For my dress, I was inspired by the Artemis II space launch on April 1 earlier this year. There have been a number of rocket launches over the course of my lifetime, but this was the first rocket launched with the goal of an eventual moon landing since the 1972 Apollo 17 launch. While there is much to learn from every space mission, the choice to begin sending missions to deep space again marks a new period of exploration. The little nerd inside of me who watched every Star Wars movie and read Sci-fi obsessively is filled with excitement at the thought that there is so much left for the human race to discover. I’m excited to think that there could even be life that we haven’t reached yet, and whole cultures that we’ve yet to learn about. It was this that inspired me to create the dress I did. Each layer gets darker symbolizing the deeper that humans explore in space.
Stuck At Prom
Hannah
R.
18
Rolls
75
Hours
Inspiration:
The design of my dress was inspired by my love for theatre and the arts. It depicts themes from one of my favorite musicals, Phantom of the Opera, including a piano pattern, a mask, and 127 red roses.
Stuck At Prom
Alexandra
P.
11
Rolls
30
Hours
Inspiration:
This dress was inspired by the song "Butterfly Season" by Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert because as I move closer to my grade 12 graduation, it truly is my butterfly season. I grew up in a small town, raised by my grandparents my whole life. Finally now I am spreading my wings and moving to Calgary to pursue my Bachelor of Commerce. Every detail of this dress tells the story of my youth. The grey middle section was made out of my youth ballet tutu, the dried roses were from a bouquet given to me at my last-ever dance recital, and lastly, the giant wings represent leaving home and finding the best version of myself. The outfit represents my transformation from feeling like an unworthy young girl to a confident woman. The entire outfit was handcrafted using Duck Brand duct tape in gray, rainbow, blue floral, pink zebra, teal leopard, zig zag, and butterfly patterned varieties. I started by cutting out the wings out of cardboard, pinning a sheet to fit me like a dress, and pinning the tutu onto the sheet. After this base was completed, I used the tape to decorate the dress and the dried roses to make a piece of art that tells the story of moving into young adulthood.
Stuck At Prom
Rio
L.
56
Rolls
760
Hours
Inspiration:
My mother always said, “Duck Tape is a woman’s best friend”. And I believe that to be true.
She has accompanied me through every arduous backpacking mile. A silent friend wrapped around my water bottles, quietly waiting to help in times of need. She has protected every blister before it starts, patched every boot whose threads had unwound, and mended every rip in my rain gear that had caught on a thorny bush. When wrapped around my hiking poles, my ol’ friend even stood between a black bear and me on the West Coast Trail….a true friend indeed! But she evolved to represent much more than a trusty backpacking friend. She helped me create an image in a dress that symbolized the passion, morals, and ethics of who I am becoming. Someone shaped by the outdoors, whose respect for the natural world and the creatures within it has become a driving force.
Growing up on a farm, I always loved animals, and so did my ol’ friend. She helped me attach toothpick splints to broken chicken legs and saved me from a sewing job when the baby Nigerian goat diapers were too big. I loved peeking into the owl boxes in the spring to see the baby balls of fluff, but it was my ol’ friend who kept them from getting wet by waterproofing their boxes. I loved listening to the talking frogs at sunset on my back porch and watching the Red-Wing Blackbirds dive into the pond’s cattails at dusk. Watching the Mallards set their wings and how they could dodge all the willow branches as they would land in our pond was always a treat. I grew up doing my homework on the back porch with the music of swallows singing in the bamboo. Animals gave me comfort.
I pursued that comfort with volunteer opportunities at the World Center for Birds of Prey and Zoo Boise. These public education programs opened my eyes to the many problems facing animals today. I wanted to help, but didn’t yet know how.
I decided to expand my understanding of animals by job shadowing local veterinarians. There, I learned how domestic animals were treated when sick. But I was still curious about who cared for the wild animals when they were sick or injured?
This curiosity led to much research and concluded with me aiming towards becoming a wildlife veterinarian. The requirements of a Doctorate in Wildlife Biology and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine made it clear that this was not going to be an easy task. I buckled down and put my mind to it. That hard work has allowed me to graduate as valedictorian, two years early, and with an associate’s degree in biology to give myself a head start on this long educational journey. This was my comfort, my passion, and I felt compelled to help the sick and injured wild animals who could not help themselves.
