Dressember Days 8 + 9: Your Questions Answered

Today is Human Rights Day! Participate in fighting for human rights by supporting Dressember and subsequently International Justice Mission. IJM is a human rights organization working to rescue and restore victims of slavery and violent oppression through legal reform, investigations, and beyond.

I've been getting a lot of questions about Dressember, which is great! I love that it's generating open discussions about human trafficking, the cause, and what I'm doing. For this post, I want to explore and answer some of the questions I'm frequently asked.

>> What's Dressember?

To quote the Dressember Foundation's website, which says it best,

Dressember is a collaborative movement leveraging fashion and creativity to restore dignity to all women. Dressember uses fashion to advocate for women who've been exploited for their femininity. As women take on the creative challenge of wearing a dress for the 31 days of December, they are advocating for the inherent dignity of all women. Dressember exists to inspire and empower a global community of like-minded women who are locking arms to face one of the greatest injustices of our time. The heart of Dressember is freedom--that every woman has the right to live a vibrant and autonomous life.

>> Why are you participating in Dressember?

I'm participating in Dressember for several reasons. First, I firmly believe in fighting against human trafficking, slavery, sexual violence, and similar crimes. I want to help fight for girls who don't have anyone to fight for them. (More on that here.) I can do this through raising funds and awareness of the problem.

Second, I've been a supporter of IJM for a number of years now, so it was only natural for me to want to support them through Dressember. I want to be a partner in the work they are doing, and encourage my friends, family, and readers to do the same.

Third, I love a good challenge like this one! Raising money while participating in a month-long style challenge makes the process that much more fun. It also is something special, something unique, that I can be a part of!

>> Do you have 31 different dresses?

Nope. Well I might (I'm a dress lover; I didn't count how many are in my closet), but not 31 dresses I can wear in Midwestern December! I'm cycling through about 10 dresses, most are ones I've had for years. I'm hoping to show how to style the same dresses different ways and pass along some creativity to my readers.

Also, the point of Dressember isn't to have 31 dresses. Some participants are wearing the SAME dress every day, just styling it in different ways. Others are sharing dresses with friends or, like me, cycling through a select few. Dressember is bigger than a dress (or dresses).

>> Did you have to buy new dresses for Dressember?

No, I didn't have to buy more because, as mentioned before, I'm a dress lover. But, because of that fact, I did want to work a few new styles into the rotation, especially ones that would be seasonally appropriate. So I bought three inexpensive dresses before the start of Dressember. (From Forever 21, Ragstock, and the Black Friday sale at Kohl's.)

>> Are you tired of wearing dresses every day? / Isn't it hard to wear a dress every day?

No, and no. :) I'm actually having a lot of fun wearing dresses each day. It challenges me to pay more attention to the details of my wardrobe. Every day I have to ask myself, what can I combine with this dress to stay warm and feel cute at the same time? I can't just throw on jeans and a sweater. (Although you can wear jeans, under a dress!)

Because of that, I've actually been warmer this winter than in past winters. I'm layering up with undershirts, sweaters, scarves, leggings, tights, socks, and sometimes combining multiples of each! Also, leggings are super comfortable and so are lots of my dresses, so most days I'm cozy, comfortable and warm!

>> How do I donate to Dressember? / Are donation amounts pre-selected or can I choose what I donate?

To give to my Dressember campaign, simply click this link, it'll take you right to the donate page. Once there, you can select a pre-set amount or click "other" and input any amount you'd like. Thank you for considering giving to Dressember and IJM!

Got a question about Dressember? Leave it in the comments, or check out the Dressember FAQ page!

Dressember Day 8

For day 8, I restyled my Lauren Conrad sweater dress from day two! I combined it with charcoal tights, a cream scarf, and a braided belt.

Dressember Day 9

On day 9 I restyled another dress, my black Loft dress from day three. This time I wore it with a burgundy boyfriend cardigan from Loft, leopard print Forever 21 tights (for the Coast to Coast meets Dressember challenge), booties, and a Giving Key from Sevenly.

