Ever dream of that gorgeous, knock-em-dead prom dress, and then come to the realization that you’d have to baby-sit every Friday night for a year to pay for it?
Unfortunately, many young girls in high school don’t have the financial option of paying for these dresses that can run from $100 and up.
That’s why Oxford resident Lorie Bosetti and OHS teacher Scott Couch came up with the idea to collect used special occasion dresses and sell them for more than three times less than many dress stores.
‘I’ve got a lot of dresses coming,? Bosetti said as she looked at the seven or eight hanging in her living room window. ‘My goal is to get 50 dresses.?
Bosetti, whose daughter Katherine is a junior at OHS, was in charge of the pre-prom fashion show held at the school a couple weeks ago and couldn’t believe how much girls would fork out for a prom dress.
‘The kids just can’t afford it,? she said. ‘A lot of parents are losing their jobs and their houses and can’t afford anything extra.?
Sometime in April, Bosetti plans to take all the dresses she has collected to the school and sell them during the lunch hours for no more than $25.
A special dressing area will be set up so the girls can make sure they find the right fit, and Bosetti’s friend, Mary Jane Peltier, has agreed to donate her time for making alterations.
All proceeds from the dresses will help pay for the OHS junior/senior prom on May 2 at Petrazello’s in Troy.
For those girls who may be a little apprehensive about purchasing a dress during the lunch hours, Bosetti will welcome your calls and will even drive to your home with the dresses if need be.
Those interested in donating a dress, feel free to drop by Bosetti’s home at 696 S. Coats Rd., but she will also come to you. Dresses must be dry-cleaned prior to delivery.
‘I’ve had people from up in Port Huron contact me (to donate dresses),? she said. ‘I’m willing to go any place.?
After the Oxford prom, Bosetti said she hopes to be able to sell the dresses at both Lake Orion and Clarkston high school. Anything left after that, she will give to My Best Friend’s Closet, a local company that rents out formal wear.
Remember, all donations are tax deductible. March 31 is the cutoff for donating the prom dresses. For more information on how to donate or schedule a fitting, called Lorie Bosetti at (248) 628-8348 or e-mail her at LorieBeast@aol.com.