A Co-creative Approach to Designing Formalwear for Female Teenagers Complying with Dress Codes

Abstract

Teenage females seeking to comply with school dress codes face challenges when searching for formal wear for school-related events and often navigate a balance of dress as pretty or provocative. The desire for modest dress has prompted some school administrators to implement dress codes for formal school-sponsored events such as prom or homecoming. Initially, 228 high school females in the Northeast United States were surveyed online to identify the common difficulties for finding formal wear dresses and to additionally recruit participants for co-creative workshops. Twelve girls from two secondary high schools in Northeast United States participated in co-creative workshops to further uncover solutions to the challenges originally identified in the survey. According to the study, a majority of survey respondents had trouble finding a style they like because retailers were not offering enough modest options, the dress codes were too strict and sizing was inconsistent. The co-creative workshop confirmed this and provided additional ideas for designing modest dresses that meet school dress codes. This further indicates benefits for inviting teenage females into the design process by voicing their opinions through co-creative opportunities.

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