Frequently Asked Questions The Prom Shop | A Top 10 Prom Store in the US & Voted Best Prom Dress Store in MN | Prom 2025

Do I need to make an appointment?

At this time, we do not offer appointments during our regular prom season (December-April). With 15 fitting rooms and extended weekend and holiday hours, we're ready to ensure everyone has a great shopping experience. During peak times, when the store reaches capacity, we use a text notification system to manage the flow and keep things running smoothly. For an exclusive shopping experience, you can reserve the entire store (by appointment only) for up to 2 hours on Tuesdays, when we are typically closed. Check out our Rent the Store option for more details!

What are your price ranges?

We understand that every girl has a unique budget for her prom dress, so we strive to offer options at a variety of price points. Our designer dresses start in the $300s, with many designers offering styles to accommodate different budgets within their collections.

What are the size ranges?

We have dresses in sizes 00 through 24 in stock. If you find a dress that you love and we don't have the size you need, we will do our best to special order it for you! Depending on the designer, the dress, and the time of season - we can special order dresses sizes 00 to 34. Please remember many dresses sell out quickly and will no longer be available via special order, some as early as January so shop EARLY!

What is the best day and/or time to shop for a dress?

For the best experience, we recommend visiting on weekdays (excluding holidays like MLK Day or President's Day). Typically, there's no wait for dressing rooms, and you'll have plenty of time to try on dresses and take pictures. On weekends and holidays, the quietest times are right at opening and a couple of hours before closing, though it can vary. If the store reaches capacity, we use both a pager and text messaging system to manage a waiting list and ensure everyone gets the best possible experience.

Do you offer a payment plan?

Yes! We want every girl to have the dress of her dreams, which is why we offer a flexible layaway program. With just $200 down and bi-weekly payments as low as $100, you can secure your perfect dress and pay over time.

Do you have a large selection of dresses to choose from?

Absolutely! For the 2025 Prom season, we've stocked thousands of stunning designer dresses, including styles from Sherri Hill, Jovani, Portia & Scarlett, Ellie Wilde, Jasz Couture, Johnathan Kayne, Clarisse, and more (we admit, we're a little obsessed with dresses!). From December through March, we keep 1,000 to 1,200 dresses in stock at all times for you to try on. Plus, we update our inventory weekly to ensure we're adding more of the styles our customers love!

What if I live 4 hours away?

Because our store is so unique, it's not uncommon for customers to travel 6+ hours to shop with us--some even fly in! On any given day, you'll often find license plates from Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota in our parking lot. We're proud to have a dedicated fan base that comes back year after year. Don't just take our word for it--check out our Google reviews to see why so many people make the trip!

How do I know what size I am?

That's a tricky one, but we can help with a few tips! Prom dress sizing can vary greatly depending on the designer and the style of the dress. Designer dresses often run smaller than typical clothing sizes, so don't be surprised if you need to size up--sometimes even one or two sizes more than you'd expect. It's also important to note that sizing can vary even within the same designer--you might be a size 2 in one style, a 4 in another, and a 6 in a different design. When you shop at The Prom Shop, our experienced staff will guide you through the process to ensure you find the perfect size and fit. You'll leave with the confidence that your dress will look and feel amazing!

Do I have to order my dress and wait for it?

Having to wait for your dress would ruin the fun! You can either put it on layaway (see layaway guidelines at the bottom) or you can pay for it in full and take it home with you. It's not un-common for girls to drive 8 or more hours for The Prom Shop experience and want to take their dress with them which is why we have so many beautiful gowns in stock at any given time (oh, and did we mention we have a dress addiction)?

I found a dress that I love at The Prom Shop. Can I shop around and come back to buy it if I don't find anything better?

Oh course, but keep in mind we don't hold dresses, so there's no guarantee your dream dress will still be here when you return. We sell hundreds of dresses each week, and it's not uncommon for someone to call back just hours later to find the dress they loved has already been sold and is sold out from the designer. Additionally, many of our dresses are private-branded designs made exclusively for us and cannot be reordered. Once they're gone, they're gone--so don't miss out on your perfect dress!

What if I find a dress I love but you don't have it in my size?

With all the dresses we have in stock, we can most likely find you something very similar. If you have your heart set on a specific dress, we will measure you and see if special ordering from the designer is possible (it can take up to 4 months for a designer to produce a special order dress if it is not already in the production process, so it isn't always an option). If it is possible to special order it having it shipped to your home is always an option. We have a lot of experience so if a special order isn't possible we will put our minds together to see if an alteration could do the trick - we promise to do everything we can to get your dream dress for you!

Can I find the same dress online?

If it was that easy, we would be sitting on a beach in the Bahamas selling dresses! There are a lot of fake sellers out there that use the professional pictures from the designer's website to make you think you are getting a beautiful dress for a great price. Let's just say we have had our share of girls come in crying and it can be impossible to get your money back in these situations. If you decide to order online, use extreme caution, and be sure to check the designer's website to see if the dealer is listed as an authorized seller of their dresses. Also make sure you have a backup plan in place, in case your dress does not arrive or is not what you thought you were ordering. If it looks to good to be true it probably is, the manufacturers we sell have us sign contracts requiring us to sell their merchandise at a minimum price, so if you find it lower it is undoubtedly a fake.

How do you choose the dresses?

We pride ourselves in having one-of-a-kind and exclusive dresses from the hottest designers. Even though our store is open seasonally, our staff is working year round to keep up on the latest trends so we can give you the best of the best. We specifically order many different styles and colors of dresses because we know every girl has different taste and there's a perfect dress for every girl. We are constantly updating our inventory to make sure we have the most fashion forward and latest trends available.

Do I need to make an appointment?

What are your price ranges?

What are the size ranges?

What is the best day and/or time to shop for a dress?

Do you offer a payment plan?

Do you have a large selection of dresses to choose from?

What if I live 4 hours away?

How do I know what size I am?

Do I have to order my dress and wait for it?

I found a dress that I love at The Prom Shop. Can I shop around and come back to buy it if I don't find anything better?

What if I find a dress I love but you don't have it in my size?

Can I find the same dress online?

How do you choose the dresses?

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