Paper dolls, red dresses and nipple concealers

in I am totally overrated, Random Crap, weekly reruns

Last night if you were on twitter you may have seen thousands of strangers offering ball-gowns and formal dresses and free photo shoots to other strangers all in the name of helping others to be furiously happy. I can’t entirely explain it myself so I won’t try to, but I will say that anyone who say that I’m continually amazed at the goodness of people and that anyone who says social media is pointless can go fuck themselves. In a nutshell, I got a magical, red dress years ago and then it began traveling across North America, stopping at houses of women who needed some magic in their lives.  You can read that story here.  The dress is still on the road with a long waiting list of people who need it, and has become tattered so I started saving for a new one.  I asked if there were any big businesses who had red ball gowns to donate and there weren’t, but there were hundreds of people who started offering their own ball gowns to total strangers to pass on the magic.  Twitter went crazy with the #travelingreddress hashtag and I couldn’t even keep up with all the people helping people, and photographers offering free red dress sessions, and strangers finding new friends to help and be helped.  There’s even a flickr pool where people can post pictures of ball-gowns they’re offering for free and the hashtag is still going fairly strong.  It was pretty bad-ass and I may have teared up.  While all of this was going on, one of my friends (from the ridiculously awesome and compellingly hasslehoffy Cheeseblarg) sent me paper dolls she’d made for me and for anyone else who wants them. Because she’s awesome. And here they are. You can click on the picture for a larger copy and then print it out and I can live on your desk and you can blame me for all the arson that happens in your office.  Everyone wins.

(If you’re new here you’ll have to look up “Beyonce-the-Giant-Metal-Chicken”, “Portlandia-Owns-ALL-the-Birds”, “Copernicus-the-Homicidal-Monkey”, “The Traveling red dress”, and “Wolf-Blitzer”. Or just skip this whole rainy-day arts-n-crafts non-sequiter.  Up to you really.)

Click to enlarge.

Technically this is my Sunday since I’ve been MIA in NY (more on that soon) so I should be doing the weekly-wrap-up except that I was out of town and so I accomplished almost nothing and have nothing to wrap-up. I do, however, still have a list of cool shit to share with you, so get ready…

What you missed in my shop (tentatively called “Eight pounds of uncut cocaine” so that your credit card bill will be more interesting.):

What you missed on the internets:

This week on shit-I-didn’t-come-up-with-but-wish-I-did-because-it’s-kind-of-awesome:

This week’s wrap-up brought to you by the awesome people at Go-Girl, specializing in essential fashion fixes.  Things like hem tape.  And disposable nipple concealers, which unintentionally double as elegant pasties for elegant women and shy conservative strippers.  You should check them out.  

165 thoughts on “Paper dolls, red dresses and nipple concealers”

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  4. Your story reminds me of all the good folks who were “Secret Santas” and paid off people’s layaway bills at K-mart.

    I like that because the fact that someone put it on layaway means they were trying to be careful with their $$$$$$.

  5. I must have happened to read this the second it went up. Usually you have a million comments by the time I read it. I meant to tell you when I wrote you back this AM that I’m uber impressed by what you’re doing and have accomplished. Uber. Sorry, I can’t afford the umlauts, but they’re implied. Many writers are plagued by illnesses that make our brains work in such fabulous and creative ways and at the same time are truly fucked up. I have OCD, though I never write about it, it’s often clear in my anxiety stricken columns about life. Kudos to you for being so honest with your readers and yourself. Always love you, though probably won’t comment again. Your cyberfriend-
    Jenny From the Blog

  6. Okay – maybe a bit unrelated…but since you brought up the ‘Beyonce-the-Giant-Metal-Chicken’ I figured I would finally ask you this. My fiance and I both love you btw. And we both LOVED the story about Beyonce. He came up with the fabulous idea of what IF there were was a welcome mat to leave at our front door saying KNOCK-KNOCK MOTHERF*CKER! So if this has been created…please inform me where I can make the purchase and if it has not been created…we need to work on this. :]

  7. Keep up the great work Jenny! You are an inspiration to so many!

    Love the blog, never stop writing! Can’t wait for the green download button to appear on your book as I have pre-ordered it for my nook.

    Thanks again,
    Jennifer
    Diesel Stomping

  8. So I have been lurking here for months now but never commenting because I’m a keep to the shadows sort. Decided to take a deep breath and say how much I love you, this community and all of us strange and wonderful creatures trying to find the courage to be furiously happy.

