09 May Anyone Else Fasting?
Today while reading The Sew Weekly website I read a lovely article entitled
I Remember Mama
written by a woman named Barbara whose mother died at the age of 68.
I visited Barbara’s website and learned she too has taken a pledge to stop buying RTW for a year. She began on January 1, 2012. I found ZiberGirlSews quite entertaining with creative photography and wanted to share it in case you haven’t seen it.
I have a feeling Barbara and I are not the only two people in the world abstaining from RTW for a year.
I S A N Y O N E E L S E O U T T H E R E ?
If so I’d love to know who you are 🙂 !
Hilary McDaniel
Posted at 15:00h, 09 MayI’ve just come off 3 yrs no ready to wear except 2 pr shoes. I finally caved and was forced to buy. I just bought several outfits, 5 pr shoes, 1 designer bag, and 1 pr. Go-to crop jeans. I spent wisely. I went to the high end retail stores and bought off the sale racks. I’m done w/poor quality anything. I’ll pay more as my clothes are generally 70%classics. I constuct or remake my trendy things. I pulled out some RL linen maxis I’ve had for 18 yrs. and have been stopped so many times wanting to know where I bought them. They are from the 80’s and look just like what’s walking around now. Quality classics are timeless and you can wear them out.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:31h, 10 MayWow – I am so impressed with three years of no shopping! It sounds like you may be ready for another three years of no shopping after racking up on some great buys! I absolutely agree with you on not buying poor quality anything and congratulate you on hanging on to the RL classics for 18 years 🙂
Many thanks for writing!
Art Attack
Posted at 15:02h, 09 MayI am fasting. I realize that I have been since maybe January of last year or maybe even the end of 2010. It was not intentional nor did I make a conscious decision to do so. Like most addicts, I didn’t even realize I was doing it until you pointed it out. Shoes don’t count, right?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:04h, 09 MayShoes do not count or handbags.
Nicola Denley
Posted at 15:14h, 09 MayI think I’m fasting too – its not intentional but at 160lb the high end RTW don’t come in my size and the low end is so badly made and yet overpriced I can’t bring myself to buy it. I go shopping and generally come home empty handed (although I could do with a new handbag). My sewing is slow so my wardrobe is pretty limited 😉 The lbs are coming off slowly but look out bank balance when they do 😀
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:33h, 10 MayThanks for writing, Nicola and congratulations on getting the pounds off! The clothes will be waiting for you when you’re ready to shop again. 🙂
RoseOK
Posted at 15:37h, 09 MayI have been unconsciously gone without ready to wear for awhile. I’m glad shoes and handbags don’t count. I am now keeping tabs on how long I can go without RTW. I do have a few bag patterns in mind along with learning how to knit socks and make foundation undergarments. I hate to see clothes on someone and know what store they are from. It is fun to go out with my sewing friends and we have made clothes with the same fabric.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:35h, 10 MayHi Rose! I wish I had some sewing friends to go out with 🙁 None of my friends sew which definitely puts me in the one-of-a-kind category when we get together!
RoseOK
Posted at 23:06h, 10 MayI take sewing classes at the University of Rhode Island and I have met some great sewing friends. I am so blessed to have met them.
prttynpnk
Posted at 15:56h, 09 MayIt’s not intentional, I’m just finding less and less in the stores to rival what I see in my mind. I keep thinking toward ‘what will I make for that? ‘ instead of I need to go look for… it’s been very liberating at my size to know I’ll get what I want- not I’ll settle for what I can get.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:36h, 10 MayI think it’s liberating for anyone to know we can get what we want instead of buying out of desperation. Many thanks for sharing!
Pauline Droy
Posted at 17:06h, 09 MayMe too, I feel really proud that I went to Oxford Street to purchase some shape wear – in fact a slip that doesn’t show underwear lines to wear with my latest dress I made, and I only looked at garments for snoop shopping – purchased the one slip and came back – I felt proud of myself – however shoes are still high on the list.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:38h, 10 MayWoah…… no shopping on Oxford Street is like no shopping on 5th Avenue! Congratulations!! I think it’s been established that shoes don’t count 🙂
Irene
Posted at 17:15h, 09 MayI haven’t bought RTW for years. None of it fits. What I like is way beyond my budget, and it would still need serious alterations. Only solution is to start from scratch. To be honest, I do buy sweaters, shoes and bags, but only when they are marked down. When you sew consistently, quite soon it seems that everything in the closet is self-made. It just happens. When I do take a peek at what ‘s in the stores, I’m amazed that people manage to dress from what’s out there. I can pick my style, my colour and personalize to boot. I have no idea how one would approach putting together a wardrobe from RTW.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:41h, 10 MayHi Irene – I’m starting to believe putting together a wardrobe from RTW requires far more time than sewing one. Finding what you’re looking for is really tricky and very time consuming.
Meg @ Mood
Posted at 17:47h, 09 MayWe love it at Mood when people RTW-fast!
RoseOK
Posted at 10:02h, 10 MayI will be visiting you at the beginning of June.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:42h, 10 MayLucky girl!!
Elaine
Posted at 16:57h, 10 MayWhich brings up the reason I don’t think I sew as much as I should — availability of high quality dressmaker fabrics near me. I know that I can get swatches before ordering online and perhaps I should try that. Others seem to have great success with it. I love GV’s recent projects taking apart quality garments and using the fabric. Hmm.. airfare to Mood? 😉
So, GV — not looking forward to the end of your fast as I love your blog. What next?
