Aspiring designers, brace yourselves — our Make the Cut Contest is back! And, this time, it’s all about getting on the Retro Honor Roll. We want to see your superb sketches of creative, wearable styles with a 1960’s back-to-school feel! (Think: Winnie Cooper in The Wonder Years and Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks.)
Here’s how the contest works: We’ll accept submissions until 9:01 a.m. PT on 4/9. After that, we’ll narrow it down to our top twenty-five picks. Those picks will be posted for voting on our Facebook fanpage from 4/16-4/23. On 4/27, we’ll announce the top three Facebook fan-chosen champs, as well as two winners selected by Susan. The prize? $500 per winning sketch, and each item will be produced — with the designer’s name on the tag — and sold on ModCloth.com.
Here’s your inspiration for Retro Honor Roll:
But, don’t start sketching just yet! Check out these tips first:
- Entries should fit our 1960’s back-to-school theme and be inspired by the collage above
- Images should be no larger than 5MB
- Accepted file formats are PDF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, or GIF
- Please submit scanned sketches, or high-quality, well-lit photos of your sketch on a white/light grey background (low-quality images may be declined)
- The ideal format is vertical with a 3×5 dimension ratio
- Sketches should clearly highlight only one piece of clothing
- Submissions may include other items, but please indicate the piece being entered in the contest
- Keep in mind that you’re designing for the ModCloth customer and we’re unlikely to produce couture details or luxury materials
- We’ll choose 25 pieces based on judging criteria, then post those on Facebook for community voting
- Before announcing the winners, we’ll double-check that the Facebook votes are legitimate
- Use of a template is not required, but you may download one of these free online versions here, here, or here
- If you don’t get a confirmation email after submitting, let us know at makethecutcontest@modcloth.com
- Sketches do not need to be in color, but it is encouraged to best convey your vision
Last, but not least, here are the rules:
- All entries must be submitted via Submittable
- No email submissions will be accepted
- Currently, this contest is only open to US citizens and permanent legal residents
- You may enter via Submittable only once, but you may include sketches for up to 5 garments
- Sketches may be submitted up until 9:01 a.m. PT on 4/9/2012
- Entries will be judged on wearability, marketability, produce-ability, creativity, and how well they fit with the theme, inspiration board, and ModCloth aesthetic
- With your submission(s), please include your first & last name as you’d like to see it appear on Facebook for voting and the clothing label, a brief description of your design, and a little about what inspired it or how you’d style it
- Winners will be announced on 4/27/2012 here on the blog
- Five winning sketches will be chosen, and $500 will be awarded per piece.
- Winning designs will be produced and sold on ModCloth.com, and feature tags with the designer’s name
- Contestants under 18 must have a parent or guardian write a letter of consent, and upload it as an attachment with your entry on Submittable (Example: If you upload five separate sketches, you would then upload your scanned consent as a sixth file)
Last, but not least, let’s recap the posh prize: Three fan-voted faves, and two pieces selected by Susan, will be put into production and sold – with the designer’s name on the tag – on ModCloth, and receive $500 a piece. Winning designers will also receive one of their produced garments! So, check out the inspiration board above and set to work. It doesn’t matter whether you sketch, draw, paint, or Photoshop, we just want to see your best stuff!
Still have a Q or two? You can check out the legal info here, or email makethecutcontest@modcloth.com.
UPDATE (4/13/2012) - How time flies! Submissions are now closed for Retro Honor Roll, but that doesn’t mean the fun is over just yet. Visit our Facebook fanpage on 4/16 to vote for your finalists, and return to the blog on 4/27 to see which five winning designs made the cut!
8 loves 
:( I´m sad, I am not from USA, to bad, well…
me too :(
me too :( hope they make an international one soon…
I am very confused help explain
Hi Casey! We’d be happy to help clarify any confusion. What questions do you have about the contest?
I’m so excited about this! I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time! Designing is my absoluted favorite passion! I hope I take the lead in this contest!!! :)
Such a fan of ModCloth and think it will be cool to see the final designs choosen , be creative everyone ! Thats was the 60′s was all about fun , youthful creativity !
I like many International ModClothers will have to wait and judge at talented American competition :)
Can people from Puerto Rico participate?
Hi mellydoz! Unfortunately, only residents of the 50 US states can enter this contest. However, we hope you’ll vote on the final entries once they’re posted on Facebook!
Please read our complete legal info here: http://blog.modcloth.com/make-the-cut-contest-retro-honor-roll-official-rules/
Well Puerto Rico is US territory so technically they can’t deny your entry request. Go for it!
Any regulations against past winners from the last contest?
Hi Kacey! Good question! Winners of our first Make the Cut Contest are not eligible for this contest.
can these have color, or are they supposed to be just black and white sketches?
either. A line above sais “Sketches do not need to be in color, but it is encouraged to best convey your vision.” Last line under the “tips” heading. : )
Gah, my sketchbook needs to get here NOW! I already have a couple of awesome ideas for this!
I don’t under stand what u do for it?
