Students visit Pretty in Pink Boutique

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Judging from the shuffling of dress hangers, the Pretty in Pink Boutique was a rousing success for the second straight year. Bel Air Mall, along with St. Paul's Episcopal school, put on the boutique that offers hundreds of prom dresses to high school students, for free.

"We had people line up to get a free dress before the sun even came up. We had a pretty substantial line by 7:30," said Shelley Rehberg, the mall's marketing manager.

Nicole Larkin, a senior at Baldwin County High, was in that line, a line that proved well worth it.

"At first I couldn't really find what I liked," admitted Larkin. "I was getting closer to the end of my sizes and I found it, and I was like "Oh!" This is the one I really wanted. I finally got it and it was, it's the best deal ever."

The dresses are brand new or barely used. Rehberg said the boutique helps families with financial problems. If a student found a dress that didn't fit right, the shop had solutions, including making alterations on the spot.

"One of our volunteer teachers had brought a sewing machine to help with some minor alterations, so she took a dress, hemmed it, and the girl stood there just grinning the whole time," she said.

Perhaps Larkin explained best why there was so much grinning.

"Words can't describe how helpful this is. It's like everything is falling in place for my senior year."

More than 200 dresses were given away altogether.