DeKALB | When the French coined the term “flea market” in the early 20th century to suggest that secondhand shops were filthy, they had no idea how they would be re-branded. Resale clothing shops have become such an important stop for the modern fashionista that it’s about time they’re treated as such.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois will host the “Diva’s Night Out Fashion Show” from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and the “Diva Dress Sale” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center, in Rockford.

At Friday’s fashion show, over 2,000 special occasion dresses collected from seven Goodwill stores, including DeKalb’s local branch, will be modeled on a catwalk to high energy music, according to Shannon Halverson, Goodwill’s public relations manager.

“They were dresses that were donated to us by various donors throughout the entire year,” Halverson said. “We made it a point to go to the stores and pull only the best of the best dresses, the ones that were in perfect shape and in current style.”

Over 150 of these dresses were contributed by the local DeKalb Goodwill, said store manager Aaron Bick.

“We’ve been setting them aside since last year,” Bick said. “We sent them in [to Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois] and if they liked them they’d keep them. Usually it was a judgment call.”

Some of the models for the show will be local celebrities, Halverson said. So that prom dress that was taking up space in your closet may be toted down the catwalk on a Rockford news anchor. Or that classic little-black dress that you grew out of might be worn by a strutting radio personality.

“It’s everything, man,” Bick said. “It’s cocktail dresses, prom dresses, wedding dresses, everything.”

All the dresses of the “Diva’s Night Out Fashion Show” will be sold the following day in the “Diva Dress Sale.”

“Anything you see on the catwalk you can actually come the next day and purchase it,” Halverson said. “All adult dresses are anywhere from $10 to $30 and children’s dresses are $5 to $15.”

According to a press release, the money raised by the sale will go toward Goodwill’s programs that help people with barriers achieve employment in the Stateline area.

“We have financial education programs and job training programs,” Halverson said. “We have a program called ‘Dress for Success’ where if clients are going to job interview and can’t afford clothes that would be appropriate for a job interview, we help them get suited up for that.”

And if you need a push to make that hour drive from campus to the Clock Tower, the first 50 guests get free T-shirts.