Sizes 0 through 30, short and long, all carried in stock. That is the first thing Edge Formals tells shoppers about its gowns, and for a prom shopper it settles the sizing question before anyone has to ask it. The shop specializes in prom, pageant and social occasion gowns. It also runs a tuxedo rental counter for the dates.
The address is new. Until recently this listing sat in North Augusta, next to Edge Salon & Spa, the hair and nail half of the same company. The formals shop has since relocated over the Savannah River to Cherry Street in Augusta, a small side street just off Washington Road on the west side of the city. The salon stayed put in South Carolina. Families from either bank now cross a bridge for one or the other, which around here is barely a detour.
What hangs on the Cherry Street floor
Edge keeps the gown side focused, and it breaks down into four lines of work.
- Prom gowns, the first specialty on the list, in both short and long lengths.
- Pageant gowns, a category the owner has written about on the company blog.
- Social occasion gowns for formal events outside prom season.
- Tuxedo rentals, as an authorized Jim's Formalwear retailer.
That last item saves a separate errand. The tux page invites customers to drop in to book a prom tuxedo, so a couple can sort out a gown and a rental in the same visit to Cherry Street.
The website does not post a designer list, so the stock is something to see in person. Edge Formals points shoppers to its Facebook and Instagram pages, or a phone call, for current hours. In the busy weeks before spring dances, checking those pages before heading over makes sense.
A pageant eye on prom fit
David Towles, a stylist and the salon's owner, has used the Edge blog to lay out how he thinks about formalwear. His pageant essay pushes back on the exaggerated walk some coaches teach and argues for posture and poise that carry into everyday life. He also writes that a dress does not have to cost a fortune, but it should be properly fitted, right for the event and reflective of the person wearing it.
Graceful elegance will always trump flash, and carry you successfully throughout life!
Towles wrote that line about pageant contestants, but it lands just as well on a prom gown. A senior who wants something classic rather than loud will find a sympathetic eye here. So will a pageant contestant shopping for an evening gown.
The salon side adds one more option for prom day. The Edge Salon & Spa menu includes a special occasion updo along with manicures and pedicures, all handled at the North Augusta location.
Washington Road runs west out of the city into Martinez and Columbia County, so the shop sits between two big school systems: Westside High and the rest of Richmond County on one side, Lakeside, Evans and Greenbrier high schools in Columbia County on the other. North Augusta High students, the shop's old neighbors, have only to cross the river. For prom shoppers comparing gown shops on the Georgia side of the Savannah, the 0 to 30 size run and the tux rentals next to the gowns are the two details to remember about this one.
Edge Formals, Augusta: a few prom questions
Where did the North Augusta gown shop go?
Edge Formals moved from North Augusta to Cherry Street in Augusta. Edge Salon & Spa, the hair and nail side, remains in North Augusta.
How wide is the size range on prom gowns?
The shop carries gowns from size 0 to 30 in stock, in short and long lengths.
Can a prom date rent a tux at Edge?
Yes. Edge Formals is an authorized Jim's Formalwear retailer, and the store invites customers to drop in to book a prom tuxedo.