Fashion Revue

Overview

This is an event related to and growing out of the 4-H Clothing project. It is an opportunity for 4-H members to exhibit and model a garment made/purchased in the clothing project. Also, members not in a sewing project can participate in the several events.

It provides an occasion to appear before a gathering of other 4-H members, leaders, parents, friends, and evaluators to display skills, accomplishments, and self. Participation in Fashion Revue judging is based on the “total look” of the member in his/her garment, and the way the garment or outfit fits. (This differs from judging at the County Fair, where the only concerns are garment construction and fabric adaptability).

4-H Fashion Revue enables the 4-H clothing project member to:

Understand and appreciate the value of clothing.
Develop skills and knowledge related to clothing construction.
Choose clothes that are needed, becoming, and compatible with other items already in their wardrobe.
Care for and maintain items of clothing.
Use money wisely in acquiring new clothing and accessories.
Develop poise, grace, and good posture.
Practice good grooming.
Appreciate these valuable contributions to self-improvement.

Clothing project leaders should set aside a few minutes of each project meeting to teach skills in posture, poise, walk, and stance as related to modeling. These skills will help the member feel more at ease, rather than performing an unfamiliar routine. When choosing fabric and pattern, the 4-H clothing project member should consider accessories such as shoes, bag, and costume jewelry already in their wardrobe.

Youth members have an opportunity to enter in five categories in four different age divisions. There are two categories that do not require a member to be part of a clothing & textiles/sewing project. See below or the information sheet for more information on registration, rules and regulations.

DATE: April 28, 2024

LOCATION: College of San Mateo

EVENT SCHEDULE:

12:30 - 1:30 pm - Check-in

2:00 pm - Evaluation begins

4:00 pm - Fashion Show and Awards

Contact: Angela Apple, anginsanfran2@gmail.com

Deadline April 20, 2024 by 5:00 PM

Please read Rules & Regulations and Tips On Writing Fashion Commentary.
You may enter an article in one or more of the categories.
For each article entered, either a commentary or a written paragraph description must be submitted in the entry form.

General Information

Eligibility:

Age Division (as of December 31, 2023)

Primary: 5 to 8 years old*
Junior: 9 to 10 years old
Intermediate: 11 to 13 years old
Senior: 14 to 19 years old

*Primary Fashion Revue entries do not go onto State competition.

Categories:

Traditional

Participants in this category will construct a garment/s and assemble an outfit that showcases their sewing skills and ability to coordinate an outfit. The outfit must contain at least one constructed garment. Participants are encouraged to construct additional garments to complete the outfit but may wear clothing they purchased or already own. Accessories - such as shoes, hats, belts, jewelry, purses, backpacks, etc., - may be purchased, already owned, or made by the member. If items were sewn that cannot be worn - such as in a coordinating jacket, skirt, and pants set or in a pajama set with matching pillow or quilt - these additional items may be carried. Only garments sewn by the participant will be evaluated on construction, but all items worn will be evaluated on the outfit coordination.

The garment/s in this category must be sewn by the member as part of a 4-H Clothing & Textiles Project* and modeled by the member at the Fashion Revue event.

Make It With Wool

Participants in this category will sew, knit, or crochet garment/s from 100% wool, wool blend (minimum of 60% wool) fabric or yarn or specialty wool fiber. Specialty fibers include alpaca, angora, camel, cashmere, llama, mohair, and vicuna. The entire garment body (front, back, and sleeves) must be wool or wool-blend fabric. Vests worn with a suit, sport coat, or blazer may have a back of non-wool fabric. Vests worn as a top layer or with outerwear coat/jacket must have a wool back. Trims, facings, interfacings, linings, and/or under linings may be fabrics other than wool or wool blends. Hand-spun yarns and/or hand-woven fabrics may be used and must meet above criteria.

Garments created for the Make It With Wool competition that is supported by the American Sheep Industry meet the requirements for this category. If you choose to enter the Make It With Wool competition, it is your responsibility to ensure that your entry meets the Make It With Wool requirements.

The garment/s in this category must be sewn by the member as part of a 4-H Clothing & Textiles Project* and modeled by the member at the Fashion Revue event.

Quilts

Participants in this category will sew a quilt of any size and pattern. The quilt must have finished edges and may use any quilting method (machine, hand, hand-tie, etc.)

The item/s in this category must be sewn by the member as part of a 4-H Clothing & Textiles Project* and shown by the member at the Fashion Revue event.

Reminder: *4-H Clothing and Textiles projects include Beginning Sewing, Sewing, Clothing, and Quilting.

The following categories have no 4-H project requirement and must be modeled/shown by the member at the Fashion Revue event.

$50 Challenge

Participants in this category will shop for an entire outfit with the total cost not to exceed $50.00 not including sales tax. Receipts from the current 4-H year are required for any item that is visible. This includes but is not limited to shoes, stockings, jewelry, and hair accessories. Gifts, prior purchases, and items without receipts are not eligible for this category. Receipts from yard sales, etc. may be handwritten. The participant should consider value vs. cost, versatility, the shopping experience, and coordination of the outfit within the cost limit.

Softie Challenge

What is a softie? A stuffed animal, cloth doll, plush toy, soft sculpture, or fabric toy. In this challenge, the participant will sew, felt, knit, or crochet a softie using a pattern or their own design. Any type of fabric and any embellishment techniques (trims, embroidery, yarn hair, removable clothing) may be used. Participants must present the entry themselves at the Fashion Revue event.

Costume Challenge

Participants in this category will create a costume for themselves or another person using any technique, materials, or pattern. It does not need to be sewn from fabric. The costume can be any theme and from any time, place, or country as long as it is 4-H appropriate. 70% of the costume must be handmade by the member; 30% can be handmade or purchased. The member must be able to move comfortably in the costume - sit, stand, walk, and go up and down stairs.

