If you’ve been following along with my social media this past month, you’ll see that I’ve spent the last 31 days wearing a dress to advocate against human trafficking as well as raising money to help organizations continue to work in the lives of those trapped in bondage. In short, I’ve spent the last month participating in Dressember. This was my second year participating in the style challenge, and it provided a different kind of challenge from last year. When I wore a dress every day last year I saw more people, but I wasn’t really drawing a lot of attention to the fact that I was wearing a dress; whereas this year while I didn’t come in contact with a lot of people I did a lot more “interesting” things in a dress (see riding a horse in a dress). It was a crazy month, but the fundraising isn’t over yet! So in the spirit of keeping the Dressember feeling alive, I’m listing 31 things that I learned during the month of Dressember!
- Dresses make it a lot easier to get ready in the morning
- There is no limit to the amount of fleece-lined leggings one can wear under a dress
- Winter boots go with everything if you commit enough
- Flowy dresses are the only way to go when riding horses
- Flowy dresses scare the horses, use with caution
- 1 in 3 people you talk to don’t know about human trafficking
- You can feel self-conscious about wearing dresses, but eventually, that feeling goes away
Winter jackets are the best accessory- They will, however, make you look like a potato…but that’s okay
- Finding fair trade and ethically made clothing is hard…but not impossible.
- When you advocate for a whole month, you become hyper-aware of mentions of human trafficking in the media
- Wearing dresses makes getting ready in the morning 100% easier
- Sweater dresses are the way to go…it’s like wearing a big blanket
- Talking about human trafficking for a whole month can get pretty depressing
- But seeing the fantastic work that is being done through advocacy and different organizations is the fuel you need to keep speaking out
- There are so many amazing people all around the world also advocating alongside you
- Learning about ethical fashion makes you think twice before you buy something
- Bake sales are a sure fire way to get people involved and interested
- Horsehair gets in everything…
Washing machines are a life saver- Living ethically is a mindset and one that you have to work at every day
- Every 30 seconds someone becomes enslaved
- Thrift shopping is the only way to go (as if I didn’t already know that!)
- Putting an end to human trafficking won’t be easy, but it will be worth it
- Everyone advocates differently, but we’re all working together for the same goal
- Human trafficking is everywhere
- Cats will try to play with your dress, and they will succeed
- Making a statement often means freezing your butt off, but it gets people’s attention, and that’s what it’s all about
- If you do something enough, it ingrains itself in your brain, heart, and life. It becomes part of who you are and how you act in your everyday life
- Habits are formed after 30 days, so at the end of the month I wanted to keep wearing a dress
- You can do anything in a dress
I grew a lot this past month, and as a whole Dressember has become not just a movement, style challenge, or organization dear to my heart, but a family. They have introduced me to countless organizations that are fighting human trafficking, I’ve interviewed individuals that are boldly speaking up against injustice, and I’ve come to love many brands that are taking a stand and becoming radically transparent. There will always be more to learn, more to discover, and more to advocate for. There will be times when it seems impossible like I’m just another voice shouting at the ocean, but that’s when I’m reminded that I am not standing alone. There are advocates, friends, and family, all over the world that are standing alongside me.
I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me, who has donated, who has encouraged me, who have sent me books and resources, who have fueled my passion for abolition. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I invite you to join me as I continue this advocacy journey, to learn and grow alongside me, and to join me in fighting for the freedom of every person. Together we can end modern-day slavery!
Xoxo,
Katherina
P.S. You can still donate to my Dressember campaign by clicking here!
Simply Katherina 