Nothing to Wear
Abstract
For centuries, paper dolls have served a variety of purposes. They can be a snap-shot for the fashion and aesthetic tastes of a time period. In the same vein, they have historically communicated expectations for socially acceptable appearance, behavior, and activities to the audience of women and children to which they are typically targeted. At its heart, my project focuses on gender roles, societal pressures, stereotypes, and the lasting effects that those expectations can have on women. The format for this project is inspired by paper dolls. These issues are explored through paper-doll-inspired figures and the limited “outfits” we are given to adorn them with. Each outfit represents a common projection placed on women, such as the pressure to bear children or the expectation that women need to be thin to be beautiful. It is my goal that viewers will see themselves and their own experiences in these dolls. This recognition allows for feelings of community and solidarity to begin to form. Knowing one is not alone can grant the strength and freedom necessary to confront future instances of gender discrimination and misogyny.
Nothing to Wear
For centuries, paper dolls have served a variety of purposes. They can be a snap-shot for the fashion and aesthetic tastes of a time period. In the same vein, they have historically communicated expectations for socially acceptable appearance, behavior, and activities to the audience of women and children to which they are typically targeted. At its heart, my project focuses on gender roles, societal pressures, stereotypes, and the lasting effects that those expectations can have on women. The format for this project is inspired by paper dolls. These issues are explored through paper-doll-inspired figures and the limited “outfits” we are given to adorn them with. Each outfit represents a common projection placed on women, such as the pressure to bear children or the expectation that women need to be thin to be beautiful. It is my goal that viewers will see themselves and their own experiences in these dolls. This recognition allows for feelings of community and solidarity to begin to form. Knowing one is not alone can grant the strength and freedom necessary to confront future instances of gender discrimination and misogyny.