While checking up on the progress of The Uniform Project – a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation that is 80 days underway – I was impressed by the range of styles Sheena Matheiken is pulling off. With only one dress for 365 days, she's demonstrating how to get more mileage out of your clothing by styling it with layers, accessories, and a range of accoutrements.

There has been a lot of talk during the recent economic upheaval about how to refashion an old wardrobe, but the aim of this project is to raise funds for the education of children living in the slums of India. It also fits nicely within a framework that promotes a more sustainable consciousness of the fabric and materials used in clothing today. Prolonging the lifespan of clothing is explored in depth in a great report by the University of Cambridge entitled Well Dressed. The report recommends a consumer change in mindset, some of which are reflected in The Uniform Project:

Buy second-hand clothing and textiles where possible
Buy fewer and more durable clothes
Choose clothes and textile products made with the lowest energy and toxic emissions, and based on good information on labour standards
Lease clothing that wouldn't otherwise reach the end of its natural life
Wash clothes less often, at lower temperatures, use eco-detergents, hang-dry clothes and avoid ironing where possible
Repair clothes where possible to extend their natural lives
Dispose of garments through recycling businesses