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Click
on the underlined web address or the photo of the web page to
visit that site.
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Online
sites let you go global while shopping for that perfect outfit.
With
so many places to purchase a gown for an upcoming pageant or social
event, it's no surprise that the number and quality of fashion retail
store web sites has increased. A great-looking site featuring the gowns
that women want is a smart way to attract new customers. It is a well-known
fact that pageant contestants will travel several states away, or even
across the country to purchase gowns from a retailer who they feel will
provide them with the dress that is most flattering.
The Internet
is already the smart way to compare styles and price, and each of these
sites are leaders in the fashion retail industry. Whether you're a pageant
contestant looking for that "winning dress," or a prom attendee,
or a young woman in need of a gown for that elegant formal event, these
sites will save you time by letting you preview many looks without having
to travel. Narrowing your choices to what you really like can help make
the difference between a so-so gown and one that was meant just for
you.
Anna
Joy's
www.annajoys.com
Anna-Joy's
is the premier bridal, special occasion, and formalwear dress shop of
the Shenandoah Valley, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. While the
splash page touts their bridal expertise, rest assured that bridal is
not their only fort�. They also carry over 30 lines of prom dresses,
including five lines of plus-size gowns, and 19 lines of pageant gowns.
If it's accessories that you're interested in, the shop has what you
need in gloves, jewelry, shoes, tiaras, and floral arrangements, in
addition to a full line of gifts. A "New Arrivals" area is
coming soon as well.
Center
Stage Formals
www.centerstageformals.com
Center
Stage Formals dubs themselves "Mississippi's Premier Bridal and
Pageant Boutique." Whether it is your wedding day, a local or national
pageant, or prom, Center Stage is your one-stop shop for all your special-event
needs. In addition to a wide array of prom and pageant gowns, Center
Stage also offers jewelry and accessories, interview suits, competition
swimwear, and on-site services, makeup, and alterations.
At the time
of this writing, many of the pages stated "Details Coming Soon,"
but the finished pages and photos are well-designed and easy to navigate.
It will be worth a revisit when completed.
Dazzles
www.shopdazzles.com
Dazzles
creates "dazzling designs for pageant contestants." Their
newly designed web site is dazzling as well. It features an animated
introduction and a well-designed interface. After you click on "Pageant
& Prom Apparel," you will have your choice of viewing "Interview
Suits," "Prom & Pageant Gowns," "Swimsuits,"
and "Accessories," all from well-known designers.
Owner Jill
Rowland is a native of South Carolina who has judged, emceed, and participated
in beauty pageants for 12 years. She is a former Ms. South Carolina
and a Global Ms. America. Her pageant expertise is evidenced by a click
on the "Winners" and "Gallery" areas, where you
can see photos of her winning customers.
Debbrah's
www.debbrahs.com
Debbrah's
is well-known for producing elaborate custom outfits for pageants and
talent events. Upon visiting their site, you learn that they also design
costumes for Broadway shows and feature films, such as Beautiful,
starring Minnie Driver, Kathleen Turner, and several real-life beauty
queens. One can view backstage photos of the movie set, and also see
examples of their Broadway wardrobe designs.
Debbrah's
produces many looks. The main sections are "Ladies," "Film
& Stage," and "Children." The "Children's"
page is broken-out into "Dresses," "Sportswear,"
"Swimwear," and "Western Wear," that display examples
of each style. Debbrah's children's designs are perhaps the most impressive,
especially in the Western Wear category, where you can really appreciate
the time spent applying the many beads to their hats, dresses, and boots.
Dee's
Studio www.deesstudio.com
Dee's
Studio has hundreds of gowns in stock from many of the the top pageant
and social-occasion lines. With an expert staff and relaxed atmosphere,
Dee's allows you time and offers help in coordinating your choices.
Talk about an expert — Dee's newest team member is Darla Harman,
mom of Miss America 2001 Katie Harman. Dee's Studio offers some innovative
promotions such as Mother-Daughter Spa Nite and Teen Spa Night, where
attendees pick out prom dresses, have hair and makeup done, and try
out new skin-care systems. Over 40 teenage girls attended the most recent
Teen Spa Night, and fun photos from both events are posted online.
