Change of a dress

“I don’t have a date yet,” she said between trying on a sleek purple gown and a 1940s-inspired number, all ruffles and jewels. “I think it’s stupid that girls always wait for guys. So me and my friends will probably just end up asking our dates.”

As she spoke, three high school-aged girls brushed past the doorway. Despite the spiraling economy, the Unique Vintage showroom was packed last weekend.

“I think parents would rather cut back on everything else before telling their little girl that this year they can’t afford to buy her a prom dress,” said owner Katie Echeverry, adding that her shop carries a large selection of affordable garments.

Claire Anderson, another newly minted Glamour Girl, also has yet to make her final prom arrangements.

“My friends are procrastinators, so they’ll probably wait until the last minute,” she said.

Claire, 17, senior class president of John Burroughs High School, spent her formative years as a missionary living in Eastern Europe.

After moving to Burbank, she worked as a scorekeeper at various city parks and as a camp counselor, and now puts in 20 hours a week at a local frozen yogurt shop.

The money she would have spent on a prom dress can now go toward her yearbook, senior sweat shirt and college.

“They took really good care of me,” said Claire, who chose her dress this week. “Make sure to tell them ‘Thank you’ from me.”

For more information about Project Glamour Girl, visit www.unique- vintage.com.