The first sign over this door read RL Bridal and Prom. Debbie Hulin bought an existing store in 2012 and had less than a day to name it, so she used the initials of her two children, Ryan and Lauren. The doors opened on June 21 of that year, which also happened to be her 25th wedding anniversary. The shop has since moved and taken the name Posh Bridal and Prom, and the about page is careful to say nothing else changed: same owners, same staff, new address.
That new address is on North Pennsylvania Avenue, a little north of Penn Square Mall, in a stretch of the city that north-side families already drive for school clothes and birthday gifts. For prom, the shop pulls from Northwest Classen High School to the south, Putnam City and Putnam City North to the west, and Edmond Memorial and Edmond North to the north. The homepage claims a selection that is one of the best in Oklahoma City, and the shop has been dressing central Oklahoma students for prom and homecoming since 2012.
An owner who came from the classroom side
Hulin grew up in Indianola, Oklahoma, a small town in Pittsburg County, well south and east of the city. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer science and a master's in education, and she worked as a child nutrition consultant for the Oklahoma State Department of Education before starting her own consulting business. Buying a dress shop was a sharp turn from school lunch programs, but the teaching background shows in how the store explains itself. The FAQ pages are long, specific and written for a first-time shopper who does not know what to ask.
The about page sums up the mission in a single sentence.
In the time we've been open we've made it our goal to empower women, work harder for our clients, and provide our guests with an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.
The same page adds a joke the staff clearly like: they compare the boutique to Olive Garden, because when you're here, you're family.
Prom labels, curvy sizes and the house rules
The prom page names six designers. Five of them have their own pages in this guide, so you can see where else they are stocked:
- Sherri Hill, the label most juniors already know by name
- Ashley Lauren, known for bold color and beadwork
- Portia & Scarlett, for sequins and sharper, red-carpet cuts
- Alyce Paris, a long-running prom and pageant house
- Tiffany Designs, with softer silhouettes and lots of tulle
- Nox Anabel
Plus-size shoppers get their own section, which the store calls Posh Curve. The curvy prom collection lists Sydney's Closet alongside curvy styles from Sherri Hill, Alyce Paris and Portia & Scarlett, so a size 22 is not stuck choosing from one rack in the corner.
No appointment is needed to try on prom dresses. You can still book one, but prom and homecoming appointments are only offered in the early-morning slots, and the store warns that walk-ins on weekends can wait longer than usual.
Posh house rules for a first visit
- Leave the heels in the car, because the staff are protecting gowns that other girls will try on next
- Bring a light-colored strapless bra
- Keep the group to one or two guests; dads and boyfriends get their own seating area away from the fitting rooms
- Some gowns are complicated to get into, and a stylist may step into the room to help
If the exact style you saw online is not on the floor, Posh can check the designer's live inventory and place an order while that size and color are still available. Alterations are not done in the building. When you buy, the staff recommend a seamstress or tailor who suits your gown and hand you that person's card, and the cost is separate from the dress.
Bridal still has a floor of its own, with wedding gowns from Maggie Sottero, Lillian West and Rebecca Ingram among others, but in spring the racks tilt toward prom and the fitting rooms fill with juniors and seniors from across the north metro.
Posh prom shoppers often want to know
Can Posh match a price I found somewhere else?
Often, as long as the style is still in stock with the designer and you have the style number, size and color. Price-match requests go to a manager and are answered Monday through Thursday.
Does the shop alter prom dresses?
Prom and homecoming alterations are sent out to local seamstresses and tailors. Staff will point you to the one who fits your dress best, and that work is billed separately.
Who should come along to try on?
One or two people. The fitting area is small, and male guests are seated in a separate section.