Duct tape tux turns heads at CHS prom

It all started with a duct tape wallet.

From there, Clarendon High School senior Jadon Thornton decided to create himself an entire tuxedo out of duct tape, qualifying him for a chance to win a $3,000 scholarship through the “Stuck at Prom” contest sponsored by Duck brand duct tape.

“I’ve been planning to do it since I was a freshman when I found the scholarship by typing ‘weird scholarships’ in on Google,” Thornton said. “Honestly, I didn’t think I would do it, but making duct tape wallets motivated me.”

Thornton said the tux was constructed with 16 rolls of duct tape, which cost him about $86. He also made a vest, tie, and hat.

“I didn’t wear the hat because it made me look like Willy Wonka,” Thornton said.

According to Thornton, Charlie Smith from the Clarendon Outpost helped him build his sticky tux. They worked on it a week before prom five hours a night, and it was not completed until 3 p.m. the day of prom.

“My friend Jeff Powell, and I tried making one at first, but it was a disaster,” Thornton said. “There would have been absolutely no chances of it getting done if Charlie wouldn’t have
helped.”

Smith worked for four summers at the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival making handmade costumes, so he was up to the challenge.

“For the tux, we basically just cut newspaper in the pattern ofpants and sleeves and put it together as such,” Smith said.

 “If he wouldn’t have called me only four days until prom, we could have gotten more detail in or maybe some vents in it somewhere.”

Thornton definitely regrets not adding vents to the tux.

“A lot of the first questions people asked me was if I was hot,” Thornton said. “It was so hot it was ridiculous. It was kind of like a sauna.”

Thorton will find out if he won the scholarship on or about July 27.

“I really hope Jadon wins,” Smith said. “If he does, that will be awesome.”