At eighty dollars a ticket, or fifty dollars for students with a free and reduced lunch plan, prom isn’t cheap. On top of that is the price of formal attire, where the average prom dress costs around $150. Add on hair, nails, shoes, and accessories, and the integral high school experience can be financially burdensome. In the months leading up to prom, the Claremont branch of the Berkeley Public Library has worked to remedy this, accepting donations of gently-used formal dresses in order to host two prom dress pop-ups, where high school students can browse, try on, and take home a prom dress free of charge. Whether it’s for financial reasons, sustainability concerns, or just looking for a unique dress to wear for the big night, the prom dress pop-ups — which took place on Valentine’s Day and Saturday, March 7, 2026 — provided a fun community experience for students who plan to attend prom.
One reality of many prom dresses is that they’re hard to rewear. Styles and trends change each year, and the garments can often feel too extra to wear to other events. More often than not, the dresses are single-use, then end up sitting in the back of a closet or are sent to the landfill. Whether made with silk, polyester, tulle, or anything else, the fabrics and materials that go into prom dresses aren’t without environmental consequences. It also means that there are a lot of perfectly nice dresses that can be reworn, which is what the library has collected.
“It had a very nice vibe. Most of the people there were hyping each other up and trying on different dresses,” BHS senior Ingrid Kotter said, “it was overall just pretty cute and fun, and I think it’s important to have free dresses available so that everyone can be included in the prom festivities.”
The pop-ups took place at the back of the Claremont branch in the room usually dedicated to children’s books — something of a full circle moment. Racks of dresses were organized by size, and included everything from perfect condition dresses with their Macy’s tags still on, to full-on petticoated wedding dresses. The pop-up included two large mirrors and two black portable dressing rooms, which effectively made trying the dresses on into a communal experience, where attendees hyped each other up and swapped potential dresses with each other.
“I liked that it provided another place to look for hidden gems and more opportunity to find something second-hand,” Berkeley High School senior Lillian Hammond said, “In Berkeley, there aren’t many in-person stores to find dresses so most people end up looking online. It’s important for anyone who can’t buy a super expensive dress. This way, they can still participate in this culture of getting ready for prom.”
Everyone should be able to attend prom in a dress or outfit that makes the milestone night feel special, and the Claremont’s prom dress pop-ups worked to make it more accessible.