Sock dresses and the anger they seem to generate.

My 10 year old daughter received her first BJD last Christmas from Santa. It is YOSD sized, and quite honestly we didn't realize the expense in the clothing and accessories for this hobby/passion when she began. So, truthfully sock dresses have kind of helped her little doll have a fashion option while she was saving her money for clothing. Also, it gives younger BJD owners a chance to experiment with their creativity. My daughter is not your ordinary child in her age group, she is extremely artistic (beyond her years), LOVES manga and everything in the anime world - thus BJD are a natural extension of her interests. That said, a sock dress here-or-there is a good way for her to develop some basic sewing and styling talent...perhaps they serve the same purpose for older BJD owners. I say "yes" to sock dresses!

 

Just as people here who have nasty things to say about sock dresses should just keep quiet and click the "back" button, maybe those who are proud of their 5-second creations should hold off on the "post" button and quietly enjoy their doll's fashion at home. Problem solved?

 

You can't have much back-and-forth discussion if there's only one side talking though! And where’s the fun in that?

I think it's fair to say that the whole "rage" thing is a bit overblown - excepting cases where someone is taking part in an exchange and sends out a sock with poorly made head/arm holes as their $50 item, I don't think anyone is ready to throw people off a rooftop for slapping a sock on a doll.

That said, I think it's fair to make a few distinctions -

1. that sock-with-holes is obviously a vastly different animal than a carefully crafted piece of clothing made of sock-material.
2. A sock on a first photo of a first doll is different than on a 7th photo of a 7th doll - but even then someone might be aiming for an ironic army of sock-wearing dolls, which can be cool in its own post-modern way.
3. Mocking a 10-year-old for a botched sock outfit on a first doll that's posted on their blog is certainly unkind, but if it's an adult posting in a critique thread that's a very different story.
4. Obviously anyone can do anything that they want with their doll (aside from using it as a drug mule or a murder weapon, of course ), but if it's done publically then that's an invitation to opinion. That's just the way of the world - you can't stop me from dressing my doll in felted dryer lint* and I can't stop you from thinking that it's idiotic that I'd try.

* Dryer-lint dresses! It's the new trend for 2011! You know you want one!

 

You could replace "sock dress" in this question with "blurry photos," "nail-polish faceup," etc., and you'd pretty much get the same answers. Aesthetic beauty is a huge part of this hobby, so when people click on a gallery thread, they're hoping to see something beautiful. It's to be expected that they will cringe when they see something that's...not so much. And while definitions of beauty may certainly differ, I do think there is a certain degree of objectivity (i.e., a skillfully painted doll in a well-sewn outfit will be considered by most people to be more beautiful than a doll with a blotchy faceup wearing a dirty sock).

 

Oh, actually, I meant on the threads itself. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and really, I don't mean it to sound like "Don't has discussion if it's not nice", just don't post on the threads itself that "The doll is ugly because it wears a sock-dress".

Also, favorite part I've read about so far.

 

What a lovely gift! I do like your points in this post. One of my nieces is extremely crafty, always has been, and has gone from odd-looking ... projects? ... with toilet-paper rolls to some truly beautiful and inventive projects.

In the past, children learned necessary crafts through their toys. I think it's an excellent way to learn, and I wish more kids were interested in learning (or more parents were accommodating).

 

I have no issues with the sock dresses/shirts/hoodies/sweaters I've seen because everyone finds cute socks that once they're turned into doll clothes, you can't tell they were originally socks.

I find it to be a creative and inexpensive way to get OOAK clothes for dolls (unless of course someone finds the same pair of socks you used). Its also great for people to learn how to sew and measure to their dolls if they're still new to sewing.

I haven't tried making sock clothes yet for my dolls because I can't seem to find the nice colorful/patterned socks (all i have are white socks XD) but once I do, you can bet I'll at least make suitable sweaters out of them.

