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Goodwill Offers Prom Dress Bargains

Photos from Goodwill

More than 300 new prom dresses will go on sale Thursday and Friday at two Goodwill locations, with some prices slashed more than 70 percent off retail.

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By CLOE CABRERA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2009

Prom is a big deal in a teenager's life. And it's one of the priciest. Even more so when the economy is in a shambles and jobs are hard to come by.

As prom season approaches, lots of teens (and their parents) are stressing over how to make the big night magical on a shoestring budget.

But, OMG, skimp on the dress? Are you serious?

Well, this year you could find that Cinderella dress at a bargain price at Goodwill's "Prom Party" dress sale.

More than 300 new prom dresses will go on sale Thursday and Friday at two Goodwill locations, with some prices slashed more than 70 percent off retail.

The dresses were donated to Goodwill by two bridal boutiques, Bridal Liquidators in Ocala, which went out of business, and Olga's Bridal in Tampa.

"Everyone is looking for ways to save money and spend less in this economy," said Michael Ann Harvey, vice president of marketing for Goodwill Industries-Suncoast. "These dresses have never been worn and most of them still have the original price tags on them."

Want a little preview?

Offerings include a smoky lavender Justin Alexander strapless gown with beaded trim that retails for $1,000. Goodwill's price: $200.

There's also a strapless lilac gown with a beaded bodice and gathered skirt by Cosmobella. It's selling for $168, down from a retail price of $775.

And a sexy, strapless gown by Kathryn La Croix with elaborate rhinestone beading and net midriff inserts is selling for $98, down from $448.

The dresses range in sizes from 2 to 16, and plus sizes from 18 to 30.

The Prom Party dress sale will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at two Goodwill Superstore locations: 4102 W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa and 3365 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg. And no early birds; ladies will not be able to get into the prom dress area before 6 p.m.

The dresses will be evenly split between the two stores both days. If you can't get to the stores on Thursday, you will find a brand-new batch of dresses on Friday.

The money from any dress purchased from Goodwill will go toward helping the nonprofit's mission of providing education, training and job services for disadvantaged or disabled people.

"It's one of those sales where everybody wins," Harvey said.

DOLING OUT DENIM

Students at Tampa Bay Technical High School's Beta Club collected more than 600 pairs of jeans to help homeless teens through the Teens for Jeans drive.

"So many kids can't afford to buy clothes," said Katelyn Cook, 16, a TBT student who donated eight pairs of jeans. "Giving them a pair of jeans to wear is something that's so easy to do. And it felt really good."

Cook got her mom to clean out her closet and donate four pairs of jeans.

The denim is heading to teen retailer Aéropostale and DoSomething.org, a nonprofit organization that helps teens in need. The jeans will be donated to 500 youth shelters across the country. According to statistics, one-third of the homeless people in the United States are younger than 18.

After learning about the drive, which ended Feb. 22, Shelly Hollingsworth, a counselor at TBT and Beta Club Sponsor, asked her students to bring in their jeans. In two days, they collected more than 600 pairs.

"Just imagine what we would have been able to do if we had more time," Hollingsworth said. "We're going to start earlier next year."

SHOPPING DREAMS COME TRUE

Shopping is one of Seqouia and Azreail Hudson's favorite pastimes, and the St. Petersburg sisters got a chance to do lots of it when the Children's Dream Fund granted them each a wish. The sisters, who have been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, traveled by limousine to Tyrone Square Mall and shopped at their favorite stores, including Forever 21, Claire's and Victoria's Secret.

Got an idea worth Hot Pursuit? E-mail me at ccabrera@tampatrib.com or call (813) 259-7656. Try on the blog at Keyword: Hot Pursuits.

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