This is a one of kind design by Stacy Russell. Hi like I said my name is Stacy Russell, I'm a junior in high school and 17 years old. For as long as I can remember I've been drawing and I've wanted to be a designer. One little issue, I can't sew. But I still draw and enjoy it. Then my best friend told me a couple weeks ago that the site where she got her prom dress last year was having a contest to design your own dress and if you are one of the top five designs you get your dress made for you for prom. I was in awe, it's like a dream of mine to wear my own design. I love fashion and always have, but my family has never had the money for me to have the most fashionable clothes. Usually if you see me in school I'll be in a T-shirt and jeans. But truly on the inside I LOVE fashion. I love the magazines, the runway, I even watch the show project runway. The whole world of fashion and trying to make it in the business fascinates me. Even writing this essay I'm doubting it's real…I just think it's amazing.

 
    The reason I decided to submit my dress is because it is my first time officially going to prom as an upper class man, and my best friends senior prom. I want it to be memorable. Not to mention the theme of our prom is a walk to remember, which if you ask me is insanely ironic. Whats more memorable than wearing your own design? My friend and me have been planning ideas for prom since last years prom. We both decided it would be a great idea to wear custom made converse, and wouldn't it be great to pair custom converse with a custom dress? Not to mention, everyone in my grade sees me as the smart girl, or the girl who sneezes really loud (and I mean loud). I don't just want to be known for that. I want them to see my creativity. How amazing would it be to tell people at prom that I designed my dress myself? It's just unthinkable! But I really hope you guys consider me.This design is my own and I agree to the terms and conditions of this contest.

    To my dress. I drew this dress myself and it's my own design. I love halter top dresses, but i really like when they fill up the whole front like I did with this design. I thought it would be too boring just like that so i added a tear drop shaped hole in the middle of the chest that stops right above the bosom. Then the bottom is kind of hard for me to describe. I would like it to be bunched or pinched to where it looks layered, but different. I also made it longer on one side because I think that is just gorgeous. I would also like the longer side to end about an inch to two inches above the knee. I wanted a shorter dress to show off the custom converse. Then the colors; I chose magenta and a deep turquoise because those are my two absolute favorite colors. I think they look great together and make a statement. I also made it so the top of the dress fades from the magenta being really dark to light then blending into the turquoise which then goes from light to dark down the rest of the dress. Also I added a wide zebra print ribbon directly and horizontally underneath the bosom. I love zebra print it is also my favorite. I believe it can spice up any outfit. For the back of the dress I thought it should be simple because of the zebra print and the fading colors doing so much for the dress already. I would like the halter part that goes around the neck to simply snap, or something to that effect, something that gives it a nice finish, but wont come apart when I'm dancing. Then i would like the bottom part of that halter that is connected to the rest of the dress to come straight across the back (see picture of back of dress for position). Then the zebra ribbon I would just like to be sewn in to the zipper, so it looks like it is just a band of fabric going all the way around the dress. I would also like the zipper to go in the middle of the back. The type of fabric that would be ideal for this dress is a silky, but a thicker fabric, so it holds it's shape, but still moves.

    I am super pumped about this contest and I can't wait to see the other designs that are submitted. I know I'm not the only one who is submitting a dress and it will be a hard decision to choose the winners. But I figured there is nothing to lose from trying, and hey what is life without a little risk. I'm glad to have this opportunity and thank you for taking the time to look at my design.