Tradition brings joy to high schoolers
To a teenage girl, prom is a celebration of high school success and a final celebration before leaving high school.
“It’s kind of a rite of passage,” former teenage girl Alexandria Patterson said.
But prom dresses can be incredibly expensive. That’s why Patterson, who owns Make It Yours Alterations and Formal Wear, started a program to give girls free prom dresses.
“I don’t want any girl to not be able to experience prom because of money,” Patterson said.
Since 2022, she has given girls the opportunity to get free and reduced cost prom dresses on the first Saturday of March, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This month, the event was scheduled for Saturday, March 7.
“We have a big tent we put the dresses in. And we have girls come shop for a free dress,” she said.
The event had hundreds of donated dresses to choose from.
“I’ve never seen an opportunity like this before,” Gilmer High School senior Lauren Smith said. “I think it’s really cool that we get the opportunity to get free prom dresses.”
Prom is a huge cultural event. But prom dresses have gotten more expensive over the years.
Today, a new dress can cost as much as $900.
The event at Make It Yours had hundreds of free dresses available.
There were also free vests, ties and bow ties available for boys.
“If a girl picks out a dress, she can maybe pick out a tie that matches the dress,” Patterson said.
There’s also a special raffle open for any girl attending a prom in Gilmer County.
The winner gets a gift card for free hairstyling, nail treatments, makeup, photography and shoes.
If dresses don’t fit, Patterson offers extremely cheap alterations to get perfect.
Most prom dresses are only used once.
Make it Yours is located at 572 Maddox Drive, Suite 201A in East Ellijay. Anyone can drop off a clean used dress for future students to use.
For girls and parents, small acts of generosity like this one can mean the world. She has seen parents cry in her store after their daughters found a beautiful free dress.
“It’s not just being able to help the girl. But it’s also a way to help the parent as a fellow parent,” Patterson said.