The Dress Outlet's catalog is huge, and the prices start low. What a lot of shoppers do not realize is that the same company runs a showroom in the Los Angeles Fashion District, on East 11th Street, where you can try the dresses on before you commit.
We carefully curate our in-store collections. Instead of just loading up racks of merchandise, we focus on what our customers are purchasing to wear to events like prom, weddings, receptions, and formal evenings.
That is how the company stocks the showroom, and it makes for an easy visit. Rather than the whole catalog on hangers, you get the company's best-selling formal styles, picked with prom in mind, in a showroom the store aims to keep calm and unrushed.
A Los Angeles company since 2008
The Dress Outlet was established in 2008 as a Los Angeles-based company. It started with affordable bridal wear and grew into prom, bridesmaid and formal dresses in a wide range of styles and colors.
Prom is where the catalog shows its depth. The prom selection runs across lengths, silhouettes (A-line, mermaid, corset, bodycon, two-piece, one-shoulder, off-the-shoulder), fabrics (beaded, satin, sequin, velvet, feather) and colors, and there is a dedicated section for prom dresses under $100. For a family trying to keep the total cost of prom in check, that last category is worth a look before anyone falls for a $700 gown.
The designer list is long, and these are the names on it that prom shoppers will know.
The store also names Cinderella Divine, and its Ladivine line has its own spot in the designer lineup.
How to plan a showroom visit
A few quick notes help a first visit go smoothly.
Appointments
Strongly encouraged, so a stylist can pull gowns in your size and style ahead of time.
Showroom stock
A selection of the most popular styles, so book from the appointment collection.
Sizes
A wide range with a focus on inclusive fits, though not every size of every style is always in.
Santee Education Complex sits just south of the Fashion District. Roosevelt High in Boyle Heights, Belmont High west of downtown, Jefferson High in South Los Angeles and Huntington Park High are all close enough to fit a fitting into an afternoon, and the store's team answers in Spanish as well as English, which helps a lot of families on this side of town. For the appointment itself, the store also says what to bring.
Bring
- Inspiration photos
- Shapewear
- Your prom shoes
Alterations and the extras
The Dress Outlet also offers in-house alterations, so a hem or a strap adjustment can happen in the same place the dress came from. For a prom on a tight timeline it removes a step, and in late April every day between pickup and the dance counts.
Every dress comes with an authenticity guarantee, and the store offers a price match. Those details make the shop a sensible first stop for families anywhere in Southern California who want designer prom at prices that leave room for tickets, photos and dinner.
Bridal is still part of the business, and the occasional mother-of-the-bride shopper will find a section built for her. For students, though, the prom floor is the reason to make the trip.
Frequently asked questions
Does The Dress Outlet do alterations?
Yes. Alterations are done in house, so the fitting happens where you bought the dress.
Is the showroom appointment-only?
Appointments are strongly encouraged rather than required. Booking lets the team prepare dresses in your size before you arrive.