Hellooooo I am baaaaaaaack after months and months of ignoring Scarlett and Giselle. I was applying to graduate school, which took up way more time than I ever thought it would. But I am back and feeling creative and excited, and I can’t wait to share new projects! First up for 2018: these hand-embroidered and beaded boudoir blindfolds!
While making these, I thought a lot about femininity. I find that I a very drawn to that which is thought of as traditionally “feminine,” although such a term is hard to define or put your finger on and is of course completely made up. Nonetheless, I’ve found a certain power in the softness and beauty of feminine aesthetics. I’m always grappling with why this is, and I am very open to discussions about how we interact with the construct of femininity. I would like to note that I don’t necessarily align femininity with womanhood or cis-womanhood. I think anyone can identify with feminine aesthetics and concepts, and I think there is a richness of design, art, and sensuality to be found there. Likewise, women are not inherently feminine–I think modern femininity needs to be actively engaged with, which is perhaps where I found the power in it. It’s a choice to take something that is soft and traditionally thought of as “weak” and find strength in it.
With all that in mind, I’ve decided to focus on feminine spaces for a while. I’m thinking particularly of bedrooms or private spaces. My bedroom, for instance, is my altar–it’s very private and important to me. This isn’t necessarily because it is a “feminine space” although those aesthetics are something I love and would like to explore. I guess what I am getting at is a space isn’t feminine because a woman lives there–it’s feminine if you identify with the word and enjoy that look, which I absolutely do. I want to make pieces for the people that identify with the softness and beauty, and appreciate the intricacy and attention that many “feminine” objects or art forms possess. I began this journey with a boudoir accessory. I adore lingerie, not even necessarily in a sexual context–I just love pieces that are made to fit the body and look stunning against bare skin. I will work my way up to lingerie one day, but for now I decided to create boudoir blindfolds.
These beauties were created to add a little mystery to the bedroom, but also just to be beautiful pieces that look stunning draped on a chair or dresser, if I do say so myself. I spent hoooouuuuurs beading and embroidering. These two pink pieces were made around the theme of Valentine’s Day: one features an anatomical heart pierced by arrows and flanked by cupid wings, while the other is made up of red beads and a little extra sparkle in the form of sequins and gold accents. The black piece is a little more mysterious but even more sparkly. I just think there is nothing wrong with wanting to add some extra embellishments to your private or intimate outfits. I’m going to be creating a couple more of these, as well as some masks that you can actually see through and would be able to wear to a masquerade (or like, everyday, why not?) as well as in the bedroom.
I’ve spoken before about what “women’s work” means to me, and I don’t use that term because they are crafts that only women are capable of, but because they are often crafts or art forms that have been marginalized because they were traditionally done by women. These aren’t, obviously, always inherently feminine, but I’m attracted to the forms that are, and I want to continue in that vein. I’m on an embroidering kick–which has certainly been regarded as a “lesser art” because it is more “feminine.” By combining this art style with pieces for feminine spaces–more of which I will share soon–I’m diving deep into softness and beauty, and I’m super excited about it. I feel like I have direction and I’m really leaning into what I love, even if it’s seen as frivolous or even feared, in the case of female sexuality.
Check out my shop here if you are interested!
