Divine Dress Code

My Accidental Journey into Simplicity

Looking back over the last few years, I can see how God was quietly writing my story long before I understood its direction. After almost three decades as an elementary school principal, I found myself longing for a simpler way of living. The pull toward simplicity felt like a gentle tug on my spirit, leading me to question the complexity that had crept into my life as a busy woman with a husband and three busy kids: a too-large house, multiple cars, a variety of pets, family vacations, a plethora of belongings, and a full-time job that left limited time for reflection.

I was also searching for spiritual inspiration. Raised Methodist, I later joined a Protestant church as an adult, but in recent years, my faith in religious institutions has wavered. In summer 2022, I went on a week-long retreat at a Franciscan spirituality center and grew more open to finding my place again in a faith community. Little did I know that this internal journey would eventually lead me to a new job at a Quaker-founded university where simplicity isn’t just a personal choice but a foundational value woven into the institution’s mission.

I continue to marvel at how divine guidance brought me to this place of teaching and learning, where my own exploration of simplicity aligns so perfectly with the Friends testimony. The transition from principal to faculty member wasn’t even a whispered thought when this journey began, yet here I am, discovering deeper meanings of simplicity through the lens of Quaker faith.

When I first heard about the 100-day dress challenge—where participants commit to wearing the same dress for 100 consecutive days—it definitely fell outside of my comfort zone. While I was intrigued about the challenge, I was also concerned that my family and friends would think that I had lost my mind! But I kept thinking about the idea and decided it would at least be a way to streamline my morning routine (less decision making!). Now I can see that this choice created the space I needed for internal transformation.

My journey with simplicity might surprise those who picture simple dress as purely plain. As someone who delights in sequins, embraces sparkle, and isn’t afraid of wearing head-to-toe pink, I’ve come to understand that simplicity in dress isn’t about denying joy or creativity in clothing choices. Rather it’s about mindful consumption and ethical considerations—less about uniformity and more about intentionality. In today’s world, it might look like choosing well-made clothing that will last, supporting companies that pay their workers a living wage, and considering the environmental impact of our consumerism.

In my research on the topic, I came across a quote from early Friend Margaret Fell Fox, who in 1700 commented on Quaker fashion choices while discussing the process of gospel order, which for Friends at that time left matters of discipline up to monthly and quarterly meetings, not individuals:

For one Friend says one way, and another another; but Christ Jesus saith that we must take no thought what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or what we shall put on: bids us consider the lilies, how they grow in more royalty than Solomon. But, contrary to this, we must look at no colours, nor make anything that is changeable colours as the hills are, nor sell them, nor wear them: but we must be all in one dress and one colour.

She continues with a remark that made me laugh out loud when I first read it:

This is silly poor gospel! It is more fit for us to be covered with God’s eternal Spirit, and clothed with his eternal Light, which leads us and guides us into righteousness, and to live righteously and justly and holily in this present evil world. This is the clothing that God puts upon us, and likes, and will bless.

I’ve since learned that this quote has been interpreted in various ways over the centuries, but I view it as Margaret telling Friends not to fret too much about the clothes they choose to wear as long as those choices are inwardly guided. Taking on the 100-day dress challenge wasn’t about rejecting my love for fun and functional clothing; it was a search to understand how intentional living might enrich my life. The decision to wear the same dress for over three months wasn’t just about minimizing my wardrobe; it was about creating space to focus on what truly matters. Each morning, as I reached for the same dress, I found myself freed from the mental clutter of choosing what to wear. What a delight! (If you’re wondering about washing the dress, it’s made of wool, a durable, odor-resistant fabric, so I only washed it every few days and spot cleaned in between.)

Nothing is ever a coincidence. I joined the faculty at William Penn University one year after the challenge, and that fall I participated in a book study group led by religious studies professor Randall Nichols. In learning more about Quakerism, I was deeply moved to see how my view of intentional living was so aligned with the Quaker commitments to simplicity and environmental stewardship. In a world where fast fashion contributes significantly to environmental destruction, wearing one dress for 100 days stands as a quiet protest against overconsumption. My personal transformation through the challenge was immense, as it helped me understand that simplicity isn’t about deprivation but about liberation: the freedom you gain from intentionally limiting choices.

As I continue the journey, I’m reminded that simplicity, like all Friends’ testimonies, is not a destination but a path. Each day brings new insights about what it means to live simply in a complex world. I’m not wearing the same dress every day (although I did complete the challenge), but I am trying to align my outer life with my inner convictions. In doing so, I have freed myself to focus on what truly matters: spiritual growth, relationships with others, and care for the world around us.