Five Ways to Recycle Your Prom Dress

Polyvore Prom Dress Collage

The end of the school year is fast approaching—hooray! Soon there will be no more projects, presentations, or papers to worry about. For our younger gal pals, however, they’ve got another “P”-word to address: Prom.

You might have noticed all the pictures of dresses, corsages, and limos dancing down your Facebook and Twitter timelines. And maybe that got you thinking: ‘What in the world am I going to do with my old Prom dresses?’

Surely they can’t stay stuffed away in a closet at your parent’s house forever, but packing them up and moving them to your after-college abode is a little excessive. So what’s a girl to do? Well, perhaps you could…

1 – Sell them.

This is an obvious solution, but let’s just address it up front. There are plenty of girls who can’t afford the new spring 2014 prom collection from high retail stores, and yet don’t want to miss out on the most magical night of their high school career. Selling your dress to a little sister in need benefits them and you—we all could use a little extra cash in our pockets.

2 – Give them away.

So maybe you’re not too keen on the thought of having a classy high school student pay for your four year old hand-me downs, and maybe the dress isn’t exactly in its prime (but still totally wearable). That’s okay! Donating your dress to a younger sibling or a girl you know can make giving your garment away even more special; being able to hand select the girl you give your dress away to only adds to the fun.

3 – Make them another dress. Or shirt. Or skirt!

The fun of fabric is that you can take one piece of material and turn it into something new. You know that dress with the poufy skirt and the gorgeous corset bodice? The one that you can never wear again? Why not grab a pair of scissors and a sewing machine and take that dress from promenade to house party? Altering you dress so that it becomes a pretty skirt, a dressy top, or even a more simplified version of the same dress lets you get you get all the bang for your buck and adds to your wardrobe too.

PS: There are tons of helpful, simple DIY videos on YouTube on how to make minor alterations to clothing. No expertise needed!

4 – Make it into a keepsake.

If you’re more interested in preserving the specialness of that night, this may be the one for you. You can commemorate the evening by selecting a square of fabric from the garment and framing it. Or you can use the material to make a case for a decorative pillow or get creative with some doilies! Much like number 3, you may need a pair of scissors or a sewing machine for this.

5 – Halloween costume.

The golden rule for any piece of clothing aren’t going to wear again, but don’t want to throw away – use it for Halloween. Whether you incorporate the whole gown into your costume, or just use it for scrap material (like sequins or beading), there are endless ways to use a prom dress to add to your costume craziness.

Prom is a day where the worlds of strategic planning and wild fun meet and marry, but the fantasy doesn’t fade at the end of the night—all the magic is still there in your stellar dress! With a little resourcefulness or creativity you can help the legacy live on without cramping your closet.

Author: Destiny Mitchell is a Journalism major at Olivet Nazarene University. Follow her on Twitter at @dezzykay.