  10. H-E-Double-Hockey Sticks I love paper dolls! my whole week is now officially planned. can you do a book, give us Victor, the cats, copernicus and Beyonce? I badly want to dress beyonce and copernicus like twin sailors.

    LOVE YOU!!!

  11. I of course mean “outfits for copernicus, beyonce and the cats”…. Apologies for typing too fast, due to excitement of the dolls. Its annoying, but better than peeing myself, no?

  12. I think you’re living (or at least it appears to us you are living) as vibrantly as the person you want to be 🙂 you’re an inspiring person, Jenny!

  13. Hi Everyone.

    This is Shelly from GO-GIRL. Feel free to enter GOGIRL for 15% off all fashion fixes. So proud to be this weeks weekly wrap up sponsor.

  14. Love the story of the dress. Inspiring. My heart’s breaking for a friend whose two family members have cancer (pancreatic and bladder) and who’s preparing to be a sole parent. He lives 15 miles from the city and only has an online job that pays little. He’s been asking his friends to share a link to his gofundme page on FB and/or donate a dollar or two so he could get a reliable used car, and he hasn’t been very successful at all. I’ve been losing my faith in people because of this. They refuse to even share a link to help out someone in major crisis, but they’ll merrily splurge on gaming and gadgets and booze and whatnot. smh

    Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to say thank you for renewing my faith a little. 🙂

  15. I have to admit that I too am constantly amazed at the goodness of people towards complete strangers. It always happens just as I think humanity has sunk to a new low. Apparently the universe wants to show me how wrong I am. I’m not on Twitter but my husband keeps trying to talk me into joining. Perhaps I will break down and join if for no other reason than to follow you because you are the true definition of complete awesomeness. 🙂

  17. Red dresses= awesomeness

    Thank you so much for sharing with us! The new red dresses are amazing and serve as a reminder that we are all worth it.

  22. That is awesome! And just patch that old red dress up, I’m sure people would still wear it. Although… a giant paper doll dress would do. I’d need a giant paper doll back-of-dress too, so I could avoid flashing my tush at everyone.

  28. This whole silver ribbon, red dress thing has been incredibly inspiring to me and so many other people. I’m going to be wearing one of those red dresses and I can’t wait to show it off to all of you.

  29. I love the red dress movement. I wanted to wear one to my wedding, but ultimately shied away from it. And, recently I discovered that I need to make sure that my daughter knows it’s okay to wear a red dress. We started with dying her hair pink, to show that she’s special and doesn’t have to be like everyone else.

  31. The #travelingreddress phenomenon = total awesomeness. I hope to get to wear one one day.

    Pinterest, You Are Drunk is so funny.

    Those paper dolls rock my face off!!

  32. can you get Cheeseblarg to redo the paper doll I have grandaughters who love twighlight and if I print this out for them the one that likes the vampire chappie will think I don’t love her as much as the one who like the werewolf chappie!

    My metaphoric red dress is to say, with a smile, hello, to everyone I pass in the street particularly those who are looking a bit glum

  33. When I was younger I struggled with self image a lot. When I was having a really hard time, I’d go to a large mall department store, pretend to be shopping for a prom dress and try on every fabulous dress I could until I felt better. The thought of taking one of those dresses home never occured to me. After I married my husband I took him with me to try on a frivilous dress I’d had my eye on. Much to my surprise, he bought it for me. I have worn it in public once, but it has paid for itself a million times over by making me smile when I see it in my closet. It is crazy and pointless and maybe even shallow and absolutely the best thing I have ever owned.
    “Find a red dress” has been on my to-do list for a couple of months now and keeps getting shoved to the bottom. I am now commiting to stalking the local thrift and consignment shops for crazy fancy, bold colored dresses. I’ll be looking for myself, but also for others. I can not wait to see how the dresses I find spread magic.
    Thank you for the encouragement!!!!

  34. Love the Forbes story!

    I can’t believe you didn’t address the fact that Beyonce is all over the news! Apparently she laid an egg out there in some blue ivy. Even Beyonce is famous this week!

