Day 31 – Dress Project 2023 has WRAPPED

“And just like that,” the 2023 Dress Project has officially wrapped!

I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the artists who have contributed to the blog this year. You are the highlight. You are the growth. You are what moves me.

“Celebrating Miss Colombia, A Hurricane of Love” An Interview with Dani Stompor

“Minimalism and Abundance” A Conversation with Cai Quirk

Mending Techniques from Kira Sweetman

NAMI Benefit Concert Featuring the Meadow Report (Grace Leckey + Jessie Bittner); Supported by Kirstyn Hippe

Reflecting on “…a metamorphosis” with Interdisciplinary Artist Katarina Forrest

This year’s themes of Sustainability and Faith, Minimalism and Abundance, Queer Fashion as Activism, and Creativity as Self Care provided a sturdy framework around which to wrap our ideas and reflections. We had meaningful conversations around the intersections of mental health, community, self expression, and anti-consumerism. Throughout the course of the project (and all its branches), we’ve raised $227 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

It’s a joy to continue The Dress Project. Thank you for getting in on the joy, and stay tuned.

–Grace

Day 30 – Reflecting on “…a metamorphosis” with Interdisciplinary Artist Katarina Forrest

Power Station picture number nine million…

The studio has really shaped this year’s Dress Project– lots more jeans and sneakers, lots more late nights, lots of open-hearted folks interested in what the DP is all about.

Speaking of open-hearted artists:

Introducing Friend of the Dress Project (and friend of mine) Katarina Forrest!

Katarina is a multidisciplinary artist who specializes in iconography, painting, embroidery, and performance art. Throughout the month of October, she’s designed and experimented with a variation on the Dress Project challenge. I’ve included work she’s shared on her instagram following her reflection below:

“For this challenge, I chose pants to wear again and again. As a textile artist, I embraced the minimalist journey, and I saw a metamorphosis happen. The pants, a fabric draped over our body, transformed seamlessly with becoming part of me.

In this experiment, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the ancient Slavic textile narratives. In an era before the frenetic pulse of fast fashion, clothing was not a commodity churned out by machines but a long and tedious labor of love, a story woven with intention. Each garment, spoke about one’s place in the community or society. Colors, ribbons, beads were symbolic. And so were the processes of creating such clothes. 

Women wove and sewed in groups, singing, connecting, and laboring together. 

In those times, to possess clothing was to be a creator, a weaver of one’s own identity as presented within a community. It was a process that demanded time, patience, and a deep connection to one’s own body, textiles, and also symbols. While reflecting on the theme of minimalism and abundance, I couldn’t help but reflect on the profound contrast between the ancient Slavic approach to clothing and our contemporary, frenzied relationship with fashion.

Amidst the seemingly monotonous repetition of wearing the same pair of pants, a subtle shift occurred. Boredom gave way to gratitude for abundance, and comfort found solace in the consistency of choice. Questions from curious colleagues in my workplace became an unexpected platform to engage in conversations about minimalism and its deeper implications.

Through conversations starting about the same pair of pants, I realized minimalism isn’t a void, but rather a vessel, or a canvas for larger themes of identity. It was a canvas for self awareness. With choosing to dress myself a certain way, I am the creator of culture, of various levels of respect to labor, and I  could be a canvas or advocate for important conversations on sustainability, surplus, abundance, and minimalism, So, if you are ever looking for a way to create, you can start with the choice you make on clothes:)”

https://www.masonexhibitions.org/katerina-forrest-art-design-senior-show

Embroidery

Iconography

Instagram: @forrest.creations

Day 29 – Grace

Think pink!

Day 28 – Grace

I visit MoMA a lot, “just to check on the Pollocks. I like to make sure they’re still there.” I’m giving myself bonus points for matching the color pallet to today’s fit.

I also like to check on the Rothkos. They’ keep me such’re good company.

“I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions– tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on.”

Day 27 pt II (Halloweekend) – GraceKellie

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Madeline and Gonzo.

Halloween presents a unique opportunity to express ourselves through fashion by connecting with a character, persona, style, or idea that’s directly, tangentially, or perhaps even the exact opposite of who we are and how we see ourselves. It’s a chance for silliness and freedom; it’s also tightly tied to consumerism and single-use, disposable costume pieces.

