Shop Adorn: Local Love from a Portland Boutique Official Shop Adorn blog for Portland Oregon

Nicole Whitesell, our fearless leader.

photo: Jasmine Photography

As a young girl ahead of her time, Nicole's entreprenerial spirit was ignited in middle school - her neighborhood acting as her first playground. "When I was in middle school, I would play library with the neighbor kids. Through me they could check out books, and then I would charge them late fees. It was about 10 cents when they returned them late, and I had no mercy. I also loved playing store. We would set my bedroom up as a store and use monopoly money and would play for hours."

Her twenties brought a more profitable but time consuming scheme. In the same fashion and timeframe as Miss Kim Kardashian, but without a wealthy father as a benefactor, Nicole started buying up trendy items at a reduced rate and reselling them for a profit. When she and her husband starting spending evenings shipping instead of being on romantic dates, a family member suggested that starting a clothing store may be a more efficient way to go about her 'free time.'

Adorn was born out of a passion and love for style. Borrowing from their customer satisfaction policy, Nicole 'won't buy anything unless I love it. I can't sell something I don't love. Working retail in the past, I loved customer's and I loved dressing people. Now I get to do that daily and be part of a community.' Nicole wants people to really love what they are buying, and even encourages clients to bring in their four favorite pieces and she will help you build your wardrobe from there.

Adorn offers some of the best shopping in Portland. Check it here:

Our PR girl.

photo: Jasmine Photography

Her grandfather would bet her twenty bucks for home runs at her softball games, while her mother would not let her go play with the boys until she finished practicing the piano.  Inside the house was full of discipline, hard work, and religion.  It was when she was let outside that she was able to express herself.

Mandy graduated from Trinity Lutheran grade school and went on to the big world of public schooling at Benson High School.  There she graduated with honors, being voted ‘most unique’ of her class, and was a three sport letter in volleyball, basketball, and softball.  She spread her time between being editor of the newspaper and DJing for the school radio station.

Upon graduation it was off to college to play softball, but she never made it to softball season.  Mandy found out the freedom and socializing opportunities college life awarded you, especially when living away from home.  After fall semester it was back home and time to regroup, where her strict but wise mother decided beauty school may be the answer.  A reluctant Mandy signed up for school, as it was a good alternative to paying her mother rent.

After 5 years of owning one of Portland's largest salon's in Portland's  Pearl District Mandy decided to use the skills she had obtained while owning and leverage it by opening a boutique PR company, Relations for Hire.

Mandy Zelinka, pro·pri·e·tress/prəˈprīətrəs/

WWW.MANDYZELINKA.COM

Brianna Showell, personal stylist.

photo: Jasmine Photography

Brianna is one of those girls that never wears make-up and allows her hair to air dry and she always looks stunning.  We want to be her, but since we obviously can't we will let her dress us, using items from the best boutique in Portland. (hint: that's us.)

She told us that just the other day she spent $100 at the Goodwill, and this was on a day she was sporting a recycled dress from her mother's closet, looking like the epitome of Portland Fashion. Getting close to wanting to hate her she confessed that she hates her new bangs. Ha! Her life is not perfect.  We can like her.

"My take on style is that everyone has a unique one. No style is necessarily right or wrong; it’s just how it is applied in different situations. My approach as a style consultant is to start with your goals and expectations and then work to accentuate and enhance your personality through what you wear."

Considering I was voted 'Most Unique' in high school, I will take that as that she is my go-to girl. Besides, she's easy on the eyes.

Want to read her Fashion blog?  WWW.REINASTYLEPDX.COM