A “prom”inent moment branching across various media regarding American high school such as “High School Musical”, “Not Another Teen Movie”, and even well known musical “The Prom”, Prom is a magical moment for many highschoolers with much of the build-up revolving around what to wear.
Unfortunately, this stand-out memory costs a pretty penny. While some dresses from cheaper websites cost a low $30, it isn’t uncommon for students to spend upwards of $150-$200 on dresses.
However, Arroyo Grande High School’s “Clothes for a Cause” club is collaborating with San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande Public Library to make the magical moment more accessible for everyone. Club presidents Isabel Levy (‘24), and Ivy Childers (‘24) are helping students get used prom dresses for free while simultaneously protecting the environment by limiting the amount of new dresses bought.
The event’s inventory consists of over 50 dresses for students to try.
Though this one-time event is beneficial to all students in helping them find affordable clothing, the event is only an extension of the club’s main purpose.
“[We] wanted to create a way for students to not only be able to donate clothing but also for students to be able to acquire clothing that was cool, and upcycled, and sewn, and tie-dyed, and all of these things, and then sold at a school thrift store,” Levy said. “And we keep it really inexpensive so we make it between three and seven dollars maximum.”
Additionally, the club will work with AGHS’s cosmetology and photography classes for other aspects of the event. Cosmetology students will provide hair and makeup services, with photography students taking photos of student models to display the temporary prom shop’s inventory.
Overall, all participants helping to make the event happen are doing much more than making prom affordable.
“[I’m] looking forward to the way this is going to impact student’s ability to be able to feel special and look how they would like to on prom, because prom is an important experience—especially for seniors,” Levy said. “I wanted students to not only feel like they had the means to look and feel how they want to for prom [but also] feel special.”
The pressure to spend a lot of money is lessened, and students can enjoy the prom dress shopping experience without financial stress. With the various services presented by the club and other participants, many students are grateful for the dresses they received along with the memories they allow them to make.
