Granny Manny!
Today I have been thinking a little about mannequins in my life, how they have given me many lovely memories and have been a bit of a recurring theme really and perhaps thats how Ophelia has ended up with us...like its meant to be, written in the stars, inevitable! I have always, as long as I can remember, wanted my very own shop dummy-a proper one with a head and stuff. For many years I fantasized about being the person that you sometimes see in shop windows dressing and arranging the mannequins but I never really understood how you became that person. I used to set up scenes in my bedroom with draped fabrics and vintage suitcases, 1940's childrens story books, old bottles, a car grill and an old iron...all a bit random and definitely missing a person to tie it all together. In later years when I lived in Bath I recall the bed shop across the road was looking for someone to sleep in a bed in their window-to be a living mannequin-as some sort of quirky sales stunt. I loved the idea and did apply but it never came off-perhaps they had a rethink given that it was a bit of a dodgy street!
When Thing One was young she loved nothing better than going shopping with her granny Dobber and pretending to be a mannequin in the shops. Dobber then loudly admired the beauty of the mannequins and Thing One jumped out delighted to have tricked her! Obviously this mannequin madness runs in the family or maybe in us all...mannequins do seem to appeal to many people and I am surprised and delighted by how many people I know who have taken to Ophelia like a friend and ask after her! I get so pleased that we have found Ophelia and that Thing One and Thing Two can grow up with the freedom to try out any crazy fashion ideas they have with no fear of ridicule, they can project any personality on to her that they like and express their own angst, sense of fun, fantasies and dreams. I would recommend it to anyone, particularly when kids are around. The world is saturated with airbrushed images, prescribed fashion rights and wrongs, personal criticism and shame in getting things 'wrong'. Kids need to try things out, to explore their ideas safely and having such a variety of potential looks for Ophelia allows them to see that you can look good in many many ways and you certainly don't need a brand to do that. Ophelia expands all of our worlds and we undoubtedly expand hers. I am conscious however that as cracking as Ophee is she represents a body that few of us have and in that sense I worry about what messages she is giving my daughter. My wish is that in the next year or two, during this crucial phase of Thing One moving in to teen land, Ophelia gets a friend-a more average sized mannequin that we can all enjoy dressing up...only trouble is that means a whole new mannequin wardrobe to store! And then of course I ought to balance it out with a MANnequin so Thing Two gets to do the Ken thing! Crikey where will this end? We are on some weird journey!
Anyway thems me thoughts today my lovelies!
Nighty Night!x
When Thing One was young she loved nothing better than going shopping with her granny Dobber and pretending to be a mannequin in the shops. Dobber then loudly admired the beauty of the mannequins and Thing One jumped out delighted to have tricked her! Obviously this mannequin madness runs in the family or maybe in us all...mannequins do seem to appeal to many people and I am surprised and delighted by how many people I know who have taken to Ophelia like a friend and ask after her! I get so pleased that we have found Ophelia and that Thing One and Thing Two can grow up with the freedom to try out any crazy fashion ideas they have with no fear of ridicule, they can project any personality on to her that they like and express their own angst, sense of fun, fantasies and dreams. I would recommend it to anyone, particularly when kids are around. The world is saturated with airbrushed images, prescribed fashion rights and wrongs, personal criticism and shame in getting things 'wrong'. Kids need to try things out, to explore their ideas safely and having such a variety of potential looks for Ophelia allows them to see that you can look good in many many ways and you certainly don't need a brand to do that. Ophelia expands all of our worlds and we undoubtedly expand hers. I am conscious however that as cracking as Ophee is she represents a body that few of us have and in that sense I worry about what messages she is giving my daughter. My wish is that in the next year or two, during this crucial phase of Thing One moving in to teen land, Ophelia gets a friend-a more average sized mannequin that we can all enjoy dressing up...only trouble is that means a whole new mannequin wardrobe to store! And then of course I ought to balance it out with a MANnequin so Thing Two gets to do the Ken thing! Crikey where will this end? We are on some weird journey!
Anyway thems me thoughts today my lovelies!
Nighty Night!x