You cannot copyright the "shape" of a dress, but you can copyright an original fabric pattern printed on it.
If an artistic element, like a floral relief on silverware or a carving on a headboard, can exist independently of the object's function, it is copyrightable.
If you're looking for something different, are you asking about: for a specific product you've designed? How to register a creative work with the Copyright Office? General productivity or "useful" life advice articles? Useful Articles - Copyright
Designs for useful articles that don't qualify for copyright may still be eligible for protection under Federal Patent Law . Examples of Separable Expression
While code is protected as a literary work, the functional "mechanics" of a game may fall under different legal standards than its artistic assets.
While the functional design of these items—like the shape of a chair or a spoon—cannot be copyrighted, the that can be identified separately from the function often receive protection. Key Legal Distinctions
💡 Copyright protects the expression of an idea (the art), not the utilitarian function of the object itself.
Under US copyright law, a is an item with an intrinsic utilitarian function that goes beyond just conveying information or portraying its own appearance.