Valore Gaylore Valentines Fashion Show

The National Organization for Women hosted a Valentine’s-themed fashion show Feb.11 in the Thatcher Hall lobby at the University of Central Oklahoma to allow students to fully express their creativity in fashion by using Thatcher Hall as a runway to model clothes donated to the “community closet.”

The “Valore Gaylore fashion show” was an event where any student on campus could sign up to model clothes that were donated to the campus community closet located in Thatcher Hall. The event is for students who want to get involved with the National Organization for Women, and for students who need clothing to be able to use the community closet as a resource. 

Sarah Wilson, closet coordinator, said, “In this past year, we don’t have anyone who is majoring in design or anything with fashion, so it’s quite literally anyone who signs up, so anyone can be a part of it.”

While Thatcher Hall was decorated in the typical Valentine’s themed decorations, the theme for the fashion show was not only Valentine’s attire, but also included different themes such as “something peculiar.” For this theme, eight students and professors modelled something that was donated that stood out to them. 

The second theme was the “ALT” theme, where students and professors dressed in something they found in the closet that was from the alternative style. The last theme was “freestyle” students who modeled wore whatever they chose from their own closet and their own style to model to express their true selves in fashion.

UCO student, SueRae O’Bleness, said, “I get to have more creative liberty compared to a typical runway, so I’m trying to bring more advocacy into my outfits.”

At the end of the fashion show, audience members had the opportunity to model on the runway as well. 
In between themes, closet coordinators announced the models’ names and shared fun facts about them to the audience while giving the definition for each theme and the idea behind them. 

During the event, students were able to look around in the community closet to find different clothes and accessories that were free for all students to keep.

Sarah Wilson, Closet Coordinator, said, “It’s like thrifting but for free, so it’s really cool to see everyone getting involved in something that is just a wacky event.”  

The Valentine’s fashion show tradition began in 2019 when the “Community Closet” was established in Dr. Lindsey Churchill’s office for trans and non-binary students to be able to find clothes that are more fitting for them. Students could trade the clothing, and then the closet started growing, and that is how the fashion show started.

Sarah Wilson, closet coordinator, said, “Every year we do the fashion show to just show off our resources because it brings a lot of people in.”

NOW has different fashion shows and other events throughout the year in hopes of bringing people together to advocate for women and the LGBTQ+ community through the art of fashion.