Amanda Miller featured in New York Times
Amanda Miller, professor of sociology, was recently quoted in a New York Times article about how women are repurposing their wedding dresses.
It wasn’t too long ago, however, when wedding dresses were far less revered. After their weddings, some women chose to trash the dress and photograph themselves doing so.
“Essentially, these were a second set of photos taken of the bride, or the couple, where the dress is being destroyed, like the bride walking into a lake while wearing it,” said Amanda Miller, a professor of sociology at the University of Indianapolis. “It was individualized and personalized, the opposite of what we are seeing now. Today people are externally focused as opposed to being internally. We are very vocal about social causes.”
Ms. Miller also spoke to using a globally understood image as an attention grabber. “That’s what you want people to see and instantly understand when you’re trying to promote a positive cause,” she said. “Few things are more eye-catching than a wedding dress. And because we have spent so much money on this one item, there’s a desire to use it again. It’s upcycling for a good cause.”