Today is April Fools Day, and for the past few years my postings on this day have either been hoaxes related to clothing, or about phenomena that have the look and feel of hoaxes.
Today's post follows this general trend. Today's subject--duct tape clothing!
There's a brand of duct tape (which calls itself Duck Tape) that has for several years had annual contests for the most imaginative costumes crafted with their products. They conduct (no pun intended) two annual contests: the "Stuck at Prom" contest for best prom outfits for singles or couples (rules here), and a "Stick or Treat" contest for Halloween jack o'lanterns made from duct tape. (rules here). The prom contest awards larger sums and bills itself as a scholarship contest. (For a slide show of Duck Tape prom costume pictures, look here; the costumes featured are surprisingly attractive, ornate, and original!).
Duck Brand isn't the only impetus for duct tape clothing, however. Last year the New York Times ran a story about young people who were for various reasons making duct tape clothing as a hobby, an avocation which manufacturers like Duck Brand and others are shamelessly encouraging by making their tapes in a wide variety of shades and prints. Want to see pictures? Surf on over to Duct Tape Fashion, another promotional site which features accessories made from duct tape. Check out this site on how to make a duct tape Viking helm (with horns, though the authors freely admit horned helmets aren't period!). Finally, Pinterest features several boards of duct tape fashion projects, of which I think this one shows the most interesting costumes.
Using duct tape to make reproductions (again, no pun intended) of actual historical styles is left as an exercise for the reader. If you do that, or if you find photographs of such reproductions on the Internet, please comment, and provide links! And have a wonderful day!
Ever see one of Kit Matulich's duct tape dress forms? Have the subject wear an old t-shirt and carefully wrap with duct tape, strip it off and stuff. (No joke.)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Kit's duct tape dress form, but I've seen pictures of others. Directions for how to make one have been knocking around the Internet for quite a while now. But making actual *clothes* from duct tape--that's much odder.
ReplyDeleteKit Matulich's duct tape dress forms are amazing1
ReplyDeleteWatching old Project Runways gives you an idea of the vast possibilities. There have been several duck tape challenges. In the current one they had to make a prom dress, and such cool dresses they were!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check Project Runways out. Thanks!
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