The Quality Shoppe: Through the Decades

The Quality Shoppe was founded in December 1935 and is the longest continually operating business in the city of Jacksonville. Current owner, Rena Comisac, runs the bridal and formal wear store and has seen many trends and movements come to her store. Since 1979, Rena’s family has owned and operated The Quality Shoppe. Although it didn’t exclusively become a bridal and formal wear store until 2000, Rena has seen it all, from beautiful ballgowns, to sleek, modern looks. With its 90th anniversary coming up, let’s take a look at some of the styles that have defined prom season in The Quality Shoppe.

1985 - Big Bows, Dresses, and Dreams

In 1985, The Quality Shoppe was beginning its slow transition from a women's and children’s boutique into a formal and bridal store. Although Rena may not have been running The Quality Shoppe in 1985, she herself went to prom in the early 1980’s and remembers what it felt like to find that perfect gown. The 1980s were defined by puffy sleeves and a ball gown look. Other key aspects of prom dresses in 1985 were lace and very big bows. Comisac regarded the trends at this time as being “very sweet.”

In 1995, two-piece gowns took The Quality Shoppe by storm, according to Comisac. Two-piece gowns were all the rage for girls coming in looking for prom dresses for the big day. This style of gown made a comeback in the 2010s, filling the racks once again, but ultimately the style died out, and there are no two-piece gowns being seen today.

By 2005, The Quality Shoppe had fully transitioned into a clothing shoppe filled to the brim with gowns for young girls looking for their prom dresses. Comisac states that in 2005, animal print was huge. Zebra with turquoise, leopard with pink, and cheetah with red were just a few of the animal print and color combinations that could be seen in the store. Pick-ups in the skirts were also a popular style of prom dress in 2005, where the bottom of the prom dresses was tacked in different places. Comisac also mentioned that around 2005, Jovani introduced pleats. Pleated gowns continued to be a trend for many years to come in The Quality Shoppe.

2015 - Ball gowns, two-pieces, animal print, corset tops, and pleats oh my!

2015 is the year of it all. We can see new trends emerging onto the racks, as well as trends coming back all the way from 1985. While big, fluffy ballgowns had stayed relatively popular since their initial arrival in 1985, they hadn't made a grand comeback until now, and they are here to stay. Two-piece gowns are another style of dress that first became popular over 20 years in 1995, and are now making their comeback to. Animal print and pleats have stayed consistent in the store since their debut. With these consistent designs in the store was a new style of gowns that featured a corset top. These corset tops had a more structured bodice, which is something that Comisac had never seen in the store before. Corset-style tops will remain popular for many years to come and are still very popular today.

2025 - You!

And now we are all caught up to 2025. Chunky stones, ruffle skirts, and slits are styles that can be seen not just in prom wear, but in everyday wear as well. More fitted skirts and sleek modern dresses are also styles on the racks of The Quality Shoppe today. Along with modern trends and styles that will fill The Quality Shoppe for years to come, the trend of wearing what makes you feel confident and what is meaningful to you is a trend that will never go out of style at The Quality Shoppe. “We have the honor of being a part of some of the most significant life events,” Comisac stated. “We have generational shoppers where we have grandmothers and mothers who have bought their dresses from us and bring back their daughters and their granddaughters to us, and that’s super fun.” “Sharing in the joy of people’s lives” is what Comisac stated to be one of the best parts of her job, and among gowns and fabrics, joy is exactly what you will find at The Quality Shoppe.