Size 26 and size 2 can shop the same rack at Strut. That is the whole premise of the place, and it goes back to one of its co-owners.
March 2009
Co-owner Ann spends a weekend trying to squeeze into wedding samples that were never going to fit
2010
Her older brother Bob answers her complaint with a start-up budget, and Strut Bridal Salon opens in Phoenix
March 2022
Moves to a bigger showroom on North Alma School Road in Chandler, between Warner and Elliott
March 2025
Marks its 15th anniversary
The same thinking now drives a prom collection that runs from size 00 to 36, and for East Valley students that is a big deal. New prom styles start arriving in November, they are sold right off the rack, and prices run from $299 to $900, with options under $500. Plus-size inventory usually lands in January. Everything is there to try on in person, which is the point the store keeps coming back to.
Sizes, prices and labels on the prom floor
The shop lists La Femme, Nina Canacci and Sydney's Closet among its prom designers, with more names rotating through the season. Styles range from sleek fitted gowns and corset bodices to full ballgowns, sequins, slits, cut-outs and Basque waists.
- Full prom size range
- 00 to 36
- Dedicated plus-size range
- 14 to 36
- Price range
- $299 to $900, with options under $500
- New arrivals
- From November; plus sizes typically in January
- Payment plan
- 25% down, balance within 30 days
- Appointments
- Not required; free stylist bookings available
That plus-size column is where Strut stands apart. Strut stocks a real spread of gowns above size 24 so a shopper can compare a mermaid against an A-line on her own body instead of imagining it from a smaller sample. The store makes the case in its own voice.
Finding an incredible prom dress should not depend on what number is sewn into the tag.
It also takes a swipe at the old way stores handled larger sizes, promising a full collection rather than "three dresses shoved in the back." Shoppers come from Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix, and the shop notes that visitors on winter or spring break carry gowns home to other states and Canada.
Walk in, or book a stylist and a suite
Walk-ins are welcome for prom, every day the store is open. Nobody needs to arrive knowing her silhouette. Maybe she wants fitted and leaves in a ballgown; the staff are used to that. Booking ahead adds a stylist for one student, or a whole suite for a group.
Prom Stylist
Free appointment, reserved online
- A dedicated stylist for one shopper
- Gowns pulled by size, budget and the look she describes
Strut Prom Party Experience
A private dress suite
- Up to 10 shoppers and guests
- Mocktails and sweet treats
- A Senior Prom Stylist assigned to the party
The party turns the dress hunt into part of the prom season itself, and it suits a friend group from Hamilton High School or Chandler High School that wants the room to themselves.
The store is easy to find from the Loop 101 and US 60, and it has a large free lot. For students at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe or Dobson High School in Mesa, Alma School Road is a direct run south. Shop early, because popular sizes and colors thin out quickly once a gown sells off the rack.
Strut also sells wedding gowns in sizes 0 to 38 and keeps a second salon in Long Beach, California. It calls itself the oldest bridal store under continuous ownership in the Phoenix area, and it confirms it is LGBTQIA+ inclusive. Two local titles back up the bridal side.
Best bridal store
Arizona Bride magazine
Best bridal store
Phoenix New Times
Alterations run through independent seamstresses the store works with, so ask about timing when you buy. Shoppers comparing other central Arizona prom shops can use its 00 to 36 size run as a benchmark.
Strut prom questions from Chandler shoppers
How far up does the plus-size prom selection go?
Through size 36, with a dedicated plus range starting at 14. Strut stocks multiple silhouettes above size 24, and the earliest shoppers in January see the widest choice.
Can I pay for a prom dress over time?
Yes. Strut offers a 30-day payment plan with 25% down at purchase, which secures the gown while you pay the balance.
What does the Prom Party Experience include?
A private suite for up to 10 shoppers and guests, mocktails and sweet treats, and a Senior Prom Stylist working with your group. Book it ahead online.