Skip to content
NOWCAST Pittsburgh's Action News 4 at 11pm Sunday
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

A prom to remember: Alabama high school senior tries on grandmother's dress from 1962

A prom to remember: Alabama high school senior tries on grandmother's dress from 1962
IS TIME FOR SOME NEWS WE LOVE. YEAH, I GOT A REALLY COOL STORY ABOUT OUR FRIEND EMILY MITCHELL. YOU KNOW, WHILE EMILY WAS VISITING HER GRANDMA DOWN IN PENSACOLA, THE ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL OF VICTORIA, VALEDICTORIAN AND EMILY AND HER MOM, THEY WENT OUT SHOPPING FOR A PROM DRESS. THAT’S THE DRESS THAT THEY EVENTUALLY BOUGHT. BUT BACK IN 1962, EMILY’S GRANDMA WORE A BLUE PROM DRESS. HERE’S FROM 6162 YEARS AGO. AFTER THAT PROM, GRANDMA TUCKED IT AWAY IN A CLOSET, WONDERED IF ANYBODY WOULD EVER WEAR IT. WELL, AFTER EMILY FOUND HER DRESS AND BOUGHT A NEW DRESS AT THAT PENSACOLA BOUTIQUE, HER MOM SAID, HEY, WHY DON’T YOU TRY ON GRANDMA’S OLD PROM DRESS? SO THERE IT IS. EMILY THEN HAD TWO DRESSES, SO SHE POSED FOR PICTURES AND HER GRANDMA’S DRESS. THAT’S GRANDMA’S DRESS RIGHT THERE. AFTER 61 YEARS, DOESN’T THAT LOOK BEAUTIFUL? AND THEN SHE WORE THE PROM DRESS SHE PURCHASED IN PENSACOLA TO HER PROM. WELL, AFTER GRADUATION, EMILY WILL ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA. SHE’S GOT A FULL SCHOLARSHIP. SHE WILL S
Advertisement
A prom to remember: Alabama high school senior tries on grandmother's dress from 1962
A high school student from the town of Alexandria, Alabama, went shopping for a baby blue prom dress inspired by Cinderella. It was when Alexandria High School valedictorian Emilea Mitchell and her mother Millie were in Pensacola, Florida, visiting Emilea’s grandma May Hammock, that they found the perfect dress and something more. In the spring of 1962, Hammock wore a similar blue prom dress. Sleeveless and sleek with a classy chiffon and a balloon skirt, the teenager really did look like Cinderella. After the prom at the National Guard Armory in Perry, Georgia, Hammock bagged up her beautiful dress and tucked it away in a closet. She wondered if someone else might someday wear her dress. It was late in the afternoon when Emilea Mitchell said “yes” to the dress at a store. Emilea and her mom and her grandma found the dress at a Pensacola boutique. Cinderella blue, flowing, beautiful. There wasn’t a dress better. Or was there?It was days before Emilea and her date Matthew went to the prom. Emilea was back in Alabama with her family. Her grandmother's dress was back home in Alabama as well. Of course, Emilea had purchased a baby blue dress in Pensacola, but one conversation led to another.“Why don’t you go try on grandma’s dress?” Millie said to Emilea.The 1962 prom dress fit Emilea perfectly — she looked like a young May Hammock. Her grandmother cried. Emilea and Millie did, too.Emilea and Matthew had a great time at their senior prom as both dresses took center stage. Emilea posed for pictures in her grandma’s prom dress as May held up an old black and white picture taken 61 years ago. Emilea then went to the prom in the dress she had purchased in Pensacola.Emilea Mitchell will graduate from high school on May 24. She will attend the University of Alabama on a full scholarship. Emilea will study biology and pre-med — she wants to become an orthopedic surgeon.

A high school student from the town of Alexandria, Alabama, went shopping for a baby blue prom dress inspired by Cinderella. It was when Alexandria High School valedictorian Emilea Mitchell and her mother Millie were in Pensacola, Florida, visiting Emilea’s grandma May Hammock, that they found the perfect dress and something more.

In the spring of 1962, Hammock wore a similar blue prom dress. Sleeveless and sleek with a classy chiffon and a balloon skirt, the teenager really did look like Cinderella. After the prom at the National Guard Armory in Perry, Georgia, Hammock bagged up her beautiful dress and tucked it away in a closet. She wondered if someone else might someday wear her dress.

Advertisement
emilea mitchell wearing grandma's prom dress
Keith Mitchell

It was late in the afternoon when Emilea Mitchell said “yes” to the dress at a store. Emilea and her mom and her grandma found the dress at a Pensacola boutique. Cinderella blue, flowing, beautiful. There wasn’t a dress better. Or was there?

It was days before Emilea and her date Matthew went to the prom. Emilea was back in Alabama with her family. Her grandmother's dress was back home in Alabama as well. Of course, Emilea had purchased a baby blue dress in Pensacola, but one conversation led to another.

“Why don’t you go try on grandma’s dress?” Millie said to Emilea.

The 1962 prom dress fit Emilea perfectly — she looked like a young May Hammock.

Her grandmother cried. Emilea and Millie did, too.

emilea mitchell wearing grandma's prom dress
Keith Mitchell

Emilea and Matthew had a great time at their senior prom as both dresses took center stage. Emilea posed for pictures in her grandma’s prom dress as May held up an old black and white picture taken 61 years ago. Emilea then went to the prom in the dress she had purchased in Pensacola.

Emilea Mitchell will graduate from high school on May 24. She will attend the University of Alabama on a full scholarship. Emilea will study biology and pre-med — she wants to become an orthopedic surgeon.

emilea mitchell wearing grandma's prom dress
Keith Mitchell