Formal Society

We offer a nice selection of prom dresses that can be purchased off the rack and also special ordered in the color and size you desire. We also offer exclusivity on our dresses.

That answer sits on Formal Society's own FAQ page, and its second sentence carries a lot of weight in Warren County. Lebanon, Kings, Mason, Springboro and Little Miami all send students to prom in the same few spring weeks, and nobody wants to walk into the dance and see their dress across the room. A shop that will special order your size and color, and keep the style exclusive, saves a lot of worry.

The store sits downtown on Broadway, which the shop itself places about a block down the street from the Golden Lamb. If you grew up around here, that is all the directions you need. It is the historic downtown stretch of Broadway, the part of town people bring visitors to on a Saturday, and a prom trip here fits easily into an afternoon downtown.

A store that picked formalwear

For a while, this address sold everyday clothes and gowns under one name. Then the owner split them. Beginning May 18, the store explains, District 1 became the destination for everyday men's and women's style, and Formal Society narrowed its focus to formalwear and special occasion dressing. The two now sit next to each other at the same Broadway address. For a prom shopper, the result is simple: the formal side is entirely about dresses like the one you came for.

The About page is written in the owner's own voice, and the contact page names her as Lori Hoeppner. She writes that her love of fashion began with sketching dresses as a child, inspired by magazines, red carpet gowns and an aunt who sewed. She owned and ran a bridal store for over 10 years before Formal Society. That background shows in how the formal side is run, from special orders to custom sizing for the mothers' collection.

The store's site lays out the formal side for prom and homecoming shoppers under six headings.

Designers

Prom styles include Colette by Daphne, Clarisse, Dave & Johnny and Tiffany Designs, alongside a deep run of NOX prom and homecoming gowns.

Sizes

Formalwear runs from 00 to 30, and prom dresses can be special ordered in the size and color you want.

Homecoming

The fall homecoming collection listed more than 70 short dresses in stock online, topping out at $349.

Tailoring

The shop offers tailoring for prom, homecoming and mother-of-the-bride or groom dresses bought in the store.

Payment

Major credit cards, Apple Pay and Afterpay financing are accepted. Formalwear is final sale.

Accessories

Jewelry, handbags and shoes, so the earrings can be settled the same day as the dress.

The website also notes that anything you see online is in the store, and that there is more in the store than online. So even if a dress you liked online has sold, the racks on Broadway carry more than the website shows.

The other half of the date

Prom is a two-person errand at a lot of houses, and Formal Society handles both halves.

For a couple coordinating colors, being able to hold a swatch of the dress next to the vest in the same store is a real convenience.

Fitting room reservations are not normally required. When the store does turn them on, these are the terms.

Students from Lebanon High School have the easiest trip. Kings, Mason, Springboro and Little Miami high schools sit in the neighboring districts, and Waynesville High School is to the north. For a prom shopper anywhere in southwest Ohio between Cincinnati and Dayton, a Broadway boutique that sells exclusive prom gowns and rents the tux to match earns a place on the list.

Formal Society returns, tuxes and other prom details

What if I change my mind after paying on Broadway?

By then the decision is made, because formalwear is final sale, so settle on size and color before you pay. If the rack doesn't have your size, the store can special order it.

Can I rent a tux for my date here?

Yes. Formal Society rents and sells suits and tuxedos, and a complete rental tuxedo runs from $119 to $189.