The Yin-Yang Ballgown — 143 Hours, 45 Rolls, 5 Million Views

Grace Vaughn of Trinity, Florida, entered the Duck Brand Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest twice. The first time, she didn't make the finals. The second time, she built a floor-length ballgown from 45 rolls of black and white duct tape — half representing stress, half representing the healthy habits she uses to cope with an auditory processing disability — and took the whole thing viral. The dress took 143 hours to complete, weighed 13 pounds, and had to be suspended from a rope to hold its shape when not being worn. The gown featured a full-circle skirt, a fitted bodice, and matching accessories, all crafted without a single stitch of thread. When Vaughn posted the dress on TikTok, the video hit 5 million views. She was subsequently invited onto Daytime TV to wear the dress in person. She won the $10,000 scholarship, which she applied toward studying fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design. The dress is a duct tape engineering achievement, a fashion statement, and a documented viral moment all in one.