ecoshopaholic

March Pin It Challenge

If you're like me, you spend a little too much time on Pinterest when you could be doing something more productive. I wanted to change the way I use Pinterest, so I created this challenge. My vision  is to combine my love of pinning with a commitment to getting things done. What am I striving for? A healthier body image. A more organized home. A little exploration in the kitchen. The satisfaction of completing a project. I'll be 31 pins closer to achieving these goals by the end of March! I hope you'll join me. Let's see what we can make and do in March!

Swap till you Drop

Last month, I tried my hand at hosting a fun little soiree with a sustainable goal; to score a few new fashion finds and purge my closet of unloved pieces without spending a dime.  To good to be true?

Behold!  The Clothing Swap! 

Come one, come all.  Bring your unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories and put them up for grabs. Find some treasure amongst everyone's "trash." 

An excuse to clean out my closet and a free pass to rifle through someone else's, plus yummy snacks and vino... what's a girl not to love?  Beyond the thrill of the free hunt, a swap is environmentally friendly.  Clothes are passed on, reused and cherished like new instead of being tossed.  Items leftover after the swap are donated to charity.  It's a win-win!

So how does one host a swap a party? 

First, start by sending out some cutesy invites to get your friends excited about the swap.  I went with a pinup themed Facebook Event and allowed guests to extend the invitation to their friends.  It's best to send invites out at least one month in advance to give your guests plenty of time to scour their closets for swap-worthy items. 

Make sure to include location, times and basic swap info on the invite.  Remind guests to bring at least five items including clothing, shoes and accessories and excluding lingerie and bathing suits.  Clothing should be clean and free of rips or stains.  Also, let guests know that they may take as many items as they bring.  If they bring ten things, they can leave with ten.  Encourage your friends to arrive on time so that you can arrange clothes before any swapping starts.  Aim to start the swap half an hour to an hour after guests arrive.

 

You'll want to provide some munchies for your guests.  Keep in mind that they will already be carrying bags of clothes.  I wouldn't ask them to lug along potluck dishes.  However, it might get expensive if you provide the booze, and trust me, the swapping goes much smoother with booze!   If you plan to supply the food AND alcohol, in theory you could charge an entrance fee to cover your costs.  It's entirely up to you which way you go.  I provided food and asked for guests to bring wine.  Since I love to cook and scored some great free clothes, I didn't mind one bit. 

Here is a sneak peak at my menu

Cheese & Fruit Plate (I pinched pennies by shopping at Aldi)

Melty Brie (I heart this simple recipe)

Bruschetta (See My Recipe)

Snickerdoodles (I cheated and used break and bake)

Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes (A new go-to recipe!  These lil' babies taste delicious and look amazing!  BTW I cheated with a vanilla cake mix from a box... gasp!  The trick to keeping it moist is to add slightly more oil and less water in the mix)

I'm pretty sure all the lovely ladies enjoyed the food!

                             Everyone loves cheese! Right?

What else is needed for a superb swap? 

Set up a few clothing racks for hanging items.  I had one from Target on hand and borrowed another from a friend.  I also used a coat rack to organize bags and scarfs.  A folding card table with a boutique-ish pink tablecloth displayed folded items like jeans and shorts.  I hung a curtain for any shy girls who didn't feel like stripping down in front of the group to try things on, although that proved not to be a real concern. 

I supplied as many hangers as I could, yet soon learned that hangers were futile.  There were so many clothes that every available surface in the room became fair game for sorting.  I displayed a sign on the front door to help guests who had never been to my house know they were in the right place.  I also posted some swap commandments- general rules of swapping I expected everyone to follow.

Commandments

Thou shalt wait until thy name is called to browse the swap.

Thou shalt choose no more than 2 items to try on per turn.

Thou shalt return unwanted items to their original location.

Thou shalt take no more swap items than thou brought.

Thou shalt encourage and applaud the style of swap partners.

On with the swapping! 

I invited around 30 girls to the swap, expecting about half to show up.  I was pleasantly surprised to have about 25 girls attend.  Everyone was asked to bring at least 5 items to the swap to ensure that there would be plenty of merch to browse.  When girls began showing up with overflowing bags of clothes... panic set it!  I didn't have enough hangers!  I was overwhelmed by all the stuff! My idea of having everyone swap when their name was called and only pick out 2 items at a time seemed time consuming.  So, despite the commandments it became sort of a free for all.  We organized clothes into piles by size and it was every girl for herself.  Clothes flew off in every direction. Girls gasped when they found something fantastic and laughed when they tried on something utterly ghastly.  Hilarity ensued.

