Fritter-Free Zone

You know I've been working on that no fritter challenge now for, oh, almost 3 months now. Yes, peeps, it's due to end in less than three weeks. I'm a bit amazed I've managed to last without buying a single new piece of clothing, but before you have a party for me, I should confess that the pain has been exceedingly minimal because:

• I have no ban on sewing supplies, patterns or fabric.
• I buy books and mags as I please.
• I get to shop for a kid who needs things like cute clothes re: latest growth spurt. (I'm not excessive, note.)
• I have no ban on buying lunch or eating out. I do these things as normal.
• The weather's been crap, who wants to go out.
• I haven't actually convinced my psyche I'm on a ban, so it's just "regular times" in my brain.

Who are we kidding: I sense I've merely diverted the funds I would have spent on clothing (I arguably do not need). Predominantly to sewing supplies, patterns and fabric.

Now, is that a bad thing?

Not in my books.

I've managed to make about a dozen garments from bra to skirt to suit jacket to yoga pants and more. OK, some of them haven't worked out so well - we might look at this as wasted money - but I've learned a lot.

I set up a sewing room without buying a single new thing. Yes, I desperately need a decent task light and a chair that actually fits my table without piling foam blocks onto it, but I've got a system going and it's essentially free.

I haven't stepped into my fashion traps with the expectation of a quick (read: expensive and potentially disposable, most definitely unnecessary) fix.

I've developed a new solidarity with my fellow blog ban experiencers (Sal, Enc, Kate etc.).

It's helped me to reevaluate why I spend money, rather than how - Here's the deal: I love shopping and the joyful high that comes with making a purchase. I don't like finding a place for said purchase, or paying for it or wasting resources. Of course, I enjoy using the purchase.

The reason that spending on food and wine is so appealing is that it is utterly functional. I use the chocolate and it's gone. Yummy, and I get to go back for more of the same buying experience! No storage required.

It makes me feel viable, alive - dare I say it, affluent. It reminds me of a time when beautiful things were an easy gesture of love. By association, it's a gesture of love to myself.

But let's get with the times. The girl I am today would rather turn her brain cells onto new artistic pursuits than fritter the time away. I'm going to stick with the ban, I think, for the next 3 months (till my 40th birthday). I believe Kate will join me for part, or all, of that time.

Let's see if it appeals to me to continue because a) if it doesn't, you know I'll find a work around... and b) I may finally be able to realize cost savings - I've bought most of the fabric and supplies a human could use for the next 3 months. I may choose to buy one RTW garment at the beginning of April, but not unless the mood strikes me.

Feel free to join. It's kind of fun. Or do let us know what you think of the whole ban idea.