<p>D2 needs to find a dress for Jr. prom. I was incredibly lucky with D1 and found an ABS dress in Marshalls that was terrific. Since I am not expecting lightening to strike twice, I will probably need to go the retail store route.</p>
<p>We live on Long Island and I know the stores here. Would like to expand into Manhattan to look, since everything I’ve seen here has been very tight, very short and over-embellished. And they all look the same.</p>
<p>Is there the equivalent of the Brides Building where you can go to wholesalers/ manufacturers? I remember hearing about another building near Bdway in the 30’s when I was looking for my dress for D’s bat mitzvah, but found something locally instead.</p>
<p>I know all the dept stores, Betsey Johnson and Top Shop. I would love the name of smaller stores/ boutiques/wholesalers.</p>
<p>I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but in my experience the best places to buy semiformal/formal dresses for young women for a reasonable price, even in New York, really is the big department stores and the well-known brands.</p>
<p>Of my 3 prom dresses (two of which I’ve recycled endless times, both fairly short (end right above the knee) and more cocktail than anything else), two were found at Macy’s (for $45 and $75, respectively) and my senior prom dress is from Cache ($200, but I’ve worn it multiple times since June).</p>
<p>The boutiques are nice in theory, but in reality unless you know exactly where you’re going they’re going to be much more expensive and you’re going to have fewer options. Just a thought.</p>
<p>us, I don’t know about new york but what my sister did was she found a dress she loved in a cute store around here, bought a used version for 1/2 price on ebay, and sold it right after prom on ebay for what she paid on it. Wound up wearing a 500 dollar dress for free!</p>
<p>I wouldn’t usually shop at Lord and Taylor out at the burbs, but the one in NYC has the best special occassion dresses and shoes. You could spend a lot of money at Saks and BG for one of a kind, but at L&T you could get very close to the look (not Bloomie or Macy’s). At this last winter break, I bought 5 cocktail dresses for D2 to bring back.</p>
<p>Plan on going to Lord and Taylor’s and Saks. Actually lucked out at Saks for my older D’s senior prom dress. Got a $1200 dress reduced in early January to something like $375. </p>
<p>Know there must be manufacturer’s options, but can’t find anything after doing a search on-line. The bride’s building has a whole website these days. Know I 've heard of something in a different building, but don’t know the details.</p>
<p>Another vote for Lord & Taylor’s. The girls around here don’t otherwise shop at Lord & Taylor’s but show up in droves to buy their prom dresses there.</p>
<p>Don’t know where on LI you live but right near my mother-in-law in Plainview/Old Bethpage is a small dress shop in the Morton Village shopping center (right near the hospital which is now a part of LIJ I think) that might have what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>As far as private stores in the city - you could walk around SoHo are but I’m not sure the prices would be right, Madison Ave in the 70’s - 90’s might also be a possibility but again, the prices. There are some great used clothing stores also, one is on the second floor on Madison in the high 70’s low 80’s I think (maybe near Vera Wang?), and one is on 2nd Ave. and 78 or 81, around there (on the same block as Lesters was/is).</p>
<p>Um- two suggestions. First is Salvation Army/Goodwill on the Upper East Side. D got an Anne Klein still with tags for $20. If you have time, try Light in the Box website. D got beautiful dress in less than 4 weeks with no rush. Check out the Vanessa style (Gossip Girls) and know it is NOT cut as low as it shows on the model (35 inch bust, yeah right). I know that one is not short but there are other options I think.</p>
<p>Try some of the bridal stores. RKBridalDOTcom shows some of its selections on line.
I doubt Daffy’s has any in stock yet, but that would be another suggestion, especially the store on 57th Street.
Agree with L&T.</p>
<p>I like Daffy’s and Top Shop, but also you can find good stuff in L.I, around Great Neck. I am from NC but I always shop in NY for dresses, or in Atlanta, they are the best.</p>
<p>I just read an article in The New Yorker about the various places in NYC where one can rent a fabulous designer dress. Depending on how much you were planning to spend, it may be a better solution for a dress that your D is planning to wear once. If you visit their web site you can get the details.</p>
<p>Thank you for your suggestions! Daffy’s and Century 21 are on my normal shopping circuit, so I have been looking there for a while.</p>
<p>I will look into RK. D wants a new dress and wants to keep it, so no to thrift stores and rentals. I am familiar with all the shopping in Plainview and Great Neck since I live/work around those areas. Actually, the store you referred to in Plainview has gone out of business.</p>
<p>So no info on wholesaler’s/ manufacturers? If I find out more I will post. Thanks!!!</p>
<p>There are several stores betwn 5th & 6th (actually just east of 6th) from 36-38th that have formal gowns in the windows. I’ve never gone in them, but it’s eye candy on my walk to/from Penn Station. They are between Macy’s & L&T (which has an amazing selection of dresses in the flagship store), so if they don’t work out, you haven’t gone out of your way.</p>
<p>^^ was just going to suggest the same thing. I’m from deep in the midwest but our last 2 trips to NYC we’ve stayed at the Strand on 37th between 5th and 6th, and have walked past several of those shops. I always wondered who shops there - retailers? costumers? clever moms from LI? ;)</p>
<p>yeah, I’d forfgotten about C21, it’s great, now at Bway and 68 at the old Barnes and Noble. within one block from that store there is a boutique: New York Look, which is pretty good too. btw: MazelTov to the B. Mitzvah mom!</p>
<p>Maybe a trip up to the Woodbury Commons outlets? Neiman Marcus is also very good for dresses - isn’t there one in White Plains? They carry a whole range in terms of prices and the sales can be great. Their website has even more of a selection. In the city there is also the BCBG store, Nicole Miller etc. </p>
<p>You might also check out one of the shopper’s guides to NYC in the bookstore or on Amazon for boutique recommendations. Another suggestion that has worked for me- go to the manufacturer’s website for the names of stores in the city where labels you like are sold. Then check them out online to see if it’s the kind of place likely to have a good selection.</p>