Wow! As of today, I am halfway through my 100 Day Dress Challenge! For 50 days in a row, for at least 8 hours a day, I have worn one dress.
Though I will definitely write a blog post when I finish the 100 days, I thought it would be fun to do a brief summary of what it’s been like so far.
WAY Less Laundry
You would think that wearing the same thing every day would mean more laundry, but a merino wool dress actually means less washing. As I explained in the 100 Day Challenge FAQs post, merino wool doesn’t hold on to odors and is naturally temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking. In 50 days, I’ve only washed the dress three times! Less laundry has meant more time for other activities.
Embracing Simplicity
I was a bit worried that I’d get bored, but so far that has not been the case. Not having to decide what to wear every day has been incredibly freeing. Most days, I just wear the dress with a pair of leggings (it’s cold in Philadelphia right now!) and it’s simple and glorious. Having a no muss, no fuss wardrobe is calming and helps me start my day with less decisions.
No One Has Noticed
Many would assume that wearing the same dress every day would be noticed by others, but I’m 50 days in and no one (except the folks who know I’m doing this challenge) has noticed. Apparently, I could have been wearing the same outfit every day my whole adult life, and it would have been fine!
Wearing a Dress Doesn’t Mean Being Uncomfortable
Though I wear dresses semi-regularly, I was worried that wearing a dress rather than pants every day would cramp my style. So far, that has not been the case at all. Wearing leggings/tights underneath means that I can do everything in the dress that I normally would. And even if I wanted to change into workout clothes for a bit and then put the dress on afterwards for the rest of the eight hours, I could– though I haven’t had to do that yet.
An Exercise in Humility
In the Bible, humility is included in a clothing metaphor multiple times:
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12
As I’ve been doing this minimalism experiment, I’ve also been using clothing simplicity as a way to pursue humility. Rather than trying to accomplish something (self-worth, admiration from others, etc.) with my clothes, I’m instead trying to be more humble. This Challenge has become a window into the connection between simplicity and humility for me. I can’t wait to see what the other half of this challenge will be like!
And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5b
How is God inviting you to pursue humility through simplicity?
5 Comments
Karen
February 22, 2021 - 10:39 amI am sooo tempted to join the 100 Day Dress Challenge. My hesitation is two-fold: 1) am I joining because it is the latest trend or I really want a simpler lifestyle? Why not just wear out the clothes I have now and not consume more? Would that not be embracing the spirit of the dress challenge? Would that not lead me to humility and finding more about my position in Christ? I have to be careful/ vigilant about my vain perception of how people view me. 2) the cost will be over $175 Cad once I factor in shipping, excise tax and exchange. That’s a lot for a dress when I already have dresses, albeit they are not merino wool thus they require more maintenance. Good luck on the challenge and I am interested in your continued insights.
Becca Ehrlich
February 22, 2021 - 10:50 amHi Karen– Thanks for sharing this! You could totally do a shorter challenge with the clothes you already own. That’s the best part of minimalism experiments– you can tailor them to what will be most helpful for you. 🙂
rowan
April 27, 2021 - 11:08 amHI Karen,
You try a version of it called a capsule wardrobe, just pull out what you need for a week plus one day, and box up the rest. (this is assuming you can easily do washing once a week).
Jim Wilson
May 20, 2022 - 11:25 pmThink this would be good to try doing three pairs of pants
Jim Wilson
May 20, 2022 - 11:31 pmThis would be good to try one pair of pants for a week, and see how it goes , have six pairs of pants that I wear