Images

Images has a sense of humor about prom shopping, and its layaway pitch shows it.

Want It? Love It? Got to have it? Well, now you can!

That cheerful line is the store's own, and it sits on top of one of the clearest payment plans you will find at a small-town formal shop. The store on East Market Street in downtown Fayetteville is run by owners Mark, Wendy and Rebecca Collins, and its site presents it as a prom, pageant and tuxedo specialist. The tuxedo part is the difference. Lots of shops sell gowns. Fewer can dress both halves of a Lincoln County prom couple at one counter, and Images was built to do exactly that.

The gown side

The designer page lists three prom collections for the 2026 season: Ava Presley, Johnathan Kayne and Primavera. Ava Presley brings sparkle and fitted silhouettes, Johnathan Kayne leans toward the bold, pageant-ready end of prom, and Primavera rounds out the floor with glamorous evening looks. Together they cover a wide range of styles without forcing a shopper to sort through a thousand racks.

If the dress you want is not hanging in the store, Images can size and special-order it. Staff fit each shopper in person, and the shop also carries the finishing pieces, so jewelry and shoes can go on the same ticket as the gown. Pageant girls get the same treatment, and that crossover is useful in a town where a single gown might see a spring prom and a summer pageant stage.

Appointments are preferred, walk-ins are welcome, and the policy page sets two simple rules for try-on visits. Parties are limited to the prom shopper plus four guests, five people in all, and each appointment covers up to six gowns. A short list of favorites from the online designer pages makes those six count.

Tuxedos, suits and the Peanut Butter Collection

The menswear side is unusually deep for a shop this size.

The booking system splits visits into two types, Gown Viewing and Tuxedo Viewing, which makes coordinating a couple easy. The smart order is gown first, then tux. Once the dress is chosen, the date can come in for a Tuxedo Viewing and match a vest, tie or pocket square to the exact shade instead of guessing from a phone photo.

The detail that stands out is the Peanut Butter Collection, a line of gender-neutral tuxedos in a range of colors. For a student who wants a tailored look without a traditional menswear cut, it is a thoughtful option, and a welcome one to find in downtown Fayetteville.

How the layaway works

The store spells out its prom layaway on the policies page, and it is simple enough to plan a budget around.

1. Deposit day

   Put down a non-refundable 30% of the total. Jewelry, shoes and other accessories can be included.

2. At least every 30 days

   Make a payment

3. Within 90 days, or before your event

   Pay the balance, whichever comes first

An unpaid balance means the gown returns to the sales floor, so start layaway with a realistic payoff date. As at most specialty formal shops, all sales are final, and Images no longer takes gowns on consignment. Two charges are worth knowing before you pay.

For a family in Lincoln County, all of this means the prom trip can stay close to home. Lincoln County High School and Fayetteville High School supply most of the local prom shoppers, and Petersburg and Flintville families are in the same county. Giles County High School in Pulaski is one county to the west. When a store in southern Middle Tennessee can handle the gown, the tux, the shoes and a payment plan from one downtown Fayetteville storefront, a lot of spring weekends get simpler.

What dates and their families ask Images

Can my date match a vest to my gown?

Yes. Book a Gown Viewing first, then a Tuxedo Viewing, so your date can match a vest, tie or pocket square to the exact shade of the dress.

Can I rent a suit instead of a tuxedo?

Yes. Images rents both suits and tuxedos, and it sells them as well.

How long do I have to pay off a gown on layaway at Images?

Up to 90 days from the deposit, or until your event if that comes first. A 30% non-refundable deposit holds the gown, and a payment is due every 30 days along the way.