Frequently Asked Questions

Karen Forte is one of the region's leading specialists in bridal, evening and occasion wear. Specialist occasion wear consultants are available to advise you on choosing an outfit for whatever special occasion you may be attending. This personalised shopping experience forms part of our highly regarded customer service and reputation known throughout East Anglia.

Here are a few FAQs that may help you in your search for the perfect outfit or accessory for any occasion. If you still have an unanswered question, please ring or email and we will endeavour to help you as best we can.

Do I need an appointment to view the occasion wear? 

We have an appointment system available in order for customers to book an appointment and guarantee a personal style advisor which is recommended for customers to take advantage of. However it is not compulsory and we will do our upmost to provide you with a style advisor to guide you through our collections .

Can I order an outfit and how long does it take?

Most of the designer collections held at Karen Forte are unique collections ordered months in advance. It is sometimes possible to order in outfits if designers have any extra stock available. This would usually take a week or two to arrive. However there are a few designers who are able to make more of their designs.

When do you have new stock coming into the shop?

We have new occasion wear collections arriving throughout most of the year. The majority of our Spring/Summer collections arrive from January through to April and Autumn/Winter collections tend to arrive in July through to October.

What sizes do you stock?

We stock UK sizes 6 to 26. We have in-house seamstresses who are available to alter your outfits purchased at Karen Forte. The cost of these alterations depends on how long they will take to complete. 

Can I accessorise my outfit  Karen Forte?

We have a large range of shoes and matching bags in a variety of styles and colours, mostly from Italian designers. We also have dyeable ivory satin shoes and bags that can be dyed to match any colour swatch. We carry a large selection of hats and fascinators which are available to buy from stock, or can be made specially to match your outfit. This usually takes two to three weeks but can often be made quicker if needed.

Can I have an outfit altered at Karen Forte that I brought elsewhere?

Our seamstresses work across all three of our departments and have a hectic workload so are unable to complete any alterations on outfits not purchased at Karen Forte but we can recommend some local seamstresses.