Why more than 100 Charlotte women have worn little black dresses for 4 days straight
As of today, women all over town have worn the same little black dress for four days straight. And they have one more day to go. As of lunchtime yesterday, the 114 participants had raised more than $25,500 in donations for the Junior League of Charlotte’s (JLC) third annual Little Black Dress Initiative, which lasts from Feb. 26-March 2.
The dresses, paired with pins that read “Ask Me About My Dress,” are meant to act as conversation-starters about poverty in our community.
According to JLC, 134,000 Charlotteans are living in poverty, 50,000 of which are children. At the same time, 12 percent of North Carolinians are homeless, and 4,000 children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are reported homeless.
JLC wants to make poverty unfashionable.
About 100 women participated last year, raising $51,000 in five days to support JLC programs and services that help relieve the effects of poverty.
The LBD Initiative originated with the Junior League of London and is carried out in communities around the world.
This year, in Charlotte, donations are shown in tiers. For $25, a donor can support the books and activities for one reader in Promising Pages; for $50, a donor can provide two weeks of meals for a family of five through Second Harvest Food Bank; for $100, a donor can fund a girl’s participation in the EmpowHERment Leadership Academy; and so on.
It’s easier to talk about the impact the JLC women make this way, said Arina Kirk, Junior League President, who has participated in the initiative for three years.
As for the dresses, they’re meant be eye-opening — to make people think twice about the choices they make every day.
She pointed out that LBD Initiative participants had the luxury of picking out a dress they like stylistically. They have the luxury of choosing how to spice up their outfits — Kirk has changed things up day-to-day with tights, a jean jacket and varying pieces of jewelry to offset her simple dress.
But the LBD Initiative is meant to spark discussions about how many of our female neighbors only have one outfit to wear during the week — and what that’s like.
While Kirk works in technology from home, she’s gotten looks running errands. She said some brave people have come up to her and asked her about her dress and her pin.
And while five days in the same dress can get uncomfortable, by day five, she said, the fundraising numbers always jump.
“You see that really take off, too, and it becomes something bigger than yourself.”
Want to support the Little Black Dress Initiative?
Donate here. Or join the campaign here.
Photo: Taylor Stading Photography
This story was originally published February 28, 2018 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Why more than 100 Charlotte women have worn little black dresses for 4 days straight."