By William Smith
Community Editor
Claire Tillotson is just a few years removed from one of the most magical evenings of a young woman's life – prom night.
It's a night for every girl to feel pretty, but not everyone can afford the perfect dress.
“Anyone who wants to go to prom should not be denied that because of their economic situation. They really shouldn’t be,” Tillotson said. “Prom is just something really fun to do in high school.”
A Burlington native who now attends graduate school at Drake University in Des Moines, Tillotson decided to do something about the economic factors that limit the choices of so many young women.
Last year, Tillotson gathered 200 dress donations and gave them away through a limited-run pop-up boutique she dubbed A Queen’s Closet.
“Maybe it’s just the empath in me that wants every girl to have her Cinderella moment,” Tillotson said. “A moment to feel beautiful.”
The boutique worked better than she ever imagined. The line stretched out the door, and she had to add a second day to serve everyone.
“I gave away at least 100 dresses,” she said.
Tillotson is at it again this year, collecting dresses with a donation bin by the inside entrance of the Burlington Area YMCA. She’s collected about 150 dresses so far, including some from a friendly dress shop in Des Moines.
“There are a few dresses in there that I wore for (Miss America) competitions,” Tillotson said. “We have a dress for every kind of girl. Sparkles, frills. I have dresses that are about 10 pounds because they are so full of sequins, and they’re a ball gown.”
The dresses themselves range in size from 1 to 30. Tillotson is trying to create an inclusive sale that will cater to sizes often ignored at charity events.
“I am still looking for sizes on either end of the spectrum. Really small dresses to the larger dresses are really hard to get,” she said, noting there will be menswear at the event as well.
Those who still want to pay for their dress at the boutique will be donating to the Iowa Donor Network. Organ donation has long been close to Tillotson’s heart, and she continually advocates for it as her platform when competing in state and regional Miss America pageants.
Tillotson’s friend, Jace Garner, 16, of Danville and Stronghurst, Ill., died in a vehicle accident in 2017. Tillotson later found out that Garner donated his organs, and it meant a lot to her.
“Because of his gift of life, he was able to help so many people. I didn’t want his story to end there,” she said. “I wanted to keep advocating for it.”
Tillotson is earning her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She also works closely with counselors at the Burlington School District and the students themselves. She knows life isn’t “one size fits all” for a high school student, and neither is a prom dress.
“Not every girl wants to wear a bright pink Barbie sparkle dress,” she said.
Tillotson knows how much a charity project like A Queen’s Closet means to the youth of Des Moines County. That’s why she doesn’t plan on ending the pop-up boutique any time soon.
“Collecting dresses is a year-round thing for me,” she said.
Donations of dresses, purses, shoes, and formal menswear still are being taken at the YMCA. Anyone who would like to help or is interested in donating or renting a space to Tillotson can message her on Facebook, or message A Queen’s Closet's Facebook page. You can also reach her via email at claire.tillotson98@gmail.