My neighbor and I have been friends since birth. We've always done fun, crazy, iconic things together. When we heard that people were wearing duck tape suits to Prom, we knew we had to do it. I asked her to Senior Prom, and we both made our respective duck tape outfits. I made my boutonniere, and she made her corsage. We didnt plan on entering the scholarship contest, but after seeing our outfits at the dance, our friends peer pressured us into it. Pictures, dinner, and the dance have always been fun, but doing it in a duck tape suit and dress made the our final dance even better. Everyone at our school loved it, but we loved it even more.
Stuck At Prom
Aiden
M.
27
Rolls
106
Hours
Inspiration:
I didn't just want another normal suit, I wanted something that felt like me. I love music. In fact, I want to study music technology in college. So, I infused the styles of the hip-hop apparel and formal attire. Which led me to come up with this letterman suit (also because I really like letterman jackets). The expressive and creative possibilities behind the letterman jackets tell their own stories. It has an iconic high school vibe.
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Evalynn
M.
8
Rolls
17
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress was inspired by the push to go further. The flowers symbolise growing and getting better at what you do. I worked on my outfit every day untill I thought it was good enough to be seen by other people. The bows show that by the time my flowers stop growing my life will be tied up in a perfect little bow.
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Lauren
B.
15
Rolls
60
Hours
Inspiration:
I love mermaids so I thought it would be cool to make a mermaid style skirt into a mermaid tail. Duck Tape is perfect for making scales and the blue galaxy tape pattern is so pretty. I made fins on the bottom of the skirt by folding Duck Tape covered fabric the same way you do to make a paper fan. For the scales I folded over pieces of Duck Tape and cut out scales which I sowed to a sleeveless dress that served as the base. For the top I covered a corset with pink Duck Tape and put it on top of the skirt.
I made video of how I made the dress, but it refused to upload. Here's a link to it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gimzZNpt5rc
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Parker
N.
22
Rolls
25
Hours
Inspiration:
I wanted to showcase something I love, playing cards. Ever since I was little, card games have been a big part of my life. Whether at family gatherings, special events, or simply spending time with my grandparents, cards have always brought people together for me and allowed me to make memories that in will cherish forever. Because of that, I thought a casino themed tuxedo would be the perfect way to represent how meaningful card games are to me. The game my family plays the most is eucher. Because of the I chose to use a jack as a pocket square, since I'm definitely the best player in my family I included a crown on the back. I also included a roullete table as that was my first real expience of gamlbing during a family vaction over my 18th birthday. I also chose to inlcude the four aces because they can be the highest card in some games and the lowest and others.
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Ryleigh
H.
14
Rolls
71
Hours
Inspiration:
I’ve always loved seeing how art changes over time. Humans have been creating art forever, from cave paintings to modern digital art, and every generation leaves behind its own style and ideas. Fashion is one of the best examples of that to me because trends, materials, and even the rules around clothing are always changing. The construction of the piece was inspired by the Victorian era because of how dramatic and detailed it was, but instead of making a gown, I chose a tux to show how gender roles in fashion have evolved over time too.
I decided to add graffiti to my piece as a tribute to modern art, which was inspired by the Cadillac ranch located about 40 miles from my home. I think it’s a perfect example of ever-evolving art because the cars are constantly being painted over and changed by visitors. No version of it lasts forever, and that’s what makes it special. I also added clocks and gears to represent time passing and creativity evolving through different generations.
Making the piece itself was really fun because I got to experiment with different materials and ideas. I created the fabric by layering duck tape in different directions to make a square pattern. For the ruffles, I made yarn out of shopping bags from the supplies I bought, and crocheted them together. I wanted to use the bags instead of wasting them. I made the clocks and gears using gold tape and made stickers using a stencil I printed out. Art has become one of the biggest parts of my life, and I thought that this scholarship would be a great way to express my fascination with it.
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Mya
D.
8
Rolls
23
Hours
Inspiration:
Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to be a costume designer. I used to draw dresses inspired by my favorite shows, and threw together sheets and blankets to make in my five year old mind, a masterpiece.
I've also had a love for the performing arts for as long as I can remember. There's something about that family that you make when doing a show that is incredibly special. My high school theatre department has been there for me through highs and lows, and I have met my best friends through that wonderful program. The way that costumes can transport you back to a certain time and tell nuanced stories that change lives is lovely. That's why I want to be a costume designer. Telling those stories through beautiful clothing and uniting an audience and a cast together through those costumes makes me so excited for the future. I chose to use one of my costume designs to base this dress off of, and I am ecstatic to have it finally realized. Every part of this dress is handmade, the base from scrap fabric at home all sewn from original drafted patterns.
Sewing is one of the most important things in my life, all because of my mom. She endeavored to find me a brand new sewing machine that we could afford for Christmas. She searched high and low for months before finding the perfect one. The woman selling it was touched by our story, and the sewing machine, originally meant for her daughter but was never used, and a myriad of sewing supplies graciously donated by her, came home with my mom. I’ll never forget that excitement that I felt, the pure gratitude to that kind and lovely stranger, and the love I felt for my mother, who is my best friend, who worked so hard to support my dreams. This dress is a tribute to that love, and a dedication to what I want to do after high school.
I chose a regency silhouette because it is my favorite era of fashion.There's something about it that’s so romantic and awe-inspiring. This dress is also in part, a tribute to Jane Austen, a hallmark figure in my life who I try to live by. She is incredibly inspiring to me, as a female author publishing over 200 years ago, who is still relevant today and is a symbol of female ingenuity. Although she wasn’t alive at the same time as Jane, it’s also a small homage to Louisa May Alcott, who wrote Little Women, one of the most inspiring and beautiful books I've ever read. Alcott is very inspiring to me and I look up to her in a way. It's also a tribute to my love of reading, something that has been there for me my whole life. Whenever I was unsure, or had no one else, I would turn to books as my comfort. Being able to travel to so many different places and times was my favorite thing of all.