  35. Jenny – I don’t know if you’ll even see this – but I want to offer up a custom made, as outrageous as can be dreamed traveling red ballgown. I am a costume designer and seamstress, and can make something that would make dreams come true. Lace-up, of course, so as to fit as wide a variety of body types as possible. (not trying to solicit paid business here, link to my portfolio below)

  36. I love your red dress project. When I was in high school a teacher brought her daughter’s unworn red dress to school for me to try on so I would go to the Valentine’s dance. Which was an amazing thing for a teacher to do. For anyone to do, really. I felt lovely in the dress and felt loved by the gesture. I don’t have anything in my closet that makes me feel like a goddess, but I wish I did. So I could pass it on.

  37. Every time the red dress comes up, I get a bit teary eyed. I think what you started is absolutely beautiful and amazing!

  39. OOHH those paper dolls are awesome. I think I have a red ball gown in a closet, I will have to try to dig it out tonight. And since I am in Canada, the travelling red dress is now an international sensation!~

  41. I totally need a red dress. What a great, fun idea this is! Thanks for coming up with something so neat, Jenny!

  42. I just proposed new Twitter hashtag: #NSFCynics (Not Safe For Cynics) & linked to your Tightrope Walker post for my 1st use of same. Of course, @TheBloggess is basically a synonym for #NSFCynics, but we have to educate the masses.

    Please appropriate as appropriate (or, most commonly, inappropriate).

    (P.S. Other hashtag candidates I considered & discarded for various reasons:
    #SHTUP: Speak Hard Truths Under Pressure/Panic
    #RUDE: Rid Us of Demons/Depression (and Email)
    #BIATCH: Beyonce is a Tin Chicken (and so are you)
    #GoogleSantorum: Never mind, that one’s already in use
    And, of course, my personal favorite, #FuckHate.

    TL;DR version:
    Thank you, Jenny.

  44. My dress wasn’t red, it was black. And I haven’t worn it yet, but I will. And you continue to remind me that finding the joy in life is about finding the things you truly enjoy, not the things the world tells you you’re supposed to enjoy.

    Thanks, for everything!

  45. Jenny I’m not a big twitter follower but I’d love to be able to contribute to the redress movement. I have dresses, not red, but all the same…how or who should I sent pictures of them to? I’m sure I know tons of my friends who’d like to “join” also

  47. !!!!!!!!YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!

    And the best part of that statement is that you come by it naturally.

    ;P

  48. This is beyond awesome. As you are beyond awesome! I love the “RedDress” concept so much! Rock on ladies!

  49. Wait, so some nipple concealers are not disposable? On the “eternal” variety of nipple concealers, are there instructions for how many times you can wear them? Like “discard nipple concealer after excessive hot tubbing, jogging, or exposure to glitter or wool sweaters”?

  51. Thank you. You made a huge difference in my morning and life today. I have been fighting the battle on and off for a month now. Nothing seemed to help enough, little bits of sunshine but nothing strong enough to lift the clouds. Then I read about the Red Dress Project this morning. I had myself very convinced very quickly that I didn’t deserve to spend the time to get/make myself a red dress much less borrow one when I realised that I had one and I ran, ran hard until I got to my closet and pulled down my wedding gown. The gown I had been made to feel bad about because I spent close to 1k on it. I put it on before I could think enough to be convinced out of it, wore it and I was furiously happy. I felt beautiful for the first time in I don’t know how long and I got dressed after reverently putting it away, dressed for the first time in a week. My two year old thought I was so beautiful and insisted on wearing her pretty dress for the rest of the day (she had been a flower girl recently). The clouds have lifted, because I saw myself and remembered that I am beautiful. Thank you for posting this. I have decided to stop believing the lies and am going to make matching red dresses for me and my daughter for picking flowers and dancing in the rain and being furiously happy in.

  52. I know that it doesn’t feel like it from the inside sometimes but from the outside, you are an awesome person. I hope you can be furiously happy for many more days in 2012 than in 2011 and that it all keeps getting better for you. Your are a strong and courageous woman and sharing your journey is helping to make lots of lives better.

  53. Got as far as the red dress which is awesome.. but there were sniffer bees on the tele which was kinda distracting .. Yep sniffer bees, actually sniffing out cocaine at airports… GO BEES!

