Jezebel 
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New York, 1:04 AM
Mon Nov 30
18 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/07/09
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At least, when it's donated, it will live a second life helping someone. I am an artist, but I think helping someone in need is more powerful than any artistic statement.
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10/07/09
that said, i did pay a lot of money to have it cleaned and then i donated it, and i hope someone had as much fun in it as I did.
wanton destruction, though? I can't get behind that.
10/07/09
Anyone?
10/07/09
In the parents' time of grief, it seems at least a bit helpful/a small kindness to not have to worry about THAT among everything else. It's a lot less fun thing to do with one's dress, but felt like the right thing for me.
10/07/09
10/07/09
Yes, these can all sound weird and consumerist and privileged (though I doubt anyone would call the last 'snotty'), and they are all of those things in the face of a mass wedding pulled together with what little was available, but I'm not sure what's trying to be said by this other than that somehow engaging in the "trash the dress" act isn't even just consumerist - it's somehow tarnishing what's is for many an incredibly important part of life, and experience that many won't be able to have. But I'd argue first that these sorts of things are not uncommon or born of modern consumerism, that in some ways they support a social cohesion that reinforces the view of the importance of marriage and the wedding itself - and, finally, that it can be kind of a dangerous line to toe at what acts are acceptable when it comes to weddings and marriage. Wedding shows and the wedding industry are obviously a self-sustaining cycle of creating and selling fads - I don't see that this isn't really special or particular in that, or any more 'obscene' than five-figure wedding dress or designer napkin holders.
10/06/09
Other people in this thread mentioned that usually the dress isn't actually trashed but in the video shown above the couple is throwing paint at each other! So yes, the dress is getting trashed. It just seems like such a waste.
10/06/09
As has been said, it's not more or less valid than putting it in a box for 20 years. Why are we singling out the disgusting privilege of trashing a dress someone else might want and use? So you could give it to charity, but you know what, you should be giving to charity a lot more anyway. You shouldn't be throwing out half the shit you throw out on a regular basis. You shouldn't eat be eating meat either, or spending lots of money on all sorts of luxuries. You should be driving your car less. If we're going to point out the immoralities of our banal lives, we might as well go after all of them, no? Why single out this one just because it seems extra snotty to us? Where's the blog post about how restaurants throw out their food at the end of the night while people are hungry on the street? (and yeah, I'm using the same irrational appeals to outrage used in the blog post, but I'm irked in the same Sadie is presumably irked. And we have crying after a movie in common too. I just watched Milk!)
And honestly, it seems conspicuous to me that this admonishment for consumerist excess comes from a blog that shows such a great interest in the fashion industry. Granted, there is a tremendous amount of craft and art ("real art", as opposed to this fatuous, privileged art!) in fashion, and (I assume) we're just admiring all that, but come on, it's pretty damn excessive. I love you Jezebel, but come on now. Be real, people. We're all awful in our own little ways.
Aw shit, you know what, don't take me too seriously. I'm young and bored at work and this thing probably deserves better treatment than I'm giving it. This is like my 5th edit. Jesus Christ I can really gab can't I?
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10/07/09
Out of curiosity, what's your stance on universal health care?
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10/06/09
It's just a chance to wear your dress again and have some beautiful pictures that you can't get/don't have time for on your wedding day.
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That is not true. It is not necessary to be uptight and strive for some pre-determined level of so-called perfection on one's wedding day.
10/07/09
10/06/09
The meaning behind trashing the dress, as I understand it, is to symbolize the idea that you won't ever need it again. As in, there will be one wedding and one wedding only. I don't necessarily agree with it but that's how it's been explained to me.
10/06/09
10/07/09