Photos: Giving Girls in Need the Prom Dresses of Their Dreams
Photo: Yana Paskova
“Prom is the red carpet of real life,” stylist Mary Alice Stephenson said yesterday at an event for her fashion nonprofit, Glam4Good. Stephenson’s team paired with Peace Is a Life Style to select 50 girls from across New York City to participate in the event that dressed young women affected by homelessness, gun violence, and Hurricane Sandy for prom.
BCBGMAXAZRIA and Fashion to Figure gifted dresses with shoes, bags, and jewelry sent from companies including Nine West, Betsey Johnson, Lizzie Fortunato, and Alexis Bittar. Stylists from Ric Pipino and makeup artists from MAC were standing by to demonstrate hair and makeup ideas, while a styling team that has dressed everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Michelle Obama helped the girls create a complete look.
“I think what we learned today here is no one wanted to wear a black dress,” Stephenson told the Cut as the event wrapped up. “Prom is about color and flamboyance, and allowing yourself to wear that.” Click ahead for the young ladies set to give Bey and RiRi a run for it in early June.
Kymberley Walcott, senior at Jamaica High School How did you pick this dress? The color. I first intended to get a longer dress, but I just tried...
Kymberley Walcott, senior at Jamaica High School How did you pick this dress? The color. I first intended to get a longer dress, but I just tried it to see how it looked, and I just felt amazing in it.
Who are you going with? I’m going with a friend at school; now I have to send him a picture. I don’t want to send a picture of the whole dress, but at least the color for him to get a suit that sort of matches. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Jendayi Rose, senior at August Martin High School Tell me about this look. Well, I went straight to the dresses and the shoes; it looked lik...
Jendayi Rose, senior at August Martin High School Tell me about this look. Well, I went straight to the dresses and the shoes; it looked like wedding-ish kinda. I wanted a long dress. I went to my shoes then, and I love spikes, so that’s what I got.
What was it about the wedding look? I guess since I’m always like this, with the wedding kind of look, and long dresses, and I know I can pull it off. So even if it’s kind of simple, if you add the right accessories to it, it will just pop. And you can work it. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Hair stylists were on hand to test looks.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Reina Rickards, senior at August Martin High School Did you come here knowing what you wanted? Actually, I really didn’t. Basically wanted t...
Reina Rickards, senior at August Martin High School Did you come here knowing what you wanted? Actually, I really didn’t. Basically wanted to find something that would go great with my shoes, and also my eyes, because of the eyeliner.
What will you do on prom night? I might go by myself. And after I’m going to go to the after-party.
Is the after-party better than the actual party? It’s going to be at a different place; you’re going to feel grown, you know.
And the teachers aren’t there. It’s teacherless. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Teens also got to choose jewelry.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Teens pick out make-up
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Kymberley Walcott, senior at Jamaica High School
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Ashley Owens, senior at City As High School Tell me about your look. Well, I started with the shoes and I didn’t have much of an idea, but t...
Ashley Owens, senior at City As High School Tell me about your look. Well, I started with the shoes and I didn’t have much of an idea, but then I seen these yellow ones and then I thought, Would Amber Rose wear those shoes? Then I seen this dress and I felt like Kim Kardashian with the shoes and stuff, because this is her thing, matching different popping shoes.
What will your night look like? We’ll be on a cruise. I don’t know, really. I have never been to a party, so it’s all going to be surprising. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Awaiting entry to the event.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
The jewelry table.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Checking out the shoes.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Necessary sustenance.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Khadiza Akter, senior at Jamaica High School It looks like you decided on a dress. What drew you to this dress? The sparks. And the color. A...
Khadiza Akter, senior at Jamaica High School It looks like you decided on a dress. What drew you to this dress? The sparks. And the color. And it’s a long dress.
How would you describe your style normally? Usually I wear a burka, that’s Islamic dress, and it’s usually long and full sleeved. I mean, every day, I wear simple dress; I wear the same type of black, not a gorgeous color, that’s all. So for the prom, I’m going to wear something that is really gorgeous.
Are you used to wearing heels? No, I don’t wear heels, so I can work with it. It’s really hard. I’ll practice at home. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Stylist Mary Alice Stephenson and Mendy Tislin, a senior at August Martin High School
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Trying on shoes.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Shaloma Smith, senior at August Martin High School Tell me about your look. How did you pick this dress? Well, my friend [Jendayi Rose] actu...
Shaloma Smith, senior at August Martin High School Tell me about your look. How did you pick this dress? Well, my friend [Jendayi Rose] actually picked it for me because she has a lot of style.
How would you describe your style normally? I am a very girly girl, but there are days where I can dress like a boy with sneakers and stuff, but I enjoy dresses. When it’s time to go out, I know how to step out. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Up-dos in full effect.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
The hair and make-up stations.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Destiny Dowdell, senior at August Martin High School Looks like you are trying to decide between some dresses. Yes. It’s really a lot to dec...
Destiny Dowdell, senior at August Martin High School Looks like you are trying to decide between some dresses. Yes. It’s really a lot to decide on. I really like this organization … I was in a shelter, my mother and father passed away, so it was a good organization to gather around and get dresses.
How are you going to decide? I don't know. I don’t know what to decide on. I want to go for, like, some silver or gold. Everyone always wants a dream like this, so, this is a dream come true to some females. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Many tried on several dresses.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
The full look.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Final touches.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Tejuana Oliver, junior at Halsey High School How did you pick your dress? All of the dresses I tried on were, like, too big at the top, so I...
Tejuana Oliver, junior at Halsey High School How did you pick your dress? All of the dresses I tried on were, like, too big at the top, so I asked a lady for help.
How would you describe your style? If I do dress like a girl, I can dress girly-girl and classy. And I like short dresses.
How did you decide on these shoes? My favorite color is pink, and I like the bow that was going with the pink.
What do you usually wear? I wear, like, baggy clothes. So to put on a dress — yeah, it just feels awkward and different. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
The makeshift dressing rooms.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Stephenson and Rose help Shaloma Smith, a senior at August Martin high school, choose accessories.
Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Mary Alice Stephenson, the Organizer What does prom mean to girls? Prom is like, that’s the red carpet of real life. And especially these ki...
Mary Alice Stephenson, the Organizer What does prom mean to girls? Prom is like, that’s the red carpet of real life. And especially these kids, they are seeing everything, and it’s like they want to look like that, and how can they really realistically?
It also changes the game to be able to look at a rack of clothes and think, What do I want to wear? as opposed to What can I afford to wear? Yeah, it flourishes your creativity, because you don’t have all the constraints that normal women have with money issues, with body issues. There are options here, and they can actually just be free to look around. And we try not to imply. We are here as stylists to help. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
Valencia Grand-Pierre, senior at August Martin High School What did you pick out first in your look? I went and got hair done, so my hairsty...
Valencia Grand-Pierre, senior at August Martin High School What did you pick out first in your look? I went and got hair done, so my hairstylist hooked up the curls, you know, deep curls.
Tell me about the shoes. The stylist actually just came up to me and said that these shoes would fit perfectly and it goes nice with the colors. It brings out the dress more. Photo: Yana Paskova/Yana Paskova
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