Need a prom dress? Get a new one free from The Princess Project

ByJobina Fortson KGO logo
Friday, March 8, 2019
Need a prom dress? Get a new one free from The Princess Project
A Cupertino shop is helping prom dreams come true by offering free prom dresses, jewelry, shoes, and bags to Bay Area teens.

CUPERTINO, Calif. (KGO) -- From the outside, The Princess Project looks like a standard shop along a Cupertino strip mall, but step inside and you'll be blown away! Jewels, tulle, and every color you could possibly imagine fill the building.

"We basically are focused on building self-confidence and individual beauty for teens who could not otherwise afford to go to prom or buy a prom dress," Emily Harborne, president of The Princess Project, said.

The organization, run entirely by volunteers, is offering free prom dresses, jewelry, shoes, and bags to Bay Area teens. No matter how large or small the financial need, they want to help.

"We have about 8,000 dresses and about 90-percent of them are brand new," Harborne said.

The Princess Project in Silicon Valley will officially open for shoppers on Saturday and Sunday, but dress giveaways will also be held on March 13th, March 16th to the 17th, and March 19th.

Young ladies wishing to shop should make an appointment online and bring their student I.D. with them to shop.

Mikel Re, vice-president of The Princess Project, took ABC7 News reporter Jobina Fortson on a shopping tour inside their warehouse to get the full experience.

"They (teens) will be assigned a fairy godmother," Re said. The fairy godmothers serve as personal shoppers for the teens.

Re said the goal is to make teens feel comfortable and special.

"We do not like to talk about sizes by number," Re said.

The Princess Project offers sizes up to 30.

Re picked out some show-stopping looks. She and other volunteers hope students will take advantage of a variety of styles and sizes and shop with them. Remember, it's free!

"Do not feel concerned about it," Harborne said. "You're going to feel amazing here. You are totally welcome, beautiful, and accepted."

The Princess Project serves San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sonoma County and San Diego. For more information, go here.