Baldwin’s Pop-Up Prom Shop is an environmentally beneficial way for students to find their prom apparel this year – for free.
“Choosing a pre-loved dress not only reduces waste but also promotes environmentally conscious fashion,” middle school science and math teacher Leah Stock said.
Dresses are often purchased and worn only for a specific event. But the production of synthetic fibers, like polyester and nylon, causes pollution.
“We recycle clothes such as prom dresses, which most people only wear once,” said sophomore Mary-Katharine Stock, who is Leah’s sister.
The prom shop takes donations of gently used dresses and other attire to recycle for future use. It is an opportunity for a more eco-friendly look, while also ensuring the participants show up to prom in style.
In previous years, the prom shop had been advertised as a way to help students who had trouble being able to afford a new dress or suit for prom.
“Prom dresses can be pricey. Since we received all the dresses and suits from donations, they are all 100 percent free” to students, Leah Stock said.
The Stocks believe that by focusing on the environmental benefits, the shop can gain more attention and draw more student participation.
“Second-hand shopping can sometimes carry a stigma, and we wanted to shift the focus to the many benefits it offers,” Leah Stock said.
Mary-Katharine Stock agrees that the Pop-Up Prom Shop has various benefits, and she feels strongly about recycling and the benefits it brings.
“It is not just for people in need, but for the purpose of recycling, which is something my family and I value,” Mary-Katharine Stock said.
The Stock family began running the event two years ago.
“Dr. (Kara) Eckert used to run the Pop Up Shop before Leah and I took it over for her. We wanted to assist her and we felt like it was something fun we could do as a family to help our community,” said certified behavior technician Barbara Stock, mother of Leah and Mary-Katharine.
The shop has already received quite a few donations and hopes for a very positive outcome with a lot of student participation.
“We have about 100 gowns and close to 30 suits. We are going to have a one dress or one suit limit, so that we can help as many students as possible look amazing for prom,” Barbara Stock said.
The event will be held in the Think Tank in the Baldwin High School library on March 28 from 3 to 5 pm.
