A prom dress usually starts as a picture in someone’s head, maybe a corset bodice, a front slit or a full ball gown, and Winged Monkey sorts its prom collection online to match. Instead of asking a shopper to know a designer or a style number, the site lets her start from the shape she has in mind, or from a color, with sections for metallics, florals, neutrals, black, white and a run of brights from purple to orange.
Winged Monkey is a women-owned shop that dresses girls and women in everything from jeans and swimwear to gowns, but its contact page is clear that special occasion dresses and gowns are the specialty, and prom has its own menu with seasonal sub-collections. There is no appointment system to work around. The FAQ answers the question directly: “You do not need an appointment for any occasion.”
The prom racks on Post Road East
The labels attached to the boutique’s prom collection are a familiar list for anyone who has shopped a spring season in lower Fairfield County, Connecticut. The ones with pages in this guide:
- La Femme and Sherri Hill, the two deepest groups in the collection
- Faviana and Jessica Angel
- Jovani, Mac Duggal and Tarik Ediz
- Scala and Amarra
Atria, Chandalier, Katie May, Shona Joy, LIIS and Nookie fill in the rest, so the prom collection mixes the big beaded-gown houses with contemporary labels better known for cocktail and wedding guest dresses. Alyce Paris shows up in the formal and homecoming sections as well.
If the size or color you want is not in the shop, the boutique can place a special order, according to its shipping page, and staff are happy to help with sizing questions before you come in. A first-time prom shopper who has never worn a structured gown gets the most out of that offer. Asking how a particular label runs is a quick phone call that can save a lot of trying on.
For Staples High School students, Winged Monkey is a hometown option on Westport’s stretch of the Post Road, which is US 1, east of the downtown shops along the Saugatuck. Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde sit to the east, Weston High and Wilton High to the north, and Norwalk High and Brien McMahon to the west, so the shop sits among several districts’ prom calendars at once.
Beyond prom at Winged Monkey
A juniors and preteen section covers the middle school dances that come before prom, and the formalwear menu adds bat mitzvah party and service dresses, communion and flower girl dresses, and bridesmaid styles. The girls’ department runs from size 2 through 16, so a family can shop for a younger sister on the same visit. Everyday clothing, shoes and accessories take up the remaining floor space, which is handy when a prom outfit still needs a clutch or a pair of heels.
We specialize in special occasion dresses and gowns - so whatever the occasion, we have the dress for you!
The contact page closes its short description of the store with that promise, and prom is the occasion with the biggest share of the formalwear menu.
Winged Monkey in Westport: quick answers
Can I buy a Winged Monkey prom dress online?
Yes. The prom collection is on the website, and standard shipping is free within the US on orders of $100 and up. Full-priced items can be returned within five business days of delivery for a refund, while items marked final sale cannot.
What if my size is sold out?
Ask about a special order. The store can bring in a size or color it does not have in stock, though special orders carry their own shipping costs.