OK, first of all, what is up with the models in those pictures? Why can't any of them stand up straight? Why are all they all slouching? Is there something wrong with them?

Here's the line that jumped out at me: "The majority of inquiries we've gotten so far were from professional girls - lawyers, doctors and especially bankers," said Paulette Cleghorn, head of sales and marketing for the Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings collection. "

Professional girls? Such as lawyers, doctors and bankers? I'm sorry, is this 1954? Those are women. What the fuck?

I'm completely confused about why the article interviewed 12-year-olds. They're not getting married--they're not the consumers for this nonsense.

OK, one more question: what on earth does the Snow White dress have to do with Snow White? If they sold the Witch Queen's gown and robe, I'd be into that.

The majority of inquiries we've gotten so far were from professional girls - lawyers, doctors and especially bankers," said Paulette Cleghorn,

To paraphrase my mother - are those offices violating child labor laws? What kind doctor or lawyer is described as a "girl" - a child playing pretend?

And I agree with the last (non-professional) girl - the dresses do need more colors.

Professional girls? Interviewing 12 year olds?

Does the Cinderella dress come with shoes stained with your step-sisters' blood? Will the Mulan dress be red? Can Disney go die in a fire?

Ugh.

Yeah, I blogged about this the other day. Sorry to so shamelessly self-promote. But it saves me from typing out my thoughts all over again.

That Jasmine dress looks nothing like what she's wearing at the end of the movie - just watch it here in Icelandic: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VCHHPv6Z_mg

I mean, if you're going to dress up as a Disney character on your wedding day, you should just go for broke. See if you can style your hair as a solid, easily animated blob while you're at it.

I always wanted to be an empress, not a princess. Disney failed me miserably.

Anyone who would dress like a Disney princess to her wedding is obviously not mature enough to get married in the first place.

Best. Comment. Ever., sojourner.

Jesus H., it's gotten worse. When news first broke, I saw an article on a wedding planning community. The first article was just as insulting, referring to women as a collective group who [paraphrasing here] "start out wanting something different, but always end up traditional".

But interviewing kids? Christ. It's a dumb world after all.

I'm completely confused about why the article interviewed 12-year-olds. They're not getting married--they're not the consumers for this nonsense.

Oh, but they are--the FUTURE consumers! I've always been amazed at the number of pre-teen and teenage girls who obsess about their "dream weddings" and spend hours pouring over wedding magazines. It's a seamless transition for the wedding industry: get them hooked on playing princess when they're little, and they'll grow up and play princess on their wedding day.

I don't really have anything against playing princess when you're, you know, four. Or even fourteen. (I always wore the dress AND carried a sword). But doing it when you're an adult (and on an occasion as serious as your wedding, not a costume party) is creepy.

This reminded me of an essay Naomi Wolf wrote, "brideland," in Rebecca Walker's anthology to be real. While she does some decent deconstruction of wedding symbolism and the industry, her conclusion was:

"in Brideland, men worship the goddess of female sexuality once again . . . the dream of the formal wedding, and the culture that surrounds it, demonstrates on some level how barren the world is for women when female sexuality is stripped of its aura . . . [we need new rituals] in which we can announce to the world that we are sexually priceless--and not just for one expensive day" (p. 40).

What the fuck?

http://disneybridal.com/

The Gown, The Slipper, The Kiss and The Prince. Under it all, every girl believes in the dream...

Hey man, speak for yourself.

With her bridal, Maidens and flower girl gowns, Kirstie Kelly creates a look that connects to every girl's inner princess.

This is just weird. What is with all the girliness here? I am not the same thing I was when I was 12, thankyouverymuch. What's wrong with "woman"? Gah.

(In all fairness, I think some of those dresses are kind of pretty, though. It sucks that they're being sold with such disgusting marketing).

OK, so I've been to the website, and I have to ask: what do any of those dresses have to do with the characters they're supposed to represent? They don't even look anything like the dresses the heroines wear in the movies! At all! It's sort of doubly insulting: we don't actually have to make a connection between the dress and the icon--just name it "Ariel" and those stupid chicks will buy it.

and on an occasion as serious as your wedding

I want to either laugh or gasp in horror when I think about this actually playing out as someone's wedding -- can you imagine? Friends and family all showing up for one of the few widespread and recognizeable rituals we still have left as a society, solemn vows and whatnot, and the bride's basically running around going "I'M A PRETTY PRETTY PRINCESS!!! A PRINCESS, YOU HEAR?!"

