The Prom Closet and Valley Girl Dresses offer low-cost or free prom wear to students.

GLENDALE prom season is upon us. Some high school students are looking for a more affordable and durable option when shopping for a dress this year.

The price of a new prom dress can range from $85 to $900, but most people will spend an average of $400 to $500, said Kunal Madan, co-founder of Amarra, a dress-making company. According to the company guide to manage prom costs, total costs could exceed $2,000.

The prom closet

Zoe Jane Sandige, a senior at Central High School, is looking forward to her school's Disney-themed prom. She wanted a dress that would mimic the classic Disney princess look without the high price tag.

The prom closet is a community service project sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Peoria, assisted by other West Valley Rotary Clubs, volunteers, donors and local businesses. It has been serving families across the state for 10 years. The Closet offers free new and gently used formal wear to all high school students.

Rotarians collect, sort and store donations throughout the year. They partner with local businesses, such as Century 21 Northwest Real Estate, which serve as donation drop-off points for people to bring their donations. Century 21 Northwest is one of the largest donation partners.

The closet is open for two weekends each April, where students can browse hundreds of dresses, suits, shoes and accessories. All students are welcome and there are no financial requirements or restrictions to participate.
Children come from more than 100 schools as far away as the Navajo reservation and as far south as Casa Grande, said Donnis Deever, former principal of The Prom Closet.

This year, students had the first chance to shop at The Prom Closet last weekend. On Saturday, volunteers helped approximately 235 high school students in their search for their perfect prom outfit. One of those high school girls was Zoe Jane. This year, she's taking her cousin who hasn't been able to attend a prom since she graduated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Zoe Jane and her mother, Dacia Wagoner, searched the racks for the right dress, they laughed and smiled. Zoe Jane took four dresses into the dressing rooms. Wagoner patiently waited alongside other parents for their children to take the stage and model their clothes.

When Zoe Jane emerged from behind the blue velvet curtain wearing a red dress, her face immediately lit up. As she spun around on stage in her red ballgown adorned with gold lace detailing, she was having her true Disney princess moment in what was clearly her perfect dress.

I love the top of the dress. The details are really pretty with all the beading, and it's a poofy dress so it fits the Disney princess theme, Zoe Jane said. Overall I would rate my experience a 9 out of 10. There are lots of choices and getting on stage was fun.

From there, there were accessories and modifications, also free. In addition to clothing, The Prom Closet also offers shoes and jewelry. On site, volunteers can make minimal modifications and adjustments to the outfits. While the volunteer seamstress attached some pieces of gold lace, Zoe Jane and her mother chose a gold and orange necklace and earring set that matched perfectly with the red dress. The final step was to steam the outfit and wrap it.

“When you watch these girls walk on stage, you can see the smiles and the reflections and you know how happy they feel,” said Gina Schmitz, co-director of The Prom Closet. Some of them have never worn a (ball) dress before. When they finally find that one, that smile, it makes you happy.

Valley Girl Dresses

A local business is also helping to reduce the cost of prom dresses.

Reilly Oliphant runs his dress rental business, Valley Girl Dresses, from her Gilbert casita in 2021. She receives dresses from family, friends and community members who donate to her business. She also purchased some of the dresses from his collection.

The dress rental business is managed through her Instagram account, Valley Girl Dresses, where clients can schedule a consultation with Oliphant. To prepare for the consultations, Oliphant hangs the dresses on a clothes rack in her casita. When customers arrive, they can try on several dresses that Oliphant chooses based on the size and style parameters they share with her, and customers can browse her inventory available on the website.

I originally decided to do this because I have a lot of friends who are photographers and they have a lot of clients who want really pretty dresses to get really good photos, Oliphant said. But now I go find people trying to find a dress for their bachelorette party, bridal shower, or prom.

Rentals range from $20 to $100. Oliphant will make small changes before pickup, and customers agree to pay for any damage it cannot repair.

Durability is huge for me. If you're pressed for time and need something quick and cheap, you usually get something from a website that isn't always focused on sustainability. My dresses are a great option because they are all durable and have been worn many times in the past, Oliphant said.

The ball closet will be open again Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The closet is located at the Glendale Elementary School District Health System Care Center, 7677 W. Bethany Home Road. To rent a dress from Valley Girl Dresses, direct message @valleygirldresses on Instagram.