Sizes 00 through 28, more than 1,000 dresses, and almost all of them ready to go home the same day. That is the pitch for the downtown Columbus store run by XO by Sophia's, the prom and formalwear company that started in 2007 and now has four locations across Indiana and Kentucky. The Columbus shop sits on Washington Street, the main downtown street that also runs past The Commons, and it carries the same promises as the company's Indianapolis and Louisville stores: no appointment needed, a wide size range and stylists who can call around the other stores when a size is missing.
For families in south-central Indiana, that inventory model matters more than any one label. A special order still has its place, but the stated goal here is speed. Most of what you try on is what you can buy and carry out, and the company backs that with numbers on its Columbus page.
- More than 1,000 dresses ready to take home.
- Sizes 00 to 28 stocked in every store, with stylists able to check other locations.
- Prices from $99 to $1,200, with most of the collection between $300 and $800.
- Free layaway with $200 down, paid off in installments before pickup.
- No appointment required to shop prom and formalwear.
Labels, exclusives and a party option
The online shop lists gowns from Sherri Hill, Amarra, Ellie Wilde and Faviana, along with NOX and the company's own XO Exclusive line. Those exclusives are worth a look for anyone worried about duplicates. The About page says XO by Sophia's creates some designs itself, so a few styles on the floor will not be sitting on a rack in every other boutique in the state.
The company's mission statement is short and cheerful, and it sets the tone in the store.
Our mission at XO by Sophia's is to celebrate you, your big life moments, and pretty dresses!
That celebration angle shows up in the prom party package, a $100 group shopping session offered on weekdays.
4
Friends a shopper can bring
5
Parents along for the session
$25
Off any dress bought at the party
For a friend group that wants to shop together without fighting a weekend rush, it is a fun alternative to a regular visit. The site also runs a prom quiz that matches shoppers with a celebrity style, a quick way to give a stylist a starting point before the first try-on.
Fitting the dress after you buy it
Alterations are handled through a network rather than left to chance. The FAQ explains that it works with alterations specialists, some who meet clients in the store and some who work from their own space, and it encourages shoppers to pick someone they are comfortable with based on reviews and questions.
Layaway helps with the timing, too. With $200 down, a student can lock in a dress during the busy late-winter months and pay it off before picking it up, which keeps a favorite style from walking out the door with someone else.
Who shops the Columbus store
The obvious draw is Columbus North High School and Columbus East High School, both inside the city. Beyond the city limits, the store pulls from across south-central Indiana: Seymour High School to the south, Franklin Community High School up I-65, Greensburg Community High School to the east and Edinburgh Community High School in between. Downtown Columbus is known well beyond the state for its modern architecture, so a dress run here can double as a walk past buildings by Eero Saarinen, I. M. Pei and other well-known architects.
The company describes its own goal as finding the best dresses since 2007 and spreading joy, kindness and positive vibes every year. Columbus is one of four stores carrying that out, and it is the only one on the stretch of I-65 between Indianapolis and Louisville.
Sophia's XOXO in Columbus: quick answers
Can I take my dress home the day I buy it?
In most cases, yes. The Columbus page says its 1,000-plus dresses are ready to take home today, and stylists can check the other stores if your size is not on hand.
How does layaway work?
It is free. Put $200 down, make payments, and pick up the dress once it is paid off.
What is the best way to reach the store?
The company suggests calling your closest location for the quickest response, or emailing its main inbox through the contact page.