The Miss Seminole Florida Princess Pageant highlights the traditional art form of Seminole patchwork– the original American elegance.
True story, as I write this I am sitting on a bus traveling through lower Florida, so this post really couldn’t be more timely, but enough about my glamorous jet-setting life because there’s a story to be told about the original version of American elegance– the story of how native Seminole patchwork helped blend thoughtful native technique with modern glamourlust (yes, we did just make that a word).
The 58th annual Miss Florida Seminole Princess Pageant was held this year, crowning a winner that would act as an ambassador for the wider world. Basically, the pageant was a stepping-stone for young Native American girls to spread the artwork of their people, especially Seminole patchwork.
Seminole patchwork is a sort of cotton origami that the Seminole princesses learn to sew at a very young age. They roll, fold, and manipulate cotton squares into all kinds of cutesy shapes to create images, tell stories, and imagine fashion that flows like a moving painting. The princesses wear their pieces in the pageant as a means to promote the tradition.
READ MORE: How to Tell if You Are in North Florida For Christmas
Each Seminole patchwork garment is super intricate and takes lots of time to make, so the finished product can cost hundreds of dollars, if not more (and that sort of puts your Burberry cape to shame, doesn’t it?). The princesses, taking advantage of modern technology, share their creations on Pinterest and Instagram to help spread the word about their time-honored, fashionable tradition.
If you haven’t seen this type of patchwork pop up in modern fashion yet, be prepared. The Seminole Princess patchwork trend is coming, people!
