For city girls who identify more with the Molly Ringwald character in Pretty in Pink than with the snooty “richie” members of the prom committee, Operation Fairy Dust recycles barely used gowns. “All girls should be able to attend their prom and look fabulous—regardless of cost,” says Fairy Dust’s co-chairwoman, Megan Kerrigan. “We would rather see these girls studying for the SATs than working a part-time job to pay for their prom dress.” The charity doesn’t judge what constitutes financial need—their one-day Dress Giveaway is open to any city girl with a class of 2006 I.D. Last year, they were only able to outfit 300 girls, despite a bounty of 1,000 dresses. “There are only so many girls we can dress at a time—we don’t want it to be an assembly line,” says Kerrigan. This year, Fairy Dust has gathered an inventory of more than 2,500 gowns (plus matching purses and shoes), and is hoping to dress up more.
A brief history of pre-owned frocks.
What happened to the dress donors when they wore them the first time?
Kerri Kuchta
Job: Props for Today
Lives: Sunnyside
Prom: 2001, Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia
How was your prom? We took a limo, Gatorade bottles filled with vodka shoved in between our legs. Someone opened the door to puke, then there were blue lights everywhere—police! They put us in handcuffs, prom dresses and all. One girl offered the cops blow jobs to let us go.
Lara Minch-Klass
Job: Publicist
Lives: Upper East Side
Prom: 2000, Freehold High School in Freehold, New Jersey
Describe your prom dress. Very virginal.
Did you get lucky? Unfortunately, no. But I did get a back rub from the captain of the football team!
Best memory: Dancing with a teacher that I had a major crush on.
Kate Lutkus
Job: Development associate
Lives: Upper East Side
Prom: 2000, Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana
Best memory:The whole class made a big circle when Vitamin C’s “Graduation” came on, and everybody started crying.
Did you get lucky?
I couldn’t even get my date to kiss me, even though he was two inches shorter.
Keisha Simpson
Job: Publicist
Lives: Mount Vernon
Prom: 1993, Port Chester High School in Port Chester, New York
Best memory: I remember the horse-and-carriage ride afterward. And the easy access my dress provided.
Do you still speak to your date?
He was a cheating liar. We don’t speak, but I do have a great little package to remember him by every day. My son is 10 years old. Next: Giuliani Doc Finally Out This Week