Genetics, health and family history are definitely a major player in the food arena for many people, and this is certainly the case for me. It's been interesting to see how my food life compares and contrasts with my clothing life. So, here it goes.

Similarities: I don't follow a budget (So true in every part of my life, my DH would love me to change this). I spend a lot of money and I insist on the very best quality (for food this means no preservatives, fresh, organic where relevant, and locally grown if possible - we use community supported agriculture) for clothing this means natural fibers and high quality construction. I know when I am done ( I have never spent more than I can afford/I listen to my body signals and stop eating when I am full). I don't worry about when I make a purchase, or how much or how many. I recycle and compost, and can always find a way to make space. I plan ahead with a list prior to making purchases, but when I am actually cooking or dressing I become spontaneous and may change or alter my plan and embellish.

The big difference is that I feel a real freedom in my shopping and dressing that I do not have with food. With clothing I am lucky. Yes, there are certain constraints, like size constraints, and certain styles will not work for my body type, etc. These constraints however do not trouble me much. I am still very content with what I have to work with. When it comes to food, I have major constraints because of several medical conditions, migraine headaches, hypoglycemia and kidney stones caused by the migraine medications. I have also been what most would call a vegetarian since age 12. I do rarely eat fish, and I am mostly Vegan. The food constraints greatly limit what I can eat, and where I can eat. Some examples of the food constraints: I don't eat chocolate. I don't drink wine or beer. I don't eat cheese. No banana's. I don't eat most nuts. No MSG. Nothing from a bottle or a can. No refined carbs. The list goes on and on....... The food constraints make life very hard. I rarely eat out in a restaurant. I rarely eat at friends houses. I tend to bring my own food and snacks to parties. If I travel, I am very careful about what I eat and where. Leftovers, aged foods and fruits that ripen can form tyramine which can trigger a migraine. We rarely have any leftovers - did I mention that my DH is 6'5" and my 16 year old DS is pulling up close to him, he must be 6'2". They eat everything in sight. Nothing left over ever. Never. No,

Suz, I'm just like you, it seems. Your summary has "me" written all over it.

This was fun to read, although it doesn't quite work for me. I love leftovers (the kind where you just reheat a meal, not the kind where you repurpose already cooked food)/eating the same foods frequently (especially for breakfast; I can eat an everything bagel every morning for months and be just as pleased every time), whereas I rarely repeat outfits. I also cook/eat quite a variety of foods from an ethnic angle, whereas I'm much pickier about my clothing items, preferring to mainly only vary colour & fabric. And I'm a vegetarian who frequently eats vegan meals, whereas I happily wear wool and silk and (less happily but resignedly) leather footwear. I don't like to waste food, so I err on the side of less food and more frequent grocery shopping; my closet definitely errs on the side of more clothes than less!

Similarities would be adhering to my ethics, even when it means I go without or spend more money, a hands-on approach, and thinking of my own pleasure first, rather than aiming to please others. Oh and in both my outfit & meal creation, I'm terribly influenced by the books I've been reading or shows I've been watching; a rash of English mysteries will have me cooking up vegetarian pub fare and jacket potatoes while my favourite magical realist Latin@ authors inevitably lead me into the realm of lime-y, spice-y, Mexican goodness. And I prefer an approach in both that lets me save money while increasing the quality of the food (farmer's markets!) or clothing (secondhand!) I buy.

So I suppose I'm a wash.

Wow Suz - this is fascinating. I never thought to compare parallels with diet, although I find it interesting to compare home decor/decorating choices with personal style. I am a 25 yr vegetarian now a 5 yr vegan. I eat a whole food, plant based nutritarian diet and am a huge follower and fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's "Eat to Live".
- I am thoughtful in my diet and my clothing choices
- I prefer to eat in and make my own food. I adore cookbooks (which I read like novels), menu planning and entertaining graciously - china, silver, crystal etc but never in a fussy way It's all about making people feel special and welcome. I can't sew to save my life, so I must buy everything, but I like to feel so comfortable in my clothes I honestly forget what I have on.
- I am happy eating the same things and wearing the same clothes for long periods of time.
- I have a terrible sweet tooth and also love beautiful fabrics and textures.
- Someday I hope, not only to not to eat animals (which I do not do - no knowing cheats) but I would like not to wear animal products either. I still own and buy things made with leather, although I draw the line at - no real fur. Hopefully as choices increase I can get my buying in line with this choice.
- I love color in my food (never met a veggie I don't like) but I don't wear them.
- love creating food that is a feast for the eye as well as the palate, and I like detail, richness and cohesion in my dress.
- I try and eat until I am satisfied, I try and buy enough to fill my needs but never too much.
- I know what I like but am always open to new tastes and styles
- I am happy in my food choices and in my clothing choices!!
- eating a healthy nutritarian diet and dressing well both make me feel good.

