“I want them to come in and feel beautiful, regardless of what’s going on at home or school or how much money they may not have,” said Fairy Glam Project founder Nikole Perkins. “I want them to go to prom and feel that way. Nobody has to know you got your dress for free or only ten dollars.”
Perkins continues to use her passion for fashion as a platform to give back as she prepares for her 5th Annual Fairy Glam Project Prom Expo this Saturday.
She is again partnering with Girls Inc. to present a prom expo that is allows girls preparing for prom to come in and browse through hundreds of dresses for prices that start at $10 – $30.
“$30 gets you brand new tags still attached,” Perkins bragged.
And what started out as a simple dress donation has evolved into an esteem building and self-love experience for young women across the city and county.
“The First year I did it, it was just me trying to help a couple of girls,” Perkins said. “When I partnered with Girls Inc., I was like ‘let’s do a prom expo,’ with speakers, presentations and everything – about prom and about life. If we could help one girl from making the wrong decision on prom night it would be worth it.”
The discounted dresses draw them in Fairy Glam Project’s big day also imparts lifelong lessons to the ladies who stop through.
“Giving them dresses is all fine and dandy,” Perkins said. “But so much goes on – so much peer pressure where girls are pressured into compromising positions and I wanted to give them something more. I wanted to also use the opportunity to let them know that they are special and it’s okay to wait and offer them encouragement.”
Speakers, tutorials, fashion shows go on simultaneously as mothers and daughters shop and selected recipients of a free prom experience from the Fairy Glam Project get their prom wishes granted.
“I also want to let them know that beauty on prom night starts from within,” Perkins said. “I’ve seen a lot of dress donations going on, but I wanted to stand out and offer them something else along with it.”
Special guests have presented talks on everything from abstinence to confidence – and this year’s event will be along the same lines. This year’s guests include inspirational speaker Denise Williams and Christia DeShields, a fashion blogger, television host, stylists and educator. They will share their wisdom on how to make the beauty that lies within shine outward on an evening that often stands out among the highlights of high school experiences.
What started out as Perkins donating dresses to a handful of girls has become a vision fulfilled – and steadily growing – that has enhanced the prom experience for more than 500 young ladies. Through her partnership with Girls Inc., her program’s impact grew tenfold and she is grateful for the partnership.
“They have really supported me through the whole thing,” Perkins said. “They helped with flyers and speakers and we have formed a true partnership and they really been just as excited about fairy glam as I am.”
Energizer also teamed up with Perkins last year to donate their time as volunteers and as a corporation they presented Perkins with more than 200 dresses for the young ladies to select from.
Through The Fairy Glam Prom Expo, Perkins has often felt like she was as much on the receiving end of her prom miracle as the young ladies she aided thank to the support of Girls, Inc., dozens of volunteers and Energizer employees– who donated nearly 150 dresses to Perkins’ worthy cause.
And just as it did with her, Perkins hopes that the experience leaves a lasting impression on the recipients.
“By this experience I want them to know somebody cared,” Perkins said. “And not just from me – because I couldn’t have done it by myself. Through this event I want these young ladies to see that regardless of your situation, there is always hope and a helping hand – and as long as you do what you’re supposed to do, the goodness will follow.”
The Fairy Glam Project’s 5th Annual Prom Expo will take place this Saturday (Mar. 23) from 12 noon – 3 p.m. at Girls Inc., 3801 Nelson Drive, 63121. For more information, visit www.fairyglamproject2013.myevent.com or call (314) 853-6365.