Here's my board of shopable looks that are the same or similar to the items I wore.

My Top 12 Beauty Picks + Secrets

Today I'm sharing 12 of my top beauty picks from this year and all time. I'm including the items that have gotten me the most complements and have made me feel my best. I'm also answering the questions I am most frequently asked about my beauty routine and my hair. :)

My Top 12 Beauty Picks + Secrets

1. L'Oreal Feria Wild Ombre Hair Color - People most often comment on my hair and this is how I create my ombre look (yes, my hair is DIY). I started using this kit over a year ago and I love how my hair looks with it.

My recommendation is to follow the directions until it comes to actually applying the dye to your hair. In the included instructions, you put the color on from mid-strand moving downward. If you want a subtle fade, you want to apply from the tip upward.

I recommend applying in two- to four-inch segments (depending on how long your hair is and where you want your ombre to fade out), every five to seven minutes moving from the ends upward. Follow the included instructions for how to part your hair for dying and how long to leave the dye on your hair (start timing from your first segment application). If you want to get a little more creative, you can add in a highlighting-effect by covering longer sections of hair for more time as you dye.

If you have more questions about this, contact me!

2. L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Color Vibrancy Dual Protect Spray - I follow up every ombre dye-session with a generous helping of this nourishing oil, which I also apply daily. It protects against heat damage and color fade. Plus it makes your hair feel hydrated and less static-prone in the winter.

3. Too Faced Primed and Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer - This primer is amazing. It has a slight tint, so you can wear it alone or under foundation. It goes on smooth and makes your face feel soft while holding your makeup in place throughout the day.

4. Revlon PhotoReady Makeup - I originally tested this foundation for my wedding makeup since I was using tinted moisturizer and BB creams for daily wear. I fell in love with it right away and have been using it regularly since. People often comment on how my skin looks (it's been called "peaches and cream" before), and I owe it all to this foundation. (I use 004 Nude.)

5. Mary Kay Concealer - For those times when a bigger, more visible blemish needs to be covered, I recommend Mary Kay's concealer. (I use Beige 1.)

6. Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer - I love Too Faced's chocolate bronzers. They go on smooth and smell amazing too. Bronzer is quickly becoming another daily makeup item I use for contouring and I also use a little on my eyelids.

7. Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner - Another thing people sometimes comment on is my eyeliner. I've tried lots of different kinds over the years but most recently I've stuck with Maybelline's Unstoppable Eyeliner. It glides on smoothly and you don't have to sharpen it, just twist for more. My trick for a smooth line is to use a conical sponge tip to smooth and straighten after I apply the liner.

8. Dove White Beauty Bar - I've dealt with skin conditions like eczema for most of my life and the only thing that's consistently kept my skin clear is Dove's bar soap. I used to use Dove body wash, but even that didn't give me the consistency of bar soap. So I'm sticking with it and recommending it to you!

9. Mary Kay Botanical Effects Mask - This mask can also be used as an exfoliating scrub. It always leaves my skin looking better than any other face cleanser I've used. Plus I love and recommend regular exfoliation. 

10. Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray - For the days I don't wash my hair, I use Suave's dry shampoo. It's good at eliminating oily spots and it smell like grapefruit.

11. Victoria's Secret Amber Romance Fragrance - Any time someone tells me I smell good, I'm always wearing Amber Romance. My tip is to spray body mist onto your hair, which holds the fragrance better than skin and it'll be the first thing someone smells if they give you a hug.

12. Crest 3D White Vivid Whitestrips - Finally, I recommend Crest Whitestrips for a whiter, more confident smile. I started using Crest whitening products in college when I noticed yellowing on my teeth. Since then, I periodically use the strips to maintain whiteness, but mostly just use whitening toothpaste. Crest Whitestrips really do work and are less expensive than whitening treatments you can get at the dentist, so I always recommend them to anyone who asks.

Dressember Days 5 + 6 + 7

The first week of Dressember is coming to a close and almost $150,000 has been raised by participants for International Justice Mission. If you're just now hearing about Dressember, here's a little more info from an earlier post.

