PHOENIX — Prom season is arriving, and the high cost of formalwear can add up quickly for families. However, students are finding ways to get the perfect look without the high price tag through thrift stores and free community programs.
For 17-year-old Solise Deshaw, prom dress shopping is a treasure hunt. Her prom theme is "Midnight in Paris," and she started her search at Goodwill, where she quickly found multiple options.
"I got my dress here last year for like 10 bucks,” Deshaw, a high school senior in Phoenix, said.
While budget-friendly prom dresses at many retailers can cost up to $200, Goodwill offers significantly lower prices.
"You're looking at prices anywhere from like a dress for $10 to like $25 max, and at a big box store, you're probably paying over $100 easy," Mjellma Gashi Joco, Social and Communications Manager for Goodwill, said.
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With donations that come in year-round, Goodwill shoppers can find shoes, clutches, and dresses ranging from vintage early 2000s styles to classic elegance. There are also standout pieces for young men, with two-piece suits available for $13.
Deshaw is taking advantage of daily rotating discounts and coupons to stretch her dollar even further, meaning less stress and more excitement for her senior prom.
"It's pretty important,” Deshawn said. "I shop here a lot, and there's coupons. And I don't know, I like Goodwill. It's fun you find unique stuff."
For teens in northern Arizona, another option provides formalwear at no cost. The Priceless Prom Project is located inside the Pine Ridge Marketplace in Prescott.
"They will think they're in a large retail store, because it looks like a store, and we have hundreds of prom dresses. All sizes and colors. We have a section with tuxedos, suits, ties, bow ties. And everything is free," Diane DeLong, Senior program manager for the North Star Youth Partnership, said.
Run by Catholic Charities' North Star Youth Partnership since 2009, the program uses community donations to help students dress for prom for free.
DeLong says the relief is life-changing for many families.
"There was a mother she told me she broke down in tears. There was no way she could afford prom attire. She came with her daughter, and they left with a beautiful dress and purse and shoes and jewelry, and their smiles just summed up why we do what we do," DeLong said.
The Priceless Prom shop is open on select dates at 434 W. Gurley St., Prescott:
March 26, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
March 28, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
March 31, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
April 1, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
April 2, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
April 4, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
April 7, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
April 9, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Alanna King at 928-379-1667, or aking@cc-az.org.
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