  54. In love with the paper dolls. Fabulous! I could so use a red ballgown of some kind. It’s been a tough couple of years and it’s hard to see the sun sometimes. I’m one of those use-humor-as-a-defense-mechanism types of people so I write my hopefully amusing blog entries and joke to people’s faces; but dammit it’s hard having a debilitating illness, much less 2 that are scary and have to live on one income in this fucking economy. Only one car, medical bills to the ceiling and a husband doing his best to keep that ceiling over our heads while my disability case is pending (3 years now). So yeah…I’ll take a red ballgown moment in my life. In the meantime, I’ll dance around my living room like a crazy person (when I can physically) to make myself feel better. Thank you for being a bright spot when the clouds are forming overhead.

  55. I have yet to join the Twitternation, so feel a bit left out of this whole phenomenon right now. But I think it is an amazing thing that is happening out there. It always warms my heart when people reach out to others and show selfless acts of kindness.

    Also, those paper dolls are da bomb. I will henceforth get no more work done today. Thanks for that!

    Oh, and Beyonce hat. Just saying. 🙂

  56. My three year-old was totally confused when I gave him the paper dolls to play with. He looked Beyonce and said, “Why?” I think that about sums it up.

  57. I seriously hope Go-Girl will send you some pasties for your paper doll. That would be awesome.

    Also, I desperately need a red dress, so I can photograph myself in it while weilding a chainsaw kitana.

  58. The ewok pups…too funny 🙂 There is always just so much in your wrap-ups …even when you’ve been MIA. I wasn’t familiar with the Traveling Red Dress story…amazing. I love your quote Forbes used…”I want to be shocking, and vivid and wear a dress as intensely amazing as the person I so want to be.” Letting go of ‘sensible’ is so … liberating 🙂

  59. I would love love love a ballgown before my body succeeds in killing me this year! Between my chronic asthma, bout with breast cancer, and now crushing chest pains which landed me in the ER last week, it might be a close race…
    The paper doll is awsome. Am coloring it right now. Because sometimes being six is good.

  60. So, I had seen the original story about the traveling red dress and had expressed to my sister my NEED to get on the list for this dress. I plan for my photo shoot to be standing in my Mustang convertible (my own personal version of a red dress that I allowed myself to buy a year and a half ago – [not a new one, mind you]). Now it looks as though the best thing I could do is find a gorgeous red ball gown and then add it to the traveling collection. I’ll let you know what I find!! Rock on, Jenny Lawson!! I truly love what you are doing for women everywhere.
    P.S. Maybe I can manage to get a pic of the dress on Cher…she’s my backyard version of Beyonce.

  61. Super Sexy! And the fact that I can put Copernicus on you like a big ratty corsage is the best!

  62. I totally want my own paper doll. Can I add a burlesque theme? Or just add all the outfits from pinterest I drool over but will never have the balls to wear? (Technically, I’ll never have the funds to wear either unless I hold up a few twinkie trucks).

    Totally rad for you though.

  65. I had my red dress moment in 1999 at Junior Prom. I think my date was a bit stunned since I’d gone with black or navy blue for most of the other dances I’d gone to. It was a bit bold for me but I loved it. I don’t know if my mom was more stunned by the dress or the shoes I picked to go with it. I was having a bad spring and decided, fudge it (OK, I didn’t say fudge it), I will not be dictated to about who I can be friends with and what type of person I must be anymore and I’m going to wear whatever the hell I want. The dress has been moved a few times now so it’s picked up a spot or two but I checked last night and it doesn’t have any holes. If I or the dry cleaners can get the spots out, I’ll put it up for #travelingreddress. It’s a red ball gown with spaghetti straps and embroidery on the front size 9/10.

  66. I would offer up my prom dress, but I was a size three back then and well… I think I’m going to go cry in the corner now.

  69. I love the internet. I love that red dress, it is gorgeous. Some times…..when I am feeling particularly whimsy….I put on my favourite heels that I hardly ever wear anymore cuz you know, I’m old and it hurts too much…..and I lounge on my bed, with my battered copy of Sherlock Holmes stories, in my jammies, with my heels and I read for hours. Sometimes I make a cup of tea and it’s heaven on earth. In fact….I might just go do that right now.

