2 Host an Upcycled Fashion Show

SPRING LAVALLEE / YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN

Salt Lake County Library Services

Type of Library Best Suited for: School or Public

Cost Estimate: $0–$100

Makerspace Necessary? No

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Upcycling means to take something old and discarded and turn it into something new, useful, or more valuable. Unlike recycling (which breaks materials down into their most basic structures before re-forming them into new materials), upcycling can be done by anyone, anywhere, with little to no resources, equipment, or money. Libraries are full of raw materials just waiting to be upcycled, from cardboard boxes to old newspapers to pages from discarded or damaged books. Wouldn’t it be great to put all that (free) material to good use?

The Upcycled Fashion Show is a one-hour program geared toward children, tweens, and/or teens. In one session, participants explore fashion and construction and create a garment or outfit using upcycled materials. The program is virtually free, and the participants get hands-on experiential learning on how to design and create custom fashion pieces and accessories. Additionally, participants have an opportunity to directly participate in the environmental process of reusing old materials in order to reduce consumption and waste.

OVERVIEW

The Upcycled Fashion Show could be a one-time program or it may be a series of programs, with each project focusing on a separate genre of fashion or type of construction. Each one-hour session includes a short presentation on the focus of this fashion show, a few minutes to design, lots of time to experiment and discover different fabrication techniques, and a fun-filled runway show at the end. Due to time constraints, the program should be limited to 20 participants; alternatively, the time of the program could be extended to 1.5 or 2 hours to accommodate a larger group. Additionally, this is a project that travels well, and it can easily be transported to an outreach event, if desired.

MATERIALS LIST

◦ Old, unused materials (cardboard, newspaper, magazines, book pages, cloth scraps, plastic bags, felt pieces, etc.)
◦ Tape (duct tape and/or masking tape) or glue (glue guns or glue dots)
◦ Colored pencils, crayons, or markers
◦ Scrap paper (for designs and drawing)
◦ Optional: construction paper or drinking straws

◦ Optional: paint and brushes

◦ Optional: decorative materials (ribbon, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, yarn, sequins, puff balls, feathers, etc.)

◦ Optional: thread and needle

NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

◦ Scissors
◦ Rulers
◦ Optional: rotary cutter or box cutter
◦ Optional: cutting mat
◦ Optional: sewing machine
◦ Optional: lights, runway music, and cameras

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

To prepare for the program, first consider what genre of fashion or construction techniques you would like to focus on during your program. For example, you might choose a time period (1920s or ancient Egyptian), a cultural fashion (like Japanese street fashion), or something more creative (e.g., superheroes, pirates, or sports uniforms). Or you can focus the program on a construction technique such as pleating, layering materials, hemming, or creating hidden pockets. Once a focus has been chosen, create a short presentation with lots of pictures. Explain what the focus of the program is and, if it uses specific techniques, how to achieve the look.

Next, take an inventory of what kind of materials you have available for this program. Any material (paper, cloth, metal, plastic, etc.) may be useful, if you can get enough of it. Remember that you will need construction materials for twenty or more participants, so if you do not have enough of one item, consider holding a short donation drive at your library to make up the difference. Whenever possible, do not buy materials! It’s easy to spend lots of money on this project, buying materials and decorations; however, spending money on this program is unnecessary and undermines the environmental message of reusing old items.

During the Program

In setting up for this program, consider the age group that will be participating. Children may prefer working on the ground, rather than at tables, whereas teens probably want to sit at tables in small groups and pairs. Remember to leave a space for the runway, and consider marking the runway out on the floor with masking tape before the program starts. Materials and equipment can be placed around the edge of the room, to create more workspace in the middle.

The program starts with a brief presentation on the fashion genre or technique that is the focus for the day. Make sure to include lots of pictures, and consider bringing fashion magazines or books from the library in order to demonstrate and inspire new designs. Allow the participants to draw their designs on scrap paper during the presentation and shortly afterward. No more than ten minutes should be spent on both the presentation and design portion of the program.

Next comes the construction portion of the program. This should take up the bulk of your time, 40–45 minutes, depending on the size of the group. During this time, encourage participants to work together, if possible. If one participant discovers a new technique, or makes something really cool, have that person share with the group. Some helpful tips and tricks follow:

◦ Cardboard is a very hard material to cut, so don’t cut all the way through. Instead, score one side of the cardboard and bend it around the “seams” of your garment.
◦ Newspaper is very delicate material, but it can be made stronger by using multiple layers taped together.
◦ Small-sized materials like book and magazine pages may need to be taped or glued together to create a piece large enough for use. Layer the pages on top of one another and glue or tape all of them on the same side to hide the seams and make the finished look more polished.
◦ Cloth materials may need to be prepared by cutting them into strips or small patches before they can be used. When using cloth, focus your participants on creating a single item, rather than an entire outfit; they will not have time to make multiple items when using cloth.
◦ Encourage participants to construct a piece fully before decorating. Children may get distracted by the decorations and need to be brought back to the task of constructing a garment first.
◦ Rolled construction paper or drinking straws can be used to create a garment that sticks out (e.g., instead of creating and using petticoats for a full skirt, tape straws on the inside in straight, vertical lines to give it the same effect).
◦ Plastic is very heavy. Consider using it with sturdier base materials (e.g., cloth, felt, etc.) or in very small pieces as decoration (e.g., as buttons, appliques, etc.).

Finally, in the last few minutes of the program, hold a real fashion show, showing off your creations! Turn off the lights, play upbeat music, and have each participant stroll down the runway. If you do not have floor lights or strobe lights, use a flashlight to “spotlight” each participant during his or her walk. Encourage caregivers to arrive back at the program in time to see the finale; then clap, whistle, and cheer each other on, as you strut your stuff in front of the crowd!

LEARNING OUTCOMES

◦ Social and personal development are encouraged by enhancing qualities such as confidence-building, resiliency, problem-solving, and individual expression.
◦ Participants exercise translation skills and artistic prowess by working in multiple mediums. They also learn about fashion and potentially improve body image and body awareness by dressing themselves.
◦ Basic artistic and construction skills are learned in this project. Basic sewing skills are fostered when using needle and thread.

RECOMMENDED NEXT PROJECTS

Variations on this project are endless. Different combinations of recycled materials and types of fashion can be tried out, or a special speaker in the fashion industry can attend, in order to provide new perspectives on design and construction. Dolls, paper dolls, action figures, and stuffed animals could also be dressed, for a different take on the same concept. Additionally, creating accessories such as hats, jewelry, or purses may be more appropriate with certain demographics or material types.