Animals like the endangered scarlet macaw, with less than 1,000 left in Central America, have gone extinct in parts of Mexico. Their livelihood is threatened by deforestation and illegal pet trade. I want to be the wildlife veterinarian who can help by checking their wild nests to manage parasite infections and provide care to neglected chicks. I would relocate chicks who are at risk of being stolen to conservation centers until they are old enough to be released. As a wildlife veterinarian, I would treat sick or injured adult macaws confiscated from the illegal pet trade, rehabilitate them, and train them to avoid humans before releasing them back into the wild. I would also conduct field monitoring by taking samples of blood, feathers, and swabs to detect diseases that threaten the population. Finally, I would monitor if the released birds were adapting and surviving.
This life journey comes from the heart. It is not one of prestige or fortune, and I know I will be facing an uphill battle most of the time. But when a passion runs deep, and the heart is full of love and compassion, I believe it is a journey worth taking. I want to make a difference…one macaw at a time.
So, thank you, ol’ friend, for being there in times of need and helping me to create an empowering symbol that I can take forward with me on my journey. I look forward to many more adventures together.
Stuck At Prom
Jasmine
R.
16
Rolls
112
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my dress stemmed from a medieval Goth theme taking place in darker settings. My intention was to create an outfit with dark and elegant elements, the sharp shapes and dark colors. I used majority black rolls of tape, and red tape as highlights to define the points even more. I made an intention with the process of photography in front of a red tree with a cloudy sky to recreate the feeling of darkness in a medieval setting. I was inspired by the beautiful dark nights, imagining a wine glass of blood a vampire held.
Though my imagination ran through, the dark nights of silence sitting outside under the very tree I stood under, made me feel so at peace. I based the dress on how that red leaf tree looks through my window at night during my deepest thoughts. The tree helped me with a lot of things, one being the final theme of my dress. Now, I feel like the elegant vampire under that tree.
Stuck At Prom
Reagan
M.
11
Rolls
12
Hours
Inspiration:
This dress was inspired by pride month. It represents hope and inclusion for all members of the LGBTQ + community as well as hope for people in trying times from all walks of life.
Stuck At Prom
Natalie
G.
18
Rolls
93
Hours
Inspiration:
My inspiration for this duct tape prom dress came from my brother, who is currently serving overseas in the United States Navy, and from the 250th anniversary of America. I wanted to create something that honored both our country and the people who sacrifice so much to protect it. The red, white, and blue colors represent the American flag, while the 50 stars and 13 stripes symbolize our nation’s history and unity. The bows along the slit represent strength and perseverance, and the bouquet, headband, giant back bow, and heels complete the patriotic theme. This project became more than just a dress, it became a way to show my gratitude for my brother, military families, and the freedoms we enjoy every day.
Stuck At Prom
Angelique
V.
14
Rolls
138
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my dress is "Icarus" from greek mythology! Since he fell doing what he loved, he represents my closing page as a senior at my highschool. Since im leaving doing what i love, no matter the hiccups in the way.
Stuck At Prom
Sara
S.
10
Rolls
84
Hours
Inspiration:
The outfit was loosely inspired by the style of one of my favorite movie characters Cruella Deville.Her classic use of black and white and personality, help me develop the idea for the dress.
Stuck At Prom
Jeremiah
C.
46
Rolls
61
Hours
Inspiration:
My outfit was inspired by the Met Gala, couture fashion, and the dramatic silhouettes often seen on the red carpet. I wanted the look to feel structured, tailored, and elevated while still reflecting my personal style. To create the outfit, I made large, fabric-like panels by layering strips of duct tape together, then used patterns to shape and assemble the pieces. I also made the accessories, including a tie-inspired necklace and chain details made from rope covered in metallic Duct Tape Brand HVAC tape. The final look combined sharp structure with couture-inspired styling elements.
Stuck At Prom
MauriAnna
C.
17
Rolls
35
Hours
Inspiration:
I was inspired by a vintage dress I had come across online that had colorful embroidery on it. The original idea was to have a completely pink dress with rainbow details, but due to lack of pink tape I made a last-minute decision to make the front rainbow also. The top of the dress was made by wrapping myself in cling wrap and covering it with tape, and the skirt was done by making paper fans out of newspaper and covering that in tape also.
Stuck At Prom
Sophia
L.
34
Rolls
83
Hours
Inspiration:
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.
