Terry Costa has been selling formalwear in North Dallas long enough that a shopper's mom may well have bought her own prom gown here. WFAA and the Advocate have both covered the store's history.
1986
Opens, founded by Dallas fashion figure Terry Costa (WFAA)
2007
Tina Loyd begins running it as owner and CEO
2023
A remodel adds more than 3,500 square feet and 58 private dressing rooms (the Advocate)
Loyd has her own way of summing up the place.
Our clients have told us we are more than a dress store. We are part of the excitement and joy and smiles.
The store's own site calls Terry Costa Dallas' trusted formalwear headquarters, a role it has held since 1986, and its Dallas page describes a 50,000-square-foot showroom that ranks among the largest dress stores in the Metroplex. The homepage counts more than 65,000 dresses in stock. Those are big numbers. On a busy prom weekend, they translate into something simple: a very good chance the dress in your screenshot is somewhere in the building.
The prom floor and the designers on it
Terry Costa is an authorized retailer, and it leans on that. The site says every prom, homecoming and bridal gown it sells is 100% authentic and sourced directly from the designers. Its FAQ names the prom lines it carries, and the menus fill in the rest:
- Sherri Hill, including couture
- Ashley Lauren
- Portia & Scarlett
- Faviana
- Ava Presley
- Primavera
- La Femme
- Alyce Paris
- Ellie Wilde
- Scala
- Morilee
- Ladivine by Cinderella Divine
Price is not a gate here. The FAQ says prom gowns range from $19 in the clearance section to more than $10,000 in the couture department, and the website sorts the collection in clear price bands starting under $249. If a style you love is not on the floor, the store can special order anything a carried designer is still cutting. That is one of the perks of being an authorized retailer, and it helps when your exact color is sold out online.
Fit gets real attention too. The FAQ says the store carries up to size 24 at its flagship, with a small selection up to sizes 28 and 30, and it can special order larger sizes when a designer makes them. A few vendors offer petite cuts. The site even sorts dresses for tall girls and short girls, which is the kind of detail that saves a long afternoon of hemming worries.
A lot of the shopping now starts on a phone. Terry Costa's website is a full store in its own right, open around the clock, and it ships across the United States and Canada. Loyd told the Advocate the team has worked hard to carry its in-store service over to online shoppers. For a local family, the smarter use of the site is as a scouting tool. Browse by color, silhouette, length or price. Note the style numbers. Then come in and try the real thing under real lights. The fall homecoming racks are sorted by grade, from eighth graders up to seniors and homecoming court, and a fall homecoming trip makes a good dry run for the bigger spring purchase. More than 55,000 young women are on the store's email list, which is where new arrivals, sales and events get announced first.
Plan the trip like a regular
The store sits in the Preston Valley Shopping Center near Preston Road and LBJ Freeway, with free parking out front. Walk-ins are welcome for prom, homecoming and formalwear. The store's own pages cover the basics a prom family needs.
When to start
Most students begin between November and February, ahead of peak prom season.
Layaway
Half the price down as a non-refundable deposit, tax and a $10 fee included; pay the balance and pick up within 60 days.
Alterations
Handled by outside tailors. Staff will suggest some, including one a few doors down for hems and straps. Budget $100 to $150.
Between sizes
Go with the larger size and take it in, since designer gowns run small and many have no seam allowance.
Accessories
Shoes, jewelry and handbags are 15% off when bought the same day as the gown.
Terry Costa also builds events around prom season. The site lists designer trunk shows through the year, including a Sherri Hill couture and prom preview that gives early shoppers a look at the next spring's styles.
The trade area is wide. The store's own listings name Addison, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Preston Hollow, Lake Highlands and Plano. In practice that covers Hillcrest High School and W.T. White High School in Dallas ISD, Pearce, Richardson, Berkner and Lake Highlands high schools in Richardson ISD, and Plano Senior High and Plano West Senior High farther north up the tollway. Highland Park families know the route down Preston Road by heart.
Bridal has its own salon here, with trunk shows from Maggie Sottero and Allure, but for most families in North Dallas, Texas, the relationship starts with a prom dress.
Paying for and fitting a Terry Costa gown
How much do prom dresses cost at Terry Costa?
The FAQ puts the range at $19 in the clearance section up to more than $10,000 in the couture department, and the website sorts gowns into price bands starting under $249.
Does Terry Costa offer layaway on prom dresses?
Yes. Pay half up front as a non-refundable deposit, including tax and a $10 fee, then pay the rest and pick up the dress within 60 days.
Does Terry Costa do alterations in-house?
No. Alterations are done by outside tailors, and the staff is happy to recommend several in the area.