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The Dresses with Pockets Exhibition, curated by Louise Cutler, is currently on display on the Mezzanine level of the Concourse C at the Denver International Airport
 Photograph provided courtesy of Denver International Airport.
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The inspiration for this dress came from my ongoing research into maternal mental health during my master’s program from Falmouth University. I was especially struck by the idea that women are still expected to be endlessly available and naturally equipped for caregiving, no matter what else they might be juggling. That idea is not just outdated, it can be harmful.
To reflect this, I created six original paintings that depict the invisible mental and physical tasks mothers are often expected to carry out, such as cooking, cleaning, child-rearing, and laundry. The original paintings can be seen here. I photographed three of those paintings and used them to design the custom fabric for this dress. The construction follows a 1950s housewife pattern, intentionally tying the outdated visual language of the past to the very real pressures still facing modern mothers. As I worked on the dress, my sons were often by my side supervising and helping me remove pins as I sewed. It was a beautiful irony: here I was making a dress about the mental load of motherhood, while also trying to parent. My hope is that this dress makes the invisible labor visible, and gives us all a moment to rethink what we’ve been taught about a woman’s role. |
Photograph provided courtesy of Denver International Airport.
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Photograph provided courtesy of Denver International Airport.
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The exhibition Dresses with Pockets was originally displayed at the Lakewoods Cultural Arts Center from June-August of 2025.
This video is my explanation of the dress at the opening reception, recorded by Emily Cahill. |