2014 Pomp & Pageantry Prom Shopping Guide

We put together this 2014 Prom Shopping Guide to help take you through our boutique’s offerings and policies. This is a big decision and we want you to be fully informed and prepared. Feel free to message us with any questions and we’ll update this blog accordingly.

• All of our new 2014 Prom dresses feature complimentary alterations. 
  

  • Our complimentary alterations are not included in the purchase price. It is an amenity we provide in addition to your purchase. You are under no obligation to take advantage of this amenity. If you do choose to take advantage of this amenity, you agree to any limitations and restrictions. We guarantee the quality of our work, but to accommodate all of our clientele in a timely manner and at a high level of quality, there are guidelines.
• Whether you spend $300, $700, or any amount in between, your perfect dress deserves the perfect fit. This is an amenity no other boutique will offer. Keep in mind, that our prices are usually equal or less than elsewhere, including online.
• Our dresses often feature extensive bead work and other fine details. Altering these gowns requires skilled handwork from an experienced seamstress. We have in-house seamstresses with decades of experience in our boutique. They will give your perfect dress the perfect fit free of charge.
• Our complimentary alterations cover what most clients require but do not cover restyling or additional materials. Turning a ball gown into a cocktail dress is a restyle. Adding a corset back or cups requires additional material.
• If you do require any of these services, our seamstresses can provide them at a cost far below market rate. For example, we charge $15 to add cups and that price includes the cups. Most will charge $50. Adding a corset back is usually $40-60. Most will charge over $100. Again, this is done in-house by our staff. Most boutiques will send you elsewhere or bring in an outside seamstress. We guarantee our work, many will not.
• Fittings are available Monday through Friday. They may be available on Saturdays for a $20 fee. Our seamstresses generally do not work weekends but may come in on their own time to assist you. We apologize for any inconvenience, but please keep in mind few boutiques offer in-house alterations. Even fewer offer them 5 days a week. No other will offer them for free.
• For more in-depth information check out "Our Complimentary Alterations" blog post.

• We offer a very generous layaway plan.
• There are no credit checks, hidden fees, or unreasonable deadlines. We only ask 30% down and a minimum payment of $50 a month until paid. If you’re special ordering, we ask 50% down and a minimum payment of $50 a month until paid. Your dress must be paid in full before your first fitting and before your complimentary, free alterations begin. You have 3 business days to change your mind. After the grace period, all payments made are non-refundable.
• For more in-depth information check out "Our Very Generous Layaway Plan" blog post.

• We’ll feature over 15 different designers this year and receive almost 1,000 different dresses over the course of the season.
• No other boutique in Oklahoma City will feature:, Precious Formals, Jovani, Party Time Formals, Terani Couture, Showtime Collection, Blush Prom, Sean Collection, Riva Designs, Paparazzi by Mori Lee, Flirt by Maggie Sottero, Sticks & Stones by Mori Lee, Mystique Prom, Alyce Paris, & Tony Bowls.
• Keep in mind these dresses do not arrive at the same time. They will arrive over the course of a few months. We will also be re-ordering and possibly adding designers as the season goes along.
• While we stock sizes 0-20+, we don't have every dress in every size in stock. We may have the dress you love but it may not be in your size. We can alter the dress but you may need to special order your size. If so, you'll need to special order soon to guarantee delivery.
• We have a one-of-a-kind selection. We won't order a dress in a variety of sizes. Most dresses we will order one in one size. We may reorder the dress and we can special order you another, but once a dress is sold it's gone. If you see a dress you like, don't wait. It may not be available and it may take too long to reorder.
• Our dresses are priced $300-$700. We make a great effort to buy the best dresses at the best prices for our customers.
• We post photos of all arriving dresses on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

• We register every prom dress we sell and we will not sell the same dress to the same school, not even in a different color.
• We can’t guarantee it won’t be purchased elsewhere, but it won’t be from us. Your perfect dress belongs on you and no one else.

• Members of the US Armed Forces and their families receive a 10% discount.
• Please notify your sales consultant and be able to present a military ID.

• We’re giving away $2000 in Pomp & Pageantry Gift Cards for the best Prom Photos.
• Take your best prom photo in our dress and submit it to our Facebook page for a chance to win a top prize of $500 in Pomp & Pageantry Gift Cards. 

• We welcome comparison shoppers and encourage photos. Most boutiques will only allow photographs after purchase or not at all. We firmly believe we are your best choice for one of the biggest nights of your life. We’ve been a part of countless occasions for over 25 years and we want to be a part of yours.
  Beginning January 12th, we will be open Sundays from 1pm-5pm.