...

The dresses are pretty and elegant. That said, I would sooner poke out my eyes with flaming needles than do the "princess" routine, which never appealed to me even in my youth.

This is a larger issue of the wedding craze. The average amount spent on a wedding is something like $20,000, with many going into the six figures. I don't blame Disney for trying to cash in on it - what sensible corporation wouldn't? - but really, need we infantalise everyone in the process?

When are they coming out with Prince Charming tuxes and suits? Oh, wait, we let men be adults when they marry?

I hope they have an "Ariel" dress to satisfy my fish fetish. I've always wanted to marry a cod!

This is just weird. What is with all the girliness here? I am not the same thing I was when I was 12, thankyouverymuch. What's wrong with "woman"? Gah. - the_becca

Indeed ... what's with all the girliness ... we're talking about marriage here.

Not to sound to much like a "what about us men" MRA-type, but these "girls" are not just going to the altar alone, are they? And maybe I'm just speaking for myself here, but I'd be kinda grossed-out if my significant other was so keen on playing such a girlish role on our wedding day -- it would frame the situation as if I were some sort of pedophile or somethin' being married to a "girl" rather than a woman.

DAS,

That which is good for women has a remarkable way of being good for (rational, caring, adult) people. Don't apologise.

Heh, EG, you echoed many of my thoughts. See, this one is Ariel, 'cause it looks "fishy." See, there at the bottom? Just like a mermaid, can't you see??

But then I found this fabulous quote in the linked article: we've taken the moods of the princesses and updated them to be who they would be as today's women. Ah yes, you know "today's women" they just can't get enough of wicked stepmothers, trading in their entire identity for men, and being locked up by Beasts. That's "today's girl" all right!

I have to believe that this isn't really intended to sell Disney Princess themed weddings to adults. There's a reason the article was full of 12-year-olds; the dresses are sartorial press releases.

You get some hype when you announce that these things exist, and you get a bunch of advertising to your kid demo, who sees their hobby/obsession as being legitimized. It means more trips to the Disney store, and more selling their usual crap.

I think. I mean, I just can't imagine them really believing they can sell these things to grown women.

I remember when this was announced a few months ago and looking at the runway pictures. I was surprised how not costume-like the outfits were. I actually think from a marketing standpoint it sort of defeated the purpose because it really did just look like "here's a dress we can call 'The Ariel.'"

There isn't anything wrong with a princess/wedding dress theme. Ever been to a Society for Creative Anachronism wedding? The shame is that these dresses don't really look like what a real, panting Disney adult fan would want to wear and that they don't make a matching "Prince" outfit for any of them.

In any case, they probably quoted 13 year old girls because they couldn't find any adult women who would own up to being willing to buy and wear them. I think the line looks like a disappointment to me.

It's funny, because the Princess-themed line of gowns on its own might not be *that* bad -- they don't look cartoony, it's not like the gowns make the women wearing them look like child brides.

But taken in context with the various articles that have talked about this -- referring to women prepetually as "girls", therefore not differentiating grown women from the 12-year-olds they interviewed about the dresses (ew!)... it's disgusting. The business part of it pisses me off -- when I first saw the sketches for the gowns, they looked mildly interesting, like wedding gowns with a little bit of personality. I'd hoped that they'd make the dresses in the various colors associated with the princesses.

But as it is, they're plain white gowns that look exactly like a gown you could purchase at David's Bridal for a fraction of the cost. Maybe I'm getting irritated at the wrong aspect of this -- and please don't get me wrong, the creepily condescending tone of the article pisses me off as well -- but I had really hoped that if Disney was going to create a line of wedding gowns, they'd be a little more... I don't know... unique. Not just marked up versions of every other wedding dress known to man.

Wow! > It seems to me as if Disney is attempting to utilize its consumer loyalty and its expansion of its wedding department (ie accepting gay and lesbian marriages) to construct an actual market for itself. That's sick. What's really fantastic though is the idea that their little 13 year old critic wasn't pleased. So much for universal loyalty!

I think that this all sexist and horrible and Disney is very anti-feminist and also sucks really, really hard, and this is sending the totally wrong message to younger girls, and it's horrible.

