A teenager traveled six hours with her mother, two aunts, and her grandmother to find the perfect prom dress. Elyse Monroe, an 18-year-old high school senior, found Juicy Body Goddess on TikTok, where Summer Lucille, owner of the plus-size-only boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina, posts fun, positive videos that showcase customers' shopping experiences.
Summer shared with People that Elyse seemed "shy and nervous" when she arrived for her dress consultation at Juicy Body Goddess, but Elyse spoke highly of her shopping experience, saying, “Shopping is usually pretty stressful for me, which is why I mostly shop online — but we were laughing the whole time. It was actually fun.”
Elyse's family had a strict $400 budget for her prom dress, but from the beginning, Summer told the family that the dresses Elyse was interested in would cost more than that. She also told them to not worry about it.
Since Summer typically livestreams her dress consultations, she received a call from one of her followers during Elyse's consultation. The follower offered to contribute $200 toward Elyse's dream dress. Summer took that as a sign that she should just give the dress to Elyse.
"At that moment, I knew that was the universe telling me, just give her the dress," Summer told People. "That follower was just an angel just reminding me that just you have to give."
More from LittleThings: Toxic Friendships: How To Help Your Teen Navigate Unhealthy Relationships
Summer said Elyse "lit up" when she tried on the purple dress she ended up getting.
“I love that on you! It is so beautiful," Summer can be heard saying during the consultation.
At the cash register, Elyse's family was surprised to learn that the dress was $700, but even more surprised when they found out Summer was giving it to them for free.
“Not only does it fit — but it makes me feel good about myself," Elyse told Today. "Prom is a night where you want to feel beautiful, and I feel beautiful in that dress."
Summer started selling prom dresses at her store because of her own negative experiences as a teenager.
"If you weren’t skinny, there weren’t many options, and it was devastating for me because I’ve always loved fashion,” she told TODAY.com. "I went to my prom looking like a church lady in a suit dress with a jacket because it was the only thing that fit. It was a very sad period in my life, but I'm thankful for those experiences now."
