Princess for a Night Project Is a True Cinderella Story

Prom is glamour, sparkle and flash, but bling often comes with a hefty price tag.

Enter two fairy godmothers who happen to work for the Alexandria public school system. Eleanor Muse and Terry Wright work hard to ensure that everyone can go to the prom, regardless of the size of their bank accounts.

They run the T.C. Williams High School Princess for a Night project, which is seeking formal dresses, shoes, purses, stockings, jewelry and new make-up for its ninth annual event enabling young women to attend their prom without great financial expense.

The clothes and accessories are given for free to whom ever they fit.

“We swear there is magic going in when there is always something perfect that fits a girl,” Muse said. “I love to see their faces light up. It’s wonderful. You just feel so good about it.”

Muse, a library media assistant at Minnie Howard, started the program in 2008 on her own after a company that offered the services discontinued its initiative.

Muse said she had two motivations to keep the program rolling: “I always had this thing for proms as I never made it to my own due to financial difficulties, and I also wanted to raise money for guys that need tuxedos.”

In addition to the Princess project, Muse and Wright, a social worker at Jefferson Houston School, spearheads a donation program for young men who need tuxedos. Both Muse and Wright used to work together at T.C. Williams.

“Tuxedos are expensive,” said Muse. “I remember chaperoning a prom and someone showed up in a sweater and pants and I thought ‘We can do better than that.’”

Muse modeled her program on a similar successful initiative at Mount Vernon High School and those two programs still work closely together.

While the program is focused on the prom, it’s open to anyone who needs a fancy dress “for what ever reason,” Muse said, recalling that occasionally families in need will stop in, perhaps if they plan to attend a wedding or other formal event.

More than 350 students from 12 high schools attended the “sale” last year.

The program asks that donors do not give velvet or wintry dresses, soiled or outdated items. Shoes, stockings and other accessories are also greatly needed. Also on Muse's wish list is a donation of rolling garment hangers to display the dresses on.

"It would be wonderful if both residents and businesses would consider giving what they could," Muse said. "We've been so pleased by everyone's generosity. One woman one year donated a whole box of new shoes just for the program. I just couldn't believe it!"

Donations can be dropped off at T.C. Williams main office, Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Apr. 29. Donations to the tuxedo fund program can be dropped off or mailed to T.C. Williams, 3330 King St., Alexandria, Va., c/o Patricia Moran, Prinicipal Administrative Assistant.

The project also needs volunteers to help sort and arrange the dresses prior to the event.

Shopping and dress selection will take place at T.C. Williams on Friday, May 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Friday, May 20 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.