The Dress Project Five Days In
Day 5 of The Dress Project. Leggings, red boots and tweed jacket not pictured.
So I’ve been wearing the same green dress for the last five days to participate in The October Dress Project, a project that started from the inspiration from The Little Brown Dress and The Uniform Project. It’s a month of ‘fasting from our clothes’ in efforts to re-prioritize and think creatively with the things (in this case, clothes) we’ve been given.
A few disclaimers: 1) I’m not nearly as fashion-forward as most of the women are who are wearing their dresses for one year and because their dresses and accessories are so versatile, they never look like they’re wearing the same thing day after day, and 2) I’m not one of those super-hip, super eco-friendly, re-purpose everything sort of gals. I’m a mom of 2 and a grad student on the side, but I figured that even though I don’t buy many clothes for myself (still trying to get that pregnancy weight off!), that there’s something to be gained by wearing the same dress every day.
What, you ask, is the point of wearing the same thing every day? For starters, it’s a practice in reorientation. Though given the stage of life I’m in — mother of two little ones — I don’t normally spend much time on my appearance, wearing the same green dress every day enables me still care about my appearance — after all, I try to make the same thing look different each day — and to learn to care about my appearance through the lens of stewardship. I admit “retail therapy” has appeal; even buying small, inexpensive things like red nail polish can instantly make me feel better about myself. Not only am I being prideful that I’m being frugal by only buying nail polish but I’m also finding my satisfaction in things at some level, so you can see, I’m a mess. But, wearing the same dress every day helps reorient that default position of my heart — finding satisfaction by outward things, whether clothes, or nail polish or what other people think of me — and in turn, leaves room for much more. It reminds me that I don’t need much, that I don’t need a closet full of clothes and that a green dress can serve as my ‘daily bread’. It inspires me to be creative with what I have rather than longingly flipping through magazines wishing I had ‘that’ thing.
My green dress isn’t going to change the world, and it probably won’t change my immediate community — after all, most of my friends think it’s pretty cool, if they even notice I’ve worn the same thing the last several days in a row. And it likely isn’t going to change my life that I begin to really enact the art of the commonplace in my daily life — again, my life is besot with little sticky hands and dishes! and laundry! — but I do hope that my practice of wearing this green dress will cause me to pause and consider that when I’m quick to complain to instead think not only of the copiousness of what I’ve been given, but also of what I can offer and with small means and imagination, how something ordinary can become beautiful and new.
Stay tuned for more thoughts on my version of The October Dress Project and check out the Facebook group.
(Published simultaneously on the Mothering by Grace blog).
October 5th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Think this is SO awesome. I don’t think it is a matter of changing the world..but changing our hearts in relation to the world. I am constantly shocked how quickly I get caught up in the “want want” mode. If you were to ask me I already feel like I have more then I could have ever dreamed, but wanting is also so easy. You may not be changing the world, but you are changing MY world. Causing me to stop and think. I LOVE that you are doing this! You go girl. You rock my world.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I love that you are doing this and I think it will impact you in ways you might expect.
I could consider doing this myself except my shape doesn’t do as well with dresses (unless the fact I spend a huge no. of hours in a 10 year old t-shirt nighty which is dress like?) I wear the same jean skirt and as tops are allowed with your dresses this seems kinda my way of doing it, but I’d like to take it further somehow but I don’t know how given I wear so little to start with.
The first thought I got was to stake a bold reality claim that this is how I live, same old jean skirt (one forback up but ocd girl doesn’t like change so it’s pristine) So the next thought I had was, once again embracing the “if you have to coats give one” at your inspiration, I threw myself into my closet and rabidly pulled with honest abandon, what I know I will never get the nerve to wear, or what is not “me” even if it fits and so on, saving one dislike dress set just in case I have to attend a funearl. I managed to get one big kitchen trash bag ready for donation and a box of clothes ready to send a friend who is short on money and slightly smaller than I so they’ll fit my “last size” things…I’m also trying to think for someone like me, a “one dress” might be morphed into “one book”…not exactly one book a month, but only ready from my collection I already own. Baby steps.
For those of us who have bodies that change (read women? mama? perimenopasal diva’s?) I find it works best for me, to have my staple skirts or in your case it might be the cute layering dress you are exibiting, and then combo items. I find it easier to work out a “style” with newer fun trendy things bought cheapy and in small numbers, from say Target, or Old Navy…a good coat and shoes go far. Since I am very hard on my clothes (I stain, I’m a food dropping fool and you can guess where it lands) so they only “live” for a year or so, but then I don’t have to hold on to them forever like those “classics” that are pricey. Also my hint to you if you don’t do it already, esp in your green dress venture…get YOSELF or in your case, whip up yourself (bet you have one already) a good high coverage apron. Mama-ing and being a wifey are callings that just LOVE an apron. You save your clothes like you won’t believe. Notice how our formama’s wore them? Preferably whole front cover one’s. Wise women protect their clothes. And food dropping Susan finds I can just eat dinner with it too. It is NOT a bib, is it?
Love what you are doing. Keep on!
October 6th, 2009 at 12:12 am
I think you look super cute!
October 6th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Thank you! I really appreciate how you articulated your purpose since it mirrors my motivation in being involved with the October Dress Project. And so far. . . so far. . . I’m really thankful that I’ve been able to do this.
October 7th, 2009 at 10:36 am
This is great Ashley… thanks for sharing…
October 10th, 2009 at 4:27 am
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