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Hundreds of teens get FREE dresses and tuxedo rentals for prom

Posted at 4:12 PM, Mar 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-19 18:20:48-04

TAMPA, Fla — Say Yes to the Dress - it's a popular TV show, but it's also what hundreds of young girls and guys got to do Monday as they picked out a free gown and tux for prom. 

Raymond James Stadium was transformed into the ultimate shopping experience for these teens.

"It's like a fairytale," said Pamela Font, as she admired her gown in a mirror.

"Can you tell me you're saying yes to this dress," asked Monte Durham, the Fashion Director of Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta. He looked into in the mirror with dozens of young ladies to give them fashion advice and a boost of confidence.

"We're seeing less embellishment, a little more coverage, slimmer skirts and a natural waist," he said about the trends this year.
 
"I think I probably would have either had a hand-me-down dress or something that costs less than $50, so I'm just like over the moon," said Zadia Corriette, a local student who picked out a hot pink gown.

The event focused on underserved teens from Tampa that are doing extremely well in school. 

"The biggest thing for me is when they turn around and they see over 2,000 dresses to choose from. That's amazing," said Durham.

These girls don't just get a dress, they also get all of the accessories to go along with it like shoes, jewelry, and purses. They even get their hair and makeup done to test out a style and learn a few tips.

The guys got in on the fun too. They got measured for their free tuxedo rentals. Durham says colorful socks and matching your date is on trend right now for men. 

The dresses, suits, and accessories come from places like Macy's, Men's Wearhouse, Katy Perry Collections and more. Durham says the girls also got to choose from a special collection of 500 SAY YES TO THE PROM line, which is offered at Macy's.

The students also get introduced to professional mentors from TLC's parent company, Discovery, to help them with networking.