Donating Formal Wear & Wedding Attire

3 parent questions ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Where to donate women's clothing & prom dresses

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    Dec 2, 2022

    Does anyone know of a place I can donate women's clothing that is not for resale?  Would like to avoid Goodwill or other resellers. I also have dresses that could be worn to a prom or fancier events if someone could suggest a place for teenagers as well.  Thank you!

    Dec 2, 2022

    The North Oakland Free Store, located in the Omni Commons building at Temescal, does direct distribution to unhoused folks and other people in need, for free (as the name implies). They don't generally take kids' clothes, but grownup clothes should be fine (including teenagers), and they work regularly with other mutual aid clothing drives. As far as I know, they don't have a phone number to call since they're a pretty scrappy DIY effort, but I've volunteered with some of the folks before on food drives and found them very pleasant. Shoot them a message on Instagram if you have it, or just stop by if it's convenient: https://www.instagram.com/freestore_northoakland/

    Dec 7, 2022

    For the prom/fancy dresses, contact The Princess Project or Assistance League Bay Area. 

    Dress for Success takes gently used women's professional attire.

    Dec 7, 2022

    Hi, The El Cerrito High PTSA started a Prom Closet last year which was very successful and has become a continuing program. We would love your donation of prom-appropriate clothes and accessories! We do not sell the clothes--students can "shop" the closet for free. Contact the PTSA at elcerritohighptsa [at] gmail.com (elcerritohighptsa[at]gmail[dot]com) to donate. The PTSA is a nonprofit so donations are tax deductible. Thanks!

    Dec 7, 2022

    This place, Bloom, is in downtown San Rafael. https://www.bloommarin.org/en/aboutus
     

    Dec 8, 2022

  • wedding dress donation

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    Aug 5, 2022

    I am looking to donate my wedding dress. Does anyone have any recommendations for online platforms to do so? I had seen a clip on the news a few days ago, but can't remember the name of the organization. Would love to have it end up with someone who cannot afford one and preferably would like to avoid shipping costs, if possible.

    Aug 5, 2022

    Not on-line, but I gave mine to Goodwill and the men who loaded the truck at the donation station handled the dress very carefully and thanked me a lot.  I hope it helped make someone's wedding day brighter!

    Aug 12, 2022

  • Want to donate wedding dress to needy bride or good cause

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    Jun 27, 2016

    I wish to donate a very lovely, unused, size 8-10 wedding dress either to a needy bride -- or to a charitable organization in the Bay area which can sell or raffle it to raise funds for good works.

    Can anyone help me get this dress into the right hands?

    Berkeley Nana

    Jun 27, 2016

    This came up recently in the BPN newsletters and here is one suggestion: Angel Gown Project of California - repurposes wedding dresses into gowns for babies who
    pass away in California hospitals: https://www.facebook.com/Angel-Gown-Project-of-California-1422361324731…

    Jul 1, 2016

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Selling/donating a wedding dress

Jan 2006

Can anyone recommend a local consignment shop where I can sell my once-worn wedding dress? Also, I'd like to consider donating it to a worthy cause. Are there any local organizations that accept wedding dresses as donations? Thanks! JILL Jill

There are two stores I know are selling used wedding dresses, so they must buy them as well: Margenes on Grand Ave Cherished in Walnut Creek (North Main Street) for more upscale dresses.
bought my dress used at Cherished

There is a wonderful non-profit organization that accepts donated wedding dresses and then sells them so that the proceeds go to breast cancer research. Seems like a win-win for everybody! I donated my wedding dress and an evening gown last year and they were great. They sent me a nice thank you letter and a receipt for tax deduction purposes. The website is www.makingmemories.org. Monica

I donated my wedding dress to www.makingmemories.org They sell the wedding dresses to raise money to grant a wish to women with breast cancer. I sent the dress to them in Portland OR. I think they also requested a $5 donation to cover the cost of cleaning the gown. They also take bridesmaid dresses. jk

Oct 2005

I want to donate my wedding dress ASAP, any thoughts as to a place that would take it and make sure it gets put to good use? Thanks! Jessica

I donated my wedding dress to makingmemories.org, a make a wish foundation for those with breast cancer. I sent the dress to portland, oregon. It was very simple. I am now collecting the bridesmaids dresses from my sister's wedding to send there. jessie

Want to sell/donate bridesmaid dresses

March 2004

Does anyone know of a good consignment shop or good donation place in the east bay for bridesmaid dresses? Thanks Wendy

I've donated my fabulous (and also not so fabulous, think teal satin with giant ivory butt ruffle on a hippy gal like myself) bridesmaid's dresses to the Princess Project. It's a non-profit in San Francisco that provides free prom dresses and accessories to Bay Area girls who could not otherwise afford them. They do it at a big event which is right around the corner on March 27th. Check them out at http://www.princessproject.org Rachel

Please consider a donation! Visit www.princessproject.org. The princess project accepts donations of prom dresses (bridesmaid dresses too!) for girls who cannot afford dresses for prom. It's in San Francisco, rather than East Bay but a worthwhile cause all the same.

Donating a prom dress

February 2003

My friend has his daughter's prom dress from a couple of years ago -- she's no longer that size and doesn't want it any more. He's heard there's a place that accepts prom dresses and provides them to kids that can't afford them. Anyone know anything about this? Who can we contact?

Try the Princess Project thought the Coro Foundation. I've lost the contact information but you s hould be able to locate Coro in the SF phone book. It is a great cause! terbomom

The Princess Project http://www.princessproject.org
The Princess Project is a 100% volunteer effort to help girls feel confident, beautiful, and important by providing free prom dresses and accessories to San Francisco Bay Area girls who could not otherwise afford them. The Princess Project collects new and nearly new formal dresses and accessories from women, girls, and companies throughout the Bay Area, and distributes them free of charge to Bay Area girls at a fun-filled event in the spring. At The 2002 Princess Project Dress Giveaway . . . Over 325 girls received free dresses and accessories! They came from 58 different high school and 27 cities! Nearly 100 volunteers from around the Bay Area helped make the event a success! Announcing The Princess Project 2003 Dress Giveaway . . . Saturday, March 15 Sunday, March 16 This year we plan to serve over 1,000 girls!