It’s prom season! But that doesn’t apply to you because you’re in college and have no such event to attend. Chances are, you have a dress or some other fancy apparel just hanging in your closet waiting to be worn. Instead of taking up space in your closet, your prom dress can be repurposed or work its way into other formal events that are not prom.
Shorten your dress.
Hem it into a cocktail dress and wear it to weddings, date nights, banquets, anything that isn’t prom. This is a good way to keep wearing your dress without altering too much of its original appearance. Shortening your prom dress is probably the most practical way to keep wearing a dress from high school.
Give or lend your dress to someone.
There is definitely someone out there desperately looking for a last-minute dress for prom. The parents of whoever you lent the dress to with be eternally grateful for the free dress. Letting someone re-wear your dress can be a nice reminder of your time at prom.
Swap it.
Maybe trade one prom dress for a less-promy dress?
Donate it.
Donating your dress is a great way to give your dress a second life as well as let another person go to prom. Prom can be extremely expensive. According to USA Today, teens spend an average of more than $600 on prom. This cost can exclude students from attending prom, especially since most proms have a dress code and require formal dresses.
Organizations like Becca’s Closet and Operation Glass Slipper as well as local events are all opportunities to donate prom dresses.
David’s Bridal has a partnership with Becca’s Closet, making it easy to donate by offering shipping labels.
Wear it to other formal events.
If you’re not ready to alter or donate your dress, look for other opportunities to wear your dress out. Wear it to the symphony, a musical or play, perhaps a charity event or gala (maybe only if you’re one of the characters on Gossip Girl, but who knows what will come your way).
Get creative and think of ways to incorporate your dress into your regular formal ensemble. If you’re a Gustavus student, wear your dress to the President’s Ball. If you’re ever invited to a military ball, a prom dress is the perfect attire since these events are quite formal. Try wearing it to a formal sorority party.
If you’re really extra:
Make your dress into a throw pillow. Yeah, that’s a thing. Here are a few links for your next DIY project: one on making your own throw pillow, the other specifically for formal dresses.
Though your prom days may be over, you can still find a way to let you or another person enjoy a perfectly good prom dress. Either way, it’s better than letting it hang in the closet.