All of this culminates in this dress, a pie made of all of my loves and passions, and hopefully, my future! Thank you for your consideration!
“So she made her wedding gown herself, sewing into it the tender hopes and innocent romances of a girlish heart.” - Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!”- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
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Jazavian
B.
26
Rolls
1439
Hours
Inspiration:
My grandma used to always tell me to do anything to the fullest, and I really need this scholarship, so I made my prom suit out of 26 rolls of colorful duct tape.
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Tyler
S.
15
Rolls
17
Hours
Inspiration:
My Duck Tape outfit was inspired by my love for pizza and the 80's! My grandma and I spent around 17 hours working on the suit! Thankfully because of the pattern, it was like putting up wallpaper! I was 100% the best dressed at prom, but the best part by far was getting to spend time with my grandma!
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Hannah
A.
7
Rolls
100
Hours
Inspiration:
I spent the first 15 years of my life living in Asia, and I wanted to create a dress that embodies both the beauty of the Asian cultures I love as well as my unique experience of growing up overseas.
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Madalyn
B.
13
Rolls
50
Hours
Inspiration:
My outfit was inspired by my love of nature and the book, The Secret Garden. I wanted to create a dress that felt magical, overgrown, and whimsical, almost like stepping into a hidden garden straight from a fairy tale. To bring that idea to life, I designed and created the dress using duck tape, a handmade circle skirt base, flowers, duck tape vines, and fairy lights. I also created matching accessories, including the shoes, earrings, and a clutch, all out of duck tape, to complete the look. I hope you LOVE the finished product as much as I do.
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Amira
M.
8
Rolls
14
Hours
Inspiration:
I am a student at IDEA, a project-based school, and when I first joined, there was a girl who was also making a dress out of tape but sadly never submitted it. That was my first introduction to the school and duct tape dress competition, I have been following it ever since. It is now my third year at IDEA, and I got the chance to make any product I’d like, so I finally went all in and made this beautiful duct tape dress.
The dress itself was designed to be an elegant black-and-white piece, with the black resembling bat wings and giving it a winter vampire feel. That concept then shifted to a more avian fae aesthetic when I incorporated the wings, which were from a prior project that I revamped, fixed, and adjusted to better match the theme. I love the wings and am so happy I got to work on them again and include them in my design. This is a project I’m more than happy to share with others.
It took me a while to build the confidence to start making the dress, and even during the process, I struggled at first because I didn’t know where to begin. I had only ever made props and reused old clothes for cosplay—never created something I could actually wear. Starting this was definitely a bit scary, but once I got into it, I found my rhythm. There were still moments when I doubted whether what I was doing was good enough, and I worried I might ruin it or that it wouldn’t turn out well. But I was determined to finish it. I am quite proud what it turned into and will definitely inspire me to keep making more projects.
So here is the final result: the end product of many days of work in my basement and a very cold photoshoot (thanks to my wonderful sister, Jacinda M).
Stuck At Prom
Kaitlyn
B.
17
Rolls
140
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress was inspired by the Old Hollywood era of dresses, hats, and jewelry. I love costume design from this era, as well as Old Hollywood red-carpet looks. My dress is red as a nod to the red carpet and because some of my favorite dresses in cinema history are red. For the front of my dress, I used Duck brand chrome tape in a dramatic design that catches the light, resembling flashes of photography seen on the red carpet. I also dotted the bottom of each skirt with chrome tape to mimic a film strip wrapping around the dress. For the back, I used chrome tape to highlight cascading, shining stars. My accessories were chosen to recreate the Old Hollywood aesthetic, including ruby and diamond jewelry, a vintage birdcage hat, and a movie clapper–shaped purse. I enjoyed every step of the creative process and am proud of how my vision was transformed into a finished design that tells a story and pays homage to Old Hollywood.
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Brooke
D.
14
Rolls
31
Hours
Inspiration:
Last year I made a duct tape dress, so this year I wanted to try a suit. My Tuxedo was inspired off my favorite music genre psychedelic 60s garage rock. The sound of psychedelic rock is fun, mysterious and, hypnotic. I wanted to portray this feeling through my tuxedo. All of the swirls are supposed to give you the same feeling as you would get while listen to psychedelic rock.
Stuck At Prom
Luke
M.
16
Rolls
6
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for the suit came from a few reference tuxedos found on the internet along with some Halloween costumes. We based the actual form of the suits were based off real clothes found around the house.
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Mckenna
B.
22
Rolls
30
Hours
Inspiration:
Since I was a child, I always felt like a wilted, ugly flower. The flower you would never choose if you had a choice. I felt like I was made to be thrown away and discarded without a second thought because of my chronic illness, causing chronic pain, and I've never been the brightest in the room. So as soon as I heard about this project, it inspired me. I decided it was finally my time to be the pretty flower. The flower that is chosen.
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Grace
L.
5
Rolls
20
Hours
Inspiration:
I wanted to create my ideal prom dress with a soft, whimsical feel inspired by fairies and mermaids. I was drawn to the idea of something ethereal and nature-like, with delicate flowers and flowing details. The combination of silver and pink (my favorite color combination) was meant to reflect a dreamy, almost magical look while still feeling elegant and unique.
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Anna
M.
22
Rolls
78
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, a process where broken pottery is mended to create something new and beautiful. Originally, the dress was meant to be inspired by the classic blue and white porcelain tea sets, but after a small mistake resulted in having to salvage the scraps and go back to the drawing board, I turned it into the Kintsugi-inspired dress you see today. The dress features entirely hand-cut designs and over fifty Duck Tape flowers!
