In this video, you can see an Associated Press report on Elizabeth Rasmuson, a teenage girl from Iowa, who handcrafted a prom dress entirely out of gum wrappers. According to Rasmuson, the endeavor started last summer by collecting gum wrappers from friends and family. The exact number of gum wrappers used in the fabrication of the dress is unknown, as Rasmuson claims that she stopped counting at 200.
On April 12, 2010, the Associated Press brought national coverage to Elizabeth Rasmuson, a junior in high school from Garner, Iowa and her creation, a blue and white gum wrapper prom dress. The dress was designed and fabricated by Rasmuson herself. The exact number of Wrigley brand "5 Gum" wrappers used is uncertain as Rasmuson claims that she stopped counting at 200.
The dress, a blue and white strapless model was constructed by interlocking the individual gum wrappers and then securing them with the application of a vinyl topcoat to prevent breakage. According to Rasmuson, who had already constructed a jacket out of gum wrappers a year earlier, her inspiration for the dress came when she heard that another person had made a dress out of duct-tape.
Rasmuson started collecting the necessary gum wrappers in August of 2009. Rasmuson's boyfriend, Jordan Weaver, stated that, "she bought a ton of gum and gave it out to friends and then would collect the wrappers back." http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/Gum-Wrapper-Prom-Dress/hw2uLjvrr0a5T4nPqp2gLA.cspx
Not all of the wrappers collected went towards the fabrication of the dress, Weaver handcrafted a matching vest for himself.
Reacting publicly to her daughter's creation, Dawn Rasmuson, Elizabeth's mother said, "I think it's really admirable for her I mean she's a junior in high school and in today's world a lot of the girls are worried about fitting in; they don't want to stand out for wrong reason so it's really cool and so unique." http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/Gum-Wrapper-Prom-Dress/hw2uLjvrr0a5T4nPqp2gLA.cspx
Rasmuson has indicated that this may be her last project involving the use of gum wrappers for some time; however, she did add the caveat, "they just came out with a new "Five" gum which is black so..." http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/Gum-Wrapper-Prom-Dress/hw2uLjvrr0a5T4nPqp2gLA.cspx
In 2008, Vanessa Randall, another high school student, the one whom Rasmuson had cited as an inspiration for her design, also made a prom dress utilizing a combination of 3000 gum wrappers and duct tape. http://www.worldbuzznow.com/gum-wrapper-prom-dress-photos-pics/6561
Iowa Teen Makes Prom Dress from Gum Wrappers
High school junior Elizabeth Rasmuson will attend her prom wearing a dress made from blue and white gum wrappers. Specifically, the wrappers were from Wrigley's "5" gum brand.
References
Fast Facts
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Designed By
Elizabeth Rasmuson
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Location
Garner, Iowa
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Grade
High school junior
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Gum Wrappers Used
Wrigley "5" brand gum wrappers
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Number of Wrappers Used
Unknown, designer stopped counting at 200
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Fact:
Rasmuson's boyfriend, Jordan Weaver, has a matching gum wrapper vest
