Mention prom dresses and alterations in the same breath in Laureldale, and Pocadiz comes up. The boutique on Kutztown Road was built by Guadalupe, a seamstress with four decades at the sewing table, and that background shapes the whole visit. You come for the dress. You also come for the people who will make it fit.
Pocadiz has been open since 2000 and covers more ground than the bridal name suggests. Prom, quinceañera, tuxedos and alterations each get their own section of the store's site, and the welcome page invites shoppers in for "Prom, Quinceañera, Wedding, or any other social event that is important to you." For a lot of Berks County families, that means the junior prom gown and a cousin's quince dress come from the same fitting room.
Prom labels and the tux counter
The prom page features three designers: Ellie Wilde, Jovani and Faviana. That's a lineup with range. Ellie Wilde leans bright and embellished, Jovani carries the high-glam statement gowns, and Faviana brings cleaner, sleeker lines and a size run that goes up through 24W. Together they cover the girl who wants sparkle and the one who wants something quieter.
Pocadiz also handles tuxedos and suits, and you can buy or rent, so both halves of the prom photo can come from Kutztown Road. Quinceañera shoppers will find Morilee on that side of the store, along with quince lines such as Shankara, Ragazza and Princesa by Ariana Vara.
Appointments are required, so set one up before visiting. The shop also welcomes families who want to stop by and talk through an event with one of its representatives before committing to a try-on.
Where the shop earns its reputation
Pocadiz stands apart on alterations. They are done in house, by the same team that sells the dress.
Our incredible seamstresses, Lupe and Digna, have been hand crafting gowns for over 40 years!
That introduction comes from the shop's alterations page, which also explains the thinking behind the work. Few bodies match one size chart at bust, waist and hip, and the shop points out that it is always easier to take a gown in than to find fabric to let it out. Expect the team to talk sizing with that in mind.
Beyond fitting, Pocadiz offers redesign work. That is a separate charge from standard alterations, but it is how a stock gown becomes a one-of-a-kind dress. A few ways the team describes its services:
- Alterations
- Fitting work handled on site by the shop's seamstresses rather than sent out.
- Redesign
- Changing the design of the gown itself, for a custom look nobody else at your prom will have.
- Tuxedos
- Purchase or rental, for prom, quinceañera and weddings.
The redesign page sums up its spirit in one line: "If you can dream it, we want to create it." A girl who loves the neckline on one dress and the skirt on another can bring both photos to the first appointment.
Getting there from around Berks
Laureldale is the small borough just north of Reading, wrapped by Muhlenberg Township, and Kutztown Road is one of its main streets. Muhlenberg High School is the home school. Reading High School, one of the largest in Berks County, Pennsylvania, sits just to the south, and families from Exeter Township, Governor Mifflin and Fleetwood make the trip as well. Bridal is here too, with its own designer racks, but for students the draw is the prom collection and the fitting work done on site.
Fittings and tuxes at Pocadiz
Does Pocadiz alter prom dresses?
Yes. Alterations are done in house by the shop's own seamstresses, and redesign work is available for an added charge.
Can my date rent a tuxedo here?
Yes. Pocadiz offers tuxedos and suits to buy or borrow for prom, quinceañera and weddings.