What a fascinating read. I don't really have any analysis to add as I'm pooped out and just counting the days to the holiday!

Suz, I'm blown away by your analysis and Elizabeth P your comment is hilarious and so true for me too!

I've so enjoyed reading your responses.

Thanks, kerry. I vote cookies all round!!

gryffin, that is very interesting about your careful approach to food. I agree that you are very thoughtful and it is reflected in both areas. Also, you are not afraid to go your own way. Very funny that you love colourful veggies but not clothing -- but oh, can you imagine an all-black diet? Ugh.....it's quite a prospect. Especially for a vegan -- you wouldn't even be eating squid ink! Anyway, I admire you for your principled and caring stance. It is good for the planet as well as for you.

Same to you, Eva! And I would liken your pleasure in leftovers to your delight in finding "pre-loved" clothing. Also -- perhaps this makes me a hypocrite myself, but I actually think that there is some justification for wearing silk and woolens if they are pre-loved vs new, even if you are a vegan who is eating that way as a principled matter in defence of animals. The items are already there in the world and no new animals had to be killed for them. Or is that a crazy position to take?

High five, Bettycrocker!

Staysfit, I almost cried when I read about your food restrictions. That is indeed very, very hard. I am SO GLAD you have more freedom with your clothing choices!! What a blessing and joy.

I thought of another parallel for me....I love trying new foods and experimenting with new combinations; I also love playing with new trends and combinations. Hmmm...the list goes on....

Deb, I have to confess that I feel sad on your behalf; food is such a big pleasure to me. But you are definitely not alone. So many women have issues around food whether due to health or other matters, and I suspect the same is true for fashion and clothing. And I think maybe you express and enjoy some of the same pleasures as many people take in food in your gorgeous garden.

Donna, I am coming to your place for a crab fest!

texstyle, it makes sense to me that you would enjoy cooking and be a good cook. You have a careful and thoughtful approach that somehow fits with time spent in a garden and kitchen.

I don't think that's a crazy position to take at all Suz; I'll buy secondhand cashmere but not retail because I don't want to support the current desertification caused by the market demanding more and more goats. Similarly, I'll buy secondhand conventional cotton but if I'm buying retail it needs to be organic and fairtrade and even then I'll probably only buy it if I absolutely need it (aka undies). So I definitely have a different set of shopping requirements if I'm looking at secondhand or retail pieces.

Giggling at imagining all of my closet as a pantry filled with leftovers now. Glad they don't all need to be 'eaten' right away! Perhaps they're the portions I froze for later meals. heehee

Best post ever!

The two are very related to me. Mostly because for me they are about aesthetic and sensual pleasure, about fulfillment that is both physical and spiritual, and about exploring and perfecting something (not that I'm that good a dresser--or cook). They are both about my identity--personal and cultural.

I read both cooking magazines and fashion magazines; I follow this forum and I'm on and off on Chowhound. I read more food blogs than fashion blogs, but that's mostly because of time.

(Your post made me think of all the books and stories about French women who know how to dress well on a budget and how to eat well without getting overweight... something there?)

Absolutely. The biggest thing for me in both food and clothing is variety. I get cranky if I have to eat the same thing multiple days in a row, and with repeating outfits too soon. Yet I have my favorites of course. I also have wide ranging eclectic taste in food, so long as it is high quality. I dislike foods that are too bland or beige.

This is an interesting post and I have found the replies equally interesting.

This is my unprocessed rambling about clothes and food.

I love clothes. I love shopping for good quality clothing and don't buy anything else (rarely). I have binge shopped on at least one occasion. I played dress up when I was a little girl. I loved dressing my dolls. I made them clothes. I have made my own clothes. I did not pretend cook or feed my dolls.

