Thursday, 24 January 2013

Spring, Spring, Spring

Well it's been a month since we last posted on our blog, Christmas has come and gone and we have had what seems to be the usual post Christmas snow on the ground. It never really lasts that long in Bournemouth and today is bright and sunny, seeing off the last few stubborn bits of white stuff.

January has seen deliveries of Mother of the Bride outfits and prom dresses streaming in after everyone got back from their festive breaks. As usual Condici mother of the bride was first to delivery and that collection is now all in stock and getting a great response from the early mothers of the bride out shopping.

Zeila and Cabotine mother of the bride outfits along with Presen, Mireia and Carina have been arriving every few weeks and we now have a good selection of new spring outfits for mothers who want to start shopping for their wedding this year. We will be posting more detailed blogs on these suppliers in the coming weeks so subscribe to our page to make sure you get the updates.

Of course as well as Spring/Summer weddings it is also prom time and for those that haven't been down to our boutique in Bournemouth we basically cater for most events. In fact nearly all of our customers are going to an event of some sort or other, whether that be a cruise or holiday, a wedding or a prom or ball.We have even had customers who have been lucky enough to be invited to a royal garden party or are to collect an award at the palace.

We work hard to make sure that we offer something different and the mix of outfits we have is quite unique in Dorset and when you combine that with the personal service you just won't get in any High Street store it really does show the benefit of shopping in independent boutiques and clothes shops.

Looking ahead we have the BIC Wedding Show in Bournemouth the weekend after next. It's always a big event for us with a stand and two scenes in the fashion show throughout Saturday and Sunday. Of course we also start opening on Sundays during March, April and May to try and make it easier for customers to get together to choose outfits and dresses. Add in the buying of the Autumn/Winter collections in February and we sure are going to be busy.

Take a look at our ever growing online shop with a selection of our mother of the bride, prom dresses and much more. Customers from the UK and abroad are certainly liking it and more and more styles will be added as we progress through the year. Of course you can see lots more in our Bournemouth boutique so make a trip and perhaps spend a night to enjoy what Bournemouth has to offer.

Monday, 3 December 2012

Prom Star 2013

Wow, where has the time gone since our last post?

We've been busy working on next year and now is the time to launch one of the things we have been working hard to make happen, our best ever prom promotion.

Entries are now open for Prom Star 2013, the new competion from Fab Frocks for the 2013 prom season that offers a whole host of prizes for the winner.
It's so easy to enter this amazing competition just complete the simple entry form and upload two pictures of yourself.
  • A recent full length photograph of yourself. You don’t need to be in a dress – just wear what you’re most comfortable in.
  • A close-up photograph of your head and shoulders without any photo editing.
You can enter any time between now and the end of January at our Prom Dress Facebook Page

Fab Frocks has an amazing selection of Prom Dresses arriving for 2013. Whilst ballgowns remain a firm favourite the trend has moved slightly to more slinkier dresses and we have got the biggest selection we have ever had. Don't forget that a lot of the styles we only have one of and once they are gone that is it. We do also keep a prom dress log and record every dress we sell to each school and aim not to sell the same dress in the same colour to the same school.

You won't find a better selection of dresses in one place across the whole of Dorset and remember that if you can't get to us then you can purchase by mail order through our online boutique knowing that you can try the dress on in the comfort of your own home.





Thursday, 16 August 2012

Prom Dresses 2013

Our first post having returned from a four day buying trip for the 2013 collections.

We though we would focus on the Prom Dresses in this posting as that sector is undergoing a transformation as the prom phenomenon has now been active in the UK for quite a few years. The trend for 2012 has seen a slight shift to long floaty and slinky dresses in favour of ballgowns. Prom ballgowns still represent a large majority of the prom dresses we sell and they will always have a place at a school prom, however the collections for 2013 have less ballgowns in them as the market moves to a more balanced split of style types.

The prom dress collections for 2013 feature pastel shades with vintage nude, beige and dusty pink continuing through from their success in 2012. New for next year are soft shades of coral, pink and blue in floaty chiffon fabric and styles with low backs and flowing skirts. The Mori Lee Prom collection continues to be the ultimate ballgown for any school prom and can't be beaten on quality and style. The price on the Mori Lee ballgowns has seen a return to the £350 range after an increase in 2012. Whilst this is at the upper end of the prom spend the dresses are really worth the price when you consider the styling, bead work and volume of fabric which makes up a Mori Lee dress.

As with all clothing over the last two years there has and continues to be increases in pricing due to the changing landscape of manufacturing in China and the evolving consumer society in that country which means higher wages are being asked for by factory workers. Recent employment legislation has meant that more workers are staying in rural areas and not returning to factories as used to be the case, this puts the factories under pressure through lack of resource and means higher wages are having to be paid to attract back the skilled machinists.

