Collage of writer in a variety of dresses (Kristen Thoennes)
If someone asked you to wear a dress every day for a month, would you? This question was posed to me about 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back since.
Dressember is a style challenge created by Blythe Hill in 2009 after she learned about the issue of human trafficking. She dedicated herself to wearing a dress everyday of December (hence Dressember) to raise awareness. More and more people have joined her every year which has led the challenge to blossom into an international movement to fight human trafficking. Since 2013, over 280,000 people have raised over $20 million, impacting tens of thousands of victims, survivors and at-risk communities.
Participants create a fundraising page through Dressember’s platform and pledge to wear a dress or tie every day in December. Typically, participants post their daily dress or tie picture on social media to share the cause with their friends and family. In 2024, Dressember partnered with International Justice Mission to exclusively benefit their initiatives to help survivors and bring justice to perpetrators.
Collage of writer in a variety of dresses (Kristen Thoennes)
So where do I come in? Back in 2015 a friend and fellow military spouse shared Blythe Hill’s TedTalk on Facebook. After watching, I was sold! The idea of one person coming together with others all around the globe to fight for justice is right up my alley. At the time we were stationed in northern California. Wearing a dress every day was not a hard ask since it doesn’t get THAT cold there.
Flash forward several years and we PCSed to Germany. Was I brave enough to participate in Dressember in cold winter weather? The answer was a resounding yes! The best parts about participating in Dressember while in Germany are the many fun opportunities for dress pictures at Christmas markets. But I have learned that fleece-lined leggings and wool tights or thermals are a MUST!
Collage of writer in a variety of dresses (Kristen Thoennes)
There are an estimated 50 million people held in slavery today.
Human trafficking generates about $150 billion a year.
Women and girls make up the majority of victims, accounting for 42 and 18 percent, respectively.
The crime of human trafficking does not require any movement whatsoever. Survivors can be recruited and trafficked in their own hometowns, even their own homes.
Collage of writer in a variety of dresses (Kristen Thoennes)
Will you join me this year for Dressember?