DH and I are vegetarians but occasionally eat fish when I feel tired. I restrict my diet because of migranes. I rarely drink alcohol but will have a glass or two of very good wine on special occasions. I have never binge eaten. Food does not bring me great pleasure. I like a good meal with friends but it is the company I enjoy.

I hate grocery shopping. I wish I could blink my eyes like Samantha on Bewitched and the groceries would appear in my kitchen. I do like going to farmer's markets but that is different in my opinion. Maybe boutique shopping versus big department stores?

I eat good quality food because I believe it is better for DH and I. I feed my dog good quality food for her health. Creativity does not enter into my food choices. I could eat the same breakfast, lunch and rotate 2 or 3 dinners happily. DH could not. I like creativity in my clothing. I don't think good quality clothes are good for my health. They are my creative outlet.

I do like organizing my kitchen, wardrobe, bathroom, dog's supplies, books and anything else I can get my hands on.

I would like more clothes. I don't want more food.

What an interesting thread, Suz. Thanks. I can echo a lot of your list. Variety with some consistency sums about how I go about cooking, because I have a child with medical issues and this works for us. However, I'm a lot more creative in the kitchen than with my wardrobe and rarely follow the recipe exactly the same way twice, whereas I like certain proportions or colors together and wear the same items in my wardrobe in the same way sometimes. I'll spend extra for quality for both food and clothes. Quality in food is important for health, and especially important I think when raising growing children, and quality in clothes means they last longer. I don't like shopping bans (but am on one, basically, til we have a job again) and I don't like diets. I don't count calories or clothes. I focus on essentials in food and clothing over trends. I don't like clutter and this pertains to both food and clothing. I prefer fresh homemade food too and new clothes but can happily do leftovers and secondhand as well.

Wow, what a great compare/contrast assignment, Suz! I've loved reading all the comments.
I can see some definite correlations in my kitchen and closet.

• I exercise discipline with my eating and with my clothing. I try to buy conservatively so that nothing goes "stale".
• I love unprocessed, natural foods and natural fibers (God-made rather than man-made). They both just make me feel better.
• I feel good when I consume just enough for my needs. I feel bloated when I eat too much or bring too many things into my closet.
• I take a simple approach to food and clothing. I look for intact ingredients (nuts instead of nut butters) and I'm drawn to simple, well designed clothes without too much detail.
• I try to be mindful of what I'm eating and what I'm wearing.

• I love to eat colorful fruits and vegetables, but neutrals reign in my closet.
• I try to get a lot of seasonal variety into my diet, but look for seasonless in clothing items, wearing many of them year-round.
• I eat three well-planned meals a day. My clothes buying does not mirror this; I've been a real snacker. Not sure what my future shopping habits will be, but I need to start shopping in the correct temperature to wear the clothes I'm buying!

Thanks, Suz, for thinking up such a great question!

Everyone is on a role. So fun.

I thought of a few others:

• I LOVE spicy food = I love outfits with a kick
• I love lemony flavours = I love sour colours
• I LOVE milky desserts and dairy products = I love white-out
• I love colourful food = I love bright pops of colour in outfits
• I get bored with the same recipes after half a year = I get bored with end of season merchandise
• My pantry and fridge are very neatly organized = so is our walk-in wardrobe
• I buy both high-end and low-end ingredients = I have high-low style
• I LOVE shopping for food = I LOVE shopping for wardrobe items
• I'm always looking at food in some form or another = I'm always looking at fashion
• I am very nostalgic about comfort food = I am very nostalgic about certain pieces and eras in fashion.
• I love global food = I love global fashion

Very fun, but maybe not so parallel for me!

I often work late or on weekends and don't especially like spending my free time in the grocery store , don't like the hauling stuff, so I put off shopping, even though I love having a frig full of lovely foods. Now that we are empty nesters, sometimes we are empty frig'ers! Yet I love to cook. I (in my own mind) am the master of making something from nothing or a little of this or that, such as, the last 2 carrots, and something from the garden, and look what I found in the freezer ! Yet I don't use that approach with clothes, I like having a lot on hand, it appears. I almost never follow a recipe (oops! ) but I will plan out outfits and try all the components first and will use some "recipes" for how to achieve a certain look.

