The Foxy Lady

Paula Benik opened The Foxy Lady in 1972 with a $1,500 loan from her father. The first shop sat on North Kings Highway, directly below the apartment she shared with her husband, and some of the stock was clothing she had designed and sewn herself. The business has moved several times since 1972. It has never left Myrtle Beach, and it now has a lot more room.

Today's store is a 7,000-square-foot headquarters inside Village Square, by 38th Avenue North, in a building Paula bought in 2014. Prom carries more designer collections on the website than any other category. In 2026 the shop advertises being voted the number five dress store in the nation by Pageant Planet.

From a shop under an apartment to Village Square

The store's About page lays out the moves in order, and the list doubles as a short history of shopping on the Grand Strand.

1. 1972

   The original Foxy Lady opens on North Kings Highway, below the owners' apartment

2. 1974

   A second location opens in November at the Hilton Hotel

3. 1986

   The shop expands into the Colonial Mall

4. 2000

   In August it opens at Rainbow Harbor on 50th Avenue North, its home for fourteen years

5. 2014

   Paula buys her own building and settles the store into Village Square on North Kings Highway

Through every move, the store says, its reputation as an upscale ladies' fashion boutique held steady. It credits a large southeastern customer base to a strong commitment to customer service, and it describes its staff as knowledgeable, helpful and courteous.

What hangs on the prom racks

The prom menu is long, and a separate couture section runs alongside it.

The couture section sits beside pageant on the menu, but a senior who wants something more dramatic for prom can shop it too.

Size range is wide. The site's in-stock search runs from 000 up to 32, with separate women's sizes from 14W to 32W. The filter is built to show what is in the building, so a shopper can check her size before making the drive. Shoes and jewelry are sold alongside the gowns.

Pageant work shapes the store as much as prom does. The pageant menu adds Jamye Shaw, Johnathan Kayne Pageant and Sherri Hill Pageant, plus pageant swimwear and designer jumpsuits, and there is a little girls' pageant section with Ashley Lauren Kids, Ava Presley and Sugar Kayne. A Winner's Page on the site shows off titleholders, and the About page links out to the Miss South Carolina, Miss South Carolina USA and Miss North Carolina organizations. Prom shoppers benefit from that stage experience, since a prom gown also has to sit, move and photograph well. Homecoming gets the same attention each fall through Ava Presley, Jovani and Sherri Hill short styles.

Appointments, walk-ins and the beach-town calendar

The Foxy Lady strongly recommends booking a time slot for prom, homecoming and every other occasion.

Spring prom traffic comes mostly from Horry County. Myrtle Beach High and Carolina Forest High are the closest large schools, Socastee High and North Myrtle Beach High add families from the southern and northern ends of the county, and Conway High pulls families in from inland along US-501. Customers from across the Southeast who know the store from trips to the South Carolina coast add to the mix, and the online shop keeps the store reachable for anyone who heads home before the right size comes in. All formal wear sales, including prom and pageant gowns, are final.

The About page promises everything from jewelry to shoes to gowns, and it closes on the store's motto.

You'll Love it... You'll Need it... You'll have to have it!

Prom shopping at The Foxy Lady, Myrtle Beach

Does The Foxy Lady require an appointment for prom?

Appointments are highly recommended and get you a dedicated stylist, but walk-ins are welcome for prom with a possible wait. Bridal and pageant suite visits need a booking.

Can I check sizes before driving to Kings Highway?

Yes. The website's in-store stock filter covers sizes 000 to 32 and women's sizes 14W to 32W.