GARBAHOLICISM!! How long have you been afflicted??

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

We have FABRICAHOLICISM.Now there is another affliction, GARBAHOLICISM.

SIGNS OF THIS AFFLICTION:

-the constant adding of Garb and related items whether we need them or not.

-the inability to stay away from eBay and other Auction sites that sells garb.

-the inability to stick to a budget.

-the inability to stay away from Clothing sites all together.

-the adding other periods of clothing to wear other than Ren related.

KNOWN CURE: NONE

I have been afflicted for most all my life in that I have been sewing since the age of 9. The last 15 years have been the most visible as I see more things to make, add to my garb stash, get into other periods that peak my interest(Victorian, Goth, 18th Century, Steampunk, etc.)

What's money anyways? We can't take it with us when we depart this earth. Might as well spend it on that which brings us so much joy!

[Dinobabe]

Oh dear!

I think my first garb was a Peter Pan outfit I made when I was probably 9.  I remember mom was really surprised I knew how to use the sewing machine!  I had been watching her sew my entire life, after all!  Since then I've made most of my Halloween costumes, ren garb, victorian, fantasy, belly dance, Civil War, modern clothing, etc...  If being in love is wrong then I don't want to be right!

[amy]

- when you take over another bedroom's closet and make it your garb closet and find it is packed more full then your mundane wear.
- when you go to a thrift or second hand store to shop for luggage just to carry particular garb, ie: hats, fans, swords or hoops
- when you realize you haven't seen the top of the end table next to your favorite chair for months due to a thick layer of little garb projects you do while watching TV.
- when there is an actual curtain of garb hanging from the door frame molding blocking the way to the bathroom but you don't care at all.

[Rani Zemirah]

I think we all start when we're kids, with the best game of all... dress-up!!!  Some of us just keep playing our whole lives!  And some of us make it a bigger mart of our lives than our mundane existence...   

[Becky10]

At 19 I am the only one my age (that I know of) that has two dressers specifically for garb and costume bits collected over the years. The sad thing? I dont have a dresser for my regular clothes haha. We went to see Rocky Horror and my sister asked me if I found it odd that I could dress an entire cast by myself lol

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

when you shop at Goodwill for your mundane clothes so you can spend more on garb. 

when you spent more on one hat (for your garb) than for your wedding dress.

[balletboot]

I can feel a pretty deadly case starting to come on. I had the same garb for years, and now I've started branching out. And by branching out I mean really branching out.
Darn you eBay.

[isabelladangelo]

I got heavily into costuming at the age of three by demanding specific outfits for Halloween.  :-)  By the time I was four, I was "designing" my own outfits for my barbie dolls out of tissues and quilting scraps.   I threw a fit when I was nine or ten and didn't get a full Elizabethan so I could do my class project on Walter Raleigh.  And it only gets worse from there....

[Adriana Rose]

I have been addicted since I figured out that my mom could sew me costumes. It got worse when I figured out how to sew.

[Pinn]

My monster has been quiet lately, but I am sure that will change as the full season gets into swing and I start traveling and shopping.

[Alysea]

My case started out with the disappointment in not finding garb to fit me.  I decided that I can sew a little so I would try my hand at making my own garb.  I have never looked back from then own, but I try to learn something new with each project.  One can never have enough grab IMO.  But then that leads to FABRICHOLISM because you are always looking for the right fabric for that garb project.

Dang Codependency!!

[Rowan MacD]

I think we all start when we're kids, with the best game of all... dress-up!!!  Some of us just keep playing our whole lives! 

That it right there! I have two wood wardrobes and a fabric covered clothes rack full of garb, Also 2 of those stackable plastic dresser-type things with 3 drawers each for accessories. One of the bigger drawers contains nothing but fox tails.

[arbcoind]

Guilty!  It all started about 8 years ago with a bodice, hat, and a dress.  My garb now fills two full closets, two deep shelves, and a huge canvas tote.  My "bad" right now is all the victorian stuff available.

Gina

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Hi my name is Lady De Rue Rue and I am deeply afflicted by Garbaholicism all my life!  It started at age 3 with seeing the Nutcracker ballet and wanting to have an Edwardian dress like Clara.  It progressed at age five when I watched Masterpiece Theater for the first and and wanted to dress like Queen Victoria.

My mother sewed a majority of my clothing and she taught me at age six with sewing buttons and fabric so on.  I think that really created the Garbaholicism monster because I learned about fabrics, good quality fabrics, textiles etc.

Sad to say but, all my gowns for the Faire cost more than my wedding gown.  That is not including the partlets, my hats, my jewels, shoes, and other grab necessities.

This Garbaholicism can be hard to explain to my lord but, it is easier to tell him that all my gowns will be passed down to our daughter when she is older.  My lord's response is what if we had a son?  And I tell him then we would have a house full of swords, full suits of armor, custom Coats of Arms etc.  So, either way Garbaholicism will still happen just on a different level    Even our unemployed dogs have hand made Elizabethan ruffs, for picture purposes only.

I am still in search for a cure of Garbaholicism.....

[Mairte]

No cure here.Sigh.
I havent been acquiring garb/accessories very long but constantly looking at garb on ebay and etsy!!!
My budget for it now is very slim.
Though every bit of change I get is thrown into a bowl to save for more garb. LOL, I even save aluminum cans to have more to put into the bowl until I can afford another piece.