Oooh, Angie, what a great update. Yes, that's it. "Hot and spicy" doesn't have to mean bombshell. It can mean outfits with pizzazz!

I could echo every one of your additions. Except I don't look good in sour colours, alas. (I do enjoy them on others, though.) Or maybe I just eat enough lemon to make up for it?

Claire, your analysis is brilliant and spot on for you! I hear you on the neutrals...I am mostly a neutrals wearing girl, but I make up for it with my veggies. And I do have to say that without a bright coat (and a few bright sweaters) my winters would be unbearable...

Columbine, I hope your economic situation changes soon so you can enjoy "fresh" in the clothing department again. A shopping ban is very hard.

Style fan, that is fascinating. I was also wondering if (given your trips to Montreal) you might enjoy period "fancy" eating along with "power" shopping? I think it is very true that a farmer's market is quite a different experience from a typical grocery store. The one is alive, thrumming, rich with smells, textures, etc. and the other is frigid and routinized.

Diana, I am sure your kitchen is just as much fun as your closet!

K.M. I am blushing. And I think you are absolutely, 100% right about it all, including the stuff about the French.

(I corrected my typo. I stock a pantry neatly - not a panty neatly). *eyes rolling*

Suz, if you love cranberries, you can draw that comparison? And eating lemons makes your outfits extra zesty in my book. xo

I love this thread so much, since I'm even more obsessed with food than I am with clothes! (I should admit that actually spent a lot of time before I joined here trying to think of a username that had both food- and clothes-related meaning for me, because that just seemed like the most natural starting point somehow.)

Similarities for me:

• I don't do well with lists or tracking or intentionally restricting myself in either area. That said, if I had to sharply cut down on clothing budget or wardrobe size for some reason, I wouldn't like it, but could probably deal with it and squeeze some pleasure out of getting as creative as I could within the constraints, but major dietary restrictions would be pretty intensely soul-sucking.
• Will pay extra for quality in both areas. In both areas, I also try to pay some attention to ethical and environmental considerations, even though I don't go nearly as far as I probably should.
• My approach to dressing is pretty similar to my approach to cooking in terms of variety vs. routine. For everyday outfits and everyday dinners, I come up with endless improvised variations on a few different formulas, with one in particular (dresses and cardigans/pasta with seasonal veggies) being the one I come back to again and again. I do have some outfits I repeat exactly as is, just like I have some recipes I'll remake repeatedly, but I get sick of both if I rely on them too often without tweaking them. I'll also try to cook something completely new or wear something that's more unusual for me once in a while when I'm bored with my standbys.
• I've got very little use for a few categories of food and clothing that are absolute staples for lots of people. I don't wear jeans often, and when I do, it's just the same few pairs of basic blue ones. I also don't eat much meat, and what I do eat is mostly chicken. I don't own a single button-down and can't stand Chinese food.
• I love aimlessly browsing for both clothes and food and love reading about them both.

I think the biggest difference for me is that I'm much more adventurous with food than with clothing, especially if I'm comparing it with what I like to eat in general rather than just what I cook (since cooking new things involves not just the desire for novelty, but also time/effort/skill I don't always have).

With clothes, I'm open to new trends and things out of my comfort zone, but also a little wary of getting them to work for me, and generally can meet my need for variety well enough by tweaking my standard formulas rather than doing completely new things. Yet with food, I actively seek out novelty. Molecular gastronomy? Bring it on! But avant-garde designers? Cool, but not for me. Beer brewed with curry spices? I'll try it! But trackpants made out of luxe silk? No way I can pull that off.

Also, what Elizabeth P. said.

Angie, you literally READ my MIND (and stomach). Guess what I was eating for dessert? Dried cranberries (with a few chocolate chips.)

WOW. People, this woman is totally psychic!!!

Clearly I do love my sours!

Oh...and raspberries are another favourite fruit. Beautiful sour. They work in my wardrobe, too.

Aubergine, of course this thread speaks to you! You are a sensual person who responds to textures, flavours, and beautiful rich deep colours. But how can you not like Chinese food????? (teasing). For me it is as mysterious as not liking button downs. Although equating those two has given me a real giggle. Maybe Mandarin collar button downs....

