Cropped But Not a Crop Top

Do you struggle to find the perfect fitting everyday top? You know the one I'm talking about.. The one that's a little boxy, slightly cropped, and hits right at the top of your pants. The one that fits just right. Folly has what you're looking for! We love a top that is slightly cropped, but definitely not a “crop top”.

Lumi Top

Rita Top

Mash Top

Finding tops that are just the right amount of length can be a struggle. I look for tops that are not too long, but not too short either. Hence the phrase I'm coining as the Goldie Locks top!

Let me introduce to you all the perfect slightly cropped Goldie Locks tops we have here at Folly.  First off, are our wonderful Carol tops from our good friends at Cameo. The Carol hits just right at the middle of my hips as someone who's 5 '4, and hits right at the top of the pants for taller bodies. The Carol is great because it is ever so slightly cropped, making it so you can wear with low or mid-rise pants without showing midriff, and it's not too long that you feel shapeless when wearing a high-waist skirt. 

Sarah, wearing the Carol in Black

Also from Cameo, there are our NEW Mash tops! In patterns called Royal Brush Dot, Royal Swiss, and Wildflower.. All a bit boxier than the Carol, with slightly longer sleeves. These tops fit me perfectly as a short/ average height person.

Me (Aya), 5'4, Wearing the Mash Top in Wildflower, Size L

Mash Top in Royal Swiss, Size L

Mash Top in Royal Brush Dot, size M

The wildflower top is my favorite pattern! The Mash tops and also our Rita blouses are my ultimate Goldie Locks tops.

Oh you don't know the Rita top? Well let me introduce you to her. Our Rita top is one we make here, and are always making them in new patterns and prints. The Rita is not a button up like the Cameo tops, it's a bit dressy-er and pairs fantastically with any high-waist pants or skirts of your choosing. The Rita top is one of our best-selling tops for shorter people, and we see why you all love it! See the fit on Sarah: the Rita hits right at the waist, accentuating the waistline.

Check out our NEW Rita top in Oaxaca!! With matching Trista pants.

Last but not least is our Lumi knit top! The Lumi is a perfect everyday top, and it's soooo soft. The Lumi is your perfect companion to your favorite pair of jeans, or any bottoms of your choosing! You'll catch me this summer in our wonderful Lumis paired with our comfy Miles pants. Together, the Lumi and the Miles make the comfiest combo that makes you feel like you're wearing pajamas while still looking amazing!!

So, why do I love wearing tops that sit right at the top of my pants and nothing longer? Personally I think they are more flattering on my body type. I carry most of my weight in my stomach area, and have smaller legs, so I like to wear high-waist bottoms. I also think I have a good butt, so it feels like a shame to cover it with a top!

Whether you choose to show off your stuff, or stay covered, we got you! All bodies are so different, and we make clothes for everyone. 

Whether your short, tall, big, or small

we have the perfect length tops for y'all!

 

Happy Friday #follygirls,

Aya 

NEWS: Blazers for Sale!

The Portland Blazers are for sale, and our blazers are too!

We love blazers here at Folly; they're a fantastic way to elevate any look. Feeling a bit fancy? Simply swap your cardigan for a blazer, and voila! You'll be surprised how swapping just one item of clothing for another can create a whole new look and aesthetic. Opting for a blazer instead of a soft cardigan or sweater, is one of our favorite tips and tricks on how to dress-up a basic outfit. Blazers look great with jeans and a t-shirt, or with dresses and skirts… the versatility is amazing!

Here's how some of our #follygirls style their Patricia blazers in our Felipe print. 

Seriously... How cute do these two look!? 

 

 

 

The Patrica Felipe Blazer also has matching pants too… just sayin’

 

Patricia Blazer + Miles Pants in "Felipe"

 

 

Another reason we love blazers is that they can be a cooler alternative for a jacket in the summertime. They have just enough fabric to keep you warm at night, and they're not too heavy to make you overheat.

Also, summer is travel season; we love recommending blazers to instantly dress up a basic airport outfit. We make our blazers year round, with different fabrics to match the seasons. Meaning our current blazers are lightweight and airy to accommodate the weather.

Our current Patricia blazers include patterns called the, Dotterina, Felipe, Pinky-Do, Vegas, Joyo Dot, and Lobster!

NEW Blazer Alert! Our Lobster Patricia

Our newest blazer is our Lobster Patricia Blazer. Imagine the scene: It's a hot summer day and you find yourself on a yacht drinking champagne and laughing with friends.. You're wearing this Lobster jacket, no?

We also have our wonderful Adelia Jacket, that can also be considered a blazer. It's longer than the Patricia, and also has amazingly large pockets. What are you going to fill yours with?

 

 

 

Aya's poem of the week:

 

Blazers and sweaters and jackets oh my! 

We have the perfect blazer for your red-eye.

 

Or are your jeans and white tee putting you down?

Throw on a blazer to go dance around.

 

Need something to mask the nights breeze?

Don't be silly, please. Come into Folly, that's what you need.

 

We have blazers and sweaters and jackets galore,

we promise you'll find something you adore.

 

 

 

Have a great day, 

Aya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celibrating 17 years of Folly!

Happy Friday #follygirls!


Last Friday May 9th marked 17 years of Folly being in business! We truly wouldn't be here without you all. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our small business.

Sarah opened the first Folly store in Slab Town in 2008 all by herself, in the middle of a recession. The store was located in an old Portland building that had apartments above it; and on occasion the residents would overfill their bathtubs and water would leak into the store.

 

 

 

With a dream and determination, Sarah made Folly into what it is today: a successful small business with the best group of customers she could wish for. Now 17 years later, Folly is celebrating its 3rd year here at 4100 NE Fremont St, and you can also find some of our stuff at Cargo in inner SE!

