Sunday, May 17, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday...Playing Grownup Barbies





It seems impossible, but it's already Monday again which means our friend Susan at Between Naps on the Porch is hosting Metamorphosis Monday again. I may have told you, after the guest bedroom makeover, I'm through "nesting" inside my house for a while. I can't look at another paint brush, curtain rod, or catalog for a while. It's been too wet here to do much "morphing" in my yard, so today I have a different kind of metamorphosis for you.






Two or three times a month I head to work for what my family jokingly calls "career day"! I work in the boutique section of a department store and one of my jobs is to dress the mannequins! This is a job right up my alley! I loved playing with Barbie as a child and this is the next best thing! I get to pick out clothes, shoes, and jewelery for the mannequins.





One of the things I learned when I first started doing this is not to necessarily dress "Bertha" ( My pet name for her) the way I personally would dress. Mannequins are supposed to be just a little over the top and my own personal style tends toward conservative and classic. Most people don't dress in four layers with three popped collars, but the goal is to show the customer what might be done and what is available. You'd be surprised how many men walk in and ask for everything on a mannequin in their wife or girlfriend's size---instant shopping! I really do enjoy this. It gives me a chance to dress dolls again and it's almost like spending someone else's money! I hope you enjoyed Bertha's makeover. Susan and a list of others have all kinds of things to share at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/. Have a happy Metamorphosis Monday and a great week!

24 comments:

  1. What fun Susan! You did a great job! I like your done metamorphosed Mannequin !!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had a part time job at a high end clothing store...you are right about people wanting what the doll is wearing..we were always finding them half naked because the size or the last one was on the doll....poor dolls ! You did a great job with this one !
    Hugs ~ Kammy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bertha looks fabulous. Great job. Hugs, Marty

    ReplyDelete
  4. You have one of the coolest jobs I've ever heard of!! Way more interesting and creative than a boring desk job!! :-)

    Kelly @ DesignTies

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great job! Bertha looks great!

    ~Really Rainey~

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a fun job! I would love to do that - although Bertha probably wouldn't be in love with my fashion choices. :)

    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fun and creative job you have! It would be like playing with Barbies. Life size ones.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bertha looks ready for a day out! Love your job! Love the combinations! Enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love Bertha's style, although you're right I probably couldn't wear it! Black and white seems to be the only the color combo I see when I walk into a department store. I'm sure there are other colors there, I just never manage to go home with them!!!'

    Thanks for stopping by my blog; it's nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This looks like a fun job -- and you've certainly got Bertha looking good! Now I wonder if you could come and get me dressed so well.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bertha looks quite the fashion diva! Where do you work? I don't recognize the place! But the clothes look fab! God Bless you Susan! Lauralu :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great redo Susan! "Bertha" looks very nice indeed! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Now that is an exciting "career!" :) ~Rhonda

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a fun job!!! But I would totally suck at it since I have no fashion sense. I had to laugh when you said men come in & buy everything that Bertha is wearing in their wives size. Too funny. Thanks for visiting my blog & leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey! Thanks for visiting my blog & entering the give away!! I really like your blog & plan being a frequent visitor. You are the first "Big Barbie Doll" dresser I ever met!! LOL!!
    Have a great evening!!
    Marilyn
    xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, Susan...I could so have fun with this! :-) Bertha looks stunning! She's a true southern gal with her lovely hat! :-) Happy Met Monday! susan

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh, I want to be Bertha (not just because she has a good figure and doesn't have to style her hair or even brush her teeth), but because she gets dressed so nicely. I am not good at shopping for clothes. I'm one of those people that you're job targets-"if Bertha looks good in it, maybe I will too"! Great job of transforming Bertha. laurie

    ReplyDelete
  18. Glad Bertha is able to take you back to your childhood playing with Barbies!! I bet you have alot of fun with this.. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh wow what a great aspect to your job! I also LOVED "playing Barbie" when I was a girl -- and I have to confess I found an original style Barbie (ponytail and striped bathing suit) at Wal Mart that comes with the black nightclub singer dress, and if I'd had 40-bucks to spare, I'd have bought her for myself!

    I used to think of my girls as big live dolls, and loved to dress them, too, till they got older and rebelled. :-)

    That Old House is quite flattered that she is your favorite of the houses on today's post, and is glad you can see beyond her peeling paint and missing shutters to her inner beauty!

    An antebellum house? Wow ... that would be a dream house! My husband isn't handy either, so fixing things around here is a challenge!

    Best wishes ... Cass

    ReplyDelete
  20. You have such a great job! It must be so fun to create different looks for people to admire. ☺ Diane

    ReplyDelete