Ash & T's Formals advertises the largest collection of formal wear in South Carolina, and the count behind that claim is more than 5,000 gowns in the building at any given time. Most are new designer dresses from more than fifteen labels. The rest are consigned formals that local families have brought in to resell, so new and secondhand gowns share one floor.
The store has been in business since at least 2002 and sits on Bacons Bridge Road, across from the Food Lion shopping center. Prom shoppers can walk in. Bridal and pageant shoppers need an appointment.
New gowns on the prom racks
The About page names Primavera, Alyce Paris, Rachel Allan and Johnathan Kayne among the designers it carries. The brand logos on the homepage add Mac Duggal, Colors Dress, Sydney's Closet, Tease Prom and Mary's, which is best known for quinceañera gowns. A quinceañera gallery on the site shows that the store dresses those celebrations as well.
Sizes run from 00 through 30 off the rack, and the store keeps a dedicated plus-size section covering prom and homecoming. Shoes, jewelry and other accessories are sold in the same room, so a finished prom look can come together before leaving the parking lot.
Online ordering is paused for now. The store explains that designer supply chains make it hard to promise a given size or style will be in stock at a given moment, so retail questions go through its Facebook and Instagram pages instead. The upshot for prom families is that the in-store racks are the real catalog. When a style is not on the floor, the pageant page notes the store can order the dress in the right size and ship it straight to the customer's home.
The shop's plus-size page goes further, describing Ash & T's as the leading formal plus-size dress store in the area. The store also keeps a Business Partners page listing a local florist, a makeup artist, nail and spray-tan studios, a caterer and a photographer it works with. For a prom group trying to line up boutonnieres, a tan and photos, that list is a head start, and the About page notes the store's working ties with photographers, stylists, hairstylists and makeup artists.
The consignment side
Ash & T's also sells formal wear on consignment, and the rules are spelled out in its FAQ. Prom shoppers can use it in two ways. Last year's gown can help pay for this year's, and the consigned racks bring some designer looks within reach of a tighter budget.
- The store takes gently worn bridal, prom, pageant, homecoming, bridesmaid and mothers' gowns that are less than two years old.
- Dresses must come from a smoke-free and pet-free home, with no stains, missing beads or stones, odor, tears or visible wear.
- Pricing starts about 20 percent below current full retail for the item or something comparable.
- The split is 50/50, and checks go out on the 10th of each month for the previous month's sales.
- Unsold dresses must be picked up within a week of the contract's end, or they are donated to a local charity.
Drop-offs do not need an appointment, though the shop suggests booking one through its Facebook page if you plan to shop on the same visit.
Prom, military balls and pageants in Dorchester County
Summerville High, Ashley Ridge High and Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston, all in Dorchester School District Two, are the nearest large schools, and Cane Bay High in the Berkeley County side of Summerville adds another prom calendar. Military ball dresses are part of the stock too, and a mother's testimonial posted by the store describes shopping for her daughter's first Air Force JROTC Military Ball gown within budget. A Miss South Carolina contestant's review says she bought her entire pageant wardrobe here.
The policies are firm.
Under 18
A parent or legal guardian must be present to try on gowns.
Food and drink
They stay outside.
Sales
All final, with no refunds or exchanges.
Layaway
Deposits are final too, so settle the decision in the dressing room before the paperwork starts.
With that many dresses on the floor, the staff walk shoppers through the racks rather than leaving them to browse alone. The consignment FAQ explains why, and the explanation holds for anyone shopping prom in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Our staff helps customers shop, as the inventory can be too overwhelming to shop on their own.
Selling and buying at Ash & T's in Summerville
Can I sell my old prom dress at Ash & T's?
Yes, on consignment. The gown should be less than two years old and in clean, damage-free condition, and the store splits the sale price 50/50.
Is layaway available?
Yes. The store's posted policies cover layaways, and layaway deposits are final.