Bringing the Runway to Your Bedroom: Montreal Collective Launches "Dressing up at Home"
Dress Up team: Tosca Webb (left), Betsy-May Smith (middle) and Annie Brebner (right) photo provided by Dress Up
Lately, quarantine has got us like:
In all serious though, putting together an outfit in these times of self-isolation is the only thing keeping us sane. Not only does the process instill a sense of normalcy, but it can rekindle memories, spark confidence, and also inspire the wildest fashion experiments. Whether you find yourself reaching for something cinched and sequined, or pairing a funky eyeshadow colour with your favourite pair of sweatpants, the important thing to remember is that there are no rules when it comes to the quarantine runway!
This is the philosophy behind Montreal’s Dress Up collective, both online and IRL. Today, Dress Up launches a new series on their website called “Dressing Up at Home,” a look-book of their followers’ best quarantine ensembles. We chatted with two of the minds behind Dress Up, Tosca Webb and Annie Brebner, to get a sense of how “Dressing Up at Home” is maintaining a sense of community within Montreal and beyond, and what the act itself means to them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also Cool: Hi Dress Up! Who are you, and how has your collective evolved since it first started?
Dress Up: Hi! We’re a Montreal-based fashion collective that was founded on the belief that fashion is a tool of expression, and that everyone deserves the opportunity to explore that expression without judgement. Dress Up began as an underground event series where we’d provide a curation of vintage clothing for guests to come dress up in, dance, have fun, and meet each other.
Dress Up was born as a passion project, but over the last year we’ve become really excited about the idea of it transitioning into our full-time jobs and growing a company. We’ve had to postpone a lot due to COVID-19… We had plans to launch a new merch line, an online magazine and a vintage e-commerce shop, and bring our events to new cities like Toronto and New York. It’ll all happen, it’s just on pause for a bit!
AC: You’ve moved your IRL events to “Dressing Up at Home.” Tell us about this new series, and what you hope it can do to strengthen the community right now.
DU: This series came about in a really organic way. We were both overwhelmed by the impact of COVID-19, and thinking about taking a break from Dress Up altogether. We felt inspired by the way folks are staying connected through social media, especially in quarantine. Social media, namely selfies and Instagram stories, are a way of saying “I’m still here,” and posting can make you feel relevant and connected to your friends.
More than anything, we just wanted to provide an opportunity for people to feel seen and heard. We all deserve that! This series has been a really amazing way for us to use our platform to amplify people’s voices. Reading through submissions has been so special: we’re always amazed by people’s vulnerability and creativity. It’s such a bizarre and scary time for all of us, so to read a story that may resonate with you, or to feel inspired by someone’s makeup, or give people a reason to get dressed… It all feels very bonding.
“Dressing Up at Home” contributor Elle
“Dressing Up at Home” contributor Kayliegh
AC: How does dressing up at home make you feel? What inspires you to do it?
DU: Waking up every day and getting dressed has helped us maintain a sense of normalcy and routine. Seeing people’s submissions has been wild... You guys are pulling some looks, and we are not up to par! What’s amazing about a project like this is that it’s so varied, in that everyone’s inspirations explorations of dressing at home are extremely diverse. Advocating for “no rules” is something we’ve always wanted to embrace as a brand. We feel really lucky and proud to be a part of something like Dress Up, and to be working alongside such creative, eccentric, exciting, and kind people. They’re the ones who inspire us to keep working and moving forward!
“Dressing Up at Home” contributor Bianca
AC: How can we submit to “Dressing Up at Home,” and where can we keep up to date with Dress Up?
We have all the submission guidelines posted in our ‘SUBMIT’ Instagram story highlight, and we’re accepting submissions through our email. To stay up to date, follow our Instagram where we're sharing excerpts from the series, and check out the full series on the Dress Up website!