Omnibus Fashions has dressed Long Island women since 1986 from downtown Babylon, on the stretch of East Main Street where Montauk Highway slows into a two-lane village street. Owner Paula Evangelista runs it as an appointment shop. Prom sits at the center of the floor.
We carry the largest selection of contemporary prom dresses in Long Island. With our exceptional sales staff we make your prom experience one of a kind.
That pitch opens the shop's prom page, and the label list backs up the breadth. Omnibus is just as clear about what it is not, and its FAQ leaves wedding gowns off the list. It dresses nearly every other occasion instead: sweet 16, bat and bar mitzvah, engagement parties, homecoming and destination weddings, along with the mothers' dresses that go with them. For a family on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, that means a senior's prom gown and a parent's dress for a later party can come from the same consultant.
The prom labels on the floor
The site groups its prom and evening designers in one long menu. These are the names a prom shopper will recognize first:
- Jovani, in both Jovani Prom and the younger JVN by Jovani line
- Sherri Hill
- Faviana, including Faviana Curves and Faviana Glamour
- Mac Duggal, with Mac Duggal Prom, Ieena for Mac Duggal and the Flash line
- Terani Couture, split between Terani Prom and Terani Pageant
- Portia and Scarlett, including its Couture and Black Collection lines
- Alyce Paris, Amarra, Johnathan Kayne and Primavera
Colors Dress, Glow by Colors and Nicole Bakti fill out the prom side. A separate evening section lists Tarik Ediz and Ashley Lauren, a good fit if the dress you have in mind runs more formal than the typical prom silhouette.
The gowns here are not samples, and the FAQ makes that point early. Each one is sold off the rack, which is why the FAQ asks customers to let staff handle the dresses while they wait for a stylist.
On the floor now
In-store stock
- Searchable by size on the website, from 000 up through women's sizes, before you ever book a visit
Nearly everything in the shop
Special ordered
- Delivery anywhere from 2 to 24 weeks, depending on size, color and style
How an Omnibus visit works
Shopping is by appointment, and the FAQ explains the reason: you get a dedicated stylist for the whole visit.
How booking an Omnibus visit runs (a guide)
First
Request a time through the website
Then
A consultant contacts you to confirm it
Last
Reply quickly, because unconfirmed slots go to the waiting list
Spring slots go fast, since this corner of Suffolk is thick with big high schools. Lindenhurst Senior High School, West Babylon, North Babylon and Bay Shore all send prom classes into the same spring, and Babylon's own junior-senior high school sits in the village.
A few store policies matter for prom buyers in particular:
Alterations
Not included in the price. The seamstress quotes them at your fitting, and you are free to have the work done elsewhere.
Fitting deadline
If you alter here, prom gowns need a fitting within four weeks of purchase so every dress is finished before its prom date.
Layaway
In-stock dresses, with 50 percent down.
Price match
Email the link and Omnibus will match a competitor's price on the same style.
The trip itself is easy. The village has its own station on the Long Island Rail Road's Babylon Branch, and East Main Street is a walkable downtown with places to eat on the same block, so a fitting can turn into an afternoon.
Omnibus Fashions FAQ
Do I need an appointment to shop for prom at Omnibus?
Yes. The store works by appointment so each shopper has a dedicated stylist. Request a time on the website and wait for a consultant to confirm it.
Can I put a prom dress on layaway?
Yes, for in-stock merchandise. Layaway requires 50 percent down, and the store policy asks that balances be paid within 60 days of the first deposit.
Does Omnibus sell wedding gowns?
No. Bridal is the one category the FAQ rules out, though it does carry mother-of-the-bride dresses and non-traditional bridesmaid looks.