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:

The "diet" officially began in September 2009 -- with original members pledging to obstain from new clothing purchases for one year -- but new members can join in any time before the diet's scheduled end date of Sept. 2, 2010.

Dieters are not supposed to purchase any new clothing, except underwear, until the end date, but are allowed accept clothing gifts.

They are also allowed to purchase shoes and accesories like jewlery and scarves -- a facet Bjornsen says is important to help people make their wardrobes feel fresh.

Swapping clothing with friends is allowed; Bjornsen has taken part in several clothing swaps herself.

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

The group, which keeps in touch through a Web site and collective blog that Bjornsen maintains, has found strength in numbers, she said.

"As with Weight Watchers or any other sort of diet situation, constant comradery and constant check-ins helps people achieve their results," she said.

Not that there hasn't been some cheating -- and you can count Bjornsen herself as one of the reluctant rule-breakers. During a trip to the gym, she said, she realized that she had forgotten her workout pants. Rather than drive back home, she went to an athletic store above the gym to buy a new pair.

She felt guilty, Bjornsen said, but the slip-up wasn't unexpected: Her workout pants get worn out quickly.

"I had posted something about a month before (on the Web site): if I'm going to cheat this year, it's going to be on workout pants," she said.

Others have been more successful, including Rose, who managed to stay true to the diet despite her December temptation.

Another faithful apparel dieter, Anne Hurley, 54, of Seattle, has encountered a different kind of challenge.

She recently salvaged a pair of black pajamas that her roommate had thrown out. Their only flaw, Hurley said, was a small hole in the waistband -- so she washed them and was pleased to find they were a perfect fit.

Still, fishing the pajamas out of the trash had made Hurley uneasy and reluctant to tell her roommate. (She ultimately came clean and the roommate, to her relief, didn't mind at all.)

"I confessed it on the blog," Hurley said. "Not only have I not been tempted -- you guys might think I've taken this a little too far."