A plus-size-only boutique owner in North Carolina who went viral after giving away a free prom dress to a lucky youngster is speaking out about what makes prom so memorable.
"No matter where you come from, what size you are, wherever you come from, everybody connects to prom," said Summer Lucille, owner of Juicy Body Goddess, on Wednesday's fourth hour of Today.
While Lucille's boutique sells clothing ranging from "corporate work attire to date night looks," she told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that she has a special interest in Prom because her boutique is one of the few plus-size only stores that sell prom attire.
"It's bittersweet for me," she explained, adding that she was "restricted" in her dress selection during her own prom experience "due to [my] size."
Summer Lucille, owner of the @JuicyBodyGodde1 in Charlotte, North Carolina, opens up about why she’s made it her mission to cater to plus-size girls looking for the perfect Prom Dress and why she gives them the full princess experience! pic.twitter.com/8LojJ8V31f
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) April 28, 2023
"I just didn't feel trendy," she admitted. "And three days before prom, my date told me, 'No, I'm not going to prom.'" And guess who I ran into there? "He actually showed up for prom."
While Lucille admitted that she used to look back on her prom experience with sadness, she shared that meeting prom-goers at her boutique has given her a new perspective.
"Dealing with these girls, listening to them, pouring love into them, and them pouring love into me, I don't look at those pictures like that anymore," Lucille explained. "I want little girls to know that you can be a princess on prom night no matter your size or appearance."
Lucille went viral last month after a video of her giving a prom dress to Elyse Monroe, a teenager who drove six hours with her family to her boutique, received over 13 million views.
@juicybodygoddess I didn't cry until I did edit #plussize #plussizetiktok #juicybodygoddess #plussizefashion ♬ original sound - JuicyBodyGoddess
"When she got into that purple dress, she lit up," Lucille recounted in an interview with HotGossipNewz. "I couldn't let her walk out of that store without the dress." Lucille noted that giving the $700 gown to the teen was a "beautiful, beautiful moment."
"The response has been out of this world," she said. "In my comments, people were asking, 'How can I donate?'" How can I help? 'How can I assist the next girl?'
Instead of making a huge announcement, Lucille simply left a comment stating that anyone interested may purchase gift cards from the store's website. She claims that she has already spent $12,000 on gift cards since uploading the video.
