Free Prom Dress Boutique to Open March 8 & 9

The Manchester Ladies Society met on Saturday to sort and size prom dresses in anticipation of the Free Prom Dress Boutique coming up on March 8th & 9th.

Manchester girls going to prom will have a new option when it comes to prom dress shopping this year. For two days only, Manchester will have a “Free Prom Dress Boutique”. Girls will be able to come browse, try-on, and leave with a dress for free. The temporary shop will be set up in the Village Room, located under the library, at 912 City Road on March 8th and 9th, from 1pm to 4pm both days.

Last summer, flyers popped up around town asking for donations of prom dresses. The response was phenomenal. The Ladies Society, the organization running the shop, currently has about 55 formal dresses in different colors, sizes and styles and will continue to collect donations of dresses up to the last minute. All of the dresses are in like new condition and clean.

While the idea started as a recycling program, to cut down on the environmental impact of purchasing a dress to wear one time, there is also a financial benefit to the idea. Formal dresses purchased new cost hundreds of dollars. Girls often end up borrowing a dress from a friend’s closet to wear to prom. The boutique will work the same way, but on a larger scale with more selection.

In addition to the dresses, a professional hair stylist will be on-hand giving hair-styling suggestions to go with the dresses and experienced sewers will be on hand to do small alterations on-site. There will be refreshments for the those accompanying the girls while they wait.

If you have a clean formal dress, shoes or jewelry you would like to donate, bring it to the front desk of the library during regular operating hours. If you would like to volunteer to work at the boutique, would like to help set-up/decorate the night before or have another idea to help make this event special, contact Jessica Bushaw at manchesterladiessociety@gmail.com.

close-up of one of the prom dress that will be available at the boutique

this gorgeously beaded and sequined dress has only been worn twice before

close-up of the dress

this brand new chocolate brown satin dress still has it’s tags on it and sold for $120.

dresses vary in styles, colors and sizes

some of the dresses come with accompanying wraps

close up of a pink dress

close-up of rhinestone-trimmed dress

Ladies Society members Kristy Hammond and Beckie Brewis checking over a sophisticated long white dress. Every dress was checked from top to bottom for snags or stains.

close-up of beaded lavender dress

there is a small selection of dress shoes to go with the dresses

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.