Knockoff dresses being sold online are a huge issue in the formalwear industry right now. This has been a problem facing us for the past few years and as prom season approaches I would just like to remind everyone of the dangers of shopping online for your prom gown.

Overseas manufactures are actually counterfeiting gowns from the actual designers which, is an illegal practice. One of the best ways to tell if you are looking at a knockoff is the price. If the price online is much cheaper than the authorized retailers price then most likely you are going to receive a very cheaply made version of the original dress. Remember, if it's too good to be true it probably is.

Problems associated with buying a gown online:

• You don't receive your dress at all and you don't get your money back.
• The dress you get is a poor excuse of the dress you thought you ordered.
• If you get a dress it is not sized properly or they send the wrong size.
• There is no customer service number to call.
• The website that you ordered from disappears.

These are all problem that we have encountered personally with customers who chose to order online thinking they were getting a great deal. In the end not so much, they wind up spending more money than they would have to begin with if they had purchased the dress from an authorized retailer.

This article is geared more toward the prom customer, but it does happen to brides on a regular basis as well. There is nothing like having a bride come in the week of her wedding to get a gown because the one she ordered online did not arrive or it was a disaster when it did arrive. 

Remember that retailers do have affordable options if you are on a tight budget and for us personally we have payment plans and will work with you so you can have the dress of your dreams. These are special moments that do not happen very often in a lifetime, we should be creating good memories. Do you really want to look back and say; "Man, my special occasion was a complete disaster."?

You may have found Denise at the store during busy prom season hours or when I was away buying awesome new dresses. She is fun and quirky and she LOVES to accessorize. So if you were shopping when she was on the floor you most likely were asked to try on shoes, jewelry, hair accessories, and anything else she could get on you. She has a super busy life as a mother and author now, but she still plays an important part of my supporting cast as a great friend and sounding board for new ideas.

Ashley is my go, go, go girl! She is always ready to pack up and hit the road with me for out of town wedding shows, or anything else for that matter as long as we are are the move. She is a “git 'er done” kind of girl and she wears me out just watching her. This year was her first time attending prom market with me and she was awesome, I can't imagine going back without her. Hope she is planning on keeping her calendar clear for next, let's see.....20 years.