Bella Boutique

04/24/08

Nice Atmosphere, Not worth your money

by Scooper1 at Citysearch

I love small boutiques and prefer boutique shopping over the Galleria any day. Bella has a great atmosphere along with a spunky and creative owner. Unfortunately, after shopping a few times I am going to have to provide a negative review. Every top or dress that I have purchased at Bella falls apart (loose threads, seams unraveling) within the first 2-3 months. I hand wash all my tops or dry clean so I know it's not due to my negligence. It's really sad when a top from Target out lasts a $175 blouse from Bella. The clothes are marked up way too high to have such low quality. I'll always enjoy the window displays but will no longer be spending my money there.

• Pros: Location, Friendly service
• Cons: Quality of clothing

10/17/07

perfect boutique for us preppy belles and girly girls.

by fashionhore at Citysearch

This boutique is as sweet as sugar. I live for boutiques and 65 percent of my shopping is done in boutiques, whether they are in Houston or in Paris, I have seen it all. Bella, I love, because quite frankly they carry Milly. Michelle Smith is by far one of my favorite designers; I have been a fan of her since Fall 2005. I am so thrilled to see Milly come alive in a Houston boutique. Although I am not fond of the many strip malls we have here in Houston, the location isn't wretched. It's in the same strip as Collina's and so the concrete slab of businesses isn't a complete nightmare. Beyond this small aesthetically irking factor, I love the inside. I love the interactive level of the store, the way the clothes are layed out. Beyond Milly, Bingham carries Alice+Trixie, Mara Hoffman, and Shoshanna?all designers that fulfill my girly girl cravings and bring color to my wardrobe!

Just as any review should, there should be an explanation of both the positives and negatives of an experience. As a fashion guru, I am a harsh critic of anything & everything fashion. For those of you that are looking for cute clothes and unique finds, sure Bella, or any decent boutique, will suffice; but for those of you who are passionate about fashion, Bella does lack a few important components. Bella is not up to date on all of the cutting edge lines breaking through the fashion world?s doors. It is also not a high volume store. This is probably to its advantage, considering the boutique world in Houston is not an easy one. I think she needs to push the store to the next level and introduce her clientele to a bigger portion of the fashion world.

Overall, I believe this boutique deserves 3.5 stars and I would HIGHLY recommend it to girls who are much like me, love fashion, love dresses, love color! Don?t be fooled by my harsh fashion criticism, that is just the fashionista in me, I love this store and as long as they carry Milly I will continue to support their business.

• Pros: five minutes away from West U. carries Milly NY. frequent sales.
• Cons: poor lighting. lacks innovation of thought. strip mall=gag me.

04/13/07

Best Service and Great Clothes

by redshoegal65 at Citysearch

Many of my friends had told me that I must try Bella out. I had always driven past it and never thought twice, its in an unnoticeable strip center on Richmond. But one day I popped in for a quick look and came out with practically a whole new wardrobe. Stevie, the owner, was fantastic. I had originally gone in the dressing room with a handful of items and she just kept bringing me more! What started out as a quick looksey turned into a couple of hours conversing with Stevie and trying great articles of clothing I normally wouldnt of tried. Her jean sale was the best Ive ever seen (if you are a size 24 to 26) and her clothing is unique and ranges in style and price. Overall, I loved it there and though I spent way more than I could ever of imagined, I didnt regrett it at all. I would recommend this to any girl who loves fashion, good buys, unique clothing and shopping in a place they feel totally comfortable in.

• Pros: The owner who makes this store so appealing
• Cons: Some pricey items

08/10/06

Love It!

by beachblue17 at Citysearch

Shopping at Bella is always a great experiance. They always seem to have just what I need and they are friendly as well. The clothes are fabulous as well as the service!

• Pros: Great Clothes
• Cons: None

Set in an unlikely strip mall, this boutique for bright young things packs a style-savvy punch.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Stevie Bingham, daughter of a former Oiler, will tell you she doesn't need to make a profit for her store to be a success. She specializes in feminine, frilly pieces by Milly, Maria Bianca Nero, and Tom Nguyen, jeans by Serrafontaine and AG, Cosabella thongs and jewelry by Mindy Lam and Yummy Glass.