of Stony Brook is offering girls a chance to feel like a fairy this prom season by accepting dress donations for those who cannot afford to buy their dream prom dresses.
“Every year we say we should do this,” owner Hazmik Buzzetta said. “Finally this year, we are going to do it and we are offering an incentive to get people out and actually donating.”
To encourage people to participate, anyone who donates a dress to the Prom Fairy Project from now until April will receive a $50 gift card towards another special occasion dress from Flair. The store will also be donating a selection of new dresses to the project.
“Customers were always telling me that they had these dresses but didn’t know what to do with them or where exactly to donate them,” Buzzetta said. “Now this gives people a place to donate and also offers something nice for them with the gift card.”
The Prom Fairy Project is one of a handful of organizations in New York part of the nationwide organization Donatemydress.org, dedicated to helping girls look and feel great on important days such as proms, Sweet Sixteens or other formal events.
Although it is the first time Flair will be participating in a dress drive, the store is well equipped when it comes to outfitting promgoers. The boutique sells both day and evening wear and includes designers such as BCBG Max Azria and Betsey Johnson. Clothes are available in sizes 0 through 26 and can be altered onsite by Buzzetta herself. Flair also features jewelry handcrafted by local residents that can help accessorize outfits.
“The idea is that the girls can come in here and it’s a one stop shop, they dress from head to toe and then they leave here looking fabulous," Buzzetta said.
A “Boutique Day” will be held in April at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization's . On this day—with a date still to be determined—the girls will be able to come and select their prom dresses.
Buzzetta is looking for volunteers, preferably older women, who can help with the “Boutique Day” and help girls pick out the right dresses for them.
