I don't typically write reviews but I had such a fantastic experience, I had to gush. My son is getting married next weekend and I had two of the same dress, one a bit too small and the size up too big. It's wedding season and they're very busy but they fit me in and knew exactly what to do. One week later I came back in for my fitting and the smaller dress fit me perfectly. And the icing on the cake, its a female owned small business: 3 sisters who all are extremely talented and absolutely adorable. I can't say enough about them!! read more

Fantastic! This place is the place to buy all your Gala and bridesmaids Prom dresses. It's been the IT place for over probably 40 years. As I'm reading some of the reviews be considerate of the women in this shop who have to deal with the MOMs not the teenagers. Shame on You. In today's society everyone is too sensitive. For goodness sake if someone were to tell you that your kid needs a size up! you would have a heart attack for someone telling them that. Today's shops are afraid of suggesting anything that might offend you because everything offends everyone Get it straight. It's not Their fault. It's yours. They're catering and staying in business so you don't have to go online and get a tight, cheap, poorly made, non refundable, no contact piece of fabric. So we all can enjoy a Special Day. A step Ahead is Fantastic! Thank you for all that you do. You are appreciated and you have made Millions Happy! read more

Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate the time you took to respond. Unfortunately that is not exactly how things transpired. Your staff never suggested sizing up. And in fact there is another teenager in our town who had the exact same experience with you in that you ordered her a dress size based on the sample she tried on in the store and when the dress arrived it was too tight. So like my daughter she had to buy another dress for prom. Your staff is lovely and we always loved shopping in your store. I am posting this review so other people do not have the same experience. Shoppers just make sure to get measured before you buy a dress from this store! read more

I rarely complain about things but I am going to now. The store was nuts wen we came for our appointment. I recommend not making too many appointments so people aren't left to themselves while trying on dresses. I am always happy to support small business and especially family owned. But I rather be told the truth in situations I HATE when people aren't frank with you. We bought a dress off the rack bc my daughter loved it. There was a bit of discoloration on the dress. The front was fixed with pleating which was fine. There was a spot on the back that was lighter. The reduced the dress cost it was 318 to 222 an added 14.10 to fix stains. They said if fixing stains did not work they would put appliqué. Purchase was done on 5/18 and I called on 6/01 to find out status of dress. Was told a lot of different stories. They did deliver it to home which was over 30 minutes away on 6/2 around 9:30 pm. The light discoloration on the back of dress went from white to purplish. The best part of all this is that I was told it was the same color of the dress via picture and in person. I really wanted to say what am I blind. I rather people be honest then to tell stories. At that point all I was offered was would you like me to take the dress back when prom is next week and STILL needs to be hemmed. Really!!! Thank you for response below. My biggest issue and what made me so upset was being mislead and told I was not seeing what was done. I was told by multiple people there was no spots after the attempt to fix it. That it all looked the same via the picture sent and in person. People respond better to honesty! Getting a refund with prom a week away was not an option you had me over a barrel. read more

Great selection and wonderful service. Always a pleasure to work with them!

This shop needs to figure out a better system during prom season. Waste of an afternoon waiting for a fitting room with little help once we finally made it in. A store rep was assisting us in the fitting room but she disappeared half way through to attend to a different client. We asked another rep to have the woman originally helping us return but after waiting an additional 20 minutes, we just walked out. It's stressful enough trying to find a dress alone! read more

A Step Ahead did an AMAZING job helping me find wedding dress 5 days before our wedding. They were extremely kind and did everything they possible could to give me my dream dress! Monica was great to work with; when I walked in the store and told her I needed a wedding dress she immediately pulled all the white colored dresses off the racks for me to try on. They were able to get my dress fitted within a matter of days, they cut the train for me, and even made sure the dress was properly fluffed and that each pearl and bit of fabric was in place before I took it home with me. Awesome customer service!! A Step Ahead carries some truly beautiful dresses. They have a great selection there, everything is so classy and beautiful! Lots of colors to choose from too. I definitely recommend this store if you're looking for a prom dress, wedding dress, cocktail dress, black tie event, etc. read more

A Step Ahead - wedding dress from A Step Ahead. Photo by www.leajones.net - Women's Clothing Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

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Absolutely the best dress shopping experience I have ever had. The customer service was amazing, they are very personable and work to find something you feel amazing in. They also have an amazing selection of beautiful dresses in many different styles and colors. 100% would recommend!!! read more

I was looking for a Mother of the bride dress for months. I went to all the big department stores and tried on multitude of dresses with no success. I went to Atiana's in Milford too, although they had a large inventory, their customer service was awful. I found a step-ahead dress shop through the Montage by Mon cheri website. What a breath of fresh air. Corrine was terrific. She knew my body type and after trying on 4 dresses I had found the one. I would have never picked out the dress I ended up loving. I couldn't have done it without her! Due to the timing of my daughters's wedding they took me down stairs to Santa who fit me in to show me how she would alter the dress and have it ready two weeks before I needed it. Unbelievable experience for me. I was totally stressed looking for the right dress and a reasonable price. Thank you!!! read more

Really nice ladies helping us and that made for a positive environment for all the people shopping. I sat in a chair and watched the parade of beautiful ladies. Tatianna was very sweet and chill, a great match for my non frill athletic 17 year old that is buying a fitted sheath and not a traditional princess dress, though this place has both. IMPORTANTLY Tatianna and another lady pulled a bunch of dresses they thought would look good on my daughter...and they were right! $450 later! read more

A Step Ahead - Women's Clothing Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

Wonderful amazing service. I observed staff working with my daughter and also with other families and grown women. I live in Westchester and found the customer service lacking in similar businesses. Everyone who works here treats every woman and every girl as lthe important person she is for any formal occasion. Just go to here for your quincenera, bnai mitzvo, sweet sixteen, wedding party, mother of the bride, gala benefit and any formal party fashion. Check out their website to see what designers/brands they carry. Alterations available on site. This is a decades old family run business and the care they give to their customers is top notch. read more

The best customer service by Corrine and staff!! I accompanied my friend looking for a "Mother of the Bride" dress for a Caribbean wedding! We spent over an hour there and Corrine was totally helpful with dresses and suggestions. She totally knows her business - inventory, how to dress up or down, alterations and options! A wealth of knowledge and the kindest person as well! She listens and provides really helpful options including websites that may have more styles, etc.... Cannot recommend this place enough for a special occasion dress! Have not met her sister - but Corrine provided amazing service and was not pushy at all! read more

Santa, the woman who performs alterations downstairs, was absolutely fantastic. I came to her with a dress purchased outside the shop a week before my event, and she turned around the dress to perfection, even getting it to me days before I needed to be done. Her prices are a little on the higher side but definitely fair, especially given her level of expertise and time table. Would recommend making an appointment in advance, and giving her ample time around busy seasons, but overall very satisfied with her work and looking forward to shopping the store for my next event, as dresses on the top level looked beautiful and the staff was very friendly. read more

A Step Ahead was the first shop I visited looking for an untraditional mother of the bride gown. Monica and her staff couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating. Monica pulled gowns that were very stylish and suited my tall and slender frame. As it was my first time dress shopping, Monica assured me she could order any dress for me that I may see on future shopping trips. I visited several other stores, though none compared to A Step Ahead in customer service, knowledge, and inventory. I returned several weeks later to try on more gowns and found a brand new gown right off their rack! Fortunately, it fit me like a glove and ordering was not needed. Corinne was a gem!! After a few minor alternations from the fantastic Santa, I returned to pick up my gown. Corinne and Santa said I can return at any time if I think the dress needs anything further prior to the wedding. I cannot thank the team at A Step Ahead enough!! read more

My daughter and I visited this shop yesterday for her prom dress and it was an amazing experience! The staff went above and beyond helping my daughter. As I looked around every girl in there seemed happy and smiling. They were busy but still never once rushed us. They were not pushy to buy anything, but we ended buying it there. They made my daughter feel like a bride. They let her try on her dress several times until she picked the right dress. I highly recommed this place. read more

I was strung along and lied to. I was told samples of bridesmaid dresses were ordered and would be arriving in a couple of weeks. 2 weeks passed, I followed up and was told the dresses were delayed but would arrive in another 2 weeks. Again, I followed up and still no dresses. A week later I went into the store to find out about the dresses and found out they were NEVER ordered! Why string me along for almost 2 months when the dresses were never ordered in the first place? Unprofessional. I found the dresses at another dress shop. read more

I have been shopping at A Step Ahead in Stamford, CT for many years. Having purchased MANY prom gowns for my daughters as well as dresses/gowns and accessories for myself over the years, I can't imagine shopping anywhere else. My most recent purchase was for my daughters wedding... all I can say is stunning! They did a spectacular job on my gown and made me feel like a million $$$. Sadly I won't be prom dress shopping for a while but will always be a customer there and looking forward to the next generation of our girls to start shopping with at A Step Ahead!! If you are looking for that special dress and a great experience, this should be the 1st & only stop. I have NEVER left A Step Ahead store anything less than happy. The ladies are wonderful, honest and will always go the extra mile to make you happy. Enjoy!! read more

My daughter is not easy to fit and Corinne found her a dozen gorgeous dresses and each one looked beautiful on her. She felt like a princess and I felt like her Fairy Godmother for bringing her to A Step Ahead. I can't thank them enough for their graciousness and kindness and eye for size and shape. THE BEST! read more

Although busy during prom season, they took the time to help my daughter find the perfect dress. They were so helpful, they ordered the dress in 2 colors as she wasn't sure and then didn't charge at all for the second dress or restocking it. Their advice on size and fit was spot on and they are supportive, making women of all shapes and sizes feel good about themselves. The family feel and knowledgeable staff make it very special. Also, they really rushed the dress as this was a last minute order - it arrived in just 4 days from order. They were honest that their in house seamstress could not hem it due to backlog of prom dresses (and again, we were last minute) and recommended another tailor who was very good. Truly full service, their experience and commitment to the customer shows. read more

Thank you to A Step Ahead for being such a pleasure to work with. We ordered 2 dresses there for my daughter's bat mitzvah. They both needed a lot of work and throughout the process the women who owned the shop were always warm, professional and reassuring. The store is frequently busy (especially during prom season) but all three women handle it in stride, never rushing anyone or losing their cool. They have a very reasonable exchange policy, offering store credit if you order a dress and you're not happy with it once it comes in-- which we greatly appreciated when one of our dresses showed up and we didn't like it. That could have been a disaster but instead they happily helped us find something more appropriate. Do allow plenty of time because some dresses take a long time to arrive from the manufacturer. read more

I just had the most amazing experience shopping for a prom gown with my sons girlfriend. ..they are so attentive had a full staff giving each girl attention.a family owned business i highly recommend i traveled from trumbull to stamford so worth it .. .Very happy with the gown we purchased read more

Must have been an off day, my daughter and I really didn't receive any assistance after entering the fitting room. The young girl who was helping us had friends trying on dresses in the room next to us and had no concerns for us. Also every dress brought to the back was a 0 or a 2, I understand not having every size but some direction to the teenager who obviously wasn't a 0 would have been nice. Total waste of time to spend our one random free Sunday trekking up to Stamford. Wouldn't recommend going there on a weekend or if you are not a size 2-6. It's unfortunate Yelp makes you give a even 1 star in order to post a review. read more

I can't believe what an amazing place run by the most wonderful set of sisters you'd ever meet. They were so helpful in their suggestions and kept the entire environment supportive and comforting. Buying your first prom dress can be very daunting. It's a time when girls just don't necessarily feel comfortable in their own skin, and they are straddling the line between blending in and standing out. My daughter was very pleased. I was very pleased with the service. It's family businesses like these that make our town and the surrounding area unique. With service like this I know my daughters will be back whenever they need an occasion dress. read more

I needed a gown for a black tie wedding, happened to be in Stamford and decided to have look in A Step Ahead. I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted, but Danna and Monica (the owners) had great instincts about what would look good on me. In less than an hour, I found the perfect dress! The personalized customer service, genuine warmth and desire to please made shopping at A Step Ahead a pleasant (and successful) experience. Highly recommend. read more

THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO!!! Very welcoming! Wide selection of dresses, clean, and absolutely no body shaming, If you are a hesitant buyer like myself the sales associates do not pressure you to buy a dress on the spot they let take your time, if 6 stars was a option, trust me I would be spamming that star. The young lady helping me out with my dress made my stressful decision completely effortless, she picked out various dresses and helped me narrow it down to one that made me feel special. This is the most accommodating and remarkable retail store I have EVER been to! K I'm done now read more

I stop by the store on a Friday morning for an event on Saturday. They managed to find me a beautiful dress and hem it in time for me to pick up at noon on Saturday. I would highly recommend. read more

I went to A Step Ahead this afternoon to get a second opinion on a bridesmaids dress I had altered elsewhere (my mistake). I was very upset with the dress I received from the other tailor and wanted to make sure it was fixable. The women had me go right back and put the dress on, and were right there when I came out. They agreed that the other person had done a poor job and pointed out things I hadn't even noticed. The women at A Step Ahead were extremely friendly and told me to go back to the other tailor and get my money back (which I did). As it's prom season and I need a quick turnaround (a week), A Step Ahead wasn't able to commit to doing my alterations, which I completely understand. They did, however, refer me to another seamstress that could help me. I definitely felt validated in my concerns about my dress, and walked out of there with a sigh of relief that they knew someone who would help me in such short notice. I called the person they referred and will be seeing them tomorrow morning. I was extremely impressed with A Step Ahead's professionalism, friendliness and expertise. Even though they weren't able to alter the dress themselves, I will definitely be recommending this place to others! Thank you so much, ladies! read more

I've been shopping at A Step Ahead for over 12 years. Danna, Monica and Corinne always go above and beyond. They also don't allow any sort of negative banter or self-deprecating talk in the store which makes it such a pleasant environment. I couldn't imagine shopping anywhere else. read more

I went here to get a bridesmaids dress for a wedding I was in this past week. We went shopping in late November and the woman insisted that I order a size 2. She claimed that with my measurements that this made the most sense because the waist measurement was a half inch smaller than my measurement. Despite explaining that I wasn't really going to try to lose weight, she said it'd be easier to make it bigger than take everything in with the larger size. Fast forward to late February. I get a call saying NONE of our dress orders went through because they made a mistake writing down the order number. They claimed the email from the company had been sitting in their junk mail for months. She asks me to go on the website and find the dress number. Dress arrives in late April and as I suspected, does not fit and also has twisted boning. I take it into them and they say to take it out 3/4 of an inch which is still too tight. I pay $35 and the back of my dress is crooked and they twisted the boning, but didn't deal with the fact that it still popped out after they "fixed it". When I asked why they didn't fix it, they said they were "too busy" with prom dresses. I ended up going to another tailor and telling the bride I'd write a honest review on Yelp. The feeling of shopping at this store is frantic and stressful, as they are really popular and extremely busy. read more

I actually came to this place from the Bronx (my sister lives in Stamford and knew of it). I was having difficulty finding a specific Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dress in my area that I need for a wedding in PA. This place is deceptively small; it seems, at first, that they don't have much. After looking around, it is 100% packed with things for people to try on. I didn't personally try anything on because I knew in advance what dress I needed. The owners (three sisters) were very personable and helpful; I was in and out in no time with updated measurements and a promise to have my dress in 10 to 12 weeks. I would definitely recommend them. read more

Was not pleased at all with my experience. I walked in and it was not very busy at all. No one helped me but when they did I told the lady I was a size 10/12 and she kept pulling sizes 0 and 4. I assured her I was not going to fit into them but she made me try them on anyways. I left very dissatisfied. read more

I will be forever grateful to these wonderful women for the patience. love and attention they showed my daughter. She had a difficult time making a decision about the type of dress she wanted for her Sweet 16. We went back to the store several times, still exchanging and returning dresses 10 days before the party. They kept calm, they made my daughter calm and they found her the perfect dress! Everyone in the store commented on how it was made for her. They made her dreams come true. This is a family owned and operated business with more than 30 years of experience. They take pride in every dress they sell and they treat their customers like family. We look forward to going back many times for future prom and party dresses! read more

I can not say enough wonderful things about A Step Ahead. It is a pleasure to do business with this family owned business. They go above and beyond to help make the experience and process seamless. read more

I Love this dress shop! They have beautiful designer gowns and dresses at managable prices. . I have 2 daughters. I have gotten their sweet 16 dresses, prom dresses, and other special occasion dresses/gowns from them. It's a nice family owned shop. The sisters cater to you to find the perfect dress. Customer service is fantastic. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is because they do not do alterations on location. They are friendly, professional, very knowledgeable. They have beautiful designer gowns and dresses. I highly recommend this shop! read more

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous!!! Corrine, Monica and Santa each helped me and each made me feel beautiful! I will come back again and again!!! My dress was perfect, fit like a glove, comfortable all night. I danced every dance too! Will go back in and have the dress shortened to cocktail length so I get more use. This is my new go to place, highly recommend!!! read more