It’s about that time of the year: prom season! The memories of prom still flood our memories from a few years ago; the carefree dancing, the priceless moments with friends, that princess feeling we had when wearing our gowns…
But that part of our lives is in the past, and we have old prom dresses lying around unused. Maybe you’re keeping it as a memory, or maybe you’re stumped on what exactly you should do with it. Nevertheless, here are a few ways to reuse and recycle your old prom dress!
Frame it in a shadow box
If you’re set on saving the dress as a memory, don’t let it hang lifelessly in your closet; fold it and put it into a shadow frame so you can hang it up and display how gorgeous it is! You can add the shoes you wore, the invitation, your picture with your date, your corsage, and the hair accessories you used–get creative!
Use the material for other projects
If you’re daring enough, grab some scissors and cut up that dress to use for other things–like crafts or garment-making. You can re-hem the bottom of the long gown to make a short dress; you can cut off the top part and make a cute top, or cut off the bottom to make a super chic maxi skirt (or short skirt if you like!). The possibilities are endless!
Save it for future events or generations
If you’re not daring enough to take some scissors and cut up your precious memories, then maybe saving the dress is the way to go! You can use it for other fancy occasions, like galas and awards shows; or you can save it for your younger siblings or future children. Lots of women pass their wedding dress on to their daughters, why not the same for prom dresses? And how adorable would it be to put pictures of you and your daughter in the same dress side-by-side?!
Donate to The Princess Project
The Princess Project is an organization that collects dresses and accessories from donors and corporate partners and holds events for high school girls that can’t afford prom dresses to get their dream dress for free! If you want to get rid of your dress, you can donate it to the organization and give a young girl her dream prom!