Shot of the Day - # 37 - Iowa First Ladies Dolls

Billie Ray’s Legacy, Iowa Capitol, Des Moines (26 June 2017)

Can’t leave Iowa just yet. The magnificent capitol had so many interesting and photogenic elements for this visitor.

There are other state houses that include a collection of dolls that model miniature versions of the gowns the First Ladies wore at their inaugural balls. This one is unique in that all the doll faces are modeled after the wife of Robert Ray, Iowa’s 38th Governor when the project was initiated in the 1970’s. I suppose a certain uniformity and sameness works when one presents fine miniature versions of fashion and hair styles from the past. You’re not supposed to let the blank, stark, ‘Stepford Wives’ faces creep you out…until they do.

Under the heading of “What Ever Will We Do?!?,” the keepers of this quaint display had to wrestle with how to continue the tradition now that the Governor is a woman. Should we slap a tux on one of our spare Billie Ray models with her narrow waist, tiny hands and Billie Ray face? The artist who created the original dolls and no longer works in porcelain suggested they run down to Walmart and buy a Ken doll.

I’m sure they figured it out.