    Here’s a Red Dress Magic story for you guys. A friend of mine, Bridget, her nephew Zachary Bee (how cute) was diagnosed with a brain tumour right before Christmas. FREAKING HELL. Zach loved to collect things so Bridget and her extended family decided to ask their Facebook friends to send cards to Zach so he could collect them and help lift his spirit as this TEN YEAR OLD boy prepared for brain surgery scheduled for the first week of January 2012. The result: over 2,000 cards sent to Zach in a matter of weeks from 48 states in the US and 14 countries around the world not to mention t-shirts and even a song dedicated to Zach on YouTube =D

    The GOOD NEWS: Zach was operated on last week, the tumour was removed and NO CANCER. FREAKING YES!!!!

    Here is his Facebook page if you like to drop a line of hope and encouragement. Better yet – please consider sending a card to Zach to wish him a swift recovery.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zachs-Journey-To-The-Brain-Back-Again/203737783043144

    Please send your cards to:
    Zachary Bee
    6343 Helen Street
    Garden City, Michigan 48135
    USA

    I love the internets.

  70. I suddently started getting a lot more hits on my blog than usual this morning and couldn’t figure out why until someone told me you posted It Just Gets Stranger here. Thanks for the shout out!

  72. Wow, congrats on the red dress phenomenon! It’s great that social media is doing so much good for your cause and that people have stepped up to the plate. I wish I could say the same for my current attempt- I’m trying to raise a few hundred dollars to help a family I know afford to turn up the heat in their home because right now, the average temp in their house is around 50 degrees. I have reached out to 400 or so people already, and have only received $35 in donations. If all those people had given just $1.00 we would have exceeded our goal. Instead I’ve had practically no response. I am rather disheartened. 🙁

  73. You make me want to waer a red dress. I think you were put on this earth to be a voice for so many. I absolutely adore you! As I have said before, I would so marry you, if we both weren’t already married!!!!!!!!!

  78. I’m sure no one gives a shit, but I think “trash the dress” sessions are wasteful and selfish.

    Not that I am not those things, I’m one selfish bitch, but I’d rather see a dress be given away/given to charity/do good for someone else than be covered in paint or mud.

    That’s my rant.

    Look at me, all holier than thou.

    Love you Jenny!

    ______________________________________________________________

  79. I am so excited about the paper dolls! I am making a set for myself, and a set for my son. And then I’m going to force him to play with me since he always forces me to play nerf gun war with him and I always lose miserably. And he’s five.

    Come to think of it, that’s pretty sad. That he can beat me, I mean.

    C-

  81. I just wanted to say thank you for everything you have said over the past few weeks. I cannot begin to express how much I need all of these things, including all of the outpouring of your readers and followers. It means the world to see there are so many good, supportive, loving, caring humans in this world.

    Thank you for reminding me of that.

  82. The instructions for the Nipple Concealers could possibly apply to other things in life:
    “When removing peel off gently.”

    Posting/offering my own red dress on Flickr later today, so stay tuned!

  83. I’ve never left a comment before, mainly b/c I’ve always thought you were too awesome to converse with me (working on that), but I wanted to let you know that you inspired me. My red dress: tonight I am going to start a martial arts class.

  84. by the way, my favorite christmas present this year was an email from amazon telling me that my hubby ordered your book 🙂

  85. Okay, so I’ve already been crying because of the fantastic awesomeness that the #TravelingRedDress project has become. And now? I watched the ‘One Day’ video and the tears are coming again.

    Thank you for everything. When my Red Dress comes, I’ll be sending pictures.

  89. Umm, does paper bloggess really need to wear a dress or possibly need a trim? I almost printed it for my daughter, but had a bit of a pause…
    I love the red dress idea, dudes don’t really do that, of course we rent tuxes that who knows how many people wore (and hopefully it was washed properly between) ah, dang, just threw up in my mouth a little.

    WG

  90. The one freaking night I’m not on Twitter and I miss the party. Pretty damn typical.

    Welcome to my world.

  91. Jenny… I’ve been reading you for I-don’t-know-how-long (years?)… and now I want to do a news story on you. I watched the red dress thing go crazy over the weekend… and I’d like to tell more people about it.

    Now… I know you’re, umm, shy and prefer hiding in bathrooms to socializing… but would you be willing to do a telephone interview about this project. It would be taped — as opposed to live. It would be really easy.

    Aside from being one of your Twitter followers… I work for KCBS radio in San Francisco. We’re a pretty popular station (good ratings) and I think our listeners would contribute to the project.

    Pretty please… with sugar on top?

