First, a disclaimer: I am painfully unfashionable. Anyone taking couture cues from me is going to find themselves drowning in an endless sea of blue jeans. But Sheena Matheiken…well, you and I both could learn a thing or two from her.
Sheena’s the brain (and beauty) behind The Uniform Project, a year-long one-woman exercise in sustainable fashion and fundraising. She’s wearing the same simple black dress designed by Eliza Starbuck for 365 days, but with a new fashionable twist each day using different layering pieces and accessories. Most of those pieces are recycled or handmade, and all of them have added up to very cute and creative new looks everyday, which she has been photo-journaling on her website.
Browsing through the daily photos of Sheena’s new interpretations of the basic black dress, I felt immediately inspired. For gals who like to travel light and make the most of a limited wardrobe, this site is a great jumping-off point for planning to make the most out of a few garments on the road. And what a great way to incorporate all the scarves, hats and bangles we love to pick up along the way!
The Uniform Project is both a lesson in sustainability and a act of charity – Sheena’s taking donations for the Akanksha Foundation, a non-profit working to bring quality education to children living in the slums of India. Her project is supporting two new schools opening in Mumbai and Pune. According to her site, she’s raised funds to help put 155 kids in school as of today.
Be sure to check in on The Uniform Project’s home page for daily updates between now and May 1st, the last day of the project.