“So, this dress is $700…but it’s free,” Juicy Body Goddess owner Summer Lucille told a grateful teen who drove nearly six hours to shop for her high school senior prom dress.
According to Today, 18-year-old Elyse Monroe was looking for the perfect-fitting gown to wear for her special occasion, and after trying on multiple dresses, her and her family agreed on a shiny, floor-length, purple dress that hugged her curvy figure so elegantly. In love with the shoulders of the garment and other details that made Monroe feel like a princess, they made a final decision to head to the counter to make the purchase.
In a video posted to TikTok, Monroe and her family can be seen full of tears after Lucille extended the dress to the teen free of charge as her way to give back.
Lucille opened her Juicy Body Goddess boutique in
Charlotte, North Carolina. She was inspired by her own experiences shopping for formal dresses as a plus-sized girl, something she dreaded doing as kid of the ’90s.“If you weren’t skinny, there weren’t many options, and it was devastating for me because I’ve always loved fashion,” Lucille said. “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,” she shared. “But I’m thankful for those experiences now.”
“I know what it’s like to be a fat girl in a fatphobic world,” she added.
In 2021, Lucille became known for posting videos hyping up her clients as they shopped for their perfect fashion pieces in the Northlake Mall. Her boutique offers clients clothing up to a size 6X.
“I love that on you! It is so beautiful,” Lucille is heard saying in the video to a twirling Monroe.
Monroe is ready to confidently strut into her prom next month wearing the shimmery purple dress.
“Not only does it fit—but it makes me feel good about myself,” Monroe said. “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.”