SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — A donated prom dress can mean more than saving money, it can give a student a memory they'll never forget. That's the idea behind the Formal Collective, a year-round effort created by E. Marie Sissle that provides dresses, suits, and accessories to sixth through 12th grade students for prom, homecoming, and other formal events.
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For 17-year-old Kennedy Bell, finding the right prom dress meant navigating a market where formal wear can cost hundreds of dollars.
"I was just on the hunt for a dress, and like literally nothing. I couldn't find anything, especially that wasn't like $400," Bell said.
Bell says donated dresses can give students the chance to be part of a milestone they might otherwise miss.
" I think it's really important for people to donate their dresses that they don't want or they don't use anymore, just so, like, you know, people in high school and middle school have a chance to go to prom because those are like once in a lifetime opportunities," Bell said.
Sissle says she has seen that impact firsthand.
"They would come, and they say, 'Well, I wasn't going to my prom, but now I have a dress, and now I'm going to go.' That's happened now every year," Sissle said.
After years of helping with Operation Prom at the Palmer Monroe Teen Center, Sissle realized the need for formal wear extended beyond prom season. That realization led her to expand her efforts into a year-round program accepting formal wear donations from the community.
The goal of the effort is to make sure that when a special event rolls around, local families have the opportunity to look their best.
If you are interested in donating or looking for formal wear, you can reach out to Sissle by clicking here.
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