Spring Fashion: Sustainability

In between shows. 
Me (L) & Gabby (R).

One of the "requirements" for when you study abroad during a spring semester is that you still have to participate in the fashion show. This year they had wanted a separate section of the show to be purely for sustainability, so we had to make a look for either the runway or the art gallery that fulfilled the requirements for being sustainable. I chose right away that I wanted to put my piece, whatever it ended up being, on the runway. I enlisted the help of  my friend Gabby, who had been my model my sophomore year (& will hopefully be a model for my senior collection) and she agreed to model my look. I wasn't sure if I'd be there for the fashion show but I planned my trip abroad so I could make it and see everyone, and help Gabby if she needed it on the day of the fashion show. I was really glad I made it back, it was amazing and I got o see my friends' senior collections and others' pieces on the runway & in the gallery. It was also cool to see how they managed to pull it off in the new area it was held- the co-rec gyms. Overall it was amazing and I'm really glad I got to see the first show & hang out with my friends, and treat Gabby to Starbucks in between the shows since it's always a crazy day.

Back View: Gabby on the runway.

My look for the show consisted of two pieces: a layered lace skirt and a button down top. The skirt was made from a dress. I took the dress apart and recreated it into a skirt. It was also a XXL so I redid the waist completely and hand stitched the ribbon waistband that ties into a bow in the back. I was hesitant (and insanely lucky it fit) because I didn't include any closures on the skirt. Luckily I got the measurements perfect and she could pull it over her head, tuck the shirt in, and tie the bow. For the top I took a button down blue & white striped shirt I had gotten from the costume shop sale and made it my own. After washing and ironing it I decided I wanted the look to be kind of retro and cutesy feeling. I cut a heart in the back of it, had a tiny pleat at the bottom of the heart, and sewed a turquoise fabric for the heart area. I also got the fabric at the costume sale for free and it's see through with glitter turquoise dots on it. I outlined the heart with a curvy white ribbon and also added the same ribbon to the front of the shirt on the left breast pocket. I had a few other ideas but I didn't want to go overboard and I also did a lot by hand and only had the fall semester to finish the look. I completed everything in time and it all fit and looked great! I'm really happy I decided to put it on the runway because it was one of the only fun outfits, and by fun I just mean that a lot of peoples' looks were more edgy or sophisticated and mine was just this lacy pouf skirt and bowling-esque shirt. The whole show looked great & it was neat to see everyone's take on sustainability and how it can be more included in fashion. Freshman year we had done a goodwill project and this reminded me of it and I'm definitely one of those people that already takes things they bought at goodwill & redoes some of it. Sustainability doesn't just mean making dresses out of newspapers or duct tape, it has a lot of different ways it can be done & it's wonderful to witness the variety!