Ready To 'Wear Away' Dress (PHOTOS)

If fashion doesn't last forever, then why should our clothes? That's the philosophy behind the new design of a brown paper bag dress that looks and feels like leather.

A collaboration between couture designer Sylvia Heisel and Paper No 9's Rebecca Cole Marshall, the one-of-a-kind dress is designed to "wear away."

According to TreeHugger, Marshall is known for her work with brown recycled shipping paper.

The way it works? Your body heat and natural wear cause the outer skin to slowly disintegrate, unveiling a secret layer of words of wisdom underneath. With handwritten notes featuring inspirational quotes from legends like Gandhi, Agatha Christie and Oscar Wilde, each section of the dress has its own quote, hidden until it reveals itself after wear and tear.

Comments

[RedRat]

04:39 PM on 09/06/2011

All well and good, but it still looks like a brown paper bag. I don't think this will catch on in its present incarnation. Not saying paper can't be a winner for clothing with proper treatment, but this dress ain't it.

[bmora]

04:24 PM on 09/06/2011

Why did I click this?

[Dede Eagleburger]

09:32 AM on 09/06/2011

wow, sure yeah I'll wear one of these, not! I can just hear the inevitable 'can't think her way out of a brown paper bag' jokes coming...

[DanSc]

01:05 PM on 09/06/2011

She'll just be drinking her way out of a brown paper bag

[Dede Eagleburger]

01:07 PM on 09/06/2011

drinking her way out?

[alteredstory]

09:02 AM on 09/06/2011

It's a cool idea, but I doubt Gandhi, one of the quoted people, would think it was a worthwhile use of creativity...

[Cold in Michigan]

08:33 AM on 09/06/2011

So this replaces the paper dresses of the '60s. Other than the slogans not such a new idea.

[wingsabre]

02:16 AM on 09/06/2011

There's a less pretentious idea for a pretentious dress. Use cotton, and apply quotes on it with temperature sensitive ink. Have the quotes change with the season and mood.

[wingsabre]

02:09 AM on 09/06/2011

Technically, if you wear cotton fibers, they don't last forever. They will eventually biodegrade, and you won't look like you're wearing a brown paper bag, and it won't fall apart if you're caught in the rain.

[RedRat]

04:40 PM on 09/06/2011

Good point and agreed.

[Dan Storie]

10:47 PM on 09/05/2011

this is fashion? She looks like she is wearing a paper bag! Oh, wait a minute, SHE IS WEARING A BROWN PAPER BAG! Come on this is like the dumbest idea ever.

[ecotopian]

10:41 PM on 09/05/2011

"If fashion doesn't last forever, then why should our clothes?" The last I checked, t-shirts and jeans are still popular and have been for 70 years at least. Fashion should last as long as clothes, not the other way around.

[thegiver]

10:05 PM on 09/05/2011

Do not do stretching exercises in this dress if you are of asian origin. After three stretches, you are transformed to an Indian damsel.

[So silly]

10:00 PM on 09/05/2011

As long as they don't use this technology on condoms.

[Readbetweentheelevens]

10:22 PM on 09/05/2011

When disintegrated, the item would reveal the hidden words of wisdom: "look before you leap."

[Cold in Michigan]

08:32 AM on 09/06/2011

eww...after several uses? No, don't use this on condoms.

[So silly]

09:08 AM on 09/06/2011

lol, No, not after several uses, I went to school before the love of abstinence only education so I am aware of how condoms work. I was thinking more of the heat factor and well, if you can't see how much work one rubber gets compared to one dress per wearing then I can't explain.

[BeatlesPrudence]

11:29 PM on 09/06/2011

Well don't you believe in "recycling?! lol Be green...

[Mochilero]

09:49 PM on 09/05/2011

I'm not sure about the words of wisdom. Does it tear off easily?

[Harvee Wallbanger]

09:07 PM on 09/05/2011

Probably want some insane price for it too...

[Readbetweentheelevens]

10:23 PM on 09/05/2011

Well they're not doing it for their health.

[LMPE]

08:25 PM on 09/05/2011

What? No Hunter S. Thompson quotes?

[Readbetweentheelevens]

10:26 PM on 09/05/2011

"You'd be surprised how expensive it costs to look this cheap."
— Steven Tyler

[DUSAA-1775]

07:37 PM on 09/05/2011

Hmmm... looks like a two bagger to me.