Last year, shopping season was in full swing when the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses to close their doors and schools to cancel their annual proms. This year, business owners are worried with so much up in the air.

"Once I place the order with a company, it’s my dress. I can’t send it back," said Tara Attanasio, owner of Azalea, a boutique in Guilderland.

Attanasio says her prom sales were exceeding expectations last winter, then COVID-19 hit and shut everything down.

"It was very scary, because prom is very seasonal," Attanasio said.

Boutiques like hers buy for prom season in August, then the shopping season begins in January.

"Girls will come in and usually order off of those," Attanasio said. "So those are sort of like your store samples."

When the pandemic hit, she’d already taken dozens of orders, along with deposits. Attanasio says, incredibly, everyone paid off and picked up their dresses.

"I felt awful for these girls. I felt awful taking their money; I felt awful when they would leave with their dress," Attanasio said. "I think that for girls, that’s the biggest part is like, going to find this perfect dress that they’ve never worn anything like and may not wear anything like again until their wedding."

This year, prom season is even more uncertain. Attanasio says she’s lucky because she also has bridal dresses in her store, which is paying the bills. Plus, several of the prom designers she has in store carried over last year’s styles.

"I obviously was super scared to buy, and my little nest egg of money to buy with wasn’t there," Attanasio said. "But I bought about a quarter of what I bought the year before."

With new styles in stock, a big rack of clearance, private shopping appointments, and lots of disinfecting, Attanasio says she's drafting a letter along with other businesses asking school districts to share their current prom plans, consider moving prom to June, and having outdoor venue options.

"It affects more than just dress boutiques," Attanasio said. "You have tuxes, florists, makeup artists, the venues ... Obviously, schools can’t say for sure, but maybe some know for sure they’re not going to."

While she and others wait, she’s trying to stay positive. Attanasio opened Azalea in 2018, after years of working in the industry. This is just her third prom season in business.

"I’m nervous. I’ve been nervous. It’s something that’s on my mind all the time. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I waited my whole life to open this store," Attanasio said. "Owning my own dress boutique was a dream for me and I was finally able to make it happen when I was … I’m going to be 47. I don’t know what to expect, but like I said, I’m hopeful."

Right now, Azalea is offering shopping by appointment only due to COVID-19, and appointments can be scheduled beyond just traditional store hours. You can call or email to set up a prom dress shopping appointment at (518) 952-6727 or email info@azaleadresses.com.

Attanasio has limits on the number of guests prom dress shoppers and brides can have with them right now for COVID-19 safety, but can help coordinate getting friends and family there for your visit virtually. She is also disinfecting the store and steaming the dresses being tried on in between customers.