ECONOMY
HERE AND NOW
Opposites Attract
New local boutiques, businesses and brands you may
not know — but should.
10-year-old Josie Ervin, third from right, launched Oppos, detachable and interchangeable
leggings, in January.
j
36 May 2014 I
RED MID
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From
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elebration at Bella Belli: Bella Belli
Maternity and Baby in Birmingham will be
celebrating its 10th anniversary May 2-3
with a "Birth" Day Party. Join them for birth-
day treats, refreshments and giveaways and
enter to win a diaper bag or gift certificate to
Bella Belli while learning about college sav-
ings plans for your baby or baby-to-be. The
boutique specializes in upscale maternity ap-
parel and accessories plus offers specialty skin
care products, nursing apparel and designer
diaper bags as well as adorable infant clothing
through 24 months and personalized baby
gifts such as step stools, blankets and pillows.
Store hours are Tuesday- Saturday 10am-5pm,
Thursday 10am-6pm. Call (248) 203-2220, or
visit bellabellimaternity.com ... Hot Hair Look
For Spring: Nadwa Hair Salon in West Bloom-
field has the inside
information on the
newest trending look
for spring and summer:
the Halo Highlight, pop-
ping up on celebrities
everywhere. A subtle,
yet fashion-forward
color scheme consists
of a small band of hair
that surrounds the face
being lightened one to two shades lighter
than the rest of the hair. This simple contrast
draws light to the face, flattering any skin tone.
For info, email info@nadwahairspa.com or call
(248) 851-8100... Party Girls Expands: Three
hundred and more bejeweled, tulle, chiffon
and sequined prom dresses in a palette of
pastels crossed the road this month to stock
a larger, prettier Party Girls store in historic
Franklin Village. Owner Amy Regal is ready
to provide young women with a full-court
experience of beauty, not just a fancy dress
on a scrunched rack ... Prom day is one of the
most feminine events in a young woman's life,
according to Amy Regal. The 45-year beauty
consultant strives to make each client feel
special inside her new, 1,500-square-foot
boutique on the opposite side of Franklin
Road from her previous location. She added
15 chandeliers, 30 mirrors, leopard print carpet
and spacious dressing rooms - enough room
for a few friends to share the fun ... Regal
runs Glamour Puss Beauty Bar and Boutique
along with Party Girls in her posh new space.
She also carries bat mitzvah dresses, mother-
of-the-bride gowns, special occasion clothes,
hand-made jewelry, lace gloves and sparkling
cowboy boots. Her merchandise includes
looks she's collected while attending fash-
ion shows around the country the last nine
months. Dresses run between $60 and
$600. RT
C
By Lynne Konstantin
osie Ervin is out to empower girls through
fashion.
Pretty cool for a 10 year old.
Her mom, Kristin Ervin, a mindfulness educa-
tor, spotted a girl in school on Spirit Day wearing
pants with one solid leg and one printed leg,
which she casually mentioned to Josie, who loved
mismatching her socks and mittens in the name
of self-expressive style.
Spending a weekend with her grandparents,
the Beverly Hills fifth-grader at Birmingham
Covington School hatched an idea for a company
of mix-and-match leggings over breakfast with
her grandfather, Tom Ervin, along with a name:
Oppos, short for opposites.
Her grandfather, a longtime entrepreneur, sug-
gested the legs be detachable with a tiny, flexible
yet durable zipper (tested on brutally honest real
girls, to be sure the patented design was both
comfortable and sturdy), so that girls could design
their own look each time they wore the leggings.
This past January, Josie and her team, including
fashion designer and co-owner Shelly Chilton,
launched Oppos with a collection of eight right-
leg solid and patterned leggings and six solid left
legs, that can be interchanged on a whim for a
total of 48 potential combinations.
Vibrantly colored designs, including Paint Splat-
ter, Turquoise Cheetah, Galaxy and more in sizes 7
and up, can be paired with a palette of solid hues
(with more patterns, including Tie-Dye, colors and
sizes coming out this spring), empowering girls
to create a new style every time they dress — the
YENTA
more legs you buy, the more combinations are
possible.
In addition to super-soft stretchy leggings, great
for dance, gymnastics, camp and school, Oppos
also offers silky school-appropriate tunic-length
tops (long enough to cover girls' bottoms), plus
reversible headbands and more styles, including
capris and a spirit-wear line for juniors, to come —
all made in the U.S.
"There's been a lot of excitement about the leg-
gings since the launch,"says Kristin, whose many
hats at Oppos include vice president, associate
designer and treasurer,"both locally and nation-
ally"
In March, Oppos received a coveted spot in
the Nickelodeon Kids'Choice Awards Hollywood
Swag Bag, a collection of vetted goodies gifted to
every celebrity nominee, including Taylor Swift,
Katy Perry and Selena Gomez."We've already
received orders from 16 states, and are gearing up
to start our second production run,"she says.
And how has entrepreneurial success affected
Josie?
"Not much has changed in her daily lifesays
her mom. "She loves to fill orders because she's
excited to see what combinations people like. But
to be honest, I think the best part for her is having
a great legging wardrobe
Oppos legging and apparel can be ordered online. Visitors to
oppos.com can enter a virtual design studio, choose their own
model and create their own look before placing an order.
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