Girls learn it's fun to be fashionable

Allowing the pink polish on her fingernails to finish drying, Gracie Garigan channeled her inner movie star.

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"I like all the crafts," said Gracie, a second-grader at Evans Elementary School. "Of course, I liked when we got to do our nails."

The 7-year-old was one of 12 girls between the ages of 7 and 13 who attended Fashion Camp last week at the Augusta Jewish Community Center.

The girls participated in several fashionista-inspired activities. They decorated their own tote bags and tasty treats, drew outfit designs and dressed up in stylish clothes and makeup. The final day of camp culminated in a fashion show.

"They've all been really supportive, helping each other out," said camp instructor Michelle Caruthers. "They help each other decorate their stuff."

Caruthers, who also taught the camp last year, said she encouraged the girls to express themselves through fashion and unleash their creativity.

"I hope that they learn how to accessorize and that fashion doesn't have to be expensive, and just to be creative," she said.

Rachel Cox, a seventh-grader at Riverside Middle School, said her favorite part about Fashion Camp was sketching clothing designs. Her drawings included an emerald-colored wrap dress, T-shirt and skinny jeans, and fancy red halter dress as her "special occasion" outfit.

"It's pretty fun," she said about the camp.

The 12-year-old's designs extended beyond people.

"I design clothes for my dog (a teacup chihuahua)," said Rachel.

Many of the other girls in the class agreed that their favorite fashion camp activity was creating their own designs.

"We design stuff, and it's really fun," said Annisten Leone, a 7-year-old pupil at Stevens Creek Elementary.

Caruthers said she made sure the classes weren't too serious and that the girls' creativity wasn't stifled by strict fashion rules.

She said she hoped the group learned how to "be comfortable in their own skin."