Crowning Around runs an 8,000-square-foot prom store on SW C Avenue that the owners say holds thousands of gowns, and it describes the business as one of the biggest prom dress retailers in the country. It is family owned and independent, and it has specialized in prom, homecoming and special-occasion dresses since at least 2006. Sixteen dressing rooms and a team of more than ten trained stylists keep the spring rush moving.
Owner Cynthia Ezell has worked in the industry for more than 23 years. Her interest started when her daughter began competing in pageants, and the store says she has dressed national winners. That pageant thread still runs through the business. The owners write that they are proud to help Miss Oklahoma USA, Miss Kansas USA and their Teen USA counterparts, and its pageant racks serve contestants for systems from Miss America to National American Miss.
The prom floor, designer by designer
Crowning Around's prom label list is a long one.
Listed first
Short homecoming styles too
Fitted, heavily embellished
Named in the store's description
- Josh McKinley
- Jasz Couture
- Tarik Ediz
- Rachel Allan
Primavera and Portia and Scarlett are on the list as well, with Portia also on the pageant side.
Prom sizes
000 to 32
- 000
- 00
- 0
- 2
- 4
- 6
- 8
- 10
- 12
- 14
- 16
- 18
- 20
- 22
- 24
- 26
- 28
- 30
- 32
Dresses run from 000 up through 32 and into women's sizes.
Prom dresses here start at $300, according to the store. The store also suggests pre-registering before a visit, listing the type of event, so stylists can add a few styles they think will work. Holds cost $20 per 24 hours off the floor, credited toward the dress if you buy it.
To start layaway
A non-refundable 50 percent down payment
Within three months
Pay the balance
Special orders follow the same layaway terms
Homecoming gets its own section in the fall, with short and cocktail styles from Amarra, Ava Presley and Jovani. Each designer runs its own size chart, and the store reminds buyers to double-check it before a special order, because special orders are final once placed.
The Tux Room next door
Dates have their own space. The Tux Room is attached to Crowning Around, and carrying three rental companies makes its selection of jackets, vests and ties wider than a single catalog.
The Tux Room
A full-service tuxedo store
Companies
Jim's Formal Wear, Paul Morrell and Geno's Formal Wear
Fits
Traditional, modern, slim and ultra slim
Colors
Hundreds of vest and tie colors to match a gown
Come in
At least two weeks before the event
Alterations are available on dresses bought at the store through Ms. Violeta, a seamstress who runs her own separate business inside the building. Her spots fill quickly during prom season, so ask about her schedule while you are still at the store, and bring the shoes and undergarments you will wear with the gown.
Who makes the trip to Lawton
Lawton High, Eisenhower and MacArthur all sit within the city, and families from Cache, Elgin and Duncan are close enough to make the store a regular stop when prom season opens. Fort Sill sits on the north edge of Lawton, so military families are part of the local prom picture as well. The store points out that it is conveniently located between Oklahoma City and Dallas, and Interstate 44 puts it within reach of families across southwest Oklahoma and north Texas.
Crowning Around is upfront that it cannot guarantee a one-of-a-kind dress at any given prom, since shoppers buy gowns in many places. The store suggests a simple fix instead.
We recommend schools start a group chat and share their dresses with each other to keep track!
It is a low-tech answer that any junior class can set up in an afternoon.
What Lawton shoppers ask Crowning Around
Should I book a time or just show up?
The store asks shoppers to make an appointment online so a room and a stylist are ready. Walk-ins go on a waiting list, and during busy stretches that wait can run more than an hour.
Does Crowning Around carry wedding gowns?
Not in the store. Bridal styles can be special ordered from a catalog, but the floor itself is devoted to prom, homecoming, pageant and evening wear.