Your First Visit: What to Bring, Who to Bring, Etc

The biggest day of your life is preceded by some of the biggest decisions of your life. After 25 years we've acquired a few tips and best practices to make your visit efficient and productive.

It's never too early to begin looking. Special orders can take up to 6 months. We'll need up to 4 weeks to complete your complimentary alterations. If you're planning to diet down, you may need an additional fitting if you miss your target. You'll also have ample time to pay off your dress with our generous layaway plan.

We welcome everyone you choose to bring, but advise against bringing an entourage. More guests means more opinions and those opinions may not reflect what you desire. We understand the pressure to include everyone in the process but if that's the case, we suggest doing some visits on your own with a trusted friend or two. In particular, someone who truly understands what you want and/or has a similar vision. After narrowing your choices and the specific boutiques then you can involve that larger group. Their own experience will be more enjoyable if they are choosing between 2 or 3 of your selections at 1 or 2 boutiques than choosing between 4 or 6 selections from 3 or 4 boutiques. They'll still play a role in the process and you can spend the rest of the day enjoying their company and planning the rest of your big day. In any event, all of your guests are welcome.

We do welcome well-behaved, supervised children but please limit the number of children for obvious reasons.

Please do bring any accessories you have already purchased or plan to wear, your shoes in particular. During your first visit you can borrow a pair of ours and we have a few different heights. At the time of your first fitting you'll definitely want to bring the shoes you plan to wear. A hand-me-down like a veil or headpiece is a great item to bring, especially if it's a particular color or shade.

If you know your venue and the time of day, please tell your consultant. Whether it's indoors or out and  night or day has a significant impact on your selection. Our bridal dressing room lights can be dimmed if you wish to see how your gown may look at night or indoors. You're also welcome to leave your dressing room and view yourself on a showroom pedestal for more natural lighting.

Do your homework and come with a few examples in hand. We post every single gown we receive as they arrive. Our Facebook and Pinterest pages are a great resource for our new arrivals. However, keep an open mind. More often than not, a bride leaves with a different gown than she anticipated. We have a lot to choose from and our consultants can recommend options that are truly flattering.

Be honest about your size. We carry gowns from 0-20+ and our clients come in every shape. We've seen it all and the measuring tape doesn't lie. Most designers run a few sizes smaller or larger than normal clothing. Please don't be offended if we recommend ordering a size larger. It's much easier to take a dress in than let it out. Knowing and ordering the correct size makes for a better fit.

Cameras and pictures are usually forbidden throughout the industry. These restrictions originated for competitive reasons and to reduce counterfeiting. In the modern era, every designer posts photos of their gowns online. Still, most boutiques forbid photographs until at least the point of sale. Even Kleinfeld from TLC's reality show, "Say Yes to the Dress" forbids photographs.

At Pomp & Pageantry, we are so confident in our customer service, prices, complimentary, free alterations, and generous layaway plan that we not only allow photographs but we encourage them. In fact, we have wireless internet available if you wish to Facetime or Skype a friend or family member.

We only ask that photos be limited to appointments or the dressing rooms. Pulling out dresses and running through the racks snapping pictures would create a mess and be a distraction to other clients. Photos of our collection are readily available on our Facebook and Pinterest pages.

This concludes the opening series of our blog. Please check back often as we cover other aspects of our boutique, products, events, and other frequently asked questions. If you have a request to review a venue, product, or other questions please email us at help@pompandpageantryokc.com. If we cover your inquiry on our blog we'll send you a $25 Pomp and Pageantry Gift Card.

Yesterday: "Appointments & Walk-Ins"

Appointments & Walk-Ins

While we accept walk-ins depending on availability, we strongly recommend an appointment. An appointment ensures you will have a dedicated bridal consultant and bridal dressing room. A bridal consultant will make your experience more efficient and productive. There are a lot of gowns to choose from and a bridal consultant can match the right dress to your needs and even suggest alternatives you may not have considered. A bridal consultant will also have better knowledge of what may be in a designer catalog but not on the rack.

If you're concerned about high pressure sales, don't be. Our focus is providing the best customer service possible. We're so confident in our customer service, our prices, our complimentary alterations, and our generous layaway plan we don't need to pressure our clients. This is your special day and we're happy to be a part of  that day. If you want to shop around, that's fine. We're confident you'll return like so many others the past 25 years.