 

Cargo is open 11-6pm 7 days a week!

 

Sarah's always worked hard, and marketed even harder. In 2009, she made a Facebook for Folly, and was one of the first few businesses that actually used Facebook as a marketing tool to find customers and build community. Since Facebook was still so new, she would help customers that came in how to set up their own Facebook accounts.

 

 

 

 

I think Sarah's decision to use Facebook for her business is one of the big reasons Folly is as successful as it is today. Sarah saw early on the power social media could have to quickly and easily communicate with customers and grow community support. From Facebook to Instagram- Sarah was able to find her community of customers, and you found her! 

 

So when I said we wouldn't be here without you, I mean it. We're so grateful for you supporting our colorful and quirky little store.  

Sarah has an amazing and weirdly good ability to attract #follygirls into coming into the store. I’m not sure what kind of secret messaging she's sending out into the universe, but it's a wonderful feeling to see new customers come in and tell us this was one of the best shopping experiences they've had. That “everything fit” and it was “so easy.”
 

It's not just on social media, but in real life too, that Sarah continues to find and grow a community of Folly customers. We love how supportive the #follygirl community is to one another, and hearing that this community means as much to you as it means to us. We love you all.

xoxo,

Aya

P.S. Seriously… I think Sarah’s dream hangout would be a massive get-together of all her customers so she can be surrounded by like-minded creative and loving people like her.

 

Aya's haiku of the week:

Yippee and hooray!

As it is Folly's birthday!

Will you come say hey?

 

 

 

Mother's Day!

With mother's day just around the corner, we'd like to take this time to appreciate all the amazing #follygirl mothers out there. We wouldn't be in business without you all, and we are truly grateful.

We love to see you share your favorite store in Portland with someone you love.

 

 

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs someone can have (at least that's what my mother has always told me.) I don't have personal experience being a mom, but I can talk about my experience having a mom. 

I've always looked up to my mom. She's assertive, she's understanding, she's driven, she's always learning and growing, and she's incredibly creative.

When I was younger my mom used to volunteer at the Portland Art Museum as a docent, and since my dad worked full time, she would often take me with her to the art museum when needed. I remember her taking me through the Native American exhibits, showing me old Egyptian artifacts, and my favorite: the modern art section.  My mom has always loved art, and I loved that she immersed me in art and art history from a young age. My moms interest in art ignited my passion for art as well.  

As I grew up, I kept being interested in art and would draw constantly. Good or bad, she loved hanging my drawings up on the walls of our home. Her support meant everything to me, and still does. I went on to get my BFA and am now currently in the process of getting my tattoo artist license while working here at Folly part-time. I am so grateful that she supports and nurtures my interests and decisions at the age of 26 with the same enthusiasm and love that she did when I was 10. 

She even came in during my second weekend here at Folly and shopped for clothes for her upcoming trip. For an hour or so Sarah and I helped her find clothes and I loaded her dressing room up with dresses I thought she might love.

Here's some examples of what I gave her to try on:

The Abbie Dress

The Daisy Dress

The Trista pant and Lang top set

 

I reminded her with a whisper, that she didn't need to buy anything she doesn't love (my moms not the biggest patterns girl).  She assured me with a big enthusiastic smile that she was happy with what she found. My mom left Folly happy, and with two of the most neutral pieces of clothing we have here. Her coming into Folly and trying on clothes out of her comfort zone is her way of showing her support for me, and it makes me so happy.

Here's what she picked:

Carol Top

Sophia Wide Leg Pant

One of the most important lessons my mom has taught me about life is that you get to set your own timeline and forge you own path. After being a docent at the Portland Art Museum, my mom decided to go back to school in her 40's to pursue a BFA in art and MFA in teaching so she could become an art teacher. And she did just that! 

Whats next for her? I don't know, but I know she'll do something amazing. And I'll be here to support her with whatever she decides.

I love you so much mom, thank you for being my biggest supporter and giving me the time and space to find my own path. 

My path just so happens to be similar to yours.

Love,

Aya

 

 

 

Aya's haiku of the week:

What is an unpaid

teacher, driver, chef and bank?

It's called being "mom".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clothing as Self-Expression

I love the power that clothes have.  Clothes can change your confidence, they can change your mood, they can change how you act, and they can change how you're perceived in the world. I love harnessing the power of clothes and using them to my advantage. 

I know my physical appearance is how people perceive me, but I'm so much more than my body and appearance. I'm kind, I'm funny, I'm artistic, I'm loving, and so much more.

 

 

 My body is uniquely my own, and I love that about it. I think that's why I like to put unique clothing on my body to express that feeling of having autonomy and ownership of my body. That's why I'm so happy to be working at Folly and finding the #follygirl community here; I get to work in an environment that celebrates creative freedom.

 

 

As a kid, my mom let me dress myself from a very young age, and I loveddddd patterns. Polkadots, stripes, floral patterns you name it. An outfit with polka dots, stripes, and florals together? Yes, please! I wore velvet dresses with cowboy hats and jelly shoes. 

Looking back on the outfits I picked out as a kid are funny now because I look pretty silly...but its not anything I'm embarrassed by in anyway, because I wore what made me happy! I hope I never reach an age in my life where I stop dressing for my own happiness.

 

I still love floral, stripes, mixing patterns together, and finding joy through planning my outfits.  I absolutely love seeing customers finding joy in their folly clothes. To me, being a #follygirl seems like embracing your autonomy and giving yourself the freedom to dress however the hell you want. 

To be a part of Who Wore What Where?: DM a photo to @follypdx on Instagram of how you uniquely style your folly clothes.

 

 

We love all of you #follygirls for being creative and and having a sense of folly with us.

Best,

Aya

 Aya's haiku of the week:

Wear what you want to

Life is better when you smile

at your reflection.