 

I don't care what the clothing is made of - I've seen amazing stuff made from socks. I don't like socks with the toe cut off and slapped onto the doll. Sure, some people can't sew trimmings on, but surely they could carefully glue on some lace or buttons. Sock dresses don't make me angry or anything ridiculous like that, but I do roll my eyes and move on. Sure, people are allowed to do whatever they like with their dolls, and I am entitled to dislike it for whatever reason.

While I tend to think it's a phase that new owners go through, I also think that they should also hold off posting their doll in the gallery until they have a more permanent outfit for the doll. And yes, I do hit the back button when I hit a thread full of pictures of a doll in a sock, without posting a comment. Not everyone who thinks something is distasteful are rude or insensitive - in fact I would say that those who do post snarky comments about sock dresses in gallery threads are in the vast minority.

 

I personally don't like the "tube sock dress" look and would never use a literal sock dress for any of my dolls. But that's just me. Other people can do as they please. But they should realize that just because they post something that doesn't mean everyone will like or appreciate it. I'm sure there are ways that one could photograph their doll so that way the sock dress look isn't blatantly obvious. For most people, it's about presentation, if the presentation is good people will better appreciate what they're looking at.

Just because one person doesn't like something or thinks its tacky doesn't mean it's wrong to do. It simply means that style isn't to their taste. They don't have to like it and you don't have to dislike it either.

Overall I have to say that I do dislike the sock dress look. I prefer hand sewing rather than wasting socks. But I do understand that socks can be used in the making of actual clothes and I admire (and envy) people who can do that successfully.

That being said I really don't think that disliking sock dresses means a person is snooty. I just don't like them. : /

 

Mods, you know what all this means, right?

The next DoA contest has to be "The Fugliest Sock Dress Ever".

 

I didn't read this whole thread, I admit it. Here are my answers to the OP's questions, assuming a "sockdress" is "taking a sock and cutting holes for the head/arms/etc:

- Do you have an aversion to sock dresses?

No. I personally do not use them but that is just my preference.

- Do you think it makes a doll less of a doll when it doesn't have what the average owner calls proper clothing?

No. Who am I to judge?

- Do you think less of the owner when they choose to either have a temporary sockdress or a permanent sock dress?

No. Personally "thinking less" of someone just because s/he may not share the same preferences/tastes/opinions as me sounds rather juvenile.

- Let me now how you feel about sock dresses in general.

I'm a bit indifferent to the whole topic. Doll owners are free to dress their doll however they please. Doesn't affect me, really. Wouldn't stop me from looking at a gallery post or box opening of a sculpt I enjoy.

I will say that I do not use sockdresses, even for new/naked dolls. It would be out of character for them. I wouldn't be opposed to using material from socks, though.

 

I found some cute hallowe'en socks on sale for $1 at a fabric shop back in March or February. They were trying hard to get rid of them.

 

Too much back and forth to read this entire thread.....

But really, it just depends. I personally don't care though; it's fine with me. I wouldn't personally just cut the bottom off a sock and BOOM it's a dress, but people can do what they want. If anything I'd probably make something out of it that requires more effort and is suiting for the material. It's all just material to me. Cheap material.

If something looks really nice and it's made out of sock material, is it really good to go and start bashing it just because of the material it's made out of?

I mean, if there was clearly no effort whatsoever into making the outfit, then maybe it's a makeshift outfit? It's not like everyone has $30 to throw around for a doll outfit. ((Not like I should talk )) And if not, then why not just ignore it? o3o It's not like you have to go "OMFG SOCK DRESS HATEEEEEE GRRRRR" That person can do whatever they want, and you bashing them isn't going to change what they do. ((Or might just start a flame war, ahah.)) I mean....a person buys their doll, they do what they want. Not like anyone's opinions will make all the sock dresses and outfits suddenly disappear just because people don't like them.

Again though...if the outfit actually looks very nice and it's made out of sock material, I don't see any reason to bash it. If anything it's just a way to save some money and use what might be normally around someone's house in an innovative way. Again, cheap material.

