Here’s the first in a series of upcoming articles I’m writing for AOL – the tale of my 5-month shopping cleanse.
Preview:

My name is Jessie, and it has been 87 days since I last shopped.

No clothes, shoes or accessories, no $5 pashminas or $3 sunglasses off the street. Nothing. Since December 25 I have been on a self-induced five-month cold-turkey shopping cleanse intended to forever alter my relationship with the power of purchase.

Going into this I think it’s important to note that I am not a shopaholic. I don’t binge-buy thousands of dollars worth of clothes I don’t need. You won’t find me trolling the shops for retail therapy. I’m not that kind of shopper. My issue is more of a co-dependent relationship with outfits. I love them. I need them. I fully believe that without the right one, my meeting or party or first date will be negatively impacted to the point of why-would-I-even-go? In 1962, Jackie Kennedy wore a mint green, Greek-inspired gown for a dinner honoring Nobel Prize–winning writers … because its columnar structure was a nod to the architecture of the ancient poets.

I’m that kind of shopper.

And so, this past Christmas morning, with a pile of shirt boxes before me, when I said, “Wow! With this many new outfits I bet I won’t have to shop until May!” I got the reaction I probably deserved. My three little sisters guffawed in age order — Dani: “That’ll be the day.” Sara: “Yeah right, Jess.” Alex: “Hahahaha!”

My mom choked on her coffee, and my dad delivered his classic, “Whatchu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” look.I fought back hard: “It’s only a few months! I have more than enough clothes! You really think I can’t do it?!” They fought back harder: “It’s five months including a season change; it’s not about how many clothes you have; and no, we know you can’t do it.”