Patty
Posted at 18:23h, 09 MayI am not fasting intentionally either, but I don’t find much in the stores that I want to take home, the old “I can make that and it will fit me so much better” rears it’s head! And I enjoy sitting at my machine and sewing my own clothes…much more so than traipsing from store to store!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:46h, 10 MayHi Patty!
I just visited your blog and then Simplicity’s Facebook sight! You sew beautifully and deserved to be recognized for the beautiful Easter ensemble – 🙂
No wonder you’re not buying clothes!
Lulu
Posted at 19:28h, 09 MayI have been fasting but not like y’all. Health problems and a daughter at the University of Texas (no loans but lots of Hamburger Helper) severely curtailed my shopping. I sewed all of my clothes in high school and college but married and worked with children and gradually got away from it. I took a tailoring course many years ago to alter my own expensive clothing and that of my husband. Last year with better health and some time I started doing home dec sewing and was happy with my drapes and slips and made them for my children too. I am gradually getting into making garments. I tend to “over-engineer” but recently realized that with a little more study I can construct the couture quality I love because I love hand sewing too. My soon to graduate daughter has a wish list of garments for her upcoming more grown up life so I have a guinea pig.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:51h, 10 MayThanks for writing, Lulu!
Congratulations on better health and your daughter’s upcoming college graduation! My husband and I just completed eight straight years of sending our daughters to private colleges. What an enormous relief to have their education completed.
Tailoring is my next goal. Though I’m pleased with most of my garments I know they could look better. I want an A+ on all of them 🙂
sue
Posted at 20:04h, 09 MayI am like the other commenters. I am not intentionally fasting, but choose to make my own clothes and have reached a stage where I do not buy any RTW. (I do have to own up to buying a gorgeous scarf a few months ago).
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:52h, 10 MayHi Sue,
After all of the amazing sewing you have been doing I think you deserve a gorgeous scarf at the very least! Many thanks for writing.
Charlene
Posted at 21:54h, 09 MayAs I look back, a few years ago, it seems that I just stopped buying new clothes. I would go shopping and couldn’t find anything that fit or that I liked. Now my wardrobe is in crisis and I need everything. I started sewing again and totally plan on RTW fast for at least a year. I’m busy sewing garments made to last and don’t have time to shop.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 15:55h, 10 MayHi Charlene – It’s funny but I almost forget about shopping until I’m forced into a department store for cosmetics or something. I browse online all of the time for inspiration but it’s not the same as being inside a store. Good luck on the RTW fast!
Cissie Wellons
Posted at 08:36h, 10 MayI started my fast 2 years ago — excluding those things that I could not make, ie bathing suits and jeans. It was so satisfying and fun that I have continued to make 95% of what I wear. Almost everything hanging in my closet was made by me — which really makes me happy and proud! However, my taste in fabric has really escalated so not sure I’ve saved a lot of $$!
RoseOK
Posted at 10:04h, 10 MayI have done bathing suits and jeans. They aren’t that bad. Jennifer Sterns has a great jeans class on Pattern Review.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 16:00h, 10 MayHi Cissie and thanks for writing! The savings depends on how you look at it……… just think of what you would pay if you bought RTW in the same fabric your are sewing 🙂
Amy
Posted at 15:16h, 10 MayThough it’s not a conscious pledge or strict rule that I’m following, I haven’t had any desire to buy ready-to-wear since I started sewing. I was never much of a shopper in the first place though, so it should hardly count!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 16:06h, 10 MayHi Amy,
Did you just start sewing three years ago? I am so impressed by all you have made! No wonder you’ve had zero desire to shop 🙂
Cheryl
Posted at 18:43h, 10 MayAll of you ladies making so much of your wardrobes is so impressive! I’m moving closer to pulling out the sewing machine for clothing, but so far haven’t taken the plunge. Now, if I had MOOD a little closer, I might be more tempted!
Of course, in my version of ‘fasting’, things like Lilly Pulitzer, shoes, handbags, coats, scarves, sweaters…etc…don’t count 😉
Best of luck to everyone out there who is sewing up a storm and making fabulous, one of a kind clothing! There are many of us who raise our glasses in a toast to your creativity – and hope to join you one day!
Vibeke in Oslo
Posted at 18:47h, 12 JuneA bit late here. Just found your blog and bookmarked. I’ve been fasting since middle of Mars and plan to go on to complete a year except for a new bikini and to replace winter boots if they give out. I have enough clothes and a good sized fabric stash and want to spend what little cash I have on other priorities.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 17:32h, 17 JuneMany thanks for writing and good for you to fast from RTW for a year!!! Shoes are allowed I’ve been amazed at the money I’ve saved. Good luck!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 18:07h, 13 JuneMany thanks for writing and good for you to fast from RTW for a year!!! Shoes are allowed 🙂 I’ve been amazed at the money I’ve saved. Good luck!
zibergirl
Posted at 02:22h, 23 DecemberWhile clicking through your site, I ended up on following the RTW tag and saw that you had said something very complimentary about my personal challenge to go a whole year without buying RTW. Thank you! I’d like to share that I did it! With the help and friendship of all of the Sew Weekly members, I successfully completed 52 challenges. This year, 2013, while I still hope to be a contributor, I’m cutting back and focusing on more challenging sewing projects without the weekly time constraint. Barbara 🙂 Happy Sewing to All!