Cinderella's Closet making prom dreams come true
Mar. 7—For teenage girls across the country, prom is a night to remember, but getting a special dress for the occasion isn't always easy. That's why one St. Joseph organization is stepping in to help make prom night as perfect as possible.
The Junior League of St. Joseph adopted Cinderella's Closet in 2009. The event allows girls to come and shop for a prom dress and accessories at no cost. Each girl is paired with a Junior League member who serves as their personal stylist, helping the girls coordinate their ensemble.
"It's fantastic. I've been doing this for three years and it's nice to see girls come in ... You can see their faces light up. You get to see that they have a dress to be in for a prom and feel comfortable and feel confident," said Metchel Rosmolen, director of Cinderella's Closet.
But it's not just prom. Cinderella's Closet has both a spring and fall session; spring caters to prom, while fall caters to homecoming and military balls.
"We're slowly going into homecoming dresses. But mainly if a girl needs a prom dress or military gown, they can come to our closet and get a dress for free," she said.
Rosmolen said the group's goal is to give girls a local place to shop without asking any questions.
"I mean, not all girls can afford a prom dress ... you show up and say, 'I just need a dress.' Someone helps you find that dress ... just to make them feel better about themselves, knowing that they don't have to go spend a couple hundred dollars on this dress is just rewarding," she said.
Her favorite part is simply getting to help the girls in the community.
"When you're able to help that girl who couldn't afford a dress, who didn't feel confident in her dress, and she came here and she found something, she feels good," she said. "And I think that's what we all strive for and we all love so much."
All of the dresses and accessories at Cinderella's Closet come from community donations. The organization is currently in need of dresses sizes 15 and up. If you have a formal dress just laying around, consider dropping it off at Maurices inside East Hills Mall, the AFL-CIO at 1203 N. Sixth St. or the Junior League building at 3007 N. Belt Highway on a Cinderella's Closet day.
The first closet day is Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An appointment is preferred, however, walk-ins are accepted. To make an appointment, you can sign up on the group's Facebook page.
"We have several dates for girls to choose from, and if we're booked ... just send us a message and we can always accumulate more dates for girls," Rosmolen said.
For a full list of Cinderella's Closet days, visit the Junior League website.
