Who: Brace Paine
Where: East End
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Once again, national press is fawning over Portland, and this time around it’s Lucky Magazine, which in its newly released May issue features Portland stores Nolita, Lille Boutique, Stand Up Comedy, Canoe, Hermitage, Liza Rietz & a broken spoke, Mario’s, Moulé, Odessa, Seaplane, The English Dept.. For avid-followers of local fashion, it’s a must-read. Grab a copy at your local newsstand or just peep it here.

Bolt Fabric Boutique is having a store-wide sale this weekend. ALL fabric in stock is 10-50% off. Selected patterns, books, and notions will be marked down as well. The sale starts today, and runs through Sunday, April 13.

Bolt Fabric Boutique, 2136 NE Alberta, 287-2658. Get your sale shopping on: Fri 10 am - 6pm, Sat 10 am - 5 pm, and Sun 11 am - 4 pm.

Weekends are long on the local fashion scene (check here for deets on all the shows, parties, and sales going on), and this week it kicks off tonight with the Flourish Mississippi fashion show and Power of the Purse at the Art Museum. Phlox is one of the shops showing at the Flourish show, during which owner Barbara Seipp will debut her own line, the new Isaac Hers, with a launch party following the runway show down at the store (3962 N Mississippi, 8-10 pm, all other regular merchandise 15% off during the party). To be sold exclusively at Phlox, the line draws from the ’40s and ’50s. Check out a sneak peek here:

On April 25th at 7 pm, Physical Element (1124 NW Lovejoy) will be celebrating it’s 5th birthday and new direction. While it used to be the go-to place to buy hip, indie workout gear that transitioned easily to the street, the store has been gradually shifting its focus away from the gym and towards an international collection with designs by Cop.Copine, Moyuru, Deca, plus locals Renee Armstrong, Wendi Martin, Magalí Corzo, and ElizaBeth Rohloff. On the 25th, they’ll have a fashion showcase, plus a sneak peek at Fall ‘08 styles, with 10% off all purchases (including Fall pre-orders), plus some appetizers and champagne.

Are you interested in finding out about all the free events going on around Portland each week? Are you wondering how to save a little cash in this town, but still get out of the house? Well, Around the Sun, a local blog dedicated to the art of saving money lists free shows, readings, openings and more in one place. If you would like to keep some of your hard earned cash in your pocket, check out the blog, right here.

While loads of people were around the corner at Frances May’s (1013 SW Washington) champagne opening reception, that same day the doors of Covet (429 SW 10th) also quietly opened (look for a grand opening in early May). Stocking lots of high end casual wear (Citizens of Humanity denim, Michael Stars tees and leggings), plus fancier pieces from lines like Tibi, the store also features a small selection of well selected and priced jewelry, but for me the most exciting part is the fact that they carry Calleen Cordero. A handmade line of leather accessories out of Southern California, it is liberal in its use of flat studs as embellishment. I have a pair of little lace up boots of hers that my boyfriend accurately nailed when he describe them as “Pocahontas meets biker slut.” The bags are gorgeous too, and Covet has both shoes and bags in the mail—the belts, below, are already in store.

Bead Simple is the new book by Portland crafter and writer Susan Beal (also the wife of Andrew Dickson, incidentally), and to kick off its release, she is having a jewelry making event tonight at the downtown Powell’s at 7:30 pm. The book itself is a well wrought tome featuring 50 jewelry patterns that can be easily adapted to your own tastes, and include variations on each, so that in effect the book provides 150 patterns. Tonight Beal will do a reading and show samples of the book’s projects, and all who come will be invited to make a pair of simple earrings to take home.

Adam Arnold’s latest collection (presented arena-style, with Arnold walking us through everything, answering questions) was probably the starkest departure from his history thus far. Of course there will always be constants: the meticulous—often daredevil—construction, the importance of suits, the overall modesty of the garments. But this collection, with its bright, new wave theme, was kickier and overall less dressed-up than we’re used to seeing, underscored in a presentation that showed off the styling ingenuity of Galen Amussen, who got into the mood with bi-colored tights and neon appliqués on the model’s faces. Decidedly retro, the pieces on their own looked superbly malleable to a modern wardrobe, so long as it’s assembled with the same eye to longevity as is all of Arnold’s work.

See all the photos, by Minh Tran, after the jump.