Signatures Formal Boutique

Prom shoppers from three states end up in Middlesboro, and Signatures Formal Boutique has organized itself around that fact. The store describes itself as the prime destination in Eastern Kentucky, Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia for prom, wedding, homecoming and pageant, which makes sense for a shop sitting a few miles from Cumberland Gap, where the three states meet.

The store now operates from a suite on US 25E, the highway that carries most of that traffic. Families from Claiborne County, Tennessee, reach it straight through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, and students from the Bell County side of southeastern Kentucky use the same road coming the other way.

A designer roster built for prom

The designer menu on the website is long enough to scroll. Signatures' own About page singles out a handful of lines as "Signature Brands," and the prom menu goes well beyond them.

That depth is the store's main selling point, and it says so in plain numbers.

Our selection includes over 2000 dresses, shoes, and jewelry from top quality manufacturers that are advertized in Seventeen Prom, Teen Prom, and National Bridal Magazines.

The finishing pieces are part of that count. Touch Up shoes by Benjamin Walk and Night Moves shoes cover the footwear, and Jim Ball and Helen's Heart supply earrings, bracelets and brooches. A student can leave with the gown, the shoes and the jewelry in one bag.

The website does some of the sorting for a shopper. A Top 10 Prom Catalog category gathers featured styles, a sales and specials section collects markdowns, and IPA Exclusives gets its own page. The store's blog adds style spotlights, including a full post on one Sherri Hill prom gown and guides to finding a homecoming dress, which is handy reading before a first formal, while a shopper is still working out what she likes.

Service, pageants and paying for it

The About page promises one-to-one service along with professional advice on accessorizing and special fitting needs. That matters most for pageant girls, and Signatures says it is a top choice for former and current Miss Kentucky pageant winners. A prom shopper benefits from the same eye: a consultant used to dressing contestants for a stage knows how a gown photographs and moves.

Money is handled with some flexibility. The store offers a layaway and credit plan, which it pitches as a way to make everything easier, and the website sells online as well as in person. Families who live an hour or more away can browse the full catalog at home, narrow it to a few styles, and plan a single trip to try them on.

The store's own pitch is designer gowns without the hassle and price of big city shopping, and for families in this corner of the state, the nearest big city is a long way off.

Schools in the Signatures orbit

Middlesboro High School is the city school. Bell County High, home of the Bobcats, sits on US 25E about three miles south of Pineville, so its students share the same highway to get here. Pineville High fills out the Bell County list, and across the state line, Claiborne High in New Tazewell draws from the Tennessee side. With that many separate proms in range, the online catalog is the best way to arrive with a short list already made.

Little sisters get their own racks too, along with homecoming and quinceañera, which helps when a family is dressing a prom senior and a little sister in the same season.

• Younger girls

  Rachel Allan Perfect Angels, Rachel Allan Princess, Tiffany Princess and 2 Cute Princess

• Homecoming

  A short-dress category of its own

• Quinceañera

  The Beloving line, for families planning that celebration

Bridal is carried too, but prom takes up most of the menu.

Before heading to Signatures in Middlesboro

Can a prom dress go on layaway at Signatures?

Yes. The store advertises both layaway and a credit plan, which it describes as a way to make everything easier.

How big is the selection at Signatures?

The store says its selection includes over 2,000 dresses, shoes and pieces of jewelry, with about two dozen prom designers listed on its website.