Bald women, 80s makeup, wig-like hair, tangled eyelashes, empty stares. Walking down the sidewalk, I can't ignore all the eyes watching me through the windows. One of the things that really caught my attention in Turkey was the freaky mannequins. They just didn't look like mannequins anywhere else in the world we'd been. I wondered if Turkey got the 20 year old hand-me-downs from everyone else instead of buying new ones. Usually when you walk past a store window, you notice the styled outfit and overlook the body it sits on. Not the case in Turkey. Many of the mannequins were actually beat up with scuffs on their faces, scratched out eyes, and duck-taped necks, which added to the creepy factor. I didn't photograph the really beat up ones, as I think that would have offended the shop owners (and given you nightmares). You might agree with me that the fashion on most of them (not all) is pretty horrendous as well.
I'm not sure why I was compelled to photograph them at all, but here's my little collection. These are from around Istanbul and Bodrum.
- Julia
