The students were not the only ones noticing her. Soon enough, she started hearing whispers on the school hallway and even in her class. Everywhere she would go, people would stare. She once heard one of the girls say under her breath: “Is she still wearing that?” Any day now, she would finally be asked about her clothes and she would have to give them an answer. When they found the truth about her dress, everyone was taken aback! What she didn’t expect was to see people all over the world ask the same question.
Finding a New Outfit
Julia Mooney was 34-years-old when she accepted to teach art at the new school in Moorestown, New Jersey. She was thinking about getting a dress and impress the ones around her. But this exact dress made her famous all over the world! Why did this dress cause so much controversy?
A New Dress
Her Jazmenia dress was pebble grey and it laid in its box, waiting to be worn. The new job made Julia so excited, and she knew that being the new teacher meant that all students and colleagues would have their eyes on her. But the dress she ordered would stir so much gossip…
Browsing For New Clothes
When Julia saw the dress online, she knew she was going to wear it at school. It looked perfect and it would be easy to accessorize with anything. The art teacher had no idea that she would have to explain her choices and if she wouldn’t do it, she even risked getting fired!
The Art Teacher
Julia Mooney is not just an art teacher. She is also a mom of two, so this means she has her hands full. She teaches at William Allen Middle School in Moorestown and has some rather unconventional lifestyle choices. Would this cause her problems at school?
Strange Reactions
The art teacher thought that her idea would cause some strange reactions when she would go to school. "I don’t really usually think of myself as somebody who really cares that much [about] what people think,” she said, but admitted that she felt self-conscious about her outfit… Things were going to change not just for Julia, but also for many people around her!
A Perfect Dress
For $50, Julia’s new dress fit perfectly. It wasn’t the most beautiful dress in the world, but it fit her needs and her plans for the future. She got dressed and took her two toddlers to school. Then, she went to school to meet her 6th and 7th-grade students. It all went great, until the temperature started to rise…
So Hot!
Julia tried to keep herself cool as the temperatures kept rising. She positioned herself under the air conditioner, trying not to sweat but it was already too late. Flushed, she fanned herself with a book as she braved the hot day. It was over 90-degrees already and she still had a few more hours to spend at school!
The Day Was Endless
Hours passed and Julia introduced herself to all her new students. With the hot weather claiming the classroom, her day seemed endless. The 13-year-old students were all excited to meet her and the weather made everything unbearable even though Julia tried her best to make a good impression. Was she blowing it?
Finally, It Was Over
Although teaching is her second nature, this time Julia was relieved to be in her car. Driving to her house with the AC blowing cool air was her reward after that hot and exhausting day. Her grey dress was stuck to her skin and it felt like a wet cheesecloth… But this was only the beginning!
Ready for Another Day
Hoping that the next day would be more bearable in terms of temperature, Julia got home and changed into other clothes. She headed towards the bathroom and started scrubbing the dress. It would dry overnight, she thought as she hung it on a line. The second day at school would be interesting…
The First Week at School
As Mrs. Mooney stepped inside the classroom the second morning, the students didn’t immediately notice it. However, the pupils would soon realize that the art teacher was different from the other teachers they had. Julia knew that people would soon realize her dress was the same. So what happened next?
They Began Noticing The Dress
The first few days were filled with excited students coming back at school and eager to get in touch with their friends. Most of them didn’t have time to notice it, but some were more receptive. Julia’s colleagues also noticed it, but nobody asked her about her dress…
Was There Something Wrong?
As the second week started, the teens began noticing that Mrs. Mooney was wearing that grey dress day after day. Girls were more receptive, and began asking each other if there was something wrong with their new teacher. Even Julia’s colleague asked themselves whether the new teacher couldn’t afford to buy something else.
Wearing the Same Dress Again and Again!
Days passed and Julia kept wearing the same dress she wore on her first day at school. But what her students and colleagues didn’t know was that she also wore the school while she was doing her chores or on the weekends, while out in the city!
Finding the Right Answer
Julia knew she would one day have to answer to people’s nagging question about her dress. She had her answers ready and was only waiting for someone to build up the courage and ask her. But was her choice going to hurt her career?
The Talk of the School
A few more weeks passed and now Julia was the talk of the school. Her gray dress was now a hot topic even among the teachers. They were concerned, thinking that maybe Mrs. Mooney was struggling financially. Some of the teens at school that didn’t yet know her were a bit mean…
Ignoring the Reactions
Julia was soldiering on, continuing to teach and ignore the reactions she got when she passed by some of the teens whispering about her. Her colleagues treated her differently, avoiding to ask her the obvious question. Everyone was curious and Julia was waiting for someone to directly ask her about her never-changing outfit.
