On Jan. 20, LTHS hosted its second annual Lockport Prom Fashion Show. A group of us writers attended in hopes that the turnout would be greater than the year prior for more awareness of the fantastic event. The Lockport Prom Fashion Show offers a creative and affordable opportunity for all students to find a beautiful dress, show Porter Pride and support Lockport Township High School, making this an event worth attending.

Last year, we attended the event and couldn’t help but notice that there was a striking lack of attendance. This year, we noticed that the attendance problem is recurring. For many schools, like local school Providence Catholic, the Prom Fashion Show is a huge event. So why is this not the experience for an even larger school like Lockport?

Prom can be costly for most, with pricey makeup appointments, hair styling and an elegant dress, the cost adds up; however, the Prom Fashion Show ensures that every student can feel beautiful for their big night, regardless of potential costs. By featuring donated dresses, this event removes financial barriers from the equation, allowing attendees and models to focus on the beautiful dresses and not the large expenses. 

Many of this year’s dresses were generously donated by Pink Slip Boutique in Mokena, IL, who offered a variety of dresses from shorter cocktail dresses to full length ball gowns. With the large array of sizes and styles, the Prom Fashion Show gives students the opportunity to branch out of their comfort zones and try on designs that they may not have considered otherwise.

With all of these perks, it begs the question: why is there such low attendance?

One factor could be the limited amount of advertisements and announcements that could have also contributed to the consistent low turnout. With no morning announcements, no posters around the school, and the only proof of this event being a flyer on the student splash page, there was an overall low awareness of this generous event, therefore resulting in the sparse crowd.

The low advertisement impacted the number of models too. Who wouldn’t want to put on a nice dress, and twirl around like Cinderella arriving at the ball? Last year, there were around 15-20 female models while this year there were 10 female models. Positively, they included two male models to walk the ladies down the runway, adding an entertaining flare. More advertisements would certainly help promote the cause. 

Simple advertisements such as posts on the Lockport Instagram page, more flyers all around the school and inclusion in the morning announcements should help get the word around more. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is only their 2nd annual year and there is a small group of staff running the event, including Ms. Adolf. Perhaps a leadership team, similar to other clubs or event boards, which could include some of the models and participants may help with taking on the workload of promoting and running the event. 

Another difference that may be a leading factor of the show’s stagnant attendance is the lack of incentives for the students who modeled the dresses. As viewers, we noticed that there was a noticeable decline in models from the year prior as well. With lesser models, there is lesser attendance, as models’ friends and family make up a significant portion of the crowd. 

Looking back at the first annual fashion show, we noticed that incentives were not being used to increase attendance. An example of this would be how at the end of the night last year, all last year at the end of the night, all of the models were entered in a giveaway for a Coach purse and gift cards. Because this was not present at this year’s show, it may have caused less students to take time out of their night to model, overall dipping the attendance.

Supporting this event benefits the entire school and community because donated dresses and participation contribute to making prom accessible for everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. It’s a great way to give back while having fun with friends while doing it; afterall, being a model is a great way to earn volunteer hours in a fun and fashionable way. 

Although the Prom Fashion Show is long over, you can still make an appointment to try on and take home a free prom dress by contacting Ms. Adolf at [email protected], stopping by student services or the principal’s office.

This year’s continuous lack of participation meant many students missed out on the chance to find their perfect dress and enjoy this incredible event. Let’s change that next year by showing up and spreading the word. Even if you’re not looking for a dress, it supports the school community. By working together, we can make Lockport’s Prom Fashion Show unforgettable!