It cannot be said that I am the most fashionable person…anywhere. I am a creature of comfort and have pictorial evidence of many of my fashion fails. I am most often found- courtesy of 2020- in sweats. Like many people, this past year has brought about lockdown induced boredom and stress. Many adjustments have been made for the education of my children, even though I am a veteran home school mom. There have been less opportunities to go out and visit museums, explore, take trips, and experience life. Along with that there has been a political roller coaster that has carried us into 2021. Am I the only one who started January without the expectation of a new year and a new start? It may be cynical, but the year has progressed about as I expected so far. Ouch.
This led me to a point where I found myself fed up with everything outside my control. I wouldn’t say that it caused a crisis in my thinking, but rather a crossroads where I had a decision to make regarding my attitude towards the coming year. I often try to make goals for myself and even resolutions which ultimately I give up on. This is not that. As I lounged last week in my sweats savoring my third cup of coffee as I pondered what I could occupy myself with, I found an interesting post. The post was about a dress of all things, funny, as I don’t normally wear dresses. The article wasn’t particularly inspiring or even very long. It was enough though to occupy my mind for a few days after I read it. It was the culmination of being aggravated at social media posts, the current political climate and people, as well as this article and a desire to just take a step back from it all that led me here. 2021 can either be the same as last year or I can make decisions that improve it. So what is it I am going to do? Take a step back. From what, exactly? Everything I can’t control.
I made a decision to start a Bible study just for me, and so far it is good. It has helped me to refocus my priorities and decide on areas that perhaps need a little more focus. Instead of being roped in to drama and watching people attack one another through the anonymity of the keyboard, I am making a conscious effort to only log in once or twice a day, and then log out. Instead, I will read the pile of books that has been growing next to my bed. Instead of feeling pressured to keep everything that is crowding my closet, I am going to take the approach that less is more. I have a habit of buying clothes but still having nothing to wear. The reason is because most of what I own is comfortable and not necessarily practical. This is where the article I read comes in. It was about a dress that the dress company challenged people to wear for 100 days in a row. The concept is definitely one that made me stop. At first I thought, weird, why would anyone do that? Then I thought, I wore a uniform for seven and a half years, it was definitely easy to get up and get ready for work. This culminated in me talking to my husband and telling him about the challenge to wear the same dress for 100 days. Unsurprisingly, he said go for it. He has a habit of supporting my crazy ideas, even while thinking I am nuts.
So now I find myself with 100 days. 100 days to wear the same dress and document it. It gives me 100 days to clean out my closet and my wardrobe so I can focus on keeping what I need and what fits. I have some outfits or clothing items older than my 17-year-old…it might be time to say goodbye. This experiment will also provide me a way to remember that just because there are new Star Wars shirts or geeky apparel available to buy, I don’t have to buy it. I don’t think I will admit how many t-shirts I own. I will be able to create a useful wardrobe that does not consist of sweats, t-shirts, and lockdown couture. I plan to upload photos of the dress each week and how I styled it, what I was able to get rid of, and anything else I learn along the way. It should be an interesting experiment for a lifelong jeans and t-shirt girl. The next post will just talk about the dress, first impressions, and the information regarding the challenge.
Wish me luck!
Carmen
Lady of History 
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