Strut Your Stuff Fashion Show Giving Back to Waukesha Community

Last December, an idea was created on Twitter as area high school students were sharing in 140 characters or less how they wanted to help Waukesha residents.

“We wanted to do something philanthropic for the holidays because we were seeing all the hurt in Waukesha and we wanted to give back,” said Ashley Romasko, a junior at Waukesha North High School.

Three months, four high schools, 5,000 clothing articles, 95 outfit creations, 30 models and one dress rehearsal later, the organizers of Strut Your Stuff are about to see that idea come to fruition.

Romasko and Waukesha North senior Paige Goodings have organized Strut Your Stuff, an ultimate fashion show involving models from Waukesha South, Waukesha North, Waukesha West and Kettle Moraine high schools. The fashion show – and its T-shirt sales – will benefit Hebron House of Hospitality.

Through T-shirt sales, they were able to raise $1,200 for the homeless shelter on Match Day.

But it’s more than just a monetary donation.

“Our plan was to have a clothing drive and then to utilize the clothing for a fashion show,” Ashley explained.

The four high schools held the clothing drive in March and brought in more than 5,000 pieces of clothing. The event organizers sifted through the clothing, created 95 outfits that will be worn by 30 models from all four high schools during the show on Friday.

“After we collected all the clothing, we got a dream team together,” Ashley said. “We sorted through all the clothing. We picked out the pieces we wanted to put in the fashion show, and then we donated the rest to the shelter.”

The clothing that is being used in the fashion show will also be donated to Hebron House of Hospitality.

Students at all four high schools are excited to see the community event finalized, Ashley said. They’ve sold 220 tickets and have only 40 left to go.

And after the dress rehearsal Saturday, they are ready to go with the lights, outfits and deejay.

“After Saturday, we knew that the show would be a success and everything fell into place,” Ashley said. “It was definitely a great feeling to see our idea sprout into this show that has grown so much.”

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Strut Your Stuff begins at 7 p.m. Friday at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased from all four high school’s DECA donation stations.