If you grew up anywhere in Lincoln-Way country, you probably know Pink Slip by the building before you know it by the name. The boutique works out of what Patch called Mokena's "The Blue House" on Wolf Road, a house-style storefront with a front porch, a side lot and a circular driveway. It opened in 2008, and when owner Lauren McKeague marked the shop's sixteenth year in 2024, Patch described it as a staple of the south suburban special occasion market. The store's own About page goes a step further and calls Pink Slip the south suburbs' best kept secret for special occasion dresses.
The specialty is clear. Prom, homecoming and junior special occasion dresses are the stated focus. There is a bridal collection too, but the floor, the website and the whole rhythm of the business are built around the high school dance calendar.
Pick your shade of appointment
Pink Slip is by appointment only. The store explains that the setup is how it keeps a calm, serene shop and gives every guest a stylist's full attention. Shopping appointments come in three lengths, each named for a shade of pink.
30 min
Blush
45 min
Fuchsia
Full hour
Hot Pink VIP
Hot Pink VIP is the one the store calls its most requested, and its slots are limited. It includes a Pink Slip T-shirt and a pair of its signature studs, and VIP guests can bring two people instead of one.
There are separate bookings for dress pickup, steaming, accessories and bridal, plus a waitlist for sold-out days. New season appointments open on a set date that the store announces on its social channels, and the FAQ's advice is blunt: the early bird gets the worm. Weekends fill fast.
Our by-appointment atmosphere allows us to give you top tier service. As a company our goal is to always be helpful, knowledgeable and kind.
That reasoning comes from the store's About page, and the house rules below follow from it.
What happens when you get there
This is where Pink Slip's house rules come in, and they are best read before the day. Every appointment gets its full time slot, which is why nobody gets taken ahead of schedule.
Read before the day
- Do not arrive early. The front door stays locked and the team does not answer knocks.
- Wait in the car or on the porch until the store texts that it is ready for you.
- You can bring one guest, and for a high school dance that guest should be a parent or guardian.
- Pictures are not allowed in the fitting rooms, for safety and privacy.
Inside, you get a dedicated sales associate who, in the store's words, will button, zip and tie your dresses. Staff go through regular training and weekly meetings, and the store would rather know a customer well than be a superstore where you dig through past season racks.
The dresses change constantly. During prom and homecoming season, new arrivals come in almost every day, and the shop posts them on Instagram and TikTok instead of keeping an online catalog, because inventory changes by the hour. On the designer side, the store's own product pages show Ellie Wilde, Amarra, Jovani, Clarisse, Ava Presley, Faviana and Nox, alongside a house label called the Pink Slip Collection. If you need a style that is not on the floor, the store can order it, with arrival in about 7 to 10 business days.
Two more details make the budget easier. Every accessory in the shop, from earrings to necklaces, is $20 or less. And Pink Slip offers layaway: put half down to hold a style and pay the rest within six months of the deposit. There are no holds on dresses otherwise, and all sales are final, so layaway is the way to lock in a dress early. Sales happen twice a year, on Black Friday and in May.
For alterations, Pink Slip publishes a short list of trusted seamstresses in Orland Park, New Lenox and Manteno, each with booking instructions.
The trade area is mostly Lincoln-Way. Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort and Lincoln-Way Central and West in New Lenox sit just south and west of Mokena, and Victor J. Andrew in Tinley Park and Providence Catholic in New Lenox are close by along Wolf and LaGrange. For prom families anywhere in Will County, Illinois, the routine is simple: grab a slot the day appointments open, then wait on the porch for the text.
Booking and buying at the Blue House
Can I walk in to Pink Slip Boutique?
No. The shop is by appointment only and the door stays locked. Book a Blush, Fuchsia or Hot Pink VIP appointment online and wait for the text when you arrive.
Does Pink Slip offer layaway?
Yes. Layaway takes half down, and the balance is due within six months of the deposit. Deposits and special orders are not refundable.
Does the store sell mother of the bride dresses?
No. Pink Slip does not carry mother of the bride or groom dresses. Its focus is prom, homecoming and junior special occasion, with a bridal collection on the side.