The Eliot dress is based on one of my favorite poems of all time, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot. The dress is a manifestation of the protagonist’s internal struggles for romantic desire, acceptance, and companionship in a crumbling world. I loved the idea of placing the actual words on the dress, to physically expose his racing mind, all wrapped up in a beautifully unattainable package. The character recreated for this year’s theme is essentially the un-named, implied woman, who ultimately seems unlikely to share his humanity in the end, with his constant procrastination and hesitancy in asking her out. Despite his desire to reject traditional norms in society, his social awkwardness, and his modern, over-intellectualized thoughts, his humanity is continually challenged as he exists in a bizarre, empty, and transitory world. Much of the emotion in this poem is even more relevant today. With the current growing inequality in society, humanity and morality is constantly challenged. Who doesn’t wrestle with societal expectations, social awkwardness, and fighting morality within themselves at all points in life? This dress embodies the uncertainty in navigating through a disintegrating world, where the occasional glimpses of beauty can be found.