Frivolous Dress Order [repack] Today

Even today, studies show that women’s “frivolous” purchases are scrutinized far more harshly than men’s equally unnecessary ones. A man buying a $1,000 watch is “investing in craftsmanship.” A woman buying a $1,000 dress is “being frivolous.” Ironically, just as the legal system is relaxing its grip on individual frivolity (thanks to consumer protection laws), the environmental movement is tightening its critique.

More Than Just a Fancy Gown: Unpacking the “Frivolous Dress Order” frivolous dress order

Under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, Section 523(a)(2)(C) creates a presumption of fraud for any “luxury goods” or services totaling more than $725 (adjusted for inflation) bought on a credit card within 90 days of filing for bankruptcy. While the law doesn’t define “luxury goods,” legal precedent consistently points back to that 1887 case. A winter coat? Necessary. A set of designer stilettos? Potentially frivolous. A bespoke suit for a job interview? Necessary. A velvet smoking jacket for lounging? Frivolous. Necessary

From a sustainability perspective, most of our dress orders are frivolous. The average garment is worn only 7 times before being discarded. A “frivolous” dress in 1887 was a silk gown you wore for years. A “frivolous” dress today is a $15 fast-fashion polyester slip you wear once for an Instagram photo and then send to a landfill, where it will outlive your great-grandchildren. Frivolous. From a sustainability perspective

In the eyes of the law (and a few particularly stern bankruptcy judges), that dress might not be a need. It might be something far more damning:

How a 19th-century legal concept haunts your credit card statement and your closet.