Personally, I think that it would be INCREDIBLY stupid to post pictures of this kind of activity and label them honestly. What I think has happened is that the blogger has created a "cute" fantasy story situation without thinking that it might be seen by anyone who would take offense to it. She may have removed it, stunned and freaked out, after finding out that it had been distributed much farther than she anticipated and that people were taking her seriously. Of course, the bright thing to do in this case would be to post that it was a joke, and that she was terribly sorry for the offense... but who knows, that may be coming down the pipeline. Plus... how would they be certain that the garments would fit them (however imperfectly) and be able to get them properly BACK onto the mannequins without anyone noticing? Mannequin dressing isn't exactly a simple task, especially for period garments like those!
I would never seek to minimize the criminality of treating museum objects as your playthings, especially given that my field is museum work in garments and textiles! Perhaps I am wrong in giving this woman the benefit of the doubt. I do think that museum security is highly important, and that stealing the dresses and wearing them around would be an unbelievably reprehensible act. I simply don't think that this is what happened in this case.
In any event, what an interesting discussion this has raised!

Whitney A. J. Robertson
Fashion and Textile Specialist
M.A. Fashion and Textile Studies, FIT '09
B.A. with Distinction, Music, UVa '06
http://fashion-museum.blogspot.com

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