The member must be present and participate at the Fashion Revue event if it was sewn for another person.

Leather Challenge

Participants in the Leather Creations category will create any leather accessory – purse, wallet, belt, saddlebag, key fob, etc. – in any style. Any leather techniques may be used (tooling, carving, dying, painting, shaping, stitching, etc.) Materials used may be any leather, suede, or faux leather products.

For the 2024 State Fashion Revue only 4-Hers in the Costume, Traditional, and $50 Consumer Science contests require pre-qualification at a County competition. Members may only enter up to two categories!

Rules and Regulations

Submission Rules

Members may enter in one or more categories. Items must be made in a 4-H Project. Articles constructed in school sewing classes, park and recreation classes, etc. are not eligible. Articles must have been made since the date of last year’s San Mateo County 4-H Fashion Revue.

For the Traditional and Box Challenge, members must be in a clothing project and may enter only one garment/outfit per category. Please note a garment can consist of multiple pieces.

Fashion Revue Regulations

The article must be completed as shown on the entry form by the participant.
No late entries will be accepted.
Judging will be done on the Danish System and will be concerned with how the garment looks on the model and the garment construction (as it affects outward appearance), and suitability of style to the wearer.
Participant must be available for the second judging period if so requested, or risk elimination in final selection of medalist and winners.
The fashion show will be immediately following the judging; participation is required, or awards may be forfeited.
All entrants must write their own commentary and/or item description. Commentaries read during the Fashion Show will be read as written by exhibitor. Project leaders, please help your members complete their entry form and write their commentaries or paragraph descriptions for non-wearable items. Try to incorporate the theme into your commentaries. The commentaries will be read as written. If possible, commentaries and item descriptions should be typed.
Each participant, parent, friend, family member, etc. must abide by the Changing Room Regulations.

Fashion Revue Changing Room Regulations

The changing room at CSM will be in the bathrooms.

Participants will use the changing room to change into their garments and to wait for their turn to be judged. Participants have worked hard on their garment and it would be heartbreaking for the garments to be damaged while in the changing room.

To protect the modesty of the participants while they are changing, we must limit the number of people entering the changing room. Participants may have allergies to a variety of airborne products so these will also be limited in the changing room.

The following rules will be enforced by the Changing Room chaperone and we hope that everyone understands that these rules are to protect both the participants and their garments.

No food, water, beverages, gum, etc. will be allowed in the changing room. Participants may go outside the changing room to consume these items.
No makeup, hairspray, cologne, nail polish, nail polish remover, etc. will be allowed in the changing room. Participants are encouraged to have completed all makeup and hair before arriving at Fashion Revue. Participants may go outside the changing room to do makeup and hair, but must be aware that when their turn for judging comes up, the participant must be in the changing room or may forfeit their time with the judges.
No friends, parents, or clothing project leaders will be allowed in the changing room. If a participant needs help from an adult to change into their outfit, the participant may get help from the Changing Room chaperone or leave the changing room to get help from someone in the area set up for people waiting for the participants.
Language and actions of the participant will be appropriate for 4-H members.
If the participant leaves the Changing Room, it is the participant’s responsibility to stay close in order to hear the call for judging.

Tips on Writing Fashion Commentary

Give information about the model and the outfit.
Make both the model and the outfit sound great.
Give information about you and your interests, such as where you are from, other 4-H projects, number of years in 4-H, future plans, summer job, etc.
Give inspiration for, or reason, or occasion outfit was planned. This could be the theme for the commentary. (Terry had the first football game of the fall in mind when she chose this plaid).
Keep sentences short and easy to read.
Use questions and exclamations to give more variety to your tone of voice.
Use alliteration (words beginning with the same sound), such as “flirty, flounce” for a ruffle.
Create an appealing mental picture with descriptive words. (Ice creamy tones of raspberry and lime...).
Avoid the obvious or make it more interesting. (Rather than saying
Example, if you have a “Yellow dress”, make it “ sunny” or “lemon”; rather than “it buttons up the front,” say “buttons brighten the front,”etc.)
Use ACTION words as much as possible. (Buttons march, belts circle a waistline, a flaring hem swings, etc.).
Tell the biggest problem you encountered in sewing the outfit, what new sewing technique you learned. Saying you put the sleeve in six times can encourage some of your audience who are less skilled.
Add some humor, something amusing that happened while sewing (in her rush to finish the dress, Sue put the zipper in upside down.).
If there are two parts to your outfit, such as a coat and dress, mention the outer layer first.
Read copy (description of clothes) in fashion magazine. They contain great fun words, current style descriptions.
As you complete your commentary, go over it to see where it could be made more cheerful, complimentary, and brighter.
Read it aloud when completed. Does it flow smoothly?
Here are two examples of commentaries. WHICH IS BETTER AND WHY?

“And here is Mary Jane Smith modeling a red, white, and blue suit. The cardigan jacket has a round collar, long sleeves and buttons down the front. The blue dress underneath has red pockets, a back zipper and features the ever so popular A-line silhouette. Mary Jane accessorized her outfit with navy shoes and purse. Thank you.”

OR

“It’s the 4th of July for Mary Jane Smith every time she wears this patriotic suit. And she has a right to celebrate! The jaunty jacket sports shiny star buttons on the roaring red wool. And what a great idea! The scraps from the jacket turn into patch pockets on the military blue dress. Mary Jane has six years of 4-H sewing and foods projects, but always finds a new challenge. She made this suit during a thunderstorm, finishing….”