Posted on 01, June, 2021
Last Modified on 25, August, 2023
Mannequins are commonplace in many, if not all, retail settings. They litter storefront windows at shopping malls, seemingly observe shoppers as they browse this season’s fashions, and always appear to be the best dressed in the room. While these dress forms are a popular way to market clothing in department stores, many of our customers ask, what can you do with a mannequin at home? From garden guardians to wholesome craft projects, fashion models, theater, and more, mannequins are more common than you might think in household settings. Adding a mannequin to the mix of your home decor can make it more stylish, with a modern or retro flair, and allow you to express your creative side with frequent wardrobe changes or poses. Inside, mannequins swiftly become a chic accent to your living space, while the same mannequins placed outdoors can act as a quirky art installation in your garden or yard.
1. Alongside a Bar Accessory Table
Place a mannequin in your home alongside a bar table, accent it with a wall-hung painting or print, and cover the table in plants, books, or other knick knacks you’ve gathered along your travels. Dress your mannequin to fit the theme of the week, month, or year to inspire the growth you want to see in yourself. Create the atmosphere you dream of by dressing your mannequin, adorning it with jewelry, or placing accessories on the side table. Check back with your new space often to pick up or drop off new objects that intrigue or pique your interest.2. Beside Your Closet or Dress Rack
Not every bedroom has to look the same, with dressers taking up entire walls hiding away neatly folded clothes. Incorporate a retail-style dress rack into your bedroom or spare room along with a floor standing mannequin or dress form to inspire the fashionista within. Mix and match outfits by testing them on your mannequin before spending the time and energy trying them on, checking the mirror, and deciding something isn’t quite clicking with the look. Add one of these fixtures to glam up your space, to hold hats, or smother it with jewelry.3. Next to a Photo Board
Our interests are always changing, so why not build a space that inspires and encourages exploration of new or existing ideas? Photo boards, often wall hanging cork boards, are a great place to pin ideas, to-do lists, and photographs of places you have been or hope to travel. Whether you are a fan of elegant black and white photos or clipped-out photos of far off beaches, you can dress your mannequin for the life that inspires you the most, working as a daily reminder that you will get there soon enough as well. This kind of setup is perfect for your hallway, living room, or any other open space and provides a unique point of interest for your guests.
4. Create a Guardian for your Garden
While not designed for the outdoors, mannequins can make a great art installation in your garden. Fill wire-frame dress forms with soil, moss, succulents, and other plants to create a human-plant hybrid of sorts and watch it bloom through each season. Allow your mannequin to hold a bird feeder, sit with potted plants, or simply let overgrowth reclaim it as the years go by. This is a quirky way to add some flavor to your outdoor areas and is akin to statues that many gardeners use.5. Support your Creative Side
If you have an interest in fashion, home art or photography studio, or business which allows you to work within your own space, mannequins can be a vital resource. Seamstresses use dress forms to model nearly every garment, bringing their initial sketch to reality by giving themselves a static form to gauge their progress on. Similarly, photographers can try out new looks on their mannequin before sending photo proofs of their vision to their network to find just the right model for the project.Mannequins Provide Artist with Creative Ways to Express Their Vision
Mannequins are weird, quirky, and fun in any environment. They provide incredible value to retail settings, for good reason, and can offer the same benefits for home fashion projects, to test out outfits in your wardrobe, or inspire new looks. Treat a mannequin or dress form like any other piece of home decorum to create an interesting conversation piece, even go as far as to name it to really give the fixture a life of its own! Mannequins can find a home in any corner of any room or alongside any bar or coffee table dressed to the nines. Outdoors, mannequins provide some flavor to patio areas, gardens, and art instillations. Browse Displays2go for a plethroa of abstract dress forms and retail mannequins suited for home or commercial use.
Learn About Mannequins
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