Stories of Dressember || Sophia (and Sasha)

Stories of Dressember || Sophia (and Sasha)

Olivia Youngs
dressember, Guest Posts, Slow Living

This October, I left my dream job at a top 5 publisher working on the literature list, having been romanced by big New York money and glitzy European travel. It took me about 4 hours at my new job to realize I had made a mistake, about 3 days to realize there was no going back and about a week to know that God, should he exist, was simply pushing me in a very different direction. One that I was meant to pursue since childhood: becoming an author and philanthropist.

As I set out on this journey, applying to graduate programs, I thought about all the young girls and women who can't even dain to get a glimmer of their dream job because they're trapped in modern-day slavery. This post is for them.

Stories of Dressember || Rachel

Stories of Dressember || Rachel

Olivia Youngs
dressember, Slow Living

It’s December, which means that 2017 is finally almost over—and that it’s time to participate in Dressember again! Wearing a dress every day in December is an easy thing to do to bring awareness to gender inequality, and to A21 and IJM, the anti-trafficking NGOs fighting this inequality all over the world.

Some people think we are done with the fight for equality in this day and age. I wish they were right. I really do. But women continue to earn less than men; in fact,women make 81 cents for every dollar earned by men, and this number is even less for women of color. While occupations and industries are less segregated by gender than they used to be, women are still underrepresented in top-tier management roles and government, tech, and TV/film positions. There is still a glass ceiling for women. There is still work to be done before we are truly equal and free from gender bias to do what we want with our lives, to say what we want, walk where we want, write what we want.

Artisan & Fox || Celebrating Heirloom Craftsmanship

Artisan & Fox || Celebrating Heirloom Craftsmanship

Olivia Youngs
dressember, Slow Fashion

Although fashion has so much to do with individual expression and personality, it always amazes me how impersonal the fashion industry has become. Perhaps due to sheer size, but likely due to many other factors and cultural shifts as well, the fast fashion industry dehumanizes our clothing, allowing us to forget that there were actual hands that made the pieces hanging in our closets, not just unattended machines in a warehouse somewhere. 

Dehumanizing anything, as I'm continually reminded by participating in Dressember, is a dangerous action. Nonetheless, we do it, almost everyday. From the clothes we buy, to the foods we consume, to the way we ignore the person standing next to us in line, preferring our phone over immediate interaction, dehumanization has become so ingrained in our culture that we forget about it.

Sure, I love the self-expression involved in fashion. I love finding pieces that make me feel beautiful or, more often, practically fit into my everyday life. But when I ignore the countless other people involved in aiding in my self-expression, I can't feel beautiful, not truly. 

Stories of Dressember || Tami

Olivia Youngs
Guest Posts, dressember, Slow Living

I am participating in Dressember because my daughter asked me to.  I chose to participate because of a relationship. I have the choice to be informed.

I have the choice to listen, to read, to understand, to give, to think about what it means to be respectful and caring. I have the choice to wear or not wear a dress.

 I am privileged with the ability to make choices every day.

I told my daughter- “okay- I’ll be on your team, but I’m not going to wear a dress every day- that’s a bit much for me.” Dec. 1st came, and I put on my dress. As I dressed I began to think about women who do not have a choice about what to wear.

Ethical Holiday || Gift Guide For Kids

Ethical Holiday || Gift Guide For Kids

Olivia Youngs
Motherhood, Slow Fashion, Simple Home, Slow Living, lists

The last of my gift guides for the year has been the most fun to put together. It's possible that kids are even harder to shop for than men, especially if you're trying to do so ethically. Although I try to always keep our Christmas gifts (very) simple and affordable for my two girls, I went a bit over the top with this guide. I include gifts for a wide age range and an even wider range of budgets ;) 

Stories of Dressember || Gloria

Stories of Dressember || Gloria

Olivia Youngs
Slow Living, dressember

I dress-ember….

Because the coffee my mom boils in the pot every morning is likely tainted by slave labor from equatorial countries across the globe.

Because when I bought all my clothes for under $20 growing up, I also bought into the capitalist ideal of maximizing profit by minimizing cost, oblivious to the externalized cost of human blood, sweat, and tears.

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