Valley Fair roots, Pleasanton address
Blossoms began with prom, not wedding gowns. Its own history page says the business was established in 2003 and "started in Valley Fair Mall as a prom dress store," adding evening, social-occasion and wedding gowns as it grew through a string of Bay Area mall locations. Today it lives upstairs at Stoneridge in Pleasanton, about a mile from its previous home in Dublin, and prom still has its own storefront.
That is the detail to know before you go. Blossoms runs two shops on the second floor of the mall. The bridal and formal store is the one next to the DMV office. Blossoms Prom is just down the hall, and that is where the prom and quinceañera gowns hang, along with anything the store's site tags as "flashy" or "sparkly." Both doors are appointment only, and the site asks shoppers to book through it.
The store's parking advice helps too: park in lot E17 and use the mall entrance there, which puts you straight onto the second floor. For students without a car, BART's West Dublin/Pleasanton station is close to the mall, so a group of friends can make the trip on their own.
What hangs in the prom store
Blossoms advertises "thousands of styles from leading designers," and the prom menu backs that up. Labels named on the site include Jovani (with JVN and the Jovani Couture line), Sherri Hill, Jessica Angel, Alyce Paris, Ellie Wilde, Primavera Couture, Faviana, Jasz Couture, Tarik Ediz, Ava Presley and Portia and Scarlett, plus LaDivine, Andrea & Leo Couture, Colors, Lucci Lu, Madison James and Stella Couture. There is a Blossoms private-label prom collection as well.
A few things set the shopping up differently from a typical mall store:
- Special order or off the rack
- The store can special order a dress and custom tailor it to fit, and it also keeps a large off-the-rack selection for what it calls "rush customers."
- Sale racks
- In-stock sale sections cover Jovani, Sherri Hill, Faviana, Ellie Wilde and designer prom. Stock and clearance pieces are sold as is.
- Size range
- The in-store stock filter runs from 000 through 32, with a separate run of W sizes up to 32W, and LaDivine and Faviana both have full-figure prom sections.
- Short dresses
- Homecoming and short party dresses from Jovani, Sherri Hill, Lucci Lu and Tony Bowls have their own section.
Read the prom sales policy before you order. It is short and specific. Prom sizing runs smaller than everyday clothing, the store measures bust, waist and hips, and when you fall between two sizes it usually suggests the larger one because taking a dress in is easier than letting it out. If a special order cannot arrive before your wear date, the policy promises a full refund. And it opens the timing section with a line every junior should hear in January:
The early bird get’s the worm! The faster you place your order for prom the better!
The policy gives the reason: some vendors ship from the East Coast, so special orders can take longer to arrive.
Fittings, tuxedos and the bridal side
Alterations happen in house. The site says Blossoms has "a skilled tailor on staff," and that alteration appointments are booked online, at least a day in advance, and usually take about 30 minutes. For formal events the store recommends at least two fitting appointments, and it can rush the work for an extra charge if the dance is close. You get a quote at the end of the first fitting, and payment is due before the work starts. Have your prom heels with you at the first fitting.
The store also offers tuxedo rental through Jim's Formal at Blossoms, along with in-stock boys' tuxedos, so a date's suit gets settled at Stoneridge as well. On the other side of the hall, the bridal store handles wedding gowns and mother-of-the-bride dresses.
The local draw is the whole Tri-Valley. Amador Valley and Foothill high schools in Pleasanton are minutes away, Dublin High is just up the road, and Livermore High and Granada send shoppers in from the east. Dougherty Valley and California High in San Ramon sit north on 680. Around here, a lot of students call the big spring dance senior ball as often as prom, and the store's own customer reviews use both. For a shop that has been working this corner of East Bay California since 2003, the advice holds either way: get the appointment on the calendar months ahead.
Walk-ins and alterations at Blossoms
Does Blossoms take walk-ins for prom?
No. Both Stoneridge storefronts are appointment only. Book through the store's website and make sure you are headed to the prom store, not the bridal one.
Can Blossoms alter my prom dress?
Yes. A tailor works on staff. Alteration appointments are booked online at least a day ahead, and rush work is available for an added fee.