Hey girls, for any of you who participated in TGAAD we want to hear from you. I am considering writing a white paper about what we learned, how we coped and what we experienced while curbing our spending. Please take a look at the questions below. Answer as many of the that you would like. Please be thorough, give us your heartfelt thoughts, opinions, ideas and struggles. Write soon.
Sally
Dear Great American Apparel Diet Graduates, By now you have had some time to reflect on your experience while on TGAAD. I would love to check back in with you to find out how things have or haven’t changed for you since that experience. Please see the questions below. If you are up for it please respond and let us know your current mindset on the following issues that we touched upon while on the diet. Please let me know if you are not interested in participating and I will take you off my list. In the meantime, please take your time to reflect on the questions and get back to me when you get the change. All the best! Sally Bjornsen Post TGAAD Questions
1) When you reflect on TGAAD can you remember the reasons that motivated you to give up shopping for a year? What were they?
2) When you reflect on your year of participating in TGAAD do you think it changed the way you behave long term? If so how?
3) Did you learn anything new about yourself in the process? If so, can you explain in more detail?
4) Think about “value.” Did the diet change the way you assess the “value” of an item?
5) Have you ever been on a “food” diet? If so, how was TGAAD and the food diet similar? Different?
6) Are you currently in a different “economic” space than when you embarked on TGAAD? If so how is it different?
7) When you reflect back to being on the diet, can you remember the hardest part about it? Describe it.
What revelations did you have while on TGAAD, if any?
9) Are there things you learned about your shopping motivations and attitudes that you think would be helpful to apparel companies?
10) Are there certain brands that you no longer buy because of TGAAD?
11) When you look back on TGAAD, what did you find most helpful about being a part of a group abstaining from shopping?
12) Would you do it again? Is so, what would make you want to do it again?
13) Do you spend more or less money on apparel post-TGAAD?
14) Demographics: Age: Occupation: City of Residence:
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1) When you reflect on TGAAD can you remember the reasons that motivated you to give up shopping for a year? What were they? Yes, for the most part I felt that I was splurging on clothing that I really did not NEED. I got into a phase of “less is more” and wanted to cleanse my closet and make sure it stayed that way!
2) When you reflect on your year of participating in TGAAD do you think it changed the way you behave long term? If so how? I have been part of TGAAD for more than a year and I don’t really feel that I’ve been disciplined enough over the past few months. While my shopping may not have “ceased” it certainly has decreased.
3) Did you learn anything new about yourself in the process? If so, can you explain in more detail? I learned that sometimes I buy things because they are cheap but I may not actually love it or wear it in the end. I’m learning to only buy things that I really LOVE from now on.
4) Think about “value.” Did the diet change the way you assess the “value” of an item? Not really.
5) Have you ever been on a “food” diet? If so, how was TGAAD and the food diet similar? Different? Yes, I’ve tried to cut out certain types of food. Both diets are similar because I love food just as much as shopping. It really makes you think about the impulse of your feelings..Do I really NEED to have this or am I just lusting. Do I need to eat this bag of chips or do I just want it. Most of the wants are impulsive and make you feel bad or gross afterwards!
6) Are you currently in a different “economic” space than when you embarked on TGAAD? If so how is it different? Yes, I think when I began I was a college student and now I have a full time job so the diet is more about simplicity than money.
7) When you reflect back to being on the diet, can you remember the hardest part about it? Describe it. I think the hardest part was understanding why it was important to stick to the diet.
What revelations did you have while on TGAAD, if any? I don’t shop out of necessity I shop out of impulse!
9) Are there things you learned about your shopping motivations and attitudes that you think would be helpful to apparel companies? No
10) Are there certain brands that you no longer buy because of TGAAD? No
11) When you look back on TGAAD, what did you find most helpful about being a part of a group abstaining from shopping? It’s nice to see that you’re not the only one thinking about this and feeling this way!
12) Would you do it again? Is so, what would make you want to do it again? Yes, it was reenergizing to have LESS clothing cluttering my space.
13) Do you spend more or less money on apparel post-TGAAD? less
14) Demographics: Age: Occupation: City of Residence:
25, chemical engineer, brooklyn NY
Two things learned:
1. I shop for entertainment – arghhhh!
2. I buy single pieces, i.e. a shirt, a pair of pants. Then I don’t have
any OUTFITS, I have a closet of unconnected pieces. That’s why I
stand there so long thinking about what to wear!
Now my goal is to buy one or two outfits a year.
#13 – Spending less.
#14 – 70, retired and casual, central California.