One Year, No New Clothes? No Problem

Feb. 10, 2010 — -- It was no place for Izzy Rose.

The clothing store targeted women nearly 20 years her junior and Rose said she never shopped there in the past. And yet, after stumbling into the shop during a December mall trip, the 39-year-old Texas writer suddenly realized she was lusting after all the merchandise in it. Denying yourself new outfits for months on end can do that to a person, apparently.

"This was clearly the thinking of a deprived woman," Rose said.

Rose and dozens of other women have embarked on an unconventional diet: They've pledged not to buy any new clothing, save for underwear, until this fall.

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Founder Sally Bjornsen has dubbed it The Great American Apparel Diet. What started as a small project by the Seattle woman, her sister and several friends has mushroomed into an outright movement with more than 100 members, some joining in from as far away as Italy and Serbia.

Bjornsen, who once worked in apparel marketing, said both personal and national circumstances inspired her idea.

As the owner of a business representing commercial photographers, Bjornsen has worked largely from home for the last eight years. Yet, until recently, she failed to cut down on shopping for the kind of professional attire she used to wear when she worked in a corporate office.

Bjornsen said she was also horrified to hear how, amid the recession, people were spending beyond their means.

"I was sick of what was happening in our country with consumerism," she said. "But I totally understood it because of the way we're marketed to.

"I think beautiful clothes are amazing and I don't want to scare people away from having them, but I think being able to buy few beautiful things is better than buying a lot of crap," Bjornsen said.

Here's how it works:

Anyone, male or female is welcome to join. Though some men have expressed interest in the diet, Bjornsen said, none have actually signed up.