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
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 28
Sunday is in 2.5 hours from now. It will be the end of my year long “no shopping for apparel diet”. I said last week that I would go downtown and see what damage I could do. I got a post from a reader saying “Didn’t you learn anything from all of this?” I will say, yes, I did learn something!!!! I learned that I missed shopping with my girlfriends. I actually gave up something I love doing, and it ended up being a great way to learn to appreciate what I have, and really think about what I want. What is the point of giving up chocolate if you never liked chocolate? Are the people on this diet really never going to shop for clothes ever again after the year is up?
Although I have never been an out of control shopper, or freakishly impulsive, it did feel good to enjoy what I have — and take what I wasn’t wearing to the tailor to make it better. If it wasn’t possible to save with the tailor, I gave it away. But I do love a good clothing designer, I love seeing what people are creating, and I love visiting small businesses and seeing what the buyers are presenting. I love women’s apparel.
What ever your reason for starting this whole Sally thing, it will be an interesting year. Too bad stores aren’t open until 11:00 AM on Sundays. I will be downtown with my friends tomorrow, and next week, I will be in New York. I may buy something, or not, but I will be following many of Sally’s rules, combined with Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style rules. Only if I love it and it looks and fits great, and something I need. I will also be sticking to basics. More soon, with photos of what I actually get, if anything!
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Tagged with: Apparel Diet, Beauty Alert!, Beautyalert.biz, clothing, fashion, Sally's TGAAD, shopping, Stacya Silverman, Tim Gunn
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 15
When I go on my apparel “diet”, I will NOT miss struggling with shopping for clothes! I will not miss trying on clothes by designers who apparently never learned how a woman’s body is shaped. I will not miss trying on jeans where the rise is barely above the tops of my thighs, where the fabric has a ridiculous wrinkle or print, where the clothing is so poorly-made that it won’t last one season. I will not miss trying on overpriced, trendy clothing where I appear pregnant, overstuffed, disproportionate, short-limbed – and did I mention pregnant? I will not miss feeling bad about my body because clothing doesn’t fit. I will not miss worrying about the money I spend on alterations that are necessary just to make even well-made clothing look good.
I will enjoy what I already have, that DOES fit, and I will feel good about my body.
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Tagged with: apparel, diet, self-image, shopping
Aug 12
Part of the reason we live in a disposable apparel culture is that we don’t take the time or make the effort to take care of the clothes we own. I remember as a kid my mother hand washing her favorite items. This was long before people sent everything to the dry cleaner, which by the way can ruin a wardrobe if you are not careful. My mother’s special “delicate” silks and jerseys would hang on the shower rod in our bathroom or on the floor laid flat to dry. I can’t remember the last time I hand washed something. My mother, by the way is a fashion icon at 72 years old. Her wardrobe can go up against anyone’s wardrobe anyday. Most of what’s especially beautiful in her closet are those things she has hung onto for years. So that brings me to this…how do we modern girls learn from the generation before us about taking care of what we already own? Here are some basic principles. Please add on your own and I will post them too.
Tips for taking care of the clothes you already own:
- Avoid dry cleaning as much as possible. The chemical process strips down fibers in clothes over time.
- No wire hangers!
- Wash rougher pieces together like jeans, and softer ones like cotton dress shirts on their own.
- Use the gentle cycle as frequently as possible with a gentle detergent like Woolite.
- Wear your clothes more than once before washing them. If a stain is small, spot clean with seltzer water or a reputable spot remover.
- Remove clothes from the dryer and hang them up immediately.
- Don’t use the dryer if you don’t have to. A clothes line or a shower rod make for good “air drying.”
- Pay attention to what you are ironing and look at the instructions for recommended iron settings.
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Tagged with: clothes, clothing diet, Consumerism, laundry, line dry, shopping, shopping diet, spot remover, taking care of clothes, The Great American Apparel Diet, woolite
Aug 08
Today I took a walk downtown with my fellow TGAAD pal, who shall remain nameless. I will protect her identity because she not only cheated, (not as much as I have…) but she has no computer right now so she can’t confess her sins. Anyway, we had a great day window shopping, and it was nice to know that I wasn’t really tempted at all. Not because the clothes weren’t gorgeous, they were. It was more that I feel good about what I have, and I really liked hanging out with a friend looking at things, knowing the only money we would be spending would be at Cafe Campagne for lunch. (Yum). The shops we looked in were Baby & Co, which my pal thought was a maternity store for the whole time she lived here. Then, another fantastic shop, Alhambra. I love the look and feel of well made things, great fabric and good quality.
When I finally go shopping, my big rules will be: Must fit/hang well, made by a responsible company, and made well.
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Tagged with: Alhambra, Baby & Co., Beauty Alert!, Campagne, clothing diet, shopping, Stacya Silverman
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
Jun 11
My name is J.S., and this challenge really struck a chord with me when I first read about it.
As a young adult who works in the fashion industry, I witness consumerism and the short lifespan of ever-evolving trends on a daily basis. One day it’s in, the next day it’s out. This is why I believe developing your own style is important. Not only do you become less immune to these trends, but you can stand out from the crowd. Why wear something just because it’s “in right now”? Your style is what makes you, you. This challenge is an opportunity to continue developing my style by looking into my closet and exercising some creativity! The other goal is to free up, time (and space) to invest in what is important to me. This will be an interesting challenge because all day I am surrounded by clothes, and I occasionally wholesale-buy for clothing. I guess the perk of saving aside a pair to stow away in my closet will be gone until September 1st, 2010. I want to see how strong I mentally am. Bring it on!
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Tagged with: clothes, Consumerism, fashion, fashionista, shopping, The Great American Apparel Diet
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