  94. I just want to let you know that you are inspiring. You started the Traveling Red Dress movement, you started the donations to needy families over the last few years, and you started this blog that helps me and many others laugh out loud everyday. You started it all. Thank you 🙂

  99. The traveling dress sounds like such a great idea! And so much better than traveling pants, which I always wondered how they could fit 4 different girls of different sizes. Dresses are much more flexible in that aspect.

  101. **Just** read the Jennifer’s piece in Forbes and I ran over here to see what you said about it; except by “ran” I mean clicked my mouse, which isn’t really a mouse but a mouse pad <— why is that what they're named? But I digress.

    What I really want to say is I love it!

    <3 <3 <3

  102. If you’ll forgive the It’s A Wonderful Life reference, I think you are the richest person on the internet. There is something very magical about you. You have found a way to tap into the better side of everyone’s nature and turn it into action, while retaining something fun and irreverent that keeps you from preaching. It’s impressive, it’s inspiring and it’s a gift for which your readers, and someday your daughter, thank you.

  103. I already have your calendar at work….the paper dolls might be a must have….

    And thank goodness that the travelling red dress will continue, I think everyone deserves an empowering moment, and it’s wonderful that you help provide one of those

  105. Small complaint. I don’t like that when I click on a link it opens a new website. While, conceptually, I know that I can ctrl+click, I never ever do and then I get trapped in a browser back session.

  106. Laughing and crying at the same time. Super.Uber.Sexy. Jenny you are amazing and the Forbes article just may be the best thing I have read about social networking EVER. Stay YOU! much love & respect. *hug*

  107. OMG! Do “nipple concealers” even exist? When I was offered a freebie sports bra to review and keep (in exchange for a couple of links from my blog) my only complaint about the bra was that it was padded, and it made me look like an ALIEN without NIPPLES! I guess the question is… do these things SELL?

  108. Love this idea. If I had a ball gown, I would totally donate it. Wonder if the same could be done with wedding dresses.

    Also, I need Wolf Blitzer. Is there a sign up sheet for him??

  109. Mine is a FABULOUS purple velvet-to-the-floor-with-train Goddess gown…TOTALLY needed it…

    Love you!

    Prevail~Tattoo Girl (sending Light and Magic and howling vibes flowing strongly your way)

  110. This is amazing. You are amazing. Your friends, fans and followers are all amazing. That’s all I can say.

    I think I still have a brown bridesmaid dress that I will never have a use for ever again. I’m going to look for it and see if I can find it. It may not be a stunning red dress, but I sure felt gorgeous (if slightly uncomfortable) wearing it. I can still remember how it felt like I was the most beautiful woman in the world when I caught a glimpse of my fiance’s face as he saw me in that dress for the first time. Every woman deserves to know exactly what that feels like.

  112. I never comment on any site, mainly because I have always been told I am “shy”. You have given me some things to think about. I never hurt myself, until the time I tied suicide and my brother found me. He has forgiven me, but always watches me during my trigger period, (Nov – Jan), I hate this time of year, but as you say “this too shall pass” and I will be better for it. It has been 8 years and even though I hate the attention, I know now that it will pass and I will overcome if I choose to do so, which I do. Many of my friends have no idea I feel this way because I worry about whether they will still “like me”. Why I care, I don’t know. Why I fool myself that they don’t notice that I shut off during these months, even more puzzling. Your coming “out” in the funny/honest way you do, honestly makes me feel more “normal”. People outside of this blog may not understand it,,,,but I am starting the Silver Ribbon. I have overcome and even though I am afraid to come out, I still support every one of US! And yes, I posted this on the wrong blog so you would not see it.

  114. When properly utilized, social media can help spread the word of goodness to everyone. You’re example is one good reason fr us to be responsible members of social networks.

    So what does it mean? It means we should be careful and critical on what we post and that we should put a stop on spreading rumors, denigrating remarks and the such over the web.

  115. Nathan plays hard to get. Also I think his ‘people’ may have no sense of humor and possibly no understanding of the internets.

    He blocked me on Twitter and all I said was I would be editing erotica + watching Nathan on Castle. Like that’s such a horrible thing! Sex and Nathan in the same sentence!

    M

  117. I really wish I had a ballgown that was red… but I do have several cocktail/general red dresses that I have from sorority functions. I adore red dresses. And you. And I really wish that I could have Bloggess paper dolls, but since I work at a church, Copernicus might cause some trouble… especially since our decency filter won’t let me visit you and I have to wait until I get home to come see what brilliance you’ve written!

