So I honestly tried to wear Cupcake today, but something odd happened. I put the dress on, and I turned into grumpy Wylie. I took the dress off and felt like calm, peaceful, happy Wylie. Dress on, grumpy, anxious and totally claustrophobic. After much examination and discussion, (even my husband mentioned how crabby I was instantly being) this dress is an all out failure in terms of wear ability. So today I feel like saying F**K this!. I wore my PJ's all day and contemplated what could possibly be the problem with Cupcake?! So here is my list of what I think could be wrong and why compromising for one's art is sometimes total B.S.
1. She is heavy- all the trapunto and stuffing has given a huge amount of weight to the bottom of the dress. This pulls down on my shoulders and back and I have been wondering why my left shoulder feels like there is a knot the size of a small boulder under my shoulder blade.
2. She is too tight- I started this dress off using my own body but then transferred her to the dress form never thinking that I was going to wear it for a month! But here I am, wearing it and it is very constraining. I don't even think I can truly take a deep breath while wearing it- oxygen = happy. The tightness is also making me aware of how my body is not a fan of being snugged in by anything.
3. The top of the dress, the straps and the arm things are all wrong. The construction of this dress is ridiculous! Who would possibly wear a dress with these silly shoulder things? They have to go. The neckline has to get tucked up a little higher and the shoulder straps have to be chopped, I am thinking about maybe turning it into a halter or tie back....
4. The back of the dress is very full, this makes it hard to sit down and even walk without feeling encumbered. HOW THE HELL DID WOMEN DO HOOP SKIRTS?! They must have been crazy! I feel like I have a constant satellite on my behind, not too fun.
5. Although the bottom half of the dress is nice and warm because of the trapunto and layers, the top is so cold. I have a little shrug that I am going to start to incorporate with this dress, but I am also thinking about adding some 3/4 length sleeves. It is still way to cold here to even contemplate going without something over my shoulders and arms.
6. I need something in the middle to help hoist up the bust of this dress, to help carry part of her weight, she is very robust you know and only getting more so with the lace that is soon to be added. I am thinking a bodice of some sort, but then that leads to problems of my body feeling too tied into the garment.
On one hand I am so happy that this dress is looking beautiful, but on the other hand I am asking for what price is beauty worth the sacrifice? I could go even farther and say at what price is art making worth the sacrifice. Cupcake is making me doubt weather or not I can wear a garment like this for a month? I also want to maintain some integrity to the way she started off, with all the work that has already gone into creating her, but I am beginning to wonder if this dress is going to be an example of a drastic reduction?
Per our discussion earlier, and your request that I put it up here:
ReplyDeleteThe second something leaves your brain into the physical world it is compromised. By virtue of manufacturing/building/fabricating something it is subject to the laws of physics the shortcomings and qualities of the materials used, and the vaugeries of that crafting (Oops the dog bumped the chair and that stitch is weird).
That being said I think it is OK and probably beneficial to you and to the project as a whole that this dress is a disaster/fuckshow/failure. You now have the option to ride that failure to it's monsterous conclusions or regroup and edit it into a more palatable form. I'd be more excited about the first option but a well documented second could be really cool for the finished product too.
Just sayin'
WIll you post two photos of Cupcake wearing you?
ReplyDeleteOkay, I 've gone and looked at every photo of Cupcake.
ReplyDeleteThoughts based on your list of concerns:
1. I agree the wing sleeves gotta go. Here is an opportunity to shift the weight of the dress to your shoulder caps...... think along the lines of Michelle Obamas inaugural dress (the white one with the single shoulder strap. WIDE). THat should help support and distribute some of the bulk from below
2.I love the heart-shape trapunto just below your breast BUT is it possible to lift it higher and create a more cinch-waist appearance without constricting your midriff? The level it hits now makes the dress look like it's wrapped directly on your ribcage without the added benefit of support. (like a boa constrictor.... no wonder you can't get oxygen..... I remember in Women's Studies hearing that women had "vapors" during the 1800s because the dresses cinched in the chest to such a degree (fashion! AGAIN!) that they passed out from lack of oxygen, not hysteria.)
3. I don't know what the underlying construction is..... how do you put the dress on your body?
4. You might think about lowering the neckline somehow..... open up the throat area ....
5. I think the name is superb and I hope she finds a way to be comfortable to wear. She IS beautiful, all shimmery and pink.
6. "What price beauty.." ah well, women have been asking this for years!
Let me know if you answer it and then again, if the answer remains the same after 5 years.
It's funny you titled the post this way..... while scrolling for something to watch last night, I saw "Cupcake Wars" and wondered what the hell THAT was!
ReplyDeleteChange everything you need to change. In three weeks it will be a totally different dress, and the before and after photos will be amazing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's "whether" not "weather."
Okay.... I went back and looked at the dress as you wear it in front of the snow castle.... you already have opened the neckline from the shots taken with the white background....... hmmmm....I looked at the photos in the wrong order..... hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteWhat about ..... what are they called.... not whale bone but they are made of plastic these days.... they are sewn inside of a sheath running up and down along the waist line and create stability, usually in strapless dresses...
ReplyDeletethe hard part is always the good part,work it
ReplyDelete