There are plenty of options on where to buy a dress. Why should you choose to buy your formal dress for Prom, Homecoming, or other special events from a local boutique? Find out in this article what your money is getting you.
The price of a prom dress or homecoming dress may be a few dollars more when you purchase from a small, locally owned boutique. There is a lot of work that goes into having the designer dresses presented and available in an actual store. There is the overhead cost of having a storefront. The display of the dresses, rent, payroll, utilities, it all adds up. Shipping of the dresses to the store is another cost; no discounts are given to small stores. Packaging, garment bags, price tags. Yes, a small portion of this is passed onto the customer. It is a very minimal, but unavoidable cost. The benefits outlined below make it all worth it.
Brand Name Designer Dresses
When purchasing in the boutique, you are getting designer dresses. Are you sure that is the dress you are finding elsewhere? First, let’s talk about counterfeit dresses. Many times what you see online may LOOK like that top designer dress that you saw in the store. However, there are a few indications that the prom dress, the homecoming dress, or gala event dress you see is too good to be true. 
Price
If the price you are finding is hugely different than what you see in the boutique, there is something wrong. Every store that carries designer dresses has a contract with each vendor. The designer/vendor sets the minimum price of the dress, not the store. If the store does not sell the dress for at least that minimum price, their contract with the designer will be pulled. The store no longer will be able to sell that designer’s dresses.
Color
Although there are a few exceptions to this, most designer prom dresses are only available in a few colors. If the prom dress you are finding comes in a ton of color options, it is most likely counterfeit. Check the actual designer’s website and see if the same color options are listed.
Websites
Most of the top designers will have a list of stores in your area that carry their dresses. Check to see if the website you are looking at is one of those listed stores.
Dresses Ready for Your Event
When you purchase a prom dress, homecoming dress, or any other style of dress in the boutique, it has been inspected for flaws. During shipping, beads sometimes become loose. Those loose beads are fixed prior to the dress being put on the sales floor. If there is a snag or problem with the material, which does happen, it is sent back to the manufacturer and a new dress is received. If you order online, these flaws in the dress become your problem to fix.
The dresses are packaged very tightly for shipping. This causes some major wrinkles in the fabric. The dress is fully steamed and in wearable condition before it is even put on the sales floor. Depending on the style of dress and the fabric of the dress, steaming can take up to 60 minutes to get the dress in wearable condition! That is with a professional-grade steamer. To get a dress professionally steamed at dry cleaners, the cost ranges from approximately $10 – $35, depending on the fabric, style, etc.
In Store Experience
The experience you have shopping at the boutique is something very important to consider. You are able to try on the dress, see exactly how it looks on you, feel the material, the quality of the fabric, and see the actual color. There is no guessing on what you get. Many times the style, color, or fit that is what you thought would be your dream dress is not what you had pictured in your mind when you actually put on the dress. Sometimes seeing it in a picture does the dress no justice. Shopping at ASK Dress Boutique, it’s all about customer service. You get individual attention when you shop at the boutique. The staff is there to help you. They are able to bring you more dress options based on how they see the dresses you’ve chosen are fitting you and what you tell them you like, as well as what you don’t like, about those dresses. The staff’s experience with the dresses in the boutique may have them bring you a dress you never even thought of. The experience is catered to you. Each person is an individual. You are important to ASK Dress Boutique!! It’s all about a personal touch.
Although a local boutique and some larger stores have access to the same inventory, your local boutique is usually more willing to special order that Perfect Dress for you. Whether it’s a different size or different color or even if it’s a style not currently in the boutique’s inventory, the staff will gladly do whatever they can to get that dress in stock for you.
Community Support
Shopping a locally owned small business helps your community. Small businesses not only give back to the community through the sales tax that supports local schools, libraries, etc. but are (more) likely to donate to area fundraising initiatives. ASK Dress Boutique has donated to many local school events at Minooka High School, Joliet Township High Schools, Joliet Catholic Academy, and Holy Family, just to name a few. ASK has also donated to Shorewood HUGS, Will County Habitat for Humanity, Knights of Columbus, Shorewood Kiwanis, Cornerstone Services, Shorewood C.O.P.S., and other organizations. ASK Dress Boutique enjoys giving back to the community.
Shopping for your event, whether it is Homecoming, Prom, Christmas Dance, Wedding Reception, Awards Banquet, Gala, Graduation, or even a little girl’s First Communion can be an enjoyable experience. ASK Dress Boutique provides a relaxed, low-pressure environment. We want you HAPPY with your purchase. There are many different styles, sizes, and colors of dresses from which to choose. You will know the quality of the dress is exactly what you want. Finish off your look with a beautiful pair of shoes, a clutch, and jewelry; all are available at ASK Dress Boutique. ASK Dress Boutique, where it is our goal to be your first and only stop for your Perfect Dress! 
