Farah Abazary learned to cut and fit gowns from her mother, a designer, and was making them professionally long before she moved to the United States in 2014. Here she founded Farah Couture LLC and spent years as a master seamstress for bridal boutiques around the D.C. area. In 2023 she opened her own shop on Arch Place in the Kentlands, first as Silhouette Bridal & Formal and now under the name Silhouette Dresses. The old web address forwards to the new one, and the phone number and storefront are unchanged. Her own designs now hang among the store's collections too (the site's designer menu spells the label Farrah Couture, with two r's, while the About page names her company Farah Couture LLC), a reminder that the person behind the counter also knows how a gown is built from the inside.
The family-owned boutique describes its customers in plain terms: brides and their wedding parties, pageant contestants, and prom and homecoming students from Montgomery County and across Maryland, Virginia and D.C. For a prom shopper, the owner's background is the real draw. Her experience in design, customization and alterations spans more than thirty years, and the FAQ says the alterations are performed by Farah, the owner and master tailor.
Prom labels, sizes 000 to 30
The prom menu is broad for a store of this size. Jovani and its JVN line sit beside Terani Couture, Alyce Paris, Portia and Scarlett and Primavera Couture. Ladivine, the line from Cinderella Divine, adds a long run of lower-priced gowns, with more than a thousand styles in its online collection. Chic and Holland, Colors Dress, Marsoni by Colors and Andrea and Leo round out the list. The About page puts the size range at 000 through 30, with curve and plus-size gowns in the mix.
Homecoming draws on mostly the same designers, which helps a sophomore who finds a favorite label in the fall and wants to come back for prom. Pageant is the store's other specialty. Silhouette sponsors the Miss Montgomery County Scholarship Organization and Miss Grand, and its About page lists titleholders from Miss Maryland Week among its clients.
Timing advice comes straight from the FAQ, which covers prom, pageant and special occasion gowns alike.
Two to three months ahead
The ideal window
- Room for a special order to arrive from the designer
- Fittings happen without a rush
Last minute
Select gowns kept in stock
- Held for last-minute needs
The About page also promises one appointment per client, with no stylist split among several parties at once. That suits a prom visit where a student wants a parent's opinion without a wedding party crowding the mirror. Beyond prom and pageant, the racks cover galas, military balls and quinceañeras, and a formal pantsuits section from Terani Couture, Alyce Paris, Primavera Couture and Marsoni gives anyone who would rather skip a gown a dressy option. Shipping can be arranged on request for out-of-town buyers.
How a prom fitting runs on Arch Place
The FAQ lays out the alteration process in enough detail to plan around.
First fitting
The dress is pinned and marked for every change
Before the event
Most gowns need two or three fittings
Two to four weeks
Standard alterations; detailed work can take longer
If the calendar is tight
Rush alterations can often be finished in a matter of days
The range of work goes well past a hem. The FAQ lists taking sides in or out, changing necklines, adding sleeves, adjusting bodice structure and embellishing with lace or appliqués. Alteration appointments book through the same online system as dress appointments.
Shopping appointments are recommended rather than required. A typical visit runs fifteen to thirty minutes, walk-ins are welcome when space allows, and booked clients get priority. The shop suggests bringing no more than three or four guests, which keeps a small fitting room workable.
The setting helps too. The Kentlands is the walkable planned neighborhood on Gaithersburg's west side, and it sits at the center of a busy prom map. Quince Orchard and Gaithersburg High are the nearest big public schools. Northwest and Seneca Valley are up in Germantown, and Watkins Mill and Clarksburg families are part of the same upper Montgomery County, Maryland orbit. On the homepage, beneath the shop's banner, the boutique sums up its approach in a single sentence.
“It’s not just about dresses, it’s about care, craftsmanship, and creating memories that last a lifetime.”
Silhouette Dresses in Gaithersburg: shopper questions
Can I exchange a prom dress that doesn't work out?
Non-bridal sales are final, but an unworn, unaltered dress with its tags and receipt can be exchanged for store credit within three days of purchase. Special orders need a 50 percent non-refundable deposit.
Who does the alterations?
Farah Abazary, the owner and master tailor, handles them in the shop, from simple hems to reworked bodices.