The Traveling Red Dress: Having My “Moment”

We all know the story of the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” - four friends take turns sending a special pair of jeans back and forth, keeping connected as their lives change.

This week as I was searching around the web looking for news and great blog posts to feature, I came across something that completely captured my attention. Jenny Lawson, of The Bloggess, posted a special piece called “The Traveling Red Dress” in which she wrote:

“I want, just once, to wear a bright red, strapless ball gown with no apologies. I want to be shocking, and vivid and wear a dress as intensely amazing as the person I so want to be. And the more I thought about it the more I realized how often we deny ourselves that red dress and all the other capricious, ridiculous, overindulgent and silly things that we desperately want but never let ourselves have because they are simply ‘not sensible’.”

“Things like flying lessons, and ballet shoes, and breaking into spontaneous song, and building a train set, and crawling onto the roof just to see the stars better. Things like cartwheels and learning how to box and painting encouraging words on your body to remind yourself that you’re worth it.”

“And I am worth it.”

Jenny got to wear that special red dress, and posted the photos along with that blog post. She writes that it was everything she thought it would be. And then she got the idea to send the dress on a trek around the country:

“...the red dress will begin a journey traveling from city to city so that other people can wear it and love it and feel as special and vivid and dynamic as they already are. Because sometimes we all need a little red dress to remind us of that. So today, think about what it is you need and were too embarrassed to ask for... Find your red dress. And wear the hell out of it.”

Jenny's words struck a chord with the online community. There’s now a Facebook page for the Traveling Red Dress where women are sharing their stories and are asking for a red dress to be sent to them. Others are donating dresses to the cause and mailing them out wherever they are needed. There are even photographers offering free ‘red dress sessions’ to be a part of whole phenomenon.

When I read about all this, I felt a strong pull to join. Things have been tough for me lately and the idea of being a bit outrageous and fanciful really spoke to me. I realized that I need that boost of spirit a ‘red dress moment’ could bring to me.

Here is my red dress!
I can't wait to wear it for my photo shoot.

About a week ago I posted a desperate request for red dress on the Facebook page. A few days later, completely unplanned, I stopped at a Thrift Store. As I walked to the register with my purchase... there was my fantasy dress! It's not a true red; it's more of a faded brick red in a long, 1930's style - the sort of dress that Ginger Rogers might wear. It's even floor length on me (I’m six feet tall) which is very unusual to find second hand. The best part was it only cost me $10! 

I’m planning right now for my own red dress photo shoot. As I am such a garden-loving person, I want to have flowers be a part of it but it’s not exactly the right time of year to find blooming plants. I’m giving it some thought. I still need to find a photographer and I'm hoping I'll be lucky enough to find one that will donate their time, as have others on the Facebook page. If everything comes together, I hope to have my photo shoot done before the end of March and I promise I’ll post a couple pictures to share my 'red dress moment' with all of you.

Do you need a ‘red dress moment’? You too can join in the legacy of the Traveling Red Dress. Follow the links below to learn all about it, to see beautiful red dress photos, and to be a part of it all. Embrace your self-worth and show it to the world!

~* See all the Traveling Red Dress links & photos *~

~'Traveling Red Dress' Movement Proves Social Media Foundation Is Still People, Empowerment  

~The first Red Dress blog post 

~The 2nd Red Dress blog post  

~The Traveling Red Dress Facebook page 

*UPDATE*: 

See the completion of my Traveling Red Dress Journey -with the final photos- by clicking below:

*Update on My Red Dress Moment...

photo shoot!: *Unveiling My ‘Traveling Red Dress’ Experience