Sizes 000 through 30 hang on the prom side at Bliss, and that range sets the tone for the whole prom department. A shopper who wears a 000 and a friend who wears a 24 can try on in the same visit, from the same new-season racks, with the same stylist. The store adds plus-size prom styles on purpose, and its own testimonials point out trendy dresses in larger sizes, which one reviewer notes can be hard to find.
The family behind the shop came to prom through sewing. Bliss's About page opens its history with one short sentence.
It all began with a needle, thread, and a dream.
Co-founder Jodi Degen started sewing young and made garments by hand, from prom dresses to the wedding gown for her future sister-in-law. That work became a custom sewing business called Sweet Things, run out of the family home. Jodi and her husband, John, then bought a retail location in Rockwell. When that store had no more room to grow, they looked to Mason City, which the family calls the area's retail hub, and a merger with a local formalwear store brought the new name. The Albert Lea Tribune reported in 2013 that the Mason City store opened in 2011.
What the sewing history means for a prom dress
Alterations stay in the building. The FAQ says the purchase of a Bliss gown grants you access to its Alterations Department, and the homepage describes an in-house team rather than an outside referral. For a prom dress that needs a hem taken up or straps adjusted, that means the shop that sold the gown is the shop that fits it.
From booking to fittings at Bliss (a guide)
First
Book ahead. Bliss highly recommends appointments for everything in the store, especially January through May, which it calls its busiest season
Then
Meet your stylist, the one person who pulls gowns, zips and gives advice for the whole visit
Next
Buy off the rack or reorder. Every gown on the floor is for sale as is, and many styles can be reordered if your size or color is not in stock
Last
Line up the fittings with the in-house alterations team
Some of the store's general FAQ advice carries straight over to prom.
From the Bliss FAQ
- Wear a strapless bra, since a stylist will be in the room helping with zippers
- Bring screenshots of styles you like, but keep an open mind, because a look that works in a photo does not always work in person
- Keep the group small: Mom plus one or two trusted people, with a bigger reveal saved for later
All sales are final, as the FAQ notes, so the decision happens in the fitting room. During prom season, from January through April, the store also opens on Sundays, which helps families working around weekday school schedules.
Prom is not the only formal on the calendar. The prom page also covers homecoming and pageant dresses, and the events page marks August as the month new homecoming styles start arriving.
Tuxedos, suits and the drive in
The men's side is bigger than a rental counter. Prom couples can be measured and outfitted in the same building, and the dress color can be in the room when the vest is chosen.
Bliss menswear
Tuxedos and suits
Rental
Complete packages with jacket, pants, shirt, vest, tie and accessories
Tuxedos to buy
Slim, modern and traditional fits
Suits
For weddings, work and job interviews
The shop sits on South Federal Avenue, Mason City's long commercial stretch of U.S. 65, which makes it easy to find from any direction in north Iowa. Mason City High School and Clear Lake High School are the big local feeders, and Charles City, Osage and Forest City students are all within reach. The store's own service list reaches farther, naming Algona, Northwood, Fort Dodge and the Minnesota towns of Albert Lea and Austin, and it says teens travel from Algona, Austin and Northwood specifically for prom. For after the dance, Bliss also takes in dry cleaning through Varsity Cleaners, with drop-off and pickup right in the store.
Bridal is the other big department, with gowns starting at $99 and several tiers of bridal appointments. For a prom shopper, though, the draw is simpler. The selection is wide, the sizes run further than usual, and the alterations happen down the hall.
Sizes and Sundays at Bliss in Mason City
What size range does Bliss carry for prom?
Prom styles run from size 000 to 30, including plus-size prom dresses chosen for the store.
Is Bliss open on Sundays?
Only during prom season. The store adds Sunday afternoon hours from January 1 through April 30.