VIP Fashion skips the word boutique. Its branding reads "Pennsylvania's and Kentucky's Formal Dress Superstore," and it claims the largest selection of prom dresses in either state. The Whitehall shop, inside Lehigh Valley Mall, is the company's Lehigh Valley outpost. It sits alongside mall stores in King of Prussia and Willow Grove, a Lancaster location at Park City Center, and one in Lexington, Kentucky. WFMZ reported the Lehigh Valley Mall store's opening in early 2024, and for a busy student the store's best feature is simple: you can just show up.
The website's banner welcomes walk-ins, and booking online is optional, and the appointments page pitches it as a way to skip the line and have a stylist ready when you arrive. For a Whitehall or Parkland student squeezing a dress trip between practice and a shift, that flexibility helps. On a busy March Saturday, though, take the store up on the appointment.
What hangs on the prom racks
The prom menu is long. The company lists these prom lines across its stores.
High-glam, red-carpet end
Trend-driven prom styles
More listed prom lines
- Rachel Allan
- Primavera
- Ashley Lauren
- Colette
- House of Wu
- Colors Dress
- Lucci Lu
- Nina Canacci
The company's own lines
- VIP Exclusive Prom
- VIP Exclusive Prom Plus
Budget shoppers get a dedicated "Prom Dresses Under $300" category on the site, and there is a separate plus-size section. Listed in-stock sizes run from 000 to 32. Homecoming gets its own menu, with short styles from Amarra, Ashley Lauren, Jovani, Sherri Hill, Tiffany and others. Pageant gowns from Portia and Scarlett and Terani fill out the formal side.
The store's own Whitehall page speaks right to local students:
If you attend a Whitehall public, parochial, or private school, VIP Fashion offers an extensive selection of prom dresses in a wide range of styles, colors, and designs. Visit our store to try them on and discover the perfect dress for you!
When WFMZ covered the opening, a store seller explained that if a dress isn't in stock in your color or size, the shop can order it in. Keep that in mind if the rack only has your gown in the wrong shade.
Quinceañeras, damas and kids' dresses at the mall
VIP Fashion runs a full quinceañera department. In Allentown and Bethlehem, many families plan a quince and a prom only a couple of years apart, so the overlap helps.
Quinceañera
Morilee, Princesa by Ariana Vara, House of Wu, Rachel Allan and the store's own VIP Exclusive line
The court
Damas dresses and "Mini Me" styles for younger girls
Kids
Flower girl, communion and holiday dresses, and suits for boys
Bridal and mother-of-the-bride racks are part of the store as well, but prom and quince lead the menu.
The company runs a layaway program, which helps families spread out the cost of a gown over the winter.
Getting there from around the Valley
Lehigh Valley Mall sits on MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, which puts it in the middle of the big public high schools in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Whitehall High School students never leave the township to get here. Parkland in South Whitehall, William Allen and Louis E. Dieruff in Allentown, Emmaus, and Northampton Area are all close. Liberty and Freedom in Bethlehem are a straight shot over on Route 22. For families coming from farther out, the mall setting means a dress trip can turn into a full afternoon.
The calendar counts even at a big store. Most Lehigh Valley proms land in April and May, and the winter months, before the spring rush, are the calmer time to shop. If you plan to use layaway or order a color the store doesn't have hanging, start then. That gives the order time to arrive and leaves time for any alterations before prom.
VIP Fashion Whitehall FAQ
Can VIP Fashion order a gown in my size or color?
Yes. A store seller told WFMZ that if a dress isn't in stock in your color or size, the shop can order it in.
Does the store offer layaway on prom dresses?
Yes. VIP Fashion runs a layaway program.
Are there plus-size prom dresses?
Yes. The company carries a VIP Exclusive Prom Plus line and a plus-size category, and its listed sizes run up to 32.