During my excursion to Woodland Mall, I noticed things about the window displays that I hadn't thought of before. Each display gives consumers a "taste" of what's inside. Stores put their best merchandise in the displays to entice people inside. Once there, customers are caught. While searching the store to find what they saw in the window, their eyes glimpse other attractive commodities they "must" have. Soon, arms are full of merchandise. I thought this particular picture of the two mannequins was interesting. Neither of the faces are prominent or pleasing, so the articles they wear are what passer-by's are drawn to. Also, both models have their arms in dominant positions and their faces turned upwards in a snooty way as if to say, "We are better than you. But if you purchase what we're wearing, maybe you can live up to our potential."
18 January 2010
A Trip to Woodland
During my excursion to Woodland Mall, I noticed things about the window displays that I hadn't thought of before. Each display gives consumers a "taste" of what's inside. Stores put their best merchandise in the displays to entice people inside. Once there, customers are caught. While searching the store to find what they saw in the window, their eyes glimpse other attractive commodities they "must" have. Soon, arms are full of merchandise. I thought this particular picture of the two mannequins was interesting. Neither of the faces are prominent or pleasing, so the articles they wear are what passer-by's are drawn to. Also, both models have their arms in dominant positions and their faces turned upwards in a snooty way as if to say, "We are better than you. But if you purchase what we're wearing, maybe you can live up to our potential."
I also find mannequins interesting. I never really thought about them in much detail, but if you think about it, you have to wonder exactly what their point is. Of course, we think they're used so that people can see "what they'd look like" in those clothes. That's what stores would argue. However, I think it's all another way of scheming so that we'll buy the product.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever examined a mannequins actual body shape before? Sometimes it's pretty surprising. The mannequins are usually tall and skinny, with bigger chest areas. That's not always the case, but much of the time it is. Not everyone's body looks like that, but I think they try to sell the clothes by saying, "If you buy this, your body shape will actually look like this too!" Sometimes when you buy clothes that "look right" on the mannequin, you find that the clothing doesn't look the same, or "right," on you.
Good observations, Aemelia and Karlie. It would be interesting to do a photo series of mannequins with captions about what they're thinking or saying about/to each other. "Do you think I look sexy when I put my arms up on my head like this?"
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