Jennifer Amato
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Dozens of girls from the greater Brunswick area are being treated to the beginning of “tangible memories” of their high school career.
The 5th Annual Sisterhood of the Traveling Prom Dress event was held Feb. 20 at South Brunswick High School (SHBS). More than 500 prom dresses had been collected throughout the year by members of the South Brunswick Vikings Closet Club and were provided free of charge to any high school student in the area, as well as accessories, jewelry, shoes and pocketbooks.
More than 100 high schoolers browsed through racks of prom dresses that were organized by style and color. Most were brand new with tags or barely worn. Five girls could peruse at a time before being directed to the dressing room area. They could choose their first dress for free, and $5 for dresses thereafter.
“It’s a fun event. It’s fun to enter raffles and to shop for cute dresses,” said Victoria Mayfield, a senior at SBHS, who was searching for an elegant but not-too-flashy dress for her senior prom.
“It’s very friendly. You have people your age coming up to you … telling you how it looks on you,” she said.
Victoria noted that prom is very important to high schoolers.
“From a young lady’s point of view, you’re going to a fancy event … and it’s a transition to womanhood for us, I feel,” she said.
Sakinah Tareen and Noor Kahn, both juniors, stopped by after their SAT exams.
Noor was impressed by the extensive variety of dresses.
“It’s really nice. It’s really organized according to style and length,” she said.
“You don’t have to go to so many different stores to find different types,” Sakinah agreed.
Avani Goyal actually found a dress that she wanted. A straight blue maxi gown with cut outs, she said it was “really nice” as she walked out of the dressing room.
However, because she was volunteering, she decided to put the dress back on the rack in case another girl wanted to have it.
“The quality of dresses here is amazing,” she said. “We get them cleaned … so they’re like trying on a new dress. They’re beautiful.”
The event began five years ago with just 25 dresses in a faculty room, according to advisor Jennifer Webb. Novo Nordisk and Cinderella’s Closet donated 400 more dresses that year, expanding the original plans for the event.
In the second year, the Traveling Prom Event was held in the annex library, followed by a return to the faculty room in the third year when the event was held on Thursdays after school.
Last year, the program utilized the red cafeteria but this year moved to a bigger space in the blue cafeteria.
“Personally, I believe [the success] is the money factor because prom dresses nowadays – sometimes girls spend $1,000,” Avani said. “It’s way too much to spend on a dress you’re wearing one night. This is a great opportunity to really most the most of an opportunity.”
The name stems from the idea that the dresses really do travel, as Webb said she has heard of girls wearing them in Ecuador and Puerto Rico.
“I see many of those dresses come back,” Webb said. “They want to give back, which is awesome. They know what it means to have a traveling dress. It comes back.”
This year, a large selection of dresses was credited to Our Fairy Godmother, an organization Jinhee Lee started three years ago in her home in South Jersey. She collects dresses from sororities, fraternities and high schools around New Jersey and resells them for $20, but offered to donate 130 this year to SBHS. Then, the school will donate any of their unused dresses back to Fairy Godmother.
“They’re a huge supporter for [us],” Lee said. “A number of dresses come from their organization so it’s a help for us.”
Lee began the initiative because she needed a dress during her junior year of high school.
“I realized there was a need for girls to buy prom dresses, or some girls would buy a dress and didn’t wear them again,” she said.
In addition to the actual dresses, several vendors were on site doing makeup, hair and henna. There were raffles for prom tickets, Coach bags and cosmetic services. Several local businesses donated money, their time and services to the girls.
“There’s a lot of stuff for free given,” Webb said. “And it gives you the whole experience – a little bit of everything you need for prom is right here.”
To complete the party atmosphere, “The NeverEnding Story” was shown on a large screen while musicians entertained as a quartet, with a violin, with a guitar and by singing. There was food donated by local restaurants.
Outside of the prom dress event, the Viking Closet Club collects clothes for anyone in need at the high school. An entire room on the third floor is dedicated to bins filled with clean items for students who may not be able to afford new clothes or, for instance, a student who left their gym clothes at home.
“Students walk in and take what they want, no questions asked,” said club member Sean Martin, whose sister Shannon was president of the club last year.
About 60 members of the club spent two weeks preparing for the prom dress event and volunteered during the day as greeters, personal shoppers and dressing room attendees. Webb said they stayed at school until 8 o’clock the night before and then went home to bake cupcakes.
“If you have something you can give to others, you can help make their lives better,” said sophomore Shiny Liu, a volunteer personal shopper and a member of the club. “I know if I’m in need there’s someone to help me and I appreciate that.”
She said all of the girls she met on Saturday were pleased with the event.
“When you see them getting dresses, they love them. They’re happy,” she said, noting that everyone hopes for a “tangible souvenir” on prom night.
“Prom is just a wrap up of high school. It’s important because kids see the value in it,” she said.
The Traveling Prom Dress event was followed by a prom preview fashion show at the high school at night.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].