Today is the first day of Plain Dress November, a Facebook initiative created by Brandon Weston.
On the Plain Dress November Facebook page, Brandon says:
And then Brandon adds a quotation that he attributes to Pacific Yearly meeting, but another contributor has corrected as originating from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting:
"Keeping with Friends' testimony of simplicity, I thought it would be a
neat idea if we take the month of November to reflect on our personal ideas
about simplicity and Plain dress.
There are no rules but a few 'maybe's:Well, the possibilities are endless but, whatever you choose to do, let's make November a month of reflection.
- maybe avoid buying new/unnecessary clothing items
- maybe wear plainer fabrics or patternless clothes
- maybe wear darker colours
- maybe avoid wearing jewellery
- maybe donate old/unused clothes
- maybe wear a wide-brimmed black hat
"Simplicity, when it removes encumbering details, makes for beauty in music, in art and in living. It clears the springs of life and permits wholesome mirth and gladness to bubble up; it cleans the windows of life and lets joy radiate. It requires the avoidance of artificial or harmful social customs or conventions but it opens wide the door to cultivate and express to all sincere cordiality, kindness and friendliness. This sort of simplicity removes barriers and eases tensions. In its presence all can be at ease."So that's the invitation Brandon had offered us, and an event worth joining, I thought.
On the Facebook page, already people have been posting their ideas about ways in which they would like to observe this special month of reflection.
I loved this story from Sister Lisa Doty, that Elizabeth Bullock posted; and I liked Elizabeth's own intention for Plain Dress November - "I am going to focus on Plain speech, remembering to 'let thy words be few'. I told this to a Friend and he is going to watch his language too, and 'use less sarcasm'."
Parise Whitley said: "I've been listening to a leading concerning simplicity in matters of clothing foir a bit now. This testimony, like all of the other Quaker testimonies, can take you to places you've never been before, if you follow all the threads to their natural conclusions. It's a blessing."
Anyway, you can go across to the Facebook page and check it out for yourself - lots of people are posting their ideas and thoughts and experiences.
During Plain Dress November I am intending to post here every day a reflection of my own about this curious, multi-faceted testimony, that has so much more to it than first meets the eye.