It’s Friday and time to highlight another store. I started with EVEREVE and today it is Zara.
A couple of weeks ago I went Downtown Portland to meet a friend and stopped in Zara. One of my former co-workers told me it had opened, but other than seeing things online, I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a store. She shopped there frequently when she lived in Europe so was much more familiar with this international fashion icon. For example, she could pop in there during her lunch, grab a few pieces without trying and knows they will fit. That sounded good to me so I decided to check it out.
We haven’t had many new larger stores in our city lately, so it is very welcome. Located in Pioneer Place, it is good to have some new life in this beautiful downtown mall that has lost a bit of its luster over the years.
It’s especially nice to visit a store where everything is bright and new. Zara is definitely all that. It is so inviting when you walk in. The lights, fixtures and displays are very eye catching!
I tried on just a few things. As we’ve been discussing all season, animal prints are everywhere. In an earlier post, I was looking all over for the perfect leopard jacket to feature. Many were high price points or limited sizes. Zara definitely had the animal print- lots of it! I liked how the shoes and bags were displayed together here. 
I went looking for coats–always a weakness of mine. The styles were similar to a few J. Crew pieces I had been looking at, but definitely a lower price point. The Gray coat pictured first is very similar to the Stadium Coat by J. Crew, (now on sale with code) and the oversized tweed was also similar to the Daphne from J. Crew. I think both of these would be good additions if you’re looking for more of a three-quarter length coat (gray) or something oversized. 
I didn’t see the the gray coat online, but really like the men’s wear coat and this houndstooth style. LOVE!
Here is what I tried: A blazer with three-quarter length sleeves. I’m always a fan of this length because of my short arms. It was comfortable, light weight and probably the closest thing I’ve found to the original one I was trying to duplicate for you.
This is more of what I’d call a topper. I liked it too, but definitely more stiff and it is quite a bold print. The first one was the winner by far.
I should have tried more and probably would have, but I wasn’t asked even one time if I needed any help. I was given a dressing room and that was it.
It’s definitely worth checking out though. The store, the website definitely has that modern, international feel. I think it will be a refreshing change. If you are local, definitely stop in and take a look!
