April 17, 2023
By Elida Kuka
Staff Writer
The end of the school year brings formal events like the prom and senior banquet for which female students need long dresses. However, buying dresses for these events can be challenging for students.
That is why LHS’ faculty and staff have come together to try to make prom preparation easier.
“We are facing a ton of stress because no one wants to get the same dress as anyone else, and most of these dresses are really expensive,” junior Evelyn Notice said.
She said students can expect to spend about $500 on a dress.
Notice said LHS’ fashion boutique is a great idea.
“Some girls consider not going to prom at all because of dresses, [so] this would bring more people to prom,” Notice said.
Nurse Nowinski said for years she and Nurse Buckingham have collected dresses, accessories and shoes from members of the Lyndhurst community and then offered them to students free of charge. She said this is something all schools should do.
The fashion boutique, which is located in the drop-in center in the basement by the art room, opened in mid-March and can be browsed during school hours. Nowinski said students who want to try on a dress can see her or Buckingham and then try on the dresses in the nurse’s office.
“Since we are young, most of us don’t have jobs or the money to pay large amounts of money for a dress.”
“This year, we received over 300 gowns donated, and there is a space to display them for the students in need to look through,” Nowinski said.
Nowinski said cost should not prohibit students from attending prom, as LHS has a fund to help students who need assistance paying for school events.
“We will always pay for any junior that would like to attend prom, whether it’s the prom bid, provide dresses [and] suits and even provide means to get their hair and makeup done,” Nowinski said.
As of April 6, Nowinski said 10 students picked up dresses from the boutique. Additionally, there have been a few suits that have been donated and are currently available. Nowinski said the store will stay open indefinitely, so students can pick up prom attire until the day of prom on May 4. Nowinski said she is also looking to expand the store’s offerings in the space next to its current location.
“Coming soon will be a room filled with all articles of clothing from pants and shoes,” Nowinski said. “It will be a room filled with clothes that students can go to and get free clothes as needed.”
Junior Genesis Blanco said students who do not know where to look for dresses, lack the time to go shopping or cannot travel to faraway dress shops can all benefit from the fashion boutique.
“Since we are young, most of us don’t have jobs or the money to pay large amounts of money for a dress,” Blanco said.
She said she has not yet selected a dress for prom and is considering checking out the fashion boutique.
“I would check the store because, who knows, I might like something and find my future prom dress,” said Blanco.
