Local store offering underprivileged students the chance to afford formal wear for prom

POCATELLO – With prom season fast approaching, the owner of a local formal wear store is getting the word out about how she can help everyone afford something to wear to the big dance.

KATZ Wedding and Formal Wear, a gown and tuxedo store at 150 South Main Street in Pocatello, offers underprivileged students the chance to choose a dress or a tuxedo for their school dance and pay nothing for it except for the cleaning fee. Owner Katrina Evans said she offers this option because she believes students who couldn’t afford it otherwise should have the ability to also go to their school’s dance and make memories.

“A lot of kids won’t go to prom because they know their parents can’t afford it, so they just don’t go, and they miss out on a very important event in their high school life,” Evans said.

KATZ doesn’t just offer this for students going to prom. She offers it for people going to any school dance, or other events where they need formal wear.

Evans said there wasn’t a specific moment when she came up with the affordable formal wear program. It was something she recognized over time.

“I don’t know if it was like an epiphany, or a light bulb went on or anything like that. It was just that we saw a need for it (and) decided that that’s what we were going to do. We needed to give back to the community, in some way, somehow,” Evans said.

When a student comes to KATZ to participate in its program to offer students affordable formal wear, they can choose from all of the store’s donated dresses, as well as its in-house tuxedos. When they find the dress or tuxedo they want to wear to their school’s dance, they only have to pay for the cleaning fee when they bring it back, which is around $25, Evans said.

Right now, Evans has around 100 donated dresses available for underprivileged students to choose from. She hopes that more people donate dresses in time for the prom season so that she can offer an even wider selection for the students.

Tuxedos and dresses should be in good condition to be donated. Although it doesn’t matter how old a tuxedo is, dresses must be no more than three years old. People who want to donate should bring the items to KATZ Wedding and Formal Wear during business hours.

For a student to access this affordable formal wear program, KATZ needs to receive a referral from a teacher or counselor. This referral could come in the form of a written note or a call to the store.

The student doesn’t have to be from the Pocatello/Chubbuck area. Evans said that they would accept a referral for a student from every school district in east Idaho.

If you’re interested in buying a dress, there is a wide range of prices. Her cheapest dresses go for close to $60, and the most expensive for about $700. Tuxedo rentals cost about $145.

Evans also spoke about the way it affects the self-esteem of students when they’re not being able to go to prom due to not being able to afford formal wear.

“A lot of girls that come in, they’ll see the dress that they just absolutely fall in love with and they look beautiful in it, and then they’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, I just don’t think my folks can do this…’ and it’s a self esteem thing. ‘My best girlfriend is going to prom, and I can’t go because I can’t afford a dress,’ (or) ‘I can’t take a girl because I can’t afford a tux,’” Evans said.

For any students who can’t afford a dress, but are embarrassed to use her affordable formal wear program, Evans said, “don’t be.”

“Your prom is a once-in-a-lifetime, magical event,” Evans said. “If you really want to go, come see us, and I would encourage the teachers and staff to reach out (and) get a hold of us.”

The post Local store offering underprivileged students the chance to afford formal wear for prom appeared first on East Idaho News.