Char started out in the early 1980s designing custom bridal gowns, and the work grew fast enough that she founded Formalities in 1987. The family-owned shop has stayed in historic downtown Bemidji ever since, and it presents itself as Northern Minnesota's premier bridal and prom boutique. For prom shoppers, the part of the store that counts is a section the staff call The Prom Shop, which runs on different rules from the bridal side. The homepage calls prom one of the most exciting seasons of the store's year.
The Prom Shop
First come, first served
- Prom, pageant, special occasion and tuxedo customers
- No appointment necessary, in capital letters on the prom page
Bridal side
By appointment
- Bridal and bridesmaid shopping
A family coming in from Blackduck or Bagley on a Saturday can walk straight to the racks without booking a slot weeks ahead.
What hangs in The Prom Shop
Formalities promises only the very best gowns from top designers, and the current list reads Alyce Paris, Nina Canacci, Clarisse Designs, Portia and Scarlett and Stella Couture. The page adds a useful caveat: Formalities carries select pieces from each line rather than full collections. That keeps the selection tight, and it means a gown spotted on a designer's website may not be in the building, so check with the staff before you set your heart on one.
The pitch is the season's biggest trends at the best price, and new arrivals show up first on the shop's Facebook and Instagram accounts. Prom, pageant and special occasion gowns are sold mainly off the rack. When a size is missing, the FAQ notes that designers in those categories typically have stock available for delivery in two to four weeks, which is a realistic window for a February shopper and a tight one for a mid-April shopper.
Accessories are chosen to go with the gowns: jewelry sets, headpieces and shoes picked by the same buyers. The store also handles tuxedos for rental or purchase through Jim's Formal Wear and Geno's Formal Affair, so a date can be measured while the dress is being decided.
The alteration department
Formalities keeps its own seamstresses in-house, a service the store notes is becoming less and less available. The alterations page describes a highly skilled, well-trained team using high-quality industrial equipment, and says the department's work is sought after. For prom, the details of the policy shape how a visit should go.
On the floor
Walk in and try gowns off the rack.
Picking the gown
Choose a full-priced gown, since alterations are offered on full-priced merchandise bought in the store.
Right away
Book a seamstress appointment. The prom page warns that the alteration schedule books up quickly, and the service carries an additional charge.
Fitting day
Bring the shoes you will dance in. The FAQ insists on them, because a hem cannot be set without them, and the shop sells comfortable options if the shoes are still undecided.
The department does not take in outside garments, so a dress ordered online cannot be brought here for a hem. That is a store policy rather than a judgment, and it is the reason to sort out fit questions on the day the gown is chosen.
We offer alteration services exclusively to Formalities customers on (full-priced) merchandise purchased in our store.
Bemidji's prom season, from downtown
Downtown Bemidji sits a few blocks from the Lake Bemidji shoreline, and Beltrami Avenue is part of the old business district that still draws families in for an afternoon of shopping and lunch. US 2 and US 71 both run through town, which matters for a region where the nearest larger cities are hours away. Bemidji High School is the largest school the shop serves, and students from Cass Lake-Bena, Laporte, Blackduck and Bagley all sit within about 30 miles. For small districts across this corner of northern Minnesota, a downtown Bemidji trip is already part of how families shop for anything bigger than groceries, and a prom dress fits into that routine.
Special occasion gowns for military balls, galas and cruises share the floor with prom, and the bridal side handles weddings and bridesmaids. For a high school customer, the payoff of that mix is a staff that fits formalwear year-round and seamstresses who are already in the building.
Formalities prom questions from Bemidji families
Can I bring a dress from another store to the Formalities seamstresses?
No. The FAQ says the alteration department does not take in outside items; the service is reserved for gowns bought at Formalities.
What should I wear to try on prom dresses?
The store asks every shopper trying on dresses to wear underwear, and says shapewear is welcome. A strapless bra can help but is usually unnecessary, since most gowns have built-in support. Inspiration photos are welcome too, in person or by email ahead of time.