4-H Fashion Revue pays homage to county’s bicentennial with styles from the past

Photos courtesy of Orleans County 4-H Program: 4-H Fashion Revue participants line-up on the runway for photos following the Fashion Show Saturday evening at the Trolley Building on the 4-H Fairgrounds.

Article courtesy of Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

KNOWLESVILLE – “Fashion Pioneers” was the theme of the annual 4-H Fashion Revue held on Saturday in the Trolley Building of the 4-H Fairgrounds.

“Orleans County is celebrating its bicentennial this year, and we wanted to acknowledge that with our Fashion Revue theme,” said 4-H Program Coordinator Kristina Gabalski.  “‘Fashion Pioneers’ tips its hat to those who have come before us as well as those designers who are now on the cutting-edge of fashion and who inspire us, including the youth who participate in 4-H programs.”

The event’s theme honored the Bicentennial of Orleans County and included a number of vintage Fashion Revue projects – including the Civil War era style dress made by 4-H alum Merri Mathes when she was a teenager.

The annual Fashion Revue features sewn garments, textile, and fiber art projects completed by 4-Hers.  It is an opportunity for them to receive feedback, learn about fiber arts, personal care, careers in the fashion/fiber science industry, and show off their skills and creativity during the evening Fashion Show, Gabalski explained.

This year featured 21 participants, some of whom entered more than one project. The total number of projects – which included a hand-woven shawl, sewn blanket, hand-painted t-shirt, upcycled t-shirt, evening gown and barbecue aprons – was 26, Gabalski said.

Orleans County 4-H requested families to bring in projects featured in past Fashion Revues as part of the historical theme.

About a dozen projects were displayed, several from the last ten years and others going back as far as the 1980s and ’90s.

More vintage 4-H Fashion Revue projects on display. The red plaid dress on the chair features a dropped waist – very popular in the 1980s.

Merri Mathes of Barre, a former 4-Her and now 4-H mom, brought in two Civil War era dresses she sewed while a teenager. The gowns are historically correct and continue to be in use for historical re-enactments and museum events.

“You can tell the ball gown is for a younger girl because it has bows,” Mathes explained.

The other dress, made from a plaid fabric, is an example of a day dress or tea dress, she said.

“Sewing machines were becoming more common in homes just before the Civil War,” Mathes noted, “but garments also included lots of hand sewing.”

Local quilter Brenda Radzinski did a demonstration of hand-quilting during the morning workshop, evaluation, and practice portion of the event. Radzinski says she loves hand-sewing because it helps relieve stress. “Machine sewing can be stress-inducing,” she said. “This is relaxing.”

4-H participants say they enjoy and value the experience of Fashion Revue.

“You can make something specifically for you,” said 13-year-old Robin Botsford of the Abundant Harvest 4-H Club. She utilized her love of art to customize a plain white T-shirt with ocean creatures she painted with a mix of acrylic and fabric paints.

“I like to see what other people made,” said her 11-year-old sister, Lily, who made several accessories including a hand-woven pillow, customized hat for softball, an infinity scarf, and a hand-woven bag.

Julia Graham, 14, of the Adventurers 4-H Club, sewed a royal blue sheath dress and thanked her 4-H Leader, Alice Mathes, for her limitless patience in helping with the project.

Julia said 4-H experiences like Fashion Revue help her to gain valuable life skills while also enjoying spending time with friends. “It helps me to be ready for the real world,” she said.

More vintage projects including a Civil War era style ball gown by Merri Mathes. Also in the photo is a denim quilt raffled-off at the 1996 4-H Fair, which was the 50th anniversary of the Orleans County 4-H Fair. The winner, Muriel F. Howlett recently donated it back to Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension.