Why is it that mannequins are perfectly fine in a mall store, but when you put them in your home, all of a sudden they seem kind of creepy? That may just be my bias. I have a love/hate relationship with vintage mannequins. I think they are super cool and more homes should have them. And they also terrify me, just a little, because they are so human. In the 80s, a friend had a full mannequin sharing his apartment. She was fabulously dressed, but when I visited, it always felt like there was a third person in the room and she was definitely listening.
I have two dress forms, one vintage Wolf and one modern form, and they don’t make me look over my shoulder in late at night because they bear only a fleeting resemblance to human beings. Most humans don’t have a base with 4 wheels instead of legs. For hats, I have a featureless modern wig form, and for things where a hand is useful for product shots, I have an articulated wooden hand from Ikea. They’re adequate, but hardly inspirational. Sometimes I think a vintage devotee like me should have the real thing, a real vintage mannequin.
What would I buy if I did decide to add vintage mannequins to my collection? Here are a few that caught my eye…
Mid century Mannequin Head and Décolleté
Oh the things this beautiful head mannequin could display. Hats, wigs, necklaces, collars. She looks like she knows things, perhaps some of them dark secrets from your past, but she’ll never tell. And, since she’s soft plastic, I would not need to live in fear of chipping her.
60s Realistic Full Body Mannequin
This gorgeous fiberglass full body 1960s vintage mannequin, made in Japan by Nanasai, is in her fashion pose. She has her original hard cap pastel pink wig, glass eyes, incredible makeup and eyelashes for days. Full sized, she stands 5’10” tall. What makes her extra special is she is being sold by a mannequin restoring professional. Imagine how good vintage clothes from any era would look on her otherworldly beautiful form.
Vintage Reclining Full Body Mannequin
Although I’ve seen them in this pose in stores for years, it felt brand new when I found this full size mannequin resting on her hip. Obviously she isn’t a great choice for use in product photography because there would be lots of taking legs and arms off and on to get her dressed. But she would be awesome in a home or a store, reclining on a vintage buffet (a very long one). Made by Wolf/Vine, she is fiberglass and has glass eyes like the 60s mannequin, but she is missing her wig.
I’m not sure if I’m convinced that I can share a home with a vintage mannequin, but these stunning women are enough to make me start thinking about it. If you’re a vintage clothing seller, what do you use for display?
