Do you enjoy shopping at boutiques? Do you like supporting…read moreindependent artists and unique designs? Do you like buying cool gifts for loved ones? If you have answered "yes" to all of these questions then I recommend visiting the Montavilla neighborhood in SE Portland to check out Union Rose! Here there are many local designers and artists which create unique gifts and clothing (from men, women to children). Union Rose lives and breathes the "Portlandia" vibe and is highly recommended if you're looking for something along these lines. I recently purchased a turquoise-white dandelion-imaged tie for my brother's birthday and he was blown away by how "awesome" it was. The owner of Union Rose is also a designer herself and currently has about 20-30 independent designers who sell their cool crafts at her boutique. If you're ever in the area, check this place out. You probably won't go empty-handed.

Such a cute gem on the Montavilla strip. Lots of beautiful jewelry & clothing. Even got a nice…read morelittle wallet here. Love the local and handmade stuff they carry. It's nice to support Portland artists. I got earrings from Moss Handmade and a sari tunic from Indie Ella. Also the staff is lovely. :)

I love the clothes at Donna and Toots. The owner Susanne is talented and designs clothes the way I…read moreenvision my dream wardrobe in my head. Only she can actually sew awesome clothes, and me , not so much. Which is why I signed up for one of her A-Line Skirt sewing classes. Just in the first night I learned so much. We're learning how to modify a basic pattern to fit our very own bodies, then learn some of her cute embellishing techniques to personalize our skirt. How cool is that?! I'll walk away with a skirt that actually fits my J-Lo bootie and my waist, plus pattern to make as many more as I like! (Hey clothing makers, I may have a butt but I have a waistline too. I'm not a friggin' Oompa Loompa!) So if you want quality, talk to Susanne. I don't know how she offers so much quality for such low prices, but she does.

Woohoo for cute new boutique in my hood (just moved to 35th & Division)! I seriously heart the…read moreowner, Suzanne. No, not just because she is cute, because she gets down to biznazz. Unlike all those snooty overpriced "local pdx" places in downtown, Donna & Toots has nice clothes at reasonable prices... But wait, there's more. When I tried on a shirt that didn't fit quite right, Suzanne said, Oh, that's one of ours, I can make it for you. Huhwha? For the same price as off-the-rack, Suzanne helped me pick my favorite pretty fabric, shiny buttons, and made an adjustment so the shirt fits just right. And, she emailed me when it was ready! I loved it so much, I ordered a second one as soon as the first was in.

Fabulous boutique in the Pearl District…read more Anne is very involved in the local fashion scene and showcases Portland's local designers in her shop. In fact, Anne has the broadest selection of local Portland designers anywhere, Oregon or otherwise! Anne is also an amazing artist and jeweler. If your looking for original one of a kind fashion, jewelry, art or all the above be sure to check out this boutique.

Checking in at First Thursday in the Pearl at Anne Bocci's . This is always a well attended event!…read more She is so gracious a truly authentic and excellent hostess. I love that she showcases local designers and artists. Her event usually includes light refreshments, champagne and a raffle that occurs every few minutes throughout the evening! I really enjoy meeting the designers and tonight I met Maddie Iverson of O'Field Apparel who is one of the few people that have a design license to work with Pendleton material. I have attached beautiful photos of some her designs showcased in the store because I am so impressed!

Hawthorne is a fashion mecca, new and vintage. On any weekend people are on the hunt! The Alien…read moreMermaid Cove has many colorful clothes and a large selection of earrings, even some shoes. Like many similar shops on the street, it is probably a fit for teens and early 20s. With Portland Weird United and our Mermaid and Mermen Parade it has a great name, though no mermaid costumes.

As we drove down Hawthorne, we were excited to go into this store. It looked ecliptic and fun!…read moreHowever, my daughters and I were so disappointed with the cashier's attitude about bags. "A lot of people have bags. I need you to bring then up here cuz I don't want to have to throw people out." We walked out as we surely felt unwelcomed. And why would I leave my 8" purse at the cash register.

Difficult to find the place and it was closed, wasted 30 mile drive. Looked like the place was…read moreabandoned.

Historically, I've been pretty careful about ordering hats online because I like to try them on…read morebefore buying. I came across Penman Hats while looking to replace a well-worn much beloved fedora that was unfortunately lost. Intrigued by the idea that all of the hats offered are made by hand, by the owner himself, and the fact that many well known folks wear his creations, I went ahead and ordered a whisky colored beaver felt with an iron colored vintage ribbon. Not long after, I received the package and when I opened it I was as pleased as I could possibly have been. Besides the hat itself being a work of art, every detail of the packaging was a delight. The hat came carefully wrapped in a plastic outer bag to protect it in transit. It had been placed in a very high quality hatbox with a gold embossed logo closed with a with silk cord. Inside the box were tags that could be filled out and kept in the hat in case it was lost (wish I had this for the one I was replacing), an enamel lapel pin that found it's way to my lucky backpack and of course the hat itself. The hat was flawless. It has a 5 point bash, and is carefully stitched all around. The interior is silk lined, and has a leather inner sweatband meticulously hand stitched on. Most importantly, the fit was exactly as measured. I highly recommend following the instructions that the company has online for finding your correct size; they don't use generic sizes like M-L-XL and the hats are all the better for it. If you're looking for a quality hat, made by a master hatter using old-world craftsmanship, you can't go wrong ordering one of these hats.

Unless I'm shopping secondhand, I buy only U.S.-made or verified ethically-made clothing. That…read moremakes it difficult for me to shop at most boutiques. Not true of Garnish, since Erica makes most of the clothing herself. But it's the styling that really got me. I love to wear nice clothes that I feel great in, but I don't particularly like fashion for fashion's sake, and I'm not good at figuring out what works well together or even at selecting clothes that will work on me, so I tend to have a pretty monotonous wardrobe. I went to Garnish and had an afternoon of Erica's styling, and walked out with an armful of locally made, affordably priced clothes that looked fantastic on me and that are a change from my standard but that still feel like me. I don't live in Portland but plan on stopping at Garnish every time I'm in town!

I recently discovered Garnish and am now a fan. Really great designs and styles. Erika and Chelsea…read morehave been very friendly and helpful. And it's a feel good purchase when you buy locally. Plus they offer you beverages while you shop!

I have loved Kara's shop since day one…read more Her designs are perfect. Simple. Pretty. Wear more dresses, people. And the lines she carries outside of her own are great. Jewelry, accessories, and the JEANS, oh my god the JEANS. Kara picked out a pair i SWORE i would hate. Love. Them. Wear them all the time. The service is excellent... not pushy, honest, friendly, dedicated. Treat yourself and go here. A lot.

My first time in this store today, and I loved it! Cute clothes, sweet staff, beautiful jewelry. I…read moregot some earrings that I love and would have bought more clothing but I'm in between sizes. Everything is pretty and soft. Super well curated. I will be back.

I just went in to suit up for a job interview at the last minute. I was lucky enough to get help…read morefrom Mr. Collier himself. Collier immediately reached for a classic style that fit my odd measurements (6'4", long limbs) near perfect, and noted a few changes to make. Understanding my time constraints, he agreed to have it done within 48 hours-- working on Sunday if needed. He threw in a shirt and a tie he selected to match my features and personality, and still charged me substantially less than the asking price. At Collier you get superlative quality at prices that are competitive with mid-range lines from the big menswear chains, while supporting a great Portland business. There's no reason to look anywhere else.

I've been a customer here for a couple decades throughout its location (and at least one name!)…read morechanges and yet it's the consistency that keeps me coming back: always awesome service and value. You won't find a place like it on the west coast.