What's Your Body Shape?

Finding the right clothing for your body shape can sometimes be a challenge. Ella's Boutique decided to make it easier for you to find the perfect items that flatter you best!


DEFINITION: Medium/Large bust and excess body weight accumulates around the stomach and hips.

Apple shaped women should focus attention to great legs. With the majority of weight located at the center of the body, trouser/wide leg pants and jeans with a flare and mid-rise waist help create a balanced look.

Several types of clothing styles help apple shapes draw attention above the bust and below the waist. Consider shorter skirts that hit just above the knee paired with tunics that fall away from the belly. V-neck or scoop neck lines also help draw attention away from problem areas.

TIP: Dark and solid colors for tops help balance the top half of your body with your slimmer legs.


ELLA'S BOUTIQUE SUGGESTS THESE ITEMS FOR APPLES:












DEFINITION: Slim body, often times athletic build. Fewer defined curves with weight distributed in no one particular area.

Square shapes, like a ruler, have problems creating curves and a more feminine silhouette. Look for belted tops to help create a more defined waist. Flowing blouses or tops with a tighter waist or nipped at the waist.

For skirts, go with a pencil shirt with flowing tops or a full skirt with a tighter top. Square shapes can wear straight legs or flares.

TIP: Try to layer your outfits or pairing a bulky sweater with tighter, slim bottoms. Both with help break up the straight line!




ELLA'S BOUTIQUE SUGGESTS THESE ITEMS FOR SQUARES/RECTANGLES:













DEFINITION: Smaller shoulders and/or bust with heavier waist, hips and thighs

Pear shapes should go for printed tops and cuts that draw the eye upward. Bishop and rouched sleeves will help widen the shoulders. Pear shape women can wear slightly open necklines or heavy collars/turtlenecks.

For bottoms, stick with solid, dark colored skirts and pants. Look for pants with small flares or trouser styles and mid-rise waistlines.

TIP: Have fun with style and prints for tops – so few can!







ELLA'S BOUTIQUE SUGGESTS THESE ITEMS FOR PEARS:













DEFINITION: Larger shoulders and/or bust with a smaller waist and hips.

Triangle shape women often have trouble playing the balancing act with a heavy top. Like the apple shape, triangles can feature their legs with shorter skirts since they have smaller thighs and hips. A-line shirts or skirts with a little extra flare can help balance the shoulders and/or bust.

Avoid high necklines by selecting tops with a lower cut. Showing a little leg, along with an open neckline will always be flattering.

TIP: Try heavier fabrics like tweed on the bottom or pants and skirts with prints. Pair with solid colored tops or tops with a subtle print.



ELLA'S BOUTIQUE SUGGESTS THESE ITEMS FOR TRIANGLES:













DEFINITION: Defined waist area and an overall curvy figure. Weight goes to both the bust and hip area.

Hourglass shapes do not lack the curves and many styles can work to your benefit. Scoop and V-neck tops open up the top of the body. Wrap dress and tops and halters can also be very flattering.

Wear flared pants or straight leg trousers. Stay away from tapered or too tight of pants.

TIP: Find items that tie or button below the bust to help accentuate your waist.







ELLA'S BOUTIQUE SUGGESTS THESE ITEMS FOR HOURGLASSES:

Angie Olami and ruins of old becoming treasures of now.

During the Roman Empire, dating to 100 B.C.E. through 300 C.E., there was a revolution: the art of glass blowing. This allowed for unique pieces that were light-weight and eye-catching: vessels, bowls, perfume tinctures and other houseware and trinkets decorated the halls, chambers and streets of the Roman Empire in the Middle East. Shards of these vessels have been found en masse during archaeological digs of pillars and once great cities. What is unique about these remnants of a mighty civilization is the variation in color within them, almost an opalescence that resembles abalone shell and is ever-changing with time. This coloration is a chemical reaction to the elements and minerals in the soil, specific to the dramatic and harsh climate of the Middle East. Layers of patina wrapped around the found remnants of vessels and refract the light, creating the iridescent colors.



Angie Olami and the craftsmen she works with in Israel, as well in her studio in New Jersey, set these pieces of glass into finely crafted sterling silver after a labor intensive cleaning and brushing process, where they remove excess patina so it will not, in her words, "flake off and look like 2,000 year old technicolored dandruff." The final pieces of glass are solid and stable: thinner, longer pieces are then cut into bewitching earrings, and thicker, deeply colored pieces are reserved for more substantial necklaces, brooches and one of a kind pieces of jewelry.


Angie Olami, Inc. was started twenty years ago after Angie received her B.A. in English literature from Yale, after studying Russian literature at the University of St. Petersburg, working on an archeological dig in Israel, traveling throughout Nepal, and living in Southern Spain. All of these experiences and travels were fused into the stunning creations that would unfold in the decades to come. This impressive globe-trotting artisan speaks five languages, and her designs use mythologcal and linguistic symbolism from Israel, Mesopotamia, Greece and the world of Dante in Florence. Her work is timeless, unique and will last for generations to come, the perfect gift and heirloom piece.

"When is a coat a jacket and a jacket a coat?" President Fillmore meets fashion.