Hi Casey,
Feel free to reach out to us with any specific questions you might have at makethecutcontest@modcloth.com.
When might this contest be open for international modcloth lovers…? <3 :)
Is it possible for two people to team up on this? Perhaps one has a vision, and the other is able to sketch it?
Hi Kelly,
We’re limiting each submission to one designer only; we hope that you both decide to enter separately! :)
This sounds amazing. Pretty pumped about seeing all the entries. Not much of a designer, but most definetly will follow this one. Great idea. Love retro!
So excited!!!!!!!!!!! I love designing, and retro fashions are my favorites! Yaaaaay!
Hi MC,
Are Style Ambassadors allowed to enter?
Hi Katie,
Absolutely! Good luck!
Ohhh, so fun! I might just have to develop some fashion design skills fast so I can enter…haha!
This looks like so much fun! I am a US citizen, but live abroad. Do I still quliify?? Please let me know, so I can get sketching :)
Hi Molly,
Yes – just be sure to include your permanent, US address with your entry!
Okay, another question: It says to submit high quality scanned sketches. I just finished one that I originally sketched and then scanned and added color in photoshop. Is this acceptable?
Hi Kelly,
I checked in with our Design Department and they said that this is probably fine as long as you scanned and colored the sketch at 350 dpi or higher. If you have any other questions specific to your entry, please email us at makethecutcontest@modcloth.com. Thank you!
I was so excited when i read about the chance to design something for this site i have drawn up a load of sketches i clicked back on to read all about terms and conditions and am sooo upset to find i can’t submit any because i’m from UK sad times i guess i keep sketching and hope somewhere in the UK i can show off my designs and ideas hopefully :O(
Hi Nicola,
We hope to one day be able to accept international submissions but, due to legal reasons, it’s not something we can promise that will happen in the near future. We hope that you’ll still participate in our contest by voting on the top 25 designs on Facebook in April. Best of luck to you!
If we want to include a pattern (plaid, polka-dot, etc) in our design, can we use a free pattern, like a free vector image of a plaid (they’re so hard to make >_<)???
Hi Sheila,
Please use all original work in your designs. Thank you!
So, I’m 12, 13 in may am i eligible with parent’s consent and i was also wondering about submissions… i entered into the last contest and i had some issues getting it scanned last time
Hi Emma,
Feel free to send us any questions you might have about scanning to makethecutcontest@modcloth.com.
thanks!!
Hi! So, I’m not a fashion designer by trade… but I did get my degree in Architecture and life has brought so many interesting twists & turns in my life… trauma… depression… yoga… teaching yoga… cancer… marriage… and now divorce and more cancer. So, I’ve experienced (yogically) a tremendous wave of changes… and I know that I can create fashion designs… I just don’t know how I’m supposed to draw the right pictures, how I color them, etc.
If there’s a dummy template of some sorts that I could draw on top of… and if you could let me know what kind of coloring I need to use, then I think I might be able to do something awesome!
I’m really very, very excited, by the way!
Hi Karen,
We’re excited you’re excited! Feel free to use any of the free templates that we link to in the blog post to get started. In terms of coloring, please use the inspiration board and theme details in the blog post to guide your design. Best of luck!
So…the clothes have to be 1960′s-inspired, but they don’t exactly need to look like they came right out of the 1960s, correct? So they could have a modern look, but with retro details and patterns, or vice versa, yes?
Hi Colleen,
Right! The designs should be inspired by the theme and the inspiration board posted in the blog post. Good luck!
I’m SO super excited to be entering this contest, I just really need to find my sketch pad ASAP! Thanks for letting me know about it! :) Can’t wait!!
In future could you host international contests perhaps? I got so excited till I read the terms and conditions to find out I couldn’t participate!
How many sketches can you submit?
Hi Karen,
You can submit up to five sketches!
Is there any way to make a design in a format that you don’t have to scan in? (I don’t have a scanner.) I also don’t have a Mac computer, but if there is something similar to Photoshop that i could use that works for PCs, please let me know!
Hi Hannah,
Sure, you can use Photoshop or similar programs for your design!
Is the competition just designing the outfit? What I mean is, if we sketch our outfit design, then put it in photoshop, can we photoshop in already-made accessories we would pair with it on the side? If we give the designers credit of course. Or is part of the competition to design the accessories that go with the outfit?
Hi Casey,
We love that you want to show off your style! Feel free to pair your designs with accessories, but make sure you clearly highlight the item that you made! Also, keep in mind the winner will be chosen based only on the design of the highlighted item.
Okay awesome, thank you! I can’t wait to get sketching!
if we submitted a design last time that was voted on but did not win can we resubmit it?
Hi Margaret,
Submissions from the last contest are not eligible for this round. Please take a look at our inspiration board and guidelines listed in the blog post and create a new design based on the theme, “Retro Honor Roll.” Looking forward to seeing your submission!
Again… Incredibly disappointed this isn’t open to Canada.
