We accept walk-ins for individual customers looking for Prom, Pageant, Mother of the Brides/Grooms, Flower Girl, Accessories, etc.
That line from Q-Look's appointment page sets the tone for prom shopping at this Main Street store. A student can come in on her own and start pulling dresses. Groups of three or more who want to try on prom dresses need an appointment, and bridal, quinceañera, tuxedo rentals and alteration fittings are all handled by appointment only. Booking works by phone, by text or online.
Founder and creative director Tammy Nguyen built the business around selection. The About page says the store has the largest selection of formal wear in New England, housed in 20,000 square feet of brick-and-mortar retail space, and the FAQ counts more than 5,000 happy customers. The Worcester Business Journal covered the store's move a short way up Main Street into its current, larger building, a step taken so it could expand its inventory.
The prom racks by the numbers
The scale shows up first in the designer list. Q-Look's prom menu names more than 40 collections, and these are the ones with pages in this guide: Alyce Paris, Amarra, Blush, Clarisse, Colette, Dave & Johnny, Ellie Wilde, Jasz Couture, Jovani, La Femme, Mac Duggal, Morilee, Primavera, Rachel Allan, Scala, Sherri Hill, Terani and Tiffany Designs. The FAQ says the store is an authorized retailer for every designer on its site.
Sizing is the second number. The in-stock prom and evening section is sorted by size from 00 through 30, and Rachel Allan and Madison James each have a dedicated plus-size collection. The sale rack is sorted the same way, with sizes 0 through 30, a dresses-under-$99 section, and markdowns on Jovani, Dave & Johnny and Blush. For homecoming and semi-formals, a short-dress section starts at $29.
Price is the third. Q-Look runs a low price guarantee: if a legitimate store or website shows a lower price on the same item, it promises to beat that price by 5%, with exclusions for clearance, a few bridal collections and another store's in-stock prices. It also promises first-quality, authentic merchandise straight from the manufacturer.
Paying for a special order
Ordered gowns can be split into payments under the posted plans.
50/50
$150 minimum. Half down, half when the order ships.
3 months
$600 minimum. 50% down, then equal monthly payments.
6 months
$600 minimum. 25% down, then five monthly payments; ordered once half is paid.
12 months
$600 minimum. 15% down, then eleven monthly payments; ordered once half is paid.
Payments are by card or PayPal and are non-refundable. When a dress is ordered, the store asks for the wear date and holds off on charging the card unless the gown can be delivered in time. Clearance and discontinued gowns are final sale, and refunds on ordered gowns carry a restocking fee, so read the return policy before committing.
Timing depends on where the dress is coming from.
Shipping times in the FAQ
In-stock gown
Within two to three business days
Style the designer has on hand
Usually within five to seven
Dress that has to be made
Four to twelve weeks
The return policy adds that staff inspect and photograph every gown before it goes out rather than having it drop-shipped from the designer, which is one more reason to give the store an accurate wear date when you order.
Fittings, quinceañeras and tuxedos
Alterations are done through the store with first and final fittings booked by appointment, and customer testimonials posted on Q-Look's site praise its hemming, same-day alterations and the fact that staff asked for a shopper's school so no one else from that school would buy the same prom dress.
Tuxedos
For men and boys, on the floor
Quinceañera
Its own department: Morilee, Mary's Bridal, House of Wu and others, plus dresses for the damas, accessories and a princess collection
Wedding gowns round out the building. The store sits on Main Street in the Webster Square area of the city's south side, and the site notes spacious parking behind the building on Young Street. South High Community School and Doherty Memorial High School are the closest of the city's large public high schools, and the neighboring towns of Auburn, Leicester, Millbury and Oxford each hold proms of their own. For prom shoppers anywhere in Worcester County, Massachusetts, a single Main Street building can cover the gown, the date's tux and the alterations.
Before a prom visit to Q-Look Bridal
Can I bring my friends to try on prom dresses together?
Yes, but book first. Prom shopping for a group of three or more requires an appointment, while a single shopper can walk in.
What sizes are in stock for prom?
The in-stock prom and evening collection runs from size 00 to size 30, with separate plus-size sections from Rachel Allan and Madison James.