When you think about an elegant dress for homecoming, your first thought probably isn’t shopping at Goodwill or a secondhand store. But with the right materials, you can make a Cinderella-like transformation.
Twice Upscale Resale is a consignment shop run by Angelica Friend and her sister, Bobbi Friend-Buchmyer, on 1320 W. Market Street. The idea originated when Angelica purchased a wedding dress but didn’t go through with her wedding. At the time, there was nowhere to take formal clothing to consign.
“Our customers bring items in, and we determine if it’s something we can resell. Then, we price it and set it on sale for six months,” Bobbi said. “We’re super picky with what we take in. When our customers buy from us, they know they’re buying a great, slightly-used dress for a better price.”
“Let’s say you wanted to wear a Sherri Hill dress or a Jovani dress, but you couldn’t really afford that $400, $600, $700 price tag. We have a lot of girls who watch our inventory, and pretty much wait for a style they like or a specific floral pattern, and will watch for something similar to come in.” Bobbi said the price range for a homecoming dress at Twice Upscale is anywhere from $75 to $250.
Of course the perfect dress might not always be in plain sight. Taking it one step further might include some DIY skills.
Upcycling, a trend where clothes are repurposed for different events, has become increasingly popular. YouTuber and beauty guru, Amber Scholl, upcycled a little black dress into a fabulous and elegant gown to wear to a dance.
“I’m not sure what I’m looking for. Just something to catch my eye,” Scholl said to her followers in her YouTube video. A simple black dress on the Goodwill racks called out to her.
She then moved on to her local fabric shop to find supplies to transform her dress. After picking up a crystal applique and a feathered fabric, she was ready to start.
Scholl’s upcycling process didn’t take long and only basic crafting skills were needed to fasten the new materials onto the dress. Even tailoring the dress was simple enough, as she only used a simple straight stitch to turn the flared skirt into a bodycon dress.
“In, out, in, out, in, out,” Scholl said as she stitched the materials onto the dress. After only a few alterations, she transformed her thrifted dress into something fabulous.
“It’s fun to be creative,” she stated in the video. “And you don’t need to break the bank to look fab.” The original cost of the dress was $4 and the ending cost came out to under $20.
Although a used dress might not be every girl’s dream, putting your own spin on a dress makes it even more special. So before you make it rain to afford a big ball gown, consider taking a trip to your local consignment shop and upcycling a dress to make you feel like a princess.