16 Rolls
26 Hours
My whimsical and interestingly silhouetted outfit is inspired by a classic, vintage and truly girly carousel! I wanted it to feel fun but classic with the horses and the colors, but also feel beautiful and truly unique.
23 Rolls
127 Hours
My prom dress design is inspired by a bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon and overflowing from a basket. I designed it to look like the flowers were freshly cut from a perennial garden and chose an array of beautiful colors and cut different petal designs to represent a variety of flowers, such as roses, apple blossoms, peonies, mums, starflowers, and violets.
31 Rolls
130 Hours
As I've gotten older, I've fallen more and more in love with Jesus and the Catholic faith I was raised with. I wanted to honor that love in my dress, so I mixed some elements that don't often go together: faith and fashion. Many aspects of my dress and accessories were designed to honor Mary, the mother of God. The roses, blue elements, gold designs on the shoes, and the crown are all symbols associated with Our Lady. Mary has been a beautiful mother to me throughout all my life and I wanted to honor her and what she's done for me. The dove, which forms the sleeves, represents the embrace of love with which the Holy Spirit constantly envelopes us. The vines reference the gospel of John when Jesus says to his disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, NABRE). It stands as a reminder that when we trust in Jesus, we can both do and become something beautiful. The chalice and host represent the Eucharist, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus which presents itself to us under the forms of bread and wine. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Eucharist as the "source and summit of all Christian life," so it made sense that it would be the centerpiece of my dress. My faith has been the guiding force throughout my life, including a series of health issues that I experienced and, more recently, losing a beautiful friend and spiritual mentor. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to glorify God through the gifts He's given me and to honor what He's done in my life.
15 Rolls
40 Hours
I was inspired by the Queen of Hearts, from Lewis Caroll's story "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." I used photos of her dress as a reference to mine for what I should incorporate into the dress.
10 Rolls
74 Hours
I’m an Island girl. Most simply, the inspiration for my nautical themed prom dress and accessories is from my beautiful province of Prince Edward Island. The outfit contains a myriad of elements collected from across the Island, such as my purse’s representation of the Covehead Lighthouse. My shoes are the colour of the few white sand beaches on PEI because I could not find a colour of Duck Tape that could emulate the unique reddish dirt of the Island. I desire to share with the world about the scent of salt and sunshine that mingles with pine and sweet grass. About the lighthouses that signal the way home. About the seagulls that dive into the waves in search of clams. About the sand that squishes between my toes while crabs scuttle in tide pools. About the waves that rhythmically shush on the sand, singing a bedtime lullaby. But of all the elements of PEI, the ocean is the most mysterious and stunning. Varied layers of colour, from the midnight blue of the deep, to the dappled sea-green wash near the shore, to the white-capped foam on the beach, is something I wish to capture. The ocean can be battering, as inhabitants of the Island know well. But the tranquil whoosh of waves coupled with singing sand makes Prince Edward Island a peaceful, hopeful place. Soothing yet striking, gentle yet wild, beautiful yet untamed. Prince Edward Island’s waves emulate a quiet strength that needs to be portrayed.
8 Rolls
23 Hours
While I made my dress, I imagined a fairy-tale world and a dress fit for a queen of butterflies. My goal was to create an elegant design, and the pattern came straight from my imagination. In an effort not to waste excess tape, I made a few trial dress pieces out of plastic sheeting (with lots of math and measuring brute force) to test. After I was settled that it would work, I covered the plastic in duct tape, put the pieces together, adjusted, decorated, and voilà! A dress!
8 Rolls
12 Hours
My inspiration for the tie-dye duct tape dress came from a mix of summer vibes, retro fashion, and honestly just wanting something that would pop. Tie-dye has this cool, laid-back energy that reminds me of music festivals, art class, and those old-school 70s styles that are making a comeback. I wanted the dress to feel playful and colorful, like something I would wear to a party where everyone is just being themselves. Plus, with duct tape being such a stiff material, I thought using a bright, swirly pattern would help soften the look and give it more movement, at least visually. It is kind of funny that something as chaotic as a tie-dye pattern ended up being the thing that pulled the whole dress together.
