Large crowd, plenty of style at 2008 4-H Fashion Review

The 2008 Putnam County 4-H Fashion Review brought a large crowd and plenty of style to the community building this week.

From consumer clothing to sewing, girls from the junior and senior divisions competed for the purple ribbons as they walked down the runway. Flash bulbs snapped as participants modeled their self-created looks.

Senior division sewing Grand Champion Bailey Birt modeled her black fitted evening gown with elbow length gloves. The hand-beaded bow at the top of the bodice took lots of effort from the South Putnam graduate and her mother.

"I do this every year because it's so fun," Birt said. "I really like to model the outfits and spend time with my mom."

Birt is a 10-year 4-H member and will be attending Saint Mary of the Woods College in the fall.

Chelsea Clark, the reserve grand champion in sewing, created a yellow suede coat with black buttons and matching hat for her winning look. Her mother, Sandi, assisted her with her project as she has for the last 10 years of Chelsea's participation.

"I like to create my own outfits because then no one else has them," Clark said.

Clark is a 2008 graduate of South Putnam High School and will be attending Ball State University in the fall to major in fashion merchandising and apparel design.

Other winners from the review were junior division sewing Grand Champion Brittany Birt and Reserve Grand Champion Michayla Sanders, and consumer clothing Grand Champion Megan Robertson and Reserve Grand Champion Miriah Cherry.