A Reader Shares a Creative Find

Last week we invited you to send us your “Mitzvah Finds” so we can share them with other MM readers. We love learning tried-and-true ideas that we can pass along!

We want to thank MM reader Tracey from Albany for passing along an idea we think is brilliant! She offers this amazing cost-saving tip that might work for you and/or your daughter. Here’s the scoop, straight from Albany:

Tracey’s daughter Carlee wanted her Mitzvah dress to be special and to match the decor of the room. Of course, pulling off such a find was a daunting task. But Tracey got creative….

Tracey and Carlee found a basic brown bridesmaid’s dress from a Jessica McClintock store in Florida. The dress was $189. They then enlisted the help of a dear family friend, Erika Schuster, who is a design student at FIT. Together, the three met, discussed and designed a jazzed up version of the dress. They bought embellishments and bright colored fabric from a supply store and Erika got to work. After a few back and forth tweaks, viola … Carlee got her unique and decor-matching dress! To see the beautiful matching decor, look for an upcoming Mitzvah Family Spotlight on this Albany Mitzvah!

The finished dress!

The idea to hire a student or a local seamstress to help take a basic dress to the next level is a fabulous one. In addition to potentially saving you money, it will also create an opportunity for your daughter to be very involved in the process. And that, we believe, is worth every penny!