I wanted to contribute somehow as I have been following this project awhile and it really appeals to me, for both the cause and the joyful effect. Who doesn't love dress ups?
Below is a bit of the story from Sheena Matheiken (above) who has pledged to wear only one dress (designed by friend and designer Eliza Starbuck) for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion.
'I was raised and schooled in India where uniforms were a mandate in most public schools. Despite the imposed conformity, kids always found a way to bend the rules and flaunt a little personality. Boys rolled up their sleeves, wore over-sized swatches, and hiked up their pants to show off their high-tops. Girls obsessed over bangles, bindis and bad hairdos. Peaking through the sea of uniforms were the idiosyncrasies of teen style and individual flare. I now want to put the same rules to test again, only this time I'm trading in the catholic school fervor for an eBay addiction and relocating the school walls to this wonderful place called the internet.'
Most importantly the Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums. The total they have raised so far is $11154, which I think is brilliant. Contribute if you can!
