Dang.

Rockabilly never looked so good

By Jennifer Johnson on November 22, 2007

Inspired by vintage fashions, loud colors, fun prints, and the chance to have one-of-a-kinds, Brooke McLaughlin created Dang. She describes the Dang. line as “a casual fun look inspired by rockabilly culture.” She creates hats, purses, dresses, skirts, hoodies, and shirts — all from scratch.



McLaughlin, a Tacoma resident, sizes down T-shirts, cuffs jeans, and embroiders sweaters and jackets pumping new life into tired garments. She’s excited to try her hand at making pants and single-handedly pulls off going to school, working and creating the energetic updated’50s and’60s line of clothes using 95 percent recycled thrift store garments, big buttons, rick-rack, pompoms, and interesting fabrics to achieve desired looks.



McLaughlin sews all the pieces.  Without official training in design or sewing, McLaughlin credits her mother and good old trial and error for the great skills she has today. “I have been making designs since I was allowed to handle scissors and needles. The first non-doll sized garment I made was a skirt, out of a hospital gown around the age of 10. I didn’t have any forethought of a zipper and was stuck once I wiggled into it. My sewing ideas today aren’t that far off from where I started, but now I can zip out of the skirt”.



McLaughlin’s latest Dang. fashions are available for purchase at Tacoma’s urbanXchange or at www.dangdang.etsy.com.



[urbanXchange, 1934 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2280]