 Prior to 2000, Rowles’s work dealt with the social and emotional associations of clothing.For "Vests", she created soft, suspended sculptures from a variety of materials, such as vinyl, rubber, plastic toys, zippers, and chenille wire, which playfully critique gender norms.With the "Contortion" series, Rowles turned to the structure of the body itself, crocheting forms suggestive of osteoporotic bones and digestive tracks.