Women Choose Destruction Over Preservation of Wedding Gowns
On the website Trash the Dress, you can view recently wedded women posing for photographers in front of prisons and rolling in the sand in their dresses. Forgoing the traditional preservation for wedding gowns, these women are choosing to keep only the photographs as memories.
It may not be a surprise that the idea was thought up by photographer John Michael Cooper. This Las Vegas wedding photographer conceived of the Trash the Dress website after dealing with fussy brides who were more concerned with the pristine condition of their gown than creating memorable wedding shots.
The Trash the Dress phenomenon has been touted as a way for women to celebrate their wedding without becoming obsessed by it. However, some are skeptical that the Trash the Dress trend is liberating. Or at least, they argue, the website never got the memo.
"The website's manifesto implies that TTD is less about iconoclasm and more about brides stroking the egos of their brand-new husbands!" writes the celebrity and fashion website Jezebel.
On the Trash the Dress Website it states, "You've made a commitment to your husband. He's your one and only true love, right? Then you'll never need the dress again. And no, your daughter won't wear it in 20-30 years. So you have two choices: 1) Suffocate it in plastic and throw it in a closet, 2) Show your husband how committed you are by trashing the dress, and get some great fun pictures while you do it!"
Others are concerned by the violent and potentially misogynistic images that are showcased on the website. Some images show a bride lying on railroad tracks. Another is near a truck that showcases numerous bulletholes.
The New York Times notes in their article "Brides have long had an admittedly complicated relationship with their wedding gowns, which they struggle to find, spend a small fortune on, and sweat over making fit properly - all for a fabric confection that is typically worn once."
Most wedding traditions have undergone personalization over the past years, with the wedding couple seeking to express their individuality. And while the Trash the Dress website seems to appeal to the alternative crowd, perhaps the most subversive act would be to skip buying the Vera Wang dress in the first place.
SOURCES:
Armstrong, Jenice, "Wedding pix of novel sort." Philadelphia Daily News. URL: (http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20070613_Jenice_Armstrong___Wedding_pix_of_novel_sort.html)
Chesler, Caren, "Is This Any Way to Treat Vera Wang?" New York Times. URL: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/fashion/weddings/10trash.html)
"Trashing on the 'Trash the Dress.'" Jezebel. URL: (http://jezebel.com/gossip/hells-bells/trashing-on-trash-the-dress-267804.php)
Published by Amy Whittle
Amy Whittle is a freelance writer based in clean, green Boulder City, Nevada. She specializes in home improvement, green living, and health and fitness issues. You can check out her work at Woman’s Day, th... View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentRose went on to be with the Lord today, She lost all will to live. to learn all the story e-mail me at greetermanbob@yahoo.com
The last post to be med. At 6:21 Pm, 1/12//008, Tim went home to be with the Lord. I will miss him much. We didn'n get to do the things that we was going to do with our Wedding things, and other things. my Dopee son Took $20000. Out of my baink to by coke. My kids are come over when i am not at home and takeing box of things. Well life gos on i well be liveing for my new rest home next week. I wish i could have done what i wented do to stop thim. Don' t let your kids do this to you. Thanks for the E-Mails About 99% of thim was on my side. I stell thank i should Trash the house befour i go. what do you thank E- mail me someone. Rose By-By
mye-mail canbe used rrussell010@comcast.net
As a photographer we have been toying around with the thought of doing this, and so I gave up my personal dress to a model and we went swimming. My dress is fine, and the pictures are gorgeous!
I don't get it. Why destroy something commerates a very special day? Interesting article. And by the way, lots of women wear their mothers' or grandmothers' dresses. I would have worn my mom's, but she borrowed her dress because they couldn't afford to buy one!
Maybe these women could donate these dresses to a local charity. I did that with mine. I would rather some child wear it for perpetual dress up, than have to store it for the rest of my life. It seems so very wasteful and disgusting to destroy something that is still useable.
This was interesting. I was not uptight about my dress on my wedding day but I do want my dress preserved. The memories should reflect in the pictures but I would like to have my dress also!
My wedding photographer (Cristy Nielsen) did this in our area (Orlando, FL) and it actually seemed like a cute idea to me, at least in terms of getting some unique photos, though I am far too sentimental to have done that to my dress!
I really don't think that I could destroy the dress I get married in.
Hmmm . . . destruct a dress . . . preserve a marriage? Not something I could do . . . my own wedding dress is carefully sealed (and taking up storage space). . . Guess I am just an old fashioned girl . . .