Before you plan a prom trip to Simpson's, know the house rule, which the shop's policies page states in a single line.
All services are by appointment only.
That suits a small shop on Main Street in historic downtown Monroe. You call, you get a time, and the staff is ready for you when you walk in, which beats squeezing into a packed fitting room on a spring weekend.
Prom at Simpson's
The prom racks center on two names juniors and seniors already know. The shop's designers page lists Jovani and Alyce Paris for prom, and those two lines cover a lot of ground between them, from glam, fitted styles to softer ball gowns. If you have a screenshot of a style you love, bring it to your appointment and ask whether it is on the floor or needs to be ordered.
Prom dates are covered, too, so a couple can settle both outfits in the same building.
Tux and suit rentals
Through Jim's Formal Wear
Deposit
$100 up front
Return
Due back the first business day after the event
For the parents keeping track of the details, the shop's policies also set rules for prom gown purchases.
Payment
Prom gowns take 40% at the time of purchase, with additional payments by phone or in person.
Leaving the store
Everything has to be paid in full first.
Deposits
Required before any item is ordered or held, with no refunds or exchanges once it is made.
Size and length
Gowns over a size 16, and gowns needing extra length, carry an additional charge.
Pressing
Pressing and steaming are included with any gown you buy.
One thing to plan around: the shop's in-house alterations cover its bridal, bridesmaid and mother's gowns, and its policies note that in-house alterations are not offered on prom and pageant gowns. If your prom dress needs a hem or a tweak, line up a seamstress early in the spring.
Trunk shows are part of the calendar here, and the shop posts the dates on its social media. If you are a big fan of one designer, a trunk show is often the best chance to see a wider run of that line in person.
Since 1978, under two family names
The shop's history runs through two families, and its About page traces the handoffs.
1978
Founded by the original owners, whose name the shop still carries
1985
Don and Mary Taylor buy the business and keep the name, since everyone in town already knew it
2005
Mary retires and her daughter Krista purchases the shop
Krista still runs it today. Kylie Emery Honeycutt, who started working with Krista years ago, has since become a co-owner.
Its site presents it as a family owned local business, and the testimonials it publishes on its site mention Krista and her team by name. It is the kind of downtown shop whose name has outlasted two changes of ownership. Brides get the full "Simpson's Service," with bridal gowns, bridesmaids and mother's dresses on the Main Street floor, but the prom side gets its own designers and its own tux program.
Students come in from all over Union County. Monroe High School, Parkwood High School, Piedmont High School, Sun Valley High School and the Central Academy of Technology and Arts are all in Monroe, and Forest Hills High School sits east of town in Marshville. For families in this part of the county, a downtown shop with Jovani on the racks saves a long day of driving. It is a long-running name on this site's list for southern North Carolina near the South Carolina line.
How Simpson's handles appointments, tuxes and hems
Can I walk in to shop for prom?
No. Simpson's works by appointment only for all services, so phone the shop to book a time.
Does Simpson's rent tuxedos for prom?
Yes. Tux and suit rentals come through Jim's Formal Wear, with a $100 deposit up front and a return due the first business day after the event.
Will the shop alter my prom dress?
Its in-house alterations are for bridal, bridesmaid and mother's gowns. Prom and pageant gowns are not altered in house, though pressing and steaming are included with any gown you buy.