Read through what Modern Elegance publishes and one name keeps coming up: Tina. She owns Modern Elegance Bridal & Prom, out on Route 711 North in Oak Grove Plaza, and her name runs through the customer comments the store posts. One, about prom shopping, says she made it "an enjoyable, relaxing experience." In a season that is rarely relaxing, that counts for something.
Modern Elegance describes itself as full service, and the description holds up. You can walk out with a prom dress, rent your date's tuxedo, book the alterations and put the whole thing on a payment plan, all at the same counter. For families spread across the Laurel Highlands, where the next option is usually a highway drive away, having it all in one Route 711 storefront is the main draw.
The prom side of the shop
The store's prom page promises "a huge selection of prom gowns" at "unbelievably affordable prices," and price is the thread running through everything Modern Elegance publishes. Its designer inventory is marketed at 50 to 80 percent below retail, on off-the-rack purchases and custom orders alike. Per its site, the shop celebrates every body type, and its gowns run up to size 36 on the bridal side, so ask what prom sizes are on the floor when you call.
Students who want to stand out get a second reason to come.
Then there is the Prom Rep program. The store invites students to become a Prom Representative for Modern Elegance, and says a rep may be able to earn her prom gown for free. The details are handled in person or by phone, so ask when you stop in. Accessories round out the look: the shop stocks jewelry, shoes and what the prom page cheerfully calls "sassy accessories."
The experience itself is part of the pitch. The store describes a pressure-free, friendly environment, and its homecoming page promises one-on-one attention from Tina herself. That is the advantage of a small shop: you are not handed off from one salesperson to the next. Bring a friend or a parent whose opinion you trust, and bring photos of styles you like; the store's own visit tips suggest both.
Layaway, fittings and tux rentals on Route 711
The store's services page lays out four offerings.
Free layaway
Fee-free and interest-free: hold the dress and pay over time
In-house alterations
An experienced seamstress, by appointment; the shop recommends formalwear fittings three to six weeks before the event
Rush fitting appointments are available on request, and the seamstress will also take gowns that were not bought here. The other two offerings belong to the tux counter, a prom feature in its own right; the prom page points out that the tuxedo rentals are picked to coordinate with the dress.
Prom and formal events
Tuxedo and suit rentals
Sizes
"Big and Tall to Very Small," from boys' 2 up to men's 74 Long
Labels
Michael Kors, Tony Bowls and Stephen Geoffrey
Out-of-town fittings
A national network of more than 5,000 locations; measurements can be submitted online
Wedding parties get their own deals here, but for a high school couple, the convenience is the point.
The store's reach is wider than the borough suggests. Its own list of areas served runs from Latrobe, Derry and Greensburg to Johnstown, Somerset, Indiana and Connellsville. That puts Ligonier Valley High School students closest, with Greater Latrobe, Derry Area and Hempfield Area families to the west, and Cambria and Somerset county shoppers coming over the ridge. For anyone in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, Route 711 is a familiar road, and the plaza sits right along it.
Before you visit, the shop's contact form lets you request a time for a prom or special occasion appointment. Stopping in works too; the prom page invites shoppers to come see the entire selection. The store closes its own pages with an invitation.
"We invite you to visit us and we will do everything possible to ensure you look your absolute best!"
Three Ligonier prom answers
Does Modern Elegance register prom dresses?
Yes. The store registers each dress by school so no two students from the same school buy the same style.
Is there a layaway option for prom dresses?
Yes. Modern Elegance runs a free layaway program with no interest or hidden fees.
How far does the tux size range stretch on Route 711?
From boys' 2 all the way to men's 74 Long, in rental tuxedos and suits for prom and other formal events.