As a hardcore, bad-ass feminist, I feel absolutely terrible for saying this, but...

...I think the dresses are really really really really pretty.

Very odd and annoying. But I would be totally for it if they sold a Maleficent dress. I want a line of Disney Villians Bridal wear!

Of course, bitchkittie, some differences at a SCA wedding are that the clothes are often made by the participants. Even if you buy it instead, an outfit will likely be closer to $200 than $1100. Also, they have spectacular clothes for the groom and groomsmen.

Personally, I think that the worst problem with the concept of a "fairy-tale wedding" is that the original folktales were mostly about suffering and trial, not about the (not always guaranteed) happy ending. I avoided wishing for "a fairy-tale wedding" because I didn't want to risk bringing any injuries, deaths, illnesses, or tragic curses upon my nuptials. ;)

There is nothing wrong with marriage, and there is nothing wrong with wanted to dress up for the wedding. Personally I am waiting to see a lipstick lesbian Snow White marry a Lipstick lesbian Cinderelle. Any chance of them making the prince costumes? Wouldn't it be great to see Alladin marry John Smith?

There is nothing wrong with marriage, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to dress up for the wedding. Personally I am waiting to see a lipstick lesbian Snow White marry a Lipstick lesbian Cinderelle. Any chance of them making the prince costumes? Wouldn't it be great to see Alladin marry John Smith?

Re. the possibility of a Maleficent dress: you know that in the original story, she was supposed to have been invited, eh? It's not that she was evil per se, just that she got offended in that way that non-human immortal beings have a way of doing.

There was a bit from a humourous fantasy novel I glanced at years ago: "The wicked fairy was the only one who came to my baptism party. She had a great time, danced on the tables and gave me a teddy bear that sang, 'Go To Sleep, Mummy's Tired'."

It kind of depends on the version. In the Basile version, there was no curse at all, and no fairies--just a bunch of wise men who got together and cast the princess's horoscope or whatever they did to see her future and said "Hey, she's gonna prick her finger and fall asleep. That sucks." In some of the other versions, she was invited, but the King only had a certain number of gold place settings, and she had to eat off of a regular place setting, and that pissed her off.

Good point there, EG. Though personally, I always thought that the necessity of including the "bad fairy" was a good symbol for accepting that your family's life isn't always going to go smoothly, and that denying this fact may bring disaster. Or she can just serve as a representation of the annoying relatives one feels obliged to invite to formal events. ;)

Y'know, maybe it just means I'm immature, but I've always been really interested in fairy tales and folk stories. And while I think a lot of Disney's movies were poorly or shallowly made, some of them were awfully neat - I always liked that Jasmine and Belle and Mulan seemed a little kick-ass and liked to break and bend rules. And...yeah, some of the dresses in the animated movies were pretty. And if I had the inclination, it'd be wicked cool to have a dress that looked like Belle's in the ballroom scene of Beauty and the Beast. Or as the above poster said, Maleficent's garb is pretty bitchin'. I've seen some neat weddings (and mind you, these were small, private, inexpensive, and still meaninful affairs) that incorporated interests and aesthetic tastes of the married couple, whether it be sci-fi or roleplaying. And I'm sorry, but my indignation over the infantilizing marketing strategy is just run WAY over by the fact that NONE OF THE DAMN DRESSES LOOK LIKE THE MOVIE ONES. I mean, why bother spending the money? That "Jasmine" one looks exactly like a dress I wore to homecoming in high school, except I paid maybe $45 for it and it was blue. Sheesh. Dumb Disney. :-P

Malificent rocks. When I was a toddler the absolute highlight of bathtime was when my mom would suds up my little blond locks and twist them up into Malificent horns. I had zero interest in the princesses...I was a witch every year for Halloween until I was probably 8 and had imaginary 'Witch Parties' under the dining room table to which I would tell my mom (in chirpy little four year old voice) that I was inviting all of the Disney villinesses.

Princesses are so lame.

On a serious note, in retrospect, I realize that almost every "villiness" in at least the early Disney cartoons was a relatively independant woman; had her own castle like Malificent or ran her own home like the stepmother, and I wonder if it was intentional or subliminal message to send to young girls by setting up a single, strong woman as a 'villaness' in opposition to sweet and meek heroines that find men and accept their lowly place.

