You Know You Are A Dressember Advocate When...
Being an advocate for Dressember is a dream — you get to talk about what you’re passionate about, party with friends on a team, and you also get to dress up like prince or princess every day. There are certain things advocates alike can understand. We compiled a list of those reasons to, hopefully, give you a laugh and help you reflect on the Dressember advocate experience.
You have become a human encyclopedia on all things statistics and trafficking
You've signed up for Dressember, and now you spend the spare moments in your day educating yourself on the many facts, articles and TED Talks about the topic of human trafficking. As you begin to educate yourself, you realize you start spouting out information like a true human encyclopedia.
Getting the word out becomes something you strive for
With all of this newfound knowledge, all you want to do is share it all. At this point, you might start to doubt yourself. Am I posting too much? Are my facebook friends going to disown me for this? The answer is, probably not. You start to find that people will bring up your facebook posts at school or work, and your pulse races as you share with them the staggering statistics of human trafficking.
Accessories overtake your wardrobe
The hunt for accessories becomes REAL. You've started tearing through your closet to find that cardigan from 2013 that you thought you'd never wear again. Scarves, jewelry, and shoes take on a whole new meaning when you realize how it makes that dress you've worn the whole week look less dirty than it actually is.
You’re tempted to wear your jeans — even just for a minute
You have your jeans sitting in a pile on “the chair,” and they are just staring at you — screaming, “WEAR ME.” You know your jeans fit just right, and sliding them on just to wear around the house is a tempting thought, but you resist because you know #itsbiggerthanadress.
You think asking people for money is a stressor, but find that it is worth it
No one likes asking for money. You start the campaign feeling a bit of anxiety about asking for money. But then you get that anonymous donation that you didn't expect, and all of a sudden, you realize that asking for money for the right cause is actually fun. You high five yourself for facing your fears, and become a bit bolder in the process.
You end up cleaning out your entire closet
You find yourself at the end of the campaign with one too many outfits from the stockpiling that occurred pre-campaign. “The Chair” starts getting overloaded with dresses or suit jackets bought for specific functions, only to never be worn again. You become well acquainted with Poshmark and realize you don't need all those clothes you thought were so necessary.
There are so many other ways to relate to being an advocate— and they can be both good and bad. Advocating looks different for everybody. It can be hard, but more often than not, it is inspiring. Being an advocate creates memories that will last a lifetime, and meeting others who care about the same things, as well as knowing you are making a difference can be the most rewarding feeling in the world. If you can relate to these, you definitely know you are a Dressember advocate.
XO
About the Author
Miranda Lintzenich is an analog girl stuck in a digital world. A little quirkier than most, Miranda enjoys 70s music, odd clothing styles, working at her school newspaper and serving pizza on the side.