 

I'd never sewn anything before I got Emma - ok, hand sewing, I guess I've done to mend people-clothes... - but I haven't seen many *good* sock outfits out there, and even I was willing to sew something (as well as buy one outfit for her) instead of going the route of the sock dress.

 

If someone receives a comment to that effect on their Gallery post, they can click the report button (little triangle with an exclamation mark) to notify the mods to have it removed because that's not acceptable. To date, I can't recall a single comment being reported for that reason, though... so I am inclined to either think it doesn't happen that often or that people aren't too bothered by it.

If you (general you, not you specifically) ask someone "Do you like this?" the answer can't always be "yes," and that's not a reason to to go off on a tear as though it's personal. It's not. But I've seen a lot of people getting up in arms in this thread and saying that people who don't like sock dresses are elitists, need to think they're better than other people, need to stop complaining, or should change their browsing styles. People aren't "upset" or "angry" or "complaining." They just don't like sock dresses. So what?

I'll add it to the list. The prize? A new pair of socks to replace the ones you mangled.

 

Lily had to wear one in a photostory (currently being made) called Gears of Nightmare
it is about her past and she was only given rags to wear as she was a science experiment, so a ragged sock was perfect for the look I was going for.
Normally I lavish the dolls with the cutest of dresses, but if their look calls for sock dresses, then they wear sock dresses!

 

I don't care much about the whole issue, nor can I muster any outrage. When I first started dressing my dolls, I probably purchased at least 1 shreddy-hem punk sweater that was once a sleeve or a sock. If I can't tell what a garment used to be, and if I like what it is now, then I don't care how it started life.

However, if given a choice of viewing-material, no, I do not really like to look at those stop-gap-solution sockdress tubes. But then, I look mostly at threads that feature male dolls, anyway, so the risk of running into bad dresses is a tad lower than if I sought out pictures of females. I don't run into them very often.

What DOES mystify me is this bizarro opinion floating hereabouts: If you can't/don't sew, and you purchase ready-made fine outfits for your doll, you're "lazy and elitist".... but the same laziness, when channeled into a toeless-sock-tube-dress, is lauded as "beginner's efforts". I don't understand how that can be possible. Makes no sense, is needlessly insulting to people who can't sew, and sounds like sour-grape-backlash.

 

Yes, to me it does. It doesn't matter what the doll is, if you don't put forth the effort in the clothes/wig/photography/makeup, then it shows.

Seriously everyone that's getting so outraged and crying "elitist," it's not elitist to dislike something. We were asked our opinions and we gave them. The question was "what do you think of sock dresses" not "what do you do about sock dresses" someone can think whatever they want about someone else based on their actions, words, or how they present themselves. (It's not like we've formed some kind of anti-sock dress coalition and go around posting in people's threads about how ugly their dolls are.) I think it's lazy to just cut the toe out of a sock and pop the doll into it. How is that not lazy? If someone were to try sewing an outfit for their doll and it really sucked, I'd still be proud of them that they were actually making an effort and taking that first step.

-Spending time doing trial and error and sewing your own (possibly bad) clothes= not lazy
-Seeking out a friend that sews to help teach you= not lazy
-Reading internet tutorials or books to learn to sew=not lazy
-Spending hours working/babysitting/etc...to earn the money necessary to BUY your doll's clothes=not lazy

All the things above have the person putting some care/time/effort into what they're doing. Cutting a toe off a sock? Come on when I was 6 I put more effort into making barbie clothes than that.

 

@nefla: I you
I totally agree to your opinion

 

Do you have an aversion to sock dresses?
I would never use them on my own dolls, because all I'd actually be able to make is something akin to a potato sack. I have no sewing skills, but talented people can make beautiful clothes out of them.

Do you think it makes a doll less of a doll when it doesn't have what the average owner calls proper clothing?
No.

Do you think less of the owner when they choose to either have a temporary sockdress or a permanent sock dress?
Definitely not.

Let me now how you feel about sock dresses in general.
I don't care much either way.