I also think our ability to experiment in our closets comes with confidence. I never had ANY, until YLF. Yet I was very willing to experiment with food, both in the eating and in the cooking.

Well, I love food, love to cook and bake. Desserts are my speciality, and I can be very creative with them. I have made fancy cakes for bridal showers and other parties, and I make 3 dimensional things out of chocolate (such as sleighs for Christmas, I fill those with cookies). I also love to go to the grocery store! I am a big supporter of local farm markets and I buy many things organic. I buy meat only from my local butcher, who supports the local farmers. I love to experiment with food - I often will have company over and make something I've never made before.

So how does this related to clothes? Well...

I love clothes, and I love to be/see how everyone else is creative with outfits. I like to get creative and make some of my own clothes. I am always being told how fancy and how nice I dress at work. I love to go to clothing stores! We have mostly big names and not too many boutiques around here, but when I find one I always wander in. I love to experiment with outfits - I went through the entire school year last year with no outfits repeated exactly.

Interesting reading:) Frantic day here and so I will type a short answer.

I can be a little haphazard with both my wardrobe and my eating and my pantry. The big picture is good - but the details can be rough. For example I never spend more than I can afford but I sometimes skimp on the important things to favour the fun or new or exciting.

My kitchen is clean and tidy but not everything is labelled. My sons put things in different places than I prefer but I let it go. I shop some weeks once a week, the next week three times. With clothes I can be like that, some years I have lots of success, the next I spend very little.

I do enjoy both clothes and food, and hate wastage, so I eat what we have and try to never throw food away. We eat well but not obsessively well. I mostly wear my clothes, even the ones that are not my favourites or not perfect, I just choose the occasions.

Thanks for starting the thread:)

I really enjoyed reading all the responses - great post

The similarity that jumps out, for me, is that I hardly ever follow a recipe & I don't like style rules that tell me what to wear. Mmmm. I don't think have a problem with authority or rules as such In fact many years ago I taught myself French cooking then Middle Eastern cooking by following recipe after recipe, step by step & I really enjoyed it. I love it when there are people around I can learn from too.

The other main thought I had was I never go supermarket shopping or essentials shopping without a list (after checking what is in the fridge/pantry or wardrobe) but I love just browsing farmer's markets, Asian grocery shops or boutiques. Some of my best meals & wildcards have come from these adventures

Suz, everyone thinks I'm crazy for not liking Chinese food! But it's always just tasted like interchangeable soy-based sludge to me for some reason. Plus, I've never gotten the point of a whole cuisine without tomatoes, cheese, or chocolate.

And you reminded me of some more food/clothes similarities for me. I love texture in both. Foods without any texture, like pudding or mashed potatoes, always seem really boring to me, but I love anything chewy or crunchy. With clothes, I love nubbly sweaters and rich leather and complex patterns. And my favorite colors for clothing (minus black) are deliciously food-like. Deep berries, burgundy, cognac/caramel, and of course eggplant!

Great thread Suz! DH is the foodie and (extraordinary) cook in our family. Cooking is his hobby as clothing is mine, and we often discuss the parallel between the food blogs he reads and the fashion blogs I read. I would have no idea that there were things like food trends if it weren't for him.

But in terms of my own personal attitude toward food the parallel falls apart - nutrition is most important to me and I would rather eat the same foods over and over than something that is more delicious that I might regret. With clothing I am all about trying something new even if it means making a mistake. I am against shopping bans, but have no problem banning certain foods from my diet. I won't count my clothing but will track my food intake. And so on. My relationship with food is definitely more tricky for me than my relationship with clothing, perhaps because it developed in childhood when I was pretty unhappy, whereas my interest in clothing only developed in my 40s when I was in a much better place.

What a fun and interesting thread! Suz, my cooking approach is very similar to yours (and Angie's) and after initially thinking there weren't many parallels for my wardrobe/food, it seems that there actually are. Which might explain why a recent need to budget both food and wardrobe took me quite a while to figure out how to deal with properly, the both of them! We generally make something up each night (hubby and I both highly value and enjoy food) but I do have a recipe book where I jot favorites down; when they are made again it's almost always with adjustments. Except for a few things where I've refined and refined, particularly recipes for things that go in the smoker :} And I definitely dress (and build basics/essentials) the same way.

