When Julia Paccone, a Manchester Essex Regional High School junior, submitted her fashion work to the 2013 Boston Globe Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, she wasn’t confident it would win. But after entering pieces the previous year without success, she was ecstatic to find out this year that her garment “Organic Glamour” had received a top honor and was nominated for a national award.

Paccone, who was inspired to try a “full-on fashion” technique, said her teacher suggested that she submit her favorite piece from this year: a textured dress with sweetheart neckline, made of environmentally friendly and recycled materials such as seagrass, hemp rope, rug pads, and clothes hangers.