Say Yes to the Dress with Kristen’s Dresses
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon
Everyone loves the feeling of standing under the dreamy glow of dance lights, surrounded by all your friends as you twirl in just the perfect sparkling gown–and Kristen’s Dresses helps those of all ages and sizes experience just that.
“Whenever anyone comes in [the store], it’s part of the prom experience. It’s part of the fun, and a big part of it is looking for a dress,” explained Kristen Pennington, owner of Kristen’s Dresses. “I want people to feel very comfortable walking into my dress shop.”
Picking out the perfect dress for homecoming, prom or a military ball is one of the best parts of going to an event, and Kristen Pennington knows that better than anyone.
“Since I was a little girl, the only thing I've ever wanted to do was own a formal dress shop,” expressed Pennington.
Pennington, a Minnesota native, moved to Kentucky after meeting her husband at a church ski trip. After her children graduated, Pennington knew that it was time to step into the dress of her dreams: creating a dress-shopping experience for every person. She realized soon after going into the dress business that there was a great need in the area for variety in sizing and style, as well as affordability. Soon enough, what started as a hobby has since turned into a blooming business run out of Pennington’s home–this year marking her 10th year since its opening.
“I did see a need for this experience, [and it] being a fun experience for every single girl,” commented Pennington.
Pennington prides her store on crafting the perfect experience for everyone who visits. She strives for that smile in the mirror as someone truly falls in love with the dress. Everyone deserves that moment–spinning in front of the mirror feeling as if she is the star. Pennington herself cannot help but smile at this, her happiness boosted by the girls she gets to help find that “perfect dress.”
“I am genuinely thrilled for these girls, and a lot of times people don't believe me when I'm so happy for them,” detailed Pennington. “I love to see that–I never get tired of seeing a young lady or a young customer finding a dress, being happy and smiling.”
Pennington has since helped girls all across the area, specifically Maddy Burns. Burns is a good family friend of Pennington’s who has bought several dresses off of her and even works for Pennington on occasion.
“She's very helpful when you're there. She helps you pick out the dresses she thinks that you would like, and she helps you just make sure that you're getting everything that you need. She has a really good variety of stuff and a lot of sizes. She has something for everyone,” expressed Burns.
No matter what kind of dresses you like–sparkly or mysterious, prom or homecoming–Kristen’s Dresses has it for you. If you are interested in checking out Pennington’s store, check out her Facebook page under “Kristen’s Dresses.”