I knew it the minute I tried it on: A tea length strapless number in cream satin overlaid in lace, bearing the label of Jessica McClintock, the epitome of 1980s fashion.
With its cleavage-heaving bodice and massive bow, it gave me exactly the look I was going for, which is to say, about to jump out of a cake in a Whitesnake video.
Finding the perfect prom dress felt like a long-awaited vindication for an awkward adolescence (I had braces for TEN years, OK?) Though it cost more than I’d saved babysitting some neighborhood monsters and working the concession stand at basketball games, my dad generously made up the difference. Mom lent me Bubbe’s pearls and insisted on having my pointy pumps dyed to match.
I saw tears in their eyes as they handed me off to my date, probably relieved that their little loudmouthed weirdo had reached this highly normal rite of passage. (Like some main character out of a Sweet Valley High novel, I’d caught the eye of the captain of the wrestling team after the braces came off senior year. Mike Wolfe, you will be forever remembered as a real mensch.)
These days kids eschew such old-fashionedy heteronormative narratives and attend prom in throuples and gaggles or proudly alone, though no matter who you’ve got on your arm, gussying up costs a helluva lot more. “Promflation” is a real term used by economists, and the price tag for the evening’s accouterments can surpass a $1000 if you don’t have mad sewing skills á la Pretty in Pink (Be honest, did we really love Molly Ringwald’s repurposed potato sack anyway?)
Fortunately for Savannah high schoolers, this year there’s no need to spend a fortune or shred up a thrift store score (unless they want to; this year’s Junk 2 Funk lewks slayed.)
A few months ago, public school teacher Carolina Braunschweig came upon a windfall of gorgeous formals on the local Buy Nothing page and had the grand idea of giving them away for prom season. While living in California, the Miami native had donated a couple of cute castoffs to the The Princess Project, a non-profit that provides thousands of dresses a year to young fashionistas whose tastes exceed their means. She figured, why not here?
“The idea really stuck with me,” says Carolina, who revels in the excitement her students show for school dances and has fond memories of the beaded mini dress she wore to her own glamorous gala.
“Prom is such an epic moment.”
Her promposal has quickly flourished into a community-wide venture: Race to the Prom now has hundreds of fabulous frocks to give away to any Lowcountry teen looking for the perfect prom dress—along with shoes, purses, jewelry and cosmetics to accessorize them.
It’s an opportunity for any young person to find a dress that fulfills their own fairy tale, no matter what their circumstances.
“Everyone wants the chance to get dressed up, feel pretty, get that perfect Instagram picture,” muses Julie Wade, the executive director of Tharros Place, a residential facility for teen survivors of human trafficking.
While her charges may not attend a traditional prom this year, there are plans for a special evening of dancing to the DJ and admiring each other’s sparkle.
“This is going to help make it happen for them.”
The pop-up prom shop will be open March 25 through April 10 in the art-filled office of Van Tosh Realty at 1721 Bull Street, a central Starland spot that’s as chic as it is convenient.
“It’s on the public transportation route,” points out Carolina, who mapped the bus lines to make sure the space is accessible to all.
Shoppers must register for a one-hour slot during which they’ll be able to peruse the wares and select one dress per person. To keep the process streamlined and the space organized, the appointment is limited to signed-up shoppers only—no moms, boyfriends, or BFFs. Volunteers are still needed to help staff the shop for weekday and weekend shifts; be prepared to offer fashion advice!
Local style mogul Kathi Rich has lent racks and hangers for optimal display, and donations continue to be collected at the Jewish Educational Alliance. (Formal or cocktail dresses and the above-mentioned accessories in good condition only, please!) With another shipment on the way from the Princess Project, there are plenty of beautiful choices for every sized body, from XS to XXL.
I got a sneak peek of dress heaven a few weeks ago when they were still being stored in Carolina’s spare bedroom. There was barely room to shimmy through all the sequins, tulle, and feathers beckoning from the hangers. Also represented were the requisite satin and lace, as well as a couple of snakeskin motifs a few my 80s girls might covet.
One-shoulder, spaghetti straps, and high necks! Down-to-the-floor gowns, tasteful LBDs, barely-cover-the-booty short! They all made me as giddy as a teenager with a bag of cool ranch Doritos and a new can of Aqua-Net.
I may have interrupted our interview to try on a cantaloupe-colored ruched confection with a snatched waist, just for fun. I looked like an extra in the fantasy sequence from J.Lo’s phantasmagoric new movie, but this dream dress was for some other lucky person. I already had my turn decades ago, flouncing around in my Gunne Sax and dancing the Electric Slide (and also drinking too much Southern Comfort and Dr. Pepper in the back of the limo; sorry, Mike!)
Even if everything costs more now, one thing hasn’t changed: Whether it’s dressed in a puffy pink cloud with their friends or on the arm of a jock wearing a wrist corsage the size of their head, everyone deserves to make their prom dreams come true.
Here I go again — JLL
Sign up to volunteer for Race for the Prom or make a donation here.
That picture - I had to double take that it wasn't Liberty! All signed up for a volunteer slot and ready to start purging my closet! What a lovely idea.
I definitely had Jessica McClintock dresses in the early 90s in high school! I still have two dresses I have kept from high school in my closet. I think it's time to donate them to Race to the Prom. Just signed up to volunteer, made a donation, and have gathered my dresses to take to the JEA!