Nestled in a back corner of North Mecklenburg psychology teacher Ms. Cook’s classroom in H Hall, a free prom dress shop has quietly allowed dozens of students to claim dresses to wear to prom.
The effort started in 2016, when Ms. Regen opened the project using her daughter’s old dresses. Since the beginning, the prom closet has accepted donations of old dresses from the community. Ever since then, the program has expanded tremendously — according to Ms. Cook, there are now about fifty dresses available in various sizes and styles.
All students were welcome to browse the racks in room H7 after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays to find a dress for themselves.
“The purpose of the free prom dress shop is to provide a no-cost opportunity for students that can't or don't want to spend money on a dress that they most likely will only wear once in their lifetime,” said Ms. Cook. “The hope is that having this resource available can help limit a potential barrier that might keep students from attending prom due to financial reasons.”
Indeed, prom dresses do cause potential financial barriers to attending the dance for some families. On top of ticket costs as high as $80 at North Mecklenburg, formal dresses for prom can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000 — potentially keeping some students from attending the dance.
Three students have claimed dresses so far this year, says Ms. Cook. In past years, up to fifteen have found their gown on the free racks.
For those who do find a dress from the effort, a difference is made. “Students that choose a dress from the prom dress drive seem genuinely appreciative,” explained Ms. Cook. “They usually walk away feeling happy and perhaps even alleviated that this is one less thing that they have to worry about for a memorable night.”
The dress shop is always accepting donations of old dresses to expand their inventory. Some years, they receive donations of as many as twenty dresses. Last year, Ms. Cook reached out to women in the greater Charlotte community to request donations — and the effort had its biggest year yet of donations. “Please consider donating after April 22nd,” Ms. Cook said — “or even years later, after you realize that dress has been sitting in your closet for a few years.”
Increasing the inventory is essential for students to be able to find something they love. Because of “disappointment from some shoppers that may not have found a dress in their size or style,” Ms. Cook encourages all students to donate their dresses after they’re finished with them to help bolster the inventory.
Beyond the direct impact of alleviating some of the financial burden of prom for students who may be socioeconomically disadvantaged, the reuse of dresses through the effort can help mitigate some of the impact of the fast fashion industry.
Fast fashion, which replicates new trends quickly and cheaply, carries plenty of negative effects. On top of exploiting workers in sweatshops across the globe and producing more annual carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined, the industry also creates an incredible amount of clothing which builds up in landfills as it is thrown away. The free prom closet helps cut some of these effects by encouraging the reuse of prom attire.
Ms. Cook carries on this effort partly as a result of her own experience in high school. Having attended many dances during her time in school, she needed plenty of dresses to be able to go. Because her parents placed a limit on how many dresses they would buy her, she began to borrow dresses from friends. She says, “reflecting on that experience is why I hope that this tradition of having the free prom dress shop [continues] for many years to come.” 🆅