SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. — Fifty-two young women from seven different high schools came together for an once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk the runway in a fashion show put on by professional stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists, and 25 area vendors to celebrate "fashionable modesty."
Walking a 40-foot runway to the pulsating beat of music, with spotlights shining, flashbulbs popping and audience members cheering is an experience not many people will ever have. These 16- to 18-year-old young women from the Santa Margarita Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did just that on March 6 at the "My Style" Fashion Show.
Months of preparation and overwhelming support from vendors and the surrounding communities made it possible for these girls to demonstrate their beliefs about the sacred nature of their bodies and their desire to be "in" the world but not of it.
Standing alone on a runway with more than 400 guests watching you can be a little scary but standing out at high school is something these models do naturally. Dressing in a way that reflects who they are and what they believe is a challenge these Mormon girls tackle everyday.
"The fashion show was so much fun. It was a great experience showing all the girls out there how we can be modest and fashion forward at the same time," said Madison Koelliker, a 16-year-old junior at Tesoro High School and a member of the Live Oak Ward.
Individual attention to each model was a special touch and a key to the positive feedback.
Getting 52 teenagers' hair and makeup done, with brand-new. on-loan fashionable outfits was a daunting task but it didn't discourage the event's organizer, Jenny Evans, of Coto de Caza.
Evans, first counselor in the Stake Young Women Presidency, was happy with how the show turned out.
"Our purpose was to teach women, young or old, how to choose clothing from the stores they love and wear them modestly, looking beautiful and current. Both the guests and the models expressed to me how much fun they had and shared their appreciation for all the hard work that went on," Evans said.