Fabulous Fashions is a program established in 2000 for fifth through eighth graders attending high-need school, M.S. 127, in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx. Within the program, fashion design is offered three times a week; students who enroll are required to attend all three sessions. Students may participate in as many seasons of fashion as they choose. Much of the research over the past century or more on how to make students more receptive to learning supports the hypothesis that programs such as Fabulous Fashions can help students learn in the classroom and beyond. After a description of the program and the author's research design, this article briefly examines some of this research, discussing the possibility that arts instruction enhances traditional academics. It also addresses the roles of interest, emotion, motivation, and self-esteem in enhancing student engagement. That this program focuses on fashion is important not only because middle school girls are immersed in the topic but also because of its potential as a future career and its authenticity. Fashion can function as a sign system in and of itself, creating links to other sign systems including reading and writing activities. In sum, this article shows how a single class such as Fabulous Fashions can significantly affect students' lives.