My personal goal is to raise $1,000 for victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and violent oppression. Currently I'm 36 percent of the way to my goal, so I'm still hoping for your support! It's quick and easy to give any amount of your choice and your gift is tax-deductible within the United States.

If you would like to support me in Dressember, click to visit my page for more info or donate now. If you still have questions, please contact me! I would love to talk with you about this cause! There are also answers to common questions on the donation page.

Along with raising money for IJM, I'm also showing different ways to style dresses throughout the month. December seems like an odd month to only wear dresses, especially in the Midwest where it's cold, but it is possible and it's for a great cause!

I've found that it's not only possible, but also easy to stay toasty warm in a dress! It's all about layering and choosing the right pieces to wear under your dress. It's also easy to restyle dresses to create different looks and I'll be sharing that too as the month goes on.

Dressember Day Five

For day five I styled an older Forever 21 leopard print dress that I've had for a while. I layered it with a dressy, black long-sleeved tee from Loft and double-layered tights under athletic leggings from Target. I prefer to wear athletic leggings as they're usually thicker, more durable, and the slick fabric doesn't cling like cotton. I topped the look off with a fun statement ring and my Dogeared infinity necklace.

Dressember Day Six

Day six was a pretty down day at home but we did have a Christmas party in the evening. So I styled my look for the party. I layered a cream lace Target dress (it's actually the dress I wore to my bridal luncheon and on my honeymoon) under a black skirt. So yes, I was wearing a dress. ;) I paired the look with berry-colored tights, black suede flats from Target and a Forever 21 statement ring.

Dressember Day Seven

Today for church I re-worked a summery floral Loft dress with a gray cardigan, fleece-lined leggings from Ragstock, and a chunky-knit Forever 21 scarf. I finished the look with a pair of light brown riding boots from Target.

Here are the shopable looks from these three days with the items I wore or similar substitutes.

Dressember Day 4: Togetherness

Today I woke up with a sore throat and wasn't really feeling very excited about styling a dress. I mostly just wanted to throw on my sweater dress from day two and call it done. But I felt like I was going against some unwritten code of repeating the same dress in the same week. So I figured out something else and consoled myself with a giant cardigan.

I was happy to find a comment on my last post from another blogger, Christine at BeYOUtiful Hope, who is also participating in Dressember. She is one of a few women I've gotten to connect with via social media thanks to Dressember. I'm not on a team and don't personally know anyone else who is participating, so it's been great to build a camaraderie with other participants. We're all basically strangers, but it doesn't feel like it.

This made me think of a quote from Dressember's Instagram feed regarding sharing dresses with friends or sisters. It said, 

"Dressember is both an opportunity to advocate for the inherent dignity of others AND a chance to step into a creative + collaborative attitude that flies in the face of one of competition + comparison. We believe we are better when we join forces, when we get creative with what we have, and use it for good."

When I first read that quote, I wished I could collaborate with someone I knew, share dresses, and travel this journey together. And while I can't trade dresses with these ladies, I'm so thankful for collaboration and connection, wherever we find it. We are doing this journey together, using our voices and resources to bring rescue to other women who so badly need it.

If you're another Dressember participant (blogger or otherwise), I would love, love, LOVE to connect with you! Leave me a comment or connect with me via one of my social accounts or shoot me an email. All my contact info is here. Let's do Dressember together, and finish strong.

Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
- Ecclesiastes 4:12

Dressember Day Four

Today was definitely not my best day, but I also feel that not sharing a photo is somehow wrong. For day four I resurrected an old dress from Target and mixed it with a newer piece, an open geometric print cardigan from the Loft Outlet. I paired it with grey sweater tights from Forever 21, a couple bar-charm necklaces (one from Loft, the other from Lia Sophia), a belt and boots.

Unfortunately all the items on today's board are substitutes because most of these pieces are older, save for the cardigan and I couldn't find it listed online. So here are some similar items that will create this look.