Hair, nails, dresses and accessories —  there are a million things to plan for as prom approaches. Luckily, the expertise of a few White Station students with small businesses can take some of that stress away before the big day.

Nails and Accessories

@tipsbyteana, tipsbyteana.com

On Dec. 10, 2022, Christina Townsend (11) launched her business, Tips by Teana, after her business pitch won a competition hosted by Let’s Innovate Through Education Memphis, following a 14-week entrepreneurial program.

“[LITE] helped us to create and think about what we wanted to make our business and turn our hobbies into our business,” Townsend said. 

Townsend’s business is centered around press-on nails and charm bracelets. Nail sets are customized to clients, with various colors, patterns and charm options to choose from. Townsend finds inspiration for trendy designs from TikTok and Pinterest, and then creates the designs for her nail sets from scratch. 

“[F]irst, I apply the acrylic on there, dipping it with monomer to make the base, and I shape it,” Townsend said. “And then, that’s when I use the polish and the charms to decorate the top of it.” 

Townsend’s nail sets start at $35, but vary in price depending on the shape, size, length and design of the nails. Because the business is relatively new, Townsend practices her craft on family and friends, but she plans to expand it to a wider audience.

“I mostly target young adults and teenage girls,” Townsend said. “Or, anybody who likes to get their nails done and likes to get them different from everybody else — because they’re customized.” 

Townsend’s business also includes charm bracelets. Charms are customized to the client — even the clasps of the bracelets can be picked by the client. Most of Townsend’s charm bracelets are sold in monochrome color sets with matching charms, though Townsend offers a variety of colors and combinations for designs.

“For a pink set, since it’s more girly, I would try to put like girly charms on there [like] a crown or a heart,” Townsend said. “I do it based off of what the person likes, like what hobbies they do [and] what kind of charms they want on there … I’ve sold a lot, I’ve sold more than the press-on nails.”

Dresses

@l.w._galore

Prom clothes, especially prom dresses, are a cornerstone of the event. This leaves a lot of pressure on students who do not know where to shop for the best quality dresses without breaking the bank. Lea Walker (11) has experience seeking out formal dresses for pageants.

“I would personally recommend Lola B Boutique in Olive Branch, Miss., Bliss Boutique and Bridal [in] Bartlett and Arabella’s Boutique which is down the street [from school] on Poplar,” Walker said. 

Aside from upscale boutiques, Walker also recommends more budget-friendly stores like Dillards and Windsor.

“[Dillards and Windsor have] better price options, and they’re also still really good quality, and they have a lot of good styles to choose from,” Walker said. “You can find all sorts of styles from ball gowns, A-lines, mermaids, column-style dresses … all different colors and patterns.”

Walker’s love for fashion and design led her to start her own business, LW Galore. Walker has run LW Galore for about a year, and in that time has designed a couple of dresses. Currently, Walker is working to bring her designs to life. 

“It’s a high-low dress,” Walker said. “The top is white and the skirt is blue, and it’s gonna have butterflies all around it … [the other ones are] big, poofy, but also some are slim, smaller dresses.”

Walker finds inspiration for her designs from Pinterest or her imagination. Once she has an idea, she sketches out the design and searches for materials. Walker favors tulle, silk and satin fabrics. Despite the newness of her business, Walker is working to expand her client base.

“I’m just getting started, but I hope to keep improving my skills,” Walker said.

Hair

@0fficial._.renee

Three years ago, Dakayta White (9) started teaching herself how to style hair. Since then, White has worked on honing her skills and mastering her craft.  

“I was tired of depending on people to do my hair and [letting] me down,” White said. “So, I said ‘I’m just gonna do it myself.’”

White used to style her classmates’ hair at her old school, Raleigh Egypt Middle School, and she is now looking to expand her services to White Station students and beyond. White has primarily styled hair for birthday parties, but she is looking to diversify the events she styles people for. Aside from her classmates, White had lots of practice with styling hair on her family. 

“My older sister, she’s basically like my test dummy,” White said. “It was her, and then sometimes it was my brothers, when I was learning how to do men’s hair.”

White mainly styles knotless braids and natural hair, though she is learning how to style wigs. White’s designs come from inspiration pictures and her curiosity to try out new styles. Being a beginner, White is still working on developing relationships with customers and mastering her craft. Because of this, White charges much less for her work than other stylists; this is also to keep pressure off of customers who have not worked with her before.

“Since I’m a beginner, I don’t charge a lot,” White said. “I usually charge 65 or 85 [dollars] depending on [how] big or small the braids are.”