Tallahassee shoppers tend to know Narcissus for swimwear, shoes and game day looks long before prom comes around. Come spring, though, the shop's formal gown department turns it into one of the capital's easy first stops for a prom dress.
The boutique has been part of local shopping since 1989. The shop lays out its history in order. Narcissus opened in early winter of 1989 selling lingerie and sleepwear, with a focus on outstanding customer service. Customers kept asking for more, so high-end swimwear came next. Then ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, jewelry, perfume and formal gowns. In 2010 Tory Burch joined the brand mix. Today the shop presents itself as the definitive home of fashion in Tallahassee, and it sits right at the corner of Timberlane and Market Street, a spot anyone who shops the Market District knows by heart.
The formal side of a fashion boutique
Prom shoppers should know the setup going in. Narcissus is a full fashion boutique with a serious formal department inside it, rather than a prom-only shop with hundreds of gowns on rolling racks, and that changes the experience in a good way. You can find the gown, the shoes and the bag in one place, from people who style customers one-on-one every day.
Narcissus lists a formal brand lineup that leans hard toward prom. Sherri Hill leads it, followed by Faviana, Mac Duggal, Badgley Mischka and Dave & Johnny. Black Halo, Aidan Mattox, Likely NYC and Hutch round it out for the girls who want something sleeker or less traditional. It is also a lineup that spans price points and moods, from beaded ball gowns to clean, modern column dresses. That mix suits a town like this one, where the same senior might need a full gown for prom at Leon High or Lawton Chiles, then a shorter formal for an FSU event a year or two later.
The best approach for prom season looks something like this:
- Book a formal fitting through the site so you have time set aside to try on everything that is available in the store.
- Bring your prom heels, or pick a pair here, since the boutique sells shoes and bags too.
- Decide carefully before you buy. Under the store's return policy, special occasion, evening and formal wear are final sale.
Students from Lincoln High, Godby and other Leon County schools will find the shop easy to work into a weekend, since no appointment is needed for regular shopping. Narcissus has also grown beyond its hometown, with a second location in Gainesville. The Tallahassee shop is still the original, and for prom shoppers across the capital region of north Florida, it is the one to visit.
Narcissus prom designers
Which prom designers does Narcissus carry?
The shop carries Sherri Hill, Faviana, Mac Duggal, Badgley Mischka and Dave & Johnny, along with Black Halo, Aidan Mattox, Likely NYC and Hutch.