I have always loved designing, always will. I will be attending Savannah college of Art and Design to pursue my passion in the arts.
I decided this dress would be my final yet biggest high school art project, so that is what I did. I had already made dresses out of duck tape in the past. I even submitted into last year's Stuck at Prom competition with a red, white, and black playing card themed dress. I really enjoyed designing and creating that dress, but knew I could do better, so this year I went all out!
For the design of the dress, I wanted it based off two things. My first priority was to have the same shape as a quinceañera dress. I have always found the culture of Latin America gorgeous, with one of my closest friends living there most of her life.
My second priority was for the dress to symbolize what femininity means to me. For the longest time I have struggled with this idea of being perceived less feminine as I have short hair and dress like a twelve year old boy. So I decided to try something new, using the color pink, which is perceived as feminine, into a dress I would wear.
Stuck At Prom
Raelene
H.
6
Rolls
10
Hours
Inspiration:
I am currently in the Iowa Army National Guard and love to serve my country. I figured I would showcase that in my senior prom dress, making it patriotic red, white, and blue. My dress had 13 stripes, 6 white and 7 red, and 50 white stars just like the flag. I figured this was the best way to celebrate America's 250th birthday!
Stuck At Prom
Piper
D.
51
Rolls
200
Hours
Inspiration:
I was inspired by my grandmother's heritage. She will often tell me, "You know Piper, you are descended from a Canadian Duke?" before sharing his name and parts of his history. One day I searched for him online, and I found a picture of the man wearing a striking red coat, a bright white breastplate, and yellow and white tassels. I was struck by the audaciousness of the outfit, and I tried to incorporate this into my dress design.
Stuck At Prom
Dylan
L.
13
Rolls
90
Hours
Inspiration:
"For America's 250th anniversary I wanted to create something that honored our nation's history, symbols, and values, entirely from recycled materials covered in Duck Tape.
My inspiration was to create a patriotic, emblematic, and unique design that reflects my pride and honor in being an American citizen.
To save money during difficult economic times, I collected recycled materials from home, garbage bags, water bottles, styrofoam, and cardboard boxes, as the base, then covered everything with vibrant Duck Tape in American colors.
Red represents valor, passion, and the historic bloodlines of America. White symbolizes purity, innocence, and the foundational ideals of liberty and equality. Blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice. I added gold for special details, representing the brilliance, elegance, and generosity of our great nation.
I am proud of my work and happy to celebrate America's birthday with this Duck Tape Tux-design."
Stuck At Prom
shelby
s.
18
Rolls
63
Hours
Inspiration:
my inspiration behind my dress was the art of ballet, timeless victorian dresses, graceful swans, theatre and monochrome colors.
Stuck At Prom
Victoria
E.
37
Rolls
113
Hours
Inspiration:
I always felt like I should be normal, fit in, and not be weird, even when I needed to stand out. I never got a chance to feel special; I didn't have a quinceanera, a sweet sixteen, or any really big celebration, so I decided to make a dress that I could love and be proud of. I originally planned my dress around two dresses I really liked but they didn't quite feel like me. I based my dress on my favorite flower, orchids, and incorporated Japanese inspired elements. Both owning orchids and visiting Japan have been big dreams of mine, they are often the few things that feel true about me. I wanted to bring both of those inspirations together in a way that felt personal to me.
For this dress I made around one hundred orchids, each consisting of three separate pieces. On some flowers, I carefully cut thin strips of duct tape to create the natural lines and details of the petals, while on others I colored them in with marker.
The dress took a lot of planning and redos, but in the end I created an elegant piece of artwork I am proud of. It gave me the chance to express myself, create something completely my own, and let myself stand out in a way I had always wanted to.
Stuck At Prom
Aliyah
A.
4
Rolls
160
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress was inspired by the process of change and daffodils. Daffodils represent resilience, rebirth, and new beginnings which resonates with me because even in hostile environments shaped by fear or uncertainty they still find a way to persist despite the odds, flourish, and remain soft. I wanted the piece to capture the feeling of evolving into a newer greater self, bringing hope for a new future to come.
Stuck At Prom
Ashley
D.
10
Rolls
20
Hours
Inspiration:
The dress was inspired by the idea that there is no limit to creativity even with everyday materials. I wanted to turn something ordinary into a unique and stylish dress that stands out. I carefully layered strips of duct tape over a base, shaping and adjusting it to create structure. It took a lot of patience and attention to detail. The final result shows creativity, effort and originality.
Stuck At Prom
Olivia
N.
12
Rolls
50
Hours
Inspiration:
My classical ballet prom tutu was inspired behind my passion of artistry and dancing. With the ballet industry being overlooked continuously, this piece shows the dedication, commitment, and storytelling behind this art style. I want to show that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
Stuck At Prom
Isabelle
C.
24
Rolls
75
Hours
Inspiration:
Unicorns, to me, are symbols of bravery, which is why I chose them for the theme of my dress as I step into adulthood and college. This dress is designed to help me overcome fear about these major transitions. The star motif along the bottom of the dress represents hope, illuminating my bright future ahead. Each star and heart, which I stamped and cut out by hand to be used as trim, represents continued bravery and hope. Creating this dress was a long and sometimes difficult process, but I would gladly do it again. The detail and time invested into the dress affirms to me that I possess the grit and determination needed for the future.
Stuck At Prom
Logan
C.
5
Rolls
8
Hours
Inspiration:
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.
Stuck At Prom
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.
Stuck At Prom
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
Stuck At Prom
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.
Stuck At Prom
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.
Stuck At Prom
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
Stuck At Prom
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.
