Art @ Ella's: Nature and light ~ Photography by Rebecca Lefferts

Through June, Ella's Boutique will be exhibiting stunning, sometimes otherworldly photography by Portland artist, Rebecca Lefferts. She has always loved photography and received her first camera at age eight. Nature and the fall of natural light on her subjects, whether they are Tuscan looking landscapes or dramatic black and white forests, are her inspiration.

We will be open from 11 am to 10 pm on Last Thursday, May 28, to showcase Rebecca's work. Come take a look!

Lustrous Pier
Rebecca Lefferts
Taken in Les Landes, France.

Kelly Lane: Ethical and eco-friendly clothing with color.

Kelly Lane's Iris dress: beautiful periwinkle contrasted with a printed ivory panel down the center and a band of soft mustard yellow at the waist. Sleek and slimming with a comfortable, soft feel and fit, perfect for summer parties!

An artistic childhood and a grandfather who loves telling stories have both influenced the exquisitely hand-crafted designs by Kelly Lane. Up until 2005, she worked as a graphic designer, having received both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in graphic design ten years earlier. When, in 2005, her husband gave her a sewing machine, she says she "traded in a Mac for a Singer" and the youthful, creative energy of her childhood was unleashed onto an entirely new canvas: clothing! She started her own clothing line a year later, Kelly Lane: Clothing with Color. She says,"I, like my grandfather and his colorful stories, seek to enhance your true colors."

The Dahlia dress is versatile and sassy, perfect for a cocktail party or summer wedding.
Wear as a skirt, as well, the ties wrapped gently around the waist.
Beautiful rose color contrasts with a fun and care-free printed accent down the center.

Kelly Lane's dresses and skirts are sophisticated and artistic, combining different textures, prints and solids that are eye-catching and unique. She blends sinfully soft jersey knits with sturdier woven fabrics, resulting in feminine silhouettes that are sweet, timeless and durable. She and the artisans she works with use eco-friendly materials and ethical practices, creating handmade, high quality "clothing with a conscience."

At Ella's, we are increasingly tring to bring eco-friendly, and, when possible, handmade clothing and accessories into our store, and Kelly Lane is a designer we're excited to have, and we think you will be, too!

Hats'n'pretty things at Ella's Boutique!

The Honeycomb Blouse by Loco Lindo - effortless grace with a fun honeycomb print in rich orange and off-white polka dots.
A store favorite, for its versatility, fun, and its light-weight Summer flow.

Spring & Summer
have arrived
at Ella's Boutique!

It feels amazing to waltz out the front door wearing short sleeves and a skirt, or a dress, or your favorite Summer blouse and crops. We have a number of stunning new items from Loco Lindo, XCVI, Two Star Dog and Glam Vintage Soul. Stock up on beautiful summer dresses and tops!

We've been quite busy here at Ella's Boutique, as we are regularly, almost daily, receiving stunning and beautiful new things for late Spring and Summer. A large shipment of leather belts also arrived recently: skinny belts in blue, yellow, black and white, some fabulous wide belts, and some floral accented brown and black belts as well! Today, we received a fabulous shipment of Summer hats by DeLux, some of which are organic! Stop by and have some fun finding your favorites.

Beautiful new palettes and styles at Ella's!

Sweet and flattering top by Green Dragon with ruffled sides,
a gentle fit and flattering yoke scoop neckline.

Sinfully soft and effortlessly graceful dresses.
~Pleated Day Dress in a lovely muted periwinkle and violet, composed of exquisite Supima cotton.
Flattering and modest all at once.

~Flirtatious and charming little dress by Green Dragon with a print of black flowers over honeysuckle-yellow, a flirty sweetheart neckline and sleeveless with ruched gathers at the shoulder. Wear it with your favorite little strappy heels for a sexy segue into Spring and Summer, or with boots and your favorite cardigan.

~Stunning light-sage green dress with a spiderweb mesh overlay and gathered empire waist - flattering and the epitome of Spring sweetness and grace.

Art @ Ella's: Simple gestures, layers of color and form ~ Erika Warhus ~

Erika Warhus, "Pomegranate", mixed media on paper. 6"x12"

Oh, if only Spring were here! Every now and then a day will be warm and bright, and we'll daydream of all the beautiful colors blooming outside, flowers and cherry blossom-filled streets... well, we can dream, for now, or feel these elements within the artwork that will be displayed for the month of March by local Portland painter Erika Warhus.

Her work is primarily process oriented. In layer-upon-layer of organic line and shape we find subtle whispers of meaning. Simple gestures become complex; daily actions and nature shape Warhus's work, and we see both in her non-representational oil and gouache paintings.

Come view Erika Warhus's fabulous paintings in person at Ella's from February 25, 2009 through the month of March, and visit her work and our store on Last Thursday, February 26, until 7:30 pm.

Your new unbreakable habit: Habitual Jeans @ Ella's Boutique!

We adore comfortable and sexy jeans. Naturally, we're excited with our new shipment and inventory of Habitual Jeans. Not only are they soft and stretchy, but they are sleek, flattering and combine utilitarian simplicity with metropolitan grace. Pockets are hand-sewn onto the backs to ensure the perfect placement and silhouette, and every inch of their jeans are hand-made in the U.S.A. The jeans are triple-washed and hand-sanded, meticulously crafted for an impeccable, perfect fit.

In store, we carry the Audrey Stretch Crop in steel grey, and the sexy cinch jean in black. Both are accented by grommet detailing at the pockets, with back pockets adorned with the "H" logo. Give us a call if you have any questions at all about fit and size.

Trashy Diva: Graceful and timeless with an irreverently modern flare.

What Candice Gwinn had in mind when opening the first Trashy Diva Boutique in New Orleans in 1996 was, originally, to sell genuine, flattering vintage wear for women. For her, the "Trashy" in Trashy Diva represented the idea that found objects and material could be made into something original, beautiful and ultimately unique. The full name itself was inspired by an issue of W that explored classic starlets' fashion, such as Marilyn Monroe and Jane Mansfield.

For three years, Gwinn's boutiques sold vintage and second-hand dresses, slips and other fabulously timeless styles. In 1999, Trashy Diva was indeed "blossoming", producing a two piece clothing line (a "charm gown" and a charmeuse flapper coat) and expanding its store and reach within New Orleans, nationally and internationally through their website. They created original, eye-catching dresses that echoed dresses of the mid 20th century, although each dress was updated and fitted for a modern, unique style. Trashy and Diva combined to create a clothing line that was inspired by 1920's to 1950's fashion, symbolizing "irreverent beauty" for "girls who don't always follow the rules."

Trashy Diva has timeless, classic dresses that above all else are flattering for nearly all body types, comfortable, and with finely crafted vintage-inspired details throughout every inch of every garment. A particular classic or vintage print Gwinn finds inspires her to create a whole line of dresses, or she starts with one particular cut and style in mind, borrowing elements from a dozen or so vintage patterns. You can also find a modern flare in all of her dresses, as well a subtle touch of traditional Japanese fashion, seen in the overlapping V-necks and dramatic panel-empire waists that accent the bodices of her dresses, usually in solid colors to compliment the stunning prints. Full circle skirts, A-lines and top-stitched and fitted empire waists are Trashy Diva staples that'll make you want to dance! Mingling Asian influences with her current love for the 1950's and cottons, her line continues to thrive.

We love how well Trashy Diva's dresses fit and flatter, and we recently received a shipment of beautifully exquisite examples of the flawless perfection that is Trashy Diva.

Please call or e-mail us with questions about the fit and size of these lovely dresses, as they do run a bit small.