  118. Now you’ve got me thinking of buying a Red Ballgown to pay forward with!

    I’m speaking at a new Blog Conference in Edmonton in March and wondered if I can use this, my topic is relative to using Social Media for Good.

  119. I loved the Forbes article. Especially you’re quote about not letting your dreams run away from you. Thank you for being such an inspiration.

  120. fabulous red dress photos @ the other post! i’m a fashion girl and appreciate you tremendously!
    and bravo on the forbes article. x

  123. So sad that my red dress no longer fits (my boobs increased massively after a thyroid op 10 years ago), it was a bridesmaid dress that was lovingly made by my mum for my friend’s wedding. It needs a trip to the cleaners & if it survives that then I’ll have to decide if I can part with it (my mum can no longer do such beautiful work so it has a lot of sentimentality attached to it). I’ve had 3 bridesmaid dresses, unfortunately the other 2 went damp in the wardrobe at my old house & couldn’t be rescued, but this one was always my favourite. I really hope I can bring myself to part with it as it’d be nice to do a travelling red dress round the UK. I do have no idea how I’ll work out the sizes on it though as I seem to remember it was quite a mix and match at the time lol.

    What Heather (comment #50) wrote above brought tears to my eyes, I’m so happy for her and her daughter and I bet you’ll both look beautiful in your red dresses.

  124. i dont have a red dress to contribute to the cause yet. i have been unemployed for over a year so i cant just buy one to share. but i can sew, and every bit of extra money i get will now be going towards fabric so that i can make as many red dresses as possible!

    thank you jenny for being such an inspiration!

  126. Dear Bloggess,
    Your wrong. We didn’t do this. You did. You drew the weak together to make them strong. They fought to make things better and they owned. You gave us the power. All I can do is urge you to remember that, when things get dark, you have achieved so much. You made a difference. You have the power.

  127. I feel tremendously sad that I will never have a paper doll of myself. Maybe I could settle for creating one of my cats.

  128. We drove from our home in Illinois through Mississippi to the Gulf Coast of Alabama a few weeks ago to warm up. When you get off the Interstate, to cut over to the Coast, there are a bajillion little towns, and on the outskirts of every danged one of them was a pull-off store selling stuff and they all had Beyonce for sale. I swear, at least 100 of them. Beyonce-world!

  129. I love the travelling red dress concept. my red dress is a tiara, I wear it around the house when I need a little cheering up, because every woman needs to be a princess occasionally. I think that what you have started is amazing. also, manythanks for introducing me to Fuck Yeah Gallifrey! Love love love Dr Who

  130. Everyone has left really nice and sweet and encouraging comments. And then there’s this one:

    That paper doll has a hairy vagina area and a single hairy armpit. She needs a paper razor.

    I can’t WAIT to print it all out and dress you. I’m totally dressing you as a chicken wolf holding copernicus. And then I’ll mail you to my friend and make her day. Or scare her. Which will make my day.

    (I think it’s supposed to be a shadow. Or possible a hint. Hard to tell really. ~ Jenny, Bloggess)

  131. There are not enough words to describe how sad it makes me that Nathan Fillion doesn’t have a sense of humor. That’s enough. I’m transferring all my crush quota to Wil Wheaton.

  133. You know, everyone can have their own paper dolls, really. You just have to ask someone who likes making paper dolls, and there just happens to be one of those people right here. There will be info on it on my blarg. =)

    And thank you Jenny, for being awesome, and for inspiring awesomeness. <3

  134. Trying to find a gown that screams FABULOUS in a size 18-20 is proving to be rather difficult. I hope I can find a network of ‘curvy’ girls to ‘dress travel’ with.

  135. You know, you really are a goddess. At least to me. Thanks for making me laugh when I need it.

  136. Uhm, anyone who says social media is pointless, hasn’t heard the Justin Beiber story! Hello, You Tube + Justin Beiber videos=one MoFo famous teenager. And, if that kid tweets something, a whole-lotta people/beliebers (not a typo) snap into action. Or, anyone heard of…Facebook?? Zuckerberg is living rather large, thanks to social media networking subscribers.
    Social media is #trending! LOL! Get it; #trending, LOL, social media is also changing our written English.
    Can’t wait for more Bloggess trends!

