The Tiger Eyes take the field every home game, sporting sequins, stones and Auburn's iconic colors. Each stone reflecting the light cast on to Pat Dye Field was hand placed strategically by Sheryl Wilds and a few helpers.
The Tiger Eyes, Auburn University Marching Band majorettes, flagline and danceline, have been wearing Wilds' designs for over 10 years. Every uniform is custom made for each woman on the line, and the designs are influenced by those drafted before the upcoming season.
Wilds said she has already made a spot in her schedule for Auburn's 2018-2019 season. For many years, customers came to her shop in downtown Brilliant, Alabama. She works out of her home now.
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Dressing the Auburn lines consists of dressing 54 women and making sure the uniforms fit like a glove.
Wilds has been making uniforms for 30 years for over 40 high schools and 10 colleges. Auburn High School is one of those. Her longest-running client and the business that boosted her work to where it is today is The University of Alabama. She dresses about 80 girls yearly for Alabama.
Wilds said The University of Alabama and Auburn University lines have very different styles, so it isn't difficult to design the rival teams.
"I am all over Alabama," Wilds said. "I started when I was a teenager. My mother gave me free reign of the sewing machine. I even made my own wedding dress."
Wilds said she always had a passion for sewing and fabrics. When she was in her early 20s she opened up a fabric store where she would make clothing for her customers.
She began challenging herself to make complicated outfits, dresses and uniforms. Wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses got her started. After showing her skills with costume making, she had to cut out everything else. Her first costumes were for cheerleaders, but Wilds said they didn't have enough glitz to them.
Wilds was never on a color guard, dance line or majorette line. But after 30 years, she knows the ways of all of the performers.
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"I stay so busy," Wilds said. "I start measuring everybody in March and April and then I try to get started on May 1 for the football season. I have the whole summer to try to get everyone done."
Wilds has a large clientele and serious deadlines. Every moment is crucial and planned to a tee.
Some of the uniforms are not finished before the lines hit the field for the first few games. Every year Wilds works into September and schools must be understanding of her time constraints. She finishes in October and spends her short break working on individual costumes for single performers.
Some performers spend up to $1,500 on a uniform for tryouts and performances. Wilds said the uniforms are smothered in real Swarovski crystals. She said the stones are what bring the "brilliance" to the field.
"They are up to 'Dancing With The Stars' level; they are loaded down," Wilds said.
Wilds said some schools come to her without any ideas, and she floats a few designs their way. Other schools bring in rough sketches that she takes and works with. The Tiger Eyes bring in an idea of what they want, and Wilds works with them to create a show-stopping design.
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Once Wilds locates the fabrics, which can be hard to find at times, she starts cutting. After measuring each woman, she creates a custom uniform that can range from $650 to $1,000. The Auburn uniforms have about 1,000 stones on them. She said she can hold $2,000 worth of stones in her hands.
Wilds said the uniforms drew her in with the beauty and skill it took to create them. The business of making uniforms doesn't start at any particular time or end at any point.
"A lot of these girls that I go to measure at these colleges have been to my shop when they were in high school," Wilds said. "I recognize them from different schools where I sewed for them in the ninth grade."
Wilds said she has never had a serious disaster and loves the hard work and long hours. She said she has wonderful customers and would love to continue to provide for them.
Wilds said she plans on pumping out uniforms every year until her health goes south or she gets tired of the work – something she says she doesn't see happening anytime soon.
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