 

The calm before the storm

It was the ultimate girl's night and everyone seemed to leave happy with more than a few new duds.  I made out with a "new" skirt, a pair of shorts, a dress, two pairs of shoes, a purse, a belt and several cute tops. Score!

                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                               

                                                                                                                                                         Cupcakes and cute dresses!

After most of the girls left, bar or home bound, a few of use stayed up and piled over the clothes again.  We each found a few more hits and misses, drank a few more glasses of wine and got silly.

                                   Just some of our late night shenanigans ;)

The morning after, I woke up to a trashed room with clothes and hangers littering the floor.  As the host, I agreed to collect the leftover clothes and donate them for the group.  We ended up with three large black trash bags full of stuff that I happily donated to the American Red Cross.

 

Swap Wisdom (otherwise known as, Things I would have done Differently)

1.  Stick to 15 people or less, especially if you don't have a lot of space in your house.

2. Set a limit of 20 items per person.  This will make it easier to organize clothes into sizes and  ensure that everyone brings quality pieces.

3. Have girls drop clothes off earlier in the day or the day before.  That way, everything will already be at your house and organized when your guests arrive.  That way you can focus on setting out food and mingling before you start the swap. 

Our swap was a huge success and I'm sure there will be many more to follow.  Perhaps one for each season?  I hope this has inspired YOU to consider hosting your own nifty swap party.  Make sure you invite me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nico's Bruschetta

This is my basic bruschetta.  It's easy, great for serving at parties and in smaller quantities, makes a yummy snack! 

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

5-6 vine ripe tomatoes, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced (I use the jarred variety ;)

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

16 oz. buffalo mozzarella, sliced thick

olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 french baguette, sliced thin

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Heat balsamic vinegar on medium until it reaches a mild boil, then turn down to low and simmer until thickness is achieved.  Watch carefully so the vinegar doesn't burn.  You can also cheat and buy a prepared balsamic glaze if you're short on time or don't want your kitchen smelling like vinegar.

3. Mix diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, pepper and enough olive oil to moisten the mixture.  Refrigerate.

4. Arrange sliced french bread on cookie sheets.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt pepper.  Lightly toast in the oven, about 5-7 minutes.

5. Place one slice of mozzarella on each toast.  

6. Top with a heaping spoonful of tomato.

7.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

8.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Month In

It's officially been 1 month (and 2 days) since I've started my retail boycott and I'm going strong.  I've encountered a few bumps along the way.  There was the trip to VANS with Kyle (my fave lil hipster <3) where I was sideswiped by these beauties, VANS- Palisades Vulc. 

 

 

 

Fortunately, while I waited for Kyle to try on a pair of shorts to make sure they were just the way he likes them, that is  a.) skinny through the leg and b.) of abnormally short length for men's shorts, I rummaged through the few copies of Teen Vogue that the VANS store so nicely provided.  The magazines diverted my attention long enough to effectively keep me from trying on something for myself. 

 

I admit, I did slip on a pair  sweet wood grain wayfarer ripoffs , but I put them back!  They were men's anyway and way to wide for my face, phew dodged a bullet there!  I was tempted but not persuaded by the BOGO 1/2 OFF offers posted all over the store, though I can't say the same for Kyle... who emerged with shopping bag in hand.

The second brush with danger was at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach.

I was palling around with my friend Alisha, a shopping buddy from way back.  I hadn't planned on hitting the shops, but Alisha and her friends were in the mood to spend and I was unwittingly along for the ride.  I allowed myself to browse the junior's section with no intent to buy... a risky decision giving my love of hippyish surf clothing.  A few cute pieces popped out at me, none of which didn't look like something I already had in my closet.  I was very tempted by a mexican blanket inspired Billabong dress, but turned and walked away from it... wiping a tear. 

I even helped Alisha make a wise shopping decision.  She reached for a black cotton sundress with a lacey back.  "Don't you have a few things like that already," I asked?  To which she agreed and left the dress hanging on the clearance rack where it belonged.

