FASHION JUDGING IN MAFCA

Before there was fashion judging in our hobby, MAFCA’s early Fashion Editors provided members with information and inspiration to dress in Model A era fashions at local events. As fashion interest grew, the idea of holding fashion judging events, similar to the vehicle judging events, became a reality.

To learn about the full history of fashion judging in our hobby and the development of the Era Fashion Committee, you may wish to read How It All Began: The Evolution of the Era Fashion Committee, written by past Era Fashion Committee member and Chairperson Lynette Marcione. 

In the early years of fashion judging, MAFCA had one category—Original fashions. As interest grew, plans for a new category, Reproduction, took root sometime in the 1980’s. Then in 2007, the Era Fashion Committee began working on a new judging category, Model A Era Image. Model A Era Image made its debut at the 2008 World Meet in Dallas, Texas.

In 2024, MAFCA began offering two types of fashion judging: Fashion Model Judging and Fashion Display Judging. In both types of judging, an ensemble is judged for correctness against the MAFCA Fashion Guidelines.

Fashion Model Judging is the traditional type of fashion judging where an entrant dresses in a complete ensemble which represents the fashions from 1928-1931.

Fashion Display Judging allows members to participate in fashion judging by sharing their collections in a static display. The decision to develop this new type of judging came about because so many of the original fabrics and garments from the Model A era are becoming fragile due to age and deterioration.

MAFCA Fashion Guidelines

ImageTo help our members collect and assemble authentic fashion ensembles, the Era Fashion Committee has created Fashion Judging Guidelines, much like the Model A Restoration Guidelines and Judging Standards for cars. Both sets of guidelines may be purchased from MAFCA.

MAFCA’s Era Fashion Guidelines is a publication that is available for purchase in the MAFCA Store and is a source to invest in if you are interested in entering MAFCA’s fashion judging at a future event.

UPDATES:

2015 Updates and Corrections to your 2010 Edition

The “Pen and Ink Update Instructions” will guide you to the correct page and the corrections to make. If numerous changes were made to the page which affected its readability, those pages are included in the pdf file “New and Replacement Pages.” Simply follow the directions given for each of these files.

Find Judging Documents and Manuals in the resources folder

Fashion Judging Opportunities

Beginning in 2024, MAFCA will offer two types of fashion judging:

  • Fashion Model Judging – our traditional type of judging where a person wears their ensemble to be judged.
  • Fashion Display Judging – This type of judging allows members to participate in fashion judging without having to wear their ensembles. Instead, the entrant sets up a display of a complete fashion ensemble to be judged.

To learn more about Fashion Display Judging, Click Here.

Becoming A Judge

Are you interested in becoming a fashion judge? The Era Fashion Committee has provided detailed information. How To Become A Judge Manual

Judging tests are also available on the web site, and the Era Fashion Committee encourages anyone interested in era fashions to study for and take the tests, either to gain more knowledge about era fashions to help you assemble an authentic fashion ensemble or to participate as a Fashion Judge. Judging Tests

Fashion Judging Procedures Manual

The Committee created the “Fashion Judging Procedures Manual“ to assist the Host Fashion Coordinator, Chief Judge, judges and entrants of a MAFCA sanctioned Meet with instructions for planning a successful fashion event..

This manual contains three documents:

  • The main document provides instructions for the Host Fashion Coordinator, Chief Judge and the Judges.
  • The second document deals with the forms for fashion entrants, worksheets used by the judges for scoring the five areas to be judged for each entrant, special awards and the point system used for determining the awards.
  • The third document is Fashion Entrant Information and it is divided into two sections. One is for traditional Fashion Model Judging (FMJ); the other is for Fashion Display Judging (FDJ). Please select the correct type of judging to download. Both documents provide entrants with information on how to participate as an entrant in their respective type of judging, the areas judged, sample entry form, and a blank entry form. 

The Era Fashion Committee wishes to make this information easily accessible to MAFCA members who are interested in era fashion. Host Fashion Coordinators, Chief Judges, Judges and Entrants of sanctioned meets can print all or part of the information in which they are interested.

Tracking Your Fashion Judging History

Era Fashion Judge Jackie Brooks submitted the following idea on how you can keep track of your Era Fashion History:

After I spent several days trying to remember which year and at which event I had judged “Major Garment, the spreadsheet “My Era Fashion History” was created. You may find this form useful to record your own fashion history. I printed extra copies of the form first to allow for mistakes and kept the original hardcopy as a template for future use.

I added a Fashion History tab in my Fashion Guidelines for quick reference. This includes one or more “My Era Fashion History” pages, a fashion entry form for each year, the returned judging results form, and a picture of the outfit worn at each event. Reviewing previous year’s forms can contribute to the improvement of your entry for the next event.

Also included is a space for events where you judged, Seminars you may have presented and articles you may have written for the Restorer. Each activity should have its own line. I hope you will find this useful. Get the Era Fashion History Form.