Duct Tape Prom Dress

Duct Tape Prom Dress Contest

Each spring, Duck® brand duct tape sponsors its "Stuck at the Prom" scholarship contest. The contest is open to high schoolers who are at least 14 years old and attending a high school prom. All participants need to fill out a release form and submit photos of their duct tape attire to the contest website for judging.

What Can You Win?

If you're lucky enough to win first place in the contest, you and your partner will each receive a $3,000.00 scholarship. The school hosting the prom will also receive $3,000.00. Second and third place winners will receive $2,000.00 and $1,000.00 scholarships respectively.

Couples Required

Although the duct tape prom dress is certainly the centerpiece of the contest, single entries are not accepted. To enter, you have to be part of a couple. This means that if you want your guy to be eligible to win with you, he's going to have to suit up in a duct tape tux. However, you should know that there's no rule that says you have to be a boy/girl couple, so feel free to create complimentary fashions with your gal pal. Guys are also invited to pair up for the event!

Creating Your Outfit

Basic Dress or Tux

There are a couple of ways to go about creating your prom clothing.

Obviously, you can go hard-core and make your dress or tux completely from duct tape. This means that the inside of the clothing will need to be lined with duct tape as well to cover the adhesive. This requires a great deal of time and patience to do, so if this method doesn't appeal to you, you can try another method.

It's easier, and just as acceptable, to make your prom attire by completely covering regular clothing in the tape. You can also choose to cover just parts of the dress or jacket in tape, but judging by the photos submitted by past winners, going whole hog with the duct tape results in your best chance to win.

Color

Color is definitely more eye catching than plain gray duct tape, so think about ways to make your design really pop and flash. Dresses look great with multi-tiered ruffles in contrasting colors. This is one instance where less is more doesn't quite apply. Duct tape comes in over 20 colors, so pair up several complimentary shades for best effect.

Accessorize

Don't just stop at your clothing. You can make jewelry accessories to complete your stick ensemble. Think about duct tape necklaces, bracelets, earrings and purses. You might even try your hand at creating a duct tape rose wrist corsage. Guys will definitely want to carry a duct tape wallet, and a duct tape top hat and boutonnière may also be in order.

Dress Construction Tips

So, before you start cutting tape, check out these tips to help the process go smoother.

• If you're starting from scratch, sketch out your dress design before you begin. Decide on a basic form, whether it's princess, A-line or otherwise.
• Have someone help you take careful measurements of your body. Remember, duct tape doesn't have much give, especially when it's layered.
• Use sharp scissors or else your tape will tend to stretch before it cuts.
• Airflow is crucial in your design because duct tape also doesn't breathe. If you dance, you're going to get warm very quickly, so it's best to avoid tight, form-fitting designs in favor of more billowy styles.
• Don't wait until the last week before prom to begin construction. It's easy to waste a lot of tape when you're working too quickly, and unplanned folds and other mishaps can ruin a clever design.
• Carry an extra roll of tape in your prom purse for emergency repairs.