A Strange Teacher
The news about the teacher wearing the same clothes every day reached the parents. Some even contacted the principal to ask whether the teacher’s behavior wouldn’t badly influence the children. Nobody knew the story behind Mrs. Mooney’s choices.
Following the Rules
Although the Julia was following the school rules and not wearing inappropriate clothes, was her decision to wear the same dress every day going to get her fired? The principal learned about it and wondered how to solve this issue.
Not Poor
The first thought coming to mind would be that the teacher had no money to buy other clothes for school. However, she did come wearing different shoes, and accessorized the dress with all kinds of jewelry, scarves, sweaters, aprons and so on. Some people believed that the teacher wouldn’t wear for too long the same dress. They were wrong!
They Were So Curious!
It was driving some people crazy! The teacher’s never-changing outfit was a mystery for some, and a disgusting thing for others. Meanwhile, most agreed that wearing the same dress every day was boring. But the mystery is soon solved, and then everyone changed their minds about Mrs. Mooney…
Wearing the Same Dress
“I’m walking down the halls and they’re like, ‘Is she still wearing that dress?'” Julia said. But she smiled because she had a plan and getting everyone’s attention was part of that plan. Here’s what she said about her dress…
Planning Her Outfit
Julia explained that she need to choose a dress that would be acceptable for a 90 degrees weather, but also versatile since she was planning to wear it through the winter! That’s right, this wasn’t something that would go away in a few weeks! And as her students and colleagues found the courage to ask, Julia told them her reason for wearing the same dress every single day!
The Same Dress for 100 Days
“For at least 100 days I'll be wearing this dress, through ceramics projects, blizzards, whatever,” wrote Julia in her Instagram page, sharing the photo that her students hadn’t seen until they finally asked her. Julia added that it’s a boring choice and that she loves “to express myself through what I wear” just like everyone else. So why did she do it?
Four Reasons
“This is a challenge,” explained Mrs. Mooney. And she had four reasons to complete the challenge of wearing the same dress for 100 days. The first reason was that it saves a lot of time not worrying about your outfit for the next day.
What to Wear?
Saving time helped Julia spend those spare hours with her loved ones. She also believes that choosing clothes should be part of promoting fair labor practices and good quality. This is why the art teacher is an advocate of ‘slow fashion,’ clothes that will last longer but are a bit more expensive.
Buying the Right Clothes
Julia believes that buying cheap goods on the market supports the factories that employ underage workers in countries that do not protect the young ones. And last but not least, Julia wants to reduce her carbon footprint.
Fighting the Fashion Industry
Julia decided to buy clothes that are not made through manufacturing processes that emit carbon dioxide. Going for clothes made from cotton or hemp was a Julia’s idea, which is why she bought her dress from a London shop. The art teacher also had a few more thoughts on her “One Outfit, 100 Days” project…
People Asked Her One Question
The first question people asked Julia after finding about her project was how often she washed the dress. “I just tell them: this is not a project about hygiene. I wash it as needed. I come to work clean. Lots of people wear uniforms and they are not assumed to be dirty."
We Don’t Need Many Outfits
Julia asked people on social media: “Do we really need so many new outfits? Are we just perpetuating a culture that defines us based on what we're wearing rather than what we're doing? What if we spent our energy trying to BE good, interesting humans instead of trying to LOOK good and interesting?”
An Incredible Message
People all over the world appreciated Julia’s message and they were encouraged to try the project themselves. Since her “One Outfit, 100 Days” was posted on Instagram, it became a viral topic online. Now Julia has over 11,600 followers!
Sustainable Strategies
“All for integrating sustainable strategies into everyday items, what a movement this teacher started!” one follower wrote. Soon after the colleagues and her students heard about her project, they decided to join the cause. Seventeen teachers, including her husband Patrick, who is a history teacher, wore the same clothes for 100 days and the story landed not only in the local news, but all over the world!
Uncomfortable and Awkward
“To wear the same thing every day is uncomfortable because we have this deeply ingrained cultural expectation to change every day. It’s weird, but because it’s weird it’s making us all think,” said Julia in an interview. How many of us would follow in Mrs. Mooney’s steps?