Prom shoppers at Dreams Boutique do not need to book ahead. The store's FAQ settles the question.
Appointments are recommended for prom dress shopping, but walk-ins are always welcome!
That flexibility suits a county seat that draws shoppers from the small towns around it. Dreams is a family-owned boutique on South Main Street in downtown Richland Center, the hub of Richland County where US 14 meets Highway 80 in the Driftless hills of southwest Wisconsin. It carries everyday fashion on one side and formalwear on the other, and prom sits at the center of the formal side along with homecoming, bridal and tuxedos.
Prices, labels and the tux counter
The FAQ puts prom dresses at $99 to $799 and says they are available to try on in sizes 000 to 30. The prom catalog filters by six labels: Alyce Paris, Jovani, La Femme, Sydney's Closet, Sydney's Prom and Aerie Couture. The store singles out Sydney's Closet as its plus-size specialist, and the online prom catalog runs to more than 130 pages, so it pays to browse before the visit and arrive with a short list.
Payment can be spread out. Dreams offers payment plans of up to six months on prom dresses and takes cash, check and debit or credit cards. Garment bags are sold at the counter for the ride home. All sales are final, with no refunds, exchanges or returns.
When the right gown is not in stock in the right size, a special order is quick by prom standards.
On the floor
Pick the style and confirm the size with a stylist
Then
Pay the $20 special order fee
One to two weeks
The dress arrives, depending on the designer
The tuxedo counter is in the same shop, so a couple can match a vest or tie to the gown while both are in the building.
The Dreams tux counter
Tuxedos and suits
Rental or purchase
Many styles available either way
Walk-ins
Welcome, though an appointment makes the fitting quicker
Measuring
At least a month before prom, which avoids rush shipping fees
Richland County schools and the homecoming season
Richland Center High School is the hometown school. Ithaca, Riverdale in Muscoda, Weston in Cazenovia and Kickapoo in Viola are the smaller rural districts in the surrounding hills. Homecoming gets its own collection in the fall, so formal shopping here starts months before prom.
The building has an upstairs. One prom review posted on the store's own testimonial page describes a family being given a room on the upper floor so a grandmother who uses a walker could stay with the group, which shows a staff willing to rearrange the space for a family.
Bridal is part of the mix too, including a private bridal collection called Virginia Jane.
Dreams Boutique questions from Richland Center
How fast can Dreams special order a prom dress?
Typically one to two weeks, depending on the designer, plus a $20 special order fee.
Can I spread out the cost of a prom gown?
Yes. The boutique offers payment plans of up to six months, and it accepts cash, checks and cards.
When should the date get measured for a rental tux?
At least a month before prom, which avoids rush shipping fees. The tux usually arrives about a week early for a try-on, and it goes back by the Sunday after the dance.