HURLOCK — Here’s one small-town girl who went to the big city, but didn’t forget where she came from - and she’s proving it by launching a prom dress drive to help make the day special for Dorchester girls.

North Dorchester High School graduate and Hurlock native Octavia Outlaw continued her education at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she majored in fashion merchandising and graduated in December of 2016. After a brief stay at home, she decided to head out to Los Angeles two years ago.

“I’m a lifestyle blogger,” she said in a phone conversation Monday morning with the Banner.

She sure is - with 560,000 followers on one YouTube channel, 85,000 on another, and 100,000 on her Instagram account, there are quite a few people who want to know what this influencer has to say about fashion. Right now, it’s not about helping others.

“I wanted to do an event that is giving back,” she said.

So she is asking for donations of prom dresses - “They should be used again,” she said - and other items. Girls interesting in the program are asked to send her a paragraph by email including their school, their prom date, grade and dress size.

Using this information and the number of dresses she will have collected, she will respond to girls she can help with the location and time of the event, scheduled for March 23. “We just need more dresses,” she said, noting that she wants to be able to give a gown to everyone who attends, so no one’s time is wasted.

Ms. Outlaw’s hope is that the event will be an annual one, at which other mentors will attend, and will feature additional gifts, such as goody bags.
Persons interested in donating dresses can call or text 310-853-6221. Girls may send their information to glamazontay@gmail.com.