Gorgeous Gift Guide:Volume 1

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
The holiday season is on full force. If you need help ticking people off your gift list, stop into Helena's. We are fully stocked with lots of delightful items and we love helping people find just the right thing. From Orla Kiely bags, to Espe wallets, or Wooden Ships hat and scarf sets, we have gifts in all price ranges. Here are some of our favorite gifts. Aside from all being jaw droppingly lovely they are all under $50.00.

Tiger Mountain Sterling and Peridot Earrings: These little beauties are dainty and delicate. Tiger Mountain designs gorgeous jewelry that is always captivating and never over-powering. These earrings are a steal at only $19.00!


Build- a Belt NYC Belt with Black Buckle: Build-a-Belt offers a range of reversible ribbon belts with interchangeable buckles. Choose your strap, choose a buckle and make it your own. The magnetic clasp makes it easy to reverse, so it's like two belts in one. The NYC pattern is one of our best sellers. Buckle and strap together come to $37.50.Nusantara All Over Embroidered Merino Scarf: Incredibly beautiful scarf from Nusantara designs. Scarves make wonderful gifts and these are particularly impressive just by the sheer amount of embroidery on them. Gorgeous intertwining flowers and leaves backed by lovely merino wool. These are a fabulous deal at only $38.00 each.

Friday Landing: New Prairie Underground

We are due to get a large shipment of Prairie Underground in Friday 11/14/08. Many loyal Helena-ites have been waiting for the triumphant return of the Prairie Hoodie and Cloak Hoodie, but we are also getting in some brand new styles. Check out the Mothette dress. Ruched, tied and fabulous, made in the same french terry as the hoodies, to cocoon you in soft comfort. We will be getting the Mothette in one of our favorite colors, black, of course.

The boot that makes a statement.

Where to begin with this unique boot? The J-41 Pacific boot has a bold look with skirts and leggings, and a subdued appearance under jeans and trousers. It's a little sporty-spice, with it's winter-busting warmth and stylish wedge heel. It has a leather and nubuck upper, with contrast stitching and overlay accents. The lace up front has metal hardware, and fleece on the lace and collar trim. And did I mention comfort? Most of our customers who try them on decide to put their old shoes in the J-41 shoe box, ask for a scissors to cut off the tags, and walk out with the boots on their feet.

Jessica: Out and About in My Favorite Things

What a great way to spend a glorious Sunday. Checking out the latest exhibits at the ICA and sporting some of my favorite pieces from Helena's. If you haven't been to see Tara Donovan's work you should rush right over there. It's phenomenal. Donovan uses everyday items, such as straws, pins and scotch tape, to create gorgeous, organic, dreamlike sculptures, which left me delighted and amazed. She transforms her humble materials and awakens the viewer to the latent power inherent in even the most ordinary objects.

Here I am checking out her "Untitled" piece, made from suspended Styrofoam cups. I feel great wearing some of my favorite pieces from Helena's. My Prairie Underground cloak hoodie always makes me feel like a superstar and imbues any outfit with instant drama. I love my long snap bottom Effie's Heart leggings and Shiraleah bag as well. I put the leggings over my boots to create a longer leaner line (which I could always use!). Stylish enough to cavort around the museum in, and comfy enough to grab some nice schwarma at the Middle East afterwards (yum). Cheers to perfect Sundays!

We love Navy...sweaters, dresses, tops.

If you haven't noticed, navy blue is a hip hue. We love the color and have presented it in sweaters, dresses, and knit tops. However, Jessica and I have found that there are many fashion questions regarding what to wear with navy apparel. This is worth answering since navy is a flattering color on brunettes, red-heads, and blondes, and looks great with most skin tones. Here are some tips: Navy tops always look great with denim. Metallic accessories look fantastic with navy, and if you are into a boost of color, try red, yellow, or emerald green jewelry.

And on the big question of SHOES? There's lots of options, none of them requiring you to get on Zappos and ordering navy pumps (please don't do this). If you are wearing a navy top with a pair of jeans, accessorize with a great brown belt and a pair of brown boots (suede looking particularly chic). If you are wearing a navy dress, you could wear a pair of charcoal or navy opaque tights with a pair of black boots, ankle boots, or black Maryjane pumps. Sounds fabulous, huh?

One way to boost the impact of navy blue clothing is to wear shoes that offer a color contrast, such as ruddy brown, tan, cream, and white (especially in the springtime). And as I preview spring fashions, navy blue continues to be strong, and it looks great. Think navy with ruffles, navy floral burn-out, sleeveless navy dresses, all too good to be true. This top on the left is from the line Testament, which Helena's will be carrying in the spring. - Katherine

SPANX tights!

We now have tights in from SPANX. Come see the versitile, reversible opaque tights, and the beautiful patterned tights. They look great with all the fall skirts and dresses in the store, and will look especially striking with the Prairie Underground ruffle skirt that will be in by the end of the month. All with the unsurpassed SPANX quality and fit.

XCVI: Our favorite Skirt Returns

One of our bestselling skirts ever is back in stock here at Helena's. The shirred panel skirt from XCVI is wildly popular and with good reason. Dramatic and impressive with it's multitude of ruching, this skirt still remains supremely comfortable. Designers Gita Zeltzer and Lilia Gorodonitski teamed up to create a line of breathable, wearable clothes that never skimp on comfort or style. The stretch poplin fabric moves with your body, generously sized for an easy fit on almost anybody. XCVI has a style all their own, and offer a full range of tops, skirts, dresses, jackets and pants.

We just received the shirred panel skirt in a luscious deep red , as well as black.

Also topping our list of must have skirts is the snapper skirt. Soft rib knit around the waist with drawstring, and tiny brass snap details. We have the Snapper in a deep purple color, deep red and soft khaki.