Little Black Dress

By Sydni Joy

ARTIST STATEMENT

My name is Sydni Joy, and I had the privilege to work with an insane team to bring this vision to life.

"Little Black Dress" initially came from looking for inspiration online on Fashion Gone Rogue for an entirely different photoshoot. Black dresses are incredibly classy, and with a black and white photo, it just screams "beauty." However, I wanted to make a more significant impact than just women wearing black dresses. I sat down in my room thinking about the term "little black dress" and what I think of when I hear the term. First, I thought of One Direction's song "Little Black Dress" and what those lyrics really say. Though I love One Direction, this song looks at this girl as an object wearing a black dress. Then I thought about how a little black dress typically is only advertised towards tall, skinny girls. And then this idea spiraled into an art show.

How Urban Dictionary describes a little black dress is something that I wanted to go against. Urban Dictionary defines it as "for the sole purpose of seducing men." Even if women wanted to dress to please men, they would never achieve that. Some wear clothes that cover all of their skin and are considered "too modest" and "no fun," while women who choose to show off much skin are considered "sluts” and "dressing for attention." Not only that, but women can't wear anything they want without being catcalled. They can wear sweats or the skimpiest dress and still get rude comments and stares from men. In 2021, women no longer wanted to be known for wearing something for the sole purpose of getting men's attention. In 2021, men, women, and they deserve to wear whatever they want to make them feel sexy and confident.

Based on an interview conducted, each model in this show was styled according to their style. You'll learn a bit about who they are and how they fight for their style. After experiencing this art show, I hope you feel a little more confident in wearing what you want and not just for others.

Thank you, my amazing co-creative director and co-stylist, Ashlyn Erikson, for your fantastic help and insight. I literally could not have done it without her. Thank you to Meagan Heather for giving each and every model amazing and unique hairstyles. Thank you to Chloe Goddard for your fantastic makeup artistry for Chase, Trey, and Madison. Thank you to Miguel Esparza, an insane lighting and Digi-tech assistant. Thank you to all eight models; Chase, Trey, Madison, Maddy, Joyce, Cosette, Brooke, and Halle.

This is Halle. Currently a senior in college, you can find her on campus wearing the most amazing outfits that make her stand out from the crowd. Though quiet, Halle is brilliant and extremely kind to everyone she talks to. When asked if she dresses for herself or others, she answered, "I dress for myself." Through the last two years, Halle found her style in clothing. She found what she most liked about herself and how to show that through clothes. An irritation she finds about how men view how women dress is that women don't have a mind of their own, dress to show off for men. Halle still does not want other people's approval on how she dresses. She pulls inspiration from Diana Ross and Yara Shahidi as her celebrity icons.

Madison is one of the classiest and open people you could meet. She is not afraid to be herself. One can see that on her Instagram, or if you ever get the pleasure of meeting or working with her. Madison finds herself dressing for herself and others. It depends on the situation and event. With that, though, Madison does not dress for attention; she desires to wear something that makes her feel powerful, sexy, and own her femininity. Zippy Seven and Anya Taylor-Joy are celebrities that she looks at for clothing inspiration. For Madison, she sees a little black dress as something that is "so elegant, dramatic, and still approachable."

Brooke constantly makes her outfits and clothing different from masc. to femme, depending on her mood. When Brooke is not modeling, you can find her creating YouTube videos and bringing awareness to animal cruelty and doing her part in stopping it. When initially asked what she thought of when she heard the words "little black dress," she immediately thought of the male gaze and that receiving attention from men is the goal. Brooke argues that men should not have any opinion on how women dress and that women feel the need to dress to please them. It is something that Brooke tries the fight against. Brooke's version of "little black dress" is a Bella Hadid style that brings baggy and tight-fitting clothes together.

Chase is someone people would see stepping out of his comfort zone constantly. When asked what Chase would wear to a black-tie event, he said, "something that's put together, such as a blazer with something sloppy underneath." For Chase, something that makes him feel confident is bringing his personality into whatever he is styling. He, too, is trying to break the clothing boundaries and be open to all people wearing whatever they want to.

On a typical day, you can find Maddy wearing jeans and a white or yellow tank-top, bringing joy to everyone she meets. When Maddy walks into a room, you can feel her positive energy and ability to keep things light-hearted. One would rarely see her in a dress or even a skirt. Maddy's favorite part of her body is her hair. Once, she was told that her hair holds all of her personality. When asked what she thinks of the male gaze, she said she is more concerned with the "mom gaze." When asked what she dislikes of how men stereotype women, it was that "the level of how she dresses determines her promiscuity." For Maddy, she sees a little black dress that Audrey Hepburn would wear, scrunched and form-fitting.

Joyce has been crushing it in the fashion and modeling world. She still makes sure that she dresses for herself through all of that. After this entire experience, Joyce found the little black dress to be confident, powerful, and beautiful. Even though she is just 17, Joyce has seen her style come to life. The way she describes good fashion is excellent, saying, “good technique is being happy and loving what one is wearing. Korean fashion trends are where Joyce gets most of her fashion inspiration. Joyce is an incredibly hard worker and sees herself growing in the fashion industry and developing herself into a better model.

Cosette's bubbly spirit matches with the clothing she likes to wear. Dressing for herself is something that Cosette prides herself in. Cosette is a big thrifter, spending hours at a time going through thrift stores to find the perfect dresses for her and her friends to wear. When looking for clothes to wear, she wants comfort to come above everything else because why would one want to be uncomfortable? The stereotype that women dress only to attract men frustrates her. Celebrity looks that Cosette has enjoyed Grimes and Billie Eilish's looks at the 2021 Met Gala.

Trey has been on a clothing journey, starting with hand-me-downs, then exploring clothes in high school, cosplaying, and then finding different vibes for his clothes. He can go from eclectic gym rat to "insane dressing up" that includes rings on rings on rings and holsters in minutes! Trey brings a welcoming and kind presence anywhere he goes. Everyone can count on him to get the best music to work or parties. Though sexism and high expectations land mainly on women, men can have difficulties too. Trey has found that though not equal, and women face more pressure, the rise of men in films needing to be incredibly fit has increased expectations and even judgment for men. He spoke on how clothes should no longer be seen as "right or wrong," and no one should impose strict gender concepts on others.