The last SNAFU I've encountered so far is that after a month, I'm starting to notice the unnecessary abundances and empty holes in my wardrobe.  Cute cheap tops are my downfall.  I see that now.  I've got dozens, some with tags still on, others that woefully don't match anything else in my wardrobe.  If only I would have said no to endless bargain tops and said yes to a few things I feel I'm missing. 

Like these versatile day or night BDG Gladiator Heels! 

  Uggh... I want them.

Or a pair of comfy and oh so of the moment AE High Waisted Denim Shorts. 

They would be perfect for summer and by next year, they'll be old news.  I guess I'll never know the joy of trying out this trend. Boo!

Though tempted by these two encounters and the running tab of items I'm starting to feel left out on, my wallet has emerged unscathed.  I've also discovered a few ways to ease the pain of this year long endeavor.  The first was a fabulous clothing swap I held at my house, meant to help myself and my friends purge unwanted items and score a few new finds among the rubble.  This event really deserves a blog of it's own... so look for that soon!

I also embarked on a challenge from Lucky Magazine, A Month of Outfits, with the lovely and equally as fashion obsessed Angelyn.  The idea is to create chic outfits for an entire month using only a few key pieces.  You can follow Angelyn's progress at A Dose of Infrequent Thoughts, her adorably refreshing and always entertaining blog.  She's been far more vigilant about chronicling the challenge than I.  Look for a rap up of the first week of outfits from me very soon (tomorrow?)! 

To ease my shopping withdrawals, I've also taken to entering contests for free merch.  Today I entered all of these Incredible Giveaways, from you guessed it, Lucky Mag... in the hopes that the shopping gods will smile on yours truly with a little free swag.  Ironic that a shopping magazine is helping me quell the retail urges!

Lessons learned in the first 1/12 of my journey...

1. I'm pretty sure all my friends think I've lost my mind.
2. Clothing swaps are groovy!  Anyone up for holding the next one?
3. Before you say yes, it's a lot of work to hold a clothing swap (stay tuned for more on this!).
4. It's much harder to say no when temptation is right in front of you. 
5. In stores, I gravitate towards pieces that are very similar to things I already own.
6. I'm a sucker for trends, but will those high waisted shorts actually look good on me?  It's iffy at best.
7. Styling is key to developing a workable wardrobe where pieces inherently intertwine.
8. Bargain shopping is the enemy!!! 
9. It's much more rewarding to spend $50 on a night out with friends or dinner with that cute lil Kyle I told you about than on a new pair of shoes.
10. And most imortanttly... Reusing, repurposing and reducing spending feels pretty darn good!

1 month down, 11 to go.  Wish me luck!

Clean your Closet

I thought that in honor of the clothing swap party I'm holding next week, I'd blog about a topic that plagues all woman...  that is how to purge, declutter and organize your closet to get the most out of your clothes.  You'd think that because I'm not shopping for one year, I'd be holding on for dear life to each piece of clothing I own, fearing that less clothing equals less variety.  Yet, part of this year long endeavor is  to pair down my wardrobe to a more cohesive, usable size.  So in addition to not adding any new pieces, I must also say goodbye to old ones that aren't making the cut.  Read on to find out exactly how I plan to do it.

The Ultimate Guide to Purging, Decluttering and Organizing your Closet

Prep for the Project

1.  Set aside some time, depending on the size of your wardrobe and how much work needs to be done.  For me, I'm guessing 4-5 hours will do the trick.

2.  Have a friend over to help you make the tough decisions.

3.  Gather necessary materials.

• 3 boxes or 3 large black garbage bags, labeled DONATE, TOSS or STOW
• organizational tools such as hooks, hanging shelves, scarf and belt organizers, shoe racks, over the door shoe racks, under the bed plastic bins, drawer organizers or whatever you think will work for your space.
• If you're really into the closet makeover, score some paint in a pretty color, a nice mirror, a closet light or a rug...  anything to make the space feel special.

Begin the Purge

1.  Try on each piece of clothing you own.  Ask yourself the following questions...

• Does it fit?  Too tight? Too large?  Too short?  Too long?   
• Does is flatter your body type?
• When was the last time you wore it? 
• Does it fit into your current style?  Is it an out of date style?  Is it too trendy or an old trend you'll never wear?
• Is the style appropriate for the current season?
• Is it worn out, stained or torn?

