One Dress, Five Ways – How to #WearTheChange by Making Your Wardrobe Go the Distance
- Words by Peppermint
How many times have you stood staring at an overflowing closet, lamenting the fact you had absolutely nothing to wear?! It’s a sad reality that the average woman only wears 20% of her wardrobe – the horror of being labelled an “outfit repeater” often leading to wear-it-once purchases that then stay hidden, collecting dust till the end of time. So, while we wait patiently for the Clueless technology of our dreams to become a reality, inspired by The Social Outfit‘s Wear The Change challenge, we tasked our digital editor, Lauren Baxter, with styling one of our free sewing patterns – the Peppermint Bardon Dress – five ways over five days. Because just like the loveable Lizzie McGuire, we’re all outfit repeaters ‘round here.
An ethical fashion challenge set during Refugee Week (20-26 June), Wear The Change aims to raise funds for The Social Outfit’s non-profit community programs. Participants style one garment five ways over five days to shine a light on the problems of fast fashion all while supporting women from refugee and new migrant backgrounds with training and employment pathways in the fashion industry.
“Wear The Change means having the opportunity to support women from refugee and new migrant backgrounds with crucial training that can ignite fulfilling careers and lives,” 2021 ambassador Nina Gbor shares. “In addition to raising funds for The Social Outfit’s community programs for these women, it’s a chance to invite society to learn and engage in the lived experiences and realities of migrants and refugees. Ideally, it might foster more communication, empathy and more harmonious connections between various communities.”
If you want to get involved alongside changemakers like Nina, Jan Fran, Montaigne, Clare Press and more, head to the link here to register your interest and then get creative! There’s a tonne of prizes to be won by fundraising or just playing along on Instagram. Bonus points from us if you choose a Peppermint pattern to style!
LOOK ONE – LAYERS ON LAYERS
When layered over a simple black turtleneck and paired with boots, a bright print can go from summer to winter in a flash. Add a jaunty baker boy hat for bulk hipster points.
LOOK TWO – SUMMER LOVING
A gorgeous design on its own thanks to the lovely patternmaker Elbe Textiles, with a sun hat and strappy heels and you’ll be ready for fun in the sun.
LOOK THREE – KNIT PICKING
We’re all for a cozy knit here – the bigger and chunkier the better in our opinion. Add a belt and hey presto your dress is a fun, new skirt.
LOOK FOUR – FRINGE BENEFITS
Putting on a jacket, particularly one as extra as this vintage number, can easily change up your look. Talk about fringe benefits.
LOOK FIVE – BUTTONED UP
Don’t be afraid to wear your loud and proud pieces to the office. Whack on a collared shirt underneath and hello business-casual.
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
Hang out with us on Instagram
🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
