Up the stairs, coming from the commons to the right, there is a mostly concealed room filled with over 300 diverse dresses, as well as dress shirts, shoes, and jewelry of all kinds. The Prom Dress Closet accepts donations, is cost-free, and available to any student in need of something formal. 

“I don’t want people to think it’s just for the ‘needy’ kids. Let’s keep these dresses out of the landfill,” Guidance Counselor Ann Ragus, who now manages the Closet, said. 

In the spring of 2020, Isabelle Willett (‘20), daughter of guidance counselor Matt Willett, started the Prom Dress Closet as an opportunity for students to have the same options as everyone else. 

“I was able to focus on an issue that was important to me, which was modern beauty standards and how it impacts young women–how financially unattainable it (purchasing dresses) can be,” Willett said. 

Willett’s efforts to shed light on the issue did not go unnoticed, and the Prom Dress Closet benefited more because of community involvement. 

“The Berlin community really showed up, and dresses were dropped off in the office almost every day. I also wrote letters to businesses all over Wisconsin, looking for monetary donations. Businesses were so generous, and I then used that money to source dresses from thrift stores and online resellers,” Willett said. 

KIND Committee members have contributed heavily to the Prom Dress Closet over the past several years. Freshman Evalyn Beulen has spent her first prom season helping others in their pursuit of a fancy dress or shirt. 

“We had to sort through all the dresses and put them in the right sizes, and put all the hangers and stuff away,” Beulen said. 

With so many sizes and options, there is something for everyone at the Prom Dress Closet.

“I want students to know that they deserve to feel beautiful and that the Prom Dress Closet is an amazing, sustainable resource for everyone to use,” Willett said.