Here are 2 places to get free dresses and more this prom season in the Triangle, NC

Prom, for generations, has been a highlight of many people’s high school experience.

The excitement begins when your crush asks you to be their date. It continues through coordinating colors, scheduling hair appointments and seeing your school’s gym transformed into a dance floor.

For many families, figuring out how to pay for dresses, shoes and all the extras can get expensive. Prom dresses alone can cost up to $300 or more, not including alterations.

In the Triangle, at least two events will make dress shopping easier. The Apex United Methodist Church Prom Shoppe and the Say Yes to the Prom Dress event offer free, gently worn prom dresses and accessories.

Apex UMC Prom Shoppe

When: March 8, 3 to 7 p.m. and March 9, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Apex United Methodist Church, 100 S. Hughes St., Apex

How to participate: Walk-ins are welcome; no RSVP or proof of hardship is needed

Sixteen years ago, the Prom Shoppe at Apex United Methodist Church began in a small closet after a congregation member noticed girls at the church who wanted to attend prom but could not afford to go.

Last year, the Prom Shoppe saw 600 girls come through, and 550 left with a dress, said Brandy Sadler, the president of the Prom Shoppe. She hopes this year’s turnout will be even bigger.

“Inflation and everything is just astronomical now, so we’re really hoping to get the word out to who needs to hear it that we’re here and we are happy to help people who need a little extra help,” she said.

The Prom Shoppe is donation and volunteer-based, with 25% of the dresses coming from partnerships with boutiques that donate dresses each year.

This year, the event has about 2,000 dresses. Nearly half of them are new, Sadler said.

The church’s gym is transformed over three days into a boutique with 12 dressing rooms. Dress sizes go up to 5X, while shoes range from a size 6 to 11. Accessories include jewelry, shawls, handbags, and makeup. Girls who get dresses and accessories get to keep everything.

“Our goal is to give these girls the best possible experience and not to feel any different from their peers who are shopping at the designer boutiques,” Sadler said. “The best way to do that is to give them the full experience. It’s not just about a dress. It’s about providing a safe space, providing support, love and encouragement.”

Donations of new and gently worn prom dresses and accessories can be made through Friday, March 1, at:

• Apex United Methodist Church

• Twisted Scissors Salon, 950 High House Road, Cary

• EnV Salon, 219 N Salem St., Suite 102, Apex

For updates go to the Apex United Methodist Church Prom Shoppe’s Facebook page.

Say Yes to the Prom Dress

When: March 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Tarboro Community Center, 121 N. Tarboro St., Raleigh

How to participate: RSVP at iamworthitfoundation.org/say-yes-to-the-prom-dress or walk in

The I am Worth It Foundation is a Raleigh-based nonprofit that provides college scholarships and school supplies like backpacks to high school students. This is the second year the foundation is holding the event in Raleigh, with over 400 dresses available.

Last year, the event drew 110 girls. The free dresses they get are theirs to keep.

“We really aim to make it a really exciting event for everybody who comes because we know that getting a free prom dress might not be the most appealing or exciting thing,” Payne said.

To make the girls feel special, Payne said the event will have a DJ, a caricature artist, and local nail artists offering free press-on nails. Girls who arrive without an adult will be assigned a personal shopper to help them find dresses to try on.

Payne created the I Am Worth It Foundation two years ago, drawing on her own struggle to pay for higher education and feel encouraged about her future. The foundation partners with the Raleigh nonprofit SAGE to empower teen girls in underserved communities.

While prom expenses can vary depending on the region and personal style, teenagers and their families often spend up to $1,000 on outfits, prom tickets, cars or limousines, hair, make-up and corsages.

“Prom sometimes can get overlooked, but it’s such an important teenage rite of passage,” Payne said. “We want to take away some of those financial barriers that might preclude somebody from being able to go and have an amazing prom.”

Donations of new and gently worn prom dresses for the Saturday event were accepted until Wednesday. However, Payne said donations for next year’s event and purchases made on their Amazon Wishlist will be accepted anytime.