The Great American Apparel Diet

Going SO (SEW?) WELL!!

Veronica C — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:28:40 +0000

Love the idea of sewing something instead of buying. I have the typical SABLE fabric collection (Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy). Now to find the time!!
Started this diet on Sept 1 and I feel grand. Very few temptations, and I already have put together a “new” outfit from my closet for my husband’s birthday celebration later this week.
I read all the new posts each morning for motivation/inspiration. Love it! Good luck to all, and know that you CAN do this!

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Absolutley free from temptation

Jadzia — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:46:21 +0000

This morning (it is noon now in Germany) the new catalogue of the only store where I can buy clothes arrived.

Of course I looked through it, but there was really nothing that tempted me to buy it. The clothes are really nice, but I was thinkig: “Oh, I can make this from fabric I already have” or “If I make this one by myself it will fit so much better.”

So no buying here – how do you do?

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Give Me Strength

Paula — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:07:58 +0000

My palms are sweaty. I’m short of breath. It’s day 1 and sitting at my laptop, which has been my main shopping source for several years, I’m feeling surreal. I have deleted several choice sites from my favorites and erased their history. I’m ready to go – give me strength.

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Whew, I made it and I still haven’t shopped, really.

Sally Bjornsen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:56:14 +0000

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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Gifts for others

Kimberly — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:13:47 +0000

So far, so good! I am allowing myself to buy gifts for others while here in Scotland, and have bought two inexpensive accessories and some toiletries for myself. I am sampling good whisky and indulging in the free museums and ever-present pubs. Being free from the “shopping urge” is quite nice, as that’s different from how I usually travel. It’s nice to know that neither my suitcase nor my closet will be more stuffed after my return!

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American Apparel can be part of the diet, too

Patricia — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:15:46 +0000

When I said I was doing this, my friend Onna thought it had something to do with American Apparel. She was all for it.

Here, for the uninitiated, is a discussion of the American Apparel president’s less-than-appealing business practices, which are particularly regrettable given that he has taken such positive steps as making most of his products in the U.S. and positive working conditions for those employees who don’t happen to attract his roving eye.

So yeah. I’m not buying his clothes either. (If you feel the same, make sure you check the label next time you go to buy a concert T-shirt — a lot of those are AA.)

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I went mad and then I saw the light

Frankie, Australia — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:55:15 +0000

I signed up whilst the first round of the diet was happening and then, for some reason I went completely off the rails, to the tune of several thousand dollars. A few weeks ago I started a blog relating to fashion and my purchases and it really brought it home, how destructive I was being. I swore off Ebay and buying full stop about a week ago and since then for some reason it has been ok. I have felt lighter and less stressed, and I continue to document it on my blog http://opshopstyle.blogspot.com

Now since the GAAD has begun for round two, I feel I am able to now attack it with gusto.

O look forward to checking back often to see how you are all going.

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Epilogue

Erika — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:05:14 +0000

Being one of the crew that just ended the diet, I wanted to take a moment to share what I’ve learned over the last 8 months of this “fast” and to salute the rest of you going forward.

First off, September 1st came and went with little fanfare, and not one bit of shopping. The only thing I did was break out my pair of new running shoes (see previous post), and, I must say, they are wonderful. If you had told me last December that I could have gone this long without shopping, and still not be jonesing for a good retail therapy hit in September, I would have said you were lying. Yet now, I think I am cured–which is more than I ever expected! I know I will go shopping again someday, but I am certain it will be much less often and much more thoughtfully.

More than that, I grew to appreciate more, every day, all the riches that I have–small and large–already at my fingertips. I just had to clean out my closet, try something on again after a while, and change my mind about it in order to find buried treasure. Most importantly, this shift extended to all parts of my life. After years of living walking distance from a lake, this year I decided to try swimming in it despite my overblown fears of dark water, tangles of milfoil, and my general lack of aptitude. Thanks to TGAAD, I had money to buy myself a wetsuit, which helped. What a wondrous discovery! Unlike the pool, the lake is close by, open 24 hrs a day for lap swim, free of charge, and does not leave your hair brittle and your entire body smelling like a chemical factory. It’s also a bit of a workout and nature tour combo; swimming by a heron poised to spear a fish, chasing little duck feet flapping about in the water, and seeing tiny fish dart below. This opportunity for happiness was right at my fingertips all this time, and I didn’t need to spend a dime to find it–I just needed to open my mind.

I’m terribly grateful for Sally and all my fellow TGAADers for spurring me to take what ended up to be a spiritual journey that started in my closet, of all places! Thank you–I wish you success and revelation on the diet!

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Liberation!

Lesley — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:11:12 +0000

An unexpected thing happened on the third day into TGAAD – I unexpectedly felt liberated from shopping! It took me by surprise, not because I see myself as a slave to shopping, but because I didn’t feel the pull to have the “must-have” fall shirtdress, or boyfriend blazer, or some other item retailers tell me I should covet. All of a sudden – weird. That is not to say that I won’t endure some type of retail therapy withdrawl, particularly given my momentary panic on September 1. That being said, I didn’t anticipate the sense of relief that came over me today. I suppose that means I am on the right track with TGAAD.

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Super Excited…

Tracie — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:50:31 +0000

I began the diet on September 1st, and so far, I do not regret it at all. I have been telling everyone that I see about this, and many of them are going to look into it and perhaps participate. I know that it has only been 3 days, but I am so excited about this journey. I hope that I will be successful.

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