That Dress has sold formal wear on Commercial Drive in Rincon since 2013. Owner Mia and her team run it as a local boutique, and the About page promises to take time to understand your occasion, style and budget, from the first try-on to the finishing touches. Prom gets its own page online, and that page makes three promises a prom shopper can hold the store to: gowns in sizes 000 to 30, a registry that keeps your dress off a classmate, and a tux counter for your date.
The register that keeps your gown off a classmate
The prom page puts the rule in a single sentence. Every dress sold in the store is registered, so nobody can buy the same dress from That Dress for the same event. Give staff the name of your prom when you pay, whether it is Effingham County High's or South Effingham's, and the sale is logged against it.
Two limits come with the promise. It covers dresses sold in the store, and it covers sales by That Dress, not gowns bought somewhere else. So if a twin at the dance would ruin the night, settle the purchase at the Rincon counter.
Sherri Hill to Sydney's Closet, in 000 to 30
The prom menu is split by designer. Sherri Hill and Jovani have prom sections, and so do Amarra, Jessica Angel, Alyce Paris and La Divine. For curvy shoppers there are separate plus-size prom sections for Johnathan Kayne and Sydney's Closet. The prom page itself names Amarra, Alyce Paris, Jessica Angel and Sydney's Closet, and gives the size run as 000 to 30.
Prom sizes at That Dress
00 to 30
- 00
- 0
- 2
- 4
- 6
- 8
- 10
- 12
- 14
- 16
- 18
- 20
- 22
- 24
- 26
- 28
- 30
The prom page gives 000 to 30, nearly double the 00 to 16 marked by the dashes.
Homecoming has a short-dress menu of its own, with Alyce Paris, Amarra, Sherri Hill, Sydney's Closet and a Jovani short, homecoming and cocktail group.
What the prom section costs, and the under-$300 rack
The store's prom section runs to thousands of listings, from under $50 to about $7,000. Most sit between about $350 and $750, with the typical gown close to $600. The Sherri Hill prom section is the biggest single designer group, with hundreds of styles, and its typical gown runs a little higher, closer to $650.
Typical prom prices online
Under $50Most $350 to $750About $7,000
There is also a section called Prom Dresses under $300, which holds hundreds of styles, with a typical price a little over $200. Start there if the budget is tight. The listings include designer inventory as well as the store's own stock, so the online count is not a count of the Rincon racks. The FAQ explains how to tell them apart. A tag icon beside a size marks a dress that is physically in the store, and the shop asks you to contact it to confirm before you drive over for one style.
Layaway is free and available in the store, according to the homepage. That helps when the gown is chosen in winter for a spring prom.
Jim's Formal Wear and two more tux houses
Tux and suit rentals come mainly through Jim's Formal Wear, which the FAQ calls the primary rental provider. Paul Morrell Formalwear and Geno's Formal Affair rent here too, and suits and tuxedos from Pure Silk Fabrics are sold for those who would rather own one. The Jim's catalog brings names like Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Allure Men and Ralph Lauren, and the store promises over 100 styles and every color accessory imaginable.
For your date
Tux and suit rental
Main catalog
Jim's Formal Wear: Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Allure Men, Ralph Lauren
Also renting
Paul Morrell Formalwear and Geno's Formal Affair
Measurements in
At least a month before prom
Fitting
Two to three days before the event
The Build Your Tux page lays out the timing. For a special event like prom, professional measurements should be called in no later than a month ahead, and boys under 18 should be measured no earlier than a month before. Size changes need two weeks' notice. Come in for a fitting two to three days before the dance, and simple adjustments can be handled on site within a day. Rentals go back by the following Tuesday, hung in the garment bag, and late returns cost $50 a day.
The store's Men's Formal Lines page counts military balls among its rental events, along with weddings, prom and homecoming.
Rincon, Highway 21 and the Effingham schools
Rincon sits along Highway 21 in southern Effingham County, a few miles up from Port Wentworth and Pooler. Effingham County High is in Springfield and South Effingham High is in Guyton, and the store welcomes shoppers from across the county, Savannah, Pooler and the surrounding Lowcountry. For more shops in coastal Georgia, see our Georgia guide.
The shop opens Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6, Saturday from 10 to 4 and Sunday from noon to 4. It is closed Mondays and national holidays. Bridal visits are booked online, and for other shopping trips the FAQ asks you to call with questions.
Prom questions for That Dress in Rincon
Is the dress I saw online hanging in the Rincon store?
Maybe not. Online availability can mean the designer has it. Look for the tag icon beside your size, which marks store stock, and check with the shop before you make the trip.
When should my date get measured for his tux?
About a month out. The store wants measurements called in no later than a month before the event, boys under 18 measured no earlier than that, and two weeks' notice of any size change.
Does That Dress carry plus-size prom gowns?
Yes. Johnathan Kayne and Sydney's Closet each have a plus-size prom section, and the prom page lists sizes up to 30.
Is the registry automatic?
Yes. The store registers every dress it sells. Make sure staff know which prom you are buying for, since the protection is tied to the event.