Dresses,
Inc. www.pageantdresses.com
Dresses,
Inc. has been in business for 14 years and selling dresses online for
nine years. In November, the business is planning to open its first
location in the Dayton Mall. Pageantdresses.com offers hundreds of products
in the categories of "State and National Level Dresses," "Floor-Length
Gowns," "Infant Dresses," "Preliminary Dresses,"
"Crinoline Slips," "Socks," "Shoes," and
boys "Tuxes and Suits" to size 14.
One unique
feature of the site is their customer-friendly Buyers Club. You can
join the Buyers Club alone or you can purchase as a group. Here is how
it works: the first dress purchased is at regular price, the second
dress is 10 percent off, the third is 20 percent off, the fourth is
30 percent off, fifth 40 percent off, and sixth dress is 50 percent
off. Then your group starts over again. All six purchases must be made
within one year of the first purchase. All ordering uses a shopping
cart and is secure.
They also
have a low-price guarantee: If you find a lower price, they will beat
the advertised price, and if you find the identical item advertised
for less within 30 days of purchase, they will issue a merchandise credit
for the difference in price.
Elizabeth
Michaels www.elizabethmichaels.net
Elizabeth
Michaels is owned by Jane Engelke. Jane has more than 10 years experience
as a competitor and a winner, and she understands the need for great
selection, quality, pricing, and knowledge. Operating as an appointment-only
shop, Jane is able to give individual attention to every client. Among
the lines carried are Sherri Hill, Nicole Miller, Crown Collection,
and Claire's Collection. The shop also carries shoes, jewelry, swimwear,
and accessories.
Encore
Pageant Apparel www.encorepageantapparel.com
Founded
by Shana Teel-Ashcraft, EncorePageantApparel.com bills itself as "the
most comprehensive online pageant gown and accessory consignment store."
While the store in Murfreesboro, TN, works by appointment only, you
can order online anytime. Encore Pa?ant Apparel delivers an extensive
online sampling from a wide array of pageant-related clothing categories,
including cocktail dresses, suits, resort wear, and even stage and performance
wear.
With so much
to choose from, the buttons labeled "New Arrivals," and "Clearance"
can take you right to whatever matters most to you... the very latest
items or the lowest prices. They offer layaway, but not via the web
site; you will need to contact Encore by e-mail or phone to place items
on layaway. Encore also hosts the two-day intensive "Boot Camp
for Beauty Queens" seminars.
Evening
Extraordinaire www.eveningextraordinaire.com
Located
just minutes from the heart of Kansas City, Evening Extraordinaire is
one of the Midwest's premier bridal and pageant wear boutiques. A visit
to Evening Extraordinaire's site begins with an animated introduction
set to their home page. You can view photos or even watch a video tour
of their newly remodeled bridal salon (Windows Media Player required).
The rest of the site is equally elegant and well-organized.
This is
a site that tells you everything you need to know about Evening Extraordinaire,
and they put that information right where you need it. For example,
on the "About Us" page, they tell you where they are located,
and a "click here" reveals a detailed map. Where they list
the store hours, they have also provide an e-mail link to set up an
appointment. Even the staff photos have e-mail links to contact them
directly. The design is professional and powerful, giving ample play
to the many well-known lines and designers that are carried in the store.
Gregory
Ellenburg
www.gregoryellenburg.com
Gregory
Ellenburg Pageant and Special Occasions is a South Carolina pageant
institution. Greg Ellenburg is a graduate of the prestigious Fashion
Institute of Technology in New York City, and worked as an assistant
with Stephen Yearick for six years before opening his own showroom.
Greg's specialty is creating beautiful custom gowns, but he also offers
several pageant lines as well. The web site features "Prom Lines"
and "Pageant Lines" navigation bars that display links to
the manufacturers, which are featured on the web site's pages, and reflect
what the store has in stock. The web site also features a gallery of
pageant winners wearing some of Greg's exclusive custom-designed gowns.
Two areas, "Winners Circle," and "Upcoming Events,"
weren't working when I last checked for this review, but these areas
will be well worth a visit when they are made fully operational.