Malificent rocks. When I was a toddler the absolute highlight of bathtime was when my mom would suds up my little blond locks and twist them up into Malificent horns. I had zero interest in the princesses...I was a witch every year for Halloween until I was probably 8 and had imaginary 'Witch Parties' under the dining room table to which I would tell my mom (in chirpy little four year old voice) that I was inviting all of the Disney villinesses.

Princesses are so lame.

On a serious note, in retrospect, I realize that almost every "villiness" in at least the early Disney cartoons was a relatively independant woman; had her own castle like Malificent or ran her own home like the stepmother, and I wonder if it was intentional or subliminal message to send to young girls by setting up a single, strong woman as a 'villaness' in opposition to sweet and meek heroines that find men and accept their lowly place.

The problem, Ranter, isn't with dressing up for weddings -- it's with Disney being jaw-droppingly patronizing to its target audience (calling career women "professional girls" and placing them on the same footing as the 13-year-old children who were being shown the dresses) and also being blatantly manipulative -- even more than most bridal magazines, IMO -- by saying, "If you buy one of our ridiculously overpriced confections which bear little resemblance to the costumes of the characters on which they purport to be based, you'll not only look gorgeous, but you'll be fulfilling the 'princess' dream of marrying a rich, powerful man and resting on your laurels! Which is what every girl wants to do, right?"

That and, by not providing any groom's outfits, they're reinforcing the idea that women are the only ones interested in committed relationships. :P Admittedly this wouldn't be the case if it were a lesbian wedding, but unless one woman dressed butch, they'd be forking over twice the cash. Who needs a house, eh?

Embarassing admission: When I was a little girl, I was transfixed by Cinderella's beautiful blue shiny translucent ball gown. It was soo purty.

And I'm the least girly girl of all the girls, ever.

I think plenty of girls (though not all) want to dress up--that shouldn't be an embarrassing admission! My younger brother, for that matter, loved wearing my tutus and crowns when he was little ;).

The problem is when it becomes a way of keeping women in perpetual girlhood AND when the definition of "pretty" is so extremely narrow (for starters, excludes all men!). . .

There is nothing wrong with marriage, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to dress up for the wedding.
Yeah, except that the whole concept of marriage derives from the idea of making people property of each other. That, & the fact that weddings have evolved as a tacky means to show off your wealth as opposed to say, showing your love. The fact that people spend more time planning the wedding than planning the marriage. Aside from that, there's nothing wrong with them.

My guess is that this is Disney trying to capitalize on the modern bastardized-romance/fairy-tale obsession they created via their reality TV staple, The Bachelor. These dating shows have been wrapping their poisonous, repressive, regressive marriage-and-domesticity proscriptions in the trappings of "ideal fairy tale love," which in the realitu genre translates to lots of bling, a skinny nitwit bride, and an emptyheaded pretend-rich groom. The women actually get dressed up in Cinderella ballgowns and wear tiaras and ride in x-mas-light-covered pumpkin carriages. It's sickening infantilization, but it's been all over the boob tube for years. I have clips of these images in the multimedia reel I use when I do speeches on reality TV shows on college campuses. It's all very disturbing... and dumb, too. Let's not forget dumb...

you guys are definitely overreacting. These dresses are simply given a theme from Disney characters-they look like normal wedding dresses. Yea, it's Disney trying to make some more cheap bucks, but it's definitely not something to freak out about.

Why has Disney not gotten into the purity ball dress business? That would seem more in line with the idea of child brides.

Maybe they could add a line of chastity belts?

"I'm completely confused about why the article interviewed 12-year-olds. They're not getting married--they're not the consumers for this nonsense."

For that matter, I'd guess that the parents of the 12-year-olds who *are* getting married off probably dismiss Disney as western cultural imperialism instead of buying Disney merchandise.

"Will the Mulan dress be red?"

The article kinda hints that someone realized even the Disney version of Mulan reached some other rank instead of princess:

"Disney is unveiling a new collection of bridal gowns inspired by its six famed princesses: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Belle, Jasmine and Ariel."

I dunno, maybe Disney will come out with a line of paintball armor next and then people will go "hey, the Mulan armor doesn't look like what she wore in the movie!" ;)

"It's funny, because the Princess-themed line of gowns on its own might not be *that* bad -- they don't look cartoony, it's not like the gowns make the women wearing them look like child brides."

Yeah, the actual clothing is just fine.