Every teenager looks forward to the day they can attend prom.
So when homeschooled student Victoria Hoffman was invited to senior prom, she didn't hesitate to say yes.
"My friend asked me and I was so excited because I never got to go to dances," the 18-year old tells Today. "But then I got home and it hit me...I don't have a dress, I don't have shoes. What am I going to wear?"
Victoria remembered she had recently ordered a graduation dress from Amazon, but would it work for prom? That's when she turned to TikTok to find out.
In the 10 second clip, Victoria twirls in a blue and white rose-patterned dress, paired with a corset blouse. "I don't have a ton of money and my parents aren't in a position where I can ask them with good conscience to buy me a dress," she wrote in the caption.
Victoria thought she might get a few opinions or suggestions on her outfit, but she didn't expect the video to go absolutely viral.
To date, the TikTok has received over six million views.
Along with positive comments and helpful suggestions, Victoria also received donations from strangers to purchase accessories for prom. She even has enough money left over to pay for EMT school, a dream she's been saving towards for awhile.
"I ended up falling in love with the dress. I feel like a princess in it, so I didn't accept any dress offers," said Victoria. "But some people are sending me jewelry and custom nails."
The overwhelming support she received has shifted Victoria's perspective on her self-image. "I'm a firm believer that beauty comes from within and that God made you exactly how He wants you to be, perfect in his eyes," she explains. "But you still have those days when you think, 'Gosh, I wish I looked different.'"
On those particular days, she will read the TikTok comments for reassurance.
"This experience has definitely changed me," Victoria says. I still can't believe in happened."