Prom is one of the most anticipated events in high school. However, all of the preparation teens go through to make this night special can come with a large bill attached.

Fortunately, other cost-effective options for prom attire have become more popular and accessible in recent years.

The Cinderella Project is an event hosted annually by the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition (FACC) that provides prom dresses for girls in the greater St. Louis area who could not afford them otherwise. Locals are invited to donate gently used prom dresses to give back to the community.

Since 2015, the program has outfitted hundreds of girls with their dream gowns. Nick Kelley, director of ReFresh for the FACC, said he is looking forward to yet another great year of donations. “ReFresh” is a resale store run by the FACC that gives a heavy discount to children in foster care.

“We give youth in foster care, and families who can’t afford a prom dress and accessories, the opportunity to find their dream dress, so they can experience one of the most magical nights as a teen feeling beautiful,” Kelley said.

This year, Cinderella Project has partnered with West County Center to collect dress donations from Tuesday, Feb. 14th to Monday, Feb. 27th. The donation bin can be found on the lower level in front of Nordstrom.

Individuals can also donate gift cards for teens to purchase shoes and accessories to complete their dream looks. Kelley said the most special part of Cinderella Project is seeing the community come together to benefit the local youth.

“We collect hundreds of gowns each year, and it takes teams of volunteers weeks of preparation to make it a stunning showcase of gowns,” Kelley said. “The best part is that teens can have a magical night with their friends, and all at no cost.”

While not every dress that gets donated ends up being used, Kelley said they all go to a good cause regardless. When the dresses are received, they are thoroughly sorted and checked for imperfections such as stains, rips, and tears. The best quality dresses are cleaned and placed on the gown floor.

“Any gown that is deemed good, but not for us, we donate either to the Special School District, Goodwill, or if it is beyond repair, we recycle the dress,” Kelley said.

Mallory Kaimann, fashion teacher, said secondhand or homemade prom dresses are great, cost effective options for those who can’t afford a full priced prom dress.

“I know a lot of people will sell their prom dresses to people they know or on Facebook Marketplace, which is great for people who want a dress that’s just one season behind or is still in style, but is discounted in price” Kaimann said.

Second hand prom dresses are often posted on websites and apps such as Depop, Poshmark, and Facebook marketplace. Because the dresses have already been worn, sellers post dresses at prices much lower than face value.

Another option is making your own prom dress. Tiktok and YouTube creators frequently post tutorials, or their creation process, which viewers can replicate. People consider handmade dresses because they are one of a kind, as well as being able to create exactly what the wearer wants.

“I think making your prom dress is a great option if you have those skills,” Kaimann said. “You can think of things that are intricate or you can do something that’s super simple.”

Niha Sanjeeva, junior, is currently in the process of hand making her own formal gown, with hopes of wearing it to prom.

“I’m making a light, flowy dress,” Sanjeeva said. “I saw the trend of people wearing things like that to prom and I really wanted one for myself, so I decided to make one to see if I could wear it to my own prom.”

Sanjeeva said the dressmaking process is quite lengthy.

“For me, since I’m making a long dress, it requires a pattern, which normally you would find in a store, but I had to find mine online, print it out and then tape it together and cut it out,” Sanjeeva said. “Then I’ll have to place it on the fabric and cut that out as well, along with the lining, which will be on the inside of the dress.”

Sanjeeva said she plans to take more creative liberties with her dress, rather than following strict instructions.

“There are a bunch of instructions to follow to make a specific dress but for me, I want to make it a bit different,” Sanjeeva said. “So I have to create my own type of instructions and make it up as I go.”

Sanjeeva learned her skills through online tutorials, as well as the fashion classes at MHS.

“During COVID, I remember seeing tutorial and DIY videos on YouTube. Then freshman year I signed up for Fashion 1 and decided to get a head start,” Sanjeeva said. “In Fashion 2, we made a sweater type garment, and it was cool because we got to showcase it in the Lindenwood fashion show, and I won an award for mine, which was awesome.”

This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on April 5, 2023.