May is Lupus Awareness Month. And May 10, 2025 is Put On Purple Day…a day where people around the world wear purple to help raise awareness (and funds for research) for this often invisible disease.
I was diagnosed with lupus over 25 years ago, so this is a disease that I'm passionate about finding better treatments for.
What Is Put On Purple Day?
Put On Purple Day is a day where people dress in purple to raise awareness for lupus and show your support for people fighting lupus. Whether you grab an old purple t-shirt from your drawer or choose from one of our fabulous purple finds below, you can look great while helping to spread the word about this chronic autoimmune disease.
When Is Put On Purple Day?
Put On Purple Day 2024 is on Wednesday, May 10th. This date varies each year, but is held in May during Lupus Awareness Month.
What Is Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic, often unpredictable disease that can affect different parts of the body such as skin, joints, and kidneys. It's often called an “invisible” illness because you cannot see it just by looking at someone with lupus – even if they have obvious symptoms like redness on their face or hands from a rash. Symptoms range widely in type and severity depending on what part of your body is affected by this autoimmune disorder.
When your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in the body, it causes inflammation and pain in joints and other areas of the body. Lupus can also affect portions of the organs like the heart or kidneys as well as cause significant fatigue.
What are the symptoms of lupus?
The symptoms of lupus vary from person to person and there is not a typical list. Some people may experience more than one symptom at the same time, but they also may only have one or two over their lifetime – it all depends on each individual case. And because lupus can affect any part of the body, there are a lot of different symptoms people may experience.
Most people with lupus will experience a variety of symptoms over their lifetime. The most common are joint pain and swelling, fever or night sweats, rash on the face or body , headaches , hair loss (alopecia), mouth sores, weight loss, chest pain when breathing deeply, and shortness of breath without exertion.
What Is An Invisible Illness?
An invisible illness is a term that refers to medical conditions that aren't easily visible to others. Diseases and illnesses characterized by symptoms such as pain, fatigue, dizziness, or weakness often fall under this umbrella term. Many of the women who experience these chronic illnesses look “normal” on the outside, but in reality, they may be feeling anything but normal. They may find that every day tasks leave them exhausted, in pain, or both.
Make Lupus Visible
The 2025 theme for Lupus Awareness Month is Make Lupus Visible. It’s an opportunity for the lupus community to join together across the country to raise funds and awareness of the physical, emotional and economic impact of lupus.
And on May 10th, you can put on your favorite purple outfit and rock a purple mani for Put On Purple Day.
What Should I Wear For Put On Purple Day?
What you wear for Put On Purple Day is going to depend on your personal style, but I've found some fun purple finds to help!
I personally love wearing purple and can often be found wearing it in my every day life! Since one of my favorite Disney outfits is this lavender tutu skirt, I thought I'd share it with you! It's so fun and I always get tons of compliments when I wear it. {And yes, I know this outfit is completely over the top, but that's how I roll.}
Want the whole outfit?
Purple Dresses for Put On Purple Day
I wear this purple business dress on a regular basis. It's a staple in my wardrobe.
Purple Shirts for Put On Purple Day
Whether you choose to wear a purple shirt or a lupus awareness shirt, you can bring attention to the many who are living with lupus.
This linen blouse is a wardrobe staple for me and I own it in multiple colors (not just purple). It's the perfect top to wear for spring and summer or wear it year round if you live in Florida like I do.
Looking for something fun and unusual? Check out this purple camo tank top.
I'm completely in love with this sleeveless top with lace detailing.
Wear Purple From Head To Toe
Take It To The Next Level For Put On Purple Day
You know I'm all about a fabulous manicure and I think these are great options for you!
These short purple KISS nails are great if you struggle with painting your own nails. I love KISS nails and even wore them for my daughter's wedding!
I think this mixed manicure is so fun! The combo of purple and glitter is a total winner in my book!
Feeling a Little Extra?
This Purple Fascinator will make you the belle of the ball for Put On Purple Day!
Maybe fedoras are more your style?
Maybe you want to rock purple hair, but you're afraid to have purple hair permanently. One of these purple wigs might be just what you need.
I hope I was able to answer all your questions about Put on Purple Day and that you now have some fabulous options for that day!
Like I said earlier, I was diagnosed with Lupus over 25 years ago. I have had many ups and downs over the years but I am thankful for an organization like the Lupus Foundation of America who is on the forefront of research to help people live better and live longer with lupus.
What are you going to wear for Put On Purple Day?
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