Looks like the condom dress is an attention-getter that just doesn't quit. Since the last time I posted about them there's been an entire condom-clothing fashion show in China, to commemorate World Population Day (and to publicize the 4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies & Products Expo, held in Beijing back in July).
What I want to know is, why don't I ever see any MEN'S clothing made out of condoms? Aren't they the ones who are supposed to be doing the covering up? Where are the three-piece condom business suits? I guess it's just another instance of that old, tired story of birth control being seen as entirely the woman's responsibility.
That said, this little number is kinda cute. I'd love to see a re-interpretation of the condom dress where all the condoms were actually ersatz condoms made of silk organza. (It would certainly be more comfortable to wear!)
If you click through on the picture you'll see the original post featuring the story, with all the stuff-made-from-condoms you could ever wish to see. But be careful, some of the pictures there look as if they might at any time become Not Safe For Work. And oh, lord, I can't wait to see what kind of ads Adsense serves up to this post!
Suits seem like they would be harder.
Posted by: Kiru Banzai | 09/27/2007 at 09:16 AM
Anyone headed to Ketchikan Alaska can visit the home of "Madam" Dolly, and view her shower curtain festooned with flowers created from silk condoms. She made a fortune in the late 1800's with her "trade", and apparently was into recycling long before it was commonly practiced.
Posted by: Thoughts on Life and Millinery. | 09/27/2007 at 10:06 AM
Pun intended, kiru banzai? LOL!
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 10:06 AM
Chic AND safe!
Posted by: WendyB | 09/27/2007 at 10:14 AM
I have never seen anything like it! Some of the clothes you can see are made of condoms, but others it is so well hidden that you can't tell. It is amazing.Linda
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 10:39 AM
An evil, tasteless and irresponsible post. Why do this? There are also young people who view this blog. See ya.
Posted by: Adrienne | 09/27/2007 at 10:44 AM
Adrienne, if the young people you talk about are viewing this and are 12(maybe 9) and older, they are at an age to be talked to about responsible sex. We had a great-niece who was pregnant at 14, on welfare, couldn't get married or work cause of her age and her mother just shrugged her shoulders and said "what can you do?" The problem was the parents not being responsible and talking about sex and supervising their daughter. But then again, her parents were 16 when they married and their 3 kids were welfare babies too. We need to be more open about individual responsibility and start at a young age!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 11:18 AM
Some great dresses there. And in a somewhat related note -- do a search for 'toilet paper wedding dresses'. Creativity knows no limits, it seems.
Posted by: renee | 09/27/2007 at 11:20 AM
War is "evil", most of network tv and basic cable are "tasteless" and condoms are anything but "irresponsible." Blog on, Erin, blog on!
Posted by: foodandshoes | 09/27/2007 at 11:42 AM
Erin, you are killing me! Never heard of this, obviously missed your previous post. And I agree, blog on.
Posted by: Cherie | 09/27/2007 at 12:08 PM
Mad, bad and dangerous to know.I mean, letting us see things that promote reducing the population burden on the planet and prevent the spread of disease. What were you thinking?!
Posted by: xstpenguin | 09/27/2007 at 12:22 PM
Yo! A woman who is fertile can get pregnant while her partner is wearing a condom. It happens. A lot. Ask a girlfriend, a brother, a sister, a co-worker.Why do people think that handing out condoms (let alone turning them into dresses) reduces unplanned pregnancies and transmittal of disease? Condoms break and rip just like other products, made or not made, in China.Abstinence remains the best way not to have a baby at the "wrong time" and not get HIV, herpes, etc.
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 01:06 PM
Yes, Erin, DO blog on!
Posted by: oracle | 09/27/2007 at 01:15 PM
Anon, people believe that handing out condoms reduces unplanned pregnancies and transmittal of disease because there is lots of good data showing that it is so. This may be an awkward segue, but I'm looking for good, cotton, maternity tights. I can only find ones that cost $34-38, which is a lot. Hue used to make them, but maybe doesn't anymore? Any readers or commenters have ideas about this? (No condoms were broken during the production of this pregnancy.)Thanks,Cherylc
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 02:58 PM
Cheryl, I LOVE the segue. :-)Check ebay for maternity tights. Looks like there are good well-known brands listed for $2-$20!I have one pair, I think, that I'm keeping around purely as ... (wait for it) a prophylactic device. If I toss 'em, it's baby sibling time (at least to my superstitious mind)!
