Every year, a duct tape prom dress and matching tux win a $5,000 scholarship in an annual contest, and this year’s contenders are beginning to impress America with their sticky style.
If you think a duct tape prom dress is a cheap alternative to traditional prom wear, however, think again. In addition to countless hours of labor, participants in the “Stuck at Prom” duct tape prom dress scholarship (who score five Gs for their school in addition to the scholarship dough) have to shell out for enough of the sticky stuff to make an entire prom getup.
In fact, Green Sea Floyd High School senior Amber Squires and prom date Kody Britt donned duct tape duds to Thursday’s prom — and Amber, 18, dropped $250 on the duct tape needed to fashion her dress and Britt’s suit.
For the duct tape prom dress and Britt’s matching duct-tux, Squires went through 40 rolls of the tape — 15 for his and 25 for hers. Amber had a vision, and despite being limited to only the colors in which duct tape is manufactured, she says that she still was able to create her ideal prom frock:
“I’m a big cheetah fan … I didn’t really think about all of the colors of duct tape they had.”
Britt was reportedly hesitant initially before he got on board, and Squires says that shopping for the duct tape was a trip:
“I had arms full of duct tape and everyone was looking at me like I was crazy … He had to stand there like a mannequin.”
Amber labored on the duct tape prom dress for 60 hours, and says that the result was “very uncomfortable … like a sauna suit.”
(Above, a gum wrapper prom dress and matching suit.)
She adds of the duct tape prom dress’ final result:
“All of my classmates were really surprised and all the teachers were really proud … I love fashion and I love creating stuff but medical field is where I’m likely going.”
The Stuck at Prom duct tape prom dress contest runs until June.