But I must say that Rachy's comment is what truly resonates with me: I have only one way of being in the world and I apply it to all matters.

EDIT: Wanted to add to that second thought - If I'm not operating that way, then I feel totally off, you know?

I grew up eating almost exclusively wild game that family members had killed and veggies and fruit we raised on our land. We only bought grains and supplemental veg. at the grocery store. Of course, now I no longer have the land base to live that lifestyle but it has certainly shaped my food world.

I love food and will eat almost anything. Elk heart? Goats eyes? Durian? I haven't found anything unpalatable yet. The only things I don't eat are certain heavy duty food preservatives because of allergic reactions-- maybe the food equivalent of vinyl pants. I definitely have food preferences but also love to try things and understand the social and cultural importance of food. Sharing food is huge.

I really enjoy cooking. The SO and I cook together frequently and do a mix of experimentation and our standard fair. I'm more likely to experiment except when it comes to grilling, and he is more likely to request a favorite.

I'm finally becoming as willing to experiment with clothing as I am with food-- it took me a long time to let go of arbitrary restrictions, but I'm enjoying the heck out of experimenting. I understand that fashion and shopping have a societal impact, but don't particularly feel that my wardrobe is a way I share my group membership with others. I don't enjoy shopping for clothing, but I also don't enjoy food shopping. I do enjoy dressing, which I suppose in some ways is similar to cooking.

I'm definitely the organized one in the kitchen and the closet --- not labeled or anything like that, but I like to clean as I go and I like things to have a place.

I love to travel and eat local and absorb cultural elements into my wardrobe.Despite all this I think left to my own devices in a vacuum I would make the same foods over and over and if I worked from home I'd own a lot of flannel shirts, jeans, and boots.

I also have a very weird love of blue food, and blue jeans.

This is such an interesting thread! I am not sure how to respond:)

Having thought about it throughout the day, I guess there are parallels:

I am almost incapable of following a recipe and I don't really like following style rules .

My wardrobe is immaculately organised and generally so is my pantry.

I am particular about eating quality foods and happily pay extra for good quality fresh fruit and vegetables and I won't eat supermarket meat. In a similar vein I do prefer quality clothing and don't mind paying for it.

I follow a gluten free, high protein, lots of veg and low carb diet so I guess in some ways my diet, which is quite defined and I am very committed to, does mirror my wardrobe which is also quite defined and I am deeply committed to it.

On the other hand, I don't always remember what is in the pantry or the fridge but I do know exactly where each item of my clothing is. And I often start preparing something to find that I don't have one or two of the ingredients I need... that never happens when I am dressing lol.

This has been fun to think about Suz, and to read everyone's comments.. thank you. Another great thread that allows us to get to know one another a little more.

.

Deb, it does not surprise me that you keep a well-organized closet! And it does sound as if the definition in your diet somewhat mirrors your highly defined style, although I'm glad for the sake of your health that you, along with Gryffin, won't be eating all-black foods! Although I know that licorice can be tasty.

Elly: Best line EVER: "the food equivalent of vinyl pants." I splattered tea on my keyboard! What an image that conjured for me. But I think it's very cool you are attracted to blue foods to go with your jeans.

Aida: "But I must say that Rachy's comment is what truly resonates with me: I have only one way of being in the world and I apply it to all matters.

EDIT: Wanted to add to that second thought - If I'm not operating that way, then I feel totally off, you know?"

I couldn't agree more. I was also struck with Rachy's comment -- as usual, she encapsulates an entire conversation in one phrase! And like you, I feel really "off" and inauthentic if I'm trying to be HOW I'm not as much as WHO I'm not. Which doesn't mean I don't sometimes try to push the boundary a bit for the sake of self-improvement. (How I am first thing in the morning is something nobody but my long suffering loved ones should have to share...)

Shevia, it sounds as if food and clothing have very different places and meanings in your life -- clothes are a happier form of self-expression. But how wonderful to be married to someone who loves cooking the way your husband does, so you get to enjoy his productions. And meanwhile, he (and we!) get to enjoy yours!