My Sister’s Dress helps make prom affordable for students

The clothes worn for special occasions are part of the memories created during the event. That is why each donated dress comes with a story behind it, Stephanie Ormsby said.

“She wore it for a wedding, or for a military ball. It is a good fit for them, to drop it off here,” Ormsby said as she pulled a few formal gowns off a rack to show a reporter.

Those donated dresses will soon have a second chance to create new memories for prom-goers.

For the past several weeks, women have been dropping off dresses at her Crystal Lake store, Wear Did U Get That, and other locations around McHenry County for the first My Sister’s Dress formal wear sale since the pandemic began in 2020.

The sale is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at McHenry County College gymnasium, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake. More than 1,000 dresses will be available to choose from for $25 each.

My Sister’s Dress is designed “to make prom affordable to everyone,” said Emily Smith.

In 2008, Smith and her sister-in-law, Whitney Ruth, started talking about what to do with dresses once the event was over and came up with the resale event idea. Not only could they help girls afford the annual dance, but also use any money raised to support a nonprofit organization, Smith said.

Those proceeds are given to the Education to Empowerment scholarship at McHenry County College and Home of the Sparrow. “Historically the sale has brought in up to 1,000 dresses, $5,000 for local nonprofits, and sold approximately 250 dresses every year,” according to a prepared release.

In the years since the dress sale started, it is the community that made the event happen, Smith said.

“There have been hundreds of supporters over the years that have made each sale a success. Volunteers who champion dress drives all over the county and work on marketing the event, committees who have done fundraising, logistics and organizing volunteers for the sale,” Smith said.

The last sale was held March 7, 2020, a week before the first stay-at-home orders were announced due to COVID-19. Proms everywhere were cancelled.

“Little did we know there would be no prom and the world would shut down,” said Erin McElroy, one of the marketing committee volunteers. Many of those dresses went unworn, she said.

What has not stopped in the two years since the last sale was the support the event has received, McElroy said.

Stores and businesses, high schools, clubs, and other nonprofit groups have been collecting dresses. Volunteers have sorted them. On Friday night, volunteers will take over the MCC gym to organize dresses by size and color group before the doors open, McElroy said.

The event is not just for prom dresses. Shoppers are encouraged to purchase dresses for homecoming dances, college formals, weddings and pageants. Jill Feetterer, also of Wear Did U Get That, said they received several dresses that would be perfect for mothers of the bride or groom, too.

There have been hundreds of supporters over the years that have made each sale a success. Volunteers who champion dress drives all over the county and work on marketing the event, committees who have done fundraising, logistics and organizing volunteers for the sale.”

—  Emily Smith

In past years, the remaining dresses would be donated after the prom to the Sparrow’s Nest Thrift Stores. This year, the remaining dresses will go to Cinderella’s Closet in Elgin. Ran by volunteers at the YWCA Elgin, that event also allows girls to shop for their prom and special events. Shopping there is done by reservation.

“We’ve experienced-shared a lot over the years,” Smith said of the two organizing groups.

“Our event is almost always before theirs and there are always people that miss ours. Here is another opportunity” to find an affordable dress, she said.

More information about the event can be found at the My Sister’s Dress Facebook page.