Peggy Dwyer dresses her mannequin named Wylson at her home in Livermore. The daily outfits started as a personal distraction for Dwyer, but she has found the mannequin has developed a strong following on Facebook, with neighbors checking in on each day’s fashion choice. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

LIVERMORE — Peggy Dwyer’s mannequin is a little shy.

“If I’m dressing her and a car goes by I throw the robe over her like I feel bad about her nakedness,” she said of the form she’s named Wylson.

When Dwyer returned home from a trip in December, her friends surprised her with the mannequin and dressed it in Christmas finery.

This spring, when Dwyer shifted to working from home in her role as a real estate agent for a utility company, she began the ritual of dressing it in a new outfit every morning.

The name Wylson is a nod to an object in “Cast Away,” the movie starring Tom Hanks. His character was stranded on a deserted island and spoke to a volleyball he named Wilson, after the sports brand.

When Dwyer first saw the movie, she admits she didn’t really get it. But as time goes by, as she cooperates with Maine’s stay-at-home order, she has gained a greater appreciation for the concept of naming nonliving things.

“It’s starting,” Dwyer jokes. “Empathy towards inanimate objects”

She rummages through long-forgotten treasures in her closets to find fashion pieces.

“She’s worn my mother’s apron and a hideous sweater that my dear old aunt knitted for me,” Dwyer said. Wylson has also worn cocktail dresses from the ’50s and ’60s, and motorcycle leathers.

On a day that Dwyer designated Business-Casual Day, Wylson wore a suit top with pajamas pants.

Not every outfit has been without its shortcomings. Wind, especially, can make staying dressed something of a challenge. “We’ve had wardrobe malfunctions,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer has been finding plenty of accessories for the display, including an old pair of roller skates she spruced up with a coat of white paint.

“Depending on how long this goes, I might have to start raiding other people’s closets,” Dwyer said.

It’s a silly start to her day.

“I do this before I have my coffee in the morning,” she said. “I’m making no guarantees as to the good judgment of any of it.”

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