We respect your budget. We may suggest a dress that's slightly higher because it may better fit your needs. We won't put you in a dress beyond your budget in the hopes you'll spend more than you feel comfortable. We won't wait until you've fallen in love with a dress beyond your budget to tell you the price. Unlike many boutiques, our prices are clearly marked on our dresses.

If you're walking in, we'll do our best to accommodate you. If there is no bridal consultant or bridal dressing room available, we will either take you as soon as one becomes available or we can schedule you for another time. Regardless, you are more than welcome to peruse the gowns on your own. We've recently attached designer photos to our garment bags to better assist walk-ins. You can also use this time to view our bridesmaid dresses and the available color swatches. If you don't see anything on the rack that catches your eye, you can also view our designer catalogs. If we can't get to you that day, we will happily schedule you an appointment at your convenience.

Please call us at 405.631.1927 to make an appointment. We do get really busy and if you can't get through please email us at help@pompandpageantryokc.com with a contact number and best times to call and we will get back to you. We look forward to helping you find that perfect dress.

Yesterday: "Our Prices"
Tomorrow: "Your First Visit: What to Bring, Who to Bring, Etc"

Our Prices

Like many of our competitors, we do not post our prices online. For most it's a matter of competitiveness and it's standard across the industry amongst boutiques not providing online sales. We do not post our prices online because our price alone does not reflect an accurate cost or provide a good basis of comparison. Our prices are posted clearly on our dresses in our boutique. Many boutiques do not post prices at all or defer until the point of sale to make that price known.

Our prices are generally the same or less than our competitors, including those online. Additionally, we provide complimentary alterations and our very generous layaway plan. Those alterations alone can result in saving $200-$450 and our layaway plan offers further financial flexibility without additional fees, penalties, or interest.

The following chart lists our prices against online retailers authorized to carry and sell the same designers. We've chosen online retailers because of their public pricing and the perception online retailers will always be less expensive. We've also chosen the most recent arrivals from 2013 and 2012 across a range of prices. We've provided the style numbers for your verification. Those style numbers are linked to photos of the gowns. Just click the link to see the caliber quality of the gowns we carry.


As you can see, our prices are similar or less. We also provide complimentary alterations and layaway. The cost of basic alterations will be $200-$450 in addition to their purchase price. At Pomp and Pageantry, our price listed is the price you pay plus tax. There will be no out of pocket expense for alterations that will be an extra $200-$450 elsewhere.

You will certainly save money on sales tax if purchasing online, but even if you purchase a $2000 wedding gown you will only save $167.50 (OKC sales tax rate) which probably won't cover your alterations. At Pomp and Pageantry you pay the same price or less and receive a $200-$450 value in complimentary alterations. Our very generous layaway plan will provide further financial flexibility. For 25 years our prices and amenities have enabled countless young ladies to have their perfect dress.


Yesterday: "Our Complimentary Alterations"
Tomorrow: "Appointments & Walk-Ins"

Our Story

While we first opened our doors in 1987, our story begins nearly a decade earlier in a small home in Oklahoma City. We began taking in alterations and quickly built a loyal following. Soon we were sought out by upscale boutiques across the city for their own customers. Those customers were the foundation of a demanding clientele with needs beyond alterations. For that clientele we began producing custom prom, pageant, and special occasion dresses.

The popularity of those custom prom and pageant dresses allowed us to open our first store. Even after 10 years of savings and success, we couldn't afford to buy inventory from other designers. In those early years virtually every prom, pageant, and bridal dress sold was designed and produced in that store. Our work was featured and covered in local newspapers and on television. This tremendous exposure expanded our clientele even more and we grew quickly.

Despite our growing reputation, we knew we needed to fully support and guarantee the quality of our work. We included complimentary alterations with all of our dresses and since custom designed dresses can be prohibitively expensive, we also offered a very generous layaway plan. While we no longer produce custom designed dresses, we still provide complimentary alterations and a generous layaway plan 26 years later. In fact, the seamstresses that produced those celebrated dresses so long ago are the very same seamstresses performing your alterations today.

Just a few short years after opening, we moved into a much larger store. A decade after, we acquired the space next door and expanded. We quickly outgrew that space and in our 24th year, we acquired an even larger space a few doors down that once housed a sandwich shop and embarked on a major renovation. Even with great planning and sparing no expense, we missed our targeted grand re-opening date. Instead, we re-opened in March during spring break, our busiest week of the year. We moved our entire store in one very hectic, exhaustive Sunday and were back in business the very next day

We'd like to thank all of those loyal customers going back 35 years to that little house in Oklahoma City and the past 26 years since that very first store. We've been a part of countless special occasions and look forward to being a part of many more.