Making a prom outfit out of Duck Tape isn’t something to put off until the night before the dance. It’s not like blowing off studying for a test – you can’t fake Duck Tape formals!

So start thinking now. What type of outfit do you and your date want to wear to the prom?

The Traditional Approach

Sure, Duck Tape prom clothes are a far cry from “traditional.” But many Duck Taped prommers still want that classy, dressy look with their stickywear.

Hit the Books
If you want a more traditional style of Duck Tape clothing, do some research before you start designing. Flip through a few prom magazines to see if any color combos or styles strike you. Don’t forget to look for both dress and tux ideas. You both gotta look good! There are a whole mess of different tuxes out there that you can make with Duck Tape.

Inspiration Shop
Try on some dresses and tuxes in the stores - and you might as well make them the expensive stores since you’re not buying. Figure out what looks good on you, and what doesn’t. You don’t want to spend a buttload of time making a halter-style dress, only to find out that shape of a halter doesn’t work with your body.

Creative But Practical
Consider how easy or hard it will be to replicate the shape of the dress or tux you have your eye on. If you’re not a rocket scientist, don’t try to make an ultra-complicated dress. Guys should figure out what kind of Duck Tape shirt they want to wear under their suit or tux, and even decide on a color. Remember, match your date, don’t clash with your date!

The Theme Approach
Some would consider this the costume approach. We’ve seen a lot of different themes, from historical to hysterical. Pick a time-period, literature reference or whatever. But whatever you pick, do some research. You don’t have to be a world-renowned expert. Just be sure if your theme is Feudal Japan, you don’t look like you’re wearing a toga.

The Third Dimension
Remember that your outfit has two sides. You don’t want your front side to have all the action while there’s nothing going on with the backside.

Past Favorites
These are some of our favorite themed outfits from past proms. Don’t copy these! Just use them to inspire your own original theme.

A Word from Council
One word of advice from the lawyers here (yes we have lawyers): This year, we are not able to accept any copyrighted designs into the contest. So steer clear from using famous works of art, like a Picasso piece, or copyrighted characters. So no Mickey, no Minnie, and no Spongebob.

The Silver Approach
And, for the couple that loves the original, there are the just plain silver outfits. We’ve seen some amazing silver Duck Tape outfits through the years, and it’s great to see people going all out with gray. But please, people, you don’t want to look like the tin man or an astronaut. A well-designed tux or dress can look just as good in silver as it can in Funky Flamingo®.

This year there’s a separate category for all-gray couples. It’s called “Most Likely to Have Never Heard of Colored Duck Tape.” If you HAVE heard of all of the fabulous colors of Duck Tape, and you want to use them but can’t find them in your area, check out www.ducktapeclubstore.com.