Willow Glen’s Boutique Street

By Staff (Feb 12, 2009 )

Chock-full of unique boutiques and yummy restaurants, downtown Willow Glen is a quaint suburban destination that makes one forget it’s just a hop, skip and a jump away from a metropolitan center. It’s also a great place to feed your inner shopaholic, with Lincoln Avenue offering dozens of one-of-a-kind shops, salons and interior design stores.

One of the newest boutique additions to the neighborhood, Orapa Gallery of Wearable Arts is just the place to find edgy, avant-garde fashions. Originally from Turkey, owner Cedide Oclay moved to the United States and earned two master’s degrees in mathematics before deciding that fashion and textiles were her true calling. She now runs Orapa, where she sells everything from UM Bags by Josh Jakus to Elise Ordorica glass jewelry to a wide selection of artsy Asian and European apparel.

Across the street is Barbarella Beauty, named after the sexy ’60s galaxy-hopping heroine. Barbarella’s is a full-service beauty experience, with a selection of cute dresses, modish jackets and sexy tops, and a salon in back. They also have a fully stocked makeup counter, where customers can get their brows and liner done by owner and acclaimed makeup artist Rebecca Sell.

A few storefronts down is Bella James Women’s Boutique, located right inside the Garden Theater. Selling top name designers like Michael Stars, Ella Moss and Seven Jeans, Bella James has fabulous frocks that are up-to-date without being teenage trendy. An alternative to all those Chico’s and Cold Water Creek catalogs is Alta Fine Contemporary Clothing. A clothing shop for sophisticated ladies with real-world bodies, Alta sells everything from stretchy corduroy trousers to colorful jackets and bold scarves.

Orapa Gallery of Wearable Arts
1336 Lincoln Ave., San Jose
408.288.5300
www.orapagallery.com

Barbarella Beauty
1183 Lincoln Ave., San Jose
408.927.7255
www.barbarellabeauty.com

Bella James Women’s Boutique
1165 Lincoln Ave., Suite 140,
San Jose; 408.292.0000
www.bellajames.com

Alta Clothing
1342 Lincoln Ave., San Jose
408.288.5940
www.altaclothing.com