I put some pressure on myself to create a cute costume incorporating the dress, and I experienced some dread just imagining setting foot in Spirit Halloween or Party City. So I asked myself… What are the coolest pieces in my closet? What do I get to wear most rarely? What items are the most striking?

And then we pulled out the yellow jacket. And Kellie said, “…Madeline?”

Bless Kellie for going through my closet with me while I was having a small meltdown. Always loved this little French girl’s attitude. Love gonzo. Love the way we coordinated color palettes without even trying. Love an anti-fast-fashion Halloween costume of entirely second hand/inherited clothes and accessories already in my closet.

The yellow jacket is from Buffalo Exchange Astoria, the scarf and hat were my grandmother’s, and the shoes are from the Bloomington Goodwill. Not pictured: a pair of white gloves that also belonged to my grandmother.

Day 27 – Grace

Couches in the live room, we’re vibing out, we’re catching those Zzzs. It’s been a long month.

Day 26 – Grace

I always wash my sheets after I wake up from a night of bad dreams. Sheets can hold nightmares; clothes can hold dreams and stories and power. I’ve been a hand-me-down girl all my life (little sister, youngest cousin, short friend over here), and I’ve learned that fabric can hold all kinds of energy. I can’t tell you how special it is to walk around my neighborhood in Queens wearing this scarf that belonged to my grandmother who used to live here in Queens, too. She passed away this year, but she talks to me in my dreams once in a while, and she’s guiding me all the time.

Jenna, a friend of mine and a Friend of the DP, recently sent me the link to the website of the last factory in Palestine making the traditional Kufiya” (aka “Shemagh” / “Keffiyeh”). These scarves were worn by those who rebelled against British occupation in the 1930s and by those seeking freedom and justice amidst the Israeli occupation. They’ve become widely known as a symbol of the quest for Palestinian freedom, and I have no doubt that these scarves, these works of art, hold the immense power of many generations’ prayers for peace.

Their website includes this quote from the founder Yasser Hirbawi:

“What can we do? It’s our work and our life, and, if God wills it, we will never stop producing original kufiyas made in Palestine.”

I was reminded of a blessing from Saint Clare that I read while in residence at The Fireplace earlier this month:

What you hold may you always hold.
What you do, may you always do and never abandon.
But with swift pace, light step and unswerving feet,
so that even your steps stir up no dust,
Go forward, the spirit of our God has called you.

Make your art. Pray for an end to the war machine. Call your congress reps.

https://act.uscpr.org/a/callforgaza

day 25 ~ Kiernan

Today I was frustrated with my dress. I wanted to just embrace my sneakers, sweats, and puffer vest – I even had my dog treat Fanny pack on in the morning and BOY did I feel cool. But I felt the pull of the dress project and just bundled it up in my sweatshirt. As I’m nearing November, I’m excited to dig into more of my warm weather outfits that don’t need to include the dress. Honestly though, I thought that feeling would come closer to day 10, so I’m pretty pleased with how the challenge has gone!

day 24 ~ Kiernan

The number of photos where Nutmeg is looking at me like this makes me so happy 🥰

I had another work from home day before going to conduct my handbell choir (shout out to the Northfield Handbell Choir!!) which always brings me so much fulfillment. It’s hard for me to stay forward moving when things are so dreary out and even when it doesn’t change how I feel later, I cherish the activities, moments, and people like my handbell choir to keep me going.

Day 25 – NAMI Benefit Concert!

We hosted a NAMI benefit concert in out living room! HEART IS FULL TO THE BRIM!

This last week’s theme is “creativity as self care,” and I think tonight’s celebration of community and instruments and voices gave us all a little bit of healing. BIG GRATITUDE to my roommate Veronica for her endless support, to our neighbor Kirstyn Hippe for her STUNNING PERFORMANCE, and to my fiddle player Jessie for the way she shares her gifts and her soul.

I’ll be transferring donations to our NAMI fundraiser page in the coming days and thanking all who participated/attended on our Friends of the Dress Project page

Here’s a link to The Meadow Report performing our original song, “Rise.”

Full videos from tonight’s concert can be found on our instagram @dressproject31

NAMI Benefit Concert Part I

NAMI Benefit Concert Part II