Can’t you guys open a contest for those of us not residing in the USA? It’s really depressing…
Hi Aimee,
While we’d love to have a design contest open to international customers sometime soon, it doesn’t seem likely due to legal reasons. However, we hope you participate in one of our many other contests that are open to international submissions, and consider voting on the Make the Cut final 25 when they are posted to Facebook!
Does the design have to be clothing or can it be an accesory
I was curious about that too. What is the likelihood that ModCloth would fabricate shoes? Seems like it would be expensive to do… and yet I have so many ideas!
Hi, Samantha and Joanna! Great questions! This contest is strictly clothing designs- we hope you enter!
Hi Samantha and Joanna,
Great question! For this round of Make the Cut, we ask that you please stick to clothing designs only, such as dresses, tops, pants, jackets and skirts. We hope to have a contest that includes accessories someday soon!
This is so cool! I would like to try it…..but I don’t know, I don’t have much time and I’m not that good at computer links and stuff like that.
For the parent permission……do we just attach a note of them saying it’s okay to go ahead and do this?
Hi, Amara! Yes- please simply scan a written note from a parental guardian stating their permission for you to participate and attach it as a file with your entry! If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to makethecutcontest@modcloth.com :)
Thank you!
if we choose to use a template, may we use a different template than the ones you’ve provided?
Hi, Katie! You may use another template of your choice, as long you have the permission to use it and it’s free! Thanks for your interest, and good luck!
Wow ok now I’m excited. We have hope of getting to see our own designs actually made? I’m so totally entering. Deadline date’s SO close…!
you guys should open a contest to costumers who do not live in us. you may loose big sketches this way. i understand the legal barries, but a good lawyer can help with the rules.
Hi, Diana! Thanks for this feedback- we really appreciate it and will keep it in mind for future planning! Though you aren’t able to enter this time, please do participate once the top 25 designs are up on Facebook for community voting! We’d love to hear what you have to say!
I have a question, what is considered “illegitimate votes”? Does this mean posting your design, should it be chosen, onto Facebook and getting all your friends to vote for you?
I’m asking because I don’t really plan on doing this (since I think it’s a little bit illegitimate), and feel it would be unfair if others did. Of course there’s not really any way of stopping it, but I wanted to know if we ARE in fact allowed to do it.
Maybe I’m just thinking too much, but I’m really curious.
I feel the same way about contests that involve voting on facebook. Obviously the people who have a thousand friends get more votes based on popularity rather than actual quality of the entry, and I feel that it is unfair. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s against any rules and there is no way of preventing it…
Hi, Viv! You’ve brought up great questions! As marketing your own designs is a huge part of being a designer, we encourage our designers to promote themselves! Of course, we only allow verified Facebook accounts to count as a vote. Any unconfirmed, “fake” accounts would therefore be illegitimate votes. I hope this answers your question! If you have any further questions about this or any other element of the contest, please reach out to makethecutcontest@modcloth.com !
Are you allowed to design accessories for one of your five sketches, or does it have to be a garment? Thanks!
Hi, Aidan! This contest is strictly garments! Thanks for asking and good luck!
Hi! Quick question: Can we submit designs for swimwear?
Are we only allowed to design a dress? What about a romper or matching top & bottom as separates?
Hi, Anna! You may design up to 5 clothing garments but may only enter once! So, yes, separates are fine!
oh whew, just made it! I submitted all of my designs on one file instead of separately meaning I drew the designs on one piece of paper then submitted a photo of the paper. I hope that was okay (it saved me time to do it that way.)! Anyhoo, best of the best to all who entered and can’t wait to start voting! Yipee!
if you turn the designs in late………and you didn’t know you had to do a certain step……..can the designs still be voted?
I’m exactly on the same page with you :(
i didnt get in the finalists!! :’(
Hi, Anibunny! Even though you aren’t a finalist, we appreciate each and every entry! I encourage you to take part in the voting, which starts on 4/16 via our Facebook fan page!
where do you find the finalists? I couldn’t find it on the facebook page
All of the finalists got emails :) they don’t go up on facebook for voting until Monday.
I’m so honored to be a finalist. I’m curious as to how many people actually entered this contest, do you have an official count?
Hi there! Congrats on being a finalist! We received around 650 entries! We’re super excited!
Hi, everyone!
Just so you know, submissions are now closed for Retro Honor Roll. But, that doesn’t mean the fun is over just yet! Be sure to check out our Facebook fanpage on 4/16 to vote for your finalists, and return to the ModCloth Blog on 4/27 to see which five winning designs made the cut!
what time do the designs go up on facebook?
Where do you find the list of the finalists? When do they go up?
I notice from the comments that finalists got emails… I was one of the finalists (I actually had 2 entries make it in!), but I never received any notification! Are you missing my email? I’d like to not miss any future correspondence :)
Hi, Christine! I’m so sorry you didn’t receive our email! I’m sending another one now- please be on the lookout! Oh, and congrats on being a finalist :)
Where did you find the finalists list?
Do you check your facebook messages? I’ve sent you one concerning the contest.
Hi, Alisa! If you have any inquiries about the contest, feel free to email makethecutcontest@modcloth.com!