Non-profit dress shop ready for return to in-person graduations

As the class of 2022 gets ready to celebrate the past four years of hard work — two of which were marred by the COVID-19 pandemic — a local grad dress shop is busy outfitting soon-to-be graduates with a perfect dress at a cost they can afford.

The Princess Shop is a non-profit and charity that has been glamming up graduates in Saskatoon since 2008. Its main program is its grad dress program, outfitting students who are facing financial and social barriers.

Executive director Kelsey Murphy said that can mean grads who can’t afford to buy a dress, or students who might feel uncomfortable in a traditional dress shop.

Murphy said she strives to remove as many barriers as possible between graduates and their big day. The shop bases its services on an honour system, and doesn’t ask for proof that a student can’t afford to buy a new dress themselves. Students from Saskatoon pay a deposit of $40 (students outside the city deposit $60) that they receive back when they return the gown they chose after their event.

The store also will transform itself to accommodate the needs of its customers, Murphy said, making the experience as comfortable as possible for its clients. Murphy said one year, they had a graduate with autism choose their shop to find their dress. The shop gave them an empty, quiet and calm atmosphere to accommodate their needs.

“As soon as they come in, we try to make them really comfortable … make it a fun experience,” Murphy shared.

Murphy said she only got to see one “normal” graduation season before the pandemic hit. In 2020, they’d helped about 70 graduates when COVID-19 shut down most businesses in Saskatoon. Some grads took photos in their dresses, but graduation ceremonies were largely cancelled or altered.

Another 70 grads came to the shop in 2021, about half the number seen in a normal year like 2019. This year, Murphy said her staff and volunteers are excited to see more students finally come through the shop’s doors. She said there is “so much excitement” for ceremonies and students being able to dress up and celebrate with their friends and families again.

“It’s been awesome. It’s been so busy,” Murphy said.

Some who graduated during the pandemic years have returned to the shop, Murphy said, to get dresses to finally enjoy a full celebration.

This year, the Princess Shop will be able to offer their full graduation experience again, which includes graduates getting fully glammed up with hair and makeup from MC College.

The shop still only allows one client with a minimum number of guests at a time, to ensure the experience is as safe as possible for staff, volunteers, students and their families.

Despite two years without full, in-person graduation ceremonies, the Princess Shop is bursting at the seams with dresses they’ve received by donation.

Murphy said that over the past two years donations haven’t really stopped, except when strict lockdowns were in place. In fact, with many people cleaning out their closets, de-cluttering, or preparing to move during the pandemic, Murphy said the shop found itself with a huge influx of donations right after the first major lockdown in 2020.

When grads arrive at the shop, Murphy said their mood can vary from excited to overwhelmed. Some of their customers have never work a fancy gown, and it can be an emotional visit. But even throughout the pandemic, she said grads have been thrilled to find their perfect dress.

“It’s still such a big milestone, such a celebration,” Murphy said.

It’s more than just a dress, she added. From the outside, people might only see puffy dresses and sparkles. But grads visiting the Princess Shop might be the first person to graduate in their family, or may be celebrating after overcoming multiple obstacles to get to a day they didn’t know if they’d reach.

“That moment of celebration is so important for people,” Murphy explained. “It’s just a very impactful moment.”

While they’re not desperate for dresses at the moment, Murphy said they always welcome donations, especially dresses smaller than size four or over size 16. Expanding their selection with more sizes helps give grads even more options to find their perfect fit, she said.