This Teen Spent 400 Hours Creating A COVID-Themed Prom Dress Using Duct Tape

Stuck At Prom is an annual scholarship contest organized by Duck Brand where the contestants have to create either a prom dress or a tuxedo using duct tape. The contestants then have to attend prom wearing their dress or tux for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship. Every year organizers receive numerous amazing submissions, and even though this year the coronavirus pandemic has messed up the prom plans of many students, they still received 110 submissions – one of which has really caught the media’s attention.

Turns out there’s an annual contest for the best duct tape prom dress

Image credits: Peyton Manker

18-year-old student Peyton Manker from Sparta, Illinois has entered the contest with a stunning COVID-themed dress, including a face mask and even a virus-shaped handbag. In an interview with Bored Panda, the student said that initially, the dress was supposed to have been dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci, her favorite artist. However, after the pandemic started and prom was canceled, she decided to make it COVID-themed.

Image credits: Peyton Manker

“If you saw me crafting my dress, you’d usually see me sitting on the floor in athletic shorts, an old t-shirt and a very messy ponytail hunched over a cutting board and trying to cut tiny pieces of tape with a very tiny knife,” joked Peyton.

18-year-old Peyton Manker from Sparta, Illinois, entered the contest with a COVID-themed dress

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Peyton’s dress is full of little details and references to the events that took place during the lockdown, like online Zoom classes, masked essential workers, and online graduations. This amazing dress took the student almost 400 to make and she used up 41 rolls of tape to create it.

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Image credits: Peyton Manker

“The biggest challenge in crafting my dress was actually making the structure of the dress itself,” explained the student. “Like I mentioned before, I have never sewed or designed a piece of clothing, so, of course, I had no idea what I was doing! I went through a lot of trial and error making sure the dress fit, etc., but it finally came together!”

The competition winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship and the runner-ups will receive smaller prizes

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Image credits: Peyton Manker

The student spent almost 400 hours and used up 41 rolls of duct tape when creating the dress

Image credits: Peyton Manker

After Suzy, Peyton’s mother, shared pictures of the dress to her Facebook, they went viral almost instantly, being shared over 254k times in a matter of days. The student herself says she was extremely surprised to see her dress go viral. “I didn’t know how to feel, it was surreal. I only expected my hometown to see my dress and that was it,” explained Payton. “But then I began receiving messages from people all over the world! It was an insane feeling that I can’t describe!”

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Image credits: Peyton Manker

The dress is full of intricate little COVID-related details

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Peyton says she doesn’t really plan on creating any more dresses in the future but adds that she’ll see what the future holds. “I am not sure if this is a calling for me to design dresses or craft but, I have always loved art, so I believe it may be in my future!” concluded the student.

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Image credits: Peyton Manker

Peyton’s mom shared the pictures to Facebook where they have been shared over 254k times

Image credits: Peyton Manker

The contest isn’t over yet and if you want to cast your vote, you can do so on the Stuck At Prom Website starting June 29th.

Image credits: Peyton Manker

People loved Peyton’s dress