Scarlett Evenings Prom Dresses and Dynasty Yasmin Prom Dresses both have strong collections and both companies continue to listen to retailer feedback on the trends and needs of the prom girls to ensure that the collections evolve each year. We are excited about both these collections and will certainly have many styles and colours to show you when they arrive at the end of this year.

As a word of warning to prom girls for 2013, there are more and more pop-up websites offering dresses at amazing prices, some saying the styles are from particular collections and some illegally using the images. The majority of these sites are based in China and can either be manufacturing poor quality copies of dresses or just taking your money and not sending you anything. Beware sites that say your dress is made to order and cannot be returned, we have seen some of the examples of dresses that have arrived and they are just appalling. The temptation to save a few pounds can end up being a very expensive option when you shop on some of these sites. To protect yourself always make sure that the site you are dealing with is an authorised stockist of the collection and that you pay by credit card.

Finally, make sure the company you are dealing with is in the UK and if in any doubt then contact the company who makes the dresses and check they are an authorised stockist.

Monday, 30 July 2012

Final Sale Reductions

With the Fab Frocks Summer Sale finishing on the 18th of August we have decided to further reduce some of the sale items. All summer day wear is now 50% off and we have a new clearance rail with amazing give-away prices on dresses and separates.

Of course there is still up to 70% off on evening and cocktail dresses, and mother of the bride and groom outfits.

We are just about to update our online shop with the new reductions so visit www.fabfrocks.com to buy sale bargains online

The Autumn season deliveries continue to arrive every week with the majority of mother of the bride and groom now in. Evening and cocktail and dressy day will be arriving throughout August with everything in stock by the beginning of September. You can find more details of the autumn stock on our website over the next few weeks as we update it for the new season.

Friday, 27 July 2012

Summer dresses - Further Reductions

Well the sun has finally arrived and this week the summer dresses have been flying out. Maxi dresses still seem to be a great choice for holidays as they can take you from the beach to the bar or restaurant and you can even wear them over your swimming costume. Of course for cruising, excursions or just some sightseeing we have some great summer print shift dresses or floatier options for keeping cool. Again these can be work casually or dressed up for an evening out on the town or to dinner.

The summer sale at Fab Frocks is still in full swing and with further reductions next week across our day wear collections before the autumn stock arrives there has never been a better time to get your holiday clothes.

Our new online boutique is up and running and we are adding new items all the time. Although this doesn't show all the stock we have in the shop you can be sure there will be a good selection to purchase whether you are in the UK, Europe or further afield. Take a look at www.fabfrocks.com and make sure you bookmark the site in your browser. If you are accessing it from your mobile phone then we have a special mobile version to make it easier to browse.


Friday, 6 July 2012

Mother of the Bride Sale and more

The Fab Frocks Sale starts today with savings of up to 70% across our boutique.

We have been working hard over the last few days to bring you mother of the bride and groom outfits for just a few hundred pounds, greatly reduced from their original price. There are lots of great bargains to be had at Fab Frocks from today as we clear the way for the Autumn collections.

As well as Mother of the Bride & Groom outfits we also have reductions in all our other departments. In day wear we have summer dresses and maxi dresses at 25% and 50% off making it an ideal time to buy those clothes for your holiday or cruise. Adding one of our co-ordinating boleros can help make these dresses also ideal for a wedding guest or for a special occasion.

Not forgetting the frocks we also have evening and cocktail dresses at up to 70% off. Our Tony Bowls collection of stunning evening wear is now all 50% off meaning a great saving on these beautiful dresses that are ideal for summer balls, dinners and of course formal nights on a cruise.

Our Autumn collection is starting to arrive for those of you thinking ahead, but in the meantime make sure you come in or check out our website to see what amazing savings you can make on special occasion clothes by shopping in the Fab Frocks sale.

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

NEW TERM BEGINS FAB FROCKS

The beginning of September is such a strange month isn't it. The kids go back to school (shoe shops do a roaring trade at this time of year).  We all have to get back into a routine after the summer. It's a bit like the start of a new term here at Fab Frocks.

In store, the sale has all but finished and lots of gorgeous dresses are flooding in for the winter season. We're really delighted with our dressy daywear range this year. In response to ladies wanting a dress that wasn't over the top but still a bit special, we've got some great jersey designs perfect for daytime events or for taking you from work to an evening do. Check out Tina Taylor, Kate Cooper, Michaela Louisa and Frank Lyman on our website or pop in and take a look. You've no excuse now the kids are back at school!

Sadly, at the end of the summer  we said goodbye to one of our team who has been with us for over three years now. Sharon has gone to pastures new - she's leaving retail for the care profession and we wish her all the best. Can't wait to see the photos of her on Facebook in her naughty nurse's outfit that we bought her as a leaving pressie!