The Valerie Joseph boutique received a donation of about 40 prom dresses from an anonymous benefactor last year, with the hope that owner Valerie Ragaza-Miao would be able to put them to good use.

But what’s a person to do with dresses that look right only at a high school prom?

With a snip here and a snip there, stylist Rebecca Janette revamped the dresses to make them winter ball- and street-worthy, and they will be reintroduced at the boutique’s eighth annual masquerade-themed FRESH fashion event, "Cirque de Couture."

The event Saturday honors Health Literacy Month and is a benefit for Community Helping Schools, which provides classroom resources for Oahu’s public schools.

In addition to performances by Sunway and Studio 808 Dance Project, there will be a dessert bar, silent auction and post-show dancing.

The all-ages show will open with a collection by recent University of Hawaii fashion design and merchandising graduate Asia Joan Mateo. The prom dresses will be sold by silent auction.

"It’s all about upcycling," said Ragaza-Miao, who embraces the Community Helping Schools philosophy of "refurbish, renew, redistribute" to benefit schools in need. "I believe in paying it forward by doing a good deed for someone else, and this concept of rejuvenating is a positive cycle that can make an impact on others."

The donated dresses convey the message of renewal in a visual way.

"Prom dresses can look outdated, but they still have a great silhouette and you don’t need to know how to sew to get a new look."

One dress was cinched up with a corset to give it a sexy club vibe. Another had a chiffon overlay that was cut into strips, windowpane style, to echo one of the fall season’s biggest trends.

Other styling ideas include adding a tutu under a skirt for volume, or tying a sheer blouse over a dress for a more original look.

In the age of Instagram, Ragaza-Miao said, "Old prom ideas are dated, and these days girls are looking online to find something different."