red sneakers. Do people still say “sneakers” these days?? Whatever, I’m old okay. Don’t judge me.

This brings me to my next subject: Should I include not buying shoes and accessories into the equation? Or would that simply be too much to cut out of my life at once? I mean, It’s not that I go Cr@ZZYy over shoes and accessories.. I have some self control.. Its just that…I’m unsure that if I cut everything out all at once, will I be more likely to fail or binge? Perhaps it’s as simple as limiting myself to one accessory or pair of shoes a month.

Maybe this way I won’t have that lingering feeling of deprivation hanging over my shoulders..or at the tip of my fingers [hovering ever so precariously over that mouse button] …

~Felix Navidad!~

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…I can’t believe this month is going so fast! I’ve been on the diet 14 days, but they’ve been 14 days so busy that I’ve barely had time to think, much less shop. When works slows down and life gets a little more boring, that’s when temptation is most likely to hit, for me.

I have bought shoes, though, as the weather is changing and I’d already identified my need for low-heeled-yet-dressy booties in black and brown. Add to that one pair of red high heels (on sale) and my fall shoe wardrobe is pretty much complete. Normally I get a bit obsessed with footwear at this time of year, not least because boots are so beautiful, but I’m looking forward now to cooler weather where I’m not really thinking about what else to buy.

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• Made in a family-owned factory in Mexico
• “At Green Bees, for every tire that is rescued from the landfill, four shoes are produced. Keeping in line with their planet-saving credo, Garcia and Clancy use only full-grain leathers that are byproducts of the meat industry and considered waste material. Tanned without formaldehyde or heavy metals, the leather is then crafted into bohemian-inspired footwear in a family-owned factory in Leon, Mexico.”

With soles made out of recycled tires, and the rest of the shoe made out of genuine leather, you cannot help but love this classic footwear. There are a limited number of styles, but most, such as the Molly Shoe, come in a wide range of colors. Old-fashioned loafers and boots that can be seen on the farm as well as the street are among what is offered. The Emma Boot, a short boot with small detailing on the leather was my favorite. And when makers Garcia and Clancy are donating a tree for every pair sold, there is no reason not to buy one of each!

The Erma Boot (left) and The Emma Boot (right).

• Reasonable prices, since leather is never cheap, but some of the newer sandal styles come for less.
• Can purchase online or at a few stores in California and limited other states. See website for details.

http://www.shopgreenbees.com/index.htm

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A pair of these:

They are pair of Calvin Klein’s, on sale for $39.99 at Marshalls. I know they are pretty high. For those who ask “how do you walk in those?” Here’s my answer: You just do. And you make sure you pack a pair of flats with you when the walking is going to be long and arduous. To me, wearing a really sexy pair of high heels is like proclaiming my femininity very loudly. Men get to walk around without shirts on and women get to wear tall high heels. Life is fair.

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You see, the hole in the heel of my Converse started small. It was one of those little, nagging things that doesn’t bother you much in the beginning, like a small thread dangling from your shirt hem. However, after a few months the hole expanded, overtaking the tattered heel of my shoe. The laces loosened and lost their taut strength, and the soles cracked beyond repair. Now I realize I need to buy new shoes, even if I avoid it like the plague.

At first I was completely resistant to the idea of any new clothing. “Absolutely NO handbags, NO accessories, and definitely NO shoes,” I exclaimed in manifesto. But realizing my sole pair of sneakers were on their last leg (pun totally intended), I wrote them into my personal apparel diet rule-book: “One pair of shoes may come in if another goes out”.

Of course, I really didn’t understand the state of affairs in my closet in January the same way I do now. I’ve never been a shoe or bag hoarder. In fact, at this moment I possess three pairs of heels, a pair of flat knee-high boots, and my dying Converse. Upon making this realization, I felt like a bewildered animal who just noticed she hasn’t saved enough food to make it through the winter and realized if I was going to make it through the year, through the rain and snow, I was going to need to buy shoes.

Now I’ve gone and made my purchases, and though it may have taken me more than a month (and a little more money than I would like to spend) to find the perfect pair of walking shoes, I’ve learned a couple new facts in the process. Flat-soled shoes, along with courier bags, are not clothing, they’re school supplies, and taking time to focus on quality is going to carry me a lot further than being a cheapskate in denial. In fact, if I’m going to walk my campus and neighborhood through the seasons without the shoes wearing away from my very feet, I’m going to have to acknowledge my needs when they arise without resorting to self-deprivation.

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Ok girls, and one guy.  We do have one guy now, though we are yet to hear from him on the blog.  Anyway, back to my point.  Last week I posted the poll over there to your right.  It’s sort of a trite, yes/no kind of a poll.  I was in a hurry and was getting tired of the old department store versus boutique poll and thought it was time for some poll freshen-ing up.  And the: Is it easy?or Is it hard? poll was the best I could do that day.   When I published the question I was feeling proud and sassy, as if I could go a lifetime without buying anything new.   Well today is another story.  To say “who’s idea was this anyway,” would be saying it lightly.  It’s more like who’s!@#$%^&*()_ing idea was this anyway?   You see we have had record breaking sunshine in Seattle and temperatures hovering around 58 degrees.  It’s like Mother’s Day in February which is giving me some insight into my very limited warm weather wardrobe.  What pray tell will I wear when the real mother’s day gets here?   At least in the winter you can layer a great coat over a bad outfit. Not so in warm weather.  Can you say painter’s smock?  Perhaps I’ll pick up the paintbrush again. 

So back to the poll.  Last week this diet business was easy….this week?  Un frickin’ bearable.  I want something bright, snappy and new.  The good news is…tomorrow I will likely feel differently.  Hang in there girls, and our one guy! 

Sincerly, your fearless leader

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I love, love, love clothing swap’s! Fortunately for me, my friends who own the bar in my neighborhood biannually agree to open up for the ladies to conduct a “squaw swap” and what a great one we had this past Sunday. While the turnout wasn’t large, the group of ladies (about 10) had enough clothes, shoes, accesories, and housewares to really make it fun. We swapped stories of our favorite items while enjoying a glass of wine or a Guiness and poked through each other’s cast-offs.  We made goofy costumes, we were amused at another ladies delight over our silly hand-me-downs and we had a blast. Guilt-free shopping is always fun. I am in between sizes so I swapped out for a few new items in both smaller and larger sizes so I’ll be sure to have space to move up and down over the next few months. I got clothes that fit perfect, some that I can refashion or alter and some that I plan to simply cut apart for the fabric and figure it out later. My favorite find was a brown cashmere knit poncho, like an all-business snuggie; I love it. I also found a beautiful Banana Republic blazer, sweaters galore and an awesome cowgirl shirt.  It was fun, it was refreshing and I can’t wait to do it again!  If you live in the Baltimore City area and are intersted in future clothing swaps, you can follow my personal blog or twitter feed for updates, or sign up for the Parkside’s newsletter where they’ll send you emails of their upcoming events, including clothing swaps. The more ladies we get, the more choices we’ll have so bring your used clothes and get ready to have have a liberating, guilt-free, swapping party!

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