It's been a bright, sunny afternoon here in Portland, spent reading things about clothing company/designers Millard Fillmore. Their coats are modern with vintage inspired fits and flares. A portrait of America's 13th president, Millard Fillmore, decorates the clothing designers' tag, as well as the president's birth year, 1800. President Fillmore was raised on the frontier, braved the elements and once tramped through one hundred miles of forest; we're not suggesting you do the same in Millard Fillmore's amazing coats and jackets, but don't be surprised if you want to! Lush wool pea coats and metropolitan-chic trench coats that remind us of Audrey Hepburn are Millard Fillmore staples we have here in the store, as well as beautiful, cozy dusters. President Fillmore once said, "... People here know nothing of comfort in cold weather," and it is in the coats and jackets of Millard Fillmore that we find that Millard Fillmore knows quite a bit about keeping warm and stylish even when it's cold!




Fillmore is an active sponsor of Music Saves Lives, a conduit between life saving organizations and the entertainment industry. A portion of the proceeds from the purchase of their garments will fo to Fillmore's continued support of this life saving organization.

Art @ Ella's: Geology, landscape and abstraction.

Oil paintings, acrylic paintings and several encaustic (wax) paintings by local artist Sarah Kamsler adorn the walls of Ella's Boutique for the month of December. Within her work, we see her vision of the natural world we both inhabit and are strangers to. Landscape has become a point of departure for the imagination. Human struggle is personified in entwined ribbon-like forms and wide open skies, in broken and abstracted trees and twigs, and uneven, layered geological forms. Original paintings on box frame panels and canvases are available for sale, as well as smaller printed reproductions. The gift-giving season is upon us!



December 3, 2008 through January 4, 2009
Ella's Boutique
2529 N.E. Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211


Pictured at right ~ "The Humpty Effect."

JWLA ~ Creative and care-free!

We are jump-starting a series of mini-essays on our blog about the designers Ella's carries. It begins with California favorite JWLA, a division of Johnny Was that was an "experiment" in 2004 - to create fun, casual T-shirts accented by stunning embroidery. Victor Tanisaka and Biya Rumar both designed this delightful line of tees, chiffon blouses, knit tunics and hoodie dresses, believing that, at the time, the market was craving "newness". Tanisaka graduated from the Fashion Industry of Design and Merchandising in 1988; 20 years later, JWLA is his favorite creation. Fiercely successful and sold world-wide to the finest stores and boutiques, including Fred Segal in Los Angeles and the Galleries Lafayette in Paris, Tanisaka has said that while the line is funky, fun and chic, it is worn by women of all ages and seen on celebrities such as Janet Jackson. Interlaced and linking the eight divisions of Johnny Was are free spirited, eye-catching embroidered details of birds and flowers, particularly shining in the hoodie dresses we carry here at Ella's Boutique. Each piece by JWLA is a work of art, the tenets of which are versatility, beauty in the details, and comfort!

The Imperial Rose Tunic-Dress by JWLA stands out in our store with its gold embroidered cranes that wind up the skirt and adorn the back, accenting a warm blue and the fuschia roses that decorate the bust and hood. What we love about this dress is the flattering empire waist, the hoodie, and how undeniably cozy it is!

Art @ Ella's Boutique: Seascapes, landscapes, and cityscapes, o my!

October ends with crisp, sunny days and ever-changing Fall colors: fiery oranges and reds, even violets. One day you'll see a tree afire with color, and the next it will be barren but beautiful. We love Fall's colors and energy as Halloween and the holidays approach us. Ella's is ending October with a stunning array of artwork by Ariel Frager, whose mixed media paintings explore seascapes, landscapes and images of crowded India streets. Photographs are mingled with oil paint and poured over with resin, creating a smoothed glassy layer that makes one feel as if they are looking through a window. Her brushwork plays tricks on the eye: where does the photo end, and the paint begin, or vice versa? Richly layered and textured beneath this sleek resin top layer, the depth and skill of Ariel's craft is best seen up close - come take a look this Thursday! We will be open until 10 pm.

Ariel Frager: New Mixed Media Work
Last Thursday, October 30, 2008
Ella's Boutique
2529 N.E. Alberta St.


P.S. Ariel's paintings would make great gifts! 'Tis the season, almost! ;)

Photo shoot with Beth Fall 2008

Soft and warm red cardigan from Green Dragon

Stripped Turtleneck tunic very chic with jeans or leggings

Embroidery is everywhere, The Love Hoodie by Johnny Was can be worn as a dress or a tunic depending on your mood.

This lovely jacket is from Two Star Dog

New Designer for Ella's
Kate Organic

Here is her very sexy
Organic Cotton
Movie Star Dress

Time is flying on Alberta Street!

Wow! September is almost over, and Fall is creeping up on us. We've had a good summer here at Ella's and hope you have, too! Lots of fantastic and fun events are coming up, including a night of shopping called Fashion by Flashlight on Thursday, October 9, from 6 to 9 pm. Join Ella's and twelve other amazing Alberta Street boutiques for an unforgettable night of shopping and fun. Delight yourself in sales, trunk shows and treats up and down the street!

Ella's will be having a trunk show of exquisite Ellington Leather handbags, special discounts, wine and chocolate. What more does a girl need other than luscious leather handbags, wine and chocolate?

See you then!

Ella's

The Alberta Art Hop