So I saw something online that I didn't care for. This happens all the time, but this project was getting a lot of hype from a lot of places. Now this is mostly the outcome of excellent self-promotion on the part of the designer, but still--my meaner instincts were like "Man, really? This? You all love this?" And of course I had to share my feelings, so blogging about this project landed on my to-do list.
But then I gave it a second thought.
With the great, great power of blogging comes great responsibility, you know. That's what Spiderman's uncle told me. Really--I'm putting this stuff down in a semi-permanent format and representing myself and my thoughts to people. Some know me, some don't, but in any case I feel that I have a certain amount of responsibility to them and to myself. I started this whole thing with my classmates in mind--I wanted to share things with them in order to edify them. What good am I doing by spreading my bad attitude? What good am I doing to the creator of this project by just taking this piss out of him? I don't even know the guy! And what good am I doing to myself by flaunting my flaws?
More pop culture wisdom comes to mind: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all (Thumper's dad, 1942).
Now: I AM here to celebrate the good and beautiful. I have little fear of overdoing that. So yes, I will say the nice whenever I feel. But do I hold my tongue with regards to this project? Here's where the healing power of blog comes in: I'm not going to shit talk this project. What I am going to do is give it a fair shake, because I have a forum in which I can do it thoughtfully and be held accountable for my views.
So here's the project:
There you have it. The object of my ire. They are called Magic Pills and are available through TheDrugStore, presumably run by the designer. The earrings come in a variety of different medications (many of which Jackie from Nerding Around was able to identify on sight).
So, the analysis. These earrings are not unattractive. However, I feel that they are pretty gimmicky to be taken so seriously. The shape of the pill is quite lovely from a design perspective, and the color combinations can be quite subtle. It's understandable to be inspired by them. However, they are so recognizable here... these earrings make as much sense as hanging any other tiny commercial good on your ear. Not a total lack of sense, but people won't see an earring, they'll see a joke. Which brings me to the fact that this has been done before. Barbie shoes are the example that jump to mind.
Glitter Yellow Barbie Shoe Earrings from SupernovaDesigns on Etsy. The gimmicky earring has been around for a while. And I don't mind them. I have a pair of earrings that certainly walk this line--they're made of hinges. And while they're shiny metal like many earrings (like how the pills are similar to beads), people go, oh hey, hinges. It's not bad. But it's not pure, in my opinion.
It just seems that so many other craftsters slave away, making goofy little earrings or even especially beautiful "traditional" ones, that this one gentleman shouldn't get all the attention.
So there was my shot at analysis. I still come out ambivalent towards these earrings, but I'd like to think it was worth it to try and give them a fair shake. Not a brilliant one, admittedly. I'm not nearly as smart as I'd like to be re: this kind of thing. But that's why I'm practicing.
A closing thought: what about the things I love? Maybe I need to look deeper into the eyes of the beautiful fashion illustrations... or the lovely smokers. Now THERE'S one to consider more deeply. So here's to a thoughtful future here at BOMBSQUAD. And who knows, maybe this will spill over into my real life.
The shit talk would have been funnier.