  138. Let me start by saying you’re awesome, witty and smart, and I always laugh uncontrollably at at least 3 things/post. I read your posts to my wife in my natural voice, and it fits, so i think we’d be friends if we knew each other. Which hurts me to share with you that you spelled Stationery wrong. “Stationary” means you don’t move. Stationery is the stuff you write on.

  139. I love the whole concept of the travelling red dress. Awesome thing(s) you are doing. I’d jump in, except ME n’ dresses don’t really go together. And I don’t like red, because it’s too close to pink, and I don’t do pink. But if you had say a travelling pair of denim overalls, I’d be all over that! Although there isn’t really anything sexy or empowering or fabulous about overalls, really. ;p

  141. The above link “Because Jenny The Bloggess Would So Understand” was written FOR JENNY because, really, who else gets it except her and all of her fans? Love, Laurie F.

  143. Amazing! I love the Forbes’ article and this is a true example of the power and beauty of social media. What you can give and have given to so many through your voice and your red dress is in a word, lovely. I so loved the part in the Forbe’s article where one woman talks about how she will wear the red dress which will show her scars. The perfect marriage or the magic and acceptance and you are giving and allowing people. I continue to be so amazing and impressed as I come here (I am new!) and your courage continues to inspire.

  144. This is an amazing idea! I had to write about it on my site and spread the love! This makes me so happy I believe every woman deserves that red dress moment! Thank you

  145. You should totally compile a photo book of the red dress photos with their stories. I will SO buy it! Also, if the dress ever makes it to North Georgia I’d love to offer a photo shoot for that red dress wearer!

  149. Oh this is great!

    I have not one but TWO inappropriate and impractical red dresses- one a ball gown from the mid-50s and the other a cocktail dress I wore to my 20th HS reunion a few years back. (Think that line from The Nanny- “She’s the lady in red, when everybody else is wearing taaaan…)

    However, I’m too attached to them to send them away. The gown was my mother’s and I made the cocktail dress myself.

    THAT SAID- if anyone is in the Kansas City area, let me know- the dresses can both travel locally! (after I’m done wearing them, that is)

  150. You know, reading about the traveling red dress reminds me of how much I have always wanted to have/wear a dress from the 50s/60s or the like ones used in Gone With The Wind. I have always thought that even though I could never wear them anywhere, I would feel so beautiful in one. I even bought a vintage sewing pattern for a 60s dress http://img1.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.75796773.jpg but I don’t think my sewing skills are up to sew it yet lol.
    One day I hope to make my dress dream come true.

  152. That’s a super idea, and I can’t stop looking at the amazing original dress. Even tattered, it must be a thing of beauty, indeed.

  153. I may suggest a couples’ snuggie next time someone I know brings up wedding/shower gifts. Why wait for a stranger to mistakenly text you before making someone’s life a little more stressful? 🙂
    (It just gets stranger)

  154. Can these also be made into refrigerator magnets?! I think you’re sitting on a gold mine if that answer is yes. Also, love the romper!

  155. Does anyone have a size 18 red dress?
    I am 30, pregnant (and damn happy about it) and about to get married.

    This project is amazing and I would love to make our wedding part of the traveling red dress story!

  156. @Jennielyn In addition to Will, consider Hugh Jackman. Totally crush worthy…nicest, sweetest guy I ever met. Total dream boat. He gave me his autograph like 4 times. In a row. Smiling while he did it.

    M

  157. You have no idea how happy that paper doll just made me. I cannot wait for someone to ask me what “that bear thing” is.

  158. I’m getting a set of necklaces for my partner and me. I should get one for basically everyone I know, because they either have someone in their lives who suffers from depression or support them through it. But then I thought that you’d probably just use the money to buy another mongoose versus cobra statue and questioned whether giving you the means to do that was a wise decision. Then I had another cup of coffee, remembered who I am, and said, “OF COURSE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.”

    PS: Am I the only one who read the necklace and button and then thought, “…never surrender”?

    PPS: I don’t think I’m allowed to watch Galaxy Quest ever again.

  160. Wow. I was working on making paper dolls for the fans of my blog, too, but now it’s like… what’s the point? My dolls don’t have a wolf-suit. Maybe they can borrow yours?

  163. Dazie- I am in CA but I would be willing to pay shipping. We will take tons of pictures and send it to the next beautiful woman!

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