Ratterman+sews+all+the+pieces+of+his+creation+together.It+is+the+most+amazing+feeling+ever+when+Im+done%2C+he+said.+It+is+something+you+created+and+can+wear+every+day+and+show+it+off.

Bel Wilcoxen

Ratterman sews all the pieces of his creation together.”It is the most amazing feeling ever when I’m done,” he said. “It is something you created and can wear every day and show it off.”

Humans of PHS: Tyler Ratterman

Some people find fashion in top-dollar stores by top designers, and for others it’s whatever they can throw together from a thrift store. However, for senior Tyler Ratterman, his style is one of his own design. Ratterman decided to begin making his own clothes his junior year when he discovered the style he wanted wasn’t something he could find in stores. With the help of sewing teacher Helen McField, Ratterman learned how to make his own design ideas a reality. The encouragement from Ratterman’s peers has further built up his confidence to continue to pursue his passion.

“Some good things people have said to me about my clothing is that it looks store-bought, that it’s an awesome design and that they want one,” Ratterman said.

Ratterman also said that he’s never really had any negative feedback from others about his clothes. Despite this, Ratterman understands his style is not always completely accepted by everyone.

“The hard part about making my own clothes is finding society’s gender role line when it comes to fashion and standing on the right side of it, because if you’re a guy like me and if it’s too feminine it freaks society out,” Ratterman said.

Ratterman hopes to major in costume design and fashion in college to help influence the public’s fashion sense.

“When I wear my own clothing it makes me proud, because I get to show off what I took hours to make to the world and the story I want to tell with it,” Ratterman said.

Ratterman encourages others who want to express themselves through fashion to pursue making their own clothes and to remember to be themselves despite what others may think. He also wants to remind people that in the world of fashion there are no rules.

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  • Ratterman made this dress and wore it to the Courtwarming dance. “That night wasn’t about the clothing really,” he said. “It was basically a social experiment standing up for the rights of non-cisgender people in this school building.”

  • Ratterman begins the sewing process by sketching out his design on paper. The next step is to pick out the fabric he would like to make the clothing piece.

  • “When it comes to picking the fabric many things come to play, but the most important thing is that the fabrics compliment each other,” Ratterman said. After choosing the fabric, he begins ironing the cutting templates. “The templates help a lot, because without them it is impossible basically to make the clothes,” he said.

  • Ratterman cuts the fabric out using the template for help. The template comes in the fabric packs.

  • Ratterman shows the difference between the size of stitching. “The size of the stitch depends on what you are doing,” he said. “If you need to gather something, that is when you would change the length of the straight stitch.”

  • Ratterman sews all the pieces of his creation together.”It is the most amazing feeling ever when I’m done,” he said. “It is something you created and can wear every day and show it off.”

  • Ratterman shows off a shirt he made.

  • Ratterman designed and made his Courtwarming dress himself, including these details.

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