Premier
Prom & Pageantry www.premierpromandpageantry.com
A complete site, the navigation is easy and simple with text
or Flash viewing options. Such divisions as Pageant, Prom, Homecoming,
Interview Suits, and Swimwear are listed in the main menu promoting
a variety of lines. In choosing a specific category, each click on a
manufacturer's image will take you to their respective site for further
information on the styles available.
In addition
to the offerings from the manufacturers, several category styles offer
blow-ups offering treatment details along with which competition or
social occasion function will best suit the particular garment. Aside
from garment-related information, several links provide insight and
photos relating to the preparations that young women experience while
planning for prom season.
Robin
Elliott www.robinelliottofchicago.com
Promoting "Fashions
for the Spotlight", this eighteen-year formalwear-industry veteran
has credentials to back up her site, with several Miss America winners
and more runners-up from the state of Illinois posted on her site. The
full service boutique promotes mainly pageant, prom, and mother-of-the-bride.
The website mainly features lines from a couple of well-known companies
while offering others to choose from. Hours of the retail store are
posted as well as contact information should you require assistance.
Studio
Sunshine www.studio-sunshine.com
Studio
Sunshine promotes in the custom design and manufacture of bridal gowns,
formal dresses, formal wear, and Renaissance wear. They feature bridal,
formal, and opera capes, and also provide these accessories for themed
weddings, such as The Lord of the Rings, and Titanic.
The site also has a streaming video of their custom capes photo shoot.
They carry
every imaginable genre of headwear, including tiaras, hair bands, headbands,
hair combs and headpieces. They also have an extensive selection of
fabrics for your custom-made gown. Their "Renaissance" page
has many unique designs and is also worth a look.
Studio Sunshine
specializes in creating and making one-of-a-kind couture wedding and
pageant gowns while accommodating plus sizes, women with tiny figures,
or anyone who simply can't find that special gown. There's a bonus for
shopping via their web site catalog: a 10 percent mail-in rebate on
products purchased online.
The
Bridal Shoppe www.thebridalshoppe.com
The
Bridal Shoppe dubs itself "Metropolitan Washington's Premier Bridal
Salon." The entire salon has been renovated recently and restocked
with all-new bridal gowns and accessories. At the time of our research
and publication date, no information was available for comprehensive
analysis regarding this site. Please check the Pageantry online extension
of Web Watch frequently throughout the quarter for further updates and
information. We will post our review as the site becomes available.
The
Encounter www.theenc.com
Newcomers
to the area are often surprised to find this New York-style boutique
in this mountain setting. Located in Kingsport, TN, The Encounter has
been in business since 1976, and after more than 24 years in retail,
The Encounter has proven that it understands the fashion needs of women.
The "Testimonials" area has numerous customer comments attesting
to this and many other flattering facts. The store also hosts The Encounter
Modeling Troupe — a group of women and men who model and perform
in support of community needs.
The main navigation areas
of the site are “Pageant Dressing,” “Business Dressing,”
“Wedding,” and “Prom.” In each of these areas, The
Encounter presents thumbnail photos of the gowns and business wear in
their lines. A click on any thumbnail will open a larger image of that
particular style.
Bridal
& Formal Center
www.bridal-headquarters.com
Bridal & Formal Center specializes in both bridal and social
occasion, featuring categories such as evening, pageant, and prom. The
"prom" button takes you to several pages of evening wear featuring
an abundant number of styles which can be seen in greater detail by
clicking on the desired gown. While not listing the actual line-name
online, the site does promote most of the recognizable social occasion
manufacturers. Stocking size ranges from 2 through XXXXL, alterations
are also available along with custom redesigning.
Cinderella’s
Pageant Salon, Ltd. www.gownsbyscott.com
A pageant fixture in the Northeast, Scott Gray and Cinderella's
Pageant Salon, Ltd. have had their share of national titleholders. A
quick perusal of the new site offers directions to the store as well
as competition photos showcasing gowns provided to both national and
international winners for the years of 1997 through 2002.
Adora,
Inc. www.adorainc.com
At the time of our research and publication date, no information was
available for comprehensive analysis regarding this site. Please check
the Pageantry online extension of Web Watch frequently throughout
the quarter for further updates and information. We will post our review
as the site becomes available.