Posted by: Erin | 09/27/2007 at 03:20 PM
If you prefer hormonal methods of birth control, you could always wear this.
Posted by: MissPrism | 09/27/2007 at 03:43 PM
Erin, the funny thing is that I threw away my last pair of maternity tights a year ago since I wasn't pregnant and didn't expect to be. Ha! So, I think you should hang on to yours. (However, we're very happy with the way things turned out.)cherylc
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 03:55 PM
I'm not sure Erin wants a contraception debate in her blog. Not that that stops me..."Why do people think that handing out condoms (let alone turning them into dresses) reduces unplanned pregnancies and transmittal of disease? "For the same reason I think that wearing seatbelts reduces automobile accidents. "Reduces" doesn't mean "eliminates".I am quite confident that one of the reasons my husband and I have precisely two children is the use of condoms. However, I'm pretty sure that a dress made of condoms has never prevented a pregnancy, unless it reduced the male involved to such fits of giggles that intercourse was rendered impossible.
Posted by: Jonquil | 09/27/2007 at 03:55 PM
Sorry! That should be "reduces deaths and injuries in automobile accidents", not reducing the accidents themselves. I wish. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been rear-ended four times in the last ten years...
Posted by: Jonquil | 09/27/2007 at 03:56 PM
I just Googled up pix of Madam Dolly's curtains and they're quite pretty. I wonder if the colors are original or if she dyed them? (No worries, they just look like silk roses.)Curtains
Posted by: Jonquil | 09/27/2007 at 03:59 PM
The complaint issued above is about incorrect usage of condoms (a good percentage of people do not use them properly and thus have to be educated in the matter but when they do use them properly breakage, leaking and unplanned pregnancies are greatly reduced). Proper and consistent use is the key and with it you have yourself a damn good contraceptive. If you want evidence you can check with those two babies who I have neither carried nor birthed in the last 2 years.Honestly some of the reactions to this rather humorous post are completely out of proportion to the subject matter and treatment.
Posted by: ellenbrenna | 09/27/2007 at 04:38 PM
not so sure about the condom dress, although you would never run the risk of being caught unprepared! have you looked at the fanciful dress creations being shared at eb's "Bloglandia Ball"? - no condoms, that I saw, but lots of fun designs and dress love!
Posted by: AmandaMay | 09/27/2007 at 05:41 PM
Totally off the subject...I just bought a vintage dress last night at our local Salvation Army. This blog is my first intro into vintage clothing. We bought the dress because my daughter liked it. I have searched and searched the net for any info to try to determine what year/decade the dress might be from and what (ball park) it might be worth. The label says Colonial Lady and the hang tag says Colonial Frocks, Inc. I could only find one dress in a search for Colonial Lady and it was listed as 1940s. This is black lace over a copper colored lining. I cannot find any flaw or damage or wear in the dress at all. It has a back metal zipper, and a matching belt with a covered buckle. If anyone is willing to help me, I could email you some photos. I'm just very curious about the dress after following this blog.
Posted by: Dusty Penguin | 09/27/2007 at 08:52 PM
all i can think is that man, it must've smelled terrible at that fashion show.
Posted by: Anonymous | 09/27/2007 at 10:34 PM
I think that condom dresses are weird and tacky and not artistic at all. They don't promote any kind of social awareness/critical thinking of my sexual habits at least (I can't believe I just typed that)...not to mention that these things always are exhibited at fashion shows and in art galleries, so how is that "educational" if only a certain elite socioeconomic group is able to view them in the first place? It seems like I have seen so many of these exhibits lately (boing boing has a few posts on them, for example) that I just roll my eyes and yawn. Just my two cents, but if someone is going to spend so much time and energy making a dress, why make it out of condoms? OK, I'm done now. Oh, and the part about men's clothing made out of condoms made me giggle. So true, Erin!
Posted by: Heather | 09/28/2007 at 06:24 AM