No appointment, no phone tag, no waiting list. That's the first thing to know about prom shopping at Camille La Vie in Elizabeth. According to the chain's FAQ, you don't need an appointment to shop and try on prom, homecoming or evening dresses. You walk in, you pull dresses, you try them on.
The store sits on the lower level of The Mills at Jersey Gardens, so it's easy to fold a prom run into a bigger shopping day at the mall. Camille La Vie is a New Jersey company, too, with its corporate office up in Englewood. The brand traces its start to the mid-1980s, and its About page puts the mission like this:
WE Launched Camille la Vie in 1985 with the mission to celebrate the precious moments in life.
Camille La Vie also donates dresses, prom gowns among them, to non-profit groups across the country, per that same page, which puts more girls in a gown for their own dance. It's a nice detail to know when you're handing over your card.
What the Elizabeth floor carries
Camille La Vie designs and sells its own label, so you won't find a wall of outside designer names here. What you will find is range. The Elizabeth store page lists prom dresses, homecoming dresses, cocktail dresses, quinceanera dresses, evening dresses and wedding guest dresses, along with bridesmaid dresses and a bridal salon on site. On the prom side, the online collections break down into long and short styles, ball gowns, mermaid silhouettes and glitter gowns, and the newest arrivals rotate in through the season.
Two collections deserve special mention for prom shoppers. Petite prom dresses are cut for shoppers 5'4" and under, and the chain's FAQ explains that its petite sizing adjusts the bodice proportions as well as the hem, not just the length. There's also a plus-size prom collection. Between the two, a group of friends with very different builds can usually all find something in the same store on the same afternoon. Shoes, handbags and jewelry are sold right alongside the dresses, so shoes, a bag and earrings can be matched to the gown before you leave Jersey Gardens.
Fall brings a homecoming rush to the Jersey Gardens store too. If you're a sophomore or junior getting a first formal dress in the fall, the Elizabeth store is a low-pressure place to learn what silhouettes work for you before prom season arrives.
Union County schools and Camille La Vie's store policies
The store's own page lists the areas it serves, and it traces most of Union County: Elmora and Bayway inside Elizabeth, then Hillside, Roselle, Winfield, Clark, Cranford and Kenilworth, plus Irvington just over the Essex line. That means a lot of prom-bound students. Seniors from the Elizabeth High School academies have the shortest trip. Linden High School and Union High School are close behind, and families from Cranford High School, Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark and Abraham Clark High School in Roselle round out the list.
Wedding gowns are different, since those require an appointment booked by calling a bridal salon location. For prom dresses, the chain's policies depend on whether you buy in the store or online.
In the store
Walk in and try on
- Prom, homecoming and evening dresses are walk-in
- In-store dress purchases are final sale, so try on carefully
Online
Order from the site
- Exchanges within 14 days
- The chain suggests completing the exchange at a store
If you order a prom dress online and the size is off, the Elizabeth store can sort it out. Bring the tags and the packaging, and phone the store before heading over so the team knows an exchange is coming. For other options across the region, our Union County and New Jersey prom guide covers the independent shops as well as the chains.
Prom FAQ for Camille La Vie Elizabeth
Where in Jersey Gardens is the store?
It's on the lower level of The Mills at Jersey Gardens, according to the chain's store page.
Can I find petite and plus-size prom dresses here?
Camille La Vie has dedicated petite prom and plus-size prom collections. Stock varies by store, so call the Elizabeth location to ask what's on the floor in your size.