Brides-to-be may want to think outside the box when it comes to finding the perfect wedding dress.
On Sunday, wedding gowns from the 1960's and 70's will be up for grabs in St. Petersburg, courtesy of an unlikely source.
Students at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School recently discovered the vintage dresses tucked away in a storage unit. The never-worn gowns are being sold to raise money for the program.
Cathy Wilson's daughter Emily is a senior at Gibbs. Her mother says while the performers are in the spotlight, dozens of students are backstage making their own magic.
"Our kids are the ones that build the sets, fix the lights, do the sound work and make the costumes that help them shine,” she said. “But everybody who goes to theater knows that it wouldn't happen without the tech kids."
On TV’s Project Runway, Heidi Klum reminds designers that “one day you're in and the next day you're out,” but costume design isn't a competition at PCCA.
Here, students learn the craft as part of their school day. Wilson's daughter helped create costumes for the school's winter performance of "The Nutcracker" for her senior project.
"She was repairing the snow queen's tutu after every performance because it was that delicate and the role itself is dance to the hilt,” said her mother.
Students from the school’s costume design production department will showcase their work on Sunday, as bridal dresses from ten different time periods and their models will be styled and accessorized to match their era.
The high school students will also be selling their found bounty of close to one hundred vintage gowns. The money raised will fund upgrades to the school's theater.
The fashion show and wedding dress sale starts at noon Sunday at Nova 535 in St. Petersburg.
