Dallas library helps teen by offering to pay for their prom dresses

In the United States, prom night is the culmination of many hard years of study and the celebration before the next chapter of a young teenager’s life. This is supposed to be a magical time and the planning that goes into prom takes months. The prom committee usually selects a theme like “Starry Night” and once the theme has been selected then prom goers are tasked with finding the dress or suit of their dreams for the evening. This can be a costly time. Prom dresses are not cheap, and everyone wants to look their best. But not everyone is in a position to afford a new dress that will only be worn for a single evening. There are some alternatives such as borrowing a previously worn dress from a family member, finding one in a consignment shop, or even renting one from an evening dress rental shop but these still cost money. And on top of that, there is the cost of makeup, fancy updos, and shoes. An institution well known for its lending policy in Dallas, Texas decided to tackle the issue of some teens being unable to afford their dream dress. The Dallas Public Library decided to address this in a very special way.

The Fairy Tale Closet

Libraries are traditionally where you go to borrow books, magazines, and in some cases computers. The Dallas Public Library administration realized that there was one more area that they could lend a helping hand – prom dresses.

They dubbed the program the Fairy Tale Closet. It was designed for teens who could not afford to purchase a prom dress, but they still wanted them to be able to experience the prom while looking and feeling their best.

How It Started

The library administration saw a growing need in their constituency back in 2014 for a viable program that could provide prom dresses to students coming from lower income families. Every student who has put in the time to complete high school and attends their prom deserves to be able to have the whole experience, and that includes a dress.

Since dresses are often worn only once there is a multitude of them just collecting dust in many graduates closets. Realizing that many former prom-goers will not be wearing their dresses again gave the library a good place to start when it came time to start the program and fill their racks with dresses.

Call For Donations

Once the program was officially born, the library put out a call for donations to get it started. Many people donated their pre-worn gowns which were in excellent condition. A new gown can cost hundreds of dollars, so purchasing an array of new ones was not in the library budget.

Luckily, the staff was able to reach out to potential sponsors to see if they would donate some new dresses as well. The designer department store, Neiman Marcus, quickly agreed and has since sent over a number of brand new designer gowns for students to borrow. Many other charities and stores have since donated as well.

An Important Resource

Many teens who can not afford their own dresses on their own, or whose parents are not in a position to help have found this program to be a lifesaver. Like a school uniform, it has been used as a social equalizer. It gives teens the ability to choose a dress that is just as elegant as someone who has been able to afford to buy their own.

The burden of not being able to purchase a gown is instantly alleviated so all the teen has to worry about is choosing from one of the many dresses on offer at the library.

Prom Season

There is a specific position designed to come up with programs that will help the youth in the area, and it is run by Melissa Dease. She is the Youth Services Administrator. This program was actually her brainchild. She often saw teens come into the library upset over the fact that they could not afford a lavish dress when all they wanted was to feel special for this big event.

So, she decided that she was going to do something about it. After a lot of thought, and running the numbers for budgetary purposes she thought that she could get the program up and running if businesses were willing to donate funds or dresses.

The Royal Treatment

Now that the program has been up and running for about five years, the whole process runs like a well-oiled machine. During prom season some of the rooms in the library are allocated to dress selection.

Students can come in and look at the racks to see what appeals to them and then try them on with the help of library volunteers and photographers to see which dress best suits them. It is just like going to a store!

Choosing The Right Dress

Teens are able to come to the library with their family and friends to try dresses on in front of them no matter their family’s income level. It is just like heading to the mall to shop, except no money is exchanged. They get to try them on and spin around in front of their friends while everyone gives their opinion as to the fit or color of the dress.

The main goal is that each teen feels special and has the overall prom experience from beginning to end.

Spring Awakening

Since prom is usually held in the spring or right at the beginning of summer, the months leading up to this are extremely busy at the library. Usually, they hold dress fittings in the afternoons so that everyone can head over when school lets out for the day.

Makeshift change rooms are created with colorful sheets and all the racks of dresses are rolled out. Many of these teens would likely not have attended the prom since they could not buy a dress. This program has changed a lot of lives.

No Cost

Just as one would check out a library book, they do the same with the dress they end up selecting. They do not need to put a cent down, which makes it even more stress-free.

There are even volunteers who can make sure the dresses fit correctly and do some pinning if necessary to make sure it is as flattering as possible. It is just as if it was tailored for you at a dress store.

Saving Money

While everyone enjoys a new party frock, the cost is sometimes just not worth it in the grand scheme of things. With how expensive tuition is and the cost of living, most teens simply do not have the cash to spend on a new dress or suit.

Any money they do have should be saved or spent on something they need versus something they want. This is what the library admin hopes that they end up doing.

Thrifting

Anybody who has looked through some thrift shops and seen the gowns on offer may notice that a lot of them have been through some wear and tear. Or, that they are from bygone eras like the 80s. While some teens might want to rock that retro look, others tend to want something a bit more contemporary.

The selection is simply not always there if you cannot afford to buy something new which can be frustrating and depressing.

Designer Duds

However, the dresses that the library has on offer are a far cry from the standard ripped 80s prom dress found at your local thrift shop. Many of these dresses are of designer quality and come in an array of colors. If you come in wanting a pink dress with a beaded bodice, chances are you are going to find it.

That is how many different dresses there are to choose from thanks to the generous donors and sponsors.

Brand New

The dresses also change from year to year. If one is too damaged, or simply outdated then it will be taken out of the rotation. Each year new dresses are donated in a variety of sizes and contemporary styles. The program is designed so that the newest styles are on offer so that teens can be just as well dressed as those that own their own dresses.

More often than not some of the dresses have never even been worn and still, have the designer tags on them.

Sample Dresses

You might be wondering how businesses can afford to just donate these expensive dresses to the library when they expect most people to drop a couple of hundred dollars for them. The answer is simple. Most stores receive sample dresses for their customers to try on, and when they are done with them for the season they can simply donate them.

This is because they tend to not sell them as they have been tried on by a variety of people. However, these dresses are basically brand new and the prom-goer will be the first one to wear it out in public.

Look Good, Feel Great

The program does a lot more than simply giving a teen a dress and helping them to look great for prom. The psychosocial benefits are tenfold. They give these teens their dignity and allow them to join a community of similar individuals who understand the hardships associated with not being born into the lap of luxury.

They are able to feel good about themselves and support each other which is ultimately the greatest reward for all involved.

Future Volunteers

Some of the alumni of the program have been so appreciative that they have even taken it upon themselves to volunteer some of their time at the library. In the future, we are sure that they will look back on everything that the library has done for them.

Maybe they will one day be in a position to donate a dress or lend a helping hand to a teen in need. It is always appreciated.

Pilot Project

As a pilot project, it has been wildly successful and we hope that other libraries in the city and maybe even some other states will follow suit with their own programs. It would be amazing for this to spread across the States and allow every prom goer the ability to look their best for their prom.

Maybe there can even be a tuxedo or suit lending program for boys. This is the kind of heartwarming story that gives everyone hope!

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