Flood Pants
These past few years, floods have devastated vast parts of the United States and around the world. This garment is a conversation about flooding and the effect upon its victims. Remnant textiles with added appliqués and stitching represent water. The right leg has words of physical loss, things destroyed, and tangible ruin. The left leg has words of emotional loss, feelings, and things intangible. The layers form pockets that hold 40 laminated cards for the viewer to read, each one relating “Flood Facts” about contemporary and historical flooding events inspiring one to learn more.
The design is based off a 1977 sewing pattern. I was 17 years old In 1977 and “flood pants” was a derogatory term referring to jeans that did not cover your shoes, ending instead somewhere around the upper ankle area. If your pants were too short, you were not cool. These pants are shorter to allow for wading through the flood waters when the danger has passed. The “waters” being the sheer fabric puddled on the floor. The shoulder caplet is the remnant of a high visibility vest with vintage GIJoe life vests honoring first responders and our military who aid in recovery efforts.