The Uniform Project: How to wear one dress for 365 days - CNN.com

(CNN) -- One outfit at a time, Sheena Matheiken was determined to make a change

She sported a simple, tunic-style dress for not one, two or three days. She did it for 365 days in a row.

The New York resident gave herself the fashion challenge of reinventing the same black dress. She did it by adding colorful tights, funky shoes and patterned tops, all donations from eco-friendly designers, thrift shops and mail-in leftovers from strangers.

Her outfits varied. Some were random, others organized; some bright, others muted; some classic, others modern. For example, she dressed as an intergalactic goth mermaid one day. The next, she became a modern hippie adorned with a floral bandana and cutout tights.

See Matheiken's outfit on Day 1, Year 2

Matheiken completed her yearlong Uniform Project this month; the effort started a year ago to raise money for the The Akanksha Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit helping children in India's slums attend schools. She raised enough money to send 233 children to school for a year.

Matheiken also wanted to bring awareness to sustainable fashion. That's not a bad lesson for those of us feeling the recession's pinch.

CNN spoke to Matheiken about the Uniform Project and her eclectic style.

CNN: Why did you decide to pick a uniform?

Matheiken: First, giving yourself a creative challenge requires giving yourself a constraint. I wanted to recreate one dress for 365 days and have that test. I also have a personal connection with uniforms. I grew up in India and went to a Catholic school where we had to wear uniforms.

The cool thing was that even with uniforms, there are so many subtle ways everyone reinvents it so that all the idiosyncrasies of teenage adolescence come out. Their personality came out in how you roll up the sleeves or add a few accessories. I was very fascinated by all of this.

CNN: I think we all have that white T-shirt in our closet. How do you jazz up something plain?

Matheiken: Accessorizing can go a long way to elevate something. Just a pair of tights or maybe if you have a jacket, you can wear it over, and it will look chic and upscale. A white shirt doesn't have to look like a white T-shirt.

CNN: For some people, it's hard to mix and match. You seem to do it so effortlessly. How?

Matheiken: There is so much of fashion that is prescribed by magazine trends and looks that are seasonal. I think that's the biggest problem with fashion. And some people really are stressed about getting ready.CONTINUE READING...