MANSFIELD — Friends Misti Horn and Robyn Montgomery joined forces three years ago with a simple mission: to make all teenage girls feel like queens and princesses during homecoming and prom dances.
“We want them to feel perfect, like a queen or princess,” Horn said. “Similar to how a bride feels on her wedding day.”
Every fall and spring, the pair give away dresses and other formal wear — free — to lower-income girls who want to attend their school’s dance.
It all started when Horn posted on Facebook that she was searching for a dress for her niece. In the post, she said she’d match up to $20. Not only was she able to buy a dress, she raised enough money to get flowers, a limousine, dinner, professional photography and a tuxedo for her niece’s date.
“We maybe got close to a thousand dollars,” she said. “That’s when we realized there might be a need here.”
Horn and Montgomery quickly decided to pen another post on Facebook, this time searching for friends and family willing to donate dresses. It worked; today, they have close to 150 dresses and various formal wear items like shoes, clutches and jewelry.
“One time someone gave us 50 dresses at the same time,” Horn said.
It’s gotten to the point where they have a favorable problem — where will they keep all the dresses?
“It is definitely something that’s progressed faster than we would have expected,” Montgomery echoed.
The two have taken turns tailoring spaces in their homes for the steady stream of donated dresses. Horn took this year, etching room in her basement. But recently the duo won permission from First Christian Church on West Third Street to use space.
“That way there isn’t that awkwardness that comes with going to a stranger’s house to get a dress,” Horn said.
Reverend Greg Bibler was excited to move them in.
“What they’re doing improves lives,” he said. “Prom is a very special time of a lady’s life and we’re proud to be part of that special event. We pray that God is with them (high school girls).”
Horn and Montgomery said local hairdressers, nail and makeup stylists have also donated their services to local girls.
During homecoming in fall 2015, Horn and Montgomery dressed 14 local girls for their school dances. One of those was Mansfield Christian High School junior Corinne Comstock.
“It’s pretty awesome and no one knows that the dress you got was a donation,” Comstock said. “It was really easy to do and you feel good afterwards.” Comstock came back for a dress just recently, the upcoming prom dance will be the junior’s first.
Montgomery works for David’s Bridal.
“Working there, and just seeing the girls that come in and try on prom dresses and they love these dresses. And then their moms ask how much they are. You see the parents faces, and the disappointment.”
Getting a free dress and other accessories can be an emotional experience for some the girls, Horn said. She described some girls who have cried tears of gratitude, or jumping up and down in excitement.
“We’ve had girls show up three days before homecoming that didn’t think they were going to be able to go, and then last minute they were able to go because they got a dress (from us),” Montgomery said.
The pair said the dresses are not limited to girls from the Mansfield area, including sizes from zero to 6x and current styles. Often the dresses are barely used.
“I’ve gotten some with the tags still on them. And sometimes the girl had worn it maybe once,” Montgomery said.
People interested in donating or receiving a dress for prom, or any other formal event, are encouraged to visit Queen for a Day’s Facebook page.