If an item doesn't fit, doesn't flatter you, hasn't been worn in a year, or isn't your current style, it's time to get rid of it. 

2.  If the item is unwanted but still in good, wearable condition and free of stains or tears, put it in the DONATE box/bag.  Be honest with yourself about the fit.  Don't keep items that are too small in hopes you will one day fit back into them.  It's likely that by the time you can fit back into them, you won't even like the style anymore.  Unless the fit could be improved by tailoring at the time you try it on, it's time to let it go.   

3.  If the item is unwanted and worn out, put it in the TOSS bag. 

4.  If the item isn't in season, put it in the STOW bag. 

5.  If you're still in love with the item, it fits and you wear it often, lay it out on your bed to be put back in the closet later.

Declutter

1.  Throw away items in the TOSS bag/box.  It will feel GREAT, I promise you.

2.  You have options with your DONATE bag/box.  You can take it straight to a charity like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, hold or attend a clothing swap party (more on this in an upcoming post), or let a friend rummage through.  Either way you choose to go, make sure you follow through and don't just let the items linger in the back seat of your car or in the corner of your bedroom. 

3.  Put the out of season items from your STOW bag/box in under the bed storage boxes or away in a linen closet.  Do not put these items back into your closet where they will just take up space until the season when you can actually wear them.  Aim to clean out your closet seasonally and rotate seasonally appropriate items back into your wardrobe.   

Organize

1.  Once you've sorted all of your clothes, it's time to put the keepers back into your closet.  Everyone has their particular way of doing this, but organization is the key to ease of use, so try to do so in the most orderly way you can stand.  

2.  Put clothes into categories- tank tops, blouses, tshirts, skirts, jeans, dresses, outerwear... etc.

3.  Once clothes are in categories, hang like colors together when you put them back in the closet.  This makes it super easy to make matches later.  Looking for a black shirt to wear with your grey skinny jeans?  Well if you've color coded, you'll see all the choices in one place, making your selection much easier. 

4.  Items that you don't want to hang in the closet can either be placed on shelves or put away in a dresser.   I personally prefer shelving for casual tanks, tees, shorts and jeans.  When put away in a drawer, I often forget what I have.  It's much easier to see your clothes if they are shelved.  Save the drawers for unmentionables, swim suits, socks and out of season items.

5.  Need more space in the closet?  Use organizational tools like hooks, shoe racks, hanging shelves, etc. to create room for your stuff.  If you have still have too many hanging items, consider switching to thinner hangers.  The thick plastic ones take up a lot of room.  

6.  If you're going all the way with your closet makeover, add some finishing touches like a fresh coat of paint or pretty new doorknobs.  A floor length mirror is an absolute must!

7.  Pat yourself on the back for your accomplishment and start really enjoying your new wardrobe!

 

 

Be Your Own Stylist

The fun part about not shopping for a year, (yes, there is a fun part!),  is experimenting and being creative with what's already in the closet.  Instead of reaching for the same outfits over and over, the challenge is to pull out neglected pieces and discover new combos with hidden style potential.  True style isn't about how many clothes you own or how much you spend on them.  It's about making the most of what you have, by staying true to your personality and letting clothes highlight your best assets. 

The key is to be your own stylist.  Why do celebrities always look so put together?  They have stylists.  Stylists understand the persona that a celebrity wants to portray as well as the styles, colors and cuts that look good on their particular body type.  Stylists then select clothing, accessories, hair and makeup that are true to the celebrity and reflect current or classic trends.

Since most of us can't afford to pay a personal stylist, we have to do the work ourselves.  You may be asking, who has time for all that?  Well, that's the catch.  Developing your personal style can take a long time, especially since your style will evolve over time.  Excessive shopping can actually be counterproductive to this process.  When you shop without thinking about the pieces you're buying or how they will fit into your wardrobe, you are actually making it more difficult to sift through and create your own personal style.  

Figuring out what you already have and how you can work it is the first step to devloping a personal style.  Take a few weeks to shop your closet and get a feel for what works in your wardrobe and what can go.  That means taking a few risks and stepping away from the staples that you always wear.  To help break out of your rut, look for some creative ideas from fashion magazines or websites.  I've posted some great sites below that can help you stretch your current wardrobe.  Shopping your closet for awhile will also give you an idea of what essential items are missing and may need to purchase in the future- maybe a classic trench, a pencil skirt, or perhaps kitten heels?

Check these out!

Closet Couture

Upload pics of items from your closet and create stylin' outfits that you can refer to next time your stumped for what to wear.  You can also pair your threads with clothes from online retailers to get new ideas.  View other user's closets for ideas too!

Chictopia

I'm amazed and inspired by this site's gallery of outfits.  The chic pics are collected from fashion blogs and voted on.  Then the best of the best show up in the gallery.  Also look for expert style tips and trend alerts.

Fashion Grail

I'm in love with their Celebrity Copycat section.  I guarantee you can duplicate a few celebrity looks without spending a dime!

Fashion World- Shape Guide

This informative site will help you determine what shape your body is- apple, pear, strawberry, hourglass, or rectangle.  BTW, I'm a strawberry <3  Also look for stellar advice on what works and what doesn't for each body type. 

Happy shopping... your closet that is!

Avoidance is Key

Ahh another day of no shopping.  I've become fully aware that avoiding the shops all together is the best way to quell the temptation to spend.  Once I'm in, there's no telling what manner of clothing I may or may not be able to say no to.  Put me in Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Vickie's Secret or gazillions of other stores of that nature and I'm like a kid in a candy store.  My ability to resist temptation is completely dismantled by the promise of a good deal or really, any bright, shiny object I happen to cross paths with.  I've accepted the absolute truth that staying away is the best bet.

What I wasn't so acutely aware of, until today, was the ridiculous amount of retail temptations that pop into my inbox or show up on my facebook news feed... each one an offer I signed up for at some point or another.  Yes, I did this to myself.  On a typical day, I may get one or two important emails along with about 20 from businesses luring me with the promise of a good deal, a new collection or FREE SHIPPING.  So, today my challenge is to erase all messages that plant those little seeds of consumer desire in my head on a daily basis. 

It's proving a difficult task.  If I rid myself of these constant reminders, what fantastic find will I be missing out on?  I've grown accustomed to reading about TJ Maxx's Steal of the Week on my FB news feed, used to Groupons and Living Social deals filling up my inbox, reliant on members only shopping clubs that send me exclusive deals and dependent on messages from that obscure bag company that I bought a camera case from two years ago.  Actually, wait, those messages are kind of annoying anyway and always get deleted or pile into my inbox awaiting deletion. 

So, why am I holding on so dearly to this daily slew of marketing BS?  How many of these emails actually catch my attention and how many have just been time wasters, requiring a constant, day in and day out effort to select all and delete?  It's all becoming very clear.  They must go! 

So this is my Dear John letter to self-induced, unneeded, annoying (yet utterly tempting) online advertising.  It's not you, it's me...  well, maybe it is you.  All you lovely retailers shoving your marketing in my face, it's been swell guys, but...

 

 

Now if I could only get Google to stop putting those little ads on either side of my screen on just about every page I visit on the interwebs, I'd be in good shape.

Want vs Need

Today, I opted for a little musical inspiration to get me through the zero spending doldrums.  Fridays have always been a particularly tempting day to hit the mall, good for either procuring an outfit for a Friday night out or just shopping out of boredom because I knew it would be a Friday night in.  But alas, this is my first Friday where shopping is simply not an option. 

If that weren't enough to bring a girl down, on top of the shopping withdrawal I'm already feeling the pangs of, I'm also on this godforsaken detox diet.  No Alcohol, No Carbs, No Caffeine, No Processed Food, No Dairy... No LIFE ?!  This diet is sucking all the enjoyment out of my days.  Right now I want  just about everything I can't have and I haven't eaten much today because the things I can and NEED to eat just aren't appealing. 

What tricks our brains into believing the things we want are actually the things we need and the things we need are somehow utterly boring and undesirable?  Does all the needless wanting ever stop?  Can we ever be truly satisfied with what we have?  

This conversation could extend into most choices we make in our lives- what we eat, what we buy, who we sleep with and decisions we make about our respective futures.  It's scary how misguided our steps in life can be when judgement is clouded by our wants and desires instead of guided by our very real needs.  I hope my little shopping experiment, as an exercise in restraint, will allow me to be more mindful of what's really important.   

Well, here's the song that's helped to ease the nagging wants that might have led me astray today.   

Avett Brothers- Ill with Want

 

Peer Pressure and the Shift Dress

Tonight at work,  I encountered some early onset twinges of doubt about the idea of living 1 year of my life retail free... and it's only the end of day 1!  The first came in the form of a friendly protester, my shopping buddy and fellow server, Brittany who pouted and exclaimed, "who am I going to shop with?!"  She seemed genuinely concerned.  Not prepared for this convo, I shrugged a bit, racking my brain for an answer that might convince her that this was actually a good idea.  I explained that I needed to save money, that I have so many clothes it's overwhelming and that at the end of the year we could go on a shopping spree to rival any that came before.  I'm not entirely sure she bought it. 

I hadn't thought about the essential girl bonding time that I would forfeit if I gave up shopping for 1 year, or the social implications of being a 20 something female who won't step foot in a mall.  I started to worry, will I be left behind?  Will my shopping pals find better, more willing friends to hit the shops with?  Am I excluding myself from a private girl's club that understands a healthy retail obsession?  I started to doubt the decision in a big way and it was only the first night.  Ahhhhhhh, but then I remembered... WINE.  We still have wine and where there is wine, there will always be girl's nights out.  I'll just be the one wearing the same dress as last time. 

Then another moment of doubt came over me as I spied a chic looking girl at a hi top table wearing a beige safari inspired shift dress with gold strappy wedges and a thin gold belt.  The ensemble was super cute and I thought to myself... I don't have a shift dress... I don't have anything with a safari print... I don't own cute strappy wedges (well, at least not in that color).  OH, NO?!  What will I do???  I had to breathe deeply and tell myself, you can live without it... as a matter of fact, you're doing very well without it.

As the night wore on, the image of the beige safari shift dress started drifting from my mind.  Writing about it now, I'm not sure why the outfit seemed so appealing at the time.  There's probably a reason I don't already have something like that in my closet.  In retrospect, the beige seems kind of drab, a distant memory of a once tactile desire.  If I had seen it in the mall, the dress might already be making it's way back to my home, where I would surely feel regret at some point for buying it.  Would I ever even wear something like that?  Well, maybe once.       

Closet Rehab: No Shopping for 1 Year

Well, I've been looking for a great excuse to get back to my poor little neglected blog and life has provided me with motivation.  Two amazing, but costly mini-vacays, a broken car and unexpected bills for this and that along the way have conspired against my bank account.  I've dipped into my savings one too many times and it's time to replenish that fountain of wealth (er... something like that). 

When I look back on my spending, the vacations, dinner parties and dinners out were worth every penny.  They left me with memories that I'll cherish forever of times spent with the people I care about most.  Yet, my hours of bargain shopping, searching through endless racks of marked down, massed produced trends, have left me with nothing more than an overflowing closet and a little bit of guilt.  Worse yet, my closet's full of mix-matched items that I haven't had the energy to try to piece together in any sort of practical or fashionable way.  There's possibility there, but I'm just not taking full advantage of it. 

So to those neglected clothes that have been hanging all sad and lonely, still tagged, wondering when your time to shine will come... get ready, you're about to see the light of day.  I'm challenging myself to shop my closet for 1 year.

Oh, the horror!!!  

When I'm feeling blue, bored or otherwise inspired to do a little needless spending... well, I just won't.  Instead, I'll spend the time looking for interesting combos of what I already own.  Or perhaps, I'll try a new hobby, or read, bike, cook, listen to records, hang with friends (outside of the mall), or do something (anything), more productive than shopping.  It's a lovely thought, really.  

Here's the plan.  I won't cut spending out entirely.  Work-related clothing items will still be in the budget when they become necessary.  Dinners out, concerts, movies and other fun activities will also be allowed, but hopefully, not in excess.  I'll only buy new cosmetics if I run out of something completely essential.  No more marathon trips to ULTA, I'm afraid.  Of course, groceries are unavoidable.  Perhaps I'll start spending a little extra time meandering the aisles at the grocery store, just to give myself that little rush of looking for something new?

In following with the path of bloggers before me, I'll share with you the experiences of my year long retail boycott.  Is it a pipedream?  Will I crack?  Will the shops defeat me?  Tune in to find out...