Omaima Couture — Local services in Maine Township

We unexpectedly walked into Omaima Couture after a very disheartening experience with a "famous" local prom dress store. My 16 yr old daughter found Omaima Courture on the internet, in the car, looking for a particular designer, and a specific style. We just walked in, and the girls started looking at the beautiful dresses. Not realizing that Omaima's is an appointment boutique, I introduced myself, and started asking questions. The young woman that greeted us asked if we had an appointment. I told her no, we just happened to find them on the internet. (Now, I am horrible at names, I even asked her several times, yet, it has slipped my mind. She is the very sweet daughter of the seamstress that works there.) As she was explaining, Omaima came into the front, and heard me apologize and explain that we had a horrible experience at the other, unnamable place, and we just wanted to end the day on a good note. Omaima stopped me from gathering my girls, told us, luckily, she had no major appointments, and to please continue. She would love to help us.

The shop is inviting and quite beautiful. A ton of choices, but not packed in tight. Classy, and yet they made us so comfortable.

We chatted. Got to know each other, oohed and ahhhed at all the dresses my daughter tried on. Then it happened. She walked out of the fitting room...with The Look. You know the one. That look every woman has when they found The One. She found HER dress. Beyond finding her dress, she found a one of a kind dress. One that won't be found at her prom or graduation. All because Omaima was kind and helpful.

Now, please don't read this and go in assuming you'll be able to show up without an appointment, that would just be rude. We lucked out. We were there December 26th, so there weren't many people formal dress shopping.

The dress needs alterations, and that gets tricky. My daughter has shoulder surgery next week, a sling for 6 weeks, and Omaima Couture is 2 1/2 hours from our home. When I explained this, Omaima promised to work with us and make sure we don't have to stress about the next fitting. Such relief.

If my daughter chooses to get married someday, I promise, no, I guarentee this will be the first place we shop for her...

All these good reviews — you’d think this is the perfect place to get your dress for any occasion, right? Well, hear me out: this place is absolutely disgusting when it comes to service! Keep in mind that the people who “helped” me were teenagers — I’m not sure if they were daughters or family members of the owners, but they weren’t adults. Not that it justifies anything, though.

I truly wish I could give this place a 0. I have so many things I could complain about. This place is well-known and charges decently high prices, so you’d expect top-notch service, correct? What I got was the complete opposite.

While I was trying on my dress — and afterward — I heard the two sisters who worked there talking trash in a language I could understand. They were making comments that were completely out of pocket. On top of that, they did not give me any privacy WHATSOEVER. The two sisters kept speaking to each other in Arabic while literally following me around the store. Meanwhile, their employer came out with her kids, who were running around everywhere. Not that her kids concern me, but the employer herself was also aware of what they were saying, since she was ALSO speaking to them in Arabic.

At one point, as she was showing me a dress, she described it as “Chanel vibes,” but then one of the girls next to her said in Arabic that it was “too expensive for her,” referring to me. I pretended for quite a while that I didn’t understand the language, but they eventually got on my last nerve. For the record, I never addressed how much money I was willing to spend, and they never bothered to ask. They had absolutely no idea what my mom and I were prepared to pay.

The amount of things I could keep listing is endless. I am beyond disappointed and will NEVER be returning. If any of the employees are reading this, take notes: if you’re going to talk badly about your customers, make sure they’re not standing right in front of you. Yes, I showed up in sweats — I’ll admit it — but that does not define how much money I’m coming in with or what I have, even though that seems to be how you judge your customers. Fix your mentalities, and I sincerely hope this place goes out of business soon.

This was years...

One event we have at our high school is a Prom Fashion Show. The gown vendor we had been working with moved out to Schaumburg and I was left to find another vendor willing to work with us. For weeks I called several stores, left messages and none of them would call me back. I really thought I had to cancel the show this year until Omaima came to my rescue! She not only returned my call but she also agreed to work with us to help make this show a success.

We had set up a date and time for the girls to pick out a dress to wear for the show. By the time they arrived there was already an assortment of beautiful gowns ready for them to try on. Omaima and her assistant were so patient and kind. They made sure each girl chose a dress that not only made them feel confident and beautiful, but also flattering to their unique shape and height. The girls had a good time trying on dress after gorgeous dress, standing on the platform in front of the large mirrors, and admiring themselves and each other. As an added bonus Omaima even wrote descriptions of each dress for us to read during the show!

The store is small but charming. The decor is warm and welcoming. I can imagine how a bride would feel being in this type of environment surrounded by their loved ones and saying "Yes to the dress." It just has that type of vibe. If you're looking for a dress for that